Mark V owner review of JP-2C (multi page post)

[bandit2013]

I finally got the Grid Slammer pedal. Too bad it has some quality issues (small tone control knob split in half and one screw is missing on the back plate). As far as how it sounds, Nice! Great range in low gain up to where the CH2 or CH3 picks up with a low gain setting (one that gives you sound that is). I did try it on CH2 and CH3, interesting effect on sensitivity. Also has been a while since I played though the JP-2C (few days to me is a while) as I have been preparing for a drum set and moving the studio into a larger room. Hopefully the electrical noise levels are better in there. I am getting some heavy electrical noise in the room where I have the JP. Not the guitar or the amp but when I dial down the volume on the guitar the amp is quiet. (Power lines running under the floor is the main issue, one reason why I dislike floor mounted electrical receptacles. If I ever replace the floor, those things will go away as they are not needed (Family room not in studio or the other room which is good).

 

[bandit2013]

I worked though Sweetwater where I bought the pedal from, got a call by Mesa and they said they will send the parts this week. Nothing major, small control knob had a crack in it, pedal was also missing a screw on the back.

I have not played through the JP-2c in a while. Bought a new toy to distract me (7pc Drum set). Last night after practicing on the drums, I jumped onto the guitar and cranked up the JP. Still in heaven with this amp 8) Even fixed the Mark V and now it sound great (tube change and new speaker in the combo). May have to revisit the JP vs MKV again...

 

[Dreamtheaterrules]

Interested to hear more thoughts on the Grid Slammer as you get to check it out with your other amps.

 

[bandit2013]

It sounds great with the RA100. Like it better with the JP-2C though. Not much I can do at the moment as I am waiting for replacement parts from Mesa. Should have then in about a week. Hard to dial in the tone control without the knob (has a very small post). I could have sent the pedal back and wait a few weeks but I can use it as is. I will have to find an Allen key to fit the tiny set screw. Not sure if I need to removed it from the plastic chip or not. This thing can happen so no big deal. May have to sand down the burr on the post to get the new knob on the shaft. Anyways, Love the Grid slammer with the RA100 clean but love it more with the JP-2C. Definitely need to run it through the Roadster. The gain setting has a good sweep on it. If I do not use it, I feel my amps have enough gain, but when I turn it on and play for a while and turn it off, I would rather turn it back on again..... Not quite transparent but not as aggressive as the Flux Drive. Also would have to hook them both together and see what happens. May even add a compressor in the mix.

Someday I will get a strymon Riverside which is similar but different. Still in debate on that as I need to get more gear for my drum set (need mics and a mixer to record with).

 

[bandit2013]

I ran the grid slammer through all of my amps thus far. I got the replacement knob for the tone control that broke shortly after trying the pedal out for the first time. I did not realize the tone control had that travel it now has (had to use my fingers to rotate the stub) original control knob had a stress fracture in it due to the set screw. Now it is fixed and everything in working order.

Brief run though.... more time would be needed to dial everything in as I normally do not take a liking to OD or distortion pedals. Also need to combine it with the Flux drive for the experience....

JP-2C: definitely a win with the grid slammer on all channels.
RA100: seemed to be gest used on the clean channel. I need to try this again with different power tubes.
Roadster: seemed like overkill on the CH3 and CH4 with the voice set to modern, had some difficulty taming CH4 modern, may need some updated preamp tubes to cure that as feedback was a bit cumbersome. On the Clean channels 1 and 2 it sounded great.
Mark V: Sweetness, I did not try the tweed voice on CH1 but worked great for an alternate crunch in fat and clean. CH2 edge (not much to say as this is not my favorite channel 2 voice. Crunch just got crunchier (had channel gain set at noon). Nice with the grid slammer. Also did not take on the Mark 1 voice either. What it did for CH3 was very impressive. The grid slammer definitely added what I felt was missing in CH3. A tad bit of compression for the Mark IV setting, Awesome on the Extreme voice as it was now on par with the JP-2C. I was only using the combo speaker too. Now the Mark V has what it was missing with the aid of the grid slammer. I figured it would sound good with the V as it does so with the JP.

 

[Dreamtheaterrules]

Nice to hear that it works well with the Mark V. Hopefully it would work as well with the MV25.

 

[bandit2013]

The grid slammer as well as the flux drive work great with both JP-2C and Mark V. Perhaps it is because both amps perform well in the middle to upper midrange of the spectrum. The roadster just got muddy with the higher gain channel modes and was hard to compensate on the basic channel controls. May need to use the 5 band EQ pedal in the loop. May have to do the same with the RA100 or change the tubes. If I ever part with an amp it may be the RA100 Head and keep the RA100 combo (thinking on replacing one of the RA100s with the triple crown). Now that I changed the speaker in the Mark V combo I am back to liking it again, still on a love/hate cycle with the MKV.

