Lazy J20 and alternatives?

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mrkbmrkb Frets: 6635
Having seen/heard the amazing tone Paul Sayer got from his Lazy J20s at the guitar show I started thinking that might be a great future amp once funds allow.

I then found it was based on a Tweed Deluxe, which is the amp model I use in most of my crunchy patches in my AXE FX. So does that mean there are alternatives to finding that J20 sound in a cheaper amp? Is the J20 significantly different to a tweed deluxe? Do Fender, Rift or Gartone make similar alternatives at a lower cost?
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Comments

  • mgawmgaw Frets: 5239
    plenty of tweed deluxes out there by numerous makers both expensive and cheaper......Lazy 20 sounds great as do others, tis loud!  depends how fussy you are I suppose
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  • MajorscaleMajorscale Frets: 1553
    edited February 2019
    Yep, there’s loads of Tweed Deluxes out there, both typical old school Fender clones or hot rods like the J20 (tweaks here include a GZ34 rectifier, very different power section with 6L6 valves producing 20 watts rather than 12-14 watt, a mid boost pull on the tone knob, a bass cut switch, VAC attenuator, Celestion Blue speakers, optional reverb and tremolo modules...). All the boutique hot rods aren’t cheap though...

    I would save up though, my J20 went head to head with a proper vintage Fender 5e3 and the J20 blew it away. I’ve also played a Rift and that also was sublime.
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  • When I first started looking I found http://tube-tone-engineering.co.uk/index.html probably the cheapest out there with any kind of built in attenuation. All the builders you've mentioned are great also.  

    The Lazy J works as a complete package as it can have reverb & trem built in, in a very lightweight portable format. There's also a good community out there.

    They come up from time to time in the classifieds or on the facebook group.


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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    The Lazy J is based on a Tweed Deluxe, but it's not just a clone.  As @Majorscale mentioned it has a GZ34 rectifier and 6L6 power valves, which make the low end tighter and less flubby.  I think the output transformer might be beefed up as well.

    The other key thing is that it normally comes with a Celestion Blue (or similar) speaker.  You could put a Blue into a conventional 5E3 Tweed Deluxe circuit, but it would add to the cost.
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  • My regular shout-out for the Cornell Romany family.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    uncledick said:
    My regular shout-out for the Cornell Romany family.
    Let's just say that my Romany Plus got sold pronto the first time I tried a Lazy J.
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  • crunchman said:
    uncledick said:
    My regular shout-out for the Cornell Romany family.
    Let's just say that my Romany Plus got sold pronto the first time I tried a Lazy J.
    I'll  be honest in that I've not tried a Lazy J but since buying my Romany Pro (at less than half the price) I've tried offerings from Tone-King, Friedman, Carr, Supro, Rift and Honey Boy.  The latter was probably my favourite out of those listed but nothing persuaded me to change.  FWIW, every Supro I've tried has struck me as over-rated and/or over-priced.
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16003
    I have played Lazy J extensively but having had the side by side experience of a Gartone Bluesman ,which isn't actually much cheaper from new I would say that in my opinion the Gartone is a superior amp - a fantastic amp ,in fact and incredibly loud for it's size.
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  • OssyrocksOssyrocks Frets: 1673
    Dominic said:
    I have played Lazy J extensively but having had the side by side experience of a Gartone Bluesman ,which isn't actually much cheaper from new I would say that in my opinion the Gartone is a superior amp - a fantastic amp ,in fact and incredibly loud for it's size.
    Wow. You’re the first person I have heard of that has done a side by side of these two.

    I love my Gartones.

    Rob

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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    Ossyrocks said:
    Dominic said:
    I have played Lazy J extensively but having had the side by side experience of a Gartone Bluesman ,which isn't actually much cheaper from new I would say that in my opinion the Gartone is a superior amp - a fantastic amp ,in fact and incredibly loud for it's size.
    Wow. You’re the first person I have heard of that has done a side by side of these two.

    I love my Gartones.

    Rob

    Me too absolutely superb amp.
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  • I’ve got a Rift Tweed 15, loaded with 6L6s and GZ34 so it puts out 20 watts, and it has the highly-efficient WGS Black and Blue speaker. It’s a belter of an amp and very loud, so loud in fact that I’m thinking of trying it with 6V6s to tame it a bit.

    I’ve owned three Lazy J 20s but I’ve moved them all on as they just don’t have enough clean headroom for me for gigs (we don’t mic up). They’re all about the tweed break-up sound imho, and for me it’s a lot of money to have tied up in a home-only amp. Plus the trem and reverb are in very awkward places. They do make a lovely noise though, if you like that sort of thing.

    I’ve also had a Victoria 1x12 5e3 type and that was a lovely amp, shouldn’t have sold that one...
    250+ positive trading feedbacks: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57830/
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    I can get the  "LazyJ sound" or rather the tone of their breakup/dynamics with a pedal or two (depending on whether I want to emulate a Celestion Blue rather than a Jensen) with my Tweed Deluxe.Is not really any big secret to a Lazy J, just a package that was presented to the market when the other major Tweed players stepped down their marketing - Fender and Victoria specifically ~ c. 2009
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    57Deluxe said:
    I can get the  "LazyJ sound" or rather the tone of their breakup/dynamics with a pedal or two (depending on whether I want to emulate a Celestion Blue rather than a Jensen) with my Tweed Deluxe.Is not really any big secret to a Lazy J, just a package that was presented to the market when the other major Tweed players stepped down their marketing - Fender and Victoria specifically ~ c. 2009

    Lazy J wasn't marketed initially.  It spread through word of mouth.  It got big when some of the guitar magazines picked up on it, but I'd already had mine a while by then.
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    /\ I didn't say it was marketed - I said 'presented' to the market... I too was on Jesse Hoff's original personal emailler Round Robins...
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    57Deluxe said:
    /\ I didn't say it was marketed - I said 'presented' to the market... I too was on Jesse Hoff's original personal emailler Round Robins...

    I didn't get those emails.  They just had one in Chandlers when I was in there.  Mine doesn't even have a Lazy J logo.  Jesse offered to put one on for me later, but I thought it was cool to have an early one like that without.
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  • Speak to Martin at MJW amps, they are excellent value and every bit as good as Lazy J.  Martin knows all the mods available to the circuit and can talk you though the options.

    Loving my MJW Tweed, can take 6L6.  
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411

    Speak to Martin at MJW amps, they are excellent value and every bit as good as Lazy J.  Martin knows all the mods available to the circuit and can talk you though the options.

    Loving my MJW Tweed, can take 6L6.  

    I'm sure they are very good.  If I was in the market for an amp now, I might explore some of those options.  When I bought my Lazy J, it was quite a lot cheaper than they are now.
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  • markjmarkj Frets: 910
    Dominic said:
    I have played Lazy J extensively but having had the side by side experience of a Gartone Bluesman ,which isn't actually much cheaper from new I would say that in my opinion the Gartone is a superior amp - a fantastic amp ,in fact and incredibly loud for it's size.
    Being an owner of a Bluesman, in what way is it superior to a LazyJ.
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    Why do none of the others offer onboard reverb and trem? Reverb is a deal breaker for me, since I use my guitar volume to control gain.
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    57Deluxe said:
    I can get the  "LazyJ sound" or rather the tone of their breakup/dynamics with a pedal or two (depending on whether I want to emulate a Celestion Blue rather than a Jensen) with my Tweed Deluxe.Is not really any big secret to a Lazy J, just a package that was presented to the market when the other major Tweed players stepped down their marketing - Fender and Victoria specifically ~ c. 2009
    What pedals for Celestion Blue?! That would be impressive!
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