Anyone sell their Roadster/Roadking to get a JP2C

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Skana

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I'm contemplating selling my Roadster to fund a JP2C and was wondering if anyone else took the plunge and if they had regrets or what they missed from the Roadster/King series. I feel the roadster is great for rhythm but without pedals doesn't get the liquid sustain for leads that the mark series seems to get(note I haven't played a mark only clips that I've heard etc.). How do the cleans compare? Does the headphone port totally suck for practice? Is it more of a one trick pony? I love all types of music including metal, country, jazz, pop and indie and wondered if it will it pass for these genres or is that more of the mark v territory. Thx guys for any help -Shane

Side note I haven't been on this board in years and can't recover my previous account or username:(
 
I would agree that the Roadster is more of a Rhythm type amp. For lead you need to use 50W in vintage setting on CH3 to get some zing on the harmonics. The amp is always working against you for lead style either due to fast decay of held notes due to cancellation (makes me wonder if the output is out of phase with the guitar signal considering the feedback effect and the response on the G string at the 12th fret almost seems like a dead spot).

I have no regrets as I still have my Roadster... In comparison, the JP-2C does seem to manage a similar feel as the Roadster (on the modern voices of CH3 and CH4). The huge difference is the bottom end is not the dominant frequency as the JP seems to have more balance overall. JP is a bit more forward on attack so your harmonics (pinch or tap) will rip though the mix. Controllable feedback and excellent sensitivity and the sustain is rewarding. I you have become programmed to set up the Roadster/Roadking, the tone controls are a bit different on the JP-2C. Actually dialing in the amp is much easier and you get what you see to some respect. There are some hidden features (not visible on the tone controls) as the character may change or enhance some frequencies or tone wood characteristics (generally the midrange control). Gain and presence controls on CH2 and CH3 have pull switches to shift the character of that feature, ie. more gain, or more presence but thicker effect).

I have compared both Roadster and the JP-2C and they blend well together tone wise and in some respect the grind of the power chord. But that is about it. CH2 and CH3 of the JP-2C will perform quite well as a lead channel or rhythm channel. The only one trick pony here is the clean channel, it is one basic sound but can be tailored with the 5BEQ. One trick meaning it lacks the clean, fat, and tweed or brit voices like the Roadster / Roadking has. It is comparable to either CH1 or CH2 fat voice but a bit richer in character.... I am sure there is a better choice of words but my limited vocabulary is beginning to show. If you are mainly after the high gain stuff the JP-2C delivers. Overall or fundamental tone is a bit different than the Roadster but still in the same ball park if that helps. Having the dual 5BEQ just compounds the flexibility of the amp as you can use that to dial in almost any Mark amp tone (Mark I if you so desire or what ever works for you). JP has a much better response on the 5BEQ than I have experienced with the other Mark amps (V, IV, III).

If you need lower gain character with the JP, the easy way to get that is to roll off the guitar volume and the signal cleans up quite easily. If you really want to saturate the two gain channels, the amp responds amazingly well with the grid slammer. Not necessary but the grid slammer works quite well with the JP-2C and or the Mark V. I generally run the amp dry most of the time, or may add an effect in the loop. What effects you may be using with the Roadster or Roadking should work just as good with the JP-2C as I have tried one effect that does not work with the Mark V (Line6 DL4 delay pedal). Not sure on the actual level of JP or the Rectifier amps but I have yet to experience tone loss or compression from overdriven buffers of the effects pedal in the loop of JP or Roadster. The Mark V is the exception as it is more of a line level than instrument level loop.

When it comes to loudness, the JP-2C will eclipse the Roadster. More power with the JP than the Roadster.
 
I don't have a opinion on the Roadster other than I love MESA/Boogie amps in general.
I'm chiming in to say that the JP2C is very flexible in the the low gain tones and the clean channel is heavenly. I can get spanking tones when I want and over the top growling metal tone with the JP2C. I've played MESA mark amps for almost 5 years now and I still adjust the 5 band GEQ every time I play, that is where the magic is and once you get a good feeling for where, what & why the GEQ can accomplish, you'll be hooked, any other amp will be a "set and forget" amp (some guys go as far as to mark the settings on their amp! I can't imagine an amp that didn't change tone from practice to stage.) So many options with the JP2C for gain structure, I'll swear I need "shred mode" or presence pulled and find myself not wanting when I'm in a band situation. I enjoy a bright crisp sound ala Marshall, almost Fender bright, and the JP2C can do this. It can naturally do Recto, Diesel, type dark muffled tones if that's your thing.
 
