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Post subject: Can the Blues Junior rock?
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:17 am
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Been thinking of trying a Fender Blues Junior. This would be only for personal practicing. I never play clean though so I use distortion pretty much most of the time.

But since the amp has a seperate Volume and Master control, if memory serves me correctly you can set the Volume control high and keep the Master down low to force the amp into overdrive correct?

Plus I got some distortion pedals I could use. I'm thinking also of trying the Marshall Class 5 when it arrives whenever that is.

But is anyone playing through a Blues Junior here and using a more distorted tone? How is it?

Or should is skip the Fender and wait for the Marshall? I really do love Marshalls.


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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:22 am
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If you are gonna use the Blues jr for at home the blues jr should be ok, but at 15 watts it is loud.You can use the master to lower the headroom on the amp and get some overdrive tones out of it.I use a pedal with mine and keep the master on 12 and the volume to where i need it.Nice thing about the master control is you can drive the amp a little harder at lower volumes.


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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:27 am
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I agree w/ Budglo about the 15W being a little loud for home but,
with the volume up & master down it can give you a pretty decent
"crunch".
Of course with the master down you're not getting the full output of the
tubes. You're basically overdriving the preamp stage & not the output.

But, in all honesty, the Jr. is pretty versatile. I have used it more often
for the "lounge" gigs, where I can get the Master up & working nicely.
(The HRDeluxe usually stays in the equipment truck !)

A nice amp all around.

Vin


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:24 am
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The Blues Jr. is a great amplifier. Vinscag and Budglor are right, however: 15 watts is louder than you think. Moreover, any drive you hear with the volume high and the master low is preamp overdrive, and not the result of hard-working power tubes. If you desire the classic EL84 drive, you have no other option but to open the master right up and let'er buck. If you live in your own house -- and not an apartment or condo -- you should be fine, but otherwise you'll have precious little opportunity to dime (dozen?) the thing.

My own preference as far as small Fender amps go is the Pro Junior. It's more or less the same circuit as the Blues Junior, but only has two pots, volume and tone. I think it sounds better, likely because it has fewer pots cluttering the chain, but with it you don't have the option to keep the master low. If you have your own place, I'd recommend the PJ over the BJ.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:31 am
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Yeah I'm aware that even a 15 watt amp is a little too powerful for just personal practicing. That's what makes the new Marshall Class 5 such a great option. It's a 5 watt all tube combo.


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Post subject: Re: Can the Blues Junior rock?
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:59 am
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357mag wrote:
Been thinking of trying a Fender Blues Junior. This would be only for personal practicing. I never play clean though so I use distortion pretty much most of the time.

But since the amp has a seperate Volume and Master control, if memory serves me correctly you can set the Volume control high and keep the Master down low to force the amp into overdrive correct?

Plus I got some distortion pedals I could use. I'm thinking also of trying the Marshall Class 5 when it arrives whenever that is.

But is anyone playing through a Blues Junior here and using a more distorted tone? How is it?

Or should is skip the Fender and wait for the Marshall? I really do love Marshalls.


hi.

no shxt,

the minute you said you dont play clean alot. i instantly thought i would suggest you wait for the class5. and then you mentioned it.

the class 5,s are true tone machines. nothing but that. no reverb tho, but im guessing you dont care.

if you do go blues junior defo get the tweed (upgraded speaker) one.

but if i were you i would WAIT and try marshall class 5. a million times better build quality to... just stunning.

only bad thing ive heard is there is no master. and if you playing at bedroom levels it can be quite bloody loud, even for a 5 watter. dont know if you read guitarist or not? theyve just done review... check it out

ive got one ordered for end of this month. but if your in the usa think its nov :(


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:50 pm
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You know , i live by my self and i also can play my bassman reissue and my 75 super reverb on 4 when i want to practice .But i know with most people they have to watch the volume.I lived in an apartment for a while and the blues jr was too loud.I used my gdec instead.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 6:21 pm
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Many people just can't seem to get their heads around the whole watts output thing, and still wrongly assume that 15 watts is just 15% of a 100 watt amp. And of course, 5 watts is considerably more than 5% of 100 watts also.

