I’ve had this amp for a little over a year now... it’s a lovely amp and a such a classic for good reason. I found the 40 to be a great compromise to the 120... it has most of the sound but a fraction of the weight. For recording, the 10” speakers I think are barely indistinguishable from the 120s 12”ers. As the reviews say, this truly is a GREAT platform for pedals if you want to deviate from the unit’s beautiful clean tone. You can really hear the nuance of what your pedals are bringing to the table. As usual, great review, Mitch 👍🏻
A great review as usual Mitch! Efficient, concise and complete. This JC-40 is SO much better for the average small gig than the JC-120, it just may find a place in my amp collection. I really like the clean flat response palette it gives one to start shaping your own sound from... and its' portability! Thanks very much for another consistent demo!
back in the mid 80's the guitar player in my band had one, I loved that sound! It just reminds me of the Smiths, the Sundays, so many of those bands from that time! Such a great, clean sound. Awesome. I might get one of these, now that I traded my bass for a guitar!
I had a JC 120 in the early 90s and it had a distortion, but it sounded awful. I'm not sure if I liked this one much better. I'd have to mess around with it for a bit. If you only require a bit of dirt I think it would do quite well.
the first time i heard this in my church when a visiting guitarist brought it in, i was amazed. i sounded so incredably full and i thought it was the chorus effect but seeing this review i am thinking its the stereo that make it just fill the room up.
Played two of these amps over the last few months. They sound better then my old 120 from the 80s. None of that god awful hiss the old JC120 had. totally getting one of these.
I checked this amp out at GC last weekend and couldn't pull myself away from it. I plugged a LP Studio, loaded with the 490 humbucker set, into it and I was absolutely blown away by the tone of this amp. I have always been a tube amp guy but this is one SS amp I have to get. The cleans are obviously rich and sweet, but the distortion is a bit unlike anything I have heard from most SS units. One thing I found was that the mid and bass controls really help shape the distortion tones. The mid control especially can take it from a thinner, scooped tone to a lush, almost vocal and compressed tone like that of a tube amp as you turn it up. I wish he would have demonstrated just how must versatility the EQ section has on this amp but still a great demo vid nonetheless. I am loosing sleep over wanting this amp. Got sell some stuff off.
@@CarlitoM77 No, I decided to hold off on it. I don't recall if I heard any hissing or grounding problem when I checked out the amp then again I didn't have the amp cranked all that loud either.
@@gib412 right on thanks! I think the problem is more evident while practicing quietly/studio work. Nevertheless, I love the idea of running my modulations and delays in stereo. I may have to bite the bullet and send back if the noise is too prominent.
Looks like Roland has given us the best of both worlds with this new JC. We have that amazing unique chorus that only Roland has produced direct from an amp and now FINALLY distortion for when we want to rock with this amp as well. For only $599.00 this will definitely be my next amp!
Great demo of an interesting product. I didn't quite understand the stereo thing at first but you explained it very well and extra cred for you miking up both the speakers! I was wondering about the distortion. Obviously most people are likely to keep it at low settings, but when you turn it up does the volume increase (as if it was the traditional 'drive control' on most amps) or does it blend the distortion in, thus keeping the volume intact?
I have been using a peavy stereo chorus for years and it's about that same as a 120 jazz. The only thing is the amp is back breaking heavy. So the Jazz 40 I would imagine is a lot lighter in weight
Best video on this amp so far. The distortion is still bad but you were able to get the real quality of the cleans to come through. I was thinking of something as an extra but I think I'll stick with Henriksen. Used but great shape was just a pinch more than this. Still if I can get my hands on one I give it a try.
Hi, Beto. Yes, the JC-40 can definitely do most gigs. It has a ton of headroom and stays very clear even at higher volume levels. Thanks for your interest! Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320
I put two Eminence Rajin Cajuns in mine for better low-end definition for jazz guitar. Lost some volume (8 ohm vs. 4 ohm), but certainly gained in low-end tone. Mic it for more volume...
Distortion at 25%: "that was kinda nice" Distortion at 50%: "Oh Cool. Not Bad. Alright, let's go home." Distortion at 100%: "WHOA WHOA WHOA THERE, LITTLE MITCH! IT'S LIKE THE METAL ZONE! YOU DON'T JUST DIME IT!" Lol. I was pleasantly surprised though. Distortion wasn't too bad.
Great amp, going to get one. When you say that the dry signal is in one side of the amp, and the chorus in the other, don't you mean that one side is dry, and the other is vibrato? It only becomes chorus when the two are mixed surely?
Wow! They really changed the distortion on these! I used to have a JC120 that I sold like an idiot and have been thinking of getting one of these smaller Seems like a lot of advancements!
Mitch, how about the new Fender Tone Master Pro into the JC40? Inquiring minds wanna know. HAAAAA. And since I have a Sire H7V on order maybe use that to drive the rig. Or I can just wait.
Can you post up one about the JC 77? Does it have all the same inputs n the back? Can you go into more details on how to do all the stereo stuff, for those of us not familiar with these amps yet, or have not owned one?
@SweetwaterSound James Hetfield of Metallica uses the Jazz 120 and also the rare Jazz Chorus head. Question. Are they offering a New Jazz Chorus head reissue for 2015.
Dumb question. I have a stereo out guitar. Can I play it through both channels and it will come out left and right? Sorry, it's my first stereo out guitar.
This or the JC22? Just for home playing. But sometimes I get to play loud too. Gonna get a good multi effects. I’m into Steve Vai and Whitesnake now. Too old to gig already.
+Middle Park Yeah this seems a bit weird. 0:54 "chorus on one side and dry sound on the other side". Maybe he refers to the JC120s two channels, that the chorus only works on one of the channels? It seems strange otherwise.
But at 2:02 he says it again, I don't know what to believe now. The big deal with the amp is that it's stereo right? But if only one of the speakers do the chorus thing, it won't be stereo at all. A bit confusing, I will have to try one myself to make sure! :) Edit: Note to self, always watch whole video before comment... Mitch actually explains it correct and it sounds really good, listen with headphones at 3:17 so you can listen to the left/right seperately. My bad!
Hi, peterbergen5662. Roland doesn’t make a 3-button footswitch at this time. Closest thing would be to get three of the FS5L footswitches. Those can lock together but you’d still need to run three individual cables to make it work. Those amps aren’t super well known for their distortion sounds so most people use a FS6 2-button footswitch for the reverb and chorus, and then use the overdrive pedal of their choice for a better drive sound. Thanks for your interest! Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320, charlie_davis@sweetwater.com
+Guitar Whores Yes, it sounded good imo; but not versatile. Years ago before the "acoustic guitar" amps were around I would use either a Roland JC-120 or a Lab Series L5. Both solid state amps, but the Lab Series had a great midrange control which worked very well with acoustic guitars. For amplifying an acoustic guitar I will be buying one of Carvin's models. The quality to price point is unbeatable! And they're made in the USA. carvinaudio.com/collections/acoustic-series#collection_link
Guitar Whores No problem. Carvin really makes great gear at amazing prices by cutting out the middle man and selling factory direct. Carvin Guitars / Kiesel Guitars build amazing custom order boutique quality guitars and basses at off the rack prices. I can't get over the quality and workmanship of my Carvin Holdsworth HF2S guitar and other gear. www.carvinguitars.com/customshop/
Hi, bernardoavalossantos5245. The Simplier is meant for going direct into a sound system, or into an FRFR cab. You could use it into a Roland JC40 but it won’t yield the best results for that unit. Thanks for your interest! Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320, charlie_davis@sweetwater.com
Add a good Delay pedal, and a Friedman OD Pedal, and you'll have Church Clean, to Blues, to Jazz, to molten Randy Rhoads and Michael Schenker tones in one lightweight, extremely versatile package !! 🎸
Hands down, best solid states ever built.
Orange Super Crush 100.
I’ve had this amp for a little over a year now... it’s a lovely amp and a such a classic for good reason. I found the 40 to be a great compromise to the 120... it has most of the sound but a fraction of the weight. For recording, the 10” speakers I think are barely indistinguishable from the 120s 12”ers. As the reviews say, this truly is a GREAT platform for pedals if you want to deviate from the unit’s beautiful clean tone. You can really hear the nuance of what your pedals are bringing to the table. As usual, great review, Mitch 👍🏻
David Michael Johnson thanks!! I’m thinking about downsizing from 120 to 40.
Hey man, thx for the info. Which pedal/pedals would you recommend for this beauty?
Do you still have the amp David? Do you gig with it? What's the verdict?
Excellent demo - your concise fast talking gets more quality into less time.
Atrocious demo.
A great review as usual Mitch! Efficient, concise and complete. This JC-40 is SO much better for the average small gig than the JC-120, it just may find a place in my amp collection. I really like the clean flat response palette it gives one to start shaping your own sound from... and its' portability! Thanks very much for another consistent demo!
I miss my old JC 120, this sounds terrific and great upgrades to this design. great video! btw Mitch, looking great with the new look!
The best Roland JC-40 demo!
