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What should I do?
Buy a Blues Junior 60%  60%  [ 12 ]
Buy a SuperChamp XD 25%  25%  [ 5 ]
Stick with a Frontman 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Buy something better than BJ and SCX2 15%  15%  [ 3 ]
Total votes : 20
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Post subject: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:12 am
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Hello my friends,

I've decided to upgrade my Frontman 212r amp for another. I have found someone, who want to buy my Frontman for 240$. I liked the Frontman's clean sound, but it was maybe little bit harsh and clinical. I've choosed so far Blues Junior, Super Champ X2‎ (but i don't like that it's not pure tube). Both cost 470$ but BJ as used (I haven't found any used Super Champ XD yet). I have not tried them yet, but I want to know your opinion. And on a limit of my budget there are some used ´68 Princeton Reverb RI, Fender Prosonic, Hot Rod DeLuxe,Blues DeVille Reissue 410. But isn't 40W or 60W too loud even for my big bedroom?

What I'm searching for:
I like the typical Fender Clean sound (so I don't know if 1 channel BJ can do that). It should be for home practice and for some future gigs so at least 15W :D I can get the distortion with my pedals, so it isn't so important to me. Used or new, doesn't matter. Budget 700$.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:59 am
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I owned a Blues Jr for a couple days and thought it sounded like crap. I love my SCXD though.

Though youre upgrading to a tube amp, youre simultaneously downgrading from a 2x12 to a 1x10. I definitely vote for a super champ model but if I were you I would get the Super Champ x2 head and pickup the 1x12 to match with it, that way youre not really sacrificing the tone you get from the larger speakers.


Look at the used guitar center site, Im sure there is an abundance of used super champ x2's on there


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:05 am
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also, imo 40W isnt too loud for home but it depends more on the speaker config than the actual wattage. Ive played my Pro reverb (40w, 2x12) at comfortable home volumes. It just wont necessarily be in the tonal sweet spot. A 1x12 imo is a good size amp that can be gigged and played at good bedroom levels.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:33 am
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Thanks for a reply :) I forgot to mention that I live in EU.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 4:46 pm
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I have a Super Champ X2, and it is a nice amp of course. I put in a hemp cone speaker, and it is a nice rehearsal amp, and on the road for a few days practice unit. But for gigging I need tubes. Consequently I voted for the Blues Jr. And they sound great with a Cannabis Rex speaker......

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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 6:24 pm
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Even though I voted on buying something better, I understand that your options are limited. The blues jr. can be fixed if something goes wrong w/it, that's my choice of the three. The other 2 are considered to be disposable if they break. So I would say that it depends on whether you want something long term, or if you don't mind something that becomes obsolete after some years. OTOH the SCX2 is more versatile and will give you more of a Fender tone. Personally I would first look for something else. You can try out a Peavey Delta Blues if you can find one in that price range. IMO they're better than all of the above. They have a pretty good clean sound of their own. It's my 2nd choice of all amps, all things considered. My first choice of all amps is a Deluxe Reverb, but that's out of your price range. Good luck.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:10 am
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There is someone around me selling used Blues Deluxe for 710$.. Maybe skip BJ and go for that even if it's on my limit..


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 2:59 pm
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You can get an all tube Fender Princeton, used, for $700. I paid $600 for a Mint PRRI. It is 15 watts, but better cleans and louder than the XD or X2 which are hybrid and all digital. I've owned all of these.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 5:15 pm
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Rockerduck wrote:
You can get an all tube Fender Princeton, used, for $700. I paid $600 for a Mint PRRI. It is 15 watts, but better cleans and louder than the XD or X2 which are hybrid and all digital. I've owned all of these.


+1 The Princeton is old school Fender. That IS the "Classic Fender Sound". Having owned a HRDlx, I discovered there is nothing classic or really special about the HRD series amps. I've owned Fender amps since 1966 and have had everything from Blackface through Silverface. The new designs really stray from the originals. Because of the quality issues and shortcuts taken on the newer builds, I build my own. If I didn't do that, I would look for the reliability and build quality of used Silverface or Blackface Fender amps or look at Peavey, VHT or Jet City if I were on a budget. But the HRD series is okay of that's what you like and want. The choice is yours. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 12:12 am
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Well I have owned the hot rod delexe, the blues deluxe and the blues junior.
The best sounding was the blues deluxe though on paper it is only subtley different from the hotrod.
Second hand ones can have issues though not major, crackling due to input plugs is one that comes to mind.
The blues junior is a nice tube amp. I still have a couple ltd editions and they suit me cause I don't do any gigging these days.
In terms of volume control there is an easy mod for the louder hotrod and blues amps.. just a pot plugged externally between the pre and power amp jacks.
If you know the blues deluxe is ok it would be a good addition but there are plenty of other great amps out there.
Just my two cents worth :D


