JOHNSON AMP PROBLEM

[Grazydine]

I've got a johnson amp and it just doesn't have enough chunk or balls, any way to beef it up. I thought of adding a gain enhancer such as the Gainiac. I've also heard a tube screamer works, sounds like people use those. Also pre-amps what do they do i've heard it seems people use those for this reason. Oh btw it' a Johnson JM-60 amp with a 12" speaker. Any guitar guru's weigh in cause i'm sure not one i'd appreciate it Thanks guys.

 

[Prowler121]

Don't go with a modeling amps. They are good a providing a wide pallete of sounds but if you just want to crunch go with something that just does that and excells at it. Try a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier or A Marshall MKII. If you're just going for a combo, I'd go with something from Randall. I had the Johnson Millennium 250 Stereo head with the 4x12 Celestion Cabinet and it provided alot of cool tones and effects , but when it came to craking it up to 11, you need a Marshall or a Mesa Boogie. You can always get a Johnson J-12 or P.O.D. 2 by Line 6 to compliment your Head/Cabinet.

Also try Randall and Laney. Crates suck and are strictly for practice .

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Hey Prowler, this is 2006 not 2000. Times and amps have changed, and high end modellers are every bit as good as high end tube amps.

One 12" speaker will have a hard time with a lot of chunk or balls of any kind. What type of speaker is it? Try getting a Celestion V30 or G12T75 in there.

What pickups/guitar are you running? An alder Jackson with an EMG 81 will have a hard time sounding chunky through anything.

Also what's the best representation of what sound you want ( song/album/band )?

 

[Grazydine]

Hey Prowler, this is 2006 not 2000. Times and amps have changed, and high end modellers are every bit as good as high end tube amps.

One 12" speaker will have a hard time with a lot of chunk or balls of any kind. What type of speaker is it? Try getting a Celestion V30 or G12T75 in there.

What pickups/guitar are you running? An alder Jackson with an EMG 81 will have a hard time sounding chunky through anything.

Also what's the best representation of what sound you want ( song/album/band )?

You think it could be the speaker, i thought of buying a additional speaker the johnson company made an extension cabinet. I wonder if i could hook a 4x12 cabinet onto my combo amp. I play a epiphone Les Paul with Emg 81 and 85. The 81 is in the bridge. I dig the Metallica And Justice... and Black Album sounds so i guess that would be a good place to start.:Smokin:

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Dude the Black Album tone is sweet. Right next to Clayman for best recorded guitar sounds of all time.

That was recorded with mainly a Mesa Mark IV and JC120 for cleans. If you want to get that sound, get a Mark IV. There's little else that'll get you close.

If you want a beefier, chunkier sound, you have a couple options...

1) Tune down
2) Swap the EMG 81 and 85 in the guitar. The 81 is notoriously thin
3) Instead of getting an extension cab made for the Johnson, replace the single 12" speaker. Get a Hellatone 60 from Avatarspeakers.com . It's like $70 dollars for a single good speaker. If that doesn't fix your tone you might need to go for a new amp all together.

 

[~Derek~]

I use a Johnson electric guitar with a 12' Johnson as well, I had to use a Boss Metal Zone pedal to get distortion though and even then there's a lot of feedback becasue if I want to play really loud I can't unless I want to get my ears hurt by the high pitched shrieking sound coming from the amp, so I've had problems with this amp too.