Grateful Dead Music Forum

Thinking about a two rock studio signature head paired with jbl. Anyone try this or have opinions? I feel like the black face gain structure and the two rock quality in components should get me close. Debating between this and an SMS-style preamp with a SS power amp. Hoping the two rock can afford me more flexibility for non-Jerry tone while still getting me close.

How and where will you be using it? Home? Small clubs, medium venues, large venues, with or without also micing the amp or going direct into the PA?

With the caveat that I have not tried to get Jerry tone out of a Two Rock or any Dumble inspired amp...

If you keep the amp fairly clean, I would expect it to work well enough. Jerry made the Mesa's work and you could certainly argue he made the Groove Tubes preamp work as well (I thought it sounded crappy but there could be a lot of other reasons for that). The base clean tone is nothing too crazy and it really doesn't need to be perfect to sound great. The JBL's do a lot of the tone shaping, as do the guitar, playing technique, effects etc.

The SMS is going to be cheaper and probably give you better volume control but it is also dependent on the power amp for volume and tone. A cheap class D just doesn't cut it IMHO, a Mac is heavy and expensive, and other good solutions (MosValve etc.) are mostly used only. I am very much looking forward to the Wampler Peadelhead which I think is going to be a great solution at a reasonable price but it is months away at best.

If flexibility for non-Jerry tones is of value, plus you are OK with a great sounding even if not exactly identical Jerry tone, I would lean towards the Two Rock right now.

Check out Barry Sless. He's used Two Rock for years.

ace

Two Rock amps aren't limited to Dumble-inspired circuits.* There also a range of wattages available. Hence my questions in my first post.

* https://www.two-rock.com/amps/