PRS has announced the result of a second major collaboration between the Maryland guitar maker and hugely influential guitarist John Mayer – the J-MOD 100.
The company says the J-MOD 100 amplifier was designed by Paul Reed Smith, Doug Sewell, and John Mayer to not only handle Mayer’s live work with Dead & Company..’.. but to also move seamlessly into recording and performing his solo material. With a thoughtful control platform, impeccable build, and high-quality components, the J-MOD 100 is a fully-realized, high-end piece of audio gear for players who want the purest and most expressive musical experience.’
The J-MOD 100 is a 100 Watt single channel amplifier featuring a switchable gain stage and effects loop. The amp’s tone stack features: ‘…a beautiful, spread out tone that is at once huge and clear. When the gain stage is kicked in, the amp gets rich in harmonics and delivers a bit more bite. The versatility provide by this setup allows the J-MOD 100 to deliver a huge variety of sounds whether using singlecoils or humbuckers’.
The new Maryland built amp uses four 6L6 power tubes and four 12AX7/ECC83S pre-amp tubes plus five separate boards. Each board is dedicated to a particular part of the circuit: pre-amp section, power section, front panel controls, bias jacks, and the effects loop. ‘Not only is this an elegant way to build with fewer long wires extending across a larger board, it is also a more robust way to build as there is not a single, large board that needs to flex during transport.’ PRS says.
John Mayer says: ‘I think amplifiers are such interesting, complex animals. The J-MOD 100 is the result of a lot of searching…what is my sound? What are the elements of all these amps I own that should be chosen to go together in one amp and have this really distinct voice? What we ended up with is a really open and expressive amplifier that I feel is a real evolution and a step forward in guitar amps.’
Paul Reed Smith adds: ‘Working with John Mayer has been a rewarding experience. His knowledge and no compromise attitude have led us to innovate and produce a beautiful sounding amp that delivers on versatility, construction, and professional tone” said Paul Reed Smith, of PRS Guitars. “It’s John’s and PRS’s goal that the products we collaborate on satisfy musicians who are looking for the best new gear from a sound, technical and aesthetic standpoint, whether their use is on stage, in the studio, practice room or in the comforts of their home.’
The J-MOD 100 is the second PRS/Mayer collaboration, the first being the Limited Edition Private Stock Super Eagle electric guitar, which debuted in the spring of 2016.
Info: www.prsguitars.com