I've been trying to purge a bunch of gear, and I started out with two Peavey Ultra Plus heads. I sold the other one a few months ago, and I've had the other one listed for sale for a few months too. I've had a few tire kickers, but no one has laid out the cash so far fortunately for me. I just plugged it in last night, and went back and forth between it and my Uber rev blue. Damn, that thing sounds good, and remarkably similar to the Uber. I can't with good conscience sell this amp for $800 Canadian ($585 real dollars) when it sounds this good.
Having said that, there is a minty 3120 for sale with a matching cab nearby. From what I've heard, the 3120 is pretty much the same amp as a Triple XXX but with EL34s, and the Triple XXX is an evolution of the Ultra Plus. Anyone played a 3120? Should I buy it?
I remember playing these amps and liking them, and also not liking them. The JSX was my dream amp for a long time, and when I finally got it, I did like it, but ultimately was using 5150s at that point, which I liked better. I had Endtime's XXX here for a while, and I wasn't super into it. I've played a XXX combo that I loved and almost bought. Loved the JSX 212 combo. I remember liking the 3120 that I played, but it's been years, so who knows if I am remembering correctly. I didn't like the XXXII at all. The Ultra plus was one that I never got ahold of to try out. But chances are if you like it, you'll like the 3120. IME, they've been pretty hit or miss, but my experience has been all over the place across my tone chasing journey, so who knows if I had any of them today whether I would like them or not. I'd probably grab a JSX 212 combo if I found one at the right price and condition.
Yeah I wouldn't sell it either. The Ultra Plus is my favorite amp from that series. Not that the others aren't good, but there is something about the Ultra Plus, it's slightly less aggressive than the XXX and slightly more aggressive than the JSX, just the sweet spot for me.
I sometimes regret selling my Ultra 60 head, but I kept the Rockmaster pre-amp which is pretty much the same thing.
Long gone are the days when you could pick up either for $250 and people would rather hold onto them.
I had an oddball XXX 40 watt combo. It was kinda cool/fine but honestly pretty mid. Left it at my drummers house for a while for practices, and it wasn't ever in the same ballpark as any of my other amps
Guitars: PRS/Gibson
Amps: Mesa Mark V | '76 Fender Deluxe Reverb | EVH 5153 6L6 50w| Mesa Mark IV | Badlander 50
I would like to try out an Ultra Plus sometime. My first real amp was a regular Ultra 120 and my memories of it are fond. I'd even like to just have one of those again.
Amps: Morris Sirrom
Guitars: Charvel SoCal MIJ, Assorted parts builds
Necro-bump but I wouldn’t mind having an Ultra Plus or XXX. I did play a blue line Ultra 60 years ago that was really cool too. A good friend had a XXX that was amazing to me 20 years ago. Tried the JSX once in a store. It was ok, but a little too polite for me.
More guitars than anyone could need
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Metropoulos Metroplex Mk I
Egnater Seminar Amp 50
Orange Rockerverb 50 Mk III
Peavey 5150
Fender 1976 Vibrolux Reverb
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Marshall 1960A G12M25 Greenbacks
Metropoulos Slant 2x12 G12H75 Creambacks.
Walt said: When the hour is nigh & the lights are low & I got a toothpick of a shwag joint in my teeth & my friends want to hear me play Into the Void or TNT or Cemetery Gates I plug my $600 guitar into my $150 amp and I am a Rawk gawd
had a XXX head a while back ... should have kept it. i had EL34's in it.
the renames are XXX -> 3120, and JSX -> XXX II
XXX/3120 have active EQ, and it can be really touchy and not like a standard amp to dial in. controls at noon are "0" ... left is cut, right is boost
the loop can be used as a boost if you dime the loop controls.
crunch channel and damping set to loose is brutal ... Ultra channel is a little thinner
you can put the back panel on the front with a little work if you're not a fan of the "mudflap ladies" lol