Blues Junior Mod thread

[Rushfan2112]

As opposed to buying a brand new amp, I think I might just mod mine. I've been looking into the BillM mods, and I don't know if I'll do the tonestack mod, but I'll definitely do the TwinStack one. That's easy. Now the two things I really need are a new speaker and a better reverb unit.

For the speaker, I'm looking for something that has an American voice that is efficient: I need some clean headroom out of this thing (don't worry, I'm changing out the 12AX7s, too.). The tweed Blues Junior sounds great, it has a Fender special Jensen... should I look into them?

Reverb: I know nothing about reverb pans, nor about dwell or delay times. All I know is that my favorite reverb amp is the Fender Super Reverb, and I'd like tones like this. The guitarist of this band uses a Super Reverb and has the best reverb tones I know.

Anyone know what to do? thanks guys!

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

A Weber California might be the ticket as far as a speaker goes.

I'm not crazy about the Blues Jr. reverb either, but it seems there's not much you can do about it. The tank is made by Accutronics. Talked to them a couple of years ago, and they said they don't have a better tank that would fit the cab.

Seems the problem is the solid state reverb circuit...

For more clean headroom, you might try an NOS 5751 in the V1 spot and/or a 12AT7 for the phase inverter (V3). BTW the Blues Jr. only uses 1/2 of V2, and that spot doesn't have much effect on tone.

HTH

Chip

 

[Kac]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

For me. A Jensen P12N was the best mod I've tried (haven't tried much). But I've very glad I changed out the speaker. I love my Blues Jr.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

as far as the reverb, get a Line6 Verbzilla. you will not be disappointed. the Blues Junior Reverb adds noise to the signal when turned up anywhere past 0. and the verbzilla's are only $109 right now through musicians friend.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I'm not crazy about the Blues Jr. reverb either, but it seems there's not much you can do about it. The tank is made by Accutronics. Talked to them a couple of years ago, and they said they don't have a better tank that would fit the cab.

Seems the problem is the solid state reverb circuit...

Talked with BillM (you know, does the Blues Junior mods) and he said the same thing: Nothing fits the cab. Looks like I might have to go the pedal route, though I'm not thrilled.

I've been researching speakers, and the Cannabis Rex from Eminence looks like a winner to me.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

bump

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I just bought a Blues Junior, I did the tonestack mod, cooler bias mod replaced all the tubes with JJ tubes and Initially had a Cannabis Rex Speaker in there but the way I like to use the amp (Set clean and use pedals) the Cannabis Rex I wasnt too thrilled with it sounded kind of flat instead i use a Celestion G12H30 70th anniversary edition which sounds very good in that amp!
I got the std retube kit from Eurotubes.com and find I still get some descent headroom I use a Barber LTD SR & Direct Drive w/ mod board for all my low and high gain needs these pedals sound very good with this amp.... driving my rig with a Les Paul with Rio Grande Texas & BBQ pickups!

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

Hmm, I'll be using this amp mostly clean/just broken up a bit, so maybe the CR isn't the best speaker.

If anyone has any reverb pedal suggestions, I'll take them. No reverb pans fit the Blues Junior cab.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

Hmm, I'll be using this amp mostly clean/just broken up a bit, so maybe the CR isn't the best speaker.

If anyone has any reverb pedal suggestions, I'll take them. No reverb pans fit the Blues Junior cab.

I was surprised when the Cannabis Rex was mentioned. Seems to be a popular speaker, but not for your application. The Weber California is a very efficient, clean speaker. Bill Machrone likes it a lot IIRC, and he seems to be all about clean headroom.

Want to build something simpler than an amp but bigger than a pedal? The Re-Vibe standalone unit spec'd out on the Hoffman Amps website looks awesome! Scroll down a bit here and you'll see it: http://www.hoffmanamps.com/schematics.htm#Hoffman Board kit information

Hope this helps,

Chip

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

Hmm, I'll be using this amp mostly clean/just broken up a bit, so maybe the CR isn't the best speaker.

If anyone has any reverb pedal suggestions, I'll take them. No reverb pans fit the Blues Junior cab.

I said it once and I'll say it again...

LINE 6 VERBZILLA

I have a blues junior and a verbzilla and they play wonderfully together.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I'll have to test drive them together then. I think my modification list will go tubes/mods --> speaker --> reverb pedal. Fresh_Start, do you know which California I should go for? The AlNiCo version is very expensive, but is it worth it?

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

Don't honestly know about the alnico version of the California - I've got the ceramic version and had it in a 1x12 extension cab for the Blues Jr. Not what I was looking for - the Blue Dog barks for me - but fit your description fairly well. For $190 vs. $90 the alnico version would have to give me Knopler's right hand at the least...

You might check over on the Weber VST forum - lots of info on speakers there - and on the Fender Discussion Page (not my favorite environment, but I lurk there occaisionally)

Chip

 

[Kac]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I use mine clean and like I said... LOVE the Jensen P12N-NB speaker, it's something to keep in mind! I know they're prolly not cheap, but oh well.

As far as reverb, I don't use much, but I really don't see a problem with th reverb that the amp has.

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

Hmm, I'll be using this amp mostly clean/just broken up a bit, so maybe the CR isn't the best speaker.

If anyone has any reverb pedal suggestions, I'll take them. No reverb pans fit the Blues Junior cab.

This is brand new from Tech 21 and from the few reviews i have read it sounds like it will be a very good reverb to try, they also have a Delay pedal as well!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

So you guys are using: gain pedal -> reverb -> Blues Jr.? Do any of you play something other than 'blues rock' on the Jr.?

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

dude, I play heavy rock with my Jr. here's my rig

guitars:
ESP LTD MV-200 with JB (bridge) and Classic Stack plus (neck)
Squier '51 with Phat Cat (bridge) and APS-2 (neck)

Pedals:
Digitech Bad Monkey
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff with Top Boost
Ibanez LF-7 LoFi
Danelectro Fab Chorus
DOD FX-75C Stereo Flanger
Line 6 Verbzilla

amp:
Fender Blues Junior completely stock

 

[Kac]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I play rock, Blues/rock, and a good bit of METAL on my blues Jr.

My distortion pedal of choice is the EH Metal Muff Nano, i LOVE it! You can see my pedalboard in my sig, it's that straight into my blues Jr. I've got the guitar in my sig, plus a Humbucker equiped axe.

Rock On ~ Kac

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

in fact, Kac was the one that inspired me to try the metal muff. and he was right on the money. I did get the bigger one with the 3 band eq though.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

I just play clean, mostly, and if I have to crank it up I do. Skyydogg and Kac have shown that the amp can do some heavy metal, too, with the right device.

 

[sublimerules9604]

Re: Blues Junior Mod thread

jj tubes (very nice change in tone)
BillM MODS (ones ive done):
fairly easy if you can operate a soldering iron:
tone stack, twin stack, ground lift, and transformer "stiffening" (before I changed the transformer)

little harder:
replaced the output transformer with one from allen amps, the ones BillM uses.

Eventually want to add that metal piece inbetween the transformers he talks about that reduces the hum of the amp, and maybe chane the speaker.

BTW:
TS808 (homemade) -> Duncan SFX03 -> Blues Jr = :headbang: