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Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:20 pm
by Drainbamage
käsebrot-

http://www.newark.com/bi-technologies-t ... dp/14N5350

Will these pots fit? Im making a order at Newark and these are the only ones I can find at this place that I think will fit. They dont look any bigger than the stock ones. Do you think they would be an upgrade?

Im also a bit confused, Log (audio) for Gain, Vol, Presence, Trebel, and Mids? Linier for bass?

Thanks alot for the help

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:21 pm
by käsebrot
First couling cap Sozo, coupling cap to crunch Sozo, the two ones in the PI Sozo, 0,1u to PI and presence Sozo, rest all MKT1813. Tonestack Cornell Dubilier DME.

Varies by the choice of your tubes and the rest of the mods of the schematic.
Also try a MKT1813 as first coupling cap. You will hear the difference to a Sozo. All depends on your personal taste.

For pots, use these ones: https://www.banzaimusic.com/Alpha-16mm-PC-Straight/
Or those with split shaft, but the split shaft is a little bit longer.
A1M for gain (alternative with the mod is A500k), A1M bass, B25k mid, B250k treble, A1M volume, B25k presence.

But seriously, such types of questions... if you know almost nothing about this stuff, even not the specs of the pots, you might better give your amp to a professional amp tech.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:39 pm
by Drainbamage
Cool Ill look for those in the USA. Can you help me with the log (audio), linier. Its diving me nuts lol

I ask because the atomic 16 pots are different than the Jca20h shematic that is floating around the web. I also dont mod pcb amps. Never really needed to.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:45 pm
by Hipster Salad
Sorry for the noob question, but what are these marked on the PCB for the JCA50?

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:19 pm
by Drainbamage
sahlomonic wrote:Sorry for the noob question, but what are these marked on the PCB for the JCA50?

You should probably find a schematic. Googl Jca 50h service manual

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:30 pm
by Hipster Salad
I have schematics, but I'm admittedly not educated enough in this field to know which caps on the diagram they relate to.

I've done a depth mod and SLO mod on my old JCA100H myself but that's about as far as my experience goes.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:11 am
by Rocco Crocco
Hey guys... need a little help. I have a JCA5012C and I will be retubing today.

I have two questions...
Is V1 the tube closest to the input?
Where is the PI tube?

Thanks in advance...

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:24 am
by Hipster Salad
V1 is closest to input, PI is the last.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:43 am
by Rocco Crocco
^^^ thanks!

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:58 am
by Tortuga
Hey Sahl - you having any luck with fixing your 50H?

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 11:03 am
by Hipster Salad
Not yet. Right now I'm gathering a parts list for upgrades I wanted to do anyway.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 3:56 pm
by Rocco Crocco
Thanks again for the help, sahl...

Today I received my package from TubeDepot.com. I just finished changing out the stock tubes. What a difference! Fizziness is gone, and the amp sounds way more usable. Here are the tubes I bought/installed...

V1 -- Tung-Sol RI 12AT7W
V2, V3 and V4 -- Tung-Sol RI 12AX7
PI -- Sovtek 12AX7-LPS W/balanced triodes

Sovtek 6L6W+ Power tubes.

I have band practice tomorrow night so I'll get to see how she does with the master volume cranked a bit more than I can in my apartment.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:10 pm
by Hipster Salad
Looks like you got a great set. I personally like Sovtek 6L6wxt+ but it's just a matter of personal taste.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:20 pm
by thesockmonster
sahlomonic wrote:Looks like you got a great set. I personally like Sovtek 6L6wxt+ but it's just a matter of personal taste.


I found them to be really stiff in the JCA's.

Thinking about rolling some JJ's in mine if it doesn't sell.

Suggestion on pre's?

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:20 pm
by Rocco Crocco
sahlomonic wrote:Looks like you got a great set. I personally like Sovtek 6L6wxt+ but it's just a matter of personal taste.

my mistake... the Sovtec 6L6WXT+ is what I got.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:14 pm
by Hipster Salad
Me, personally, I loved them in mine. They are what Laura aka The Valve Queen recommended. Honestly, I can't comment on if they sounded stiff or not because I was replacing tubes that I gigged with for three years (and I even bought the amp used), so it could very well be that any new tube sounded phenomenal lol

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:28 am
by käsebrot
I wouldn't use Tung Sol tubes in cathode follower spots.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:48 pm
by Drainbamage
Just replaced the 3rd gainstage cathode resistor from 1k8 to 820 marshall value and it really growls now, even with the bypass cap removed.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:18 pm
by Rocco Crocco
Hey everyone. Another noob question: Can I use a Boss FS-5L footswitch as a channel switch for my JCA 5012?

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FS5L?adpos=1o3&creative=55644138841&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CJLZi-LOkcECFQQQ7Aod13AAlA

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:19 pm
by Rocco Crocco
käsebrot wrote:I wouldn't use Tung Sol tubes in cathode follower spots.

Why not?

