Johnny started using a Roland JC-120 amp sometime in the mid-80s, alongside his Fender Twin Reverb. This amp combination was what he would use in 1984 and 1985 for live gigs, and he would use the amp until around 1987, although at that point not as regularly.
Roland JC-120 was a brand-new innovation [at the time]. To use a Roland amp was very unusual and exciting and a lot of people did it. I got one as soon as I could afford one. I had a Fender Twin, but the next thing I got was a JC-120, and those two amps fired together were really quite amazing. That was a big part of my sound, you know, that clean, chorus-y sound. The interesting thing is that now—many, many, many years later—kids still ask me about playing the JC-120. They like that sound. I’ve had quite a few people really geeking out over the JC-120.
Johnny Marr – Guitar Antihero
The Fender twin has got loads of power and that handles the bottom to mid range. The Fender has also got the best reverb, so I just let the Roland handle the top end most of the time; it’s a dream and sounds great.
Johnny Marr – Guitarist Magazine, February 1985
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