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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:42 pm
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twirlyboggs wrote:
I play it in our bathroom and it shakes the mirror on the wall and vibrates the toilet seat, at least what my better half says


:shock: TMI! :lol:

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:41 pm
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Hey everyone thanks for all the input. I guess I could have been clearer on what I wanted to know.

What I was really looking for is - how does the Blues Jr sound at low volumes for clean and slightly driven sounds like you would use at home practicing in the bedrooms? I am looking at amps and would like one that I can use someday if I ever do play out of the house but I want it to sound good in the house when it is turned down. Kind of a one amp fits all situations.

I may still need to look at other options so thanks for the help and advice.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:15 pm
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Well, from my experience with tube amps el84 and 6v6 type power tubes. Tubes sound best when driven even for clean tones at low volume. that's how you get the smooth warmth of the sound from a tube amp. That is if you play clean to just on the verge of breakup (i.e., blues). I tried the Blues jr at low volumes and it did not have the Fender tone I was seeking. At low bedroom nighttime volumes a 15 watt amp will not sound its best. I'm not saying it is a bad sounding amp, it's just not the sound I play. On the other hand, a 5 watt Vibro Champ XD sounded better with voice 1 and had the sound I was seeking. So, at low nighttime bedroom volumes it worked. I have owned other class A 5 watt amps and every now and then something better comes along. Tube amps want to be driven. The best thing here is to try out the amps you want at low volumes and high volumes to see which one suits your needs.

Good luck.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:31 am
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You won't get a "Traditional Fender Sound" from EL84 power tubes period.

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:26 am
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Champ all the way!!!!!!!!!!!


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:37 am
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63supro wrote:
You won't get a "Traditional Fender Sound" from EL84 power tubes period.


+1

The only amp Leo ever designed with EL84's was the initial blonde piggyback version of the Tremolux -- and those lasted less than three months before he re-engineered the output stage for 6L6's.

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:57 am
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Yep. Leave the EL84's and EL34's to folks who have experience with them. Vox, Marshall, Dr. Z, Egnater............

Fender built it's sound on 6V6 and 6L6 power tubes. They used to to great ones back then. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:45 pm
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If your playing is to be totally confined to your bedroom the Champ would probably be the better way to go but if you plan on getting out and jamming with others down the road and maybe with a drum kit the Blues Jr. would probably be the way to go.I use mine in the living room and slightly overdrive it but you do have to crank it a bit or it ends up sounding a tad on the thin side.In order to get a full sound you don't have to get uncomfortably loud but you do have to put out more volume than you would with a Champ to get the full tone.Of course you could turn it towards your bed to deaden the sound a bit.

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:45 pm
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I like my Fender Blues Jr. NOS. If you look at the text on any advertiser's site, you can pretty much gather that all NOS means is lacquered tweed and a Jensen speaker. If you want to know what difference that speaker makes, go to youtube because there's a multitude of "standard" vs. "NOS" demonstrations. I'll have to check, but I have a feeling there will be a lot more players rocking out with a Blues Junior on youtube than with a Vibro Champ. That said, I still want to build one of the late '50s Deluxe kits.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:47 pm
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I have the Blues Jr. III with a celestion vintage 30 and it sounds great at room volumes. You can roll off the master volume knob a lot and it still has a pretty open tone. I was really impressed when I gave it a shot in my apartment room. With the volume at bedroom levels you won't get a harmonically enriched, saturated tone because you'll be barely driving the power tubes. However the cleans at bedroom volumes still have the chime and warmth you would expect from a Fender amp and you can get pretty good dirty tones with any decent pedal. If you gig, and rehearse with a band a lot, then the Blues Junior would be the obvious pick because of it's huge versatility. If you are strictly looking for a bedroom amp then you do want to look in the .5 - 5 watt range.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:55 pm
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63supro wrote:
Yep. Leave the EL84's and EL34's to folks who have experience with them. Vox, Marshall, Dr. Z, Egnater............

