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Post subject: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:51 pm
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I wanted to see if I can get some advice on some amps that I'm looking at getting. I was going to purchase either a fender blues Jr 3 or a Blackstar HT-5TH. I'm looking to get a Stevie Ray Vaughn and Joe Bonamassa sound, when a a coworker stepped in and said he'll sell me his Fender Twin Reverb for 500. Buts it's like 85 watts of pure tube, but man it's hard to pass up this deal, this amp is the holy Grail for blues. I would never be able to crank the twin past 3 at home. What do you all think?


Last edited by Bobby.w on Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:55 pm
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The Twin Reverb is a real Leo Fender design.

The BJr3 is a contemporary fizz box with a Fender hood ornament.

The decision is all yours.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:00 pm
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New BJr III - $500
New Blackstar HT-5H - $400
Used TRRI - $500

I like all three amps, I know that none will give you a SRV sound on its own, and I know which one is a great deal.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:05 pm
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Thanks Rock Star. My only issue with the twin is how loud I have to get it so it will break up.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:18 pm
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No breakup at any volume with the TRRI, you will need a pedal for that. The Blackstar is an amp built around a pedal, mostly for a lot of distortion, which is very nice, and even the clean will breakup easily, more like a mild DRRI type of sound. The BJr is another good clean sound which can get some grit when cranked.

You will need a pedal(s) to get some SRV sound with the BJR or TRRI, anyway, and the Blackstar is just a different type of amp, bluesy is not it's forte.

The TRRI is big, heavy and loud, all of which are unnecessary these days. If you are only playing at home, and you don't need to move the amp much, the TRRI and some pedals might be the way to go. If you need small and portable, the BJr and some pedals might be the way to go.

I own the BJr II, and a Blackstar HT Studio 20 head, both are great for what they do. I have no need for a TRRI, but if I found one in great shape for $500, it would be very hard to pass-up :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 7:06 pm
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Thanks a lot Rock Star you've been very helpful. Keep rocking!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 8:07 pm
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You're welcome....Hobbyist. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:23 pm
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I had a Twin for over 30 years and gigged and rehearsed with it heavily for about 25 of those. It was an awesome amp, seriously reliable, great sounding and you can feel the notes come out or it. Lou's right, it's heavy, loud and awesome sounding. For $500 I'd do the Twin. There's no comparison between it and a Blues Jr. If you don't gig, a Twin is overkill. Even if you do gig and you play small places, it's overkill. It will never break up without some help of a pedal. You'll get a little speaker breakup. If I were you, I'd save some more cash and look for a used Deluxe Reverb.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:42 am
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I have the new 68 customs its awesome, i had both of those amps and there decent, the real tones are in the twins and plenty of power too boot. The blues deluxe gets in between.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:55 am
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If you can afford a couple hundred dollars more,I would like to suggest the Hot Rod Dlx III,...I have one and it's a wonderful amp,...great tone for a modern tube amp,and not too heavy to move around. Blues Jr. would be my second choice and more a grab and go amp. Yeah,...a Twin Reverb would be nice,but I wouldn't need that much power myself and have no need for one. Deluxe Reverb would be a third choice. Just my three cents! :D Having said all that,my choice would be the Blues Jr. III if I were buying another amp today. In addition to my HRD III,a Blues Jr. III would be nice to have around as a grab and go amp for practice and small gigs! I love the Hot Rod Series amps,...ain't nothing wrong with them! :D :D

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 1:40 pm
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Forgot to mention, I had a HRdlx and it didn't serve me well. The amp tech made some serious cash though. :lol:
I would seriously take the DR or DRRI over the HRD series for build quality alone. The DRRI tone is classic Fender. The drive more drive on the HRDlx is pretty fizzy. They did put a better speaker in the III series though. All I can tell you is to go to a Fender dealer and try them out side by side and you'll see it's no contest. The Twin or the DRRI will blow the HRD series away. The real proof is when you crank them up. That's when the HRD series falls apart. Just my opinion YMMV.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 5:07 pm
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63supro wrote:
Forgot to mention, I had a HRdlx and it didn't serve me well. The amp tech made some serious cash though. :lol:
I would seriously take the DR or DRRI over the HRD series for build quality alone. The DRRI tone is classic Fender. The drive more drive on the HRDlx is pretty fizzy. They did put a better speaker in the III series though. All I can tell you is to go to a Fender dealer and try them out side by side and you'll see it's no contest. The Twin or the DRRI will blow the HRD series away. The real proof is when you crank them up. That's when the HRD series falls apart. Just my opinion YMMV.


