picker Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Have any of you guys tried out These Jet City amps? From what I read, they are Chinese-made Soldanos. I know a guy who wants to trade me one of their 20 watt EL84-based amp heads with a road case for an Epi Dot 335. What do you think, good trade or not? Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I played one at Guitar Center a year or so ago. My opinion is that the clean tone isn't there - only when the volume is on 1-3, maybe, and even then it wasn't that great. When you want to crank it, though, that's where it sounds sweet. But, if you want variety, I didn't think it had it. No reverb either, which may or may not be a deal killer for some. "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Yeah, it seems like pretty much a one-trick pony to me. But it's a really nice trick... Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I know a guy who wants to trade me one of their 20 watt EL84-based amp heads with a road case for an Epi Dot 335. What do you think, good trade or not? Well, how much do you want to keep and use that Epi "Dot"? How much do you want another amp, that does what this one does? Which is of more use and value to you? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 I love the way the Epi looks, but I'm not all that enamored with the tone. The amp is something I would like to explore. I would like to compare it to my Budda Superdrive 18 combo. Both are low-wattage EL84 based amps, and I'd like to see which one I like best. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I can't see the Jet being in the same league with your Budda.....at maybe 1/4 the price or so, it shouldn't be. Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I can't see the Jet being in the same league with your Budda.....at maybe 1/4 the price or so, it shouldn't be. Yeah, I have to agree with Reif; Budda Superdrive 18's are NICE, I nearly bought one and really should have! Sell the Dot and buy some really nice tubes for the Budda from Doug's Tubes or KCA NOS, and maybe a speaker upgrade... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 I got the Budda from a guy who threw in a Celestion Vintage 30 he had tried in it. I like the stock speaker better than the Celestion. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I got the Budda from a guy who threw in a Celestion Vintage 30 he had tried in it. I like the stock speaker better than the Celestion. I take it the stock speaker had less peaky upper-mids than the Vintage 30, and a smoother edge to overdrive and distortion? Or... what? In any case, a fresh, full compliment of premium tubes- including a "Balanced" or "Matched Phase Inverter", as well as matched output-tubes- all selected to cater to your wants and needs- would be a really nice alternative to getting another, cheaper amp. It would improve the tone of your Budda and I'd bet that it would completely surpass that Jet City amp. Talk to Doug at Doug's Tubes; discuss what you want from your Budda, what you already like, what you'd like more of and less of... he'll steer you right with socket-specific tube selections. And the results will be repeatable in the future when you eventually need to replace tubes. (I can highly recommend Ruby EL84CZ's, which are the same actual tubes as the GT-branded GTEL84S's that I got from Groove Tubes when Myles was still there; mine have lasted waaay longer than expected. Get a matched quartet or sextet and you've got identical sets of matched output-tubes for spares/replacements.) Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 How are EL84 tubes in terms of service life? Are the fragile, like EL34s? Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I played one at Guitar Center a year or so ago. My opinion is that the clean tone isn't there - only when the volume is on 1-3, maybe, and even then it wasn't that great. When you want to crank it, though, that's where it sounds sweet. But, if you want variety, I didn't think it had it. No reverb either, which may or may not be a deal killer for some. Soldano isn't known for his clean tones anyway. the t series amps he designed for Yamaha were like that. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 How are EL84 tubes in terms of service life? Are the fragile, like EL34s? Overall, many- most?- recent production EL84's are worse, wearing out prematurely; an exception can be found in good, tested, matched Ruby EL84CZ's, JJ EL84's, and pre-Fender GTEL84S's (from when Myles still worked there, testing with his own equipment). I can't believe how long a quartet of GTEL84S's that Myles signed-off have lasted for me in my Carvin Vintage 33- and I push that amp HARD!- not to mention how much better they sound and perform than the previous tubes that were in that amp. I'd probably gladly swap the Carvin for an old Budda Superdrive 18... I played one at Guitar Center a year or so ago. My opinion is that the clean tone isn't there - only when the volume is on 1-3, maybe, and even then it wasn't that great. When you want to crank it, though, that's where it sounds sweet. But, if you want variety, I didn't think it had it. No reverb either, which may or may not be a deal killer for some. Soldano isn't known for his clean tones anyway. the t series amps he designed for Yamaha were like that. I remember those and that being the case! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'd probably gladly swap the Carvin for an old Budda Superdrive 18... Yeah, me too! Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I'd probably gladly swap the Carvin for an old Budda Superdrive 18... Yeah, me too! The Carvin's not a bad amp, really; especially once I figured out how to get the best out of it, and what it does best. The tube upgrade- including a matched phase inverter- was a HUUUGE improvement. I can't complain! I also bought it used for a fair price. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I think if ya make the deal, ya may miss the axe. I traded my backup Strat for the Mesa I now use as a main amp, and love it all to Hell, but I miss the Strat now that it's gone. It was a fine axe, played well, sounded fine, stayed in tune, just never made it to lifetime keeper status, but I wish I still had it.... Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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