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#1
Posted to alt.guitar.amps,rec.audio.pro
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
I have started to look at selling my Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120. In
trying to date it, things have become interesting. For a very interesting read on Roland, check out http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov0...les/roland.htm That gives you a pretty neat history. In it discusses the JC-120 first appearing in 1975. The next year the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble was launched, and to quote the article, "The effects circuitry was based on a single modulated BBD delay line and was lifted in its entirety from the previous year's JC (Jazz Chorus) guitar amplifiers..." As many of you know, a CE-1 fetches about $500 on ebay at times. The funny part of this is that a CE-1 can be worth more than a JC-120! I decided to have a look in my JC-120. What I found in the circuit were the two following ICs: MN3101 (clock) and MN3007 (1024 stage bucket brigade) which are not what you would find in a CE-1, but are in a CE-2 which is the more compact analog chorus ensemble that came out later. (The CE-1 is based around the MN3002 512 stage bucket brigade). I would also say that while my JC-120 has the same critical ICs as the CE-2, they are not set up in quite the same arrangement as a CE-2 has so while I am guessing my JC-120 may be a "second generation" Jazz Chorus, I don't think there is as close a connection to the CE-2 circuit as a first generation JC-120 has with a CE-1. By the way, the only circuit I could find on the web for a Jazz Chorus can be found at http://blueguitar.org/schems.htm It shows the same two ICs as mine, but it does have a different set of Line outputs---it has two: Normal (mixed) and Effect. Mine just has one line output which appears to be mixed. I know that the current production is more complex---it has two line outs one is R(ight) and the other is L(Mono) plus it has a full effects loop with a send and returns and level switch and series/parllel switch. The question is, what kind of chorus effect does it contain? Do the current models actually still have analog circuits with bucket brigade chips or did they switch to cheaper digital circuitry? I am hoping to start a discussion here on properly dating this series of amps. All I have found are a few mentions of the early ones not having effects loops. I'd like to find out if the very earliest ones indeed had the the CE-1 circuit in them---does this make them more valuable since a CE-1 fetches top dollar? How long did Roland put in CE-2 type bucket brigade ICs in JC-120? Till this day? Here are the details from my amp: SN: 258xxx Rear panel: 2 Ext Spkr jacks/Line Out/FS(Chorus&Vibrato)/FS(Reverb) FS(Distortion)/2 Main In jacks Chorus Vibrato Front Panel Switch is 3 position toggle (later ones went to a knob) There are bright switches. Circuit board numbers are 70116280 and 70116290 And for those of you who have wet dreams over JRC4558s, well there are three of them in this model, even though the built-in distortion don't sound anything like a Tube Screamer... Thank you for taking the time to read this post about a solid state amp (I love tube amps for any of you who want to give me a hard time). Rob R. |
#2
Posted to alt.guitar.amps,rec.audio.pro
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
Rob Reedijk wrote:
I have started to look at selling my Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120. In trying to date it, things have become interesting. For a very interesting read on Roland, check out http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov0...les/roland.htm That gives you a pretty neat history. In it discusses the JC-120 first appearing in 1975. The next year the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble was launched, and to quote the article, "The effects circuitry was based on a single modulated BBD delay line and was lifted in its entirety from the previous year's JC (Jazz Chorus) guitar amplifiers..." As many of you know, a CE-1 fetches about $500 on ebay at times. The funny part of this is that a CE-1 can be worth more than a JC-120! I decided to have a look in my JC-120. What I found in the circuit were the two following ICs: MN3101 (clock) and MN3007 (1024 stage bucket brigade) which are not what you would find in a CE-1, but are in a CE-2 which is the more compact analog chorus ensemble that came out later. (The CE-1 is based around the MN3002 512 stage bucket brigade). I would also say that while my JC-120 has the same critical ICs as the CE-2, they are not set up in quite the same arrangement as a CE-2 has so while I am guessing my JC-120 may be a "second generation" Jazz Chorus, I don't think there is as close a connection to the CE-2 circuit as a first generation JC-120 has with a CE-1. By the way, the only circuit I could find on the web for a Jazz Chorus can be found at http://blueguitar.org/schems.htm It shows the same two ICs as mine, but it does have a different set of Line outputs---it has two: Normal (mixed) and Effect. Mine just has one line output which appears to be mixed. I know that the current production is more complex---it has two line outs one is R(ight) and the other is L(Mono) plus it has a full effects loop with a send and returns and level switch and series/parllel switch. The question is, what kind of chorus effect does it contain? Do the current models actually still have analog circuits with bucket brigade chips or did they switch to cheaper digital circuitry? I am hoping to start a discussion here on properly dating this series of amps. All I have found are a few mentions of the early ones not having effects loops. I'd like to find out if the very earliest ones indeed had the the CE-1 circuit in them---does this make them more valuable since a CE-1 fetches top dollar? How long did Roland put in CE-2 type bucket brigade ICs in JC-120? Till this day? Here are the details from my amp: SN: 258xxx Rear panel: 