Just played this amp at guitar center. Sounded awesome! Great headroom and all the tonal verity were great sounding and workable.
The most professional review of Roland JC-40.
back in the mid 80's the guitar player in my band had one, I loved that sound! It just reminds me of the Smiths, the Sundays, so many of those bands from that time! Such a great, clean sound. Awesome. I might get one of these, now that I traded my bass for a guitar!
Sounds great, and thank you for recording this amp in stereo.
wow that distortion really shows the versatility of this amp. I always thought that jc's were for cleans only but damn this vid changed my mind
Because they changed the distortion circuit form 80's jc , they finally admit that the original one sounds pretty bad , but now it's on spot !
I had a JC 120 in the early 90s and it had a distortion, but it sounded awful. I'm not sure if I liked this one much better. I'd have to mess around with it for a bit. If you only require a bit of dirt I think it would do quite well.
I don't really like the distortion, I miss warms and fullness.
Thumbs up for recording this demo in stereo!
This is what a gear demo should be-clear concise info with plenty of actual gear demo-BINGO!
Mitch is the worldwide master of gear reviews.
Quite simply the best demo/review in history.
Great review! Finally - a useable demo of this amp 👍
That's a GREAT sounding amp!! Nice demo!
the first time i heard this in my church when a visiting guitarist brought it in, i was amazed. i sounded so incredably full and i thought it was the chorus effect but seeing this review i am thinking its the stereo that make it just fill the room up.
This is the way to demo the dimensional Chorus of the JC family. Pan potting so we get it the same home! Way to go. The best I've seen. Bravo
Of course not through Headset. The real dimensional stereo effect happens only when the two sounds mix in the air.
Great review! Thank you! I've been wanting to get a JC-120 for a while now - but this just changed my mind!
outstanding Mitch, great review!
Thanks for watching, Ruben Trevino!
+SweetwaterSound If I'm playing this with the chorus off, does my dry sound come out of both speakers?
Why wouldnt it?
yes, both speakers are always active
Wish the JC-120 models had the same features as this little guy.
The original JAZZ Chorus had no intention of having a distorted or overdriven sound
Mitch Gallagher is one of the best reviewer out there.
Great video. So hard to find good amp reviews!
Great review as always Mitch! This is going to be my next amp to go along with my Roland Blue Cube Stage 60w :).
Thank you. Your clear easy to follow review prompted me to purchase one.
This amp sounds great and I love the options!
That distortion made my eyebrows raise. Surprisingly good.
Great review, Mitch. Mine just arrived.
Played two of these amps over the last few months. They sound better then my old 120 from the 80s. None of that god awful hiss the old JC120 had. totally getting one of these.
Best review by far
the stereo input and effect loop is very appealing
I wonder how it takes od and distortion pedals ?
Jean-René PIRLET I would say pretty well, I use a SD1 and a Fulltone FB3 and they get along together just fine!
Great Review on this Amp. Can't wait to get one!
I checked this amp out at GC last weekend and couldn't pull myself away from it. I plugged a LP Studio, loaded with the 490 humbucker set, into it and I was absolutely blown away by the tone of this amp. I have always been a tube amp guy but this is one SS amp I have to get. The cleans are obviously rich and sweet, but the distortion is a bit unlike anything I have heard from most SS units. One thing I found was that the mid and bass controls really help shape the distortion tones. The mid control especially can take it from a thinner, scooped tone to a lush, almost vocal and compressed tone like that of a tube amp as you turn it up. I wish he would have demonstrated just how must versatility the EQ section has on this amp but still a great demo vid nonetheless. I am loosing sleep over wanting this amp. Got sell some stuff off.
Hey did you end up getting one? I heard it has some hissing/ ground noise.
@@CarlitoM77 No, I decided to hold off on it. I don't recall if I heard any hissing or grounding problem when I checked out the amp then again I didn't have the amp cranked all that loud either.
@@gib412 right on thanks! I think the problem is more evident while practicing quietly/studio work. Nevertheless, I love the idea of running my modulations and delays in stereo. I may have to bite the bullet and send back if the noise is too prominent.
Excellent review and walkthrough. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful video. Right to the point. All the info I needed. Thank you
It would be nice to hear the lineouts as well, Roland are getting good at it, if they work they can save time at gigs!!
One of my favorite gear testers.
Looks like Roland has given us the best of both worlds with this new JC. We have that amazing unique chorus that only Roland has produced direct from an amp and now FINALLY distortion for when we want to rock with this amp as well. For only $599.00 this will definitely be my next amp!
i used to love using the old school jc120 with a russian big muff pi.
great demo Mitch, great amp too!
