Divided by 13 CJ11
Saw this on ebay and noticed that the seller was a local music store - Music Gallery in Highland Park, IL. I wasn't all that serious about picking up another amp, but I had some uncommitted time yesterday morning and, since it was only 20 minutes away . . .
I threw a few guitars in the car as trade possibilities, just in case.
While I was waiting to try out the amp in the "Sound Chamber" I struck up a conversation with the owner. Turns out he knew Paul, Jol, John Montgomery and Dean Zelinsky and was one of the early Hamer and Dean dealers. A genuinely nice, interesting and engaging guy. Gave me a great deal on the amp, too!
Speaking of the amp,
It is an 11 watt, 1x12 combo. 2 6V6 power tubes, a 12ax7 preamp tube and a GZ34 rectifier. Essentially, a refined Fender tweed Deluxe. The speaker is a Celestion Greenback.
I have a couple of 6V6 amps already, including a Blackface Deluxe Reverb and a Swart AST, which is essentially the same circuit, so I assumed this amp would sound similar. I was wrong - mostly. The CJ11 has much more pronounced and aggressive mids, along with none of the fuzzy low end I associate with Blackface Fenders. It is tight, punchy and "in your face". Not a lot of clean headroom, but what there is sounds full, lush and "swirly". No need for reverb - it's that good. It really excels when pushed just over the edge of breakup. You can use the volume control on your amp and pick attack to move between slightly gritty to classic sustained lead tones.
This is one of the best sounding amps I've played. It's completely different, but I'd rank it right up there with the Bogner Shiva I once owned, and my '67 Deluxe Reverb. Not very flexible, but it does a couple of things perfectly.
Oh, and with its cream and gold tolex and backlit logo, it has "the look"!