I bought a valve junior combo a few weeks ago, and then I started following some discussions on the 18watt forum about modifying it to get better highs and overall better signal. I was especially finding that the highs were getting squelched when I use my attenuator. I just did the mods recommended there recently, and man, this amp now really sings! It's become incredibly loud (maybe twice as loud as before), and it plays beautifully through the attenuator when cranked.
The only downsides are that the amp is now too too loud for bedroom use without an attenuator, and at least in my case, it has started to hum somewhat again. I will be doing a few things to fix the hum, but for now I am going to enjoy it in its new form for a while. Fully cranked and with the attenuation on hard, I think you can get all the AC/DC and even Hendrix kind of tones. Not metal, but definitely hard rock. And at about 11 o'clock, it it's got beatiful crunch.
I will see if I can do a couple of clips this coming weekend.
(PS. The mods generally involve increasing the gain, reducing the bass response a little and changing the biasing of the tubes .. all through changing a bunch of resistors and capacitors).
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
Interested in the sound postings. I am looking at doing the same thing. I have an epi head, and love it. I want to eventually build an amp, so I figured a good way to start is with the epi head modifications on 18 watt.
Older Newbie
Have you tried changing out the stock tubes?..I have a Valve Special and swapped the preamp tubes to Groove Tubes and that brightened it up some.
Scott
I havn't found my tone yet, and I have no mojo....but I'm working on it :)
The speaker lightens up a bit once broken in. Expecially on the larger combos.
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The only mod I did on my early VJ combo was to install a bridge rectifier on the heater circuit, as mine's one of the real hummers. It did decrease the hum, but the hum's now a 120 Hz with lots of high harmonics instead of a 60 Hz sine wave, so it's in a range the ears are more sensitive to. (Just as brightening your amp's tone made it sound louder to you.) The hum's no big deal while I'm playing, though, just a bit annoying when the amp's idling. I've always been thrilled with how it sounds, and don't plan to make any tonal modifications.
Another place to look for discussions on VJ mods: http://valvejunior.com/ It's got some links to other sites as well.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Here's one of my Fav's EVJ Mod
And the forum it came from EVJ Forum
And yet anotherEVJ Page
I especially like this Mod:
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ChuckNorrisFactsdotCom
I've seen that one before. Nice custom job.
Who needs a signature?
I mean really...
It's almost always lyrics...
or a cliche...
or garbage about me...
Lets just save YOU from the pain, ok?
