I'm considering getting a small amp. I've tried the Champ XD but I don't want all the "bells & whistles", just a no-nonsense tube amp that does what it does well. I've heard a Blues Junior and like it, but I've seen it referred to as part of the hot rod series. Does it suffer from the same issues as the HRDlx etc.?
When You point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, you've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you.
I use one at Crossfyre practice, one that Mikey graciously provides so I don't have to bring my amp to practice. It sounds fine -- but the reverb often goes dead, and there are definitely some reliability issues. I would never use one as my main gigging amp.
Actually, the Pro Jr. is a much better amp.
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
+1 on the Pro Junior. Simple and pure tube amp.
It's basically the Blues Junior with all the reverb and other extraneous stuff stripped out.
"...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."
-Edmund Burke
+1 more for the PJ.
If you want a straight up Fender tube amp without any extras, you'll get it here.
1 Volume and 1 tone - that's pretty straight forward!
I find mysel paying more attention to my playing technique using this little amp because now everything has to come from my guitar and hands, not a 'NASA Ground Control' of an amp.
Even with just the stock 10" single driver, it's a very good sounding box. Add an external cab and it might surprise even rack-and-stack-heads.
Cheers,
- JJ
"I bet your Momma was a tent-show Queen ..."
Buy a used 5E3 clone. In this market you can get one for less than $500. You'll never outgrow it and it will be more versatile than a PJ. Plus it'll probably appreciate vs. depreciate. Easy to fix/mod too.
I own a blues JR and love it. The reverb is dead as stated before. Other than that, IT plays any club I go to. I have even used successfully outdoors without a mic on it. I do not recommend it for small room practices.
I get good feedback from other musicians about my tone.
4:20, my favorite time of day.
Originally Posted by Gris
+1 Again
Blues Jr.s are great but they are hot and have troubles. I still like mine, I lowered the bias and run sovtek tubes just like the ones that came with it because they run cooler than some of the new tubes.
Jerry
Please point me in the direction of the ones sub $500...I would pay that to not have to try and build one and blow the side of the house off.
Yummo!
My Gear:
Gibson SG
James Burton Tele (standard---not the flaming one)
Guild Bluegrass Jubilee w/DTar
Kap'n 5E3
Marsh 5F11
I agree, you are probably looking closer to $800 for a clone and $900 if you want a better speaker.
Prolly get this one for $550 if you play your cards right.
http://cgi.ebay.com/5E3-TWEED-DELUXE...1%7C240%3A1318
Thanks for the advice, Unfortunately being in the UK I don't think I'm as likely to come across any clones (certainly in the area I live). I may end up with a Champ XD as they seem to get good reviews and are easier to crank in the house.
When You point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, you've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you.
How much are you looking to spend?
It's all a bit speculative at the moment, maybe £200, maybe a bit more. I've been quoted £299 for a new Blues Junior in the local music shop but I'm just considering the options at present.
I've got a 70's WEM Dominator III (a loud 15 watts) & an 80's solid state Princeton Chorus (2x25 Watts) - I was just fancying something a bit different.
When You point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, you've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you.
Cool. Could you email me through my profile? I'd have emailed you but your address isn't listed.
Tommy.
Tommy
"You have mail"
When You point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, you've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you.
So do you!
I have a pair of em,only prob I had was a blown speak and replaced it with a green back.Granted I dont play out with these amps and I doubt over the 2 years I have owned them if they have 20hrs use.everything else still works.I run them thru a AD-9 and a CS-9 chorus to split the signal and at times I use a AD-9.Gets a nice sound for me at home and they can get LOUD......Gary
I have had a Blues Jr for about 8 years now. As such I have an older greenboard version. It has been a good reliable amp that has continued to do what it was supposed to do for me. I had to replace ne input jack as I sat on a chord and the plastic input jack toasted. They take pedals well, and can do a lot of things in from cleanish to grindy with a 12AT7 in V1.
Now are they a classic Fender tone. Nope. They are more tweedy than Blackface (at least the older ones). Are they a 5e3. Nope, not the same game as either of my 5e3's. But the cost was a lot less for the Blues-j. They have a 12 inch speaker, which kills the Pro-j for me. The Blues-j takes pedals very well and with a speaker to match your style and it does a lot for you. It is not high end amp. It is a nice mid-level amp.
Guitars: Teles, Strats, LP, VW Wormoth, others. Amps: Bassman LTD, Richter 5e3, 5e3 Head, Taynor Bassmaster II, Gretsch 6150 (Supro), others. Board: Guitar>Java Boost> Huckleberry>Fuzz Head>Top Fuel> SFX-03 >Keeley 4 knob Comp>EH Clone Chorus>Flanger>DD-6
Just got back from the local guitar shop,My friend and I compared a ac-15 to the texas red junior with the vintage 30 celestion,thumbs up for the junior,the reverb on the vox wasnt up to par either.I am considering replacing the emenice in my other junior with one of these vintage 30 speaks.Bang for the buck the junior is a good buy(I think).............................
As a fifteen year plus user of Pro jr's and an occasional user of Blues jr's I'm solidly in the Pro jr. camp.
But with that said using both together split by whatever is a great combo because they each offer different voices that combine well together.
You can use Pro jr's anywhere and you'll have plenty of TONE.
Jason S.
For more info. visit Caffeinelive.com or see kaos at mdparty.com
I have a Pro Junior and Blues Junior.
I love the overdrive that I get from the Pro Junior turned up to 5+ but that's the only trick that it does. Pro Juniors break up really early on the volume dial....there is no clean volume at all from a Pro Junior. If you want a great rock and roll overdrive at a moderate volume, but the Pro Junior.
The Blues Junior has some clean headroom and it has great overdrive and reverb....it's a nice $470 amp (new with 5 year warranty).
I have had no problems with the Blues Junior but the Pro Junior had faulty tube sockets and started to crackle and rattle. Fender fixed the tube sockets under warranty and even gave me better tubes. The warranty procedure was quick and painless but the Pro had trouble and the Blues never has.
I would choose the Blues Junior over the Pro if I could only keep one. The Blues Junior does more tricks.
John
Carry On!
John
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