LA Amp Show: Jaguar Amplifiers

The Jaguar 7 is yet another fine example of how good lower wattage amplifiers can sound. This class A single ended amp is one channel with two inputs - high and low and simply has a volume and a tone knob. The amplifiers tube line up is as follows: 1 x 12AX7, 1 x EL84, and 1 x GZ34 that produces 7 watts of power and has a customized Celestion 10” speaker. The guys at Jaguar demoed the 7 for me using a Custom Shop Esquire with a maple neck. The tone was very rich and had a very smooth overdrive when the volume was push up past 1 o’clock. Dialing down the volume on the guitar cleaned up well without sounding thin and lacking dynamics and still had more than enough punch to it. I would have liked to hear a set of PAF style pickups through the amp to really hear it growl and to see what the high frequency response would be like.

Also on display was the Jaguar Junior; a 17 watt class A single channel amp that used to be the lowest power amp Jaguar offered till the 7 came along. The Junior has 2 x 12AX7s, 2 x EL84s, 1 x GZ34, and 12 inch customized Celestion G12H Anniversary speaker if you opt for a combo in a 1 x 12 or 2 x 12 configuration (it is also available as a head only). The Junior has master volume, gain, a tone control, and high and low inputs to help dial in the tone you’re looking for from jangly clean to smooth overdrive. The Junior is significantly louder than the 7, but the addition of the master volume and gain control will allow you to dial in more overdrive at a lower volume. That being said, there is also a new Pentode to triode half-power switch for the Junior that brings the power down to 7 watts. This 2009 addition makes the Junior perfect for home and small clubs.

The Jaguar Retro Amplifier continues what appears to be a gradual power and feature increase that follows the whole line. The Retro is 30 Watts with 3 x 12AX7, 4 x EL84, 1 x GZ34 and has a half power switch that takes the power down to 17 watts. The Retro’s controls add one more knob for a total of four (I’m beginning to see a pattern here) the controls are: master volume, volume, bass, and treble. The Retro is available as a combo, with one or two customized Celestion G12H Anniversary speakers or as a head only.

The 7, Junior, and Retro offer the perspective amp buyer a wide selection in terms of power and controls. I like that the Jaguar line offers you some real power options and the half power switch really makes the amps dual purpose. I see the Junior as the best compromise out of the three if you are going to be gigging and playing at home. I will have to see about getting a review sample!

The other two amps on display from Jaguar were the Twin and the Lead. Both amps are single channel with 45 watts of class A/B power with high and low inputs. The specs of both are near identical, save for the Twin’s 2 x EL84 vs. the Lead’s 2 x 6L6GC. The Lead is described as being like a 70’s British master volume compared to the Twin’s Fullerton by way of Liverpool clean to cream tone.

The Jaguar line at the same time is very basic with all the amps featuring only a single channel and yet full of options in both tonal pallet and power ratings. The additional colors like the silver sparkle (see photos) was a welcome addition to the mostly understated look of these classic sounding amps. All of the Jaguar amplifiers are hand-wired, point-to-point using only the finest components available: American made transformers, ceramic tube sockets, carbon composition resistors, matched JJ tube sets, surge protection circuitry, heavy gauge aluminum chassis, laser etched faceplates, customized Celestion drivers and 13-ply birch finger-joint cabinets.

Swing over to: www.jaguaramps.com for some more information on these fine tone machines.