The TC Electronic Ampworx JIMS 800 Preamp is a preamp pedal that models a Marshall JCM800 tube amplifier. Pedal of the Day calls it "a beast that faithfully recreates a modified Marshall JCM800 tube amp, and pays gorgeous tribute to classic, guitar-driven rock"1. It is a digital design: the pedal is a simulation built with TC Electronic's AMPWORX modeling technology, part of the Ampworx series of preamp pedals1.
The controls and channels
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen lists the control set as Gain, Boost, Level, Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence knobs, a Pre/Post switch, and Boost and Channel footswitches2. Pedal of the Day frames the same panel as seven parameters, "including Resonance and Presence controls, along with a 3-band EQ section"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Drives the preamp's input gain |
| Boost | Sets the boost amount, placeable before or after the amp stage via the Pre/Post switch2 |
| Level | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Bass, Mid, Treble | 3-band EQ section1 |
| Presence | Presence control2 |
| Resonance | Part of the seven parameters1 |
| Pre/Post switch | Places the Boost before or after the amp modeling2 |
| Boost footswitch | Engages the boost2 |
| Channel footswitch | Switches channels2 |
The Channel footswitch toggles between two voices: "Switch between the 5150 channel and a high-gain lead channel"1. The 5150 name refers to the Peavey 5150 amplifier; Guitar World notes that the JIMS 800 "sits alongside takes on a Mesa Dual Rectifier and a Peavey 5150" within the Ampworx range2. The modeled speaker section matters too: "The JIMS 800's 4x12 cabinet is loaded with Celestion G12-65 speakers"2.
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the pedal as shipped was straightforward: "JIMS 800 is also ready to rock right out of the box"1.
AMPWORX modeling technology
AMPWORX is TC Electronic's name for the modeling technology behind the Ampworx preamp series. Pedal of the Day describes the JIMS 800 as "created using TC Electronics unique AMPWORX modeling technology", producing a digital simulation of the target tube amp rather than an analog circuit1. The same approach runs through the series, which includes the Ampworx JIMS 45 Preamp, the Ampworx V550 Preamp, the Ampworx DC30 Preamp, the [AmpWorx Combo Deluxe 65']( /pedal/tc-electronic-ampworx-combo-deluxe-65) and the Ampworx Dual Wreck Preamp213.
JIMS 800 and JIMS 45
The JIMS 45 is the earlier-amp sibling in the series. Where the JIMS 800 models a modified JCM800, the JIMS 45 "faithfully recreates the sound of a 1965 Marshall JTM45 tube amp" as a digital simulation32. Its control layout differs accordingly:
| JIMS 800 | JIMS 45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Amp modeled | Modified Marshall JCM8001 | 1965 Marshall JTM453 |
| Gain controls | Gain2 | Normal and High knobs, controlling normal and bright gain respectively3 |
| EQ | 3-band EQ plus Presence and Resonance1 | 3-band EQ plus Presence3 |
| Channels | 5150 channel and high-gain lead channel1 | Green channel, with a "master volume" set at 50% added after the tonestack, and Red channel, the original amp's stock circuit without a master volume3 |
| Boost | Pre/Post switchable2 | Pre- or Post-Amp, "for a variety of flavors"3 |
Pedal of the Day's reviewer called the JIMS 45 "the best and most precise digital amp modeling of this famous amp you have ever run your guitar through"3, a view of the modeling approach the two pedals share.
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Questions
Is the TC Electronic JIMS 800 analog or digital?
It is digital. Pedal of the Day describes the JIMS 800 as a true-to-life digital simulation of a Marshall JCM800-era tube amplifier, created using TC Electronic's AMPWORX modeling technology. That makes it a modeling preamp rather than an analog gain stage, in the same way as the other pedals in TC Electronic's Ampworx series.
What amp is the Ampworx JIMS 800 based on?
Pedal of the Day says the JIMS 800 faithfully recreates a modified Marshall JCM800 tube amp. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen describes it as a take on a more contemporary JCM800 Marshall amp, and notes that its modeled 4x12 cabinet is loaded with Celestion G12-65 speakers.
What is the 5150 channel on the JIMS 800?
The JIMS 800 has switchable channels, and one of them is a 5150 channel, a reference to the Peavey 5150 amplifier. Guitar World notes that the JIMS 800 sits alongside TC Electronic's takes on a Mesa Dual Rectifier and a Peavey 5150 in the wider Ampworx line, and on the pedal itself you switch between the 5150 channel and a high-gain lead channel.
What is the difference between the JIMS 800 and the JIMS 45?
They model different amps. The JIMS 800 is a digital simulation of a modified Marshall JCM800 with a 5150 channel and a high-gain lead channel. The JIMS 45 is a digital simulation of a 1965 Marshall JTM45, with Normal and High knobs that control the gain of the normal and bright signal paths, and Green and Red channels.
What is AMPWORX modeling technology?
AMPWORX is the name TC Electronic gives to its amp modeling technology, used to create the Ampworx series of preamp pedals. Pedal of the Day describes the JIMS 800 as created using TC Electronic's unique AMPWORX modeling technology, producing a digital simulation of the target tube amplifier rather than an analog circuit.
Sources (3)
- TC Electronic Ampworx JIMS 800 Preamp, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2023-09-14
- TC Electronic AmpWorx Series, Guitar World, 2024-11-18
- TC Electronic Ampworx JIMS 45 Preamp, Pedal of the Day, 2023-10-15
