“ Its a mono guitar so stereo doesn’t matter “ Your wrong. Its the chorus effect that is stereo , and massively spacial. You should have been bothered to put two microphones on it. These amps, both JC120 and this, its little brother the JC40 , are an industry standard. Mettalica’s J Hetfield use this for cleans. You can also totally nail Andy Summers Police tone too.
This amp has the most beautiful chorus I have ever heard. No pedal can touch it. Don't let the 40 watts fool you. These amps are absurdly loud for their size. You can gig a small to medium sized pub with one of these no problem... Best amp I've ever owned. Takes pedals like a dream. A DD-200 through this thing sounds like a heavenly dimension opened up in front of you.
Almost everyone can do dirty, but when it comes to clean and chorus Roland are King!!! One amazing amplifier, as much as I love tubes, these amps are in a league all of their own and unmatched. Excellent review.
that was the most useful amp demo I've seen. Going through the EQ band by band was terrific. Maybe not so flashy or sexy, but very informative. About a billion times more useful than watching someone wank around doing blues riffs.
For a while I’ve been looking for reviews of the JC amps an this is by far the most informative and complete I have found. So many different tones were covered, amazing sounds and great playing. Cheers!
@@crazywisdom2 40 can be whisper quiet and loud enough to gig…but more expensive…the 22 is easier to carry and takes up less space…they both sound great…I prefer the JC 40…
Thanks for this thorough and varied review. So refreshing to see amp and guitar demos that aren't just dudes shredding cliche blues leads over and over. Hearing chords, arpeggios, major scales and modes, etc. give you a much better sense of the capabilities of an amp or guitar or effect. Also, where can I get one of those giant Connect 4 games you have on your wall? :)
maug-osh thank you....that's what i call a good demo .... starting by explaining the features, then working through the controls with tasteful sound examples. i am subbed on will bells. i mean i live in the middle of nowhere......i can't just go try stuff out.
"We've just got a mono guitar" ... running into a Stereo Chorus. Stereo does matter for the chorus sound, which is THE primary feature of this amp. It's THE feature that distinguishes this amp from competing clean solid state amps.
As I understand it, the amplifier is actually two amplifiers (2 x 20w). So even While running mono it takes your signal and splits it across stereo channels essentially dry and the other is wet
Glad they upgraded the distortion. The old one was horrid! It could be useful in a few settings but not very pleasing to say the least. Great review, great SS amp. The JC-120 was way too big for the average club gig, so the JC-40 seems the perfect replacement for smaller gigs and such. The only thing left to mention is the gorgeous chorus and very useful tremolo. Thanks for such a great review.... you've sold me! :0)
Love your videos Tom, but at the beginning you say the demo is not in stereo and how it's not a big deal, and how you're not using a stereo guitar. But throughout the video you keep saying how the effects will sound different to hat we viewers are hearing because they're in stereo. I just think for demos like this it would be better for everyone to just record with the stereo outs so the effects sould the way they're supposed to, and you won't have to keep saying how they will sound different to the player. No disrespect intended, just a suggestion for future vids.
Can you record just using the "Line Out" and plugging a instrument cable into my scarlett 2i4? Will i get a good sound? I live in an apparment so i just want to record DI, not micing the amp at all
Always take with a pinch of salt any video that says the distortion was above "bad" on old JCs... it was the first built-in Distortion knob in an amp but it was so horrendous, it's always been since the clipping section was just plain cheap - Roland representatives frankly admitted how bad it was during NAMM 2015... however they improved A LOT on the JC40. And you still can plug a ProcoRat or DS-1 and it will sound incredibly good (TS808-like overdrives don't sound good though). Great review Tom!
@3.10 you say..'extension speakers via the stereo line outs" is this correct? it shows connecting stereo line outs to a mixer in the manual. Doesn't mention ext cabs/speakers at all.
+Vanessa P Also, maybe a follow-up with how it works with pedals would be good. I find a lot of people want to know that, and in my personal experience the amp is ideal for pedals.
