[jjvacc]

Ok, so my guitar teacher told me that he was recently up at a guitar center near me, and there he saw a used Jackson all tube 100 watt head, for only 200 (in the clearance section). Now, I have a Jackson guitar, I have never even heard of Jackson making amps. Is this a good deal? Does anyone know if Jackson makes good amps? I'm probably going to go up there soon and play on it (if it's still there).

Thanks for any info
-chester

[Soap]

Jackson? Like the guitar Jackson? I've never heard of a jackson amp.

[jjvacc]

Originally Posted by SoapbarII

Jackson? Like the guitar Jackson? I've never heard of a jackson amp.

Me either, which is why im concerned. But hey, if it plays it is probably worth the 200...I mean all tube, 100 watt head is pretty good. I could change out the tubes for better ones if I have to...

[Soap]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...jackson507.jpg

BAM! Found it. And it IS the same company as the guitar makers. Its likely that there are 100 or less ever made.

[Ax]

i'd snatch it up at 200 bucks.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by SoapbarII

Its likely that there are 100 or less ever made.

Source? I know they're not the most common amp brand out there, but I've never been under the impression that there's "100 or less ever made"

[jjvacc]

Sweet, thanks for the pic.

I just got a report from a friend to was recently at the guitar center...and he said he was turned off because of the heads enormous size.) But, if it matches the tone of other tube heads, I think it would be well worth it.

Really, what effects the tone of tube amps the most? Wouldn't it be the tubes? I could always change out the tubes for better ones. What do you guys think?

-chester

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by jjvacc

Sweet, thanks for the pic.

I just got a report from a friend to was recently at the guitar center...and he said he was turned off because of the heads enormous size.) But, if it matches the tone of other tube heads, I think it would be well worth it.

Really, what effects the tone of tube amps the most? Wouldn't it be the tubes? I could always change out the tubes for better ones. What do you guys think?

-chester

The Jackson tube amps were made for 1980s/early 1990s metal players. Changing the brand of tube will affect sound characteristics, but you will still be stuck with the general characteristics of whatever tubes the amp is designed for.

This is why there is so much variation with brands and tube designs. You can't just throw 6L6 tubes in a Marshall JCM800 and expect it to sound like a Fender Twin Reverb. Likewise you aren't going to be able to drop EL34s into a Fender Twin Reverb with the intention of playing some death metal.

What really affects the tone of tube amps the most is the number of gain stages used and the overall circuit design. A Fender Twin Reverb and a Peavey 6505+ both use a quartet of 6L6GC power tubes and differening numbers of pre-amp tubes (a 6505+ has 6 12AX7s, a Fender TR has 4 12AX7s and 2 12AT7s). Yet despite these similarities, the TR is known as being one of the purest clean tones while the 6505+ is a metal monster.

You can't go out and buy a Marshall JCM800 and expect it to sound like a Fender Dual Showman just because it has tubes in it.

Ultimately, you need to go to the store and find out if it's the amp for you. At $200 it's a great price, but whether or not it will sound like what you want is up to your ears.

[jjvacc]

Alright..thanks so much for the advice/info.

I'll probably go up there sometime this week and check it out.

Thanks again!

-chester

[thomaspg70]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DNIf you scroll down you will see a 100 watt Jackson amp head that is all tube.

[Rainer.]

A lot of companies have some pretty obscure amps, Duncan, Jackson, or Gibson, for example. If it sounds good and works good, go for it, I say.