Mini Jubilee Channel Switching?

[F86]

Question about the Mini Jubilee, which I haven't been able to answer reading articles and reviews. After lot's of trial and error, I finally have a setup that allows me to have exactly the right volume boost for leads in my current band. Loud original rock with two guitars (humbuckers or P90s in both), both through Marshalls. I was never able to get quite what I wanted (boost-wise) with my 2204, but have it completely solved with my 2210. I keep one of several rangemaster-style drives through the front, and have the unboosted channel sounding great. The boost channel has the volume and treble cranked a little higher, but gain fairly low (boost pedal stays on all the time). The result is very similar tone on each channel, but a noticeable volume/treble boost for lead. I'm very happy with this setup, and can easily dial in the amount of volume boost I need (which stays pretty consistent with Master Volume adjustments). Now I'm wondering whether I can replicate this concept with a Mini Jubilee and a 2x12. With careful dialing in (both on the amp and pedal), will the 2525H allow for a hot, driven tone in the same ballpark on each channel, but with more volume on the "boost" channel? I realize it doesn't work the same as my 2210 (which obviously has completely separate controls for each channel with a common master), but I haven't found one locally to demo and I'm really curious.

Thanks for any enlightenment!

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I seem to have missed this when it was posted.
I would say, sort of?
The clean channel is clean. Only way to get a hot driven tone is to turn on the Rhythm Clip for channel 1. When the gain is full it is grindy but not real saturated. I suspect one would need to run an OD up front as well amd drop gain a bit.

Then the Lead Channel will be even more distorted. They won't have the same amount of distortion but the Lead channel will be more raunchy amd it has a separate volume so it can be louder.
The other option is leave channel 1 clean, use Lead Channel for everything else. Add an EQ in the loop for a volume boost for solos. That's how I run mine.

 

[maico996]

The other option is leave channel 1 clean, use Lead Channel for everything else. Add an EQ in the loop for a volume boost for solos. That's how I run mine.

This...except I use a clean boost in the loop instead of an EQ in my Jub.

 

[V-man]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

 

[maico996]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

Agreed. However, as a card-carrying member of the "half-dozen oddballs" club, the Jub works for me and my needs. I don't mind the shared EQ because I can shape the tones of each channel with a programmable graphic EQ and an SD-1. I like a little hair on the clean channel because it cuts a little more. Yes, this amp is a compromise as a channel switching platform, but one I don't mind making because my amp sounds amazing...at least to my ears.

 

[PelliX]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

This, and/or something to alter levels in the loop like and EQ or just a level adjustment.

 

[FleshOnGear]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

I agree that the Jubilee is not a true channel switcher. I know you’re exaggerating, but I like to think there are more than 6 of us that adore both channels on the Jubilee, using the same settings.

 

[scozz]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

Not the best Marshall amp amp for gigging imho, as the above limitations indicate.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

The Jubilee amps are not ”practical” channel switchers at all, and arguably as much a ”channel switching platform” as a plexi is… possibly worse.

A “practical channel switcher” is what the overwhelming majority implies/assumes when asking this question: can I set Ch.1 Ideally for X tones and Ch.2 Ideally for Y tones using the amp’s features exclusively?

No Marshall has “effectively“ accomplished this until the 900 series and 6100s (Some could argue for/against 800 switchers, but enough problems existed to make this debatable)

The Jubilee is not a practical channel switcher for anybody with the exception of the half-dozen oddballs in the universe who happen to adore the exact same settings on both channels with the difference of the gain added to the Lead channel. If we are talking about shaping with FX, then one is just as good running a pedalboard in front of a clean JCM 800, and one can actually run 2-3 channels through a Plexi with an A-B or A-B-C box, setting various boosts between the 2-3 inputs selected.

Well, it depends what one wants. There are compromises with shared gain but at least it has 2 switchable channels.

I rarely use clean so cleanish is good for me. Gain on like 7 and it is still cleanish.
Switch to Lead channel for the rest.
Add a boost in loop for solo volume.

If one doesn't use clean then channel one with clip ON becomes a dirty rhythm channel.

