Opinions - Johnson JM 150

[rjohnstone]

Need some opinions on the Johnson Millennium JM150 amp.

Details: http://www.johnson-amp.com/jm150pic.htm
Specs: http://www.johnson-amp.com/jm150specs.htm

Cool looking, and the sound was great at bedroom levels.
Combo real tube pre and some modeling.
Comes with two Celestion V-30's, so it should be able to handle stage volumes without issue.

Anyway... I have a chance to grab one for $500 with the controller pedal and a stand.

Anyone use one live?
Is it worth it?

[Racerx2k]

Don't know about the JM 150, but I owned the JM60, when this band first started up, and unloaded it, pretty soon, thereafter, cause it was WAY too thin-sounding, and couldn't keep up, onstage. The Johnson user forum is still up (albeit, locked out, thanks to a-hole spammers, so there hasn't been anything new since 2006), and you could read up further, there.

[jgcable]

Its a good at home practice amp. Thats it. It will NOT cut it live unless you mic it and you have a decent PA and monitors.
There are WAY better modelers out there. This one is old technology.

[Robotechnology]

Yeah, I had the JM250 head and the JT50 Mirage combo. The head was decent at live volume, the combo was not. $500 is steep unless you're getting the J12 controller (which is worth around $200 on the used market alone). The Marquis series (150 & 250) are the 2 best. 2 channels per amp model and a very usuable presence knob. If you dial in open vintagy sounds, it will cut thru. With heavy metal type tones, not so much. It is old technology but, it was well before it's time. My Johnson J-Station is still around and totally buried POD 2.0 in tone which were it's competitor at the time. Even if you don't get the JM150, I recomment you at least put $90 towards a J-Station. You won't regret it.

[///MK]

bump on the J-Station fantastic tool for recording.

[rjohnstone]

I was mainly looking at it from a practice stand point.
I tried it at room levels and it does sound great. I actually dig the Mesa model... sounds really fat and the control over the effects is very decent.
It does come with the J12 controller and a combo amp stand.
I was concerned that if I did a gig with it, that it would be able to hold it's own.
Sounds like it can't unless I mic it up.
I'll try and talk the guy down, but if he's firm on the $500, I think I'll pass.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[Racerx2k]

bump on the J-Station fantastic tool for recording.

Absolutely. I STILL use mine for recording, and onstage, as an effects unit. I have yet to find a Line 6 product that I like. The J-Station blew me away, the day I stumbled across it, and was back, the next day, to buy mine. Worth every penny.

[jgcable]

I was mainly looking at it from a practice stand point.
I tried it at room levels and it does sound great. I actually dig the Mesa model... sounds really fat and the control over the effects is very decent.
It does come with the J12 controller and a combo amp stand.
I was concerned that if I did a gig with it, that it would be able to hold it's own.
Sounds like it can't unless I mic it up.
I'll try and talk the guy down, but if he's firm on the $500, I think I'll pass.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

If you could get it for $300.00 that would be cool. I have a Behringer LX112 V-ampire combo that came with a footswitch. It completely rocks for a practice at home amp. You could pick one up for $200.00 used all day long. Its a loud sucker too and when you plug an external cab into it it becomes true stereo and another 60w amplifier automatically turns on to turn the amp into 120 watts stereo. Can't beat that for $200.00

[Shawn Lutz]

for 500 I'd look ofr a tube amp. Since they are discontinued I'd be a bit paranoid about parts and no future upgrades etc..cool amp nonetheless tho

The best rout for home practice would be the J-station. You can grab one under 100 and they are great for practice and recording.

[Drazden]

My rhythm guitarist bought one of the Millenium heads specifically for its Mesa imitation. He freakin' loves it. With the foot controller, those amplifiers can do some ungodly cool things.

[jgcable]

My rhythm guitarist bought one of the Millenium heads specifically for its Mesa imitation. He freakin' loves it. With the foot controller, those amplifiers can do some ungodly cool things.

And when you compare it to a real modeler like a Vetta you realize the old technology and limitations of the Millenium.

[Robotechnology]

I'd agree with you in some areas and disagree with you in others on that one, John. Some (not all) of the Johnson Millenium models sound more "open" and less murky than the Vetta does on a lot of its models, in my opinion. I remember the 3 presets made on my previous JM250 head comparing more than favorably to the ones I made on someone's Vetta.

[jm250]

I used mine at church...It was my monitor, and the XLR outs went straight to the board....sounded great, but it was way too heavy....so I sold it and got the JM250 head. Lighter, and you can use whatever cabinet you like. I currently have it hooked up to a Hughes and Kettner Warp 7 412 cab, wired as 4 ohm stereo...really works great, and the sound through the Celestion RockDrivers is nothing short of amazing.

The only problem with these is their age, and how they were cared for. Mine was played pretty hard before I got it, and every once in a long while, I'll come to a freaky preset, or the volume won't work on one. Because I have a number of amps, I just change over to one of the others, and keep on trucking.

[jgcable]

This must be a revival. Check out the newb responding to a thread that was last posted on in 11-2007!!!!!!!ya gotta love the JCF.