Awesome thx guys. Yeah bandit I agree for leads they seem to prematurely decay and not sustain although to be fair I haven't hooked a tubescreamer up to it. One thing I'm not a huge fan of on the Roadster is the volume disparity of the clean channels and the gain channels to maintain a nice pure clean(you have to turn your gain channels down to create consistency with the cleans). After getting a matchless hc-30 I don't have a need a for the brit channel on the the Roadster and never really liked that setting anyway. I'm going to be moving soon and can only take 2 heads as I have to sell my fender twin 65 reissue(amazing cleans), 6505 half stack and probably the Roadster so I'm looking for something to get my higher gain needs as well as a fendery clean in one head without going the kemper/axfx route. I would wait till I move to get an amp but geez amps in Australia are like like $2000 more :shock:

Bandit what is it that you like about the Mark V over the JP2C... the cleans? Mid gain tones?
 
My favorite on the Roadster would be CH4 Modern, and CH1 tweed. The rest is great too. The change in character I can get using the rectifier tubes vs silicon diodes and the spongy power vs full power. Great amp and would be hard for me to let go. The JP-2C on the other hand provides to me the tone I have been searching for over the past 25 years of my life. Mark III was close but so difficult to dial in and then when you want to change to a clean channel you had to dial something else in as what worked for lead did not for the clean. Still a great amp and I missed it after I sold it. Mark IV also similar story but the Lead channel was isolated so not as much of an issue. Mark V stole the stage having thee independent channels. Great amp but has ice pick tones (there is a fix for that). I have had a love/hate thing going on with the Mark V since I got it and considered many times to loose it. A 12AT7 in the V4 position cured the ice pick issue for the lead channel (CH3) and gets really close to the JP-2C character...

To me the JP-2C is on my top list of keepers. The CH2 and CH3 gain and tonal bliss is untouchable. The only reason I held onto the Mark V was for the clean channel as it has more of an acoustic flare to it than the others which may be due in part to the Simul class power section. I would have to slave into another amp to determine that.

Is there anything about the Mark V I think rivals or is better than the JP-2C? Nothing comes to mind. I can spend all day playing on any channel with the JP-2C and not get tired of it. The Mark V (without change in V4 to 12AT7) is not comparable. Other than the clean channel I just would get sick of the amp in a manner of an hour or less. With the change to 12AT7 it is a world of difference and comparable to the JP-2C in some respects. The JP-2C despite its simplicity offers more of what I like vs the Mark V. The rich character of the JP-2C and the range of tone adjustments I can get with either of the two 5BEQs is just amazing. The clean channel is a bit warmer on the JP-2C than is the Mark V. You can get it to clip to some extent. For blues it is great or just for general use. Not sure how it would compare to a 65 reissue.. If I compared it to Video's... it gets close. After watching this video I learned a new trick to get the clean to crunch..... I need to try it now.... There is more to this amp than I am aware of....

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mesa+jp-2c+clean+channel+review&&view=detail&mid=F39E61BA989EBCA011CAF39E61BA989EBCA011CA&FORM=VRDGAR

Yeah the Mark V has a single 5BEQ too but not as responsive or reactive. I am being realistic with this...not flaming the amp here.. Perhaps mine is a dud or lemon as I had many issues with the Mark V in general. One thing that is difficult to evade is the tube sing or rattle that is most notable on the clean channel especially at reduced volumes as the tubes sing the same frequencies of the guitar signal and generally resonate the lower notes and it is loud. I had similar effect with both Mark III and Mark IV. Tubes do not matter as all tubes I have used in the Mark V have this issue and when placed in another amp it does not happen. Generally it is with the inner pair of tubes (the ones running hot bias). 10W mode generally eliminates the tube resonance or vibration. I do not have that issue with any of the Class A/B amps (JP-2C, Roadster, RA100 or the TC-50). Aside from the character flaws I have with the MKV, it is still a great amp once you get it out of bedroom volume level.
 