So if I plug my guitar in, does it use both speakers??? Like say I didn't use any effects. I read that if I plug my guitar into the R it will just use 1 speaker but what if I put it into the L/Mono side... Does it use both speakers?! Or does it just become a 1x10"...
It is not because the guitar is plugged in mono that making the demo in stereo would not be useful. The Chorus function creates the stereo in a wet/dry manner. So, unfortunately, with a single mike the dimensional aspect is not demonstrated. Also allowing to associate drive/disto and chorus whould demonstrate fusion sound I guess. Sad it was not tried here.
Have they fixed the hiss I’ve heard every time I’ve tried one of these amps in the past? I’ve always wanted one, but that sound is so much worse than the 60 cycle hum on my Fender Deluxe Reverb and VOX AC15.
Hey Tom, I just found this video while looking for reviews for this amp, and i wanted to say that melody you did starting at 5:10 really sounded nice, and i thought if you hadnt already? and if it wasnt from another song? then you should definitely work on that, because it sounds really nice! Your playing is very nice too! Oh and the amp is nice also! lol..
jorge tacho not sure what it is modelled in but the way it works is that you only get chorus from one speaker whilst the other just has the dry signal. I have a jc40 and boss md500 which has a bunch of chorus effects on it but I still prefer the jc40 chorus. It’s just beautiful!
Not a complaint but an observation. I keep hearing this referred to as a modern take on the JC-120. There has been a JC-40 for years. It was out at the same time as the 120. Wouldn't this just be a modern version of the JC-40?
I think the point is that it takes more from the 120 than it does from the old 40s. I’m not sure exactly how but I’m guessing that’s what they’re getting at. And the 120 is such an icon at this point so I’m sure that has something to do with it too.
Jazz Chorus amps aren't ever going to be bedroom volume amps. I've got one of the Cube 20GX amps and it's a great little bedroom noodling amp. The Jazz Chorus line amps always need room to blast.
Its a solid state amp meaning that it doesn't have to be loud to sound good. I have no problem getting an old Roland JC-77 down to levels that one could easily carry a conversation over.
@@jonnelson5881 You might be the one to ask. I am on the fence about the 22, and the 40. I can afford both. Dont know if I'll ever gig with it. But for now it would be a bedroom amp. Could I noodle with the 40. Seems like I like the size of the 22, but that it distorts out over 60-75% volume. Where the 40, could maybe run on a very low setting. thoughts ?
@@crazywisdom2 I currently have both (although I'm selling the smaller one). If it's only for bedroom, get the JC22. I now play in a band, and the 22 struggles, hence buying the 40. But the 22 is still a loud amp. It's way ahead of some other small amps, eg the Yamaha THR ones. And yes, I did have a THR10. You won't be disappointed with either, but if you're not going to be playing with a drummer, get the 22. Re distorting at 60-75% of it's volume, I can't comment. But that is SERIOUSLY loud in a bedroom. Remember the 22 is 30 watts, the 40 is 40 watts. The main difference is the speaker size. Note that both have stereo line outs and effect loops etc. They are very well thought out amps and both sound fantastic. Hope that helps.
What could be the reason that your JC40 doesn't make as disturbing noise as mine? It is really disturbing in quiet rehearsal rooms and I am therefore considering moving away from it... Without anything plugged in and volume set to 0, this amp is extremely noisy! Strange that this is not audible in your video.
I have always wanted a Roland JC -120 but the JC-40 actually makes more sense how does the BOSS Katana 100 compare to this legend I saw your review on that today now I cant decide between the 2 ... I plan on getting a BOSS GT-1000 as well to run through the amp I end up with.
What did you get in the end? I was also thinking whether to get the Katana Artist or the JC22. I have a Boss GT-100 so in the end I got the JC-22, as figured I already have all the pedal FX so really just needed the amp for clean tones, chorus and to use as a pedal platform. I have to say these amps make a fantastic pedal platform, am getting some amazing tones using the JC-22, the 4 cable method and manual stomp boxes on the GT-100. I have assigned the Amp Control on the GT-100 so that I can switch the JC-22 chorus on/off via the GT-100. I mainly use the JC-22 preamp then with Tube screamer or Rat overdrive/distortions from the GT-100, absolutely fantastic tones.