 

[bandit2013]

What a total idiot I have been.... I rediscovered the Mark V does actually sound great...in Variac mode that is. Removes the ice pick and softens up the upper mids as well. My old time favorite was using the amp at 45W on Variac power but that was the when I would red plate power tubes. Actually variac power had nothing to do with it except that the tubes would take longer to fail but they still would fail. I found 90W setting at full power seemed to work the best in terms of tube performance (no red plating). Since I had the amp fixed I can play in any mode without failure. Variac power and 45W gets the Mark V to sound very close to the JP-2C. Still prefer the JP-2C over the Mark V as I really like how responsive the controls are in tailoring your tone.

Now I find it hard to let the Mark V go. Still thinking about the TC-50. One more flavor to add to the wall of Mesa I have in the make shift studio, man cave, or what ever fits as a better description. Actually my amps are not all in the same room, and the guitars are in yet another room. Small house....big spending habit, running out of room...... No more 412 cabs.. Another Vertical 212 cab, maybe....

So much for that...... time to move on to something new....... (Heck yeah the JP-2C is a killer amp. I am hoping the TC-50 will be as impressive).

 

[Meeotch]

Bandit, thanks for your efforts with this excellent thread! Sorry if I missed it, but I'm looking for some advice comparing the Mark IV, JP-2C, Dual Rectifier, and Roadster....specifically for metal applications. You seem to be highly insightful in this regard.

I play 6-string guitars, in either standard tuning or drop D. I play lots of 80's thrash, progressive rock/metal, and some modern metal. I'm predominantly a rhythm player, and place most of my priority in a huge, crushing, fat rhythm tone. I enjoy tight riffing, but can also get along with a looser bottom end.

Certainly my plan is to seek out these amps and play them all, but I'm very limited where I live. I have read a lot about these amps, and listened to lots of youtube clips. Can you offer some general impressions tailored to my priorities? And perhaps some specifics on anything you find pertinent?

Some basic conclusions I have read are: Mark series is tighter with a more mid focus. Rectifier has more gain, and a looser bottom end. Common to boost these amps for metal. Roadster is darker than dual rec, but dual rec can be harsh. I watched this video and honestly prefer the tone of the Mark IV...love that grind and more bottom end. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3VrPE-Oa6aw

Thanks again!

 

[Wayno]

What a total idiot I have been.... I rediscovered the Mark V does actually sound great...in Variac mode that is. Removes the ice pick and softens up the upper mids as well. My old time favorite was using the amp at 45W on Variac power but that was the when I would red plate power tubes. Actually variac power had nothing to do with it except that the tubes would take longer to fail but they still would fail. I found 90W setting at full power seemed to work the best in terms of tube performance (no red plating). Since I had the amp fixed I can play in any mode without failure. Variac power and 45W gets the Mark V to sound very close to the JP-2C. Still prefer the JP-2C over the Mark V as I really like how responsive the controls are in tailoring your tone.

Now I find it hard to let the Mark V go. Still thinking about the TC-50. One more flavor to add to the wall of Mesa I have in the make shift studio, man cave, or what ever fits as a better description. Actually my amps are not all in the same room, and the guitars are in yet another room. Small house....big spending habit, running out of room...... No more 412 cabs.. Another Vertical 212 cab, maybe....

So much for that...... time to move on to something new....... (Heck yeah the JP-2C is a killer amp. I am hoping the TC-50 will be as impressive).

Always preferred the Mark V in variac, even with the stock 6L6's before I got my EL34's variac just seemed to add some chewyness to proceedings ;-) full power always seems a little brittle to me. Good thing being as I need to stay in variac with EL34'S. 90 watts variac with EL34'S is a dream to behold, for me anyway.

 

[Dreamtheaterrules]

Interesting. I spent months on 45 watt Variac mode. Last few weeks I've switched a lot between 45V, 45F, 90V and 90F. And I've settled lately on full power at 90 watts. Like all of them, but they all sound different and lately 90 watts full power has been working for me.

 

[bandit2013]

I have returned from my trip to PA. I had an opportunity to play a new Mark V combo at Russo in Hamilton NJ (last thing I did before leaving the store as I was there to demo the TC-50). First off, I wish mine sounded as good. Something not right with the 2012 amp. It still sounds the way it did when I bought it. I wonder if there have been some minor changes to the newer Mark V models (not to stir a rumor or anything). If the loop is the same, I will not consider getting another one. As for the TC-50, it was nice but may wait and see what becomes of this new line of Mesa amps. Since I bought the JP-2C the need for something new has not been eating at me.

