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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 6:56 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Found a good deal on a used Hot Rod DeVille.

Now just need to find a way to justify buying an amp way bigger than anything I'm likely to need!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:34 am
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Visited three different GCs yesterday to test out the amps. Soon as I hit the first notes on the Princeton I had a "Ratatoulle" moment where was just floored. Sounded GREAT. Went back and forth between the Blues Jr., Blues Deluxe and Princeton. They only had floor models left of each amp so I chose not to buy. Still worried about the $899.00 price on the Princeton.

Went to GC #2. Again, they only had floor models as they were sold out of all three amps. Played all three again and since acoustics and sound were different in this store, the Deluxe sounded better than the other two with my preferred style of playing. Again, this was on low volume, in front of the amp, and as far away as I could get with the 18' cable.

Went to GC #3 (my "home" store) where all of my gear was purchased and where I am taking lessons. They know me and have seen me 2-3 times per week playing the BJr but not buying since they only had floor model. Mgr there said "Plug into the Deluxe just to see how you like it because we have two new ones in stock". Played it again, then back to the Junior, then back to the Deluxe for 2 hours. Both sounded amazing. Ended up walking out with the Deluxe.

So far so good. What I forgot to ask though, since this is my first "real" amp, how to best use my effects pedals (Wampler Velvet Fuzz, TS-808 OD and Vox wah)? In chain from guitar - guitar>fuzz>OD or use the effects loop in the amp.

Played here at home for few hours yesterday and although it is LOUD, it was manageable. If all fails and it doesnt work for me, I have 30 days to take it back and they should have the Bjrs by then and I could get that.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:44 am
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Roadie
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Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:32 pm
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Location: Cleveland, OH
Congratulations on your purchase. You spent the time to listen to different amps and picked the one that best suited you, enjoy.
Kenny V


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:56 am
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Professional Musician
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MonkLoHan wrote:
Visited three different GCs yesterday to test out the amps. Soon as I hit the first notes on the Princeton I had a "Ratatoulle" moment where was just floored. Sounded GREAT. Went back and forth between the Blues Jr., Blues Deluxe and Princeton. They only had floor models left of each amp so I chose not to buy. Still worried about the $899.00 price on the Princeton.

Went to GC #2. Again, they only had floor models as they were sold out of all three amps. Played all three again and since acoustics and sound were different in this store, the Deluxe sounded better than the other two with my preferred style of playing. Again, this was on low volume, in front of the amp, and as far away as I could get with the 18' cable.

Went to GC #3 (my "home" store) where all of my gear was purchased and where I am taking lessons. They know me and have seen me 2-3 times per week playing the BJr but not buying since they only had floor model. Mgr there said "Plug into the Deluxe just to see how you like it because we have two new ones in stock". Played it again, then back to the Junior, then back to the Deluxe for 2 hours. Both sounded amazing. Ended up walking out with the Deluxe.

So far so good. What I forgot to ask though, since this is my first "real" amp, how to best use my effects pedals (Wampler Velvet Fuzz, TS-808 OD and Vox wah)? In chain from guitar - guitar>fuzz>OD or use the effects loop in the amp.

Played here at home for few hours yesterday and although it is LOUD, it was manageable. If all fails and it doesnt work for me, I have 30 days to take it back and they should have the Bjrs by then and I could get that.

Congratulations on the BDRI...great amp if you can contend with the volume.
If you decide to return it, I strongly suggest going with the Princeton, either the 65 or the 68 Custom (which breaks up earlier). There's nothing major wrong with the BJr., I just think it's over-priced for what you get. ( I think it really needs a speaker swap-out @ around $100.) The Princeton will hold it's value better (at least the '65 will; the '68 Custom is too new of a model to tell as yet) if you ever decide to sell/trade it. BJr.s can be had 2nd hand cheap.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:04 am
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Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:58 pm
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Kenny V wrote:
Congratulations on your purchase. You spent the time to listen to different amps and picked the one that best suited you, enjoy.
Kenny V


Thanks. When I left the house I had eliminated the Deluxe from consideration and planned on getting the Princeton or the Bjr. The fact that the Princeton would have run me $1000 after taxes, and the Bjrs were not in stock, and the Deluxe just sounding so dang fantastic (along with a $70.00 discount the offered), in addition to the "I-want-to-buy-something-today-itis" its why I left with the Deluxe Reissue.

Had they had the jr in stock I would have left with it instead. Overall, I am very pleased and asked my neighbor if she could hear me play and she said no. No one lives underneath or above the room where the amp is so no worry about disturbing folks.

Is this amp more than I need? Absolutely, WAAAY more, but I'd rather "have it and not need it" than to "need it and not have it".


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:41 am
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:37 am
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MonkLoHan wrote:
What I forgot to ask though, since this is my first "real" amp, how to best use my effects pedals (Wampler Velvet Fuzz, TS-808 OD and Vox wah)? In chain from guitar - guitar>fuzz>OD or use the effects loop in the amp.
There are no hard rules. Some great sounds have been the result of hooking things up 'wrong'. So experimenting with your pedals is important. But the folks over at RolandUs have a few pointers. Note, their #1 rule is "There are no rules".