@@nazperalta1794 Im going with the JC - 40 as soon as i can afford to im still using my fender amp and just ordered a ZOOM 5gn I wanted the BOSS me-80 but they hiked the price and its an extra $35 for the power cord the zoom is on sale for $50 off and the power cord comes with it + an added 2 year warrenty ...
“ Its a mono guitar so stereo doesn’t matter “
Your wrong. Its the chorus effect that is stereo , and massively spacial. You should have been bothered to put two microphones on it.
These amps, both JC120 and this, its little brother the JC40 , are an industry standard.
Mettalica’s J Hetfield use this for cleans.
You can also totally nail Andy Summers Police tone too.
This amp has the most beautiful chorus I have ever heard. No pedal can touch it.
Don't let the 40 watts fool you. These amps are absurdly loud for their size. You can gig a small to medium sized pub with one of these no problem... Best amp I've ever owned. Takes pedals like a dream. A DD-200 through this thing sounds like a heavenly dimension opened up in front of you.
I have the amp and love it but this sounds like true white knight fanboy stuff.... it's kinda creepish
What about the JC22 30W. Loudness-wise I mean. Any idea?
The best solid state amps that will ever be made. Unbelievable. I own the JC-40. It's amazing. This is the best demo here. Cheers.
Almost everyone can do dirty, but when it comes to clean and
chorus Roland are King!!! One amazing amplifier, as much as I love tubes, these
amps are in a league all of their own and unmatched. Excellent review.
+Hexagenium Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed the demo
just bought this amp and couldn't agree with you more!
Fantastic gigging amp. Light, rugged, beautiful clean tone and chorus. Going on two years with mine and no regrets.
VOX is also amazing when it comes to clean sound
Best non tube amp on the market for clean tones!
What about Henriksen models and Quilter?
playing starts at 4:30
to the top
Yeah, fucking blah blah useless, style "i tell you my life..."
Really nice amp. Distortion surprisingly good. Tom Quayle does great reviews and is an amazing player.
The distortion on the JC 40 is excellent!
that was the most useful amp demo I've seen. Going through the EQ band by band was terrific. Maybe not so flashy or sexy, but very informative. About a billion times more useful than watching someone wank around doing blues riffs.
Matt Haddock I couldn’t have put it better myself!
Tom Quayle is a really good clean guitar player. Great playin Tom.
Beautiful cleans, and I'm surprised how nice the distortion is, I need this amp!
+Osvaldo Rodríguez Thanks for watching. Glad you like the amp.
+SoundAffectsPremier How much U.S dollars does this amp go for? Sounds amazing. :)
$999
$599...just bought one.
For a while I’ve been looking for reviews of the JC amps an this is by far the most informative and complete I have found. So many different tones were covered, amazing sounds and great playing. Cheers!
6:28 wow! The reverb is awesome
Nice playing! This demo sold me the idea of getting a JC 40 ASAP.
This is the best amp ever made.
I am looking at the JC 22 for home practice, and the 40. thoughts ? thanks.
@@crazywisdom2 40 can be whisper quiet and loud enough to gig…but more expensive…the 22 is easier to carry and takes up less space…they both sound great…I prefer the JC 40…
wow at 10:54 it really flows absulutelly flawless .. brilliant sounding !
The little JC-22 sounds nice too.
Thanks for the thorough video. So many options with this amp. I just purchased one and cannot wait to try it out.
Thats a decent distortion sound, I loved your review. I used to have a JC 77 and it brought back memories. I might just buy it
+Max Hernandez Thanks Max, please subscribe for more new product demos.
Best comprehensive demo ever! Thanks 🎉
Most useful JC-40 review - thanks
+csharpminorseven Thanks for watching. Please subscribe for more demos and reviews
This is the best demo of this amp on RUclips! Great work!