Thx Bandit I really appreciate your assessment and insight. You pretty much said what I wanted to hear I rather have a 2 trick pony (although it's much more than) with a sweet clean and lead then a jack of all. The Roadster has definitely taught me the intricacies of not using your eyes for tone. Yeah channel 4 modern is my favorite as well. I'm not sure why boogies even have a bass control that goes past 12:00 :lol:
 
I believe the bottom end attribute of the Roadster is due to the late tone stack. For the two high gain channels (3 and 4) the signal path passes though 4 gain stages then gets condensed though a cathode follower to drive the tone stack. The bass gets plenty of drive since it has the most power in the signal vs the higher frequencies. Bass does not seem to be required. Clean channel only hits one gain stage before the tone stack and then gets bumped up though two gain stages (this is closer to a Mark signal path since the tone stack sits between V1A and V1B for all channels). Note that the clean channels never pass though the cathode follower circuit of V3. This also adds to the volume change between modern, vintage and raw settings. That does not happen with Clean, fat or tweed/brit voices on CH1 and CH2 . With the stock tube in V1 and V2 the CH4 is so dark it becomes laden with bottom end. Just a simple change in V1 with a tube that has a higher frequency gain like a Tung Sol prevents the bass being too dominant and the bass tone control makes sense to use it on the two gain stages.

When comparing to a Mark series amp, the signal on the high gain channels (Mark V only had one which is CH2 and the JP-2C has two CH2 and CH3) burden here is the full midrange frequencies. There is plenty of bottom and top end as well. The 5BEQ is basically there to tune out the midrange frequencies. Without the EQ in use, it is okay but you will find other amps that were not designed be tailored with a 5BEQ sound great as there is filtering to tailor the driven signal before pushing into the power section. Mesa could have designed a tuned filter for the signal chain if the EQ is not used but they did not do such as it is more of the raw signal before the EQ and in some cases may sound muddy. Similar to the Modern voice of the Roadster or Roadking being too bass dominant, if the signal is flooded with a huge hump in the midrange the signal also suffers from detail which is a Mark Trait. The JP-2C has a huge bottom end presence and plenty of punch in the midrange and the high frequencies are more tapered off which results in a pleasant grind signature (sinister, evil, pronounced, authoritative) not a bad thing for metal style of playing. The gain structure is not as severe is you would find in the Mark V (using the Mark IV voice) as the gain character really pump up the upper midrange and high frequencies and tends to cancel out the ideal tone when the gain control goes up. Depending on the year the amp was made, it may have that ice pick tone that is not very pleasing, also sounds lacking or thin with the grind signature. Grind signature being the character you get with a power chord and does it rock your world or not... The big thing with the V lately is the V4 mod (change from 12AX7 to a 12AT7) which helps to reduce the upper frequency gain dominance as the positive feedback used on the secondary cascaded gain stage is reduced thus restoring the true Mark Tone. Gets very close to the JP-2C character. The IIC+ voice on the V is a bit lower gain that what is found on the JP-2C, however the full range of characteristics of the V can easily be dialed in with the JP-2C. Instead of having a labeled toggle switch indicating a so called "amp character" you have two pulls on each gain channel (presence and gain) as well as a grid slammer function called shred. There is actually more than what meets the eye with the JP-2C. Out of box experience, the JP-2C wins. The catch...If you have not discovered it yet.... the JP-2C is biased only to operate on one tube type, mainly 6L6GC tubes. It does not have an EL34 bias switch and cannot be used to run EL34s. The Mark V can be used with EL34 as well as the Roadster, The Roadking already has the EL34 with its progressive linkage and other features. Figures I would point that out in case you had plans to run EL34 vs the 6L6 tubes.
 
I tried switching to the el34s once on the Roadster and it was nice but I was missing the more pristine cleans as well as clean headroom and weightier feeling palm mutes/chords with the 6l6's. Plus my Matchless covered that territory for me. That's interesting your thoughts on Mesa keeping less cluttered signal thus giving us the option to tailor a sound that may not be pleasant. I have learned my Roadster to be confusing till I read the manual to understand the tone shaping options and that they are not your traditional low mid high controls like other amp manufacturers. It seems that other amps I tried confine you to controls that don't allow you to make the amp sound to drastic or bad as opposed to the Mesa which can sound godly or like a broken toy amp. I guess that's why I've read some people's conclusion of rectifiers being to bassy and marks being to nasally. Although many people trying these haven't cranked them to proper levels. My Matchless sounds bright/icepicky at lower volumes but when at stage volume sounds heavenly and balanced cutting well with a band.