Part I: Link

Part II: Link

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 6:23 pm
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Roadie
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Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:32 pm
Posts: 259
Location: Cleveland, OH
I look at amps a lot like some of the cars I have owned. Did I need all that horsepower not really, but I was sure glad I had when I was passing a slow car in a 55 mph two lane back road. I thinks it's better to have more power from your amp than you presently need. You never know what your needs will be in the future, enjoy.
Kenny V


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:15 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:08 pm
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I have had a BDRI for several years, playing it at home. It has never given me any problems. I have used a volume box in the effects loop (don't recommend), used the pedal volume (works great), used the guitar volume (overlooked by many), and the amp volume. I really like the amp. I think about buying others, but end up not seeing any advantage. I like the modern mods the amp has. Effects loop, two channels, drive, master volume. Have fun with yours. :D


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:25 am
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Roadie
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Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 3:00 am
Posts: 261
Kenny V wrote:
I look at amps a lot like some of the cars I have owned. Did I need all that horsepower not really, but I was sure glad I had when I was passing a slow car in a 55 mph two lane back road. I thinks it's better to have more power from your amp than you presently need.

Yeah, but if your car only sounds really nice when going full throttle, a slower car will sound nice more often.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:30 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:58 pm
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ChrisH1 wrote:
Kenny V wrote:
I look at amps a lot like some of the cars I have owned. Did I need all that horsepower not really, but I was sure glad I had when I was passing a slow car in a 55 mph two lane back road. I thinks it's better to have more power from your amp than you presently need.

Yeah, but if your car only sounds really nice when going full throttle, a slower car will sound nice more often.


LOL. So far, its working for me. I just havent yet got it to the "sweet spot" like many of the YT users who demonstrate it. Got it up pretty loud today when no one was home and LOVED the sound, but still want to get it louder.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:38 pm
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Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:44 am
Posts: 198
I would stay with the Mustang however, I would go with the Mustang 3. it's very affordable new and it's plenty of power if you choose to play out at some point. It has a master volume for allowing you to play at home with all the onboard effects right at your fingertips. I have the Blues Deluxe and the hot rod Deville 212 along with the Mustang 4 and I can tell you, the Mustang simply can just do it all.

Also be advised, the mustang 3 model is far easier to use than the 1 and 2 with its on board controls layout.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 4:43 pm
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Overall, I am quite pleased with this amp. I can get it up to some pretty decent "above apartment" levels during the day. Not to the point where it gets dirty, but loud enough for me to get out of it what I wanted when I bought it.

Add in the TS808 and I totally have SRVs tone which is want I was going for.

It doesnt seem to want to take fuzz pedals too good though. Tried both the Wampler Velvet Fuzz and the Swollen pickle, but think the amp needs to be driven much harder to get good tones, or maybe the speaker just isnt made well for fuzz sounds. My tiny Mustang 1 v2 can get more of the tones I want outta the fuzzes. Need to play around with the settings some more and maybe when my Omnisonic gets here next week it'll help with the fuzz tones.

I can safely say that this amp can definitely be used for home/apartment/condo practice.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:28 pm
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Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:44 am
Posts: 198
let me suggest two things with this amp.. first is, run your effects through the guitar input one which is the front end of the amp rather than using the effects channel for better results with the effects in my opinion.

I would also swap out 1 of the 3 12ax7 preamp tubes in the V1 slot which is located to the far right if you are looking in from behind the amp with a 12ay7 preamp tube.. this will give you far better control of the volume sweep with the volume dial. You will notice instantly with the change of this one preamp tube, that the volume will increase at a much nicer rate rather than going from low to extremely high on volume 1 to volume 2. Further down the road if your needs ever grow with this amp for using it at a stage volume level, a speaker upgrade will be needed as this will render you a magnificent sounding Fender amp. I have owned the Blues tweed deluxe reissue for 3 years now and it has been trouble free and I absolutely love it with the speaker upgrade that I have done to it. Fender has upgraded the speakers in the other hot rod amps unfortunately, they haven't done anything with the Blues Deluxe which really could use a speaker upgrade.
Link for preamp tube:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessor ... tads-plaid^82173010467-sku^H10199000000000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^51870555867

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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:40 pm
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Nice. Thanks MusicMatty. Great advice.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blues Junior or Blues Deluxe for home/condo pract
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:26 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Your wah and drive pedals (od, dist, fuzz etc) should go through the front input traditionally speaking. Run your mod pedals (chorus, flange, phaser, delay, reverb etc) through your effects loop.

BDRI is probably way loud for what you are using it for but it is a great amp! Blues Jr. is great too... but it does not have an effects loop for those mod pedals. Something to consider if you are a pedal tinkerer!

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