Thanks for this thorough and varied review. So refreshing to see amp and guitar demos that aren't just dudes shredding cliche blues leads over and over. Hearing chords, arpeggios, major scales and modes, etc. give you a much better sense of the capabilities of an amp or guitar or effect. Also, where can I get one of those giant Connect 4 games you have on your wall? :)
fantastic demo Tom - awesome playing, clean & drive
damn this is a really great way to review an amp
THIS...is how a review is done! Nice job.
maug-osh thank you....that's what i call a good demo .... starting by explaining the features, then working through the controls with tasteful sound examples.
i am subbed on will bells.
i mean i live in the middle of nowhere......i can't just go try stuff out.
Your playing is just amazing.
bye bye my old jc 120 i need this jc 40 thanks Tom
Are we hearing the SM57 here? It sounds like the lav mic is the main audio.
amazing amp and amazing guitar player.
"We've just got a mono guitar" ... running into a Stereo Chorus. Stereo does matter for the chorus sound, which is THE primary feature of this amp. It's THE feature that distinguishes this amp from competing clean solid state amps.
As I understand it, the amplifier is actually two amplifiers (2 x 20w). So even While running mono it takes your signal and splits it across stereo channels essentially dry and the other is wet
Thanks for the great review! I love the tones this amp gets. Cheers!
nice demo! should have used 2 mics though, the chorus is gorgeous and space.
Great demo, with one major flaw: with the typical stereo effects which contribute so much to its sound and popularity, we get a mono recording.
Has direct Stereo out put for recording too
To me this is the most versatile amplifier it has both the sounds of Fender and Marshall or the best of both worlds
Glad they upgraded the distortion. The old one was horrid! It could be useful in a few settings but not very pleasing to say the least. Great review, great SS amp. The JC-120 was way too big for the average club gig, so the JC-40 seems the perfect replacement for smaller gigs and such. The only thing left to mention is the gorgeous chorus and very useful tremolo. Thanks for such a great review.... you've sold me! :0)
icarus ?
Such a professional demo...
Excellent review. Great info on specs and features. Well done.
Thank you for your kind comment!
I'm impressed with that sunburst type quitar..
This 40 Watts Guitar Amp still cost 1,000 US$ this year 2022. I don't know in some Countries if this is on Sale, because this was launched in 2015.
Fantastic cleans sounds
Fantastic playing sir! That tone sounds great, thanks for the demo, and beautiful guitar and playing!
I bought this great amp last night.. Great review, great player!! Really enjoyed this review. Great great great ;-)
They played it smart with the Drive control, and softened it up. It's still @ss, but not as bad as before.
nice demo,good to see some making a listenable demo without the screeching or fuzz box.
fantastic review - thank you
great review! just wished it included a single coil test. Cheers.
A GREAT DEMO .
What about the hiss/buzz that I hear everyone complain about? Can you make that go away at low volumes?
Really glad it throws the sound forwards unlike most amps that throw it….. backwards?? 😳🙄. Great video. 😏
Great review... Thank you guys for it !
Love the demo.
The rotary sound is aimed at the keyboard / organ. Its very near to the rotary cab. It does sound great with the guitar though
Very good demo,, thanks!
Great video. thank you!
Men lets play the amp. Thanks for uploading this video.
Really nice review, thanks
Love your videos Tom, but at the beginning you say the demo is not in stereo and how it's not a big deal, and how you're not using a stereo guitar. But throughout the video you keep saying how the effects will sound different to hat we viewers are hearing because they're in stereo. I just think for demos like this it would be better for everyone to just record with the stereo outs so the effects sould the way they're supposed to, and you won't have to keep saying how they will sound different to the player. No disrespect intended, just a suggestion for future vids.
Really nice review.