Excellent review
thank you Mitch, great review.
Great demo of an interesting product. I didn't quite understand the stereo thing at first but you explained it very well and extra cred for you miking up both the speakers!
I was wondering about the distortion. Obviously most people are likely to keep it at low settings, but when you turn it up does the volume increase (as if it was the traditional 'drive control' on most amps) or does it blend the distortion in, thus keeping the volume intact?
Jonatan OTW it increases the volume but not drastically.
That distortion sound awesome!
great review, this was straight to the point and not endless talking, one video where i didn't have to set the speed setting to 1.75!!! lol
great review Mitch, it did need jack for extension spkr love the sound of the 10s
amazing sounding amp. so lush!
Fun n well done Demo, Outstanding Amp.
Sounds great. How’d you get the p-90s so quiet? No hum. Is the guitar volume low? All good. Sweetwater thanks.
I have been using a peavy stereo chorus for years and it's about that same as a 120 jazz. The only thing is the amp is back breaking heavy. So the Jazz 40 I would imagine is a lot lighter in weight
Best video on this amp so far. The distortion is still bad but you were able to get the real quality of the cleans to come through. I was thinking of something as an extra but I think I'll stick with Henriksen. Used but great shape was just a pinch more than this. Still if I can get my hands on one I give it a try.
Excellent review. Thank you.
Awesome demos as always! Is this amp capable for giging on stage? enough headroom and volume?
Hi, Beto. Yes, the JC-40 can definitely do most gigs. It has a ton of headroom and stays very clear even at higher volume levels.
Thanks for your interest!
Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320
best solid state amp ever...a classic
I put two Eminence Rajin Cajuns in mine for better low-end definition for jazz guitar. Lost some volume (8 ohm vs. 4 ohm), but certainly gained in low-end tone. Mic it for more volume...
Great review...
Thanks for this review!
What song is Mitch playing at the very beginning of this demo? It almost sounds like something from the movie Once upon a time in america.
Distortion at 25%: "that was kinda nice"
Distortion at 50%: "Oh Cool. Not Bad. Alright, let's go home."
Distortion at 100%: "WHOA WHOA WHOA THERE, LITTLE MITCH! IT'S LIKE THE METAL ZONE! YOU DON'T JUST DIME IT!"
Lol. I was pleasantly surprised though. Distortion wasn't too bad.
Cosm - cube updated woulda been nice to hear it for a second WITH the chorus kicked in , instead of just dry tho...
Great amp, going to get one.
When you say that the dry signal is in one side of the amp, and the chorus in the other, don't you mean that one side is dry, and the other is vibrato? It only becomes chorus when the two are mixed surely?
Wow! They really changed the distortion on these! I used to have a JC120 that I sold like an idiot and have been thinking of getting one of these smaller Seems like a lot of advancements!
Great review.
If your thinking about getting this amp but not sure.. just get it trust me. Plenty of bass with the 10 inch speakers
Those first 30 sec feature some of the most beautiful guitar sounds I have heard in nearly 50 years of making music.
Mitch, how about the new Fender Tone Master Pro into the JC40? Inquiring minds wanna know. HAAAAA. And since I have a Sire H7V on order maybe use that to drive the rig. Or I can just wait.
Thanks for the great review. Do you know if this amp can be used in mono at the full 40watts or is it only 20 watts per side?
Can you post up one about the JC 77? Does it have all the same inputs n the back? Can you go into more details on how to do all the stereo stuff, for those of us not familiar with these amps yet, or have not owned one?
@SweetwaterSound
James Hetfield of Metallica uses the Jazz 120 and also the rare Jazz Chorus head.
Question. Are they offering a New Jazz Chorus head reissue for 2015.
I want to record with the jazz chorus sound. Would this sound as good as the 120 miked up?
Dumb question. I have a stereo out guitar. Can I play it through both channels and it will come out left and right? Sorry, it's my first stereo out guitar.
How does it take drive pedals and fuzzes? I'm not a fan of the onboard distortion but love everything else about it.
That's it. My new tone is a JC-40 with the distortion at 25%!
Me too. Only I am a 50% kind of guy. Damn, that is one sweet sounding amp. Now I know why Metallica uses it!
Yeah, that distortion at 25% sounds so nice!
Metallica used the JC120
This or the JC22? Just for home playing. But sometimes I get to play loud too. Gonna get a good multi effects. I’m into Steve Vai and Whitesnake now. Too old to gig already.
