Soon to be "Pentasonic"!!!

[Bluesburst]

I've put the JVM on lay-by this week (lay away for my US friends ) and will be ordering the DSL tomorrow

So hopefully I will soon be able to complete my tower of power with the complete set

Surf, when that day comes and I submit the mandatory pic, can I be “50th Pentasonic” ???

I’m super keen on the JVM and the OCD won’t allow me to have 4 out the 5. It will be interesting to see how they compare when I get them.

At home the JCM is just perfect, everything I wanted it to be.

The JMP, I was looking forward to… while I do love it and it’s a great tone, I can pretty much pull that from my AFD so in many ways it’s superfluous as the AFD has power scaling of course so apart from the get-up-and-go convenience factor, I don’t NEED the JMP

The JTM on the other hand was one I wanted for collectability, the old Marshall logo and I was sold on the nice blues tone. Nothing I couldn’t pull from other amp/pedal setups, or so I thought. But it surprised me, the complexity of the tone is more than just “nice”, it has it’s own special voice I can’t get close to with any of my other equipment combinations.

So it will be very interesting after a few months to see which ones I keep going back to...

[surfnorthwest]

Nice going man. I have to admit I was probably out getting a bong hit while the word "Pentasonic" was being taught, I must be the only one that has never heard that word before. No mater if that is what you want I can make it happen. Or you can take the forums default for anyone who owns all five.

Just let me know.

[zimlen]

Hi Blueburst. I'm Australian too, and am about to get a JMP1. Where have you purchased your 50th Anniversary amps? I'm a bit reluctant to go back and buy from the people I got my JTM1 from because they gave me the run around, and it took a month longer than they said it would (perhaps not their fault).

Also, can you tell me why you prefer the JCM1 over the JMP1? I'm leaning towards the JMP1, though I have given the JCM1 serious consideration. My impression of the JMP1 is that it can get into JCM1 territory with the boost mode, but I haven't heard one in person. I'm a 70s classic rock guy, so the JMP1 seems a natural choice. But I do like what I hear from JCM1 demos. The master and mid controls give a bit more flexibility too.

[Bluesburst]

Nice going man. I have to admit I was probably out getting a bong hit while the word "Pentasonic" was being taught, I must be the only one that has never heard that word before. No mater if that is what you want I can make it happen. Or you can take the forums default for anyone who owns all five.

Just let me know.

:hah :hah :hah I made it up Surf but it seems appropriate for these five little sonic monsters!!!

Hi Blueburst. I'm Australian too, and am about to get a JMP1. Where have you purchased your 50th Anniversary amps? I'm a bit reluctant to go back and buy from the people I got my JTM1 from because they gave me the run around, and it took a month longer than they said it would (perhaps not their fault).

Also, can you tell me why you prefer the JCM1 over the JMP1? I'm leaning towards the JMP1, though I have given the JCM1 serious consideration. My impression of the JMP1 is that it can get into JCM1 territory with the boost mode, but I haven't heard one in person. I'm a 70s classic rock guy, so the JMP1 seems a natural choice. But I do like what I hear from JCM1 demos. The master and mid controls give a bit more flexibility too.

I've been all over the place and had great service from the following:

Parramatta Guitar Factory - NSW
Muso's Corner - NSW
Cranbourne Music - Vic
Sky Music - Vic

Why the JCM? I'm a child of the 80's so there's a lot of great memories coming from the JCM. The JMP is fantastic and while I wouldn't say it not possible, getting JCM from the JMP may be a challenge. The other surprise with teh JCM was rolling back the preamp and guitar volume yields some amzing dirty blues that I can't get from my JMP or JTM. All with no pedals.

[zimlen]

I have loved some of the JCM1 demos. It's probably is a little more versatile than the JMP1 too. I reckon the clean tones are more to my taste with the JCM1, and probably the just breaking up tones too. But there is something about the grain of the JPM1's driven tones that I'm drawn to. And I reckon I've got the clean and just breaking up tones covered with the JTM1. Maybe the best solution is to get both!

[Stringjunkie]

The JCM is waayore versatile then I remembered it being when I was young. Or maybe I am

[Bluesburst]

I have loved some of the JCM1 demos. It's probably is a little more versatile than the JMP1 too. I reckon the clean tones are more to my taste with the JCM1, and probably the just breaking up tones too. But there is something about the grain of the JPM1's driven tones that I'm drawn to. And I reckon I've got the clean and just breaking up tones covered with the JTM1. Maybe the best solution is to get both!

There's no right or wrong with these, it's just personal taste.

If you can find and afford both, then you won't be disappointed

[zimlen]

There is a JCM1 on eBay for AUS$700 that's got my interest. That's $150 cheaper than a new JMP1. I can only afford one at the moment. More to the point, I can only justify getting one at a time to Mrs zimlen. Decisions!

[zimlen]

After agonising over the choice between a JMP1 and JCM1, I have purchased a JCM1 head. I've already got a JTM1c, and I reckon I'm covering a fair bit of sonic ground between these two amps. I will probably grab a JMP1 down the track anyway. After buying the JTM1c back in September, I was keen to grab another, and always thought the JMP1 would be the most logical next buy considering the music I listen to mostly. But when it came around to a time when I could buy another one, the JCM1 became more appealing. After listening to a lot of demos, I reckon I've made the right choice, but I have no doubt I could have been happy with either.

