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Post subject: Fender Pro Junior - Power Tubes Saturation
Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:09 am
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Is it possible by any means saturating a ProJr Power Tubes at low volumes, say around 3 ?

I´ve saw a bunch of overdrive and saturation pedals, as well as attenuators...

Will any overdrive/saturation pedal work the power tubes on the Pro Jr ?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:25 am
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No pedal can get the power tubes cookin'. Overdrive and boost pedals slam the front end (preamp tubes) of a tube amp. The only way to overdrive the power tubes is to crank up the master volume. Best way to have power tube distortion at a low level similar to 'volume on 3' would be to use an attenuator at probably near max attenuation.

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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:36 am
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Taking that in place, a 5W alltube amp would suit me better for bedroom levels instead of a 15W ? Or should I loose chimey clean tone with such a small amp like the vox ac4tv ?


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:40 am
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this raises a question i've had...i'm just trying to get the facts straight.

pro jr is a non-mv amp. so wouldn't the power tubes be the first tubes to clip and drive? i figure the pre amp tube amplifies the signal, then the PI tips the signal a bit more, and then the power tubes are seeing a much higher signal than it started out as. so as you up the volume, the power tubes should be clipping first, since there is no master volume to control how much "pre-amp-lified" signal gets sent to the power tubes. someone described these amps as having a MV always on '10'.
i figure as you start cranking this amp, the preamp tubes will follow in suit and start clipping as well in higher volumes.

case in point, with MV amps, everyone knows that maxing the MV will allow you to clip the power section with low volumes set on the pre knob, and this will disable preamp distortion from occuring, ideally.

i dunno, am i right? :?

i think the only way to get low volume grind is by using a dirtbox like a blues driver, RAT, or whatever. these pedals actually produce their own drive by using clipping diodes and trannies and all that junk. i used to do it with a solid state amp, so i know its the pedal making the drive. (not one of my finer moments, btw). i dont see how using a clean boost is much different than just increasing the guitar volume. that would probably lead to higher volumes yet again. artificial overdrive is the only way, thoguh it doesnt sound as good.

lower watts = good for bedroom. more drive at lower volume. i gig, so i need higher watts. 15 tube watts are great for many settings, but not in the house. pro jr on '2-3' has rose complaints from lower floors in the hiouse.


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:19 am
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msvolpe wrote:
this raises a question i've had...i'm just trying to get the facts straight.

...pro jr is a non-mv amp.


You are correct. I spaced out and thought the OP has a Blues Junior.

msvolpe wrote:
so wouldn't the power tubes be the first tubes to clip and drive? i figure the pre amp tube amplifies the signal, then the PI tips the signal a bit more, and then the power tubes are seeing a much higher signal than it started out as. so as you up the volume, the power tubes should be clipping first, since there is no master volume to control how much "pre-amp-lified" signal gets sent to the power tubes. someone described these amps as having a MV always on '10'.
i figure as you start cranking this amp, the preamp tubes will follow in suit and start clipping as well in higher volumes.?


I'm not sure about that. Maybe the Pro Junior has a very different circuit than traditional non-MV amps? I haven't looked at the schematic here. Usually it's the preamp that distorts first then the power amp, since that is how the signal flow works. But it's very possible. yeah there are some amps that are designed for the power amp to distort easier, like my non-MV Mesa-Boogie Blue Angel. But its preamp still is distorting by the time the power tubes are distorting, just at a lower volume relative to other amps of the same wattage.

msvolpe wrote:
case in point, with MV amps, everyone knows that maxing the MV will allow you to clip the power section with low volumes set on the pre knob, and this will disable preamp distortion from occuring, ideally.

i dunno, am i right?


Just the opposite I've experienced. When the pre (or gain) knob is set low and the MV is high, the sound will be clean and loud.

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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:02 pm
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So that means that if I use a good od pedal in front of the PJr it will be using power tubes nicely even on volume 3 ?


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:42 pm
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joaokorb wrote:
So that means that if I use a good od pedal in front of the PJr it will be using power tubes nicely even on volume 3 ?


No. The distortion will be coming from the pedal. OD pedals do not make the power tubes distort. OD and dirt pedals are their own distortion generator. Power tube distortion will only occur when you turn up the volume. I'm not sure exactly at what point on the volume dial the Pro Jr's power tubes will give up the goods, but it will be considerably higher and louder than '3'.

If you want amp distortion at low volume without a pedal then use an attenuator.

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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:53 pm
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those amps seem to take pedals pritty well. maybe a tube screamer and a reverb will work if you can't get an atinuator. tube screamers tend to slap tube amps into sweet fatness. what ever works best for you.


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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 2:56 pm
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What about diming the vol on the amp, and lowering the vol on the guitar?


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