JC 120 questions

[galacticat]

Most of my experience is playing pure acoustics, but I have recently veered down the electric path in a big way. I recently ordered a Boss GT-10, which I've had for a few days, and a Roland JC 120 which hopefully arrives in the next day or so. My questions are probably super dumb, but I'd appreciate some help nonetheless:

The GT-10 has stereo output. The JC 120 has two speakers and two seperate channels with their own inputs. What happens if I route the mono line of the GT-10 to one channel of the JC 120, and the other line to the other channel of the JC-120? Does this accomplish a strero effect? I don't think so, but I'm not sure. If you just use one mono input into the JC120, does it use both speakers in mono, or is one speaker reserved for one channel and the other speaker reserved for the second channel? I think the answer must be that one channel outputs out of both speakers in mono, but I just want to veryify that. Thanks!

[Gibsonman63]

Both speakers play all the time

The JC120 does have stereo power amplifiers but it puts the same thing through both speakers unless you turn on the chorus.

[Enzo]

Doesn;t it have stereo loops or at the very least power amp in jacks for each power amp?

[Gibsonman63]

Good point

According to Roland's site at least the current ones do so you should be able to use the loop for stereo effects.

Mine is an older Pawn Shop special that I have had for about 15 years. Now I am curious and I will have to look at mine when I get home. Here is an excerpt from Roland.

[galacticat]

UPS tracker says my JC 120 will arrive this evening, so I will have to verify what's going on here because I'm still confused. The GT-10 manual has a diagram showing different output options, and for stereo output it shows one line going to a single JC 120, and the other line going to to second JC 120. Not the two seperate inputs on a single JC 120, but two different amps. If you could achieve stereo capability using a single JC 120, why wouldn't they indicate this as the most practical connection option? Am I confusing stereo effects with true stereo sound???

[teemuk]

The newest JC-120's (JC-120UT & JC-120JT) have an effects loop with stereo returns.

The older JC-120's don't have an effects loop at all.

The GT-10 manual has a diagram showing different output options, and for stereo output it shows one line going to a single JC 120, and the other line going to to second JC 120. Not the two seperate inputs on a single JC 120, but two different amps. If you could achieve stereo capability using a single JC 120, why wouldn't they indicate this as the most practical connection option?

Was GT-10 made before Roland issued the newest JC-120 version that had an effects loop?

Think how confused people with an old JC-120 (that does not have an effects loop) would be if the manual showed you can run a stereo return of an effect to a single JC-120.

[Gibsonman63]

Stereo

To get stereo sound from a single JC-120, you would plug the guitar directly into the amp. The effect send from the amp goes to the input of your effects unit and the stereo outputs from your effect unit go the the effect returns on the amplifier.

This is providing that you have a newer JC120 with an effects loop. Otherwise, you are back to two amps.

[Gibsonman63]

Interesting

I had a look at my JC-120 this evening. Mine has a line out and two main ins.

... and I found the instruction manual in a brown envelope stapled to the inside of the amp.

The description of the main in is somewhat cryptic.

"By connecting line-out of another amplifier, to JC-120, sound reinforcement is attained."

Japanese to English translation for stereo returns I presume.

For $169 I have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this amplifier. It is not something I play every day, but for super cleans that make you want to play GI Joe Kung Fu grip chords it is hard to beat. Just try not to play any songs with fewer than twelve chords.

[galacticat]

JC 120 was waiting for me when I got home from work. Pulled it out of the box and saw the stereo returns clearly labeled. Brand new, so I was of course expecting them! I'm going to need to scoop up one more guitar cable to accomplish the stereo hookup from the GT-10.

Playing with it for the last couple hours, I'm super happy with the JC. Awesome clean that's perfect for running the processor through and getting the best from it. I also have access to a Damage Control Womanizer that sounds great in front. I've seen some people criticizing the GT-10 presets, but with a few exceptions, I think the thing sounds tremendous through the 120 as I'm going through the patch library. I am most definitely psyched! Thanks for help.