New Amp Day!

Raymond Lin · #1 07-03-2016, 09:55 AM

This has been a long time coming, 8 month wait. A Lazy J - J20 from Jesse Hoff. It is basically a tweaked Tweed Deluxe with built in spring reverb tank and tube driven Tremolo, add a mid boost and bases cut switch as well, all running with 6L6 with a Celestion Blue.

Wonderful 3D sound, sweet sweet cleans and a crunch tone just to die for.

It's the amp Joe Bonamassa has here in the background.

Steve DeRosa · #2 07-03-2016, 01:54 PM

Looks sweet - what parameters do the knobs on the footswitch control...?

Raymond Lin · #3 07-03-2016, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Looks sweet - what parameters do the knobs on the footswitch control...?

The footswitch controls the amount of reverb and speed of the tremolo.

There is a master knob inside the amp for the reverb so if you foot switch allow a greater control, same goes for the trem. There is also an intensity knob on the amp too.

Bob Womack · #4 07-04-2016, 08:58 AM

Looks like fun!

Bob

Dru Edwards · #5 07-04-2016, 07:22 PM

Congrats Raymond! Seems like a great amp. I saw that Bonamassa video before (nice vid).

Also, great looking Les Paul!

Raymond Lin · #6 07-05-2016, 06:32 AM

Thanks Dru !

That video pretty much sold me the amp. On the surface the Lazy J is just another Tweed Deluxe Clone, and from afar it is no different than your Victoria which is much more readily available in the US. The builder, Jesse, is originally from Tennessee, and does all the work himself, all hand wired in his workshop in his house. He also has an original 1952 Gibson Les Paul !!! I've held it in person but didn't dream to play it….it's worth probably as much as my house lol.

Anyway, back to the amp. Jesse over the last couple of decades has built up quite a clientele, if you check out his site you can see how has one of his amps and it is all done through word of mouth. The tone you get is that quintessential Tweed Deluxe but with that extra something, it cuts through very well in a mix and still retain that 3D sound. Sure it is not as versatile as say a Mesa Transatlantic 30 but for Country, Blues, Jazz and Rock and anything from clean, hair of break up to crunch, this amp is the best there is.

And dare I say this and I am not alone in this, his amps will eventually become very collectable and valuable, not Dumble-esq status but it would only go up in value. The proof of this is that to buy a used one on the market currently, you are looking to pay between 80-90% of the price he charges for a new one. I know of no other amps that is still in product commands that level of residuals with so little depreciation. Most amps you will lose about 20% the moment you leave the store and after a few years, 30-40%, and eventually you would be lucky to get 50% back. There are of course exceptions but it’s often hard to predict but if a Lazy J costs 80% of a new one while he is still building them, I can only imagine the demand and price will be higher once he finishes. The beauty of course is because the amp is point to point hand wired, any decent tech will be able to service it in the future when Jesse hangs up his soldering iron.