Fender Blues Junior

C Heat · 15th December 2006, 05:38 AM

Newbie (Fender) amp question please:

I'm thinking of purchasing a Fender Blues Junior for guitar recording purposes.

If you were to turn the Master Volume down low, and crank the Volume up, would that mean I could get some nice tube saturation but at low volume?

I'll likely throw a 57 in front of it and patch it to an APIA2D then into 002R.

I can't have a LOUD amp that will have the neighbours knocking on my front door!

Kiwiburger · 15th December 2006, 05:53 AM

At the risk of offending the Fender fan boys ...

You live in Australia? I live in New Zealand, so we both have 240V 50Hz AC.

The Yanks have 110V 60Hz AC, and appear to be besotted with these little Fender amps.

It's my considered opinion that the hum levels from these cheap design/build amps becomes unnacceptable when converted to 240V 50Hz. Obviously with the stronger voltage, the radiated EMF field from the cheap transformers extendes further. Also, the caps that are designed to filter out 60Hz won't work as effectively with the lower frequency 50Hz. So maybe they work ok in the USA.

Or maybe i'm a fool. All I know is, i've tried to buy a small wattage tube amp off the shelf, and they just suck far too much to be of any musical use.

Little Marshal amps? No worries mate! Is it coincidence that british amp designers are designing their amps for 240V 50Hz AC? I think not.

Even the little Epiphone amps are waaay quieter than these Fender toys. Sorry, just can't get into them.

If you wanted to completely rebuild it, properly, you might be ok.

Or get a THD Univalve - nicely built little amp head ...

CorkyTart · 15th December 2006, 06:16 AM

you're not going to get a lot of chunk out of that amp, i have one and its great but its not chunky

Methlab · 15th December 2006, 02:21 PM

Yes, you will definitley get saturation if you do this. I mix mine through an Audix I5, and I get that effect. It's not a chunky amp of course, but I doubt that is what you need.

Id buy a tubescreamer and if you want to get roaring, a big muff with a TS9 in front of it sounds pretty awesome.

C Heat · 17th December 2006, 10:05 PM

Thanks All

Chas3 · 18th December 2006, 12:10 AM

Don't think that 15 watts won't be loud.

C Heat · 18th December 2006, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas3

Don't think that 15 watts won't be loud.

That's what I'm afraid of

Might have to wait until that Epiphone Valve Jnr hits our shores (March I heard!

).

Or buy an atty - but there's some more cheese ($$$) right there...

Back to the POD for now...

Studiocat · 18th December 2006, 02:39 AM

Great amp. Had mine for 7 or 8 years I think. You can make it nice and smushy at moderate to low volumes. It can also be quite loud. I live in a thin-walled apartment and get no noise complaints. Great value considering the reliability and overall flexibilty. Sounds great with a wurlitzer, and great for a bass mult in a pinch! Tube screamer makes it rock.

Cheers
A

everybody's x · 18th December 2006, 03:48 AM

the "Pro Junior" is smaller, quiter, cheaper and sounds better FYI and it does saturate nicely.

C Heat · 18th December 2006, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everybody's x

the "Pro Junior" is smaller, quiter, cheaper and sounds better FYI and it does saturate nicely.

Quieter? Isn't it a 15w also?

Why do you think it sounds better?

Pasta4lnch · 18th December 2006, 04:02 AM

I have a pro jr and before I got my iso box I don;t think I took the master volume above like 2 or 4. Still souded fine to me! slightly less meat . . .

everybody's x · 18th December 2006, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C Heat

Quieter? Isn't it a 15w also?

Why do you think it sounds better?

Yeah I guess it is 15 watts as well. I don't know maybe the simpler signal chain makes it sound better but I think it does.

bogeyeater · 18th December 2006, 11:59 AM

it's a great sounding little amp for the buck. i run on 240v in a critical environment and i have no hum issues as mentioned in nz.

as for the 'chunk', it's running a 10" speaker in a small cab, what do you expect? plumb it out to a 4x12 and you might get a surprise.

preamp and power stage distortion are different things. with the BJ you can certainly run the gain stage hot at low volume and get some very usable results. i wouldn't add an ss overdrive pedal like the TS because that introduces artifice to the tube OD but that's my personal (and probably misguided) opinion. i've never tried the tubescreamer and it might rock.

i prefer to get to get the amp to 'tipping point' then push it over the edge with a clean boost (nick greer sonic boom), again this is only boosting the preamp, not the power stage, you have to turn up the master vol to get the additional effect.

at 15w class a, a BJ going full tilt is effin' LOUD. too much for bedrooms i'd say.

Midlandmorgan · 18th December 2006, 12:37 PM

I used a Trace Elliott Velocette 12R for years in live gigs...15 watts or 6 watts, depending on setting...when you really look at power and speaker effeciency, 15 watts is a monster...this may explain why many boutique amp makers are slowly but surely going smaller watts/less controls, and let the support staff do the work for volume.

Like with PA systems, its not necessarily the sheer number of watts that creates the overall volume, its the number of drivers (speakers)...I think your Blues Jr should be a fine addition...

