LJ20 Help Please!

StuartMac290

This is partly the problem I had with the Lazy J modules - they didn't sound all that great, and the trem one in particular caused havoc with the rest of the circuit, to the point Jesse ended up building me an entirely new amp from scratch. If I ever get another one it won't have the modules installed. 

crunchman

StuartMac290 said:

This is partly the problem I had with the Lazy J modules - they didn't sound all that great, and the trem one in particular caused havoc with the rest of the circuit, to the point Jesse ended up building me an entirely new amp from scratch. If I ever get another one it won't have the modules installed. 

I got a really early one, so it didn't have a lot of the bells and whistles.  I got Jesse to retrofit the VAC, and I've thought about getting him to add the reverb module but never got around to it.  I always thought it would be good to do one day, but now I'm beginning to wonder.  I've got a Big Sky, so it's not like I don't have decent reverb.

Lebarque

The problem with using a reverb pedal in front is that the amount of reverb goes up and down as you use you guitar volume knob to control gain: less with your clean sound and more with dirty (the opposite to how I want it!) Any solutions@StuartMac ?

I was therefore considering getting the reverb module fitted too, but maybe won't bother, if it's not stellar.

BBBlues

I think I'd go for one without modules too. Isn't the VAC just a resistor anyway?

DJH83004

BBBlues said:

I think I'd go for one without modules too. Isn't the VAC just a resistor anyway?

No it’s a power mosfet from memory

mattdavis

I bloody love my reverb module. Very tempted to get the trem fitted to make a hugely useful grab and go combo but my Flint does a good - and more versatile - job at the mo. 

BBBlues

DJH83004 said:

BBBlues said:

I think I'd go for one without modules too. Isn't the VAC just a resistor anyway?

No it’s a power mosfet from memory

Ah, a voltage controlled variable resistor? 

hotpickups

mattdavis said:

I bloody love my reverb module. Very tempted to get the trem fitted to make a hugely useful grab and go combo but my Flint does a good - and more versatile - job at the mo. 

Yes I agree. Little point in going with a trem module when you have one of the best trem pedals out there i.e. Flint. Used to have one but moved it on as I had real estate issue only board. Still want one again one day though

RaymondLin

I bought it with the kitchen sink purely because you might as well!

jimification

I thought the trem was fabulous on the LJ20 watter I tried - do owners really not rate it that highly?

RaymondLin

jimification said:

I thought the trem was fabulous on the LJ20 watter I tried - do owners really not rate it that highly?

To be fair, the additional cost to add trem is nominal in the grand scheme of things.

ruoma

The reverb might not be the greatest, but at least it's inline and doesn't squeeze your tone. It sound like part of the amp and not an effect!

StuartMac290

Lebarque said:

The problem with using a reverb pedal in front is that the amount of reverb goes up and down as you use you guitar volume knob to control gain: less with your clean sound and more with dirty (the opposite to how I want it!) Any solutions@StuartMac ?

I was therefore considering getting the reverb module fitted too, but maybe won't bother, if it's not stellar.

I don't really have a solution, because I don't really use much reverb live anyway, and virtually none in the studio, where I'd rather add it at the mix. I pretty much never use reverb on gritty dirt sounds like the Lazy J excels at either, so I'm not much use here!

That said, when I got my Louis Columbia I still had my J20, and was able to compare the reverb and trem on both directly, and it was an absolute no contest. The Lazy J ones were very much just ok.

Put it this way, if either of those modules were a stand alone pedal there's no way you'd pay the price for them - they're not exactly cheap. That coupled with the fact the trem caused endless problems with the amps I had is why I wouldn't buy those options again.

FWIW the Fulltone SupaTrem 2 is the most amp-like trem pedal I have heard, has tap tempo, and one of the best line drivers for a pair of amps I've used.

SunDevil

Forgive the ignorance, is this a reverb pan / spring reverb or is it a chip?

Ditto the trem - bias variation (pre or power) or a chip driven effect in the loop?

For this money, I'd expect it all to be done very properly, but those modules look pretty compact and no pics of the bottom of the cabinet to spot a reverb pan

SunDevil

Think I've answered my own questions here

1) Yes, pan reverb is a ECC83 driving send and return
2) Bias trem on the same valves as the VAC is controlling voltage on (possibly brave!), so assume then the power valves

hoops

Have you got your amp back yet? Thread seems to have died. 

horsehead

Agree with @hoops what happened to your amp?

JerkMoans

Thanks for the interest: still waiting. By Crom it had better be good when it’s done...

ruoma

Provided you use the volume knob on your guitar, it Very much is!

hoops

JerkMoans said:

Thanks for the interest: still waiting. By Crom it had better be good when it’s done...

I'm sure it will be!