Jose Arredondo's hot-rodded British heads sit behind a good share of the high-gain rock tone players still chase. Each one was a hand-modified amp rather than a production model, and working players sought them out for the added sustain, richer harmonics, tighter low end and the way they answered to the hands.
Dave Friedman developed the Jose-20 with Marisol Arredondo, Jose's daughter, as a 20-watt take on the Jose 100 head. The combo runs two EL84s and four 12AX7s into a Celestion G12M-65 Creamback, on custom-made transformers, handcrafted in Los Angeles.
Volume I and Volume II are bridged internally, so the classic channel-jumping blend is there without a patch cable. The Plexi/Gain switch brings in a true additional gain stage, Fat adds body, punch and low end, and the three-position Gain Style switch revoices the circuit across three Jose-inspired gain structures. A System Master Volume and a transparent series effects loop round it out.
SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Type: 20-Watt All-Tube 1×12 Combo
Transformers: Custom made
Built: Handcrafted in Los Angeles, California
Dimensions: 11.5″ (D) x 18.75″ (W) x 16.75″ (H)
Weight: 45 lbs
POWER
Power Tubes: 2 x EL84
Preamp Tubes: 4 x 12AX7
SPEAKERS
Speaker: Celestion G12M-65 Creamback
CONTROLS
Controls: Presence, System Volume, Post M.V.C., Bass, Middle, Treble, Pre M.V.C., Volume I, Volume II, Gain
Volume: Internally bridged Volume I & II
Switches: Plexi/Gain, Fat, three-position Gain Style
Master: System Master Volume
Effects Loop: Transparent series effects loop
WARRANTY
Warranty: Limited 5-Year Warranty
