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$400 in mods to a "New" Blues Jr.


The Boogie Man

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This guy told me he had all these mods done to his Blues Jr. and it cost him $400 plus the $400 he spent for the amp. I heard the amp and didn't sound any better than my stock BJ. I think he got taken, I can think of a bunch of better amps I could buy for about the same money as he spent on what the amp and the mods cost him. $800 would buy you a pretty good amp don't you think?

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Originally posted by ColorsoundKid

With all the mods for that thing being hyped over the web I don't doubt it. The best mod for a blues junior? Heave it into the trash...

 

Honestly I like my '99 Blues Jr, just as it is, it's a good little amp, though I did swap the Driver tube for a 12AT7 for a better clean tone, everything else is stock. But if I knew what I know now I would have gotten a Classic 30 instead. I just can't imagine spending any money modding a BJ. He also told me he want's a bright switch and the Bias mod as well. :rolleyes: Well there another $100. :D

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I think the Blues Junior is pretty good for what it is, especially after burning some hours into it and breaking in the speaker. After using it for a few months, it seemed to mellow out a bit and loose some of the harshness in the highs when cranked up.

 

I won't mess with the speaker on mine until I blow out the one that is in there. That being said, it sounds good plugged into my Marshall 1936 cab.

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Originally posted by The Boogie Man

This guy told me he had all these mods done to his Blues Jr. and it cost him $400 plus the $400 he spent for the amp. I heard the amp and didn't sound any better than my stock BJ. I think he got taken, I can think of a bunch of better amps I could buy for about the same money as he spent on what the amp and the mods cost him. $800 would buy you a pretty good amp don't you think?

 

The only $400 mod worth doing to that amp is getting one used for about $250 - then sending it to S2 to have the board yanked and converted to an 18 watt Marshall clone circuit with a new faceplate and the works... Then you're into a handwired 18 watt Marshall clone for $650.

 

That's $400 well spent. Otherwise......:confused:

 

Steve E

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I got mind new for $379 and spent $50 for Jensen C12N. I think the speaker gives it a cleaner and tighter bottom end. I like the Blues Junior. It is a little dark sounding compared to a DR but I guess it is supposed to be, it is a blues based amp. It is an incredibly loud 15 watts. The reverb is decent. I put it on an amp stand to help project the sound. Yes it is a little "boxy" in that it is a relatively large speaker in a small enclosure. And maybe Bill M.'s mods would help that but right now I'm saving my money for a DRRI. I run a Bad Monkey, Rat, Boss Phaser, and a Dunlop Crybaby through it. I can get some pretty good tones with this combo setup. I still would like to get my hands on a Deluxe Reverb with tremelo but for now this rig does OK for small venues (e.g. small bars). It is amazing to me how so many people love the BJ and another large group hates the BJ. I've seen other "professionals" use it effectively as well.

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Originally posted by princeadr

Honda Civics are not crappy cars. They are relatively inexpensive but they are not crappy. You should check how they are rated before making blanket statements.

 

I don't think he ment ones in good condition, Honda's are great cars, but junkers that guys pour a ton of money in with all that fancy crap, those 17" extra wide chrome rims and the wide low profile tires, what a joke......:D:rolleyes:

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I have a Blues Jr. A Pro Jr. A 1972 Twin Reverb, a 1969 Champ, a 1974 vibro Champ, a 1974 Princeton Reverb, a 1966 Bassman, a 1969 Bassman, a Hot Rod Deluxe, A Deluxe Reverb Reissue,

These are the current Fenders in my stable (among many other amps from different companies).

My Blues Jr. is Billm modded with the tone stack mod and the bias cool down mod, I also put in a Reverend alltone speaker.

The Blues Jr. is a very good amp. It is "boxy" in your bedroom.

If you are in a band setting with musucians that know blues and how the guitar fits into a blues band sound it hits the nail right on the head. It doesn't matter what you do to it it will never have the thump ob my Bassmans or twin. The power tranny just won't have the oomph to supply the power needed for a lot of bass, end of story.

But take that thing out into a setup with a bass player and a drummer (that knows how to play with some controll of volume),

take a MIM strat on the neck pickup, Turn the Master to 6 and the volume to 'bout 9 ans wail. Let the drums take care of the ultra highs and the bass fill out the lows and your guitar will occupy the middle ground just fine.

It really is a fine amp. Just don't expect it to be what it's not and you'll like it just fine.

Usually for wanking, I like to use it just a little over the edge of clean. It's not an amp I like too much alone and distorted. It is way too much like a sinus infection that way. But mix it into the right setting and it's bliss.

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