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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:25 am
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digdown2001 wrote:
Hi,
My first post here. You guys are probably going to think I'm nuts, REALLY nuts, but I have a real fondness for the simplicity of this little amp. That said, there's a reason they're cheap, but I figured, what the hell, the circuit is so simple, but most of the parts are a little 'junky' (the pots, the ribbons, the output transformer, the speaker, the particle board cab and baffle, etc). That said, they still sound great, I think the general circuit design is pretty cool and just perfect in its simplicity. So, I kind of am in the middle of frankensteining it with the thought, what if this thing was built back in the late 50's-early 60's? What would Leo have done?? I know he loved his Jensen 15's, but I'm only going as big as a 12.

So, I've got an old school turret board being assmebled in England out of better components, and JD Newell (US) builds these killer cabs as good as the old tweeds were built, using pine with a birch baffle, rough blonde tolex with oxblood grill cloth, and a bit larger to take a 12" speaker. Well, JD can also put in Jensens at near cost price if you buy one of his cabs, so I kind of went crazy and bought a P12N (with the bell) to match that sweet cab (hey, the price was right!!). Then it goes down to my new amp guru here in Australia (Ivan Richards), who will fit the old school turret board (some of the cap values have been increased, and a trim pot for bias), replace the pots for CTS ones, replace the input with a Switchcraft jack, completely rip out the bottom PCB that holds the valves and those ribbons, and fit ceramic sockets to keep things a little cooler, and handwire it all together. Ivan is also fitting a much larger model appropriate Mercury Magnetics (MM) output transformer, as well as a MM Henry (H3) choke.

I'm not real keen on the valves in it, so they are out for some sweet old RCA valves (a 7025 in the V1, and either a 12AX7A or a 12AT7 in the V2, undecided yet, depending on the final sound, but I also have some old Philips JAN ones and also some old GE JAN ones sitting around doing nothing too) and some nice NOS matched Telam EL84's at the end.

I'm kind of left with just the chasis and a few bits here and there, but the circuit design remains, even if it is now handwired..........should be interesting to see what comes out the other end once all is said and done.

I get that a lot of folk think of these as just a little cheap amp, and well, yeah, they are, but there's no denying how good they can be with a few tweaks (and it was the fact it sounded pretty good to start with that impressed me so much, even with all the budgte bits), why not go all out on one??? Sure I could buy something REALLY nice for the same total price, but I'm not interested, as I said, the simplicity of this circuit is just begging to be hacked into and improved a little, and I HATE more than 2-3 knobs....... so, in the end, why the hell not??

I don't know if I could still stick the Fender logo onto the new cab, I think I've gone too far to do that, but it's the inspiration for something that might be a little over-the-top, and hey, I think it will come out sounding pretty good, and exactly what I'd be after.....anyhow, will post up pics as it all moves along, should be fun (and maybe a headache or two along the way).......

Anyway, that's my Pro Jr.......

Steve


I sense that you've read Bill M's pages?

http://home.comcast.net/~machrone/bjr/pjmods.htm

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 8:03 am
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Maybe not.. :?:

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 5:21 am
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My newly acquired 1993 Tweed Pro Junior. Posing with my '93 Strat.Image


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 7:16 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
Maybe not.. :?:


Hi,
Sorry for the late reply (did not get notice in my email of your reply), indeed I have!! :) I'm utilizing some of that work (eg: trim pot for biasing), and following on from others too.

In fact, once I'm finished, I'm going to rebuild another Pro Jr out of all the swapped out parts (would be lunacy not to), and that is where the info from Bill's page will be used the most.

Thanks,
Steve

P.S. I've received the cab and Jensen, WOAH!! Kudos to JD Newell!! I'm currently in tonal heaven, the improved cab did wonders, and needless to say, so did the P12N. I can see why Fender decided to stick with the Pro Jr in their lineup, it's hard to knock this little beast of an amp. I honestly couldn't care less that it's not powered by a pair of 6L6's, the EL84's do just fine.....(it isn't the output tubes that so much make the sound after all, it's the circuit topology surrounding them moreso that dictates 'that' sound).


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:30 pm
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First part of the upgrades, the new cab and speaker, the Jensen P12N, the cab by JD Newell (beside the original cab and speaker):

Image

Image

Image

Image

Steve


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 4:40 am
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digdown2001 wrote:
First part of the upgrades, the new cab and speaker, the Jensen P12N, the cab by JD Newell (beside the original cab and speaker):

Image

Image

Image

Image

Steve


Lookin' good, bro! 8)

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 4:08 am
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icehat wrote:
My newly acquired 1993 Tweed Pro Junior. Posing with my '93 Strat.Image



Looks great!!!

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 4:47 am
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Hoping you guys can help, basic question, Can someone tell me the right power transformer for the Pro Junior (not the output tranny, the power tranny is the one I'm after)?? My one is with my amp guy, can't contact him now, as my amp is in shop getting upgraded as discussed above, and it's night time here. So, I need to know what power transformer is correct for the Pro Jr, is it the same one as used in the Blues Jr??? If not, does anyone have a product catalogue number?? The serial # for mine is B-304696 (TYPE PR 257), 240VAC.

Thanks in advance!
Steve


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 12:46 pm
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I'm using this, and have been for awhile :

http://www.beyondeleven.com/Mercury-Mag ... rojr-p.htm

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 2:36 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
I'm using this, and have been for awhile :

http://www.beyondeleven.com/Mercury-Mag ... rojr-p.htm


Thanks for that, before going to the MM range, I was hoping for the Fender part number for this one (just the power transformer)......

Thanks!
Steve


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 5:13 am
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digdown2001 wrote:
Miami Mike wrote:
I'm using this, and have been for awhile :

http://www.beyondeleven.com/Mercury-Mag ... rojr-p.htm


Thanks for that, before going to the MM range, I was hoping for the Fender part number for this one (just the power transformer)......

Thanks!
Steve


It'd be quicker to call Fender and ask :

Telephone: (480) 596-7195

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 6:41 am
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Miami Mike wrote:
It'd be quicker to call Fender and ask :

Telephone: (480) 596-7195


Thanks, I think I will (was hoping to avoid that, as I live in Australia, was hoping someone here might know, would have been easier, hence the request regarding 240VAC).....

Steve


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 1:48 pm
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http://angela.com/fenderprojunioroutputtransformer.aspx

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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 4:35 pm
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Thanks for that link, I'm already in contact with Steve from Angela, and Fender have provided me the part number, and Steve is finding out if he can source one for me :)

I've got all basses covered now.

Thanks again!!
Steve


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Post subject: Re: Pro Junior Owners Club - sign in here
Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 6:00 pm
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digdown2001 wrote:
Thanks for that link, I'm already in contact with Steve from Angela, and Fender have provided me the part number, and Steve is finding out if he can source one for me :)

I've got all basses covered now.

Thanks again!!
Steve


Good luck!

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