Award Session Jerry Donahue JD20 Assembly instructions
I took up playing guitar at the age of thirteen back in 1960. Commercial amplifiers were too
expensive, so, I built a guitar amp using transformers from a wrecked Selmer valve amp. The
pre-amp was based on the Fender Bassman... but I found it to be quite limited in tone range.
By this time I had caught the bug... that eternal quest for the perfect sound. What was a
hobby eventually turned into my work in 1979! Hell, what have I done!
You know, all that hype about valves vs transistors just makes me laugh. Especially when one
famous company makes valve amplifiers which use solid state circuitry to create the
distortion. And what about comments like ‘...hot bottle powered tone’ in reviews of those
very same amps? I’d be screaming mad had I bought one on the basis that ‘only valves are good enough’.
But then, how would you know what’s inside amps these days? It seems that guitarists are getting a raw
deal? At least with Award-Session products, what’s inside is made very clear... 100% solid state!
Before I close, there is just one thing I want to say to those valve lovers out there. It’s not merely technology
that makes great sounds... it’s the designers knowledge and how he applies it! Every amp ever made, good
or bad, was designed by a person. Should it not then, be the designers who
receive any credit for the quality of tone? Have fun.
FlexiDrive, Super-T and G12T are trade marks of AWARD-SESSION
UK Made by AWARD-SESSION
We reserve the right to alter specifications without prior notice
If you have need for information regarding this, or any other product, you should contact:
AWARD-SESSION, 34 BELVEDERE, BASINGSTOKE, RG24 8GB, UK
Tel. +44 (0)1256 477 222 : Fax. +44 (0)1256 817 687
Super-T™ Classic EQ
Super-T™ is an enhanced version of the EQ used in nearly all well
known valve and solid state guitar amps. It is 'borrowed' from the
designs of the fifties 'tweed' era.
Even then, guitarists complained that the mid control did not
provide enough effect and surprisingly, many amps are short on
mid still. So, we've taken note and given it three times the range.
Problem fixed.
Full range of usual
passive mid controls
is reached here on
Super-T™ EQ
Super-T™ EQcircuitry gives
this much extra range.
FlexiDrive™ 'Touch Sensitive' Distortion
Ask any guitar player, they'll say that solid state
amps and overdrive pedals suddenly change from
clean to distortion. This is not to do with the fact
that they're solid state, but due to primitive design.
In CLASSIC setting, Flexidrive mimics how a valve
amp works and eliminates sudden changes
between clean and overdrive, stretching out the
transition for a touch sensitive style that's ideal for
blues, new country and 'grungy' playing.
Heavy rock through to to mega distortion, metal
thrash sounds are easily achieved by selecting the
HEAVY setting. You'll find a myriad of tones
inside the JD20 you thought only possible from very
expensive 'boutique' amps.
G12T™ Speaker Simulation
First incorporated in Jerry Donahue's
(HELLECASTERS member) JD10 recording pre-
amp/pedal, G12T has become a standard relied
upon by many studios and session guitarists as a
very quick way of obtaining great guitar recordings
direct to tape.
Just plug the JD20’s output into a four-track and
record at home or DI your live sound straight into a
PA system without the drawbacks and cost of using
mics. You'll never know the difference!
Frequency response of a typical 12” guitar speaker
Designer
Getting
To
Know
The
Jerry Donahue
Direct
Recording
Pre-Amp
Model No. JD20
UK Designed & Made
The classic JD10 sound...
up-dated to incorporate:
Footswitchable ‘Heavy/Crunch’ with
‘Balance’ control
Enhanced G12T™ Speaker Simulation
C 1987
Classic Amp Tones To Get You Going All setups assume direct recording with G12T on
1
JD20 - Is it a pre-amp, a pedal or part of an amp?
Actually, it’s all three. First there was the Sessionmaster AW10 rack mount direct
recording preamp, then from that early design came the tonally improved pedal
version, the JD10. The JD10’s sound was so popular we used it’s circuitry as the
lead channel of the Sessionette amp.
Now, we’ve re-designed the JD10 to include the requests of many users,
for the CLASSIC/HEAVY selector switch to be made footswitchable. In
order to set different volume levels between CLASSIC and HEAVY, we
have provided a BALANCE control.