2 Ext Spkr jacks/Line Out/FS(Chorus&Vibrato)/FS(Reverb) FS(Distortion)/2 Main In jacks Chorus Vibrato Front Panel Switch is 3 position toggle (later ones went to a knob) There are bright switches. Circuit board numbers are 70116280 and 70116290 And for those of you who have wet dreams over JRC4558s, well there are three of them in this model, even though the built-in distortion don't sound anything like a Tube Screamer... Thank you for taking the time to read this post about a solid state amp (I love tube amps for any of you who want to give me a hard time). Rob R. What kind of speakers are in it? Jensens, Emminence? Are there date codes printed on the frame? Sets of numbers. How you would read a typical date code is as follows... If it is, say 308638, then the 308 is the part number, the 6 is the year within the given decade and the 38 is the week of the year. If you know it is a 70's era model, then the year is easy, 1976, produced in the 38th week. That would be a good bet that your amp is a 1976. So, knowing the decade is a little important. You might also check the main power tranny. As I recall the JC120 is solid state, but should still have a power tranny. There will be two numbers, one will typically follow the above date code conventions, six numbers; the other will be the serial number and may have a letter as the first character. I just got a Twin and the date codes on the speakers and the trannys all point to the second half of 1969 or very, very early 1970 because they are dated, via the date code, as 1969. --Fletch |
#3
Posted to alt.guitar.amps,rec.audio.pro
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
In rec.audio.pro Fletch wrote:
What kind of speakers are in it? Jensens, Emminence? Are there date codes printed on the frame? Sets of numbers. How you would read a typical date code is as follows... If it is, say 308638, then the 308 is the part number, the 6 is the year within the given decade and the 38 is the week of the year. If you know it is a 70's era model, then the year is easy, 1976, produced in the 38th week. That would be a good bet that your amp is a 1976. So, knowing the decade is a little important. I looked all over the frame in the usual places and nothing. They are Speakers, made in Japan. The only code I could find was printed on the cones and I think they read: 9340 PCKI You might also check the main power tranny. As I recall the JC120 is solid state, but should still have a power tranny. There will be two numbers, one will typically follow the above date code conventions, six numbers; the other will be the serial number and may have a letter as the first character. The power transformer reads 245-273N 2LX1 No output transformer of course. I just got a Twin and the date codes on the speakers and the trannys all point to the second half of 1969 or very, very early 1970 because they are dated, via the date code, as 1969. Thanks for your help. Rob R. |
#4
Posted to alt.guitar.amps,rec.audio.pro
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
The schematic at blue guitar (if I remember correctly) is for the 1984
head model of the amp. I have at least two more schematics somewhere in my archives. Those can also be found from the Internet (one is at the Free Information Society schematics page - where the rarer one was, I can't remember - and frankly I don't even care to search since this is likely the third or fourth time I post this same info). There have been at least 8 versions of that amp - most of them are quite different from each other. The only things that seem to be common are the stereo arrangement, controls (sort of), chorus circuit and cosmetics.The version should be written at the back of the amp in a format of JC-120-xxx where the xxx is a letter code marking the version. Roland has never bothered to explain its meaning in public but if you email them they will likely tell you the year when the concerned model was introduced. And you also know the serial number...! Amplifiers with serial of # 481650 - 502499 have been introduced after February 1979 but I don't know about the rest. Guys at Roland should know. |
#5
Posted to alt.guitar.amps,rec.audio.pro
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
In rec.audio.pro wrote:
The schematic at blue guitar (if I remember correctly) is for the 1984 head model of the amp. I have at least two more schematics somewhere in my archives. Those can also be found from the Internet (one is at the Free Information Society schematics page - where the rarer one was, I can't remember - and frankly I don't even care to search since this is likely the third or fourth time I post this same info). There It's a great resource: http://www.freeinfosociety.com/elect...page.php?cat=1 There are two versions there. One is the same schematic that I referenced in my first quote. But my amp appears to be more like the other listed schematic. have been at least 8 versions of that amp - most of them are quite different from each other. The only things that seem to be common are the stereo arrangement, controls (sort of), chorus circuit and cosmetics.The version should be written at the back of the amp in a format of JC-120-xxx where the xxx is a letter code marking the Mine just says JC-120. There is no letter code. version. Roland has never bothered to explain its meaning in public but if you email them they will likely tell you the year when the concerned model was introduced. And you also know the serial number...! Amplifiers with serial of # 481650 - 502499 have been introduced after February 1979 but I don't know about the rest. Guys at Roland should know. I guess I have to email Roland! My serial implies it's fairly early. However if there is truth to the Sound on Sound article stating that the first ones have the identical chorus circuit to a CE-1, then mine isn't one of those. Thanks for all the help. Rob R. |
#6
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Jazz Chorus Boss CE-1 analog chorus/dating a JC-120
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