Can you record just using the "Line Out" and plugging a instrument cable into my scarlett 2i4? Will i get a good sound? I live in an apparment so i just want to record DI, not micing the amp at all
good review
+Don Welch Thanks for watching. Please subscribe for more reviews
Always take with a pinch of salt any video that says the distortion was above "bad" on old JCs... it was the first built-in Distortion knob in an amp but it was so horrendous, it's always been since the clipping section was just plain cheap - Roland representatives frankly admitted how bad it was during NAMM 2015... however they improved A LOT on the JC40. And you still can plug a ProcoRat or DS-1 and it will sound incredibly good (TS808-like overdrives don't sound good though). Great review Tom!
Vox had the first foot switchable distortion/fuzz back in the 1960's.
@3.10 you say..'extension speakers via the stereo line outs"
is this correct? it shows connecting stereo line outs to a mixer in the manual. Doesn't mention ext cabs/speakers at all.
Interesting result you got there.Time to shoot Roland a message on this…gonna do that later.
Thanks for posting.
This makes me miss my JC120
Great sound demo. I actually own one of these amps and your demo seems a better representation of what I get out of the amp than some other demos.
+Vanessa P
Also, maybe a follow-up with how it works with pedals would be good. I find a lot of people want to know that, and in my personal experience the amp is ideal for pedals.
+Vanessa P Will it clear a drummer's volume with clean tones?
Hearing that JC hiss
So if I plug my guitar in, does it use both speakers??? Like say I didn't use any effects. I read that if I plug my guitar into the R it will just use 1 speaker but what if I put it into the L/Mono side... Does it use both speakers?! Or does it just become a 1x10"...
No it functions like any other stereo mono rig on the planet.
Be great to here it with a good over drive in stereo
Okay then. It's beautiful.
It is not because the guitar is plugged in mono that making the demo in stereo would not be useful. The Chorus function creates the stereo in a wet/dry manner. So, unfortunately, with a single mike the dimensional aspect is not demonstrated. Also allowing to associate drive/disto and chorus whould demonstrate fusion sound I guess. Sad it was not tried here.
So if you use only mono is only one speaker working?
Put a multy effect board threw. And stereo them.
Great demo. But why not record it in stereo my man? So few amps are in stereo, it would seem that is a key selling point for this guy
19 people are tube amp fanatics that are mad that they like this amp and took it out on poor Tom.
Great review Tom. Can we plug in 2 guitars into this amp into the 2 inputs? Would that work well? Thanks.
7.18..."perfect for that kind of...". Thing I'll never be able to play!
The JC-120 had 12" speakers. The JC-40 has 10" speakers same as the old JC-77. The JC-40 seems like the reproduction of the JC-77 not the JC-120.
Actual tone demo starts at 3:39
Sound Affects/Tom...the jazzy passage from 7.20...what is that? it's fabulous!
Have they fixed the hiss I’ve heard every time I’ve tried one of these amps in the past? I’ve always wanted one, but that sound is so much worse than the 60 cycle hum on my Fender Deluxe Reverb and VOX AC15.
Not at all ;( It's still there
Very curious how the Friedman BE OD Pedal would sound in front? Have incredible chorus and incred distortion. Love to see that vid. Just subbed
Hey Tom, I just found this video while looking for reviews for this amp, and i wanted to say that melody you did starting at 5:10 really sounded nice, and i thought if you hadnt already? and if it wasnt from another song? then you should definitely work on that, because it sounds really nice! Your playing is very nice too! Oh and the amp is nice also! lol..
I take it the stereo feature is only relevant to chorus effect, and unable to do a wet/dry effect?
It takes pedals well I take it?
The chorus in that jc40 is the same Of the boss CE-1 pedal??????
jorge tacho not sure what it is modelled in but the way it works is that you only get chorus from one speaker whilst the other just has the dry signal. I have a jc40 and boss md500 which has a bunch of chorus effects on it but I still prefer the jc40 chorus. It’s just beautiful!
quel es le footswitch que vous utilisez svp merci
Can you gig with this amp?
Not a complaint but an observation. I keep hearing this referred to as a modern take on the JC-120. There has been a JC-40 for years. It was out at the same time as the 120. Wouldn't this just be a modern version of the JC-40?
