Anyone tried Johnson Loredo T25R?

[MrTrash]

Has anyone out there had a chance to try out the new Johnson Amps Loredo T25R all-tube guitar amp? It's configured very much like a Fender Blues Junior at just over half the price. This is the amp I'm talking about:

 

http://www.johnsongtr.com/Loredo_Tube.1014.0.html

 

They also make something called a tube hybrid amp that I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole! I think the Fender Blues Junior sounds decent (well, not the reverb!!) and if this Loredo could replicate the "Fender clean" sound I'd likely snatch on up!

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[petezilla]

Greetings. I am also looking for information about a Johnson T25R. I saw one review on Harmony Central from last December by Fuzzy Duck but haven't seen any thing else. I found an owners manual on a German store site but not much info available about this amp at all.

 

Am also looking at Fender Blues Jr but not flexible enough for me with limited input output. Also played a Guitar Center Crate Palamino that sounded really good, nice clean channel and good overdrive, but sstill not the I/O options I am looking for.

 

Anyone have any more information? How does this amp sound?

 

Thanks,

Pete

Wilm DE

[LEVIATHON]

Ill let you know. I ordered two and they should be hear by wednesday.

 

 

The Family Snake...

[MrTrash]

You ordered 2 of them? Wow, now that takes some guts! I'll be waiting to see what you think. I've had some feedback from a couple of sales guys who swear these are the real deal with clean tones like Fender but I'm not sure you can really trust a sales guy, if you know what I mean. My main concern is the ambient noise. I had an Epiphone Valve Jr. and the tone was very nice but it buzzed like a nest of hornets!! Guitar Center happily took it back as I don't feel like messing with any mods beyond changing tubes or speakers.

 

Good luck with the Loredos! I'm poised and ready to order if they don't turn out to be steaming piles - hehe.

[LEVIATHON]

You ordered 2 of them? Wow, now that takes some guts! I'll be waiting to see what you think. I've had some feedback from a couple of sales guys who swear these are the real deal with clean tones like Fender but I'm not sure you can really trust a sales guy, if you know what I mean. My main concern is the ambient noise. I had an Epiphone Valve Jr. and the tone was very nice but it buzzed like a nest of hornets!! Guitar Center happily took it back as I don't feel like messing with any mods beyond changing tubes or speakers.

 

Good luck with the Loredos! I'm poised and ready to order if they don't turn out to be steaming piles - hehe.

 

Heh heh, I think Ive the best deal on a tube amp in world history. Very good. Very very good. I like it better than a blues junior or a pro juinor. It has an in out wet dry mix knob on the back. The reverb is good, but could be deeper. Can get some real crunch out of it using high gain settings. I feel fortunate to have these. Stereo delay and chorus, here I come...

 

 

Rob

[MrTrash]

Very cool to hear these are nice amps! Is there any hiss or hum other than what might be considered normal for a tube jobber? I was put off by the Epiphone Valve series amps because of the high noise levels! Clean tones are most important to me because I'll be using this amp for small practices and in my modest home studio. My Bad Monkey can always provide the dirt if I need it. Of course it would be nice to get those tubes cooking, too!

 

Anyway, cool that you like your new amps! I suppose clips would be asking too much? (hehe)

[petezilla]

Laviathon. Congratulations!!!

 

and Thanks for the information. I've been looking at this amp about a month, and playing others but nothing's just said buy me. Was even considering kits. Anyway I'll be ordering one tonight or tomorrow. I want to get it by next Friday as I've got an annual weekend jam with old music buds (not too old). We go away load our gear into a beach house for a 3 days and play some blues, catch up, play rock, play ballads, catch up, maybe write something, record some, have beer... etc (we all have other day jobs)

 

I'm in Wilm/Philly area and gonna try a music shop in Landsdowne PA, depending on price. He said he could get one in a couple days.

 

MrTrash - Thanks for asking the questions. Good luck with yours.

 

OK. I gotta get on the phone and web. I'm shoppin'.

 

Psyched,

Pete

 

PS I'm also interested in the noise level on the T25R. Any comments?

[MrTrash]

By the way, I don't know what the going street price is for these amps but Chad at Musician's Storehouse was very nice and prompt answering some of my technical questions regarding the Loredo. Here is his contact information:

 

Chad Heath

www.MusiciansStorehouse.com

Toll Free 866-458-8687

Outside U.S. 208-524-4855

 

The quoted price was $247(and change) and that includes shipping for free in the ConUS. Seems like the customer service would probably be good based on how quickly and thoroughly they took care of me.

 

Thanks...

[petezilla]

Thanks MrTrash. Did it! Ordered from local music store (about 20 miles from here. Great guy there. Makes his own Ukes. Think I'll give Joe a plug

 

Todaro's Music

28 N. Lansdowne Ave.

Lansdowne, PA 19050

Phone: (610) 623-3555

Fax: (610) 690-0283

http://www.worldfrets.com/

 

He called Johnson in California and said they're having great response to this amp. They ship east coast from TN and I should have it next week. Didn't even talk price, figure it'll be less than 300 and I can pick it up at the store. Plus he's got interesting instruments to play with in his shop. He was at Winter NAMM this year with his instruments.

 

Will post when I get it. Or sooner.

