Any Award Session JD-20 owners out there? Help needed!

[czech-one-2]

Well, I recently bought a broken JD-20.Apparantly there were only 100 made?
Anyway, it was missing the 'heavy' [high gain] footswitch.
If anybody happens to own one can you post a gut shot? I will be forever gratefull!!!
I wrote seveveral times to Stewart Ward at Award Session and no reply....

 

[czech-one-2]

Well, there is only one image in existance and I hooked it up accordingly.[image] This pedal still has issues and there were some mods done such as a couple caps jumpered over resistors and traces fixed on the bottom.There is a schematic [image] but there are no part values on the schematic!
4 emails to Award Session and no reply.....

 

[czech-one-2]

Well, turns out the wiring on the image was correct. The problem was a simple bad solder joint on the volume pot.
Mods were easily reversed back to stock.
Anybody else own one of these? The high gain channel is insane! I wish there was more volume available for the low gain channel but if you use it as an overdive instead of a clean boost its gets plenty of volume boost.
The 'HEAVY' channel kinda reminds me of the Boss SD-2's high gain channel...... only hotter!

 

[Tony Forman]

A great pedal. I've had the Mk1 version since 1996. Great for recording with!

 

[wrathfuldeity]

Have a JD10 and works great. Iirc DaveKS has a JD20.

 

[stax]

I've used a JD10 for year my current one I built myself, also gig with a RetroTone Sessionette 75.
Regarding schematic info, they post everything they have and state, if it's not there then they don't have it, so as it's basically a one man band operation selling new amps and servicing the old ones I can understand he hasn't the time dealing with with technical inquirys from people wanting to fix their own stuff.

From his page..

Schematic Availability
Session Amplifiers was sold in 1989 to Axession Ltd. That company ceased trading eleven months later. Award-Session took back the name in 1991, but unfortunately, many of the manuals & schematics original drawings had been lost by this time.

We are still keeping an eye open for some that are missing. If you think you have any, then please email us a digital copy. It will be much appreciated.

 

[thefruitfarmer]

I wrote several times to Stewart Ward at Award Session and no reply....

I have had a JD-10 since the mid 90's and it is great with a telecaster, it's all I take to open mics and I get compliments about the sound regularly - people think it is a magic box lol.

I also have a blues baby 45 Watt combo I bought recently which is a decent amp.

However, when I bought the JD-10 in the 90's I was able to speak with Stuart Ward on the phone directly, which was great, and the preamp lived up to all expectations. 20 years later and it's still going strong - great as a DI box to record with as well. I did use it as a mic preamp the other week as well at an open mic night.

When I tried to contact them recently though the story is very different - they refuse to talk on the phone and don't answer emails promptly. Also, the tone of their emails leave something to be desired etc etc

Unfortunately, their customer service is feeble at the present time, which is letting them down really as the products are actually good.

 

[DaveKS]

Have a JD10 and works great. Iirc DaveKS has a JD20.

Mines a JD10 MkII not a JD20.

 

[czech-one-2]

Well, I did finally get a 3 sentance reply:
''Did you search our website??? Please go to our website and down load it from the Manuals page. That is all we have now.''
That kind of irked me, but I had already fixed it by then. All they have is the schematic I posted but Stax's post kinda cleared up whats going on. Stewart Ward has really nothing to do with their current tech support. And unfortunately he is banned from the TDPRI [anybody know what happened there?] I know he can be kind of a short tempered gent, but I used to enjoy his posts.
Anyway, if DaveKS reads this I'd still like to see a nice gut shot image. The only remaining problem with mine is that if you activate the 'Heavy' footswitch with the normall overdrive channel 'off' it kinda bleeds through a weak overdrive into your clean tone. So, you have to turn on the 1st channel and then activate the Heavy switch for high gain,then turn them both off for your clean tone. Not sure if this is normal. It would be nice to have heavy switch'on' with the pedal off and not affect your clean tone.