I think the point is that it takes more from the 120 than it does from the old 40s. I’m not sure exactly how but I’m guessing that’s what they’re getting at. And the 120 is such an icon at this point so I’m sure that has something to do with it too.
I'm looking for a great pedal platform amp for home recording, but at volumes that won't drive the wife crazy. Would this amp be too loud for that?
Which one is best? Roland blues cube or jazz chorus?
I know I’m three years late but the jazz chorus by a long shot
How about this amp for metal??? You think that'd work, I mean its so clean that I can just stick a distortion pedal in front of it right????
Did anyone try it at bedroom volume ?
Jazz Chorus amps aren't ever going to be bedroom volume amps. I've got one of the Cube 20GX amps and it's a great little bedroom noodling amp. The Jazz Chorus line amps always need room to blast.
Its a solid state amp meaning that it doesn't have to be loud to sound good. I have no problem getting an old Roland JC-77 down to levels that one could easily carry a conversation over.
They sound the same at any volume, the beauty of having an amp that isn't reliant on tubes.
@@jonnelson5881 You might be the one to ask. I am on the fence about the 22, and the 40. I can afford both. Dont know if I'll ever gig with it. But for now it would be a bedroom amp. Could I noodle with the 40. Seems like I like the size of the 22, but that it distorts out over 60-75% volume. Where the 40, could maybe run on a very low setting. thoughts ?
@@crazywisdom2 I currently have both (although I'm selling the smaller one). If it's only for bedroom, get the JC22. I now play in a band, and the 22 struggles, hence buying the 40. But the 22 is still a loud amp. It's way ahead of some other small amps, eg the Yamaha THR ones. And yes, I did have a THR10. You won't be disappointed with either, but if you're not going to be playing with a drummer, get the 22. Re distorting at 60-75% of it's volume, I can't comment. But that is SERIOUSLY loud in a bedroom. Remember the 22 is 30 watts, the 40 is 40 watts. The main difference is the speaker size. Note that both have stereo line outs and effect loops etc. They are very well thought out amps and both sound fantastic. Hope that helps.
It's a Malasian Amp? Im asking because in Argentina we only have thoses and i don't know if the quality is the same than yours
What could be the reason that your JC40 doesn't make as disturbing noise as mine? It is really disturbing in quiet rehearsal rooms and I am therefore considering moving away from it... Without anything plugged in and volume set to 0, this amp is extremely noisy! Strange that this is not audible in your video.
Would this be loud and bassy enough for a small band rehearsal room? rock n roll, pop, blues, alternative
Morten O.T. I think its really bassy, even too much for me.
I have always wanted a Roland JC -120 but the JC-40 actually makes more sense how does the BOSS Katana 100 compare to this legend I saw your review on that today now I cant decide between the 2 ... I plan on getting a BOSS GT-1000 as well to run through the amp I end up with.
What did you get in the end? I was also thinking whether to get the Katana Artist or the JC22. I have a Boss GT-100 so in the end I got the JC-22, as figured I already have all the pedal FX so really just needed the amp for clean tones, chorus and to use as a pedal platform.
I have to say these amps make a fantastic pedal platform, am getting some amazing tones using the JC-22, the 4 cable method and manual stomp boxes on the GT-100. I have assigned the Amp Control on the GT-100 so that I can switch the JC-22 chorus on/off via the GT-100. I mainly use the JC-22 preamp then with Tube screamer or Rat overdrive/distortions from the GT-100, absolutely fantastic tones.
@@nazperalta1794 Im going with the JC - 40 as soon as i can afford to im still using my fender amp and just ordered a ZOOM 5gn I wanted the BOSS me-80 but they hiked the price and its an extra $35 for the power cord the zoom is on sale for $50 off and the power cord comes with it + an added 2 year warrenty ...
Hi. I want to do some recordings with the jazz chorus sound. Would the 40 sound just as good as the 120 for recording?
would like to know that as well!
Is the lead tone in the intro music at the beginning also coming from the jc-40???