 

[bandit2013]

Bandit, thanks for your efforts with this excellent thread! Sorry if I missed it, but I'm looking for some advice comparing the Mark IV, JP-2C, Dual Rectifier, and Roadster....specifically for metal applications. You seem to be highly insightful in this regard.

I play 6-string guitars, in either standard tuning or drop D. I play lots of 80's thrash, progressive rock/metal, and some modern metal. I'm predominantly a rhythm player, and place most of my priority in a huge, crushing, fat rhythm tone. I enjoy tight riffing, but can also get along with a looser bottom end.

Certainly my plan is to seek out these amps and play them all, but I'm very limited where I live. I have read a lot about these amps, and listened to lots of youtube clips. Can you offer some general impressions tailored to my priorities? And perhaps some specifics on anything you find pertinent?

Some basic conclusions I have read are: Mark series is tighter with a more mid focus. Rectifier has more gain, and a looser bottom end. Common to boost these amps for metal. Roadster is darker than dual rec, but dual rec can be harsh. I watched this video and honestly prefer the tone of the Mark IV...love that grind and more bottom end. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3VrPE-Oa6aw

Thanks again!

If you can find a Mark IV head, that would work best when paired with the OS Recto 412 cab. I had the combo and never really was fond of the Rhythm 2 channel but it really sounded great when pushing the 412 cabinet. It was a bit bland with the combo speaker though. As for the Mark IV mode of the Mark IV, sweet, and depends on some of the pull switches (I used to use the presence pulled most of the time but also liked it pushed in). I think one of my personal issues with the Mark IV was that the RHY1 and RHY2 were not completely separated (also reason why I sold my Mark III) since I like to change from clean to crunch it was not easy to get both RHY1 and RHY2 to sound the way I want them too. The best option I found with the Mark IV (and similar to the Mark III) was integrated quad (EL34 + 6L6). What really impressed me was how the Mark IV sounded with TAD 6L6GCSTR in the outer positions with SED=C= 6L6GC in the center (may have been the other way around) but that gave me the most sinister gain structure which could not be duplicated with the Mark V. I do have regrets, selling the Mark III, then the Mark IV. I actually preferred the versatility of the Mark V, then I also have the Roadster so I am covered. JP-2C has basically cured my regrets of the older amps.

Mark IV would be a great amp to have as it will get aggressive for metal. I prefer the darker tone of the Mark IV over that of the Mark V. Also the FX loop is more friendly with most pedals on the market where as the Mark V (unless they make changes) uses line level signals (works great with Strymon and Boss), you can adjust the send level but I have not found this useful as my instrument level effect would still clip. I never had the opportunity to run a Mark IV though one of the 212 cabs. I am sure they would sound great. The Mark IV sounds great though the V30 speaker. Mark V tends to be too brittle when running at full power (I can only relate to my current Mark V as I found one in a store that sounded much better). The JP-2C would be my first choice as that covers more ground (my opinion) and leaves out the ice pick that may be present in the Mark V. The JP-2C will still cut though the mix and will put a huge grin on your face over the Mark V. However, I would not rule out the Mark V as you may like it, mine just tends to be brittle but it can still sound good depending on tubes and control settings.

The JP-2C out of box experience has overwhelmed me beyond words. I love my Roadster but I love the JP-2C a lot more. I have had some difficulties matching master levels with the Roadster especially when using the Vintage on one channel and Modern on the other. The Roadster has some similarities to the Mark V in terms of versatility. It can sound on the dark side but it can also be dialed in brighter when you reduce the gain when using the Modern mode on CH4 (darkest channel on the Roadster).

Video's and recordings may not capture the true essence of the amp you are seeking. Most of the time it will be close but there will be some change in tone as microphones tend to filter some frequencies. Also you loose the sense of feel of the amp as playing the guitar and getting that heart stopping thump or feeling the movement of air passing by your leg if you sit in front of the amp like I do. How it reacts to your playing and does it have that essential touch sensitive response. JP-2C is more forward than the Mark V or Roadster. Roadster being the more spongy but that can be good too. I do not believe you are facing an easy task at hand. Each of the amps you mentioned all have their own character and response, gain structure, power supply sag. etc... Best option would be to actually play though one to find out which one is right for you. All I can say is the JP-2C lived up to the hype that has centered around it and delivered the goods above and beyond what was in the recorded demos on the Mesa web site. First amp that I have never played first before buying. Despite the simple features on the amp, there is more depth to it than what is visible on the control panel. Almost reminiscent to the Mark III (decoder ring required with that amp, hard to dial in without the manual) the JP is similar but very easy to dial in as some of the pulls and drive settings are fixed that were on the original IIC+. Also tried not to be excited about the amp when it arrived. I do play a metal style but not really sure how to categorize it. I tend to focus more on classic rock but with a modern heavy tone. Sure sounding like the actual recordings is great but I do not spend too much time trying to dial in a replication of what is heard as that may be quite difficult to accomplish.

