Blues Jr. Questions - input from owners

[Seamus OReally]

I remember awhile back there was a member here that was stepping away from making music because they had lost their passion for it. Was that you? My memory is a bit foggy these days.

That was probably me. I stopped playing for close to 3 years and sold off my studio gear. But keep in mind, I had been beating the streets looking for new business for over 25 years. I was just tired of the studio, tired of music, tired of chasing dollars. So I sold about $60K worth of stuff. Now I’ve got a little plastic keyboard and audio interface, and just play around for fun.

Sorry for the thread hijack….

 

[Justin226]

That was probably me. I stopped playing for close to 3 years and sold off my studio gear. But keep in mind, I had been beating the streets looking for new business for over 25 years. I was just tired of the studio, tired of music, tired of chasing dollars. So I sold about $60K worth of stuff. Now I’ve got a little plastic keyboard and audio interface, and just play around for fun.

Sorry for the thread hijack….

No hijack at all! I appreciate your input and your story is interesting. Glad you’re back to making music, in any capacity.

 

[Butcher of Strats]

My finding is that nobody can tell me what I like and no popular product is liked equally by all.

I bought a Blues Jr because it sounded good in the strore and the features or specs were impressive.
Sort of just right all in a small package, as opposed to an amp with beautiful tones.
Got it home and it paled next to my other amps.

Few years later I saw another used one and bought it for the same reasons: size and range of clean to dirty at reasonable volume, spring reverb etc.
Same thing, not much of an amp next to better basic used old Fender and other amps.

The PRRI or a real vintage Princeton is a better amp by a good margin, but again, super popular product that not all of us like.
I never got the love for the original hand wired BF and SF PR amps.
Just not my thang I guess.

Do not assume it is your thing without spending some quality time with one. One try may not be enough, not for me anyhow, takes multiple auditions in different contexts.
Same with the AC4, bipought one on sale because they got a lotta love. No love from me though, returned it.

For a small amp that can cover a range between BJr and PRRI, take a look at some Orange amps.
Try models with two channels and reverb.
Not a Fender sound but neither is the BJr a Fender sound.

Being in Brooklyn, you should be able to find a buyer for the Tele and not be stuck with an amp choice driven by who wants your Tele and has an amp to trade.
I was a guitar tech at Main Drag Music in the late '90s, do they still do consignmennts?
They must have more amps to try.

 

[Seamus OReally]

O

One question I do have though: how does that R20 sound when turn led to low wattage?

Sounds just like it does at 20 watts. The watts control on the amp doesn't radically reduce gain or anything... it really changes more the feel of the amp, rather than the loudness.

 

[charlie chitlin]

The first time I played through a BJr, I thought, "What are all these keyboard critics talking about, this thing sounds fine."
Then I switched to my tweed Deluxe and it was like when The Wizard of Oz goes from B&W to color.

 

[Snaked Strat]

O

One question I do have though: how does that R20 sound when turn led to low wattage?

This Vox AC4 has an attenuator, but loses so much when switched to low wattage.

I know very little about the processes behind that feature. Would love to know more.

When wattage is turned down low R20 still sounds very good and x10 better than BJ when cranked imo.
The wattage dial is not an attenuator.

On R20 use the wattage and volume dials together to reduce volume.
It does reduce volume to bedroom levels when both are used together.

The Rebel amps have both 6V6 and EL84 tubes.
Dials allow you to use either, or blend the 2 any way you like.

I used R20 with a 2x12 cab with V30's.
The 6V6 side sounded better than a Princeton and EL84 side far better than BJ with any pup type.
Choice of speaker cab is important.

I see Fender make an expensive BJ with a good 12" Jenson C-12N and a cheaper BJ IV with Celestion 12" A-Type.
The A-Type is not one of Celestions good speakers imo.

Vox AC4 has a rubbish chinese ceramic speaker.

