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Thread: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

  1. #1
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    So, we all have read a load of reviews on the Fender Blues Jr. amp, both goo and bad.

    As you may know, I got rid of my heavier stuff and bought myself one of those.

    Here's my superficial but very truthful "review" I posted in another site, which I just got back into at some old friends' requests...

    "I'm not sure this is the proper place for an amp thread. Is there an amp section? If there is, I humbly ask the mods to move the thread!

    So. I've been a Fender amp player for quite some time, and recently decided that my back was a bit too old for carrying heavy gear around. Our band has been on the road for a handful of years now, we play around quite a lot, but exactly because we hit the road often, we not always have our roadies available.


    I sold my bigger amp and bought a brand new Fender Blues Jr. Ltd Edition, I mean the one covered in tweed and with the Jensen C12N speaker.


    Man, what a great little big amp! 15 watts of pure road worthy power and clarity. I am loving it.


    I tell you, you'll find plenty of threads in guitar forums either praising this amp for its virtues, and bashing on it for not being... a vintage Champ or Princeton. Which it was never meant to be, in the first place.


    You will see lots of idiots talking trash about it, simply because they ignore the fact that it's a 90s amp designed for 90s music: it has a solid state rectifier, which is actually good for some styles of guitarists ( the SAG discussion is endless and pointless, each amp gives you what it gives you), but it's all tube regarding power/preamp, single channel amp, volume delivers the dirt you need. Just as I like it. It has vintage and modern qualities that make it perfect for travelling live players like me.


    My own abridged review: It's a very road worthy small amp, and VERY loud for its portable and lightweight size. Plus, this model screams "FENDER!" even louder due to the Jensen C12N speaker, one of the early Fender classic speakers to begin with. Of course I like Celestions but Fender amps... hmmm no. Jensen rocks.


    As soon as I got it, I custom ordered a road case for it and took it to rehearsals... Can't wait to gig with it in November:





    I'm very happy with what I'm doing with this, plus a Fulltone Octafuzz (which I use just for seasoning the amp's own overdrive with some fuzzy dirt, I never use the octaver function) and a lot of elbow grease, I mean hand work. Guitar playing. Fretting and picking instead of a whole lotta effects.


    No wonder lots of artists like Drew Dixon are gigging with this amp and rocking stadiums with it!"

  2. #2
    Forum Member vinyl's Avatar
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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    So, we all have read a load of reviews on the Fender Blues Jr. amp, both goo and bad.

    As you may know, I got rid of my heavier stuff and bought myself one of those.

    Here's my superficial but very truthful "review" I posted in another site, which I just got back into at some old friends' requests...

    "I'm not sure this is the proper place for an amp thread. Is there an amp section? If there is, I humbly ask the mods to move the thread!

    So. I've been a Fender amp player for quite some time, and recently decided that my back was a bit too old for carrying heavy gear around. Our band has been on the road for a handful of years now, we play around quite a lot, but exactly because we hit the road often, we not always have our roadies available.


    I sold my bigger amp and bought a brand new Fender Blues Jr. Ltd Edition, I mean the one covered in tweed and with the Jensen C12N speaker.


    Man, what a great little big amp! 15 watts of pure road worthy power and clarity. I am loving it.


    I tell you, you'll find plenty of threads in guitar forums either praising this amp for its virtues, and bashing on it for not being... a vintage Champ or Princeton. Which it was never meant to be, in the first place.


    You will see lots of idiots talking trash about it, simply because they ignore the fact that it's a 90s amp designed for 90s music: it has a solid state rectifier, which is actually good for some styles of guitarists ( the SAG discussion is endless and pointless, each amp gives you what it gives you), but it's all tube regarding power/preamp, single channel amp, volume delivers the dirt you need. Just as I like it. It has vintage and modern qualities that make it perfect for travelling live players like me.


    My own abridged review: It's a very road worthy small amp, and VERY loud for its portable and lightweight size. Plus, this model screams "FENDER!" even louder due to the Jensen C12N speaker, one of the early Fender classic speakers to begin with. Of course I like Celestions but Fender amps... hmmm no. Jensen rocks.


    As soon as I got it, I custom ordered a road case for it and took it to rehearsals... Can't wait to gig with it in November:


    I'm very happy with what I'm doing with this, plus a Fulltone Octafuzz (which I use just for seasoning the amp's own overdrive with some fuzzy dirt, I never use the octaver function) and a lot of elbow grease, I mean hand work. Guitar playing. Fretting and picking instead of a whole lotta effects.


    No wonder lots of artists like Drew Dixon are gigging with this amp and rocking stadiums with it!"
    Sergio, why would anyone question your opinion? We all have opinions about lots of things.

