Decisions...Marshall MGDFX100 or JetCity JCA100H

[Mindstein]

I need to buy a amp head for my jr guitarist son The MGDFX is a solidstate amp and the JetCity JCA100H is an all tube amp

I know the MGDFX10 has a nice warm sound with some decent onboard effects with a top namebrand. But, I have heard that Jetcity is designed by Soldano, and being a tube amp Im sure theres going to be warm tones

Anyone have any experience with both?

[rocksoldier]

I haven't tried the Jet City, but it can't be any worse than the MG, which I don't care for at all.

[Larz]

I've played around at Guitar Center with the MGDFX stuff and Jet City....but I'd lean toward the Jet City among those options. They do get a lot of good reviews for an affordable tube amp.

I think the JC would be a good base for a young kid to start out with. You can always add some pedals to get the delay/chorus effects that the Marshall comes with.

I think GC stocks both if you get a chance to stop by and check them out.

[rdamaral]

Everything that I've heard about the MG is that it is crap. But you should be able to work around some of it's shortcomings to get a good tone out of it (pedals, etc.)

I've heard good things about the JC, and I see them for decent prices often too.

[wilkinsi]

Looks like everybody beat me to the "I hate MG series Marshalls" rant. I've used both MG combos and head+cab MG's and they all suck.

[jgcable]

how old is your son? I wouldn't trust a tube amp with a young kid unless you enjoy repairing blown up amps.
If he is young, get him the Marshall. He will love it. All kids love Marshall amps regardless of what model they are. That Marshall logo will inspire him to play.

Don't believe what you hear regarding the MG series amps. Everything Marshall makes is good. Most of the time they break because of user error.

For tone... the Jet City wins. If it was for me... I would take the Jet City. If it was for my kid, and he wasn't old enough to buy his own amp (which means he would be under 16) I would get him the amp that I won't have to worry abut repairing or changing tubes or impedance or leaving it on all night or him getting burned by a hot tube.

[rdamaral]

how old is your son? I wouldn't trust a tube amp with a young kid unless you enjoy repairing blown up amps.
If he is young, get him the Marshall. He will love it. All kids love Marshall amps regardless of what model they are. That Marshall logo will inspire him to play.

Don't believe what you hear regarding the MG series amps. Everything Marshall makes is good. Most of the time they break because of user error.

For tone... the Jet City wins. If it was for me... I would take the Jet City. If it was for my kid, and he wasn't old enough to buy his own amp (which means he would be under 16) I would get him the amp that I won't have to worry abut repairing or changing tubes or impedance or leaving it on all night or him getting burned by a hot tube.

+1 if it's for a kid, I missed that part, lol

[Mindstein]

He's 15 and has Spinal Tap Syndrome (everything goes to 11). Right now he inherited my 1986 Crate G600 stack which I bought new, but with 60 watts of power its just not enough when he's playing with his band. As for effects he has my old RP7, I got away from multi-pedals and he was happy to take it
Thanks for the info, I know what the MG can and cant do, Just never played a Jetcity, and the youtube reviews arent really digging in

[jgcable]

He's 15 and has Spinal Tap Syndrome (everything goes to 11). Right now he inherited my 1986 Crate G600 stack which I bought new, but with 60 watts of power its just not enough when he's playing with his band. As for effects he has my old RP7, I got away from multi-pedals and he was happy to take it
Thanks for the info, I know what the MG can and cant do, Just never played a Jetcity, and the youtube reviews arent really digging in

There are a ton of amps to chose from of course but for a 15 year old.. if he is very responsible I would go with the Jet City. If he is a typical 15 year old I would go with the Marshall. Either one will be loud enough for a band. If you run the Marshall through a 4 x 12 16 ohm cab its loud. There are actually alot more and better choices out there.

[Twitch]

If you go for an MG series Marshall, get 1 generation back, the ones with the contour knob. The latest generation are lifeless and shrill. The older generation MG100HDFX sounds decent. I agree with with the hesitation to give an inexperienced player a tube amp.

[ralph]

I have a series 4, (latest?) series MG101FX (100W, 1x12 combo) and I really like it. It is loud enough to jam with, although it thins out abit when turned up loud, to fix this you can unplug the speaker and plug it into a 4x12. I know a lot of people hate these, but I am inexperienced with tube amps find that this is less hassel, no bullshit, just plug in and play. Dont have to tweak it so much, with my tube amp I find that i spend more time tweaking than playing and then just turn it off and switch back to the MG.

Although having said this, I only play with the gain maxed out, and I dont use either of the clean channels

I also prefer the later series MG to the earlier ones, more balls in my opinion

[chrisolson]

You couldn't find two amps MORE different. I wouldn't start ANYONE on a 100-watt tube amp, regardless the cost, until they have been playing a few years and understand the inherent risks of using tubies. That said, the JC is an affordable pro-quality amp, and mine was AWESOME.

[straycat]

Jet all the way.

[rocksoldier]

Changing tubes like once a year at the very most, probably less, is not a big deal, and not all that expensive either. And seeing how the thread starter is nerdy enough to hang here and has been playing for decades, he probably knows how tube amps work and can help his son.

When it comes to amps, I would probably go for something used myself, something like any descent (JCM series probably) Marshall head. JCM 900s are pretty cheap for instance, have a descent amount of gain (could go super heavy with just an overdrive in front) and keep their value. Not my very favorite amps, but certainly very descent.

[tonemonster]

I would go with a Jet City any day of the week over Marshall, and twice on sunday.