Fender Blues Junior

CaptainSensible

Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 650
Leesburg, VA
United States

Posted on Nov 09 2006 01:09 AM

Thoughts on the Fender Blues Junior as a surf amp for somebody who plays mainly in the ol' basement. Is the spring reverb any good?

I currently have a Fender Cyber Champ, which has nice mods of a Fender Princeton Reverb and a Deluxe Reverb. If you can compare, would the Blues Junior offer much difference from that solid state amp?

Thanks.

—

Sean

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rockfish

Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 65

Posted on Nov 09 2006 08:11 AM

The blues jr. is a great amp for surf!!! If you had that amp and lets say a wilson bros. guitar or a jimmie vaughan strat...man oh man daddy-o you would be rockin just don't come out of the basement.

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krupanut

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 492
Austin Texas
2 News Pins

Posted on Nov 09 2006 09:03 AM

The Blues Jr. is a great amp all around.

I was blown away by how good they sound and how much power you can get out of the 15 watts.

The tweed modle is the good one it has an upgraded jenson speaker that sounds great.

The reverb is of course not as drippy as a tank but very good for basement surfin'.

I Highly recomend the Blues Jr.
It's the best value for real fender tube sound out there.

—

The Thunderchiefs

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SurfBandBill

Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1487
San Francisco
1 News Pin

Posted on Nov 09 2006 01:07 PM

I'll echo everyone's sentiment. The Blues Junior is a great, small, affordable TUBE Fender amp. Chances are it'd break up a bit if you were playing with a drummer or full band, but for the garage, it'll sound killer.

~B~

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Sonichris

Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1910
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
United States

Posted on Nov 09 2006 02:22 PM

There are a couple differnet generations of Blues Jr's. They break down like this - the US made older ones have a green circuit board, and the newer Mexican made ones have a cream board. The newer versions have much improved reverb over the green board ones. Its not even close. You can read more about the differences here....
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/machrone/bjrinfo.htm

I have an older green board, and the reverb is useless for surf. I have to use a reverb tank. I could modify it, which I might try. Its loud enough (barely) for band practice - and it sounds great. They are cool little amps, but I should have gotten a newer one...

Chris

—

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

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bots

Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 290
Shwa City

Posted on Nov 09 2006 03:50 PM

There's a surf band in TO, that uses one i think, they just mic it and use a tank for drip, sounds great!!

—

www.myspace.com/vondrats
www.myspace.com/therobotssurfband

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CaptainSensible

Joined: Nov 08, 2006
Posts: 650
Leesburg, VA
United States

Posted on Nov 09 2006 04:12 PM

bots
There's a surf band in TO, that uses one i think, they just mic it and use a tank for drip, sounds great!!

Does this mean that the amp's own reverb is unsuitable or insufficient for surf? Again, I'm not planning on playing anywhere other than the basement or a friend's house so close enough is good enough for me. If it just isn't close, however, I'd just as soon keep using my Cyber Champ and save for a Deluxe Reverb.

Thanks.

—

Sean

Top

bots

Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 290
Shwa City

Posted on Nov 09 2006 04:50 PM

In my opinion an external tank is in most cases essentail. If your just starting, the onboard reverb should be sufficent, but i do urge you at some point to pick one up.

—

www.myspace.com/vondrats
www.myspace.com/therobotssurfband

Top

Sonichris

Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1910
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
United States

Posted on Nov 09 2006 05:39 PM

No to sound like a jerk here, but check out the link I provided - The green board amps have virtually no reverb - I'm not kidding. It really sucks - so bad that I thought there must be something wrong with it. I've played a creme board version - and the reverb is good enough for home and jamming with friends.

Chris

—

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

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rockfish

Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 65

Posted on Nov 09 2006 05:49 PM

Reverend guitars sound so freakin good with these amps!

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TvD

Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 81
Toronto
1 Link Pin

Posted on Nov 23 2006 12:35 PM

The BJ would be more than loud enough for a basement. The tone of the amp is great, but it's a bit boxy at higher volumes - not much of a surprise with a cab that small. If you're in the basement it shouldn't matter.

I'm in agreement with just about everyone else. The on-board reverb just won't cut it. It was designed to give the tone a bit of atmosphere, not provide that thick liquid drip.

