JET CITY AMPLIFICATION JCA5212RC Owner's Manual

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All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of the problem. Jet City Amplification will then issue a Return Authorization Number (RA Number).
Once the RA Number has been obtained, the product must be returned in its original shipping carton. The return Authorization Number must be printed clearly on the shipping label on the outside of the box, and included with the returned product. Both the product in its original package and the Return Authorization Number must be shipped to the address indicated by Jet City Amplification at the time the call is made.
Shipments without prepaid freight will not be accepted.
4 Warranty Regulation / Exclusions
Warranty services will not be furnished if the product is not returned with the original sales receipt.
Tubes and loudspeaker drivers are considered maintenance items and are excluded from all warranty claims.
If the product needs to be modified or adapted in order to comply with technical or safety standards on a national or local level, in any country which is not the country for which the product was not originally developed and manufactured, this modification/adaptation shall not be considered a defect in materials or workmanship. This warranty does not cover any such modification/adaptation, irrespective of whether it was executed properly or not. Under the terms of this warranty Jet City Amplification shall not be held responsible for any cost resulting from such a modification/adaptation.
Free inspections and maintenance/ repair work are expressly excluded from this warranty, in particular, if caused by improper handling of the product by the user. This applies to defects caused by normal wear and tear of items such as knobs, tolex and similar parts.
Damages caused by the following conditions are not covered by warranty:
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DANGER: RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT OPEN
ATTENTION: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE!
NE PAS OUVIRIR!
ACHTUNG: STROMSHLAG GEFÄHRDUNG,
NICHT AUFMACHEN!
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover or open rear panel. No user serviceable parts inside: refer handling to qualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this amplifier to rain or moisture.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure – voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the important operating and maintenance instructions in the following document.
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WARRANTY
1 Register Your Product Online
Please visit www.jetcityamplification.com within 30 days from the date of purchase as listed on the buyer’s receipt to register your product. Doing so will enable you to receive the most current information about our company and products, directly from Jet City.
2 Warranty
Jet City Amplification warrants the mechanical and electronic components of this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase, in accordance with the warranty regulations described below. If this product shows any defects within the specified warranty period that are not excluded under this warranty as described in section 4, Jet City Amplification shall, at its discretion, either replace or repair the product using suitable new or reconditioned parts. In the case in which other parts are used which constitutes an improvement, Jet City Amplification may, at its discretion, charge the customer for these parts.
If the warranty claim proves to be justified, the product will be returned to the customer freight prepaid.
Warranty claims other than those indicated above are expressly excluded.
3 Return Authorization Number
To obtain warranty service, the buyer (or his authorized dealer) must call Jet City Amplification or Authorized Jet City Amplification Distributor (current list and contact information can be found at (www.jetcityamplification.com) during normal business hours before returning the product.
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QUICK SETTINGS FOR SELECTED TONES
Use the Clean channel Volume and the CRUNCH channel Master controls to match the volumes of the two channels.
CLEAN SETTINGS: The channel is designed for maximum headroom (output before distortion). Set the CLEAN channel Volume control to an appropriate level for how loud you want the amp. Use the EQ section to get the tasty tone out of your guitar.
GAIN SETTINGS: Switch to the CRUNCH channel. Initially, the CRUNCH Master should be set to a level similar to the CLEAN Volume. Slowly turn up the Gain control to give the desired amount of gain and distortion. Adjust the MASTER control to set the desired loudness.
REMEMBER TO EXPERIMENT: This is how you will get the most out of your new amplifier.
REMEMBER TO TURN IT UP, YO
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Read and keep these instructions.
2. Heed all warnings and follow all instructions.
3. Do not operate near water.
4. Clean only with a dry cloth.
5. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
6. Do not install near heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus that produce heat.
7. Protect the power cable from being walked on or pinched at the plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit the unit.
8. Do not defeat the safety purposes of the polarized or grounding type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the outdated/obsolete outlet.
9. Use only attachments/ accessories specified by the manufacturer.
10. Unplug the amplifier during lighting storms or when unused for long periods of time.
11. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power cable or plug damage, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Your JCA5212RC was designed by the world-renowned tube amp designer Mike Soldano, in SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, and meticulously assembled to assure that it meets the highest quality standards and value.
The JCA5212RC is an all-original Soldano design for Jet City Amplification. Like all previous Soldano-designed amps from Jet City Amplification, the JCA5212RC features the “Crunch” circuit capable of a wide range of character – from clean and bright to muscular and powerful. Our top-of-the-line combo adds Soldano’s “Clean” circuit. Previously only available in the Soldano Lucky 13, the Clean channel is wide-open with no gain control. Each channel also has a dedicated EQ, for added tonal versatility.
There are a few more tubes here, too – both the 3-spring reverb and the effects loop are tube-driven for rich, warm effects. And like all Soldano designs, it’s all about the purity of tone in 5212 again – not a mini-switch, pull-pot, or other secret-sauce knob will be found anywhere on this amp.
Plug the power cable into the back panel and plug the cable into a power receptacle. Turn on the power switch on the amplifier and wait about 30 seconds for the tubes to warm up.
