to blues jr or not to blues jr - that is the question

paulphoenix · January 2017

So, it looks like a fun little amp.

i don't need much clean headroom as i already have another 15w amp that has nothing but clean headroom. I have another EL84 30W amp but i'm just never able to turn it up loud enough to get the output valves really sizzling.....

I don't want or need channel switching.

I don't need an fx loop (such an amateur i know).

I will be using this in my rock/pop/funk covers band and always mic'd through the PA

so what is the crack jack?

any lovers of this little amp? i know there are plenty of haters out there - depending on which forums you frequent (and/or believe)

if you've owned/played/flipped/binned one - what's your experience? how about reliability? problems? niggles? positives?!

I read somewhere about problems with the uk power supply being wrong? and that the valves are over biased out of the factory? and that the input jack is a p.o.s.?

but, i would be buying new (the mk iii) - probably the tweed or royal blood fsr. so surely current production is fit for many years use?

I've also visited billm's web page and would look at some mods down the line as i love tinkering with my gear to make it "my gear"

TheMarlin · January 2017

I had one. Boxy and fizzy.

Lots of other options I'd chose over the BJr. Traynor YCV20, Peavey Delta Blues, Gibson GA5, super champ XD.... I got more enjoyment out of my little Vox DA5 than I did a Blues Jr!

Jalapeno · January 2017

Needs a replacement speaker, one trick pony (but does it adequately)

I preferred Pro Junior and Princeton Reverb Reissue

cbilly22 · January 2017

No, use a drive into your cleanish 15 watter, it'll sound far better than the Blues Junior imho. Really not a fan of this strangely popular amp....and I've tried ownership on three separate occasions. I think the bigger HRDX sounds better at low volumes than the BJ. At the end of the day though my ears may well differ from yours and it might be tonal nirvana, so try one out, plenty out there.

cbilly22 · January 2017

cbilly22 said:

No, use a drive into your cleanish 15 watter, it'll sound far better than the Blues Junior imho. Really not a fan of this strangely popular amp....and I've tried ownership on three separate occasions. I think the bigger HRDX sounds better at low volumes than the BJ. At the end of the day though my ears may well differ from yours and it might be tonal nirvana, so try one out, plenty out there.

...or better yet buy the pro junior

Richardj · January 2017

Definitely a big +1 for a Pro Junior, seems to have a more 'complete' sound than the BJ. There is always the Bassbreaker 15 combo if you must have a 12" speaker and reverb.

ICBM · January 2017

cbilly22 said:

No, use a drive into your cleanish 15 watter, it'll sound far better than the Blues Junior imho. Really not a fan of this strangely popular amp....and I've tried ownership on three separate occasions. I think the bigger HRDX sounds better at low volumes than the BJ.

Completely agreed - I've never owned one but I've worked on plenty and I don't understand their popularity either. The HRD is better-made, more reliable, far more versatile, sounds better at any volume - and only costs about a third more, either new or used… in fact you can easily get a used HRD in perfect condition for less than a new BJ. The only real advantage the BJ has is that it's smaller and lighter.

I have heard people get good sounds out of them when they're at very low volume with a pedal, but in that case you may as well use the pedal with the amp you've got.

cbilly22 · January 2017

ICBM said:

The only real advantage the BJ has is that it's smaller and lighter.

I can only assume this is the reason for their continued popularity. But there are so many decent options out there now, not least the Roland Blues Cube Hot, which knocks the Blues Jr into touch on every level.

Wazmeister · January 2017

cbilly22 said:

ICBM said:

The only real advantage the BJ has is that it's smaller and lighter.

I can only assume this is the reason for their continued popularity. But there are so many decent options out there now, not least the Roland Blues Cube Hot, which knocks the Blues Jr into touch on every level.

Bang on.

The BJ is poor imho.

cbilly22 · January 2017

Wazmeister said:

cbilly22 said:

ICBM said:

The only real advantage the BJ has is that it's smaller and lighter.

I can only assume this is the reason for their continued popularity. But there are so many decent options out there now, not least the Roland Blues Cube Hot, which knocks the Blues Jr into touch on every level.

Bang on.

The BJ is poor imho.

I know you owned and raved about the Artist @wazmeister so this is old news to you, but I was really amazed by just how good the little Hot was when I tried it, a real eye opener. I'm not really after an amp at the moment but my finger has hovered over the checkout button a couple of times recently lol.

Apologies for the minor thread derail.

paulphoenix · January 2017

thank you fretboard. my G.A.S has been abated for this amp...

cbilly22 · January 2017

paulphoenix said:

thank you fretboard. my G.A.S has been abated for this amp...

Yes but now you want a Blues Cube Hot, a Pro Junior, a Hot Rod Deluxe and another drive pedal

TTBZ · January 2017

The Pro Jr sounds way better to me...

That video makes me want to try one, such a good rock tone with the LP.

ChuckManual · January 2017

I love my Blues Junior...

No boxiness or fizziness here...

p90fool · January 2017

I think if the Blues Jr had been released by almost any other manufacturer it would've sunk without trace 20 years ago.

It's only universal because Fender is.

thecolourbox · January 2017

When I was amp shopping I tried one at PMT and it sounded fine.

I bought a Princeton the next day instead. Which I think says it all...

guitartango · January 2017

I still have my BJ and yes it can be a little boxy and fizzy, but still a good little amp. I tend to place mine on a chair and with a good pedal can sound really good. If the amp is so crap then why does this man use one ? http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/22310-noel-gallagher-high-flying-birdman?page=2

cbilly22 · January 2017

guitartango said:

I still have my BJ and yes it can be a little boxy and fizzy, but still a good little amp. I tend to place mine on a chair and with a good pedal can sound really good. If the amp is so crap then why does this man use one ? http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/22310-noel-gallagher-high-flying-birdman?page=2

Not sure that anyone suggested it was a crap amp, perhaps more that there were better options out there. Pretty sure there are a good few players getting good sounds out of them, I seem to remember Chris Rea getting a great tone out of one using an Italia, but as you say yourself they tend to be a bit boxy and fizzy which would be enough for me to try something that offered less of each.

Jeremiah · January 2017

I used one in a rehearsal studio; it was OK, but not really much better than the solid state Marshalls they also had, and worse than a Peavey Bandit.

EricTheWeary · January 2017

I was watching That Pedal Show yesterday and, FWIW, Mick Taylor was singing the praises of the Fender Bassbreaker ( the 15 I think) over the Blues Jr. Similar money, maybe slightly less I think.

johnhe · January 2017

Horse for courses. The Bassbreaker is nice, and I love my Pro Juniors. But the Blues Jnr is a really great sounding amp in the right hands. I personally don't like the stock speaker, and I think the amp would definitely sound get in a slightly large enclosure. But for what it is, I think it's a great sounding foundation amp for use with pedals.

i much preferred my old Blues Jnr(with a Celection G12H speaker) over an AC15 or thePeavey Classic 30 or Blues Deluxe I owned.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

to blues jr or not to blues jr - that is the question

Comments