NAMM 2009: Peavey and Joe Satriani release JSX 50 amp

Here's the new Peavey Joe Satriani amp mentioned in my Joe Satriani interview and in a Premier Guitar interview with Hartley Peavey recently.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Peavey and Joe Satriani have collaborated to create the all-new Peavey JSX® 50 guitar amplifier head, the latest project in the Peavey JSX Series of signature amplifiers and enclosures designed with the guitar legend.

Like the three-channel Peavey JSX Head and JSX Mini Colossal™ before it, the new JSX 50 aims to give guitar players a wide new tonal palette that allows them to express an abundance of sounds and styles. But that’s where the similarities end. With the JSX 50, Satriani and Peavey have redefined the classic 50-watt guitar-amp format with extensive tone-coloring tools to aid modern guitarists.

“Traditionally, 50-watt amps always seemed to have the perfect amount of volume and sag to create a true rock & roll moment,” said Satriani. “But the golden era of the 50-watt didn’t see a version that had a variety of sounds or that were actually useful tools for the gigging musician. Peavey and I were finally able to bring this idea of a really rockin’ 50-watt into the modern era where real guitar players can use it. We wound up with a really bold, in-your-face sound.”

The JSX 50 accomplishes this through a design that pairs five 12AX7 preamp tubes with two 6550 power amp tubes and two independent channels with three-band EQ. Both the Clean and Crunch channels feature master volume and preamp gain controls, so guitarists can adjust the interplay between the preamp and power amp on each channel for an array of gain possibilities. The Crunch channel also includes a boost switch and a six-way attack selector that adjusts the bass response.

On the rear panel, a built-in Peavey MSDI™ microphone-simulated XLR direct interface eliminates the need for miking by allowing users to route the amp’s signal directly to a recording device or mixing console. Additional controls include a line out with level control; active effects loop with send/return level control; impedance selector; and a tube bias adjustment jack.

The Peavey JSX 50 amplifier will be available from authorized Peavey retailers in Q2 2009.

Features:
Two independent channels, Clean and Crunch
2 x 6550 power amp tubes (can also use EL34)
5 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
Global Presence and Master Volume controls
Global Master Volume Boost with switch and level control
Six-way attack control on Crunch channel
Pre-gain Boost switch on Crunch channel
Built-in MSDI™ microphone-simulated direct XLR output
Line out with level control
Active effects loop with send and return level control
Rear-panel impedance selector (16, 8 or 4 ohms)
Tube bias adjustments on back panel
Four-button footswitch included
Made in the U.S.A.
U.S. MSRP $1499.99