I really like that the jp2c has 2 5beq's that I could use on the gain channels and I have plenty of pedals that I could get a nice drive sound out of the clean channel if I wanted something more than huge clean headroom(which I'm excited about).
Is the clean channel easier to balance volume wish with the gain channels?
Are you running your Jp2C through v30's?
 
JP-2C has great balance between the 2 lead channels and the clean channel. Note this amp does not have the global master volume or solo boost it is driven direct from each channel. I started off with my OS Recto 412 cab with the V30 (bought this to match the RA100 head). Awesome cabinet and does provide a good bottom bite. For some reason the 412 cab pales in comparison to the 212 cabinets (vertical or horizontal). Those just dish out more bottom end and have good balance to the mids and top end. I actually prefer the Recto Vertical 212 cabinet. I am considering getting a second one in the future but opted to get more gear for my recording studio. I have been overwhelmed by the JP-2C running both the Hoizontal 212 and the Vertic 212, talk about a deep and amazing tone that is right up there with the old OS Recto 412 cab I have loaded with EVM12L black label speakers.

I am currently running the Roadster though the EV loaded 412 cab. I may switch between heads so the JP-2C though the EV is just powerful and probably more than I need. I am surprised how well the JP-2C responds with different speakers. It all depends on the character I am after. For me the EV wins but I really like the 212 cabinets a bit more as I do not always need that level of volume in my face. As for boosting either of the amps I have, I did try the flux drive and grid slammer. Both work quite well with the Mark type amps but not so good with the others. From what I recall, the throttle box would serve the Roadster better if needed but I am not fond of adding more OD on the front end of any amp but it does really sound great through ether JP or Mark V.

For the clean channel on the JP, I love the warm character, probably better than the other amps on my list. I will have to give the pushed midrange thing a try and see how that responds based on the video I had posted earlier. Never knew the clean could clip like that. With a high gain setting it does tend to get some mild clip but not like what was demonstrated in the Mesa video. I have been busy with another project so I have not much time to plug and chug on the JP in a while. As in your case with the Matchless for the EL34, I have three (2 old and one new) in the Mesa lineup for the EL34 magic (two RA100's and one TC-50). Unfortunately I do not have anything worthwhile to share recorded with the JP-2C. That will happen sooner or later. I think most of it has been the JP-2C curse...not being a bad thing here.. just once you get it you want all of your gear to be just as good. Just like any amp, some may love them and some will not. I would definitely review as much as you can before making the change... I am glad I did but did not have to let anything go to get there. Once you go though the posts on this thread, some that had the JP-2C may have sold it because they also have a few of the original Mark IIC+ amps, perhaps they felt the amp was too compressed, or not identical to their amp in particular. All I can say is the JP-2C is a beast, has plenty of gain and will take OD if you want much more. Not sure if I would rate the Roadster as having more gain or not. Generally speaking too much is just too much. Sometimes I may thing I want less on the CH2 but I keep forgetting drop the guitar volume a tad and bingo. Quite a dynamic and responsive amp. Note that the attack is very forward compared to the Roadster which seems to lag in that department. Palm muting just sounds awesome and does not have the bottom end drone you get with the Roadster having stock preamp tube in V1. Either a Mesa SPAX7 in V1 or something other than the stock 12AX7 usually helps reduce the palm muted drone. I cannot find any reason to want to change any preamp tubes in the JP-2C (unless they went bad). Cool trick on the JP, the face comes off for easier preamp tube replacement, from the start it is a bit tight to get off but a tap from behind will give it some help (long stick or something) Also I found the Stock power tubes to be ideal in the JP, perhaps I would feel the same with the Roadster on that account.
 
Last few notes to fuel the fire for the JP-2C....