Turn on the standby switch.
Turn up your volume switch on your guitar and impress your
friends with your amazing new tone.
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match the amp’s speaker output impedance with a speaker’s impedance (sometimes called “load”).
3. OK, how does that relate to my JCA5212RC?
Your amp has outputs on the back marked “16 ohm” and “8 ohm.” You need to pick the correct output for your speaker configuration. To be specific, if your speaker cabinet is listed as “16 ohms” then use the “16 ohm” output on your amp.
Things get a bit more complicated when you want to use more than on speaker cabinet. Speaker cabinets often have a set of ¼” jacks labeled “series” or “parallel.” This allows you to run a speaker from your head to one cabinet and then from that cabinet to another one. When you use the “series” output, the load increases so you add each cabinet’s impedance to determine the overall load (two 8-ohm cabs in series = 16-ohm load).
When you use the “parallel” output, the load decreases. If all cabinets have the same impedance, then divide that impedance by the number of cabinets (two 8-ohm cabs in parallel = 4-ohm load). If the cabinets are of different impedance, then multiply the impedances together and divide this by the sum of the cabinet impedances (one 8-ohm cab and one 16-ohm cab in parallel = 5.33-ohm load). In case of an awkward number, default to the impedance closes to, but lower than, the number (for a 5.33-ohm load, use the 4­ohm output).
4.
Um…could you make that a little easier?
Sure! Just read the chart below to find what your speaker configuration.
Connect your JCA5212 to:
Single JCA24S amp’s 8-ohm out to cab’s 8-ohm in (mono mode) Single JCA48S amp’s 16-ohm out to cab’s 16-ohm in (mono mode) Dual JCA48S amp’s 8-ohm out to cab 1’s 16-ohm in (mono) amp’s 2nd 8-oh out to 2nd cab’s 16-ohm in (mono)
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Little or no high end/treble
Muddy low end or loss of clarity; amp sounds
“muddy”
Mysterious fluctuations in the amp’s overall volume
Amp doesn’t work!
4. What the heck is “biasing” and do I need to do it?
“Biasing” is a technical term that has to do with things like “voltage applied to the grid” and “moving the operating point into a more linear range.” If you didn’t understand that, then don’t attempt this yourself!
Fixed-bias amps, like your new JCA100H/50H, allow you to “plug and play” matched power tubes of the same brand and model without needing a bias adjustment. However, if you are switching tube types (from a 6L6GC to a KT66 for instance), you will want to have a certified technician manually adjust the bias.
SPEAKERS AND IMPEDENCE
Every guitar amplifier actually consists of two primary parts: amp and speaker. In combos, the speaker(s) has already been matched to the amp. Even your JCA5212RC is a combo, you can still add external speakers. There are some basic ground rules for this.
1. What are the best speaker cabinets for my JCA5212RC? Why, Jet City cabinets, of course! The single speaker JCA12S, dual speaker JCA24S, and quad speaker JCA48S were all designed to get maximum tone out of our amps.
2. What is “impedance” and why is it important?
Every speaker cabinet has an impedance rating listed in ohms. Think of the impedance as the speaker cabinet’s resistance to an amp’s power. The higher the cabinet’s impedance, the more the amp has to work to push power through it. The goal in any amp/cabinet configuration is the
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The Jet City Amplification JCA5212RC 50 watt, 2-channel guitar amp combo with reverb and independent preamp and master volume controls for each channel.
The tone controls shape the sound of both channels and are
interactive which means that each control will affect the
others. This gives you the flexibility to dial in all the unique and
subtle tones you've been searching for.
The Jet City Amplification JCA5212RC also has a global
presence control that lets you add high-end sparkle to both
channels. Other features include a line level series effects loop,
multiple speaker impedance outputs, and a channel footswitch
jack (footswitch included).
GENERAL OPERATION
The JCA5212’s independent EQ controls allow you to dial up the right tone for you and your guitar no matter what your gain and output levels. The CLEAN channel preamp and master controls give you great stage versatility by allowing you control over each channel’s gain level AND individual output levels.
FEATURES
2-Channels with independent EQ and volume controls
for Clean and Crunch channels
50 watts of tube power
Two 12 inch JCA speakers by Eminence
Tube-buffered serial effects loop that is post-EQ and post-
Master Volume
Multiple impedance speaker outputs
Footswitch for channel and reverb switching
Tube-driven three-spring Reverb
Global Presence control
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 Input Jack: Guitar cable goes here (the other end should
probably be in the guitar)
2 CLEAN Volume: Adjust the amount of volume that the
amplifier produces in the CLEAN Channel. The CLEAN
channel is designed for maximum headroom, so don’t be
afraid to turn it up!
3 BASS: Part of the CLEAN channel 3-band EQ for adjusting low
frequencies
4 MID: Part of the CLEAN channel 3-band EQ for adjusting
middle frequencies
5 TREBLE: Part of the CLEAN channel 3-band EQ for adjusting
high frequencies
6 CRUNCH Gain: Adjust the amount of gain (distortion) that
the amplifier produces in the CRUNCH Channel. Keep it low
for crystal clear cleans, or dial it up for some tube overdrive.