 

Pete

[LEVIATHON]

As far as hum and hiss... I consider this a quiet amp compared to some others Ive played on. Its not perfectly silent by any means, but nor is it a loud hum or hiss. Typical tube amp in that regard.

 

You can get some seriously good tones out of these. More versitile than a pro junior or blues junior. Im very happy with this purchase.

 

A great first shot at a tube amp for Johnson, for sure.

 

I payed 260 a piece for mine. Shipped. Great great price. Wish I had the link to the guy I bought from. He had it drop shipped from the west coast supplier for me since he didnt have any in stock. I could look it up if anyone is interested. Did I mention... These amps are GORGEOUS!

 

 

Rob

[bsinda]

I want to put that post up to know if anyone else has this amp. I want a nice tube, with 1 FX loop . I was thinking abouth this one because of his weight.

[EdMan57]

I just received mine yesterday.So far,I really like it...though I think one of the 12AX7WA [or both] tubes is bad.With the gain at near max levels the overdrive gives a raspy buzz and tone becomes quite thin,while cranking the master and lowering the gain give a sweet,full Fender meets Vox tone.The reverb is nice and the fx loop with mix control is excellent.

 

One surprise is how well the amp is built.The knobs,switches,jacks and cabinet feel and look quite sturdy.The only downer [beside the bum tube] is the speaker has a tiny magnet and doesn't look like it will hold up for prolonged playing at volume.Lucky for me that I do have a NOS Celestion V10-60 in my closet that has this little combo's name on it.Oh yeah,the 8 ohm speaker out jack mutes the internal speaker...sounded nice through my Celestion CL80 loaded Carvin 2-12 cabinet.

 

Ed

[bsinda]

would you recommend this amp ?

I mean I know nothing about replacing tubes, I found this amp on the net looking for a nice clean sound, fx loop, lightweight amp ....

your worries about the tubes and the speacker make me thinking about it twice

[EdMan57]

 

Originally posted by bsinda would you recommend this amp ? I mean I know nothing about replacing tubes, I found this amp on the net looking for a nice clean sound, fx loop, lightweight amp .... your worries about the tubes and the speacker make me thinking about it twice

 

 

Please check your PM box for a detailed answer...but I do recommend this cool little combo to all but most metal heads and thrashers.

 

Ed

[petezilla]

I got mine about 6 weeks ago and really liked it, great sounds out of this amp but... I had to send mine back a couple weeks ago because it had a noticable hum -- even with no guitar plugged in and with all controls set to zero. On standby, no hum. But when you take it off standby it has the hum.

 

I didn't notice at first but seems like after a couple weeks it turned up. It's really noticeable from rear of cabinet.

 

My dealer sent it back and Johnson (TML Corp) was great, they drop-shipped me a brand new one... but alas, it has the same hum.

 

It is great for playing live but hum is just too loud to mic for recording (mainly why I got it).

 

Has anyone had the same experience?

 

My benchmark is a friend's Mid 70's Fender Champ Amp with original electronics (except tubes) and it's dead silent.

 

I really like the T25R, except for the hum. The features like effects loop, master / gain combination, and reverb really sold the amp for me. Like the standby too. All controls feel quality, transformer is hefty, and though I haven't had it apart the tube sockets look ceramic (good), and the amp itself looks great. Looks and feels quality.

 

I think I've done all the troubleshooting like checking for hum inducing appliances, flourescent lights, moved to several different rooms, tried in another house, and put in new preamp tubes.

 

Any thoughts are welcome?

[EdMan57]

Pete,I have a question:does the tone on your Loredo with the gain dimed have a thin,raspy buzz on top of the tone?I swapped out the pre-amp tubes on mine [NOS RFT ECC83's] and the rasp is still present.How much gain is avaliable?Other than the buzz,I love my Loredo Tube combo.Oh yeah,no hum with mine.

 

Ed

[petezilla]

 

Originally posted by EdMan57 Pete,I have a question:does the tone on your Loredo with the gain dimed have a thin,raspy buzz on top of the tone?I swapped out the pre-amp tubes on mine [NOS RFT ECC83's] and the rasp is still present.How much gain is avaliable?Other than the buzz,I love my Loredo Tube combo.Oh yeah,no hum with mine. Ed

 

 

Tried it out today and don't think I'm hearing it. Is it at all volumes? I was running the volume pretty low but gain and guitar all the way up. Heard what sounded like tube microphonics but couldn't hear the buzz you described (was that it?). I'm playing a 335 copy with humbuckers in it, playing the bridge pickup. I'll try again this week with more volume.

 

Can you send me a sound byte? I'd know more what to listen for. Feel free to email though my profile. I'm fairly new to tube amps, I do know I really like the sound compared to a solid state amps I've heard.

 

Pete

[EdMan57]

Pete,thanks for the reply.I really have no way to record and send a clip at this time.As for the thin raspy tone,it sounds like a seperate cheap am radio type buzz on top of the base tone...kind of like the sympathetic rasp of a nearby snare drum.The harshness is quite noticable to my [and everyone else] ears and I feel that any decent tube overdrive should not sound like it does on mine.I know that the design is not for heavy distortion...just hoping for a smooth vintage overdrive tone.

 

Ed