I must be impressed with the JP-2C if I am still writing about it. Some focus has been on how it compares to my other amps. It is definitely a worth while amp to consider but that all depends on what you wish to accomplish with it. If you are into BB King, pops, beach boys, or country music, this amp may not be the best choice as the clean channel lacks any clip and the two lead channels are too aggressive for soft rock or early rock. Speaking out of box here, an OD pedal will be required for use with the clean channel for the early classic rock/pop tones.

 

[bandit2013]

bump...

If I have not stated this before..... been a while since I opened up this post... My JP-2C is essentially noise free in terms of no signal noise. Clean channel is dead quiet with no signal. Mark V teds to have a low Hz hum on the clean channel settings. Roadster is about the same as the JP-2C.

CH2 and CH3, very quiet unless I ramp the gain and presence much farther than needed. I can get some white noise but not like a water fall sound that I would obtain with my other amps. Then again, this is of no importance when you start playing, the quiescent noise generally becomes absent.

Still loving this amp. The more I play though it the more l like it.

 

[dlpasco]

bump...

If I have not stated this before..... been a while since I opened up this post... My JP-2C is essentially noise free in terms of no signal noise. Clean channel is dead quiet with no signal. Mark V teds to have a low Hz hum on the clean channel settings. Roadster is about the same as the JP-2C.

CH2 and CH3, very quiet unless I ramp the gain and presence much farther than needed. I can get some white noise but not like a water fall sound that I would obtain with my other amps. Then again, this is of no importance when you start playing, the quiescent noise generally becomes absent.

Still loving this amp. The more I play though it the more l like it.

I'm pretty sure you've mentioned this in the past, but what kind of music do you like to play? It's helpful in orienting on what kind of tones you look for.

Thanks for sharing so much about your experiences - it's great to read.

 

[bandit2013]

I mix it up. Classic Rock to heavy metal. I may spend more time on a Pink Floyd type sound but I prefer a more heavy approach, my roots came from the Scorpions, Judas Priest, and Deep Purple when I was younger. Now it is Led Zep and or ACDC as that tends to be the focus when I get involved with others.

I really do not focus on one style, more so I try to expand on other styles and if I learn something new in the process that is great.

Note: I have swapped a few of the original tubes with some other Mesa tubes as I found the originals to be of lesser quality even though they are the same tube. Noise level may change with preamp tubes. Relative to my other Mesa amps, this one is quiet with no signal unless I use a distortion or overdrive on the front end. My gain settings can vary, 11 oclock or higher, pulled or pushed. Every time I plug into the JP I am blown away. Well perhaps this amp is the key to my sound vs the others. Now I need to get some recording done but have slowed down due to the cold weather. Things should pick up when spring comes around.

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Wow, this is a very wordy but interesting thread! :shock: I haven't read every post, but enough to know there are some serious tone chasers here...

I have a MkIII head with R1+R2+ Reverb mods by Mike B, and a stock MkIV combo. I sleep like a baby at night knowing that I have what I consider the ultimate cabs/speakers for what I want to hear---the original Mark series metal grill cabs with C90s + EVM12Ls, and a Thiele 1x12 with EVM12L. It was a sign of great wisdom for Mesa to provide these from the factory. I am into '80s metal/thrash and classic rock/metal and can't imagine ever needing more gain than the Marks provide.

I say with total confidence that I prefer the MkIII's super aggressive lead channel over the MkIV, although the MkIV has its own classic personality. It took years of experimentation and online research, but I tweaked my MkIII's settings to perfection, including a beautiful crystal clean sound while having access to a brutal, heavenly lead tone, and that's with no outside pedals. I can always call on my MXR 10-band EQ or something else to add other options. I don't care what comes and goes, I will have the MkIII for life, and it may be buried with me. 8) But I must say, the JP-2C is a fascinating development. I've dreamed for many years of finding a nice white tolex MkIII half stack (or STACK!) as pictured in my 1984 Mesa/Boogie catalog, but they are as rare as hen's teeth. It may be that the better answer will be to have a custom order JP-2C with white tolex, or something else non-standard. If there was ever a worthy candidate for the expensive hardwood + wicker route, it's the JP-2C!!