    Reviews are opinions, so I don't take much stock in anyone's opinion until I have personal experience with whatever equipment they're writing about. In any case, you're a valued poster here. Don't let anyone including me, disagree or agree with you.

    You have an opinion, don't apologize for it. I respect that. Regardless of if i agree or disagree, it doesn't mean we can't be friends here.

    Do we have to agree on everything to be friends? My answer is no.

    Frankly I'm more concerned you're getting married in November, and worried about gigs and amps and not your marriage and honeymoon. That's my opinion, which means nothing. It's just my opinion. It doesn't mean squat.

    As a lawyer I suspect you understand that. Facts are facts, and opinions are opinions.

    Cheers,

  3. #3
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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    Sergio, I picked one up a couple of years ago that had been siting in a customers barn. He said it just started becoming unreliable. Speaker and tank were gone, and the tolex was almost white. My friend Andy had done most of the Bill M mods to this amp years earlier. All I really found wrong now was the input jack! I did a permanent fix using a Switchcraft 12A jack, (the hole is even the correct size for insulating washers!) A spare C12N, and an old type 8 tank, and all was well. (I did spend a lot of time cleaning).
    I was really impressed with the tone of the little amp, and how much "bigger" it sounded. I let my little sister in law play through it, and told her I was putting it on CL, as I didn't need it, I never got it home! She has a Mesa Recto Verb 25, but last time I was at her house the little BJ was in her den area next to her Strat.
    The one thing I wish was different was the board mounted pots. There is no physical connection to the chassis, and seems like the shaft would be prone to breakage, with your hard case, that shouldn't be a problem.

  4. #4
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    Quote Originally Posted by vinyl View Post
    Sergio, why would anyone question your opinion? We all have opinions about lots of things.

    Reviews are opinions, so I don't take much stock in anyone's opinion until I have personal experience with whatever equipment they're writing about. In any case, you're a valued poster here. Don't let anyone including me, disagree or agree with you.

    You have an opinion, don't apologize for it. I respect that. Regardless of if i agree or disagree, it doesn't mean we can't be friends here.

    Do we have to agree on everything to be friends? My answer is no.

    Frankly I'm more concerned you're getting married in November, and worried about gigs and amps and not your marriage and honeymoon. That's my opinion, which means nothing. It's just my opinion. It doesn't mean squat.

    As a lawyer I suspect you understand that. Facts are facts, and opinions are opinions.

    Cheers,

    No worries, my friend.

    Indeed, I am loving this little amp for what it is, and I am a working musician, not a collector or an aficionado, so the "judges" are my ears and everyone else's ears when I play. And the veredict is not guilty!

    As for the wedding, I am happy as I can be! But I don't think it has anything to do with my love for guitars, gigs and amps, on the contrary, the missus likes to attend my gigs and jams! I'm lucky. Everything is all right!

  5. #5
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Moore View Post
    Sergio, I picked one up a couple of years ago that had been siting in a customers barn. He said it just started becoming unreliable. Speaker and tank were gone, and the tolex was almost white. My friend Andy had done most of the Bill M mods to this amp years earlier. All I really found wrong now was the input jack! I did a permanent fix using a Switchcraft 12A jack, (the hole is even the correct size for insulating washers!) A spare C12N, and an old type 8 tank, and all was well. (I did spend a lot of time cleaning).
    I was really impressed with the tone of the little amp, and how much "bigger" it sounded. I let my little sister in law play through it, and told her I was putting it on CL, as I didn't need it, I never got it home! She has a Mesa Recto Verb 25, but last time I was at her house the little BJ was in her den area next to her Strat.
    The one thing I wish was different was the board mounted pots. There is no physical connection to the chassis, and seems like the shaft would be prone to breakage, with your hard case, that shouldn't be a problem.
    You see, one of the most elitist and unforgiving guitar forum I've ever seen regarding modern end entry level gear is the Les Paul Forum, our twin/older brother site. And the reviews there on the Blues Jr are surprisingly good.

    That's something.

  6. #6
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    I've never owned a Blues Jr, but I almost always reach for one when I test drive a guitar at a shop. They dial in quickly and sound like a Fender amp.

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    Re: Blues Jr. review (after I actually torture tested it)

    There is nothing wrong with these amps.

    Sure, I don't care for the circuit board and micro electronics. But all said they have a tremendous tone and surprising versatility as well as some good push for such a small amp.

    I changed out the speaker (though the original was not bad) and often play it run through larger cabinets for "more air". Though I liked the tone I did almost all of the BillM mods "just because".

    I think it is the BEST affordable amp out there.

    I have a BUNCH of amps. I'll bet my Jr. has more time on it though.

    Currently pushing a Mesa Thiele with a JBL D130 in it for shits and giggles.

    Little slice of heaven there boys...

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