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Original Tweed Deluxe - what are the options available today

MrNubs

Active member
Joined
Nov 2, 2019
Messages
170
there is a Lazy J shipment incoming to the USA shortly

and I'm thinking about a Lazy J 20, it comes with ... reverb - tremolo - reverb/trem foot sw - variac - switch between 6L6 and 6V6 - MId boost sw - Bass cut sw


at first i was fender deluxe

then victoria cause it had a half power switch

then i heard about lazy j

and then we know the list goes on

at this time with what you get i am unable to talk myself out of it

any advice or input would be appreciated

thanks
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
923
My advice for what it's worth is to really listen to the amp you have and decide if you need another one. I have a couple tweed Deluxe amps. One I paid $400 for and the other one I traded a guitar I didn't like for. They're great amps but if I had a Twin or something I would sound the same.

I'm really weary of the small companies that make copies of things (pedals, guitars, amps, etc...) but that's just me. If I pay a lot for something I want it to be different than something else. To each their own.

The one on the top here is a really great sounding box. I just had it all redone. I don't think anyone had touched it since the early 1970s.
 

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ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
Messages
691
You couldn't pay me to play a Lazy J. Victoria is the only company that makes a tweed amp correctly.
 

DutchRay

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Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
879
I love me some tweed. Here's my latest addition to the collection.
Marble Clubreverb, handmade in Holland and just wonderful! Volume, treble, bass and reverb, I have no further needs.

whatsapp-image-2022-06-02-at-2.50.28-pm.jpeg


whatsapp-image-2022-06-02-at-2.50.30-pm.jpeg
 

MrNubs

Active member
Joined
Nov 2, 2019
Messages
170
My advice for what it's worth is to really listen to the amp you have and decide if you need another one. I have a couple tweed Deluxe amps. One I paid $400 for and the other one I traded a guitar I didn't like for. They're great amps but if I had a Twin or something I would sound the same.

I'm really weary of the small companies that make copies of things (pedals, guitars, amps, etc...) but that's just me. If I pay a lot for something I want it to be different than something else. To each their own.

The one on the top here is a really great sounding box. I just had it all redone. I don't think anyone had touched it since the early 1970s.
thanks

i spy a silvery colored metal box
 

ADP

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
691
The OP has one comin’ and you waste no time shittin’ on his post, classy.
Spare the emotions. The OP will find out sooner or later on his own. I have good friends who help me minimize poor decisions when it comes to gear. I don't take it personally - it's all just gear. Everyone's got their own opinions and standards.
 

charliechitlins

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Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
1,256
I've never heard of Lazy J, but a grab-and-go 5E3 with 'verb and trem is something I've often thought about.
 

MrNubs

Active member
Joined
Nov 2, 2019
Messages
170
Spare the emotions. The OP will find out sooner or later on his own. I have good friends who help me minimize poor decisions when it comes to gear. I don't take it personally - it's all just gear. Everyone's got their own opinions and standards.
shipment incoming to USA, but not to me ... I'm still open to suggestions

so i assume your vote is Victoria 20112 ?
 

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
Messages
691
shipment incoming to USA, but not to me ... I'm still open to suggestions

so i assume your vote is Victoria 20112 ?
Absolutely. It isn't even a contest. The more shit you add, like reverb, to an already perfect design - the more it's not going to be what you want. You want a Victoria 20112 and ideally you want a pre-2005 Jensen P12R speaker in it. Though nowadays there is something called the Jensen P12R-F and it has an alternate cone and to my ears, sounds good enough out of the box. Otherwise you'll have to pump a good 30hrs of real solid use into a modern Jensen P12R to get it to loosen up and sound great.

Regardless of the speaker you decide on, the amp is guaranteed to get better and better evey day you own it. Unlike a Lazy J, Milkman, whatever else - they're all just playing in the game that Victoria has owned from the beginning.
 

gmann

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Joined
May 26, 2003
Messages
6,262
Spare the emotions. The OP will find out sooner or later on his own. I have good friends who help me minimize poor decisions when it comes to gear. I don't take it personally - it's all just gear. Everyone's got their own opinions and standards.
You ever played one?
 