I am confident the JP-2C has enough Mark DNA in common with the III that I will hear "my" sound in a more modern, quieter package with truly separate channels. In other words, sign me up!! I'm glad I procrastinated on getting the MKV, as I think the 2C is an even better answer. And Petrucci is one of the most prolific tone chasers and recording/touring artists around, so it is nice to have his detailed input on the design....

 

[MkIII Renegade]

I mix it up. Classic Rock to heavy metal. I may spend more time on a Pink Floyd type sound but I prefer a more heavy approach, my roots came from the Scorpions, Judas Priest, and Deep Purple when I was younger. Now it is Led Zep and or ACDC as that tends to be the focus when I get involved with others.

I really do not focus on one style, more so I try to expand on other styles and if I learn something new in the process that is great.

Note: I have swapped a few of the original tubes with some other Mesa tubes as I found the originals to be of lesser quality even though they are the same tube. Noise level may change with preamp tubes. Relative to my other Mesa amps, this one is quiet with no signal unless I use a distortion or overdrive on the front end. My gain settings can vary, 11 oclock or higher, pulled or pushed. Every time I plug into the JP I am blown away. Well perhaps this amp is the key to my sound vs the others. Now I need to get some recording done but have slowed down due to the cold weather. Things should pick up when spring comes around.

Why would cold weather prevent recording? I record MORE during cold weather, because it's too cold to do much outside, and we rarely have enough snow for any winter sports where I live. In the rare event of being snowed in (it happens), I become like a musically inclined Jack Torrence/hermit and record more than ever!

Honestly, my basic tone journey was finished ~15 years ago when I discovered the MkIII. My identity was SET. Sure it's fun to try new things here and there, but this tone is at my core and isn't going away. I moved on more and more to recording and mixing in my basement studio instead of worrying about new speakers or tubes or amps or guitars, and last year bought a full drum set. I've triggered a drum machine live for many years for demos (and even jams!), but this is a new challenge I am taking very seriously, and it seems to come naturally to me. I know for certain that getting deeper into drumming has made me a better guitar and bass player. I even bought a nice Yamaha keyboard, which I can just barely fake my way through for backing chords to flesh out some songs. I think like a producer when songwriting, and being a drummer greatly influences the song structures. But in the end, the real treat is always recording the guitars. I have a SM57, but honestly, the Marks record extremely well through my trusty H&K Red Box most of the time.

 

[bandit2013]

Reason for not doing much with the guitar in the winter, my hands get very sluggish when it is cold out, joints seem to be worse in those cold months. This has plagued me all of my life, even typing can become difficult. Usually when spring comes around I get the itch to play again. Perhaps there is some psychosis going on there.

Mark III is where it all began with me and Mesa. After that, nothing else will do. I sold that since I had the Mark IV and preferred the ability to switch to a clean channel without having to adjust settings (what sounded great for the lead, did not sound great on the clean). Also the Mark III had a darker tone to it and may be due to the Black Shadow EVM12 speaker. The JP-2C reminds me of the Mark III but yet different. Stays quite focused and does not get muddy. As for drumming, I started back in March of 2015 with a Roland TD-15kV set. And this past September I moved on to an acoustic kit (Gretsch Catalina Maple). May not be top of line kit but so much fun to play. I just ordered new heads for the kit (Evans hydraulic black, along with new resonant heads to go with it). The Remo's are ok but looking for something different.

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Cool. I have a Roland TD-25KV and love it. Shades of guitar playing, I initially went though a period of trying many different drumsticks to figure out what I like, and have a few favorites now. Started out with signature sticks of players I admire, since they are already specialized. I definitely lean toward stouter sticks and don't mind having to work harder to sling them around. For nylon tipped, I like Pro Mark Dave Lombardos, and for plain, Vic Firth Nico McBrain. I'm definitely not a 5A man. My eventual goal will be to have a fairly elaborate acoustic set, although I am very content for a while. I live in a neighborhood where I can jam at fairly high volume at all hours without disturbing the neighborhood due to my in-ground basement, but will wait until I get a house with a huge basement before I go all out with soundproof panels, etc, and then the acoustic kit.

When it comes to recording, I often think of the old Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough At Last", where Burgress Meredith is the last man on earth and can finally read his all the books he wants in peace LOL. I tend to finish songs best as a hermit, but I get much more productive initial creative sessions with at least one or two musicians to jam with live and feel an idea out. I'm trying to limit my gear acquisition these days and concentrate more on really perfecting some recorded songs. It's easy to do this when you are inspired by your tones. 8) I don't care how well something is played, No Tone = No Care.