 

[thefruitfarmer]

Well, I did finally get a 3 sentance reply:
''Did you search our website??? Please go to our website and down load it from the Manuals page. That is all we have now.''
That kind of irked me, but I had already fixed it by then. All they have is the schematic I posted but Stax's post kinda cleared up whats going on.

That was the kind of reply I experienced from them.

Very frustrating, especially as I felt my issue could have been resolved with a single 5 minute phone call rather than an exchange of emails over several weeks.

Stewart Ward has really nothing to do with their current tech support. And unfortunately he is banned from the TDPRI [anybody know what happened there?] I know he can be kind of a short tempered gent, but I used to enjoy his posts.

They have an engineer doing the tech support, and engineers are often lacking in customer service skills. Shame really, if the customer service was as good as the products then the company would be doing a lot better IMO. Their cables are good value too, incidently.

 

[fretwhizzy]

I have had a JD-10 since the mid 90's and it is great with a telecaster, it's all I take to open mics and I get compliments about the sound regularly - people think it is a magic box lol.

I also have a blues baby 45 Watt combo I bought recently which is a decent amp.

However, when I bought the JD-10 in the 90's I was able to speak with Stuart Ward on the phone directly, which was great, and the preamp lived up to all expectations. 20 years later and it's still going strong - great as a DI box to record with as well. I did use it as a mic preamp the other week as well at an open mic night.

When I tried to contact them recently though the story is very different - they refuse to talk on the phone and don't answer emails promptly. Also, the tone of their emails leave something to be desired etc etc

Unfortunately, their customer service is feeble at the present time, which is letting them down really as the products are actually good.

I've a couple of JD10 as I liked the first one for recording particularly and came across a second as a spare for not too much. One I nodded taking out the footswitch so it could be racked up tidily in my studio.

I'm quite interested in the in the BB45. Care to share any more impressions? Which speaker you opted for? Other amps to which you could compare and contrast it? Enough volume to gig with a drummer?

 

[thefruitfarmer]

I'm quite interested in the in the BB45. Care to share any more impressions? Which speaker you opted for? Other amps to which you could compare and contrast it? Enough volume to gig with a drummer?

It is a good amp and what they say on the Award Session web site is all true in my experience.

Mine has the V type speaker and the amp has a really nice crunch to it with the drive control about half way. It responds well to my drive pedals, Boss DS-1 and OD-3.

It is light in weight and of a compact size. Like all one by twelve combos it is a bit unidirectional but it will drive an 8 ohm cab, if you want more spread.

I have put it next to a Peavey Bandit, which has a better "spanky" clean sound but the BB45 excels with a great crunch sound and the BB45 is loud enough to gig with a drummer.

If you are thinking of buying one I would suggest trying out the equivalents like Fender Blues Junior, Roland Blues Cube etc and then making an appointment to actually try a BB out in Basingstoke.

The problem I had with it was that the tone controls are overpowered, in that they can compensate when using a cheap guitar. With my guitar, Baja Tele, it is possible to generate too much bass and make the whole combo vibrate in an unpleasant way.

All in all though, a great small combo, I probably won't need anything else for a while now.

If you want one, and you could do a lot worse, my advice is to visit them and try one out. Dealing with their customer service after the event is just awful.

 

[fretwhizzy]

It is a good amp and what they say on the Award Session web site is all true in my experience.

Mine has the V type speaker and the amp has a really nice crunch to it with the drive control about half way. It responds well to my drive pedals, Boss DS-1 and OD-3.

It is light in weight and of a compact size. Like all one by twelve combos it is a bit unidirectional but it will drive an 8 ohm cab, if you want more spread.

I have put it next to a Peavey Bandit, which has a better "spanky" clean sound but the BB45 excels with a great crunch sound and the BB45 is loud enough to gig with a drummer.