Have you even TRIED the Mark III version of the Hot Rod DLX? Whatever problems you had in the past may very well have been solved in the III series and you can't hold to the old reviews. I can't vouch for the older series Hot Rod Dlx amps because I had never owned one. I did have a Blues Jr. back in '97 or so that served me very well until a butt hole teacher forced me to get rid of the electric and get an acoustic back in my hands. You may very well find the III series to be built like a tank. You're entitlded to your views and opinions about the HRD series,...whatever they may be,...but I can't agree with you about the DRRI blowing away the HRD amps. The HRD is a 40 watt amp,...the DRRI is only a 22 watt amp,...so how is the DRRI going to blow the HRD away? Funny,...I don't see that happening and I'll defend the Hot Rod series amps to the death! I've cranked my HRD III amp up quite a few times and it does just fine! It stands to reason,...to me,anyway,...that the DRRI is going to break up far quicker than the 40 watt HRD amp,meaning the HRD is going to remain clean at a higher volume before it starts to break up. Sorry Supro,...but unfortunately I don't share your opinions or views about the Hot Rod series amps. I will say that the DRRI does have a nice sound,...I won't argue with you there as I tried one this afternoon,...RIGHT next to an HRD III amp,...but I have to say I would choose the HRD III again over the DRRI. Fender has improved the Hot Rod amps and in fairness to Fender,...give them another chance and another try! The Twin Reverb may be a different story altogether since it's an 85 watt amp,...okay,...now putting the HRD,...a 40 watt amp,..up against that amp won't be a contest,...but I still hold to my view that there is no way in a devil's hell the DRRI,...at only 22 watts,...is going to blow away a Hot Rod Dlx amp! The DRRI is out of my price range,anyway,...and so is the TRRI! I'd even buy a BDRI amp before a DRRI amp!

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If it aint' broke,...don't fix it! I like to keep my amps and guitars factory original,...no mods necessary,...don't want them,...don't need them!

My gear as of now;
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Hot Rod Deluxe III amp
Champion 20 amp
'59 Bassman LTD Reissue


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 6:53 pm
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I would go with the Twin if it was for me. But they are sure heavy. If you are young with a strong back go for it. The Twin is controllable at all volume levels so it will be playable at any volume level with a little EQ tweaking. The Twin is a fully Pro amp as are most Fender tube amps. And can stand heavy use if needed.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:02 pm
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63supro wrote:
Forgot to mention, I had a HRdlx and it didn't serve me well. The amp tech made some serious cash though. :lol:
I have a HRD version II and it has the very best tone of any amp I ever owned on the clean channel bar none. I have had all of the Fender oldie amps point to point wired at times, several twins, 2 deluxes (one silver and one PTP wired black) a Pro Reverb (silver) (one of my old favorites) A Rivera era Fender 30 channel switching all tube amp, (My all time favorite other than the HRD) and many other amps, Marshalls, Mesa Boogies (3 of them and a Mesa Lonestar Classic) Nameless Peaveys, Music Man amps and other forgettable tube amps, none of them reach the tone of my HRD, I had to change the speaker and put in JJ Tubes and re-bias the power tubes, and I use a volume box in the EFX loop to mitigate the volume of the amp as the volume knob is gets way too loud way too soon. I do use a Tube distortion stomp before the guitar input also, From then on it is my all time favorite amp. It just needs a little TLC tweaking to get it there.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Jr 3 vs Fender Twin Reverb
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 8:51 pm
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desertbluesman wrote:
63supro wrote:
Forgot to mention, I had a HRdlx and it didn't serve me well. The amp tech made some serious cash though. :lol:
I have a HRD version II and it has the very best tone of any amp I ever owned on the clean channel bar none. I have had all of the Fender oldie amps point to point wired at times, several twins, 2 deluxes (one silver and one PTP wired black) a Pro Reverb (silver) (one of my old favorites) A Rivera era Fender 30 channel switching all tube amp, (My all time favorite other than the HRD) and many other amps, Marshalls, Mesa Boogies (3 of them and a Mesa Lonestar Classic) Nameless Peaveys, Music Man amps and other forgettable tube amps, none of them reach the tone of my HRD, I had to change the speaker and put in JJ Tubes and re-bias the power tubes, and I use a volume box in the EFX loop to mitigate the volume of the amp as the volume knob is gets way too loud way too soon. I do use a Tube distortion stomp before the guitar input also, From then on it is my all time favorite amp. It just needs a little TLC tweaking to get it there.


Seriously, you've had all those amps and the Hrdlx is the best of the lot? :shock: Yep, I did try the III, I've even used one on a rehersal the belongs to a friend of mine. Still the same fizz, more fizz drive channels but the clean was slightly better. My Fender history goes back to 1966 and I've been playing guitar since 1965 and have played professionally for over 25 years. I have a lot of history with Fender as well as Ampeg and Sunn as well as as a couple Dano, and Silvertone amps and now an Egnater Rebel 20 replaced my HRdlx. I started building my own amps and guitars as well, most recently a Tweed Deluxe clone and a knotty pine Tele. I also put JJ's in my HRdlx, got them from Bob at Eurotubes, and my amp was properly biased. It was not the best sounding amp I owned by a longshot and if you ever had the back off it, you would see it's not built like a tank, but a Yugo. The cleans were decent till you pushed it, then the truth is told. I would have kept the Rivera, those things were legendary.

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Last edited by 63supro on Tue Feb 11, 2014 9:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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