7 BASS: Part of the CRUNCH channel 3-band EQ for adjusting
the low frequencies.
8 MID: Part of the CRUNCH channel 3-band EQ for adjusting
the middle frequencies.
9 TREBLE: Part of the CRUNCH channel 3-band EQ for adjusting
the high frequencies.
10 CRUNCH Master Volume: Lets you adjust how loud the
CRUNCH channel’s output will be.
11 REVERB: Adjusts the “depth” of the built in reverb.
12 PRESENCE: Adds an overall brightness, which can be handy
when trying to cut through in a ‘dead’ room.
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13 STANDBY switch: Used in conjunction with the main POWER
switch (item 12). Use the STANDBY to “warm up” your amp’s
tubes before turning on the PWER switch. Always put the
amp in STANDBY before turning the main power switch on or
off!
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POWER switch: This is the main power switch for the entire
amp. Be sure that your amp is switched off AND unplugged
before moving it!
15 Power Indicator Light: The pretty light glows blue when your
amp is on.
TUBE AMP BASICS
1. Can you really die from messing around with the guts of
tube amp?
Yes, you can. Tube amps carry significant voltage, even when turned off. DO NOT mess with the insides of a tube amp unless you are a trained tech.
2. OK, question 1 scared me. Can I safely change my own
tubes?
Yes, you can. The dangerous voltages are only a problem if you start messing with wires and transformers. It is perfectly safe to change your own tubes.
3. How often should I change tubes?
There is no set timeline for changing tubes. If you play ever day, a good rule of thumb is to replace your power tubes once a year and your preamp tubes every other year. However, it is entirely possible for tubes, particularly preamp tubes, to last decades.
Here are some signs that you need to change your tubes:
Excessive noise like squealing, humming, or hiss
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Technical specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice. The information contained herein is correct at the time of printing. The names of companies, institutions or publications pictured or mentioned and their respective logos are registered trademarks of their respective owners. Their use neither constitutes a claim of the trademarks by Jet City Amplification nor the affiliation of the trademark owners with Jet City Amplification. Jet City Amplification accepts no liabilities for any loss, which may be suffered by any person who relies wholly, are part upon any description, photograph or statement contained herein. Colors and specifications may vary slightly from product. Products are sold through Authorized Re-Sellers only. Distributors and dealers are not agents of Jet City Amplification and have no authority to bind Jet City Amplification by any expressed or implied undertaking or representation.
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Improper handling, neglect or failure to operate the unit in compliance with the instructions given in the Jet City Amplification user manual.
Connection or operation of the unit in any way that does not comply with the technical or safety regulations applicable in the country where the product is used.
Damages/defects caused by force majeure or any other condition that is beyond the control of Jet City Amplification
Any repair or opening of the unit by unauthorized personnel (user included) will void the warranty.
In an inspection of the product by Jet City Amplification shows that the defect in question is not covered by warranty, the inspection costs are payable by the customer.
Products, which do not meet the terms of the warranty, shall be repaired exclusively at the buyer’s expense. Jet City Amplification will inform the buyer of any such circumstance. If the buyer fails to submit a written repair order within six (6) weeks, Jet City Amplification shall return the unit to the customer C.O.D with an invoice that will include charges for the inspection and a separate additional charge for freight and packing costs. Such costs will also be billed separately when a customer has sent in a unit for repair with a written repair order form.
5 Warranty Transferability
This warranty is extended exclusively to the original buyer (customer of the retailer) and is not transferable to anyone who may subsequently purchase the product. No other person (retailer, consumer, etc) shall be entitled to give any warranty promise on the behalf of Jet City Amplification.
6 Claims for Damages
Failure of Jet City Amplification to provide proper warranty service shall not entitle the buyer to claim (consequential) damages. In no
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event shall the liability of Jet City Amplification exceed the invoiced value of the product.
7 Other Warranty Rights And National Law
The warranty does not exclude or limit the buyer’s statutory rights provided by national law, in particular, any such rights against the seller that arise from a legally effective purchase contract.
The warranty regulations mentioned herein are applicable unless they constitute an infringement of national warranty law.
Protect Your Hearing
The US Government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specified the following permissible noise level exposures:
Duration Per Day In Hours Sound Level dBA
8 90 6 92 4 95 3 97 2 100
1.5 102
1.0 105
0.5 110
0.25 115
According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of the above permissible limits could result in hearing loss. Ear plug protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating this amplification system in order to prevent a permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth above. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high pressure sound levels such as this amplification system be protected by hearing protection while this unit is in operation.
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Specifications
Pre-amp
6 x 12AX7 tubes
Power Amp
50w output into 16 ohms or 2x8 ohms
2 x 6L6 tubes
Controls
CLEAN channel: Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble
CRUNCH channel: Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master
Reverb
Presence
Stand-by switch
Power switch
Footswitch
Two-button footswitch included for channel and reverb switching
Power Transformer
100v/120v/230v/240v input voltage
Dimensions
22”W x 28”H x 12”D
50 pounds
Construction Material
Multi-ply hardwood
Chassis Material –
16 gauge rolled steel
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