donnyboiler
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2016
- Messages
- 94
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Hi guys. Picked up my JP-2C around three weeks ago and wanted to let it sink in before I shared my thoughts.
I love it!
What a magic little box. So small and neat yet insanely powerful and punchy. The flexiblility is perfectly judged - I can get the clean channel (which is exquisite) to break up just enough by cranking all the dials, the two graphics are genius (I currently have one assigned with very mild settings to clean and a global one for dirt), and the BIG surprise was the crunch channel. I really was expecting a lower gain version of channel 3, but there are all kinds of crunchy textures in here. The lower internal Volume 1 setting really does change the nature of this channel - it's got a nice snap to the high mids, and a nice "kronk" to the mids, plus it cleans up pretty good.
Channel 3 is ridiculous. It's everything I wanted Mark IIC+ mode on the V to be - it's got that Boogie addictiveness and clarity but delivered with the weight you have to go to Mark IV or Extreme mode to find in the V. String response is just a hair slower on fast-picked runs, but the trade-off is girth, weight, and punch. Response-wise, this is still a Samurai sword compared to most amps.
To top it all off, the FX loop is immaculate, and Shred mode is awesome for low volume practise, or livening up a dull guitar. I use it with my 7-string as Petrucci mentioned in the video, and it greases up the low strings a treat.
I'll write a full review for my site later, but for now the thought that keeps repeating in my head is "could this be the perfect high gain channel switcher?"... it's near as dammit three IIC+ heads in one box, and the MIDI is the icing on the cake. If a real IIC+ sounds even better, I couldn't care less. You'd need three of them and a MIDI switcher and a load of tone-sucking wiring to approach the flexibility found here. Sure, take your original to the studio and work the dials, but I couldn't be happier with this amp. It's a treat.
Now, to the Mark V. Unlike other posters, I still absolutely LOVE this amp. For a start, it gets to places the JP doesn't, so in my home studio it's a marvel. Also Tweed mode is bouncier and raunchier than any of the great breakup tones available in the JP's clean channel. This is a big selling point for me as I love that Tweed Bassman thing and it's a big part of what I do, at least in a live scenario. I also love everything about the JP's clean and breakup, but it is different.
What really struck me about the Mark V is, although it's not perfect (the graphic EQ isn't as great as the JP's, IIC+ mode is too thin, and it has a STEEP learning curve) it is slightly more articulate and bouncy overall than the JP. I'd sum it up in general as the difference between Simul and Class A/B, although the amp seems to be voiced a little more for sweetness and responsiveness in the power section generally, whereas the JP seems to be geared slightly more towards weight and growl. That's not to say there isn't overlap, and the two amps are clearly cousins.
I found I could get the V into JP territory on the third channel by using either Mark IV mode (which has the Pull Deep engaged internally) or by flipping to Extreme and raising the presence to compensate. With either of these two modes and judicious use of the graphic EQ I can sculpt a high gain sound I like just as much as the JP... a little faster and greasier, a little less girthy.
Crunch mode, to me, is the jewel in the Mark V's crown. I spend probably two thirds of every gig on this mode - I found my sound there. I like something that's part EVH, part Lukather I suppose and I've absolutely sculpted the sound in my head here. Fat, warm, articulate, sustaining but with dynamics, clarity and the ability to clean up. The snarl and string definition along with the chewy midrange and fat, tight lows just blow my mind every time I plug in. It's dynamic enough to take your head off on rock rhythms, but greasy enough to solo on. I can get here on the JP-2C's middle channel with the gain just over halfway - but the character is different. The JP again is weightier, more forward, less greasy and with slightly less of that hair trigger precision feel on the thin strings. Both are amazing and absolutely drip with character.
So, I just wanted to share my experience as I think a lot of early adopters have either gone "IT'S AMAZING, WAHOO!" or "it's not quite my 2C+, I'm selling". I wanted to put some time into this before posting so that somebody who's considering this amp can have the benefit of my mileage.
To sum up, the JP-2C (unlike the V) is flawless at everything it sets out to do. Everything on it works exactly as you'd hope, it's easy to dial in if you're a Boogie person and I would guess not TOO tricky even if you're not. They really have distilled this one to absolute perfection, from the look to the feel to the layout and the controls. For me, in some ways, it sits roughly where the EVH 5150 III sits - it's relatively targeted but delivers far more than the sum of its parts due to excellent design and expert voicing. The V on the other hand (in concept perhaps more like a Bogner Ecstasy if you like) tries to be all things to all men and ends up delivering slightly less than the sum of its parts - but still doing an astounding number of things well and being absolutely untouchable at many of them.
I would argue the V is just as good if you take the time to learn it; the rest is down to your taste and preferred playing feel.