My main issue with BJ is they are well known for sounding poor with humbucker guitars - both cleans and OD.
They are a single coil specialist amp and as I mainly use humbuckers and filtertrons pups I have no time for BJ.
It also is a one trick pony hugely lacking in modern amp features, plus at 32 pounds it's heavy for providing so little.
BJ lacks headphones out, FX loop, speaker out, gain dial and the EQs work poorly imo

The advantage of a Head is you can match it with any speaker cab you want

 

[Grandfunkfan]

Blues

Hi guys,

I’m looking to upgrade my amp. Currently playing through a Vox AC4TV and find it very “boxy” and don’t really like the sound I’m getting from my pedals. I previously owned a Fender Champ XD and thought it had a great clean tone. I let it go in a trade awhile back and thought I would love this Vox, but don’t.

Soooo…I’m trying to find either a Blues Jr. Or Princeton reverb in a trade for a telecaster and have some questions. The Princeton is perfect, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one. The Blues Jr. Is an amp that I’ve heard people rave about, but I notice that they recently made some changes and I wonder if they are all created equal. Someone offered me a 2005 Blues Jr., and I’m hesitant to take the deal because I know the newer ones are supposed to have upgraded reverb and circuitry.

Does anyone have any experience with these?

Blues jr by a mile. Ive had em both. Princeton is way over rated. No head room, pinky little 10 inch speaker, flubby bass tone. Don't by into the hype. Seems like a lot of people mistake bright for clean when reviewing this amp. The blues jr has great clean tone, warm with great on the verge of break up. Perfect for blues and classic rock.

Hi guys,

I’m looking to upgrade my amp. Currently playing through a Vox AC4TV and find it very “boxy” and don’t really like the sound I’m getting from my pedals. I previously owned a Fender Champ XD and thought it had a great clean tone. I let it go in a trade awhile back and thought I would love this Vox, but don’t.

Soooo…I’m trying to find either a Blues Jr. Or Princeton reverb in a trade for a telecaster and have some questions. The Princeton is perfect, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one. The Blues Jr. Is an amp that I’ve heard people rave about, but I notice that they recently made some changes and I wonder if they are all created equal. Someone offered me a 2005 Blues Jr., and I’m hesitant to take the deal because I know the newer ones are supposed to have upgraded reverb and circuitry.

Does anyone have any experience with these?

 

[knh555]

I sold my Blues Junior and bought a Princeton. I'm never selling it.

(unless my buddy sells me his '66 Princeton, which is heavenly)

 

[Justin226]

My finding is that nobody can tell me what I like and no popular product is liked equally by all.

I bought a Blues Jr because it sounded good in the strore and the features or specs were impressive.
Sort of just right all in a small package, as opposed to an amp with beautiful tones.
Got it home and it paled next to my other amps.

Few years later I saw another used one and bought it for the same reasons: size and range of clean to dirty at reasonable volume, spring reverb etc.
Same thing, not much of an amp next to better basic used old Fender and other amps.

The PRRI or a real vintage Princeton is a better amp by a good margin, but again, super popular product that not all of us like.
I never got the love for the original hand wired BF and SF PR amps.
Just not my thang I guess.

Do not assume it is your thing without spending some quality time with one. One try may not be enough, not for me anyhow, takes multiple auditions in different contexts.
Same with the AC4, bipought one on sale because they got a lotta love. No love from me though, returned it.

For a small amp that can cover a range between BJr and PRRI, take a look at some Orange amps.
Try models with two channels and reverb.
Not a Fender sound but neither is the BJr a Fender sound.

Being in Brooklyn, you should be able to find a buyer for the Tele and not be stuck with an amp choice driven by who wants your Tele and has an amp to trade.
I was a guitar tech at Main Drag Music in the late '90s, do they still do consignmennts?
They must have more amps to try.

While I would usually agree here, I have sold a few things in the past year and it’s been a headache. People don’t want to pay what anything is worth. More value in trades recently. Are you still in NY?

 

[Butcher of Strats]

While I would usually agree here, I have sold a few things in the past year and it’s been a headache. People don’t want to pay what anything is worth. More value in trades recently. Are you still in NY?

