Gearank High Notes
- 2021.07: Equal Highest Rated Solid State Guitar Amp Under $500
Tied With:Orange Crush 20RT
Orange Crush 35RT - 2020.07: Equal Highest Rated Solid State Combo Guitar Amp between $300 and $500
Tied With:Roland Blues Cube Hot - 2019.07: Highest Rated Solid State Combo Guitar Amp between $300 and $500
Gearank Recommended
The JC-22 first appeared on our recommended list for Guitar Amps Under $500 in July 2019 and it has remained there ever since.
Famous Heritage
Andy Summers, Robert Smith, John Frusciante, The Edge, Jeff Buckley, Larry Coryell, Roy Buchanon and Albert King are just some of the long list of guitarists who have used a Roland Jazz Chorus amp. And thanks to their popularity, their good opinion of the JC series is shared by many, making it a popular clean tone choice for various styles of music, from pop, to funk, to rock.
Stereo
The Roland JC-22 in particular is the smallest amp in the Jazz Chorus line up, a compact combo amp rated at 30W. But like its bigger siblings, it comes with a stereo speaker setup, using smaller 6.5″ speakers.
This dual speaker configuration gives it the unmistakably JC style stereo clean sound, the same sound that many artists have used to build their signature tones on. But the bass response will be a bit lower given its small sized speakers.
Its stereo speaker setup is complimented by stereo inputs, stereo reverb and Roland’s Dimensional Space chorus. Speaking of chorus, the sound of its stereo chorus effect is the main reason why many love this amp. For tweaking the amp’s built-in effects, there are speed and depth knobs for the chorus, and a knob dedicated for reverb level.
Tone & Signal
For tone shaping, the amp comes with a 3-band EQ that is useful for taming off excess frequencies, while preserving the integrity of your guitar signal. This signal integrity, together with its stereo FX loop ports, make this amp a great platform for pedal based overdrive and other tone coloration.
Thanks to its dual speaker configuration, the JC-22 can get much louder given its lower 30W rating and smaller 6.5″ stereo speakers. And having been made by Roland, the mother company of Boss effects, expect it to be a reliable amp that will last a long long time.
Specifications
- Power: 30 Watts
- Speaker: 2 x 6.5″
- Effects: Reverb, Chorus
- Input: 2 x 1/4″ (Stereo – Left Mono/Right)
- Outputs: 2 x 1/4″ (Line)
- Weight: 26.5 lbs.