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:56 pm
by thesockmonster
sahlomonic wrote:Me, personally, I loved them in mine. They are what Laura aka The Valve Queen recommended. Honestly, I can't comment on if they sounded stiff or not because I was replacing tubes that I gigged with for three years (and I even bought the amp used), so it could very well be that any new tube sounded phenomenal lol


Wouldn't be surprised.

Thinking about rolling JJ's in the power, and a few tungsols in the pre. Need to cut the mush.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 6:57 pm
by thesockmonster
thesockmonster wrote:
sahlomonic wrote:Me, personally, I loved them in mine. They are what Laura aka The Valve Queen recommended. Honestly, I can't comment on if they sounded stiff or not because I was replacing tubes that I gigged with for three years (and I even bought the amp used), so it could very well be that any new tube sounded phenomenal lol


Wouldn't be surprised.

Thinking about rolling JJ's in the power, and a few tungsols in the pre. Need to cut the mush.


Also, still going back and forth.

Keep the JCA100HDM and get an American Custom 2x12 (and a JSX soon), or get a DSL100h and walk that path?

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:14 pm
by Hipster Salad
You know, tough question. The DSL I think would be more similar to the HDM than the JSX. The Peavey Ultra amps (Ultra Plus, XXX, 3120, JSX, etc) all have active EQ. If you haven't messed with an amp with active EQ, you will hate it for the first few months I bet, because the EQ controls are extremely sensitive and adjusting one effects the other two. Plus the JSX, although a much better/tweaked/improved version of the XXX, it is a high gain monster. Much different voicing than the DSL and JCA. In my experience with two XXX amps over the years, it's very difficult to get low gain tones to sound good (JSX may be different though). High gain and crazy detuned palm mute riffs are a cakewalk, but the tone - or quality of tone - just isn't as satisfying as the other two amps in my opinion.

I love the JCA amps because they are dead simple in controls, the circuit itself is pretty simple, and the natural tone and overall voicing/character is right up my alley. In terms of gain the JCA's have the least when compared to the DSL and JSX.

The DSL amps (JCM2000 or new) are weird with the gain controls. I've found that with the high gain channel's gain anywhere past 10 o'clock it turned to absolute mush and unusable. The DSL is more versatile and has much more options on the chassis to shape your tone to fit a broader variety of styles, but whether or not it's better than the HDM, I can't say. I could rock a DSL and be happy. I could also rock an HDM and be equally as happy if not more. To be happy with a JSX I'd have to be playing mostly metal. If you're listing the HDM and DSL as candidates for a keeper, I would even look at the 6505/6505+ way before the JSX. Lower gain rock is great on those amps.

Ask yourself this: Are you looking for an amp that excels in what it does? Or are you looking for an amp that is a jack or all trades/master of none? It's an honest question with no right or wrong answer.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:49 pm
by thesockmonster
sahlomonic wrote:You know, tough question. The DSL I think would be more similar to the HDM than the JSX. The Peavey Ultra amps (Ultra Plus, XXX, 3120, JSX, etc) all have active EQ. If you haven't messed with an amp with active EQ, you will hate it for the first few months I bet, because the EQ controls are extremely sensitive and adjusting one effects the other two. Plus the JSX, although a much better/tweaked/improved version of the XXX, it is a high gain monster. Much different voicing than the DSL and JCA. In my experience with two XXX amps over the years, it's very difficult to get low gain tones to sound good (JSX may be different though). High gain and crazy detuned palm mute riffs are a cakewalk, but the tone - or quality of tone - just isn't as satisfying as the other two amps in my opinion.

I love the JCA amps because they are dead simple in controls, the circuit itself is pretty simple, and the natural tone and overall voicing/character is right up my alley. In terms of gain the JCA's have the least when compared to the DSL and JSX.

The DSL amps (JCM2000 or new) are weird with the gain controls. I've found that with the high gain channel's gain anywhere past 10 o'clock it turned to absolute mush and unusable. The DSL is more versatile and has much more options on the chassis to shape your tone to fit a broader variety of styles, but whether or not it's better than the HDM, I can't say. I could rock a DSL and be happy. I could also rock an HDM and be equally as happy if not more. To be happy with a JSX I'd have to be playing mostly metal. If you're listing the HDM and DSL as candidates for a keeper, I would even look at the 6505/6505+ way before the JSX. Lower gain rock is great on those amps.

Ask yourself this: Are you looking for an amp that excels in what it does? Or are you looking for an amp that is a jack or all trades/master of none? It's an honest question with no right or wrong answer.


I've owned both the JSX and XXX, so that active eq's familiar. Annoying, but familiar. Ideally, I'm running the JCA for midgain and rock tones, would run the JSX for harder needs, and probably a small combo to round out the fort.

It's funny, I keep trying to find reasons to off the HDM (loop, voicing)...but it's just a good amp. It fits. And you're probably right about the 5150. As much as I love the JSX, the 5150 is still one of my favorites for the heavies/80's buttrock.

Re: JCA OWNERS!!! (RE)JOIN THE JET CITY LOUNGE!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:38 pm
by Hipster Salad
You know I do have a 6505+ if you're serious about getting rid of the HDM for one. PM me if you're interested.