Members Loobs Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Good little apartment amp? Does it have any sort of clean headroom or does it break up like straightaway? I think it'd be cool for the home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Some folks modify theirs for more headroom.I reckon it'd be cool for home too Or DIY Leslie projects Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Loobs Posted August 4, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Interesting. I would like a teeny bit of clean headroom so I can run delays into the front of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I have one with a separate 1x12 cab. Works pretty well for home-I don't think mine really breaks up til it's pretty loud though. the 12au7 tube should give you more headroom if you need it. Compared to my Traynor, the cleans though don't sound nearly as good. This amp benefits with an eq pedal and some reverb as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crxsh Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 If you're on the cheap, probably not a bad option. I'd go with a used Blues Jr. first -- the Reverb & EQ section is kind of a must for me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Loobs Posted August 4, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Yeah, I'd like to get a used BJ but they're not easy to find in the UK and not that cheap either. I'm on a shoestring. Here's a typical UK blues junior 'deal' http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-BLUES-JUNIOR-ALL-VALVE-GUITAR-AMPLIFIER-COVER_W0QQitemZ170246696821QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170246696821&_trkparms=72%3A638%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crxsh Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Interesting...... can you get the blackheart stuff over there? A Pro Jr. maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zygoat Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 It's got clean headroom. To get it to break up, it's gonna be loud... at least in my apartment. But I have super sensitive neighbors. I think it's definitely a cool amp for home use though! Takes dirt pedals real well too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bennintexas Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 i dont turn it up past like 3 on mine, before it breaks up. tends to get kind of shrill and bright after... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members english_bob Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 The VJ is not an "apartment amp" if you want much in the way of tube amp overdrive (5w still equates to a surprising amount of volume), but it's a decent amp, particularly if you're on a shoestring. There are lots of easy mods around that apparently improve performance a lot, but I never got around to doing any of them on mine, apart from upgrading the valves, which brightened the amp up somewhat.I'm thinking of selling mine- my Cornell is all the amp I want right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lanefair Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 The VJ is not an "apartment amp" if you want much in the way of tube amp overdrive (5w still equates to a surprising amount of volume), but it's a decent amp, particularly if you're on a shoestring. There are lots of easy mods around that apparently improve performance a lot, but I never got around to doing any of them on mine, apart from upgrading the valves, which brightened the amp up somewhat. I'm thinking of selling mine- my Cornell is all the amp I want right now Have you got a combo/head and cab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members goodhonk Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Good little apartment amp? Does it have any sort of clean headroom or does it break up like straightaway? I think it'd be cool for the home. i've got the vjr. head and cab. it has very little head room, it's really dark, and really loud. with an eq it's a fun dirty amp. i would look for ss, if you want an apartment amp.maybe a vox ad30vt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimiRules Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I think it has a good amount of head room for what you want to use it for. I have the head and cab and mine doesn't start to distort till I get the volume about 3/4's of the way up. By that time it's going to be too loud for any apartment situation. I usually set my volume about 1/4 of the way up and throw a SD-1 or BD-2 in front of it for a dirty sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members english_bob Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Have you got a combo/head and cab?Combo. It's the early version from before they fixed the grounding so it hummmmmms. Not too bad at home, but not so cool when you crank it.It's an easy enough fix (just add some extra caps), but I never got round to it. The fact that it involves opening up an amp with the potential to kill me and not a pedal with 9v max to get shocked with put me off a little... Been gigged a few times, but still in very good condition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkzep52 Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Combo. It's the early version from before they fixed the grounding so it hummmmmms. Not too bad at home, but not so cool when you crank it. It's an easy enough fix (just add some extra caps), but I never got round to it. The fact that it involves opening up an amp with the potential to kill me and not a pedal with 9v max to get shocked with put me off a little... Been gigged a few times, but still in very good condition... Just unplug the amp and wait like a half hour or something to let energy drain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members english_bob Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Just unplug the amp and wait like a half hour or something to let energy drain I read something about discharging capacitors with a screwdriver... In any case, I'm not sure I can be bothered. I've been cutting down on stuff, and the VJ has never really done it for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dolf Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Good little apartment amp? Does it have any sort of clean headroom or does it break up like straightaway? I think it'd be cool for the home. valve junior definitely does not suck. Through a good cab with some good new tubes, she's a monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lanefair Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I read something about discharging capacitors with a screwdriver... In any case, I'm not sure I can be bothered. I've been cutting down on stuff, and the VJ has never really done it for me... You can only get shocked if you're touching the floor, just work on the amp in water so you're floating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NetStar Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 Any news on the Valve Snrs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Philly Fuzz Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I'm in an apartment in the city and I've still yet to own a tube amp.... They're just too loud to be practical in my situation (I'm very conscious of how much noise I make). However, I have a VOX Pathfinder 15 which is a very nice apartment amp. The built in gain/drive and reverb suck hard, but it has sparkling clean sounds and I use a RAT to get distortion/OD so it can sound growly and dirty at low volumes. Overall, the Pathfinder takes pedals very nicely. I mean, I know everyone here is all about the magical "tone" but for just playing around your apartment this set-up works great. But someday I'll get a freakin tube amp!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members goodhonk Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I think it has a good amount of head room for what you want to use it for. I have the head and cab and mine doesn't start to distort till I get the volume about 3/4's of the way up. By that time it's going to be too loud for any apartment situation.I usually set my volume about 1/4 of the way up and throw a SD-1 or BD-2 in front of it for a dirty sound. i can only get my vjr. about 1/4 of the way up before breakup. even with singlecoils. if i turn it up more and roll the guitar volume back i can dial in some cleans, but it isn't any louder than 1/4 of the way up. the breakup is what this amp is all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I'm in an apartment in the city and I've still yet to own a tube amp.... They're just too loud to be practical in my situation (I'm very conscious of how much noise I make). However, I have a VOX Pathfinder 15 which is a very nice apartment amp. The built in gain/drive and reverb suck hard, but it has sparkling clean sounds and I use a RAT to get distortion/OD so it can sound growly and dirty at low volumes. Overall, the Pathfinder takes pedals very nicely. I mean, I know everyone here is all about the magical "tone" but for just playing around your apartment this set-up works great. But someday I'll get a freakin tube amp!! I tube amp with a master volume would work just fine in an apartment. I find my 50 watt Traynor with master volume is more useable in quieter settings than my 5 watt Epi Valve. So don't discount tube amps as being too loud, there are alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members english_bob Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 You can only get shocked if you're touching the floor, just work on the amp in water so you're floating.hey man, we can't all have a luxury swimming pool electronics workshop like you ....don't try this at home kids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Philly Fuzz Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 I tube amp with a master volume would work just fine in an apartment. I find my 50 watt Traynor with master volume is more useable in quieter settings than my 5 watt Epi Valve. So don't discount tube amps as being too loud, there are alternatives.Thanks! Yeah, at some point I'll probably throw down for a Vox AC15/30 with master volume for exactly the reason you state. So there's hope for me yet! But for now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blungo Posted August 4, 2008 Members Share Posted August 4, 2008 If you're on the cheap, probably not a bad option. I'd go with a used Blues Jr. first -- the Reverb & EQ section is kind of a must for me though. IMHO the blues junior is a much better amp than the valve jr. I like my valve jr. at first but as time wore on, it just sounded lifeless to me. My friends blues jr. sounds incredible. Apples and oranges though i suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.