I wish I knew more about amps

Gravy · February 8th, 2010, 04:26 PM

I've been looking for a new amp recently...a tube amp (all this rave about them has made me unsatisfied with my formerly satisfactory solid state Marshall)

Anyway I've been looking around at a lot of different amps...ok mostly Fenders, the Engater Rebel 30, and one or two Voxes (Voxs, Vox's, Voxi...I have no idea how to pluralize that)

The Hot Rod Blues Junior and Hot Rod Blues Junior NOS really tickle my fancy and I've been hearing lots of good things about them recently but cannot put a finger on the differences and a few other things.

So the questions...
Whats the difference between the two?
Do you guys have any helpful reviews about them?
Anything else I should know if I pull the trigger?
Any alternative amps that may also tickle my fancy?
Whats this about them having a "Solid State Rectifier", i though they were tube/valve amps?
Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15...tarCenter.com.
Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior NO...tarCenter.com.
(It says it in the last few bullets under specs)

oh...oh....almost forgot...If I decided that I need more volume sometime in the future...would it be possible to hook these amps up to a cab or something?

Help me out a bit here...

THANKS IN ADVANCE...(there will likely be more thanks in the future as well!)

TexBiker · February 8th, 2010, 04:41 PM

The only differences between the two amps are the tweed tolex and Jensen speaker in the NOS. I've played them both back to back for over an hour and the NOS isn't worth the extra money, IMO. The Jensen speaker is nothing special and I don't care about the tolex color. I bought the standard model and replaced the speaker with a GWS Greenback clone. Much better speaker for less money than the the NOS "upgrade." I also added the BillM mods and it turned a good amp into a fantastic amp.

Adding a larger cabinet will not make it louder, but it will give a may "well rounded" tone, in my experience...depends on the cab. If you want significantly more volume (and 15W of tube power will make your ears bleed unless you're playing in a huge venue), you need more watts. Remember that the power rating on a tube amp is the "clean" tone. Once the tubes start to distort, the power output can jump 40% or more. In fact, I had to buy an attenuator for my Blues Jr to play it in my studio...it was just too loud for my tastes.

The Blues Jr is a nice amp but I prefer the sound of British amps, so I replaced it with a few different Vox and Hiwatt boxes...along with a couple dozen home builds...they are addictive.

Gravy · February 8th, 2010, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexBiker

Once the tubes start to distort, the power output can jump 40% or more. In fact, I had to buy an attenuator for my Blues Jr to play it in my studio...it was just too loud for my tastes.

This ^ I did not know...thankyou very much kind sir

amstratnut · February 8th, 2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexBiker

along with a couple dozen home builds...they are addictive.

Is that something a novice can do? I'd love to have a small amp with good components for smaller gigs.

Carlsoti · February 8th, 2010, 05:53 PM

The rectifier is not in the audio portion of the circuit. IIRC, it's main function is to change the AC coming from the wall into DC for the amp to run on. Some will argue that it has a huge affect on tone, but it really doesn't, unless you're in that very top % of people that can hear those minute differences. Since this is your first tube amp, don't worry about the rectifier, solid-state, or otherwise.

still_fiddlin · February 8th, 2010, 06:41 PM

Blues Jr has to be one of Fender's biggest amp successes in a long time.

Go play one.

I agree that there's little to distinguish your basic model from the NOS. Of course, people that spend the extra money like theirs (i.e., NOS), but we're all like that.

Myself, I think it's a good, functional, "go to" amp. I don't think it has a great Fender tone, but that's me, and few people listening to you play are going to notice. (However, I use one where we practice, because it's there, but my PRRI at the church. Just yesterday, a singer who hasn't been with us for some time, but who had been at practice, remarked, "Your guitar sounds great!" The difference, IMO, was the amp; but, to be fair, a lot of it is the fact that I'm more comfortable with my amp, have dialed in the settings I like, etc., etc. The Jr. I just plug in and play without tinkering, since it's not mine.)

Whatever you get, learn to use it. Live with it; try different settings; record and listen. Don't despair if it doesn't turn you into a guitar god overnight, and don't start throwing money at it (like we tend to do with our guitars) with speaker swaps, new tubes, ... It takes some time to really figure out how to use an amp, and if it's brand new, you'll have a bit of break in time to allow for, too.

Anyway, sorry for the book. I wouldn't worry about the rectifier. Some significant difference of opinion on rectifiers. Soldano says SS is the way to go, since modern tubes are crap. Other authorities say you need a standby switch with SS to protect output/power tubes, who knows. In *theory* the original tube rectifiers contributed to the sound of overdriven tube amps because they would "sag" when trying to do more than they were capable. If you get some NOS rectifier tube for your vintage amp, you can test it and let us know what you hear. Me, I know I'll never play that loud that it will matter.

BillM is a source for lots of Blues Jr. mods, and he does have a standby switch. I'd probably do that, even if I did nothing else.

Good luck.

NorthShore · February 8th, 2010, 09:33 PM

Gravy:

I found this series of videos helpful when I was asking similar questions to you a few months back:

YouTube - Tube Amps 1: Why Tube Amps?

Hugh · February 8th, 2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carlsoti

The rectifier is not in the audio portion of the circuit. IIRC, it's main function is to change the AC coming from the wall into DC for the amp to run on. Some will argue that it has a huge affect on tone, but it really doesn't, unless you're in that very top % of people that can hear those minute differences. Since this is your first tube amp, don't worry about the rectifier, solid-state, or otherwise.

Right about it not being in the audio circuit itself.

Full wave rectifiers do affect the tone somewhat. Dynamics, compression, sag, etc. I took a Sovek 5U4G out of my old Sano, and put a RCA 5AS4A I pulled out of a '59 RCA Victor Console phonograph chassis. To my ears, the amp is much more touch responsive now. It seems to have more tubey compression when it's cranked after the swap as well. Perhaps sag related.

Here is a decent and brief read on it....
rectifiers

ZL1LoVeR · February 8th, 2010, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthShore

Gravy:

I found this series of videos helpful when I was asking similar questions to you a few months back:

YouTube - Tube Amps 1: Why Tube Amps?

Thanks for posting this, very informative... I love this guy's guitar lessons, I had no idea he did gear lessons too!

still_fiddlin · February 8th, 2010, 11:10 PM

Hmm. Never saw that guy's videos. Not bad at all. And, he actually has one that compares the basic and NOS juniors!

YouTube - Fender Blues Junior Shootout

NorthShore · February 9th, 2010, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZL1LoVeR

Thanks for posting this, very informative... I love this guy's guitar lessons, I had no idea he did gear lessons too!

You're welcome, I share because I care.

Yeah, I found him sort of by accident as a "related video" while watching something else. Haven't checked out his lessons, but will now that you've recommended them I'll take a peek.

Gravy · February 9th, 2010, 06:18 PM

the vids are amazingly helpful