Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

[Young Angus]

I really like the idea of a Blues Jnr. just because it's nice and small, cheap, and meant to get quite a nice sound. I wouldn't use it at gigs though, I'm thinking about recommending one for my singer who really needs an amp but doesn't want another big piece of gear to lug around because he's already god keys and mixers and stuff. He was thinking about a hot rod deluxe which would probably be able to cut the volume, but I suggested a blues jnr. just because I've heard so much praise for them and I know they're smaller and cheaper.

Do they have useable headroom though, because my singer would want a decent clean sound as well as a dirty one, but for the dirty one he can use a pedal. Or wouldn't it have the headroom for a decent clean sound at gig levels?

He's pretty set on getting a fender, not sure why but that can't be such a bad thing :fingersx:

 

[tone4days]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

only way to tell if it is enough clean headroom for him is for him to try it

it isnt enough for me, but it is for plenty of guys ... for me, it would have to be miked

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I see a lot of guy's gigging with them in small clubs. It's a pretty Loud 15 watts.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I gigged with one a lot, but it's a little dangerous in small rooms against drums if un-mic'd

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Hmm there is pretty much no clean stuff that he'd play against really loud drums...maybe some against softer drums in a soft song section but everything he'd play during loud parts would be dirty I think.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I gig mine in smaller places, mic'ed through the PA. It won't keep up too well in a large room or if you have Sasquatch for a drummer.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I'd recommend a Blues Deluxe or Hot Rod Deluxe. They push a little more volume and are the same size.

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Yeah I think the Hot Rod Deluxe is sounding like a safe bet at the moment.

Better still...maybe I'll sell him my mesa 50cal+ so I can buy a Screamer

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I'd recommend a Blues Deluxe or Hot Rod Deluxe. They push a little more volume and are the same size.

For headroom? Sure. But the amps are so different tonally that if natural breakup is a factor then the HotRod or Deluxe sounds like a sack of smashed *******s.

I gigged for a year or so with a Blues Junior before taking time off. Never needed to mic it, although I was always fond of the natural overdrive on it and would regularly put it up on a stand or a milk crate.

Great little amps...I still own two.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I LOVE MINE TOO . . .


. . . i also have no problem against my drummer, unmic'ed !

OK, if truth be known, my drummer is a 20 year old female !
And she is NOT the loudest person out there !
Mic'ed-up on stage - no problem what so ever !!!
Then again, i almost never play 100% clean.
If i need to clean-up, i just pick softer, and when if need to get dirty, i just attack those poor 11's with more aggro.
To go over-the-top, i stomp on either my Rat or BD-2 !!!

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I dont know how you guys manage to do gigs with a Blues Junior. The smallest places I've played I could not use my Gibson GA5, which to me is louder than the Blues Junior. Maybe if you mic'ed it, but I have no experience with that. I always use my bandmate's Mesa Boogie Mk IV for gigs, which I hate. I played that amp for more than a year and I still haven't been able to dial in a good crunch sound with it. However, it sounds much beter when doing loud gigs when the volume is over two, which is the level I practice with my band at.

Anyway, +1 on the fact that the Hot Rod Deluxe sound totally different from the Blues Junior. The Junior is such a simple amp without channels and stuff, while the Hot Rod Deluxe has all the bells and whistles, but it doesnt have that nice natural tube overdrive. And forget about the pre-amp distortion channels (drive and more drive), theyre terrible, muddy beyond belief. You have to set them up right, but its a hard decision. The Hot Rod Deluxe or Blues Deluxe is definitely your winner for clean. MAybe get a nice overdrive pedal to go with it and you will be set.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I dont know how you guys manage to do gigs with a Blues Junior. The smallest places I've played I could not use my Gibson GA5, which to me is louder than the Blues Junior. Maybe if you mic'ed it, but I have no experience with that. I always use my bandmate's Mesa Boogie Mk IV for gigs, which I hate. I played that amp for more than a year and I still haven't been able to dial in a good crunch sound with it. However, it sounds much beter when doing loud gigs when the volume is over two, which is the level I practice with my band at.

Much has to do with playing with guys that don't overpower other members.

If you're playing with folks your age the odds are that they just haven't learned how to do that yet.

I don't especially miss those years....

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the drive channels on the Hot Rod Deluxe/Devilles, but the volume is there.

Maybe a Traynor combo would be a good choice.

Ah, who knows. I gave up on budget amps years ago. I'll stick to recommendations on good amps. You want tone....save up. hehe

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

At the end of the day it depends on how large is the gig and how much clean headroom he wants...I know guys that can (and do) gig with smaller amps that that and I know guys that refuse to leave home with less that 100 watts...

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I have played many small to medium size clubs with a Blues Junior, and it has more than enough power.
This is a killer 15 watt amp.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

I think a lot of it has to do with midrange.
If you use a lot of mids, less power would likely be OK
If your sound is the no mid high bass sound, low power aint gonna cut it. I used to have to have a lot of power to be heard, but now a 35W 1 10" combo is plenty (mids are my friend now)
Remember, more mids, less drive

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

You can also plug the BJ into a 4x12 Cabinet for more volume.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Put in a 12AY7 or 12AT7 in V1. Set the master volume to max, then use the channel volume to bring it up to where you want to play. It has enough clean headroom depending on style of music and volue desired. I would say in this form it does country clean pretty loud for me. But, I am not working to get onver a loud drummer or a bass player trying to dust the room with a 1000W rig either.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Blues Jr. amps just won't cut through a decently loud drummer without being mic'd. By the time you get to the volume it takes to be heard in the mix, you'll have lost your clean headroom because the Blues Jr. doesn't have a lot of watts to keep those cleans intact. It's a great amp, especially for the cash, but you'll want to make sure that you have mics around your venue before you use the amp.

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Just how useful would a fender Blues Jnr. be for gigs?

Well, it amplifies sound, so I'd say it's pretty useful...

I think you'd definitly want it mic'd. drpietrzak's idea is really good too. I've heard that the amp is a lot cleaner with one of those in V1.