A true modern classic
I have gigged quite happily with the standard JVM 410h for quite awhile, but wanted less compression and better Dynamics. The Satriani version is both an upgrade and a different beast. Noise gates are a must for JVM overdrive channels...the HJS gates are better by far than anything else out there... perfectly natural, never choking off your sustain or altering the tone. In fact, though, the HJS needs them much less, even in high gain settings. There is a ton of gain on tap with the satch's amp, sustain and harmonic feedback when you want it, but just the removal of compression circuits makes it a quieter amp. The tone is indeed expansive, and your high notes never get lost in the mix... this is significantly better than the original. The modes are more closely matched within channels, so you don't have to dance with the volume so much. The two overdrive channels being identical is clever...and with the mid shift I dial in one of them pure classic overdrive, then scoop the mids, crank the gain, and make the second one a wild beast. Unlike some, I could always deal with the feedback on the original... it's nice to have a mode that is almost armegeddon and just ride the sucker. But Joe makes that easier. The crunch channel on the H is great but on the HJS it's phenomenal, and the clean channels are pure vintage pleasure. I have owned and played several current high gain high end amps, Mesa, EVH, Hughes and kettner, but this beats them all for tone...and the footswitch of course makes your show smooth. The JVM line is fabulous, but this tops the bunch. It's a Marshall among Marshalls! Drips versatility and tone for any style. It'll knock you out!
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned