Epi Valve Junior combo question

My VJ Combo is one of the early hummers. There's no manufacture date marked, only a serial number, which is a way higher number than that. They came on the market in May 2005.

They all have a speaker jack. The internal speaker plugs into it. It's a 4 ohm, at least on the early ones.

The new ones are hum free I got this quote from someone in the VJ forum ( I saw your post :D )
"the first four numbers of the serial number indicate the date it was, for example, 1205 means it was manufactured in December of 2005, anything on or after this date is hum-free"
so I would say you would be safe. But even the ones that did hum were not that bad from what I have heard from Ricochet and others who have the old ones :D --the dog

Richochet, Ken,

Thanks for your answers... I think I will go for the combo, given that is a much more "easy to use" package for me.

(Yeah, I am trolling in multiple places for the answer :-))

I don't think you will be disappointed :D

Well, I took the plunge and ordered the combo. Thanks for all the information. I am hoping for some more grit/driver than my Galaxie 10. Will see how it goes..but I figure it's only the cost of two tanks of gas.

(I almost ordered a Squier Tele also because of another thread that's going on, based on the same kind of reasoning, but I resisted.. might have been a different story if they had the sunburst, but they didn't have that. GN is making me GAS more :-) )

The first version had the logo and stripes in the middle of the facia. The new, modified, version has two stripes at the top of the facia, like the head
Old style facia

New Style facia

Congrats on ordering the Valve Junior Combo Vink, I am sure you will like it, these are great little amps.

As far as the hum, all tube amps make some noise. Maybe I'm goofy, but I like the noises tube amps make, they add character to the tone. :twisted:

I have the head version which is known to be very quiet, and it is. However, the way I like to use this amp is crank it way up, and then turn my guitar volume way down. Even the head version will make quite a bit of noise and hum like this. But that is when you really get the touch sensitive dynamics out of a tube amp. Recently I posted a video of Neil Young. He has always used a Fender Deluxe and almost always cranks it to max. Man, his amp makes all sorts of squeaks, whistles, hum, and feedback while he plays, but that's what Neil wants. I am the same way, this is when tube amps come alive. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z9LgG7a_1Q

So, you may be different, but try this method of cranking the amp and turning the guitar down, it's awesome. :D

Wes, thanks for the info and the advice.

Actually, I do want to turn it up, and I don't mind a little hum. In fact, the reason I want a low powered amp is so that I can crank it, and I would really like to control it with the volume on the guitar maybe, as you say. I have an Epi Galxie, and that really hums when you turn up the gain, and also, it has a bit too much clean. Really hard to get it to break up unless I put a pedal in the front, or crank the gain all the way, at which point it becomes too loud. So, the reason I was hung up on the DC filaments was because I want it to be quieter than the Galaxie 10.

Anyway, I am looking forward to getting the amp! Will let you know once I get it and play with it for a while.

(PS. I am watching the video right now .. someone here posted that what he uses is just like the 5E3 kit from Weber..I was looking at those kits for a while, but decided it seems like too much work..)

Thanks for posting that Wes, Thats my all time favorite NY tune. :D That dude can crank some tone out of that rig :twisted:
The EVJ head is lots of fun. I find a EQ and reverb unit really makes it come to life( but its pretty awesome all by its lonely 8). also I built a home made attenuator from a Radio Shack House stereo system volume control for about $18.--the dog

You know, Wes, when you posted about all the weird, ugly, beautiful "squeaks, whistles, hum, and feedback" from Neil's amps, that song (and sound) is EXACTLY the one I was thinking of. Cool vid, and awesome tone.

TZ

I find a EQ and reverb unit really makes it come to life .....also I built a home made attenuator from a Radio Shack House stereo system volume control for about $18.--the dog

Yeah, I figured I could use my fish and chips eq for tone control, and one of those homebrew attenuators if needed. But I am at a loss for a cheap reverb ..any suggestions?

This one is cheap http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Danelectro-DJ4-Corned-Beef-Reverb-Pedal?sku=151863
also they have the tubulator on sell for $9.99 ( its a pretty good tube screamer knock off)
Wes has suggested this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Danelectro-DJ17-PB-J-Delay-Pedal?sku=151882

and while I'm at it http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP50-Modeling-Guitar-Processor?sku=150830 might be worth looking into, my brother-in-law has the one with the wah pedal and is very happy with it

As for reverb, I warmly recommend the Behringer REV2496. Costs around $120 or so but is truly insanely good. I'd pick it over the Boss RV5 any day of the week.

Thanks for the suggestions on the reverbs. Given that anything other that the Danelectro "Corned Beef" is not really cheap, I guess I need to do a little bit more research. (BTW, I did buy the Tubulator, I haven't really put it to much use yet, I have a Pinnacle pedal board on back order from Music123, I'm waiting for that to set up the three or four pedals I have).