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rockabilly69

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Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,930
Absolutely. It isn't even a contest. The more shit you add, like reverb, to an already perfect design - the more it's not going to be what you want. You want a Victoria 20112 and ideally you want a pre-2005 Jensen P12R speaker in it. Though nowadays there is something called the Jensen P12R-F and it has an alternate cone and to my ears, sounds good enough out of the box. Otherwise you'll have to pump a good 30hrs of real solid use into a modern Jensen P12R to get it to loosen up and sound great.

Regardless of the speaker you decide on, the amp is guaranteed to get better and better evey day you own it. Unlike a Lazy J, Milkman, whatever else - they're all just playing in the game that Victoria has owned from the beginning.
And that's why we have forums, for the different opinions...

I wouldn't say Vicky owns the modern 5E3 builds, and I'm a Victoria fan (I also own a Victoria Regal II), but I've played many original 5E3s (forum member Professortwang owns two of them and his are perfectly maintained) and my Clark Beaufort Premium is closest I've heard to an original, and I've played more than one or two Victorias 20112s.

I think Gerald Weber would agree with me too....


here's a few people that discussed this very subject... https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/5e3-tweed-deluxe-clark-or-victoria.617240/


Here's my amp with a Gibson L5s (with a little Hermida reverb which is barely on)...

 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
11,036
Lazy J's are fantastic!

I have both Victoria's and Clarks and like them each for different reasons.

On a 59/60 Bassman the Victorias are very close to the originals when they were maybe 5-10 years old but the Clark offering has a bit more "opened up older" sparkle IMO.

There are tons of tweed circuits out there.

I have an affinity for the Bassman side of things and have many that are power scaled back and have add ons.

Victoria SilverSonic, Richter RS33, Clark Piedmont, Victoria 45410.

Each has their spot.

I have played Lazy J's and will tell you that you will not be let down with it.

If I get another in the tweed deluxe type it will be a Clark.

On that front I have a Fender made into a head only.

It is cool.
 

Professortwang

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
761
Original Fender tweed deluxes are challenging to find for a reasonable price. I don't know much about Lazy J amplifiers. Victoria amps are fantastic! Really high build quality and they sound fantastic. There are a lot of great clones, the 5E3 is probably the most copied circuit in existence. Speaker choice, transformers , and tubes have the biggest impact on the voice of a amplifier.
 

Professortwang

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
761
Lazy J's are fantastic!

I have both Victoria's and Clarks and like them each for different reasons.

On a 59/60 Bassman the Victorias are very close to the originals when they were maybe 5-10 years old but the Clark offering has a bit more "opened up older" sparkle IMO.

There are tons of tweed circuits out there.

I have an affinity for the Bassman side of things and have many that are power scaled back and have add ons.

Victoria SilverSonic, Richter RS33, Clark Piedmont, Victoria 45410.

Each has their spot.

I have played Lazy J's and will tell you that you will not be let down with it.

If I get another in the tweed deluxe type it will be a Clark.

On that front I have a Fender made into a head only.

It is cool
I would love to try out a silversonic. I'm curious about your opinion however I don't want to derail the thread.
 
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ourmaninthenorth

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Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,210
Played a few Lazy J's, Jesse makes good amps.

The room is crowded with other makers doing the same.

This comparison dodge for me is a dead end, play as many as you can, narrow it down to a preference, pay your dough. Take the amp home.

Rinse and repeat if necessary until one has convinced oneself one knows what ones doing, and have 8 versions of the same feckin thing to cover all bases.

End of errand.

Or is it....???
 
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jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
6,237
A "proper tweed" is the big hole in my arsenal.

Each time I get tempted, then go down a rabbit hole and descend into indecision.

I have constant yearnings for Louis Electrics.

For a time, I was enamored of Swart... now I ponder Victoria...

Do I have too many amps and not enough space and time...?

All the while I keep using Tweed Mode on some friggin' amp from Petaluma! :cool:

@MrNubs - best of luck luck in your tone quest. It's the 'Chasin' It' that matters.
 
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