I was comparing the JP to the Roadster on similar cabinets. JP on the Vertical 212 and the Roadster on the horizontal 212. The clean channel (your pick either ch1 or ch2) on fat or even on clean is about what the JP-2C clean channel sounds like without using the 5BEQ. Very easy to match what I had dialed in. If you need crunch on the clean, push the mid control and boos the gain but you may need to back off the bass and use the 5BEQ to tame the result.

CH2 or even CH3 on the JP can be dialed in to match the Roadster CH4 Modern. Bass response will be much tighter and you have more midrange control as well as a top end (with the pull switches on Presence and Gain pushed in). You can also dial in the Mark I mode on CH2 on the JP that is quite similar to the typical Mark I setting on the Mark V. Or push it in to Mark IV territory and then to the Mark V extreme. It is amazing how much the amp can be adjusted to match the other amps. Easy reference for recall take a picture of your settings with your cell phone. Too bad the midi cannot store the control settings as they are analog circuits. So in short what may look like a one or two trick pony is really more flexible than what meets the eye.

Also it weighs a bit less and is about half the size of the roadster head. It will fit on top of the Vertical 212 cab if you are looking to downsize from a 412 cab.
 
Lol Bandit you're awesome! You've pretty much sold me on getting a JP2C. I'm most excited about the liquidy leads and do love how it's smaller than the Roadster. I also think I'll enjoy the clean channel more as it has more headroom and sounds like the volume won't be compromised compared to the gain channels like the Roadster does. Side note have you ever played a Lonestar Bandit? Do the cleans sound exactly like the Roadster? I've been fond of the Roadster for awhile but something about the cleans even with my tele and strat with an open back cab haven't blown me away like my Matchless Hc30 or Fender Twin reissue. Whenever I read of best clean sound from amps on the gear page etc the Lonestar is constantly placed in the top next to the likes of two rock's etc so I'm wondering if the Roadster is 1:1 likeness in its first 2 channels. I remember before I bought the Roadster years ago I tried an electradyne which I thought had amazing cleans but didn't like how it didn't get as "Metal" as the Roadster :evil:

I will say after searching I found a bunch more well recorded JP2C videos and it seems to cover the bases I'm looking for. I mean I love old school pantera,Metallica and dream theatre and it easily nails those tones. And I've recently been enjoying jazz fusion and I feel the gain channels lowered can fit in that nicely.I've looked at the kemper to but I don''t think I want to fiddle all day long with sounds and then have to buy extra profiles to find sounds I'm happy with. Plus the immediacy of a tube amp as well as the nostalgia of valves is alluring. Kind of like old cars or motorcycles...they're classics for a reason.
 
I have not had an opportunity to try out a LoneStar. The only way that would happen is I would have to buy it first as there are no dealers local enough in my state that would even have one. When I was up in PA for vacation last year I went to NJ to try out the TC-50, they had just about every mark series amp, one Rectifier and the TC-50 (which was the reason I drove 60 miles). I have listened to some videos and there is one that I like on the Lone Star classic (the 100W version). I had thought about getting one....

With the JP-2C I generally get heavy with it, but also spend more time with Led Zeppelin. For some reason it fits for me. As for the clean, it is very warm and is much closer to the Roadster clean. Sure you can brighten it up with the 5BEQ but I think it sound more neutral without as it is perfect for clean blues.

Mark V has amazing cleans if you want a more acoustic flavor. TC-50 has a very nice clean channel and has become my favorite (with the EL34 tubes) Also the RA100 is similar to the TC and I have an issue deciding which I like more. When driven they both sound great but the RA100 seems to have a win in that driven clean sound. Ch3 of the TC steps on the Rectifier quite easily. It has surprised me in many ways and tops my favorite list and shares the same pedestal with the JP-2C. And they do not sound anything alike wish is even better.
 