If you are thinking of buying one I would suggest trying out the equivalents like Fender Blues Junior, Roland Blues Cube etc and then making an appointment to actually try a BB out in Basingstoke.

The problem I had with it was that the tone controls are overpowered, in that they can compensate when using a cheap guitar. With my guitar, Baja Tele, it is possible to generate too much bass and make the whole combo vibrate in an unpleasant way.

All in all though, a great small combo, I probably won't need anything else for a while now.

If you want one, and you could do a lot worse, my advice is to visit them and try one out. Dealing with their customer service after the event is just awful.

Thanks very much. That's very helpful!

 

[czech-one-2]

One more bump, does anybody out there own a JD-20?

 

[thefruitfarmer]

One more bump, does anybody out there own a JD-20?

No, but I can photograph the inside of my jd-10, if that would help.

 

[GigsbyBoyUK]

That was the kind of reply I experienced from them.

Very frustrating, especially as I felt my issue could have been resolved with a single 5 minute phone call rather than an exchange of emails over several weeks.



They have an engineer doing the tech support, and engineers are often lacking in customer service skills. Shame really, if the customer service was as good as the products then the company would be doing a lot better IMO. Their cables are good value too, incidently.

Yep - as an owner of several Session amps from the past I'd love to try an updated even better version, but my experience of the company has been poor so I'll pass. I totally understand him not being able to support owners of legacy products but being polite about it doesn't take any longer than being rude or abrupt. The tone of their communications is also often harsh, including making it clear they think that most players are stupid if they like valve amps.

 

[thefruitfarmer]

Yep - as an owner of several Session amps from the past I'd love to try an updated even better version, but my experience of the company has been poor so I'll pass. I totally understand him not being able to support owners of legacy products but being polite about it doesn't take any longer than being rude or abrupt. The tone of their communications is also often harsh, including making it clear they think that most players are stupid if they like valve amps.

I know, their customer service is really letting them down as a business.

I still maintain my issue could have been resolved with a 5 or 10 minute phone conversation rather than an email exchange over a couple of months.

My guess is that Mr Ward has now turned into a grumpy old man. When I spoke with him in the late 90's he was a gent. He really should pass the business on to someone else now who does n't put customers off, or employ a good customer services officer rather than let the electronic engineers mismanage customer enquiries... the investment would pay dividends in increased sales.

It is a great shame. A British built transistor amp, light weight and less expensive than equivalents, with a great sound should be able to sell many more units really.

A google of Award Session will show that they treat customer enquiries with real contempt. Just glad I got the nice amp before the business goes under.

 

[stax]

You know you're talking as if this is a big operation and it's not, a few years ago they were making guitar cables and doing the odd repair, then the RetroTone mods to the old amps before selling amp chassis for the dyer all run from his home.
I don't think he has a team of electronic engineers or has room or budget to employ a customer service officer.
He puts up all the manuals and info available on his site and proberbly just doesn't have the time to talk on the phone for 5 or 10 minutes to dozens of people everyday, he doesn't owe anything to people like me who gig with one of his amps that is 30 years old.

 

[thefruitfarmer]

You know you're talking as if this is a big operation and it's not, a few years ago they were making guitar cables and doing the odd repair then the RetroTone mods to the old amps before selling amp chassis for the dyer all run from his home.
I don't think he has a team of electronic engineers or has room or budget to employ a customer service officer.
He puts up all the manuals and info available on his site and proberbly just doesn't have the time to talk on the phone for 5 or 10 minutes to dozens of people everyday, he doesn't owe anything to people like me who gig with one of his amps that is 30 years old.

My point is that they would save time by being polite and efficient with their customer service.

 

[stax]

My point is that they would save time by being polite and efficient with their customer service.

Yea of course you're right it's nice to be nice and he does come across a bit short at times but I've never had any problems, in fact he did me a real favour a few years back with my Sessionette 75.
One thing's for sure he has made some great gear in the past and the new stuff is brilliant too.