Woo hoo! I picked me up a Fender Blues Jr. last week and really love it! :D
My band is kinda out of commission for the last two months after losing our singer. We are still trying folks out. We've had a few pretty good singers, but nobody comes close to Lee, our singer who moved. So we are kinda spoiled now. We are still trying singers out, got a new one coming to audition next week.
Anyway, not really gigging out at the moment, but I do get invited to jam with folks quite often. And man, am I tired of lugging heavy amps around. I wanted a small portable amp with great tone that I could carry in one hand, guitar in the other.
I spent the last month or two reading lots of reviews on smaller amps. I went to GC and local music stores and tried all the small tube amps. It's gotta be tube for me. I tried out the Crate Palomino amps. I really loved the 30 watt, but it is big and heavy. But even though the 15 watt gets great reviews I didn't like it. Very harsh sounding to me, and I spent a good deal of time tweaking the EQ. Tried the Vox 15 watt amp. It was good, but nothing that really got me excited. Plus, this amp is as big and heavy as a 30-40 watt amp.
I played a Pro Junior at GC and really liked it, but it is just a little too small. A single 10" speaker just sounds too small and boxy to me, wish they had a 2 X 10, I love 2 X 10s. Then I tried the Blues Jr.. I know I am always talking about Marshall tone, but I love good clean tones too, and the Blues Jr. was exceptional. Very warm and full with bright chimey highs. And I couldn't believe the power, this amp has plenty of volume for gigs.
But what truly sold me was the overdrive. This is a one channel amp with Volume and Master. If you want clean tones you keep Volume low below 5 (goes to 12) and then turn Master up for a big clean tone. Sounds great. If you want overdrive you do just the opposite, you turn Volume way up but leave Master low. Wow, I couldn't believe it. I was using a Faded SG as this is my main guitar. I cranked Volume up but kept Master low. Man, this thing sounds just like a Marshall!! :twisted:
I am not kidding, this amp is the best of all worlds to me, Fender clean and Marshall overdrive. Cranked to 12 with the SG this thing sounded just like Hells Bells by AC/DC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoR8bL-ZXAA
Now, that's about the max overdrive you get outta this amp without pedals, but that's all I'll ever need. This is my favorite overdrive tone ever, almost clean but broken up with lots of bite and crunch. Ah, I was sold on the spot!
This amp is somewhat similar to my Hot Rod Deluxe. They are both in the "Hot Rod" series, but really they are very different. The clean channel on my HRD could never get that Marshall AC/DC type tone, and neither could the Drive channels. The Blues Jr. is a slightly thicker, warmer tone than the clean on the HRD and breaks up earlier. The HRD is far louder.
People complain about the reverb on this amp but I think it is pretty good considering the tiny reverb tank. You can't get Surf tones like you can with my HRD, but you get classic Fender reverb. I keep it below 3 usually.
The EQ is quite different from my HRD. My HRD has almost too much bass, so I keep it down very low, usually below 4. Over that it can get mushy or boomy. The BJ is completely different, I turn Bass up quite high around 8 or more. The Treble on the BJ can be a little piercing, I keep this pretty low. I always boost the Mids on any amp. But it gets a very warm full tone. I really haven't had a chance to crank it yet, it may sound different at high volume. But it EQs quite differently than my HRD, so they are very different amps.
I did have a problem with the amp after about four days, it started making all sorts of racket like a bad guitar cord, pops, fizzles and howls. I took it back to the shop and found out one preamp tube was bad. You have to check the tubes on this amp as well, they seem to vibrate loose a little. So the quality is fair, but not outstanding. Still, the great tone makes up for a minor problem like this.
I got invited to a jam next Sunday and I'm gonna put this through a real workout. But I really love the fact that it is so small and portable but packs a big sound and exceptional tone. I've been reading about these amps for years, they are really as good as everyone says.
That's it, just thought others might want to hear a review. These are my opinions only, others may not care for this amp, but I love it.
