Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

[William Walstra]

I've been considering this little guy for a while now, but I was wondering if it would work for me. My typical playing is very influenced by Slash and others of his "genre." Would the Blues Jr. work for that or should I look elsewhere for a small amp? I don't plan on ever being that guy on a stage, I'm just a basement warrior that likes to make a lot of noise.

 

[Baltar]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

i have often tested the blues jr. for blues but can't tell you if you get enough
gain for your needs - without a od pedal or such.
imo it would be better for slash style, if equipped with a v30 or g12m

dude, there's only one way to find out - go to the store and play it !

 

[Hoss]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

it's very versatile with a pedal...i get good rock sounds from mine with my tech 21 pedal...everything from classic to modern and from what i've heard, with a tonestack mod and a speaker swap it's even better (although i'm pretty satisfied with mine after i put some new JJ's in it!!!) it's hard to go wrong for the price, size, and tone! my only complaint is a tad bit of flub in the lows at high volumes, but for what you're gonna use it for it sounds like just the ticket!

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

Mike took the words right out of my mouth. Or would that be right out of my fingers?

 

[tone4days]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

yeah, toss a pedal (sfx-03?) in front of it and you'll be sorted

i think the speaker change, tone stack mod help that flubby bottom

t4d

 

[Hoss]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

i would like to try some different dirt boxes in front of it...such as the SFX and the Barber Small Fry or a good modded TS9!

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

Grab the Hi gain set of JJs from Eurotubes, news caps (I don't like the tonestack mod, a recap sounds fine too) and new transformers. Total cost should be like 125, tops. If you've got some soldering skill, switch out the caps and transformers and change the tubes. You'll get a little more gain out of it. Stock, I get some good AC/DC action. Not a big fan of Gn'R, so I never really tried. All of that should be fine. If you want a new speaker, that's fine. But for $400, the Blues Junior is actually a really good amp, if you do a few things to it.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

Rushfan - which transformers are you suggesting? I couldn't come up with any that looked cost effective, though there was a Trace Elliott output transformer that I read about on Bill Machrone's website that might be worthwhile.

WW - replace the speaker! No more flub. Just tell Ted Weber what you're looking for in terms of tone, and he'll set you right IMHO. Weber Blue Dog is great for me.

All that said, without a pedal in front you're not going into Slash territory. John Spina's modded DS-1 plus mild overdrive is big fun

Oh, and despite the master volume, the Weber Mini-Mass Attenuator is great 'coz you can get power tube distortion without splitting your eardrums (more of a Marshall tone driving those EL-84 power tubes).

Chip

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

Earplugs are a great thing, Fresh_Start!

http://www.mercurymagnetics.com/pages/catalog/MM_fender1.htm#Blues_Jr._ Here's the transformer. $75 for 8 ohm.

 

[skyking]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

i have a stock tweed fender bj with an sfx 03 twin tube in front of it, and i can get all kinds of great rock sounds. with the twin tube in front i can definately get to slash territory. without an od pedal in front you probably wont get what you want, but i love the amp it sound great to my ears.

 

[YJM_Rocks]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

C30

 

[Aceman]

Re: Fender Blues Jr. for rock?

Nothin' like a little amp pushin hard!