Fender built it's sound on 6V6 and 6L6 power tubes. They used to to great ones back then. :lol:


I used to say that same thing all the time until I purchased a Celestion V30 equipped Blues Jr. III. The EL-84 harmonic texture in combination with Fender cleans has become one of my top three favorite tones, hands down. I'm not surprised at all how popular the Fender Blues Jr. is and how many great artists use them consistently. Yes, you do often need to change the stock speaker and possibly the stock tubes, but whether Fender has experience with EL-84's or not, they made an incredible product.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:04 am
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candycoke09 wrote:
I like my Fender Blues Jr. NOS. If you look at the text on any advertiser's site, you can pretty much gather that all NOS means is lacquered tweed and a Jensen speaker. If you want to know what difference that speaker makes, go to youtube because there's a multitude of "standard" vs. "NOS" demonstrations. I'll have to check, but I have a feeling there will be a lot more players rocking out with a Blues Junior on youtube than with a Vibro Champ. That said, I still want to build one of the late '50s Deluxe kits.



Sorry my friend, NOS means "New Old Stock" meaning old stock that has never been used like tubes and other electronic components or just any equipment in general that is old and was never sold period. It doesn't matter what hype the manufacturer uses to sell the amp. That's it, and that is what it means. If the speaker was old and never sold or the covering was from the 50's and never used, it would be NOS. I've been a musician for over 40 years, I think I know about differences in speakers and what NOS means.

Also 15 watts can be a little short in a band situation unless you have a decent PA system or bandmates who like to play at reasonable levels. Playing in a bedroom and playing in a bar, club or auditorium is a whole different situation. Your dealing with a room full of people as well as other problems as opposed to a room with a bed in it. You would get much more versatility from something with around 20 watts like a DRRI. You'll get a bit more headroom and they sound light years ahead in build quality and tone than a Blues Jr. YMMV

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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:00 am
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63supro wrote:
Sorry my friend, NOS means "New Old Stock" meaning old stock that has never been used like tubes and other electronic components or just any equipment in general that is old and was never sold period. It doesn't matter what hype the manufacturer uses to sell the amp. That's it, and that is what it means. If the speaker was old and never sold or the covering was from the 50's and never used, it would be NOS. I've been a musician for over 40 years, I think I know about differences in speakers and what NOS means.



I suppose if you relied on Wikipedia for your definition of NOS and didn't bother to read the description of the product you were buying, you might feel duped. But I was in no way under the impression that my Blues Jr. was made with anything but brand new components. NOS simply refers to the aesthetics. The same way many manufacturers use the word "vintage" to describe re-issue type products.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:12 am
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old tom wrote:
63supro wrote:
Sorry my friend, NOS means "New Old Stock" meaning old stock that has never been used like tubes and other electronic components or just any equipment in general that is old and was never sold period. It doesn't matter what hype the manufacturer uses to sell the amp. That's it, and that is what it means. If the speaker was old and never sold or the covering was from the 50's and never used, it would be NOS. I've been a musician for over 40 years, I think I know about differences in speakers and what NOS means.



I suppose if you relied on Wikipedia for your definition of NOS and didn't bother to read the description of the product you were buying, you might feel duped. But I was in no way under the impression that my Blues Jr. was made with anything but brand new components. NOS simply refers to the aesthetics. The same way many manufacturers use the word "vintage" to describe re-issue type products.


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Post subject: Re: How is the Blues Jr for
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:15 am
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It's marketing hype, no more, no less. It is deceptive. It's the same thing when amp manufacturers misuse the term "Class A" like it's better than a Class A/B design just for marketing purposes. LOL Vintage Modified is another one. The only thing the VM series has in common with vintage amps they share the name with IS the name. It's really hard to find the original circuit anywhere in the amp. If I misrepresented myself or the quality of my products in my business, I'd be sued out of business.

They should describe it as vintage aesthetics/ old school looks etc.

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