Wes
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Those are nice amps!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Wes, I'd like to both thank and congratulate you on your Blues Jr. acquisition. Congrats for obvious reasons, and thank you for your review because it helped me see the (red) light. :wink:
I just started a thread in the "Amplification" section about getting a new amp for Christmas. I'm now using a Blues Jr. and I love it. I've never had a problem with it or a complaint about it since I bought it nearly a year ago. After reading the replies I got over there and then after reading this post of yours, I realize that I might be spoiled for any other amp at this point (unless it's the tweed BJ NOS or something far larger and pricier)!
My quest for a new amp all started with a comment from a former teacher who said I "should upgrade my amp." Previous to that, I was thrilled with my Blues Jr. and never considered upgrading, trading or anything of the sort. Don't get me wrong, though! I'm not blaming him...I am very easily persuaded into thinking I "need" something more than I already have. :roll: In fact, he actually sort of made the comment under his breath. But I made sure to hear it. :wink:
Besides the fact that I simply love this amp, I honestly don't need anything more powerful unless my goal is to go deaf. I'm certainly not gigging anytime soon (unfortunately). Most people don't seem as impressed with the overdrive as you are and they've convinced me that I need more of that, too. I've got plenty of pedals and preamps, so there's another reason to ignore the so-so comments I've read re: BJ overdrive. Besides...if it's good enough for Wes Inman, it's good enough (and then some) for me! :D
Congrats, Wes, and thanks for posting this. Enjoy! :D
Love and Peace or Else,
CC
Haven't heard from you for a few days Wes, and as a result I didn't need anything. Now I need Fender Blues Junior!! Actually it has been ony list for awhile. Thanx for the review.
Robbie
I like their Pro Junior, too.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
8)
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Musica23
Don't listen to others, if you like this amp who cares what others think. :D
People always think that expensive amps must sound better than inexpensive amps, but that is not always the case. The Epiphone Valve Jr amps are a good example, as well as the Blues Jr and Pro Jr. The Peavey ValveKing gets great reviews for an inexpensive amp.
I was in my local music store a few weeks ago when I was checking out these small amps. The owner had just received a Soldano head that costs nearly $4000! This guy is a good player that plays in a local band, he is big on Marshall amps. He was playing the Soldano through a Marshall 1960 4 X 12 cab. I sat and listened to him play for about 20 minutes and you know what? That $4000 amp did not sound that special at all. It was very good, but I get as good a tone out of all my amps. Serious.
As I looked at many amps I just kept coming back to the Blues Jr. I was also very impressed with the Deluxe Reverb. I tried many amps but the Blues Jr just had a great tone I liked more than the others. So what it costs $400? I like it. :D
You can always use pedals to get heavier tones. I am not really into heavy distortion but I did like the tone of a Big Muff I tried out when looking around. I may get one someday. But the overdrive of this amp is very good. I have tried my pedals through it and they sound great, but I almost prefer the tone of the amp alone. That is pretty great if you ask me.
Robbie, go out and get one. I can't promise you'll like it, but if you like a very warm clean tone or an old school overdrive that they got back in the 70's from overdriving a single channel amp you'll like it. If you like hyper distortion you would be disappointed.
This amp sounds better with my Fender Tele and the Faded SG. It does not sound quite as good with my LP Studio. I think this amp sounds better with less powerful pickups. I have been spending a lot more time using my neck pickup with this amp which is pretty unusual for me. But this amp gets such a good warm tone with the neck pickup.
I like it, others may not. You gotta remember I'm a Geezer and I prefer the early overdrives of the 60's and 70's. I can get this type of tone that Paul Kossoff of Free used to get. This is as good as it gets for me, forget that stuff that sounds like air escaping from a tire or paper tearing. Give me good ole Crunch!
Here's a very good example of the tones I'm getting with this amp:
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Happy to hear you love the amp, Wes.