Can u put a multi effect board threw. See how it sounds with a nice distortion
How did you get the noise out? My JC40 produces very noticeable noise, at all levels.
this plus stereo out on a gt1000 with the bass knob boosted a bit❤️❤️❤️
So if I'm playing this without the chorus engaged, will only one of the speakers be making sound?
+Carl Ellement (Them, Not You) doubt it
That's just the vague answer I was looking for.
No, both speakers come out clean.
+Middle Park Yeah this seems a bit weird. 0:54 "chorus on one side and dry sound on the other side". Maybe he refers to the JC120s two channels, that the chorus only works on one of the channels? It seems strange otherwise.
But at 2:02 he says it again, I don't know what to believe now.
The big deal with the amp is that it's stereo right? But if only one of the speakers do the chorus thing, it won't be stereo at all. A bit confusing, I will have to try one myself to make sure! :)
Edit: Note to self, always watch whole video before comment... Mitch actually explains it correct and it sounds really good, listen with headphones at 3:17 so you can listen to the left/right seperately. My bad!
I bet an ADA MP-1 with rack effects would make this rig rock.
Dream amp right here
Best amp ever. Love mine.
If you have the chorus effect knobs down does the right speaker not produce sound?
Are there any other stereo amps like this little guy?
Why does no one demo this amp playing jazz?
Does Roland have a 3 way foot switch for chorus, distortion, and reverb?
Hi, peterbergen5662. Roland doesn’t make a 3-button footswitch at this time. Closest thing would be to get three of the FS5L footswitches. Those can lock together but you’d still need to run three individual cables to make it work. Those amps aren’t super well known for their distortion sounds so most people use a FS6 2-button footswitch for the reverb and chorus, and then use the overdrive pedal of their choice for a better drive sound.
Thanks for your interest!
Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320, charlie_davis@sweetwater.com
Good info and advise. Appreciate you
Is it Doss DD-7 in modulation mode delay?
Mitch is the go to guy for demos imho.
A first rate review. Thanks very much.
When you use pedals do they play through one speaker just the built in effects?
Back the Treble right down with distortion. It sounds fine then and much better than the original JC 120..... Pete.
Anyone here ever try running an acoustic into this amp, if so, how did it do?
+Guitar Whores Plug it in lol
+Guitar Whores Yes, it sounded good imo; but not versatile. Years ago before the "acoustic guitar" amps were around I would use either a Roland JC-120 or a Lab Series L5. Both solid state amps, but the Lab Series had a great midrange control which worked very well with acoustic guitars. For amplifying an acoustic guitar I will be buying one of Carvin's models. The quality to price point is unbeatable! And they're made in the USA. carvinaudio.com/collections/acoustic-series#collection_link
Glenn Michael Thompson Thanks for the info.
Guitar Whores No problem. Carvin really makes great gear at amazing prices by cutting out the middle man and selling factory direct. Carvin Guitars / Kiesel Guitars build amazing custom order boutique quality guitars and basses at off the rack prices. I can't get over the quality and workmanship of my Carvin Holdsworth HF2S guitar and other gear.
www.carvinguitars.com/customshop/
It would be helpful if some single line melodies were played...
is the reverb on the JC40 a spring reverb or a hall style reverb? i know it’s digital just curious what it sounds like!
6:40 He plays it with a lot of reverb so you can hear it, and then he says it sounds like a spring.
Does this amp have an 1/8th inch stereo input for a CD (or computer or tablet)? I don’t see one but it seems like it should have it.
This amp does not have that input.
I appreciate the quick response, but had hoped for a different answer.
Remarquablement bien expliqué. Merci!
@ :40 “which took place in Nashville Tennessee. One of the exciting products there.....” I thought he was going to say the Gibson lol
Are they heavy? i need a relatively loud solid state amp for small gigs as my tube amps always overwhelm the other guitarist.
Not heavy at all approx 16 KG , I have one they pack a real punch.
Is this amp goes good with simplifier MK2?
Hi, bernardoavalossantos5245. The Simplier is meant for going direct into a sound system, or into an FRFR cab. You could use it into a Roland JC40 but it won’t yield the best results for that unit.
Thanks for your interest!
Charlie Davis, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1320, charlie_davis@sweetwater.com
Price point? I have the JC 120.
Perry Norton $600
Thanks!
Does this amp work with dirt pedals well? The proco rat2 specifically?
John Boone would love to know the answer to this as well. Really looking into having both this amp and a rat pedal
Add a good Delay pedal, and a Friedman OD Pedal, and you'll have Church Clean, to Blues, to Jazz, to molten Randy Rhoads and Michael Schenker tones in one lightweight, extremely versatile package !! 🎸