Am I Crazy? JJ100 Downsize to Splawn QR 50W?

[Junk Yard Dog]

So I'm not gigging now and am thinking to downsize from my modded JJ100 with the MV for JBE down to a 50w Quickrod.

Loved my old Pro Stock, minus some minor issues, and LOVE my JJ100, but I'm looking to raise a bit of cash at the moment.

I would only buy a used Splawn and I'd want the fully loaded options. I'd want to still be able to get told tones at lower/smaller stage volumes if I do start gigging again.

Am I nuts?

 

[Bad.Seed]

In my opinion, 100w to 50w isn't really downsizing, and the Friedman will sound better at low volumes than the Splawn. Meaning, the Friedman sound more like it should at lower volumes where as the Splawn sounds a little weird until you get volume on it. Just my experience and opinion.

As far as downsizing financially, why not? You can always buy another JJ down the road if you need cash now. Just don't be goofy and buy a new splawn and take the new price hit. Splawns value on the used market is usually less than half of their new build prices from Scott.

 

[LP Freak]

How about a JJ jr?

 

[harddriver]

I would keep the JJ100 and possible pick up the Splawn 50 watter and compare side by side before you dump the JJ. 100 watt amps with a good master volume always sound bigger with more punch than every lower wattage amp that I have ever played... Starting at 50 watts and going lower. I played a Randall Diavalo 45 that sounded pretty good, until we fired up a modded 2203 right next to it and it sound like a toy like facsimile of the 100 watter. The owner of the Diavalo loved it until he heard next to the 100 watter... I also felt the same way.

My modded 50 watt JMP doesn't punch as hard and feel the same as my Splawn modded 79 2203 at the same volume settings. I also have a 5 watt single ended modded 2203 that sounds great but still doesn't come close the experience of playing JMP 2203 at lower volume levels. To ad insult to injury at higher volumes the lower wattage amps really fall apart, with lack of punch.

While I have heard some great clips of the 50 watt Splawns I think you ultimately would be disappointed once compared to the JJ100 but again everyones perceptions are different. FWIW, the Splawn 50 and 100 may be the only amp thick enough to come close to the thickness of the JJ100. Out of all the Friedman's the JJ100 is my favorite rawer Marshally tones even compared to the BE100.

When I saw AIC in 2014 Jerry's tone was the best guitar tone I had ever heard at a live show, it sounded like the pissed of Snorkler and all the tones I love about AIC.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Good thoughts, gents. ...Maybe I just need a good attenuator. I go the JJ100 up to noon on both System and Channel volume and it was 'ewwwwwwge. I can't ever get it to those volumes in my apartment and even the larger stages we play here in DFW, some of which are outdoor!

 

[harddriver]

Good thoughts, gents. ...Maybe I just need a good attenuator. I go the JJ100 up to noon on both System and Channel volume and it was 'ewwwwwwge. I can't ever get it to those volumes in my apartment and even the larger stages we play here in DFW, some of which are outdoor!

When I play at home, I use an THD 16 ohm hotplate set at no more than -8DB, -8DB is mostly transparent and takes quite a bit of volume off. You can go -12 but it starts affecting the tone some but still tolerable tonewise. The Rivera Rockcrusher works great as well and slightly better transparency wise compared to the THD but not by much, I still find any more attentuation over -8DB the affect n the tone becomes more noticeable.

We all know the volume taper on the Splawn's jump pretty quickly but they can be set to a good sounding lower volume level. I had always heard the taper on the Friedmans are about the best you can get. Still not sure if it can get you down for apartment playing. I doubt even the volume I play at home would be acceptable for an apartment.

The 50 watt splawn would still be loud as shit, it just doesn't punch as hard or has the same feel as the 100 watter. You might be happy with the Splawn, but I think you would not be gaining much if you enjoy the JJ100 tone.

 

[Apex1Rg7X]

How about a JJ jr?

This. Most people that have compared say the Jr is 95% to the big brother. I had the Jr for a bit and it definitely sounded and felt much bigger than its size.

 

[Chris6870]

No your not. Better tone and put some money in your pocket. Win-Win.

 

[napalmdeath]

I say hogwash about the Splawn not sounding good at low volume. Crank the Master up to about 10:00 and use the loop volume to tame it, and tell me it doesn't punch hard. I've had both a QR100 and 50 watt Competition, (both twice, actually), and they both get pretty thick at low volumes using the loop volume.

