And now for a contentious Lazy J thread..

Wazmeister

Skipped said:

It is difficult to judge an amp when an audition at a music retailer is impossible or rarely possible.

For example: I think it is perfectly possible that the Gartone Bluesmaster is the greatest 5E3 style amp being produced anywhere in the world at this moment. Who knows?

From my personal point of view/preference, when making a judgement on something I have actually tried,  I always ask myself if the clean sound alone is awesome enough for me to climb over barbed wire to get to it.....

And there we have it, a great post mate

Gassage

Hey, I know nothing about amp innards- I just like my LJ...

randomhandclaps

Gassage said:

Hey, I know nothing about amp innards- I just like my LJ...

Precisely.  Which is as much as matters for each owner.  If something makes you smile when you play through it then it's worth every penny.  If it doesn't float someone else's boat it doesn't make you or they wrong or lacking some understanding.

ourmaninthenorth

A wise man once said..."comparisons are odious, which do you prefer? "  

I buy what I like, sometimes that's in tune with the current accepted wisdom, often times it isn't.

All these great white hopes change hands an awful lot don't you find? 

This isn't a competition, this is a journey. 

I am now off to gaze at my navel......

Skipped

ourmaninthenorth said:

All these great white hopes change hands an awful lot don't you find? 

The most interesting current for sale ad (IMO) is the Mint Condition, Almost new, True Historic :-O   Gibson Les Paul R6 at Coda.
I am not doubting the guitar in any way.
I am just saying I would love to know the story behind such a hasty flip.

jimification

While we're on the subject, how are they at low volumes? (ie: late night home playing)  was really thinking about a Carr Skylark but it's hard to ignore the LJ20 with so much positive feedback...

Has anyone compared the two? (I realise they're based on different circuits / sounds)

thanks.

simonk

jimification;718629" said:

While we're on the subject, how are they at low volumes? (ie: late night home playing)  was really thinking about a Carr Skylark but it's hard to ignore the LJ20 with so much positive feedback...

If you have the VAC option, then it can be pretty manageable. It sounds it's best at reasonable volume though.

ourmaninthenorth

Skipped said: ourmaninthenorth said: All these great white hopes change hands an awful lot don't you find? 

The most interesting current for sale ad (IMO) is the Mint Condition, Almost new, True Historic :-O   Gibson Les Paul R6 at Coda.
I am not doubting the guitar in any way.
I am just saying I would love to know the story behind such a hasty flip.



Similarly, there is a used CC#24 (Nicky) going in the States for less than the price of whatever Gibson is calling the Historic line today...

I think the initial thrill of the chase, and the posting on Forums like this of..."look what I've bought Lads.." soon becomes yesterdays news, ergo the "best guitar/amp/pedal etc etc I've ever played " soon finds itself fading onto page 3 of the classifieds. 

It's not the Guitar or Amp makers fault, it's the buyers...more about public approval and ego, than owning a piece of equipment that is actually going to become part of ones playing life.

Just an opinion Gentlemen, not having a specific pop at anyone. 

Wazmeister

@jimification - actually, with the VAC they are wonderful at low home volumes...

BUT, there is my old Skylark in the classifieds, and it is a truly wonderful amp, and THE perfect home volumes.

firepaulmusic

Plugged a CS Strat into one in Chandlers and just thought it was ok, nothing better than many other small Fender style combos...

JohnPerry

BluesyDave

Have a LOL John    

IvisonGuitars

Here's my take on it.

I got my first J20 over 4 years ago and many of you who were on the MR forum would have no doubt seen me extolling the virtues much like @Wazmeister and @Gassage are currently. After 4 years, i've had the J20, the J20H & a J40. They are great amps. The J20 is based on a 5E3 circuit but modified to be more reliable for a start as well as having the Jesse Hoff 'special sauce' added.

I personally don't get the 'Best Amp in the World' hype. It's a great, great sounding amp for sure but essentially for the Tweed sound. It won't do a chiming Vox, nor will it do a screaming Plexi. The Best Amp in the World can be different things to different people.

The J20 in my mind is to the 5E3 Fender Deluxe what the Matchless DC30 is to the Vox AC30. A  superior sounding (in my view), better built, more roadworthy version of a classic amp with it's extra little 3D thing going on.

 For what it's worth, I think the Gartone Bluesman 18w is the best 5E3 amp I've ever heard by a fair margin. I've no doubt that the @RiftAmps version is equally as good, i've not tried one yet...

I do love my J20H, I found the standard version a little lacking for my style and the extra headroom of the J20H really helps me cut through against a loud backline. The Reverb and Tremolo are indeed sublime, even more so in the J40 (the highlight for me in that amp, but more more of that some other time...). I would love Jesse to be able to offer them as a pedal/standalone unit one day. That said, since the end of last year i've been using my Bad Cat Black Cat and Top Hat Emplexador almost exclusively. Tastes and situations/gigs change and often dictate different tones. 

I have to say I feel that mentioning the client list against another builder is a bit below the belt personally. What does it really mean? PT, NG, PW all very well, hell, even I'm on there. Nalle Colt seems to have his J20's as a permanent fixture but I notice PT had his line up of VibroKings back at Glasto right? And Weller is never seen without a Lead & Bass Combo, not his J80. They are just as GAS afflicted as the rest of us and I don't think it's fair to 'score' one builder against another on how many famous clients they have.

Anyway, I'm rambling and not sure what my point was now...

 

ourmaninthenorth

Have a wisdom...

RaymondLin

Okay, J20 aside.

What is consider one of the best 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe amp out there that has a full reverb tank built in (instead of digital), around 20w with good attenuation too. 

IvisonGuitars

RaymondLin said:

Okay, J20 aside.

What is consider one of the best 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe amp out there that has a full reverb tank built in (instead of digital), around 20w with good attenuation too. 

The J20. That's part of it's USP.

RaymondLin

miserneil said:

RaymondLin said:

Okay, J20 aside.

What is consider one of the best 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe amp out there that has a full reverb tank built in (instead of digital), around 20w with good attenuation too. 

The J20. That's part of it's USP.

Ok, so none?

Just looking for any other contender for a Fender clean, with a real reverb tank, I figure might as well try one out!  Even though I have a plenty of good reverb pedals.

IvisonGuitars

RaymondLin;718959" said:

miserneil said:






RaymondLin said:

Okay, J20 aside.

What is consider one of the best 5E3 Fender Tweed Deluxe amp out there that has a full reverb tank built in (instead of digital), around 20w with good attenuation too. 





The J20. That's part of it's USP.





Ok, so none?

Just looking for any other contender for a Fender clean, with a real reverb tank, I figure might as well try one out!  Even though I have a plenty of good reverb pedals.

New Fender Princeton/Deluxe reissue line?

timmysoft

Throw all the Lazy J's in the bin I say.

Wazmeister

Bollocks to it...

Now I'm not getting public approval, and my ego stroked, I'm gonna sell mine...