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Post subject: Blues Jr won't break up??
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:12 pm
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I just got my BJ tweed NOS, and it sounds great, but I can't seem to get any real break up. I set the gain full on, and master at about 11 oclock, but not much distortion at all. And its pretty loud as well. Any reason for this?


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:58 pm
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Did you activate the "Fat Switch" ????

They are clean little buggers.

whats the volume set at ????

turn the master way down and the volume way up and I think you will be happier.

I have not owned a BJr for a few years but I do believe thats what will get her to break up.

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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:59 pm
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Hello PRWorkman,

Firstly welcome to this forum.

I own a nos Blues Jr.
Blues Bondsman got it right
for you distortion setting.
That said I had a Frontman 25r
that had twice the distortion
but thats not really what I'm all about.

The Blues Jr tone does it for me.

You may want to look into a pedal devise,
many do.

Cheers.


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Post subject: Re: Blues Jr won't break up??
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:39 pm
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PRWorkman wrote:
I just got my BJ tweed NOS, and it sounds great, but I can't seem to get any real break up. I set the gain full on, and master at about 11 oclock, but not much distortion at all. And its pretty loud as well. Any reason for this?


I'm not familiar with the workings of this model, but do you know if it has fixed bias or adjustable? I have a Deville 410 with adjustable bias and I know if the bias is adjusted too cold it will have a heck of a time starting to break up. I know its new, but it could have been set cold from the factory and work a check. Or if you are uncomfortable with that, bring it back and have them look at it.

of course your mileage may vary.... :roll:


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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:06 pm
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I've heard demos of this amp, and they get some pretty crunchy sounds. Mine is really loud to just get a little grit. I did order a boss blues driver, which I'm waiting on, but I thought I'd be able to get a little bit of distortion out of the amp itself.


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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:01 am
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I have the standard Blues jr. not the NOS Tweed model that you refer to. I don't know if there is any difference other than the cosmetics (and I believe, speaker), but if it is the same as the standard and you can't get grit and distortion using the techniques (volume and master controls) described by the preceding posts, something is wrong for sure! This amp will get dirty.

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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:43 pm
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Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm gonna go by my local music shop, and try one of their standard blues jrs for comparison. I may have to exchange this one at MF, where I ordered it. The tweed version is exclusive to MF and GC, and they stay backordered. I had to wait three weeks for this one.....we'll see...

Thanks Again for the Replies


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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:55 pm
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Have you given the tubes a good burn yet?


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Post subject: Gainless blues jr
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:29 pm
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This is my first tube amp, so I'm not sure just what a good burn in is.
I did go by my local music shop, and tried out the regular BJ, and there is a world of difference in the amout of breakup. I was able to get a bunch of dirty tones at low volume. With my tweed I have the volume on 10-11, and the master at 1 before it gets dirty and its loud. The kid at the music store told me it could be the jensen speaker, but I don't buy that, because if that was true, you would still get gain from the tubes.

After I got back from the music store, I called MF and ordered another. When it comes in, I'll send mine back. (I've had it less than 2 weeks.


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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:50 pm
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If your volume is cranked to 10 and the drive is cranked you should be at distortion city, you did engage the fat switch ????

I would take it back and try a new one.

keep in mind driving Fender tube amps to distortion is a good way to be sure you'll need hearing aids some day, Leo's designs were for loud and clear tones and most of the recipies for Fender amps are still pretty much the same.

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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:51 am
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You can actually get good distortion tones without crankimg the volume to 10 just raise your gain up high and your amp will give you decent distortion at lower volumes this is especially true when using a tube amp and works very well on the crate block amp (with a good 4X12)...try it you will be surprised by the distortion sound you'll get. Cheers!


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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:40 am
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When I refer to "volume", I'm talking about the gain knob. That's the issue I'm having, volume knob "gain" at 10+, master volume at about 2 = loud volume, but very little breakup or distortion.....just loud relatively clean sound ????


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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:49 am
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The amp needs to be broken in with the "good burn" I talked about earler then try the tchnique you said. I believe you'll hear a major difference once you've done this.


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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:11 pm
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Something else for you to consider before you decide to throw your BJ overboard, and that is your guitar and pickups.

I have a standard black BJ, no mods, and really like the way it breaks up, even at low volume, using just the techniques you are describing - Volume (gain) at 12 (eat your heart out Nigel), Master Volume at 1-2, FAT Switch engaged, I get a nice gritty tone.

HOWEVER,

I have an older, no-frills MIM strat with whatever plain-jane single coil pickups came with it, and I notice that I have to have the volume maxed on the guitar to get the BJ to break up. As soon as I roll off a little on the volume control, I quickly start to lose that tone along with the overall loudness. I also have a Jimmie Vaughan strat with the much hotter Tex-Mex pickups, and it does not have that problem at all. I can vary the volume control all over the place and it still breaks up the BJ.

I would suggest test driving your BJ with different guitar/pickup combinations and/or taking YOUR guitar to the music store to test drive other BJs to be sure you are comparing apples to apples.


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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:50 am
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If you're used to the kind of distortion you might get out of a Mesa Boogie, Marshall or even a solid state amp, don't expect the Blues Jr. to have that same kind of crunch. On my Blues' Jr. NOS, all I need to do is crank the volume up to around 7-8 and the master at around 3 and right there is some pretty decent breakup. If you want more then use the Fat switch which turns on a FET adding voltage to the preamp stage.

I typically get my distortion effects from my Tube Screamer. This pedal seems to be a perfect match for these kinds of amps.

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