Applications
Use In The Studio: The JD20 is a unique low noise
pre-amp for playing guitar direct to tape, PA, Hi-Fi,
mixers and guitar amps. It is able to replicate the
sounds of typical high quality tube amplifiers and
produce sounds from the earliest Rock and Roll tones
right up to modern day Grunge Metal... making it
ideal for all demo and project recording work. JD20's
highly accurate G12T™ Speaker Simulation means
there is no need to spend hours mic'ing up. And in
home studios, you can capture the sound of a fully
cranked guitar amp'... without waking up the
neighbours!
Live Use On Stage: Give your amp the sound it
should have had to begin with! Plug it into the input
of your guitar amp and use it as an amp sound
expander for live performances. Just hit the BYPASS
footswitch when you want to go back to your regular
amp tone. When in BYPASS mode, The JD20 does
not corrupt your straight sound... but it does beef up
the signal enabling it to drive guitar cords and
multiway snakes over 100 yards/meters long. So even
when not active as an effect JD20 can still improve
your tone.
Humbucker Emulation: Don't build a mid booster
into your valuable instrument. Use the JD20 between
your single coil pickup and amp in the normal way,
but be able to footswitch between the two tones. Set
up a pleasing clean sound and then switch in the
G12T Speaker Simulation which removes the thin
edgy high tones and adds extra bite at at around
3kHz. Simply use the BYPASS footswitch to alternate
between the two tones. A little overdrive gives the
humbucker sound 'growl'. Dial in some deep
overdrive for silky smooth mega sustain and searing
solos that cut through the band to make you really
stand out.
Use Of Effects PedaIs/Processors: Overdrive and
wah pedals should aIways be used between the guitar
and the JD20. It is best to try and connect chorus,
echo, reverb or other time delay effects between the
output of the JD20 and the input of the amplifier, PA,
recorder or Hi-Fi. Generally this produces a more
pleasing sound. However, this is not a firm rule and
you may prefer the results with all effects units
between guitar and the JD20. Don't be afraid to
experiment. Whichever sounds best to YOU is right.
When you have a good sound... you natural play well
too!
1: DIRTY (AC) THIRTY - HANKY PANKY™
2: VINTAGE “TWIN” - COUNTRY BOY
3: DRIVEN STACK - DEVILS TONE (666)™
4: HOT-RODDED STACK - MANIC METAL
SET FOOTSWITCH TO HEAVYSET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH
SET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH SET FOOTSWITCH TO HEAVY
Front Panel:
1. DRIVE DEPTH:Sets amount of distortion.
2. BALANCE:Sets the loudness ratio between
CLASSIC and HEAVY modes.
3. TREBLE: Adjusts the intensity of frequencies
above 1kHz.
4. MIDDLE: Adjusts the intensity of frequencies
between 200Hz and 1kHz.
5. BASS: Adjusts the intensity of frequencies below
200Hz.
6. VOLUME: Adjusts the output level.
Rear Panel
1. BYPASS: Footswitch for use during live
performance to access your guitar amp’s original
sounds.
2. CRUNCH/HEAVY: Distortion voice selector
which allows you to change between CRUNCH
& HEAVY by footswitch.
3. OUTPUT: Lo-Z to drive long cables without
tone or volume loss - even in BYPASS mode.
4. POWER INPUT: For connecting an external
power supply. Use any power supply giving a
positive or negative output between 9 & 30
volts DC. This unit is equipped with
AutoSense™ circuitry which detects the
incoming voltages and adjust itself automatically.
NO HARM CAN BE DONE BY USE OF AN
INCORRECT POWER SUPPLY, providing the
above guidelines are adhered to.
5. G12T Speaker Simulation: In/Out switch.
Enables the pre-amp to be connected to a
recorder or PA system and prevents the sound
from sounding fizzy or unnaturally thin.
6. INPUT: Hi-Z input circuitry to prevent pickup
loading effects.
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
4
4
5
5
6
6
Classic Guitar Tones Pickup selections (1=neck 2=middle 3=bridge)
5: CLAPTON - Layla (2)
6: KOSSOF - All Right Now (3)
7: HENDRIX - The Wind Cries Mary (1)
8: TOWNSEND - I Can See For Miles (3)
SET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH
SET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH
SET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH
SET FOOTSWITCH TO CRUNCH
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