—

Trevor von Drat

http://www.myspace.com/vondrats

Top

CaptainSensible Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA	Posted on Nov 09 2006 01:09 AM Thoughts on the Fender Blues Junior as a surf amp for somebody who plays mainly in the ol' basement. Is the spring reverb any good? I currently have a Fender Cyber Champ, which has nice mods of a Fender Princeton Reverb and a Deluxe Reverb. If you can compare, would the Blues Junior offer much difference from that solid state amp? Thanks. — Sean Top
rockfish Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 65	Posted on Nov 09 2006 08:11 AM The blues jr. is a great amp for surf!!! If you had that amp and lets say a wilson bros. guitar or a jimmie vaughan strat...man oh man daddy-o you would be rockin just don't come out of the basement. Top
krupanut Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 492 Austin Texas	Posted on Nov 09 2006 09:03 AM The Blues Jr. is a great amp all around. I was blown away by how good they sound and how much power you can get out of the 15 watts. The tweed modle is the good one it has an upgraded jenson speaker that sounds great. The reverb is of course not as drippy as a tank but very good for basement surfin'. I Highly recomend the Blues Jr. It's the best value for real fender tube sound out there. — The Thunderchiefs Top
SurfBandBill Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1487 San Francisco	Posted on Nov 09 2006 01:07 PM I'll echo everyone's sentiment. The Blues Junior is a great, small, affordable TUBE Fender amp. Chances are it'd break up a bit if you were playing with a drummer or full band, but for the garage, it'll sound killer. ~B~ Top
Sonichris Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 1910 Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies	Posted on Nov 09 2006 02:22 PM There are a couple differnet generations of Blues Jr's. They break down like this - the US made older ones have a green circuit board, and the newer Mexican made ones have a cream board. The newer versions have much improved reverb over the green board ones. Its not even close. You can read more about the differences here.... http://mywebpages.comcast.net/machrone/bjrinfo.htm I have an older green board, and the reverb is useless for surf. I have to use a reverb tank. I could modify it, which I might try. Its loud enough (barely) for band practice - and it sounds great. They are cool little amps, but I should have gotten a newer one... Chris — "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been" Top
bots Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 290 Shwa City	Posted on Nov 09 2006 03:50 PM There's a surf band in TO, that uses one i think, they just mic it and use a tank for drip, sounds great!! — www.myspace.com/vondrats www.myspace.com/therobotssurfband Top
CaptainSensible Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA	Posted on Nov 09 2006 04:12 PM bots There's a surf band in TO, that uses one i think, they just mic it and use a tank for drip, sounds great!! Does this mean that the amp's own reverb is unsuitable or insufficient for surf? Again, I'm not planning on playing anywhere other than the basement or a friend's house so close enough is good enough for me. If it just isn't close, however, I'd just as soon keep using my Cyber Champ and save for a Deluxe Reverb. Thanks. — Sean Top
bots Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 290 Shwa City	Posted on Nov 09 2006 04:50 PM In my opinion an external tank is in most cases essentail. If your just starting, the onboard reverb should be sufficent, but i do urge you at some point to pick one up. — www.myspace.com/vondrats www.myspace.com/therobotssurfband Top
Sonichris Joined: Mar 06, 2006 Posts: 1910 Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies	Posted on Nov 09 2006 05:39 PM No to sound like a jerk here, but check out the link I provided - The green board amps have virtually no reverb - I'm not kidding. It really sucks - so bad that I thought there must be something wrong with it. I've played a creme board version - and the reverb is good enough for home and jamming with friends. Chris — "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been" Top
rockfish Joined: Jun 12, 2006 Posts: 65	Posted on Nov 09 2006 05:49 PM Reverend guitars sound so freakin good with these amps! Top
TvD Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 81 Toronto	Posted on Nov 23 2006 12:35 PM The BJ would be more than loud enough for a basement. The tone of the amp is great, but it's a bit boxy at higher volumes - not much of a surprise with a cab that small. If you're in the basement it shouldn't matter. I'm in agreement with just about everyone else. The on-board reverb just won't cut it. It was designed to give the tone a bit of atmosphere, not provide that thick liquid drip. — Trevor von Drat http://www.myspace.com/vondrats Top

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Fender Blues Junior