In light of I think you want.... have you considered a Mark V 90W? The newer one's sound great. And if you find CH3 to be too bright there is an easy fix for that which is to change V4 to a 12AT7. My Mark V on CH3 sounds very similar to the JP-2C with the 12AT7. Since the 12AT7 alters the final gain stage in the cascaded drive circuit it helps to reduce the gain characteristic of the higher frequencies and odd order harmonics and balances out the lower midrange that is missing with the stock 12AX7 tube. One reason I am suggesting the V is the eagerness of that amp to ring out pinch harmonics and gliss can be easily brought into feedback. I have been comparing the JP-2C to the Mark V and the Roadster lately using the same guitar that is a neck though Kiesel DC600. In some cases a bolt on neck or set neck will have different characteristics than a neck through type due to the coupling of the neck to the body. If I use the 12th fret on the G string to compare, I can get the Mark V to rip into harmonic bliss and the Roadster just decays rapidly. the JP-2C falls in between the two. This could all be related to the cabinet I am using with the JP-2C. Basically CH2 is the JP channel I am relating too here as it can be dialed in to match the Roadster CH4 Modern but with a lot more midrange content and tighter bass. CH3 on the JP is the singing lead channel. I can get awesome sustain on both CH2 and CH3. I will have to switch over to my main axe(s) and see if there is a difference. (set neck mahogany body and neck Carvin CT624 with Floyd Rose, the other is a Bolt C which is a Black Limba body with maple top, bolt on maple neck and Floyd Rose bridge).

If you compare CH3 to CH4 on the Roadster, CH3 is more ideal for lead playing. Still the grunt of CH4 Modern is the boss of the Roadster.

Along with the JP-2C I would also consider the Mark V 90W too.
 
Here is a simple comparison of the three amps in question.... I did opt to record both lead channels on the JP but the others just clean and heavy.

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=73939
 
I sold both my EVH 5150 III 100S Stealths to get 2 JP-2C's. Best gear upgrade I have ever made!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
That would be an interesting dilemma to be in.... having two JP-2C. for sure I would be daisy chaining them together thought the Midi interface.

However, I have run each of my other amps in parallel with the JP-2C. A blend of the JP with the Roadster is a rewarding experience but channel changing is a pedal dance for sure unless you had a switcher for the Roadster that also takes care of midi commands to control the JP. I have done a few experiments with my other amps too. IMHO, if there was one amp worthy of the expense of an exotic wood enclosure it would be the JP-2C. I find this amp quite flexible especially due to the dual 5BEQ. You can use the two to tailor your tone each being set differently and just using one channel you actually can turn that into two by changing which EQ to use with the footswitch. The 5BEQ is far more responsive on the JP that it is on the Mark V. Perhaps the fundamental tone of the Mark V is what sets the two apart. I have yet to find the urge to chase the preamp tube balloon as the amp is awesome as is out of box. The Roadster on the other hand does need a little help to compensate for the dark tone especially on CH4 in modern voice. Would I miss the Roadster if I had to sell it to get the JP-2C, that is a hard question to answer as it all depends on what features you like about the Roadster. If you are one who likes the sag and character of the Rectifiers and sponge power setting, you would definitely miss it. However, the fundamental roots to the Roadster can be found in the JP-2C especially with the higher gain settings. The JP-2C is very tight on the bottom end and palm muting has a dry percussive effect. Perhaps not the best choice of words. The grinding distortion is just sinister when you want it to be and can easily be tamed with the volume control on your guitar. Considering the channels I spent most of my time on with the Roadster, I would not miss it now having the JP-2C. However, I do like using the Rectifier tubes and different power settings to achieve specific tones so I probably would. At the moment the Roadster is cold and has been for some time so I will have to dust it off and fire it up again. The three amps in my collection that are getting all of the attention are the JP-2C, TC-50 and Mark V and not in any particular order.
 
So I sold my roadster to help fund a Jpc-2 :shock: . Got to mess around for about 10 minutes with JP2C as It came in yesterday when I was gone. First thing I notice is that the clean seems to get a lot louder than the roadster cleans( I felt the clean channels on the roadster were much quieter in relation to the channels 3 & 4. There is a difference between the cleanest of cleans on both amps and I'd say I prefer the JP2c so far. Amp definitely opens up with volume. I love how the distortion sings and is really inviting for soloing/leads. As far as bedroom volumes with my very short time I feel the roadster may have been easier to dial those settings but I've had years to mess with and learn the nuances of that( this amp is quite different). I don't know if this makes sense but this amp feels/sounds less "brittle". So far super stoked and can't wait to dial in some White Snake, Petrucci and Good "Metallica" :lol: Settings. Thanks for all the advice :mrgreen:
 

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