In fact, I sold my attenuators, (Fryette PS-2), when I got the Quick Rod. Had no use for it, (or need).

 

[Dimebag11]

If you want a JJ Jr hit me up. Got the matching 112 as well.

 

[311boogieman]

Yep. I have an older QR and sometime run a volume box in the loop.

The reason that power tube socket is empty is because I run at half power. 50w

 

[skullfxr]

I run both of my KT88 Splawns at half power with two tubes. Massive balls. The volume box CAN come in handy for sure.

 

[RockyStar]

Keep the JJ

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Cool, thanks guys: good feedback. I would love to try a Mini Competition, fully loaded. I could also look at the JJ Jr. ...I keep thinking to try Splawn again, so really, it's scratching an itch.

What I call a downsize in a way is just getting the goods at lower volumes AND the form factor; I really like smaller heads, but don't care of they're heavy due to bigger iron.

I do love my JJ100.

 

[ClintN667]

I just got a Ceriatone molecular and was really underwhelmed by it. I put it up for sale and then a friend offered to trade his quick rod for it. I took it over to his house and experimented with the switches. Ended up not going through with the trade. I really dig this amp a lot now. I've had a Splawn QR, Nitro, and a JJ jr. but honestly I prefer the Molecular over all 3. I really don't need another Marshall style amp after my monomyth but damn if this isn't a killer amp.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I just got a Ceriatone molecular and was really underwhelmed by it. I put it up for sale and then a friend offered to trade his quick rod for it. I took it over to his house and experimented with the switches. Ended up not going through with the trade. I really dig this amp a lot now. I've had a Splawn QR, Nitro, and a JJ jr. but honestly I prefer the Molecular over all 3. I really don't need another Marshall style amp after my monomyth but damn if this isn't a killer amp.

Nice. Congrats, man. What was it about the other three that you didn't care for compared to the Molecular....especially the QR and JJ Jr.

Thx.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

I picked up an Archon recently and it’s small footprint but ball crushing gain. Sounds like a modded Marshall with Greenbacks and a more modern amp into V30’s

 

[Mailman1971]

Keep the JJ.
Easy to sell. Hard to buy back. You got it. Love it. Keep it.
Been down this road many times.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I picked up an Archon recently and it’s small footprint but ball crushing gain. Sounds like a modded Marshall with Greenbacks and a more modern amp into V30’s

Nice brother! It's been a while. I'd love to try out an Archon again; it was years ago when they first came out.

Keep the JJ.
Easy to sell. Hard to buy back. You got it. Love it. Keep it.
Been down this road many times.

Yup, Imma hold steady right now. ...I think I'm just bored and with my band not playing, that's not helping.

 

[ClintN667]

I just got a Ceriatone molecular and was really underwhelmed by it. I put it up for sale and then a friend offered to trade his quick rod for it. I took it over to his house and experimented with the switches. Ended up not going through with the trade. I really dig this amp a lot now. I've had a Splawn QR, Nitro, and a JJ jr. but honestly I prefer the Molecular over all 3. I really don't need another Marshall style amp after my monomyth but damn if this isn't a killer amp.

Nice. Congrats, man. What was it about the other three that you didn't care for compared to the Molecular....especially the QR and JJ Jr.

Thx.

The JJ jr. was too polished sounding to me and a bit polite. It was almost too perfect if that makes sense. The Nitro I had was my favorite out of the two Splawn. With a Friedman Buxom Boosts its the perfect tone which comes to my only issue with the Nitro and Quick Rod. I just wanted more saturation. Maybe I could have rolled the tubes and got there or maybe cranked it up louder. I found my happy place in the pissed off /raw sound of the Splawn with the saturation of the Friedman. I would like to revisit the Quick Rod again now that I have some attenuation and some variety of speakers. I was using a Splawn 2x12 with Creamback 65's and I really enjoyed them. When I first got the Molecular I wasnt really into it. But after I biased the tubes they drifted back down. So I was at my friends house discussing the trade and he checked the bias which was down to about 10mv. We brought it back up and then it came to life.

Having said that if you dont need a clean channel a Monomyth will do JJ type tones and more in my opinion. It can pretty much do anything except clean. The thing that I like about the Molecular is its a bit closer to a boosted plexi which Im digging right now. Im playing stuff like older Mastodon and it nails that kinda sound. Plus its fun playing hair metal and being able to get that sound. I'm pretty much done with my hot rodded Marshall chase unless Monomyth comes out with his own built from the ground up amp