Roland Jazz Chorus 120 Overdrive/Distortion Pedals

funkadelic

Hi

I play mostly clean but want to have a good overdrive sound as well using a Roland Jazz Chorus 120. I will use individual stompbox pedals for compression, overdrive and distortion, and a multi-effect pedal for modulation and time-based effects. So far the latter seem to work. However I'm at a loss with overdrive pedals. So far I have tried:
- Boss SD-1 (Sounded good. Sold it. Should I get another one???)
- Boss DS-2 (Doesn't work at all. Sounds like the JC-120 distortion effect)
- MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe (Works nice as an "enhancer" and can I get a low/bluesy od with it)

I'm buying a Vox Ice 9 pedal. Hope that the combination of the BBD and Ice 9 will work.

Do anyone have experience with getting a nice overdriven sound with a JC-120? As mentioned, I will play mostly clean and will use the overdrive for lead solos only most of the time.

PS: How do I load an image unto this site?

guidothepimmp

Why not get a valve distortion pedal like a radial tonebone or blackstar or something

guidothepimmp

Or a boss .mt2 ?

AlanRatcliffe

The JC120 tends to make all but the smoothest drive pedals sound harsh. Forget distortion completely (I can remember using a Boss DS-1 with a JC one gig and the result was something truly painful). So stick to overdrive.

The SD-1 is an underrated overdrive pedal IMO. Perhaps a little lacking in character compared to some, but still a fine overdrive. If you liked one before... The BD-1 would be another option.

I can't say for sure, as I haven't tried it, but I'd also guess that the modern "character emulator" pedals like the Tech 21 Blonde, Boss/Fender Deluxe and Wampler Black '65 should work very well with the JC.

singemonkey

+1 on the emulation pedals. The JC120 reproduces what goes into it with wonderful fidelity. Too much so for some drive pedals. Another one to try (I've been impressed by some demos) is the Boss/Fender Bassman pedal.

psyx

Heres the guide on how to upload photos:

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/how-to/how-to-post-pictures-t4055/

funkadelic

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It seems to confirm what I have read up on the topic. I will have to phone the local music shops in Cape Town as I have no idea what these pedals costs.

Seems like the following pedals will do the job:
Valve pedals =>Ibanez Tubeking, Kingsley Jester
Emaulators => Tech 21 Sansamp (Blonde or Tri AC), and Maxon ROD881, Boss Fender Bassman
Other => Boss SD1 and BD-2

PS: I used to use a Boss Turbo Overdrive (OD-2) with good results on a solidstate amp in the past but that seems to have been discontinued.

Bob-Dubery

I'm reading this thread with interest. I know that a good OD sound with a Jazz Chorus is possible - but I don't know how. I recall seeing Kenny Henson play in the 70s (several times) and he played through a Jazz Chorus (which was a new fangled thing in those days) and he had a great distorted/overdriven sound (he also used an Epiphone - another case of it's not the gear, it's knowing how to use it, though I suspect that Epis were a better proposition back then).

This was in the days before these emuwotchamacallem type pedals.

I'll climb back on my Zimmer frame and shut up now.

funkadelic

Wow those tube pedals costs quite a bit! I'm saving for a valve amp but don't want to part with my JC-120 either so I've decided to try and hunt down a Boss OD-2r Turbo Overdrive pedal. It used to work great with solid state amps.

Apparently the Boss OD-3 is an upgrade? But why remove the Turbo Distortion function??? Doesn't make sense.

AlanRatcliffe

funkadelic wrote: Wow those tube pedals costs quite a bit!

Also look out for a Vox Big Ben - a very cool and warm valve drive pedal, that often pops up secondhand very reasonably priced.

Apparently the Boss OD-3 is an upgrade? But why remove the Turbo Distortion function??? Doesn't make sense.

A matter of taste. Some feel that the added gain for the "turbo" changes the response in the non turbo part of the dial, so if they are not going to use the turbo bit, they'd rather have a pedal without it.

Chabenda

funkadelic wrote: Wow those tube pedals costs quite a bit! I'm saving for a valve amp but don't want to part with my JC-120 either so I've decided to try and hunt down a Boss OD-2r Turbo Overdrive pedal. It used to work great with solid state amps.

I think that you should keep that JC120 for ever! Getting rid of it at any time will lead to regret! They are lovely amps - and I'm still regretting!!

aja

I like the sounds I get using a Tech21 sansamp TRI-AC pedal directly into the effects loop return, thereby bypassing the preamp completely. Just my opinion, but it seems to sound warmer that way, as opposed to plunging into the front end.

Yeah the JC120 is awesome and so underrated(this is coming from someone who is a tube snob haha). I guess there is a reason why it has stood the test of time.

funkadelic

Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to take lessons from Rene Avanant before I spent my hard earned cash on another pedal. ?

BluJu

All the boss multi-effects demos are done with JC 120's

They seem to respond better to mult fx than most valve amps because of how clean and consistent they are.

StefStoep

Maybe when you decide to buy you can check out the CraigAmp pedals, check the thread in the effects section. I believe there is a couple of guys from the forum in CT that owns them already, maybe you can chat with them and get to demo so of the pedals.

I own the dualdrive2 and i love it.