Single channel 800:
For cleanish, gain must drop to like 4 or 5 in high input. Then the lead channel isn't saturated enough. So to have to start using an OD to get the right amount of distortion. That's another pedal that is required as the amp can't do it.
If it is older without a loop, how on earth does one get a good solo boost, I you play with good saturated tones that a Jubilee will do?

How is an 800 "better" as a channel changer than a Jubilee?
Oh.
It isn't.
I went to a Jubilee from an 800.
Way more versatile.

 

[FleshOnGear]

Btw, if anyone needs to wring a little extra clean headroom out of the normal channel, I know of a simple mod that does that. It’s not a huge difference, but noticeable. I only know how to do it on the original Jubilees and the Slash, but I could maybe guide someone with a 2555x or 2525 if the owner knows how to trace a circuit.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Btw, if anyone needs to wring a little extra clean headroom out of the normal channel, I know of a simple mod that does that. It’s not a huge difference, but noticeable. I only know how to do it on the original Jubilees and the Slash, but I could maybe guide someone with a 2555x or 2525 if the owner knows how to trace a circuit.

I did see a question somewhere and response about footswitching the Rhythm clip. Apparently the pull pot for that would be 2 contacts, simply run a line from those 2 to say the useless DI jack. Then the clip would be switchable.... I dunno... that would be cool.

 

[V-man]

Well, it depends what one wants. There are compromises with shared gain but at least it has 2 switchable channels.

I rarely use clean so cleanish is good for me. Gain on like 7 and it is still cleanish.
Switch to Lead channel for the rest.
Add a boost in loop for solo volume.

If one doesn't use clean then channel one with clip ON becomes a dirty rhythm channel.

Single channel 800:
For cleanish, gain must drop to like 4 or 5 in high input. Then the lead channel isn't saturated enough. So to have to start using an OD to get the right amount of distortion. That's another pedal that is required as the amp can't do it.
If it is older without a loop, how on earth does one get a good solo boost, I you play with good saturated tones that a Jubilee will do?

How is an 800 "better" as a channel changer than a Jubilee?
Oh.
It isn't.
I went to a Jubilee from an 800.
Way more versatile.

Compromises to a shared gain amp in this case means the amp is not a “practical channel switcher”, and I spelled that out explicitly above.

A JVM can do a “pure” clean, a mild (or wild) overdrive, and a gain overkill lead tone with the tap of the foot. THAT is a “practical channel-switching amp”, as is a 5150, Mesa, Engl or pretty much EVERY post-’90s amp out there.

To give an example of “compromise” in the vein of your point for channel-switching amps would be a 4100 Dual Reverb. I can dial in a definitive clean and I can stomp into full-blown gain/solo distortion, all with a footswitch stomp. However, the channels share EQ, which hinders the amp from being a “perfect channel switcher” (independent Gain, EQ Resonance, etc.) but it remains a “practical channel switcher “ in that unlike the Jubilee, most users are perfectly capable of getting two balanced and dialed amp channels through a stomp Without the aid of anything else.

The Jubilee series amps deliver an array of excellent tones (arguably better than many/most ”practical channel switchers”) but shared EQ + Shared Gain does NOT work for the overwhelming majority of users for live channel switching, and you can find tons of threads discussing this issue over the years. The Jubilees’ tones can be so great that it is worth a second amp to independently dial on stage or to figure out some FX compromise to balance out the two channels (along with rolling the guitar volume), but that gets you no further than doing the exact same thing with an 800 single-channel…

… which brings us back to the last point “How is an 800 better as a channel-changer than a Jubilee?” You say “it’s not.” That’s great but 2 things:

1. the 800 is no worse than the Jubilee in that I can set my 2203 clean and have 3 drive pedals and 2 EQs into the lo gain to provide 3 or 4 channels of pedal stompin versatility. That’s not a “real channel-switching“ amp at all, but in function it does no worse than dialing a “compromise“ between channels on a Jubilee (and then resorting to pedals where necessary to even the compromise out).