Left Williamsburg in 1998, in Maine now.
Market is strange, asking prices or values based on the gear hoarding and supply shortages of 2020/21 plus random frenzies over hopes of crypto style collector value jumps.
If gear sells low now, amps you want should sell low too?

 

[76standard]

Hi guys,

I’m looking to upgrade my amp. Currently playing through a Vox AC4TV and find it very “boxy” and don’t really like the sound I’m getting from my pedals. I previously owned a Fender Champ XD and thought it had a great clean tone. I let it go in a trade awhile back and thought I would love this Vox, but don’t.

Soooo…I’m trying to find either a Blues Jr. Or Princeton reverb in a trade for a telecaster and have some questions. The Princeton is perfect, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get one. The Blues Jr. Is an amp that I’ve heard people rave about, but I notice that they recently made some changes and I wonder if they are all created equal. Someone offered me a 2005 Blues Jr., and I’m hesitant to take the deal because I know the newer ones are supposed to have upgraded reverb and circuitry.

Does anyone have any experience with these?

Princeton with a 12” speaker is a better option.

 

[Justin226]

Left Williamsburg in 1998, in Maine now.
Market is strange, asking prices or values based on the gear hoarding and supply shortages of 2020/21 plus random frenzies over hopes of crypto style collector value jumps.
If gear sells low now, amps you want should sell low too?

In theory. But what it seems like is happening most is that people have things on the market forever. A lot of the gear I see listed now has been around for the last 6 months. I bought an American Pro Strat II from someone for 1025, which I thought was a steal…it was only a few months old. But the guy I bought it from said he had barely any interest from anyone else, aside from offers around 700-800. He was going to just keep it until I came along.

Also, I obviously want a great deal like the next guy, but am not interested in getting over on a fellow musician. If I see a guitar that should go for 1k, I’m not going to try to offer someone half that. I do think there’s people doing that and making out like bandits. I’ll often see the same item listed for twice the price from a different seller.

Brooklyn to Maine, eh? That’s some change of scenery. It’s certainly beautiful up there. I’m convinced I can live just about anywhere, but NY seems to hold me tight.

 

[Butcher of Strats]

In theory. But what it seems like is happening most is that people have things on the market forever. A lot of the gear I see listed now has been around for the last 6 months. I bought an American Pro Strat II from someone for 1025, which I thought was a steal…it was only a few months old. But the guy I bought it from said he had barely any interest from anyone else, aside from offers around 700-800. He was going to just keep it until I came along.

Also, I obviously want a great deal like the next guy, but am not interested in getting over on a fellow musician. If I see a guitar that should go for 1k, I’m not going to try to offer someone half that. I do think there’s people doing that and making out like bandits. I’ll often see the same item listed for twice the price from a different seller.

Brooklyn to Maine, eh? That’s some change of scenery. It’s certainly beautiful up there. I’m convinced I can live just about anywhere, but NY seems to hold me tight.

Well I did Boston for the stepping stone back to Maine, really miss NYC but it was a constant state of top speed for me.

My best deals in NYC were random, like spending enough time on 48th St to meet people trying to sell wholesale to the shops.
Hours on the street works the same in every city, selling gear is like rabbits you need to snare.
Buying full retail is nuts, true enough...

 

[Archtops]

I have a newer (4 years old) Tweed Blues Jr. And I love it. I have zero problems with HB or single coils. BTW I had a 2005/06 Fender Blues Jr. That did sounded boxy and I didn’t like it.
Best of luck on whatever you choose.

 

[Justin226]

I have a newer (4 years old) Tweed Blues Jr. And I love it. I have zero problems with HB or single coils. BTW I had a 2005/06 Fender Blues Jr. That did sounded boxy and I didn’t like it.
Best of luck on whatever you choose.

Thanks, this is a good note on the differences between old and newer versions. I’ve read that version 4 addresses many issues of earlier models.