Tell me about the 20 watt amps please

ledvedder

ledvedder

Well-known member
I started a thread a few days ago, looking for opinions on a 20 watt or lower amp that could get me great plexi-like classic rock tones, up to early VH type tones. Well, that led me down the Friedman rabbit hole. So now, I'm trying to decide which would be the best one. No stores near me have them to try, so I'm relying on user's opinions.

The 4 I'm considering are the Dirty Shirley Mini, the Pink Taco Mini, the Runt 20, and the JJ Jr.

I emailed Friedman, asking for their recommendations, and they said I'd probably be happiest with the JJ Jr. Initially, that was my last choice because I thought it was pretty much higher gain for AIC type tones. So now I'm really questioning which would be best.
 
The Pink Taco fits the bill perfectly.

The Mini Dirty Shirley can also do classic rock up to VH, but it’s a more looser and fatter style of gain. For a tight Plexi like distortion, the Pink Taco is the best.
 
In this situation I'd say go with the JJ Jr. I mean you did ask Friedman and that's what the response was so it seems logical.
 
Apex1Rg7X":2ua8uq3g said:
In this situation I'd say go with the JJ Jr. I mean you did ask Friedman and that's what the response was so it seems logical.
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But I'm not much of a metal guy. I'm more classic to hard rock. That's why I'm a bit unsure. The JJ Jr seems more like a metal amp. Similar to my 5150 III.
 
ledvedder":2aaga79w said:
Apex1Rg7X":2aaga79w said:
In this situation I'd say go with the JJ Jr. I mean you did ask Friedman and that's what the response was so it seems logical.
Click to expand...

But I'm not much of a metal guy. I'm more classic to hard rock. That's why I'm a bit unsure. The JJ Jr seems more like a metal amp. Similar to my 5150 III.
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I don't consider AIC metal at all. It still has the typical BE gain channel but the JBE is nice for other rock styles as well, turn the gain down a bit and its nice and thick sounding. Plus the clean channel is really good.
 
When people mention metal amps today, seems they refer to super djent like stuff. For me, even a Dirty Shirley can do metal (classic heavy metal like Iron Maiden).

The Pink Taco (with a boost) and the JJ Jr can do metal too, maybe even thrash, but I wouldn't consider them metal amps. The JJ is more classic heavy metal territory to me, it's not like a 5150 at all.

If you want a hot rodded plexi, the Pink Taco it's the obvious choice. I'm sure the JJ Jr can do classic rock and mid gain tones fine too, but it's a more aggressive amp by nature and also has it's own thing going on, while the Pink Taco it's more classic sounding.
 
ledvedder":2hnzz6ia said:
Apex1Rg7X":2hnzz6ia said:
In this situation I'd say go with the JJ Jr. I mean you did ask Friedman and that's what the response was so it seems logical.
Click to expand...

But I'm not much of a metal guy. I'm more classic to hard rock. That's why I'm a bit unsure. The JJ Jr seems more like a metal amp. Similar to my 5150 III.
Click to expand...

That BE channel does everything and in between up to hard rock... The jbe can be a different flavor of Rock to metal. And the clean channel is outstanding
 
The JJ Jr. is nothing like a 5153. It will do classic to hard rock amazingly well. It only gets into metal (thrash and modern) when boosted with a pedal and even then it's not that modern. Plug something like a Suhr, Anderson, LP into that amp and it does classic rock crunch all day long.
 
I went with the Runt 20, but I'm considering returning it for a few reasons.

1. There's something about the gain structure that I'm just not gelling with. It's hard to describe, but the tone doesn't inspire me.

2. It doesn't work well with my HX Effects. There's a hum that gets worse when connecting a cable to the ext amp out, to use for channel switching. Lifting the ground on that cable reduced the hum, but it's still there. And it pops when switching channels. The popping doesn't happen with the footswitch that came with the amp.

I'm considering exchanging it for a JJ Jr.
 
ledvedder said:
I went with the Runt 20, but I'm considering returning it for a few reasons.

1. There's something about the gain structure that I'm just not gelling with. It's hard to describe, but the tone doesn't inspire me.

2. It doesn't work well with my HX Effects. There's a hum that gets worse when connecting a cable to the ext amp out, to use for channel switching. Lifting the ground on that cable reduced the hum, but it's still there. And it pops when switching channels. The popping doesn't happen with the footswitch that came with the amp.

I'm considering exchanging it for a JJ Jr.
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Get the JJ Jr. like we told you to do in the first place and thank us later :cool:
 
ledvedder said:
great plexi-like classic rock tones, up to early VH type tones.
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This is the Pink Taco to a T.

I've owned both the JJ jr and PT. I sold the JJ jr within a couple months and the PT is still going strong three+ years into owning it. All you need is a boost or eq to get heavy and your volume knob to get clean.
 
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