Lazy J20 hype ...

garfy · February 2017

miserneil said:

One of the big draws for me is the fact that the builder is on the end of the phone/email if there is a problem. I've told this story a few times but the first time I was in contact with Jesse is when I had bought a J20 (off the Musicradar forum) and I thought it was very average so I bunged it on eBay to shift it.

This was in the early days of Lazy J and Jesse contacted me via eBay to ask why I was selling and what I didn't lie about it. I told him it was flat as a turd! He asked for the serial number and then explained that it was a custom order and that he had modified it to the customers requests as it was built.

He offered to return it to stock FOC and if I still didn't like it, he would give me some names of people on his waiting list that would probably buy it.

I didn't have the time to take it back to him so he arranged to have the required parts sent to me, again FOC, and we then had a Skype call where he sat and talked me through for a good hour how to go about reversing the mods and bring it back to stock, which we did over Skype! And all this bearing in mind he hadn't seen a penny of my cash as I had bought it second hand!

Service like that can't be underestimated IMO.

Wow! Wazmeister (whom I was lucky enough to buy my J20 from) told me a similar story regarding the amp I bought...Jesse was incredibly generous with his time & knowledge. I haven't met Jesse but seems to me the guy is totally committed and has genuine love & pride in what he does! Worth the money just for that.

Wazmeister · February 2017

Yep, I bought a used LJ too and spoke to Jesse... went to his home, was welcomed, and he worked on and revalved and 'tuned' my amp up. Im not sure what he did, but he transformed it...

Lovely guy, awesome guitarist.

So, back to the thread... these amps may be 'hyped', but not by Jesse. According to what he told me, he never does forums and indeed has very little interest in them.

They are quite simply great amps that deliver. As ever, imho and ymmv etc etc

smogfalls · February 2017

CloudNine said:

Wazmeister said:

It is strange how almost every Lazy J owner really really sings their praises... meaning, that there is something a bit special about them... I am an ex-owner but wouldn't hesitate to own one again.

They remain a very special amp to me...

Hmmm... Not really strange at all... What will be strange is when we start reading posts from people saying how completely shite the amp is that they have just spent £2k on. I am yet to see that.

People like to re-assure themselves that what they have spent big bucks on, is worth the money and the best you can get, and posting words on a forum helps that, particularly if other owners respond to support it.

That may be the case for some people... but if you're at all discerning or have anything about you as a player then you wouldn't simply live with a shite amp just cos it cost a large wad of cash!!

ThorpyFX · February 2017

You know, we are quite lucky really, Jesse has taken his experience, applied to an attractive design and produced an amp that is truly a thing of beauty both sonically and visually.

This has occurred in Britain, meaning:
a) we aren't stiffed by the exchange rate,
b) Its set at a fair price (I refer you to anything mesa in this country!!!)
c) you are supporting Jesse who is a great guy
d) you are buying one of those rare things in the guitar world, something that doesn't really depreciate much.

Whats not to like?

robinbowes · February 2017

ThorpyFX said:

Whats not to like?

Amen, brother

R.

peteri · February 2017

Gassage said:

Ossyrocks said:

Modulus_Amps said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGCvLstPrE

Jo Bo stated on another forum that he was no longer using them, gave them away, complained that they kept blowing up apparently, probably the les paul forum???

They did sound good at the London guitar show last year.

Jesse was absolutely furious about that post as seemingly Joe had ran them in a way guaranteed to blow them up and Jesse repaired them- can't recall the detail.

Sorry this is something I don't understand. How (unless you change the input voltage) can you do any damage?

surely a well built amp can stand whatever you can set the controls to?

genuinely curious

4114Effects · February 2017

peteri said:

Gassage said:

Ossyrocks said:

Modulus_Amps said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGCvLstPrE

Jo Bo stated on another forum that he was no longer using them, gave them away, complained that they kept blowing up apparently, probably the les paul forum???

They did sound good at the London guitar show last year.

Jesse was absolutely furious about that post as seemingly Joe had ran them in a way guaranteed to blow them up and Jesse repaired them- can't recall the detail.

Sorry this is something I don't understand. How (unless you change the input voltage) can you do any damage?

surely a well built amp can stand whatever you can set the controls to?

genuinely curious

Maybe a deliberate impedance mismatch? Running flat out with the wrong impedance cab can put the OT under stress. Only thing I can think of. But then again it's a combo, so that's not likely. Running without ventilation - i.e. in a flightcase? I'm clutching at straws here

Neil · February 2017

miserneil said:

One of the big draws for me is the fact that the builder is on the end of the phone/email if there is a problem. I've told this story a few times but the first time I was in contact with Jesse is when I had bought a J20 (off the Musicradar forum) and I thought it was very average so I bunged it on eBay to shift it.

This was in the early days of Lazy J and Jesse contacted me via eBay to ask why I was selling and what I didn't like about it. I told him it was as flat as a turd! He asked for the serial number and then explained that it was a custom order and that he had modified it to the customers requests as it was built.

He offered to return it to stock FOC and if I still didn't like it, he would give me some names of people on his waiting list that would probably buy it.