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15th December 2006, 05:38 AM	#1
C Heat Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: BrisVegas Posts: 1,600	Fender Blues Junior Newbie (Fender) amp question please: I'm thinking of purchasing a Fender Blues Junior for guitar recording purposes. If you were to turn the Master Volume down low, and crank the Volume up, would that mean I could get some nice tube saturation but at low volume? I'll likely throw a 57 in front of it and patch it to an APIA2D then into 002R. I can't have a LOUD amp that will have the neighbours knocking on my front door!

18th December 2006, 02:39 AM	#8
Studiocat Gear maniac Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 295	Great amp. Had mine for 7 or 8 years I think. You can make it nice and smushy at moderate to low volumes. It can also be quite loud. I live in a thin-walled apartment and get no noise complaints. Great value considering the reliability and overall flexibilty. Sounds great with a wurlitzer, and great for a bass mult in a pinch! Tube screamer makes it rock. Cheers A __________________ Studiocat Sound and Music www.studiocat.ca

18th December 2006, 03:48 AM	#9
everybody's x Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: kansas city Posts: 1,594	the "Pro Junior" is smaller, quiter, cheaper and sounds better FYI and it does saturate nicely. __________________ Dave

18th December 2006, 04:02 AM	#11
Pasta4lnch Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 1,171	I have a pro jr and before I got my iso box I don;t think I took the master volume above like 2 or 4. Still souded fine to me! slightly less meat . . . __________________ http://myspace.com/stevebuonanotte "There should be a single Art Exchange in the world, to which the artist would simply send his works and in return be given as much as he needs. As it is, one has to be half a merchant on top of everything else, and how badly one goes about it." -Beethoven F/S Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz & Proctavia

15th December 2006, 05:53 AM	#2
Kiwiburger Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,636	At the risk of offending the Fender fan boys ... You live in Australia? I live in New Zealand, so we both have 240V 50Hz AC. The Yanks have 110V 60Hz AC, and appear to be besotted with these little Fender amps. It's my considered opinion that the hum levels from these cheap design/build amps becomes unnacceptable when converted to 240V 50Hz. Obviously with the stronger voltage, the radiated EMF field from the cheap transformers extendes further. Also, the caps that are designed to filter out 60Hz won't work as effectively with the lower frequency 50Hz. So maybe they work ok in the USA. Or maybe i'm a fool. All I know is, i've tried to buy a small wattage tube amp off the shelf, and they just suck far too much to be of any musical use. Little Marshal amps? No worries mate! Is it coincidence that british amp designers are designing their amps for 240V 50Hz AC? I think not. Even the little Epiphone amps are waaay quieter than these Fender toys. Sorry, just can't get into them. If you wanted to completely rebuild it, properly, you might be ok. Or get a THD Univalve - nicely built little amp head ...

15th December 2006, 06:16 AM	#3
CorkyTart Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a house Posts: 1,103	you're not going to get a lot of chunk out of that amp, i have one and its great but its not chunky

15th December 2006, 02:21 PM	#4
Methlab Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 2,327	Yes, you will definitley get saturation if you do this. I mix mine through an Audix I5, and I get that effect. It's not a chunky amp of course, but I doubt that is what you need. Id buy a tubescreamer and if you want to get roaring, a big muff with a TS9 in front of it sounds pretty awesome.

17th December 2006, 10:05 PM	#5
C Heat Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: BrisVegas Posts: 1,600	Thanks All

18th December 2006, 12:10 AM	#6
Chas3 Gear nut Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 75	Don't think that 15 watts won't be loud.

18th December 2006, 11:59 AM	#13
bogeyeater Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 238	it's a great sounding little amp for the buck. i run on 240v in a critical environment and i have no hum issues as mentioned in nz. as for the 'chunk', it's running a 10" speaker in a small cab, what do you expect? plumb it out to a 4x12 and you might get a surprise. preamp and power stage distortion are different things. with the BJ you can certainly run the gain stage hot at low volume and get some very usable results. i wouldn't add an ss overdrive pedal like the TS because that introduces artifice to the tube OD but that's my personal (and probably misguided) opinion. i've never tried the tubescreamer and it might rock. i prefer to get to get the amp to 'tipping point' then push it over the edge with a clean boost (nick greer sonic boom), again this is only boosting the preamp, not the power stage, you have to turn up the master vol to get the additional effect. at 15w class a, a BJ going full tilt is effin' LOUD. too much for bedrooms i'd say. __________________ "I can only tell you that if you get the whole lot of minims crotchets and quavers mixed up together it is like an atomic xplosion cheers cheers cheers." 'There's only an 'o' between pop and poop.' 'Recorded by champs, mixed by chimps, mastered by chumps'

18th December 2006, 12:37 PM	#14
Midlandmorgan Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Midland TX Posts: 1,076	I used a Trace Elliott Velocette 12R for years in live gigs...15 watts or 6 watts, depending on setting...when you really look at power and speaker effeciency, 15 watts is a monster...this may explain why many boutique amp makers are slowly but surely going smaller watts/less controls, and let the support staff do the work for volume. Like with PA systems, its not necessarily the sheer number of watts that creates the overall volume, its the number of drivers (speakers)...I think your Blues Jr should be a fine addition... __________________ Ken Morgan Wireline Studio Midland, TX Don't Blame Me, I Just Recorded What You Played

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