Anyway, looking to forward to trying that Marshall mini Bluesbreaker. Just wish it came with a 12" rather than a 10" driver..


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:15 pm
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adey wrote:
Many people just can't seem to get their heads around the whole watts output thing, and still wrongly assume that 15 watts is just 15% of a 100 watt amp. And of course, 5 watts is considerably more than 5% of 100 watts also.

Anyway, looking to forward to trying that Marshall mini Bluesbreaker. Just wish it came with a 12" rather than a 10" driver..
I might be missing something , but i never saw that implied in any of the posts.I have 2 45 watt ams, a 40 watt and a 15 watt.The 15 watt is too loud under most situations , but having a master volume lowers the headroom some.I dont believe however that the 45 watt amps is 3 times as loud as the 15 watter.The higher in wattage you go , the more headroom you have .Thats why the Twin has clean for days and you can get the blues jr to break up more easily.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:35 pm
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Ok kids, time for math...

Volume, that is relative loudness, is really a log function of watts. For example a 100 W amp (log base 10) is really only 2x louder than a 10 W amp (I know, this sounds like something from Spinal Tap!).

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:15 pm
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Since Fender has a reputation for sparkling cleans I don't think I will get the Blues Junior after all. I've been looking at a Laney LC-15 which I think would sound just fine but again it's bigger than a 5 watter.

I hate waiting. I really do.


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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:00 pm
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Stratoptera wrote:
Ok kids, time for math...

Volume, that is relative loudness, is really a log function of watts. For example a 100 W amp (log base 10) is really only 2x louder than a 10 W amp (I know, this sounds like something from Spinal Tap!).
Watts is used to measure power consumption (see ohms law).Decibels is what measures loudness or noise levels (it actually measures pressure).


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:01 pm
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Go to a guitar shop and check out a Egnater Rebel 20.

Goes from British type distortion to American clean at the turn of a dial, and anywhere in between. It has both 6v6 and el84 power tubes. It also lets you select your output power anywhere from 1watt to 20watts.
http://www.egnateramps.com/Rebel20.html

Quite amazing little amp. seems built like a tank
It is a bit more expensive than the Blues Junior though..

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:13 pm
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peterp wrote:
Go to a guitar shop and check out a Egnater Rebel 20.

Goes from British type distortion to American clean at the turn of a dial, and anywhere in between. It has both 6v6 and el84 power tubes. It also lets you select your output power anywhere from 1watt to 20watts.
http://www.egnateramps.com/Rebel20.html

Quite amazing little amp. seems built like a tank
It is a bit more expensive than the Blues Junior though..


Another Rebel fan!

I used to have a Blues Junior. It didn't rock. The Rebel most certainly does. ANd yes, it costs a bit more than a BJr.

But between the two amps, the percentage of increased cost is much, much smaller than the percentage of improved tone and versatility. The Rebel is a little marvel.

Imagine a head that lets you go from tweed Princeton to Deluxe Reverb with a dial twist or two.... from a 5-watt VOX-like practice amp to a roaring 18-watt Marshall.

I love mine, as you can tell.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:47 pm
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SlapChop wrote:
peterp wrote:
Go to a guitar shop and check out a Egnater Rebel 20.

Goes from British type distortion to American clean at the turn of a dial, and anywhere in between. It has both 6v6 and el84 power tubes. It also lets you select your output power anywhere from 1watt to 20watts.
http://www.egnateramps.com/Rebel20.html

Quite amazing little amp. seems built like a tank
It is a bit more expensive than the Blues Junior though..


Another Rebel fan!

I used to have a Blues Junior. It didn't rock. The Rebel most certainly does. ANd yes, it costs a bit more than a BJr.

But between the two amps, the percentage of increased cost is much, much smaller than the percentage of improved tone and versatility. The Rebel is a little marvel.

Imagine a head that lets you go from tweed Princeton to Deluxe Reverb with a dial twist or two.... from a 5-watt VOX-like practice amp to a roaring 18-watt Marshall.

I love mine, as you can tell.


I've been converted! I'm think I'm going to sell my Blues Jr. and buy an Egnator Rebel 20 myself! 8)


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