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:15 pm
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63supro wrote:
+1 The Princeton is old school Fender. That IS the "Classic Fender Sound". Having owned a HRDlx, I discovered there is nothing classic or really special about the HRD series amps. I've owned Fender amps since 1966 and have had everything from Blackface through Silverface. The new designs really stray from the originals. Because of the quality issues and shortcuts taken on the newer builds, I build my own. If I didn't do that, I would look for the reliability and build quality of used Silverface or Blackface Fender amps or look at Peavey, VHT or Jet City if I were on a budget. But the HRD series is okay of that's what you like and want. The choice is yours. :wink:


+1 63supro

I have never been as happy as I have been with my SFPR. It took me years to finally land on it. I have had some really nice amps but they were all simply too loud. There is no point to owning an amp that you can't run at its sweet spot. For home playing, a strat straight into a PR is hard to beat. If you play live, for small clubs just mic it.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 2:27 pm
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Toronado wrote:
63supro wrote:
+1 The Princeton is old school Fender. That IS the "Classic Fender Sound". Having owned a HRDlx, I discovered there is nothing classic or really special about the HRD series amps. I've owned Fender amps since 1966 and have had everything from Blackface through Silverface. The new designs really stray from the originals. Because of the quality issues and shortcuts taken on the newer builds, I build my own. If I didn't do that, I would look for the reliability and build quality of used Silverface or Blackface Fender amps or look at Peavey, VHT or Jet City if I were on a budget. But the HRD series is okay of that's what you like and want. The choice is yours. :wink:


+1http://forums.fender.com/posting.php?mode=quote&f=13&p=1088670# 63supro

I have never been as happy as I have been with my SFPR. It took me years to finally land on it. I have had some really nice amps but they were all simply too loud. There is no point to owning an amp that you can't run at its sweet spot. For home playing, a strat straight into a PR is hard to beat. If you play live, for small clubs just mic it.


That's for sure Toronado. I went from a 100 watt MV Silverface Twin to a 40 HRDlx which was the worst amp I ever owned in both tone and reliability to nothing but 20 watt and under amps. I gig almost weekly and jam with my cohorts weekly too with either my Egnater 20 or my 5e3 Deluxe that I built. I'm planning on pulling the trigger on a Marshall 18 watt clone in November or December. Then I'll probably sell the Egnater. I have an A/B/Y box that I built with isolation transformers so I can run either the 5e3 clone, the Marshall clone or both at the same time. :lol:
It should be a fun rig. My Egnater has been a really fine amp, but I really no longer want to run a Chinese built amp in my rig. Egnater just came out with a Rebel 20 Mark II with many improvements including the transformers and board. That's freaking me out even though the Rebel has been a stellar performer with zero issues and over 80 gigs.

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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 10:46 am
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Thanks for your opinions!

So now I have 2 offers.

Blues junior - 380 $ - 2 year old tubes (original)

Blues Deluxe - 520 $ - 1 year old tubes (retubed)

I like blues deluxe more, but isn it a bit overkill for home playing? I like a sound and tone possibilities of BD but I like a light-weight and home-firendly wattage of BJ. I just can't decide... :oops: both are good offers for the location where i live


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 10:58 am
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Armavet wrote:
Thanks for your opinions!

So now I have 2 offers.

Blues junior - 380 $ - 2 year old tubes (original)

Blues Deluxe - 520 $ - 1 year old tubes (retubed)

I like blues deluxe more, but isn it a bit overkill for home playing? I like a sound and tone possibilities of BD but I like a light-weight and home-firendly wattage of BJ. I just can't decide... :oops: both are good offers for the location where i live

At this point Armavet it's a bit hard any of us to advise you. I would say try them both out & which ever speaks to you more, then just go for it. As you say, they're both good offers.


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Post subject: Re: Frontman vs. Blues Junior vs. Super Champ XD‎
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:49 pm
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I agree. Try them both.
Personally I would choose neither but that's me.
Most of the Blues Jr's I've played out of sound boxy where the Blues Deluxe sounds a little dark for my tastes. It's a shame, for not a whole lot more coin, you're in used 65 DRRI territory. The DRRI has a lot more versatility because it has two channels with separate EQ, is light weight and has that "classic" Fender sound and a bit better build quality. The tube sockets are chassis mounted. But if you're really into the HRD series, give them both a try. But I would try a DRRI or a Peavey Classic 30 too. But yes, 40 watts is quite loud for home only playing. Even five watts through a 112 cab is seriously loud for home use.
Best of luck with whatever you choose. :wink:

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