Do I need to "break in" a brand New Fender Blues Junior?

[WSR]

I'm hoping someone here will be kind of enough to help me out.

I've been playing guitar for just over a year and after hearing my guitar teacher's Blues Junior, I had to have one to replace the Line 6, Spyder III I bought without know any better. I just plugged in the Blues Junior and turned it on, so I'm wondering if I need to "break it in" at all? The manual doesn't mention anything about this but am looking for advice. (Maybe I should keep it on for a certain period of time the first time I use it?)

Also, when I play it in the future, is it okay for me to turn it off/on for short periods of time (say 15 minutes on, then 2 hours off, then 15 minutes on)? Or should I plan on keeping it on for a longer period of time when I do fire it up?

Thanks in advance!

[clintj]

Nope, just play it. About the only thing that can really "break in" is the speaker, and it'll get smoother sounding as the hours accumulate. I don't know how much stock to place in it, but I have seen a few places recommend easing in to full volume use. Basically, give the speaker materials (especially the surround for the cone) a few weeks to become more flexible before trying to push them to greater excursions. Enjoy your new amp!

Oh, start saving a couple of dollars here and there for new tubes. They will eventually get old and wear out, but we're talking months or longer for power tubes and even longer for preamp tubes.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by clintj

Nope, just play it.

What he said. Enjoy it, and don't get too precious about it.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by WSR

…Also, when I play it in the future, is it okay for me to turn it off/on for short periods of time (say 15 minutes on, then 2 hours off, then 15 minutes on)? Or should I plan on keeping it on for a longer period of time when I do fire it up?

Hi WSR…

I sure hear differences in my tube amps over the first couple weeks after I change any tubes.

There are 2 components which we can deduce change with time and use - speaker cones, and tubes. Both are going to 'wear-out' or 'wear-in' depending on one's point of view.

Some refer to an amp settling in. I've seen two common times sited - 24 hours and 80-100 hours. The 24 hour figure is supposedly the time to burn in a new amp. The 80-100 hours is the amount of time 'serious' players say it takes to play them in.

I have also over-heard discussions about transformers, wires, and capacitors changing with age too. This may be true, but may never happen in my lifetime. My amps are not that old. I think those items would be subject to how much time the amp is played, how old it is, and how hard it's driven.

My Blues Jr. is turned on and allowed to warm up at least an hour before I expect to go-live, and once it's on, it stays on for the rest of the gig. Mine gets pushed a little harder, because I use a power soak with it (runs the amp harder and allows better control over it).

When I ran a small production studio, we flipped on the tube preamps (for microphones) an hour or more before any recording sessions, and they stayed on till we shut down at night. It was mentioned to us when we sought direction about on/off issues that there are other components (circuit boards, solder joints, tube sockets etc) which are also subject to side effects if you turn on an amp/preamp, turn it off, fire it up, turn it off etc.

I sought information from people who I trusted and who had been part of the 'industry' for decades, and they recommended we leave our tube-centric equipment running. It was experiential, and not scientifically discerned information.

In the 8 years we ran the studio, we only had to replace the preamp tubes in one preamp (which was purchased used) once. And our preamps certainly had thousands of hours on them by the time we retired the studio and sold the equipment off.

Hope you find the answers you can live with…

[WSR]

Thanks guys!

I bought my first guitar in Dec. 2013 without know what I was doing. I bought a used Epiphone Les Paul Special II from GC, then a Line 6, Spyder III amp. A few months later, I bought a Taylor 110CE (which I love).

I've been wanting to buy a Fender American Standard Telecaster thinking my setup would sound as good as my guitar instructor's. However, yesterday he said the amp is the weakest link, so I decided to buy the amp now then (try) to hold off on the Tele until my 50th BDay in April 2017. By then, I hope to be able to pick it up and jam on it like I know what I'm doing!

For now, the amp sounds awesome with my Epiphone, much sweeter than the Line 6. I hope this helps me resist the temptation to buy the Tele and reward myself with it in a couple years.

[WSR]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi WSR…

I sure hear differences in my tube amps over the first couple weeks after I change any tubes.

There are 2 components which we can deduce change with time and use - speaker cones, and tubes. Both are going to 'wear-out' or 'wear-in' depending on one's point of view.

Some refer to an amp settling in. I've seen two common times sited - 24 hours and 80-100 hours. The 24 hour figure is supposedly the time to burn in a new amp. The 80-100 hours is the amount of time 'serious' players say it takes to play them in.

I have also over-heard discussions about transformers, wires, and capacitors changing with age too. This may be true, but may never happen in my lifetime. My amps are not that old. I think those items would be subject to how much time the amp is played, how old it is, and how hard it's driven.