What sets the Fender Blues Jr apart from the 15W Crate Palomino for you? I tried out the Blues Jr and love it a lot, but none of my local music stores have the 15W Crate so I can't try that out. So I'm really torn on what one to buy. The Crate is Class A tube that is very appealing to me, plus it's cheaper. Any advice there?
And that's interesting to hear that you get great overdrive out of that amp, I've always heard the overdrive channel was a little weak.
-Kevin
Kevin
I just couldn't get good tones out of the 15W Palomino. I played through the 30W version and liked it very much. The 30W is a great amp in my opinion. But I was looking for something portable, I already have a few larger amps. Portability was very important for me this time. But I wanted an amp with power to gig small gigs and good tone too. The 15W was very different sounding from the 30W, very harsh. Maybe that particular amp was a lemon, I had read many great reviews on this amp and looked especially for it to try out. I spent 20 minutes turning all the knobs, different guitars, just didn't like it at all.
But don't go by me, go check one out for yourself, you may love it.
I also found a new Crate 18W amp. I'm sorry, but it was terrible too. Harsh, and sounded like a very cheap speaker cab. Not down on Crate at all, the 30W is excellent.
This amp sounded OK with overdrive set very low, but turned up the overdrive was very distorted (not the kind of distortion you are looking for). I tried to EQ it, knew in one minute it was not the amp for me. Very light though. :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wes-
I had my Blues Junior sitting up on stage as a spare when your Marshall went south last August. Guess we coulda won you over a bit earlier if only ... And IIRC Mike Roberto was using one that day as well: so many opportunities! The only reason I wasn't "using" was I had dragged out my Classic 50 410 and was determined to use it once a year to knock the dust off the tubes and cones. Once again that hefting experience proved the BJ is the one to use.
But you've got one now ... so enjoy!
-=Greg
-=tension & release=-
Greg
If I am not mistaken you had the Blues Jr at the 2004 Jam and I liked the tone a lot.
By the way, unbelieveably I have got my Marshall working well again. I resoldered almost the whole board, plus I found a wire with a very loose connection, corrected that. I also installed a fan in it. It has been working great since. The Blues Jr will not get anywhere near the overdrive distortion that the Marshall gets. I love the Overdrive 1 on the Marshall, not too crazy about the Overdrive 2. Actually, the best overdrive on the Marshall is turning Clean Gain (Volume) all the way to max and controlling volume with the Master. Excellent overdrive. I am keeping it and might even take the chance to gig with it again with the fan. It does not get hot at all now. Still, this amp is a little too untrustworthy.
Do you ever crank Volume on the Blues Jr for overdrive? I was blown away when I heard it, very Marshall sounding.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
You are correct. I bought it for RJ2004, and was just starting to use it. These days, I usually take the BJ and a Cube30 to most gigs. But I rarely crank the BJ hard because it is so loud. So I don't get output saturation from it very often. I use a Voodoo Lab Sparkle drive to both drive the front end as well as produce some of its own distortion. Works for rougher crunch at lower levels, but nothing smooth. The only negative I've noticed with the BJ is that my Taylor T5 (active 'bucker and single) smacks the snot out of the input if I'm not careful -- tearing noises, NOT good. But with Tele, Strat (G&L S500), P90s (Rev Slingshot) and bridge 'buckers ('51, Burns Steer) it's all good with the Blues Junior.
-=tension & release=-
Greg
Well, so far I haven't really played this amp at volume. Yes I crank Volume to max (I've tried it everywhere), but keep amp volume down by keeping the Master low. I live in an apartment and can't really crank any amp there. That's why I'm excited to jam next week and hopefully get the volume up. If all the reviews are correct it only gets better. I know my Hot Rod really starts to sound awesome when I can get the volume up a little. We'll see.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wes, congratulations on the new amp! (and thanks for the review).
Post some clips ..
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
Great review Wes!
Have fun with your new amp! :D
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