I didn't have the time to take it back to him so he arranged to have the required parts sent to me, again FOC, and we then had a Skype call where he sat and talked me through, for a good hour, how to go about reversing the mods and bring it back to stock, which we then did over Skype! And all this bearing in mind he hadn't seen a penny of my cash as I had bought it second hand!

Service like that can't be underestimated IMO.

I actually think what Jesse did was a very sensible move to divert any bad publicity.

You obviously thought your J20 was no good so you were pushing onto ebay to get rid.

Somebody else would have bought it, realised it was horrible and moved it on etc etc until there were quite a few people in the guitar world who were unhappy with Lazy J's and may well have broadcast it on forums etc.

Realising your one for sale was a custom design Jesse headed off any future bad press by altering your amp back to stock.

A very sensible rather than completely altruistic move IMO.

TheBigDipper · February 2017

Neil said:

miserneil said:

<snip>

I actually think what Jesse did was a very sensible move to divert any bad publicity.

You obviously thought your J20 was no good so you were pushing onto ebay to get rid.

Somebody else would have bought it, realised it was horrible and moved it on etc etc until there were quite a few people in the guitar world who were unhappy with Lazy J's and may well have broadcast it on forums etc.

Realising your one for sale was a custom design Jesse headed off any future bad press by altering your amp back to stock.

A very sensible rather than completely altruistic move IMO.

We'll never know the motive behind it unless he comes on and tells us. You might be correct, but it's a nicer world if we all believe he was just being a nice guy who wanted people to like his amps "just because".

Now, if we looked at his accounts and found the time spent putting that amp back to standard spec had been billed to "marketing/PR" then maybe... :-)

jpfamps · February 2017

It should be born in mind that any after sales service is NOT free, and pricing needs to reflect this.

ThePrettyDamned · February 2017

jpfamps said:

It should be born in mind that any after sales service is NOT free, and pricing needs to reflect this.

So much wisdom in this.

I have purchased quite a bit of kit from a photographic supplier that specs and imports direct from factory. You can pick up the same items for a bit less (only 10-15% mind) from eBay but you lose after sales support, which this company delivers in spades. Try getting that from some dodgy Amazon store that is based in China or 'EU' (dispatch from Hong Kong).

@Wazmeister has waxed lyrical about the service from Jesse and if that is consistent (and why wouldn't it be?) it gives him a darn good reason for a bit of a mark up.

And frankly, they're expensive - but they're not exactly insane prices. Mesas in this country are MAD expensive for a mass produced amp.

rockmonster · February 2017

There's a fully loaded J20 on eBay now £2250 Ono. Good price would be?

FreddieVanHalen · February 2017

ThorpyFX said:

Whats not to like?

For some people, and I am genuinely not referencing anyone on this thread, I think the problem is probably someone else's success and dedication.

fretfinder · February 2017

The new price for a Victoria 20112 is £2300, no VAC, no reverb, no trem, no Blue, and not as powerful/loud as a Lazy J20. You don't tend to see threads on here about the Vicky hype, what a ripoff they are, so much money for such a simple circuit etc. Yep they're from the States but even so.

Ditto the Carr Rambler which is also £2300, but they're a larger scale business which probably helps them to keep prices down a bit.

Jus sayin...

Ossyrocks · February 2017

fretfinder said:

The new price for a Victoria 20112 is £2300, no VAC, no reverb, no trem, no Blue, and not as powerful/loud as a Lazy J20. You don't tend to see threads on here about the Vicky hype, what a ripoff they are, so much money for such a simple circuit etc. Yep they're from the States but even so.

Ditto the Carr Rambler which is also £2300, but they're a larger scale business which probably helps them to keep prices down a bit.

Jus sayin...

That's true, but they are imports as you say, so the prices reflect that too.

Used prices on Victorias are much more reasonable. I got my Victoria Super (35210) off a guy on ebay who didn't sell it after listing it three times. Half the price of a used Lazy J20 and it's a cracking amp.

Rob

robinbowes · February 2017

So, what you're saying is that depreciation on Victoria amps is significant, and Lazy Js hold their value well.

Glad we're clear on that

R.

Ossyrocks · February 2017

robinbowes said:

So, what you're saying is that depreciation on Victoria amps is significant, and Lazy Js hold their value well.

Glad we're clear on that

R.

I suppose so yes.

But more specifically, there are some great amps out there, in the same ballpark as Lazy J, for a lot less money.

I still want to try a J20 though, or maybe I don't, just in case I have to have one after trying it.

Here's a thing though, I've owned 100's of amps (literally) and the only one I ever bought new was in 1988 (Boogie Studio 22). The bargains are in buying secondhand.

Rob

Gassage · February 2017

One of the things I always note about a Lazy J is its love of P90's and humbuckers.

When I plug a Les Paul into mine I smile. Into the Hiwatt it's a bit 'meh'.

And vice versa with single coils- the Hiwatt comes alive, the Lazy J is a bit 'meh'.

RaymondLin · February 2017

Also, isn't hype normally implies the initial period? If something has been out for like a decade, and it is still perceived to be good, I don't think it's hype anymore, it's just good. Like there is no hype regarding the Godfather is a good movie; it's just a good movie.

Gassage · February 2017

I have to agree with @RaymondLin

LJ's are tried and tested now. Very much a go-to option for many.

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