Check out the new Deluxe VM if you can find one. they don't last long on the showroom floor. priced between the hotrod and reissue.

If you only do the odd gig here and there, the hot rod deluxe is advisable from me because its so damn loud, but saying that, I have had lots of trouble with it with the sound I want, but its deffinetly alright for ye' ol' pub gig. (I'm only advising that amp, because I'm assuming you won't wanna spend over a grand and whatever on a decent one, like me!).

And as for the Blues Junior, from some of the comments I'v got, I'd advise that too. One thing I was suprised about this amp was its volumn at only 15 watts. I'm actually gonna get one soon for like playin at home and rehearsals and stuff. (Thats not to say it aint loud enough for a gig, I would deffinetly on the odd gig).

Because them two answers aint helped at all, I'll sum it up -
Hot Rod Deluxe - If your gigging regularly. (to loud for home for me)

Blues Junior - If you play at home alot and maybe just getting started in giggin.

Here's my 2 cents: Narrow it down to all of the amps that you think you might like and can afford, (sounds like you've done that) and then PLAY through them both! Which one speaks to you? That's the one you buy! If neither of them speak to you, don't buy them. Keep searching. Most of us search all of our lives! Good luck!

I think you should check out the DRRI..

+1 Just because an amp is loud doesn't mean it sounds good. Reliability is a major issue with me and my HRDlx isn't reliable and need tube changes to make it sound decent.

The DRRI is a professional quality made and designed amp. The HRDlx falls way short on tone, build quality and reliability. It's not the workhorse amp I hoped it would be. It's not really that loud either. Most of the volume occurs at around 4 on the volume control. It doesn't get much louder after that.

I gig with a Blues Jr. It has a sound I like. How can I get loud enough? Easy. I mic it to the band's mixer, and everything gets pushed to two giant Mackie 3-way powered main throws and two subwoofers. We're loud enough.

_________________
James Burton Upgrade Telecaster
Hot Rodded Am Fat Strat Texas Special (now featuring Kinman Traditional II pickups)
Fender Blues Jr.
SWR California Blonde
Pedals Pedals Pedals

[/quote]Don't get the Blues JR. If you are looking for a great amp get a blues deluxe. It cost a few hundred more dollars, but it is well worth it. You can gig with it. It has a great clean sound and it still sounds good distorted.[quote]

I agree with blues-man-wv. I have a BJ and no matter what I did, or what guitar I play through it, it sounds boxy. You can't get warm, black face bass out of that amp. I don't care how many mods you do, at gig volume, it is boxy. Save up and get DRRI, that's what I ended up doing. I found mine used for $600. You won't be sorry.

Ed

Don't get the Blues JR. If you are looking for a great amp get a blues deluxe. It cost a few hundred more dollars, but it is well worth it. You can gig with it. It has a great clean sound and it still sounds good distorted.I have both the blues deluxe and the blues jr and i have to agree, it sounds boxy.It probably has more to do with the cabinet size than the el84 tubes.Maybe if you ran it to say a cabinet like the hr dlx cab it would be ok.

If you're going to get a BJ (and I love mine) - bank on having to replace the speaker. The stock 'Emminence made for Fender' driver is a real turkey - it's harsh sounding and you can play all day with the EQ controls and still not get it sounding right. I put a Celestion V30 in mine and have never looked back..