2. You misread what I said. I said the Plexi is arguably a better channel switcher not the 800 (unless we mean the 1959 SLP 800). Here I can set 2 or even 3 signal chains (i.e. Ch1. Hi - fuzz + Treble boost; Ch2. Lo - straight in. Each switchable through AB box). This can even be done through 3 channels for 3 different options As opposed to the Jub having only 2. Oh yeah, since we are no longer in “practical channel switching…” Hot Mods. For the price of an expensive pedal you can open up a whole world of gain possibilities for a 800 (and particularly a plexi w various channels) with this feature that is not compatible with Jubilees, so no… from a whole cloth since neither works out of the box as a channel switcher for the overwhelming majority of users without gadgets… well the gadgets are better and/or play nicer on single channels (particularly the 2203/4) than the Jubilee.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Compromises to a shared gain amp in this case means the amp is not a “practical channel switcher”

It isn't a perfect channel switcher, no,,of course not. But I would say practical for sure. DSLs share an EQ between channels and it can work fine that way too.
If one wants as I stated cleanish on occasion and channel 2 most of the time, it's just fine. Used one for decades that way. Boost in loop means one extra pedal.
Switch from clean to dirty, add solo boost. Pretty simple.

the 800 is no worse than the Jubilee in that I can set my 2203 clean and have 3 drive pedals and 2 EQs into the lo gain to provide 3 or 4 channels of pedal stompin versatility. That’s not a “real channel-switching“ amp at all, but in function it does no worse than dialing a “compromise“ between channels on a Jubikee (and then resorting to pedals where necessary to even the compromise out).

I guess. As is, the Jubilee has clean n dirty which the 800 does not. So the 800 always needs at least one pedal to get to where the Jube is? To me, that seems worse as a channel switcher. Can add pedals to the Jubilee as well. Plus the distortion tones are achieved via pedals only with the 800, seems like a waste.

I use a Lynch Mod in my SC plus an OD up front as required and a loop boost.
In that regard, it is not my first choice live for what I do.

The JVM, 6101, Mesa Mrk 5 35, TSL etc all are very good channel changers. Depends on the gig and venue.

In any case, Jubilee can work as a channel changer stock. As I mentioned before, using the clip one can go from dirt to dirtier and louder, no pedals required.

Interesting about AB boximg the inputs on a 4 hole. That's cool!

 

[Jethro Rocker]

3 drive pedals and 2 EQs into the lo gain to provide 3 or 4 channels of pedal stompin versatility. That’s not a “real channel-switching“ amp at all, but in function it does no worse than dialing a “compromise“ between channels on a Jubikee

Seems an awful lot more complicated than simply switching from cleanish to dirty in amp.

 

[V-man]

Seems an awful lot more complicated than simply switching from cleanish to dirty in amp.

I think that statement illustrates the point.

You can get a 5150 or DSL for less and be done with a practical gigging rig you can mostly set and forget, instead of an “outdated anniversary run” amp. Of course, the less-evolved, less-practical amp offers tonal benefits the modern (more affordable) offerings probably do not, for a practically trade off… but that opens Pandora’s box all the way back to plexis.

Versatility and practically arguments pretty much go out the window on 25-50 year old circuits. At that point, it’s less about arguing utility and more accepting/embracing for the subjective things they offer over convenient and more affordable modern amps.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I think that statement illustrates the point.

You can get a 5150 or DSL for less and be done with a practical gigging rig you can mostly set and forget, instead of an “outdated anniversary run” amp. Of course, the less-evolved, less-practical amp offers tonal benefits the modern (more affordable) offerings probably do not, for a practically trade off… but that opens Pandora’s box all the way back to plexis.

Versatility and practically arguments pretty much go out the window on 25-50 year old circuits. At that point, it’s less about arguing utility and more accepting/embracing for the subjective things they offer over convenient and more affordable modern amps.

Yeah if I was starting from scratch...
The Mk V 35 while not a Marshall flavour has a Crunch setting on clean channel that is "better" than many lead channels! Balls to burn. So versatile. Has solo boost for each channel to boot and the built in 5 band.

Compact 1x12 can add another closed back 1x12 for a mini stack. I got it so I wouldn't haul out the old 6101. I hate to use the hell outta that amp.

The TSL, while the model may be plagued with poor boards, covers it all amd sounds fantastic to me. JVM, enough said.