The JCM1 just looks like a lot of fun to play, and I really love the variety of tones you can get with it. Although much of my favourite music comes from the 70s, when I think of the Marshall sound, I'm really thinking about a cranked JCM800. I was raised on that sound (I'm 35)! And the bluesy tones from the JCM1 sound really nice too.

The JCM1 amp will arrive in a couple of days, and to fund this purchase, I sold my beloved Fender Princeton Reverb reissue. Now my only two amps will be 1W Anniversary amps, which is fine, because I don't gig, and play mainly at home or with a few friends (who don't play drums). I've got a cabinet on order which is still about two or three weeks away. So, I'm going to have this JCM1 with no cabinet to plug it into for at least a couple of weeks. Is there much involved in hooking up the JCM1 head into the JTM1 combo's internal speaker?

The other change I have made is with regard to the speaker choice for the 2x12 cabinet I have on order. I had a G12H30 Anniverary and a G12M Greenback chosen for them, but have substituted the Greenback for a V30. The Greenback was chosen specifically for the JMP1 I had intended to buy, but I think the V30 will be a better match for the JCM1 and JTM1. The sensitivity of the V30 and G12H30 are also more similar, so when using both speakers together I will get a better balance between the two. And when running the cab in stereo, the V30 should sound killer with the JCM1, and the G12H30 sweet with the JTM1.

[Bluesburst]

Hey Zimlen

No matter which way you went, you were going to end up with a winner

I think the JTM and JCM are great choices. The JTM fully cranked will approach JMP territory and the JCM wound back is nice too. Of course it's not pure JMP tone but they will deliver mid 70's tone where as neither the JTM or JMP can get that classic 80's crunch teh JCM will give you.

Well Done and enjoy

My DSL and JVM are now on lay-by, I won't get access to them until mid-March at the earliest so teh wait is killing me...

At least 6 weeks before I am Pentasonic

Next step will be a 1936 cab loaded with Vintage 30's. I put my JMP into a Carvin 2 x 12 w/ V30's last night and I must admit I preferred it. The JCM was nice but it didn't alter it like the JMP. Much better!!! I wish I had taken the JTM to see how that went All in good time.

[zimlen]

Hey Zimlen

No matter which way you went, you were going to end up with a winner

I think the JTM and JCM are great choices. The JTM fully cranked will approach JMP territory and the JCM wound back is nice too. Of course it's not pure JMP tone but they will deliver mid 70's tone where as neither the JTM or JMP can get that classic 80's crunch teh JCM will give you.

That was basically my reasoning behind grabbing the JCM1. I reckon the JCM1 does some pretty decent tones from AC/DC (Back in Black era), ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Deep Purple etc... as well as the 80s stuff. And of course it's sounds a whole lot tighter for riffing. I do love that loose yet cutting Plexi sound, but to be honest I prefer the fatter tones of a cranked JTM, hence my first purchase. Based only on the demos I've heard, the JTM1 cleans and breaking up tones appeal to me the most.

My DSL and JVM are now on lay-by, I won't get access to them until mid-March at the earliest so teh wait is killing me...

At least 6 weeks before I am Pentasonic

Would love to get a couple more as well. Almost definitely the JMP1 next, but I did give consideration to the DSL1. The JVM1 is probably a little to modern for my tastes. The DSL1 drive channel is pretty versatile. And the cleans sound really nice on that amp, but I'm not that keen on how they stay clean through the full range of the dial. The emulated outs are a great feature.

Next step will be a 1936 cab loaded with Vintage 30's. I put my JMP into a Carvin 2 x 12 w/ V30's last night and I must admit I preferred it. The JCM was nice but it didn't alter it like the JMP. Much better!!! I wish I had taken the JTM to see how that went All in good time.

I can't wait untill my cab arrives. I've got an oversized 2x12 on order from a local maker: 32"x22"x12" with a V30 and G12H30, stereo/mono plug and play jack, black tolex with Marshall check grille cloth and white piping (like a 1960AX but in 2x12). I have heard the JTM1 sounds really nice with V30s funnily enough.

[DucS2R]

I have the first four and can make an argument in favor of each, but the JTM and the JCM are amazing and really, and I mean really different, you will have a blast exploring the different tones you can get. And it is reall cool to have NVM and master volume amps, totally different in how you operate them and get good sound.

I love the greenback with the JMP but tried pairing one with a G12H30 in a 2x12 and did not like the sound, pretty much with any of my amps. I love the V30 and G12H30 with the JCM and feel it should sound good with any of the first four amps. I prefer a celestion blue with the JTM, but that is probably because I have one and want to justify its expense

But I think your speaker choice should be a nice compromise for all of them.

Look out, they are like potato chips, you can't have just one or two or three!

Enjoy!

T

[FullBend]

zimlen, good choice on the speakers. I like both of them with the JTM and JCM--hard to choose a favorite. I know you are aware of this, but don't judge them until they are broken in. I almost sent my G12H30 back, but I stuck it out, and I'm happy I did.

[zimlen]

The guy who I'm buying the cab and speakers from breaks in the speakers with a pink noise signal, so homefully they sound pretty good when I first plug.

[DucS2R]

My V30 and G12H30's are Hellatones (Celestions with 15 hours of break in from Avatar Speakers) and it does help, but warming them up and then playing loud full chords for half an hour or so (and as electric guitarists we hate playing loud, right) seems to settle them in a bit more. Have fun, like I said. Nothing like breaking in a new toy...

T