I'm incredibly glad I've got both. I can't stop playing guitar. Hope this helps somebody
I love it!
What a magic little box. So small and neat yet insanely powerful and punchy. The flexiblility is perfectly judged - I can get the clean channel (which is exquisite) to break up just enough by cranking all the dials, the two graphics are genius (I currently have one assigned with very mild settings to clean and a global one for dirt), and the BIG surprise was the crunch channel. I really was expecting a lower gain version of channel 3, but there are all kinds of crunchy textures in here. The lower internal Volume 1 setting really does change the nature of this channel - it's got a nice snap to the high mids, and a nice "kronk" to the mids, plus it cleans up pretty good.
Channel 3 is ridiculous. It's everything I wanted Mark IIC+ mode on the V to be - it's got that Boogie addictiveness and clarity but delivered with the weight you have to go to Mark IV or Extreme mode to find in the V. String response is just a hair slower on fast-picked runs, but the trade-off is girth, weight, and punch. Response-wise, this is still a Samurai sword compared to most amps.
To top it all off, the FX loop is immaculate, and Shred mode is awesome for low volume practise, or livening up a dull guitar. I use it with my 7-string as Petrucci mentioned in the video, and it greases up the low strings a treat.
I'll write a full review for my site later, but for now the thought that keeps repeating in my head is "could this be the perfect high gain channel switcher?"... it's near as dammit three IIC+ heads in one box, and the MIDI is the icing on the cake. If a real IIC+ sounds even better, I couldn't care less. You'd need three of them and a MIDI switcher and a load of tone-sucking wiring to approach the flexibility found here. Sure, take your original to the studio and work the dials, but I couldn't be happier with this amp. It's a treat.
Now, to the Mark V. Unlike other posters, I still absolutely LOVE this amp. For a start, it gets to places the JP doesn't, so in my home studio it's a marvel. Also Tweed mode is bouncier and raunchier than any of the great breakup tones available in the JP's clean channel. This is a big selling point for me as I love that Tweed Bassman thing and it's a big part of what I do, at least in a live scenario. I also love everything about the JP's clean and breakup, but it is different.
What really struck me about the Mark V is, although it's not perfect (the graphic EQ isn't as great as the JP's, IIC+ mode is too thin, and it has a STEEP learning curve) it is slightly more articulate and bouncy overall than the JP. I'd sum it up in general as the difference between Simul and Class A/B, although the amp seems to be voiced a little more for sweetness and responsiveness in the power section generally, whereas the JP seems to be geared slightly more towards weight and growl. That's not to say there isn't overlap, and the two amps are clearly cousins.
I found I could get the V into JP territory on the third channel by using either Mark IV mode (which has the Pull Deep engaged internally) or by flipping to Extreme and raising the presence to compensate. With either of these two modes and judicious use of the graphic EQ I can sculpt a high gain sound I like just as much as the JP... a little faster and greasier, a little less girthy.
Crunch mode, to me, is the jewel in the Mark V's crown. I spend probably two thirds of every gig on this mode - I found my sound there. I like something that's part EVH, part Lukather I suppose and I've absolutely sculpted the sound in my head here. Fat, warm, articulate, sustaining but with dynamics, clarity and the ability to clean up. The snarl and string definition along with the chewy midrange and fat, tight lows just blow my mind every time I plug in. It's dynamic enough to take your head off on rock rhythms, but greasy enough to solo on. I can get here on the JP-2C's middle channel with the gain just over halfway - but the character is different. The JP again is weightier, more forward, less greasy and with slightly less of that hair trigger precision feel on the thin strings. Both are amazing and absolutely drip with character.
So, I just wanted to share my experience as I think a lot of early adopters have either gone "IT'S AMAZING, WAHOO!" or "it's not quite my 2C+, I'm selling". I wanted to put some time into this before posting so that somebody who's considering this amp can have the benefit of my mileage.
To sum up, the JP-2C (unlike the V) is flawless at everything it sets out to do. Everything on it works exactly as you'd hope, it's easy to dial in if you're a Boogie person and I would guess not TOO tricky even if you're not. They really have distilled this one to absolute perfection, from the look to the feel to the layout and the controls. For me, in some ways, it sits roughly where the EVH 5150 III sits - it's relatively targeted but delivers far more than the sum of its parts due to excellent design and expert voicing. The V on the other hand (in concept perhaps more like a Bogner Ecstasy if you like) tries to be all things to all men and ends up delivering slightly less than the sum of its parts - but still doing an astounding number of things well and being absolutely untouchable at many of them.
I would argue the V is just as good if you take the time to learn it; the rest is down to your taste and preferred playing feel.
I'm incredibly glad I've got both. I can't stop playing guitar. Hope this helps somebody