My Blues Jr. is turned on and allowed to warm up at least an hour before I expect to go-live, and once it's on, it stays on for the rest of the gig. Mine gets pushed a little harder, because I use a power soak with it (runs the amp harder and allows better control over it).

When I ran a small production studio, we flipped on the tube preamps (for microphones) an hour or more before any recording sessions, and they stayed on till we shut down at night. It was mentioned to us when we sought direction about on/off issues that there are other components (circuit boards, solder joints, tube sockets etc) which are also subject to side effects if you turn on an amp/preamp up, turn it off, fire it up, turn it off etc.

I sought information from people who I trusted and who had been part of the 'industry' for decades, and they recommended we leave our tube-centric equipment running. It was experiential, and not scientifically discerned information.

In the 8 years we ran the studio, we only had to replace the preamp tubes in one preamp (which was purchased used) once. And our preamps certainly had thousands of hours on them by the time we retired the studio and sold the equipment off.

Hope you find the answers you can live with…

Wow, thank you for the great information Larry. Hearing for people like yourself with a wealth of experience makes this website invaluable!

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by WSR

Wow, thank you for the great information Larry. Hearing for people like yourself with a wealth of experience makes this website invaluable!

Hi WSR…

Thanks for the kind things you said.

There are far more electric-focused players here, and I hope they wade in. I've owned electrics but have primarily focused on acoustic for over 50 years.

The past few years, I've been dabbling in electric gear too. Have some really nice gear and am building my base of info and experience.

Hope some of the more experiences and seasoned electric playing veterans will wade in. I'm still learning myself…

[Sombras]

Hi WSR,

You've already received good advice from people with way more experience than I have about amp break-ins and aging.

I also re-started my electric playing with a Line 6 practice amp eight years ago and slowly made the switch to tube amps in the last nine months. I think you made a good choice with the Blues Jr. I recently bought one for when I wanted clean to classic rock tones and have been very impressed with it. My Les Paul sounds really good through it, but my Strat sounds glorious and it really shows that the right guitar-amp pairing can net amazing results. I have to think that a Tele would sound great through it, too. Having an excellent little 15-watt tone monster will be a great incentive to get the Tele. Enjoy that amp!

[zabdart]

As clinti said, the only thing that really needs breaking in on an amp is the speaker, and the only way you can do that is by playing it.
For just about all the information you need to know about Blues Juniors consult: www.billmaudio.com. There's a treasure trove of information there about tubes, speakers and the ways you can modify your Blues Junior, as well as the differences between generations of the Blues Junior amp.

[WSR]

Thanks again for all the feedback!

[muscmp]

i don't know that i could add to the excellent info already presented other than there is a perfect combination of amp and guitar for you. it is your task to try as many combinations as you can until that one sings to you.

play music!

[Otterhound]

Run the amp at full throttle and adjust your volume at the guitar .
Most tube amps sound best when set at 12 .
Enjoy .
After those J&J tubes die , which may be a while , try some NOS American tubes if you can manage it .

[MBE]

I haven't seen anyone here mention what is probably the most noticeable difference between a new and "broken-in" amp - the speaker.

Unlike acoustic guitars, it is universally accepted in the amp world that speakers break-in, and only do so by playing at volume (I'm talking gigging, rehearsing, hear-it-over-the-drums volume).

That speaker can push serious air, and until it does so, it won't be reaching its full potential. I've owned many speaker cabinets and amps and each one has sounded significantly better after a few dozen hours at high volume. I wear musician's earplugs, too, so it's not the ears that were "breaking in" either

Has your teacher rehearsed or gigged with a band using that amp? That's probably the majority of the difference that you'll notice.

[muscmp]

Originally Posted by MBE

I haven't seen anyone here mention what is probably the most noticeable difference between a new and "broken-in" amp - the speaker.

Unlike acoustic guitars, it is universally accepted in the amp world that speakers break-in, and only do so by playing at volume (I'm talking gigging, rehearsing, hear-it-over-the-drums volume).

That speaker can push serious air, and until it does so, it won't be reaching its full potential. I've owned many speaker cabinets and amps and each one has sounded significantly better after a few dozen hours at high volume. I wear musician's earplugs, too, so it's not the ears that were "breaking in" either

Has your teacher rehearsed or gigged with a band using that amp? That's probably the majority of the difference that you'll notice.

i agree with the speaker situation. three other responders mentioned about speakers also.

play music!

[WSR]

Thanks again for all the responses!

As a quick update, I returned the Blues Junior III and bought a (Tweed) Blues Junior NOS amp. Based on my further research many like the Jensen speaker better than the Eminence, plus I really like the look!! I won't be transporting it much so I expect the tweed to stay "fresh" for many years to come.

It's being shipping to me so I have to wait until next Monday to try it out.

Thanks again!