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Old 02-24-2019, 01:03 PM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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Talking Blues Junior or...

In the process of getting an amp for my son, who plays jazz and what passes these days for funk (Vulfpeck, Snarky P, Thundercat, etc). So we’re looking for inexpensive, clean and more warm than loud.

Did a trade for a Blues Jr (some kind of custom IV with a Celestion Greenback speaker) which had been modded with older tubes. One of the caps failed, so the trade was undone.

For the short time he had the Blues Jr, the kid liked it. Since starting to look for a replacement, I’ve read some good things about the Peavey Classic 30, which I assume is a comparable amp.

My question then, is; do any of you have experience with either or both? I’d love to know what you think, including any thoughts on reliability.

Thanks.
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Old 02-24-2019, 01:10 PM
muscmp muscmp is offline
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i would recommend first to take your son with his guitar and go to your local big box store and play thru as many as you can. you are testing for the right sound so you don't have to buy that day. once you know what is wanted, you can check for a used version of that amp or a sale in a store for that amp.

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Old 02-24-2019, 01:13 PM
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raysachs raysachs is offline
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I had a Blues Jr (first year they were out I’m pretty sure) for about ten years. I liked it but I always thought it’s sweet spot was REALLY FREAKING LOUD! Sold it when we moved from a house with a pretty nearly soundproof basement into a condo with nothing that even slightly attenuated sound. Currently have a Roland Blues Cube Hot, which I love. There are three models - mine is the one voiced like a Marshall. Has a power circuit that allows me to play at half a watt for bedroom levels and turn it up to half or full power when the situation calls for it. Also have a little Blackstar HT1R which is a great sounding bedroom amp, but it really doesn’t get very loud, at least clean...

-Ray

Last edited by raysachs; 02-24-2019 at 03:57 PM.
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Old 02-24-2019, 02:58 PM
Chickee Chickee is offline
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Roland JC40 is the ticket. Not overly expensive or weighty, great cleans and takes pedals really well. The stereo chorus is just icing on the cake. You say your sonny is playing jazz and funk, but the two amps you speak of excell at the grind and dirtier tone side. I know i’m old, so it is very possible jazz and funk are played differently now.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:01 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upsidedown View Post
In the process of getting an amp for my son, who plays jazz and what passes these days for funk...we’re looking for inexpensive, clean and more warm than loud...
My tuppence worth:
  • Bugera V22 1x12": the classic club-players' low-power tube combo updated for the 2K's - $449 MAP, can be had for (much) less, built like a tank and sounds like twice the price;
  • Bugera V55 1x12": ditto above, but 6L6 power tubes provide more "American" tone and 55W (switchable to 25W) provide more clean headroom;
  • Fender Frontman 212R (used): looks like a blackface Twin from six feet away, sounds enough like one that the surf guys are all over these and prices are going up as a result - you can still get a clean one for $200 or less if you shop around;
  • Peavey Delta Blues 115 (used): I played in a group with a guy who had the Classic 30 and IME the DB, with its 15" speaker, is warm (as expected) where the C-30 can get brash - new MIC models will set you back $700+ but since they're a niche item resale value is low, and I've seen older USA production for $350-400 in decent shape;
  • Peavey Bandit 65/Special 130 (used): the darlings of the '80s Nashville studio scene and still in use by many in-the-trenches road warriors, they'll take anything you can throw at them and keep coming back for more, with tons of clean headroom; the mid-/late-80's versions (with the 3-knob Saturation circuit, which allows use as a second clean channel) go for $150-200, and IMO have the best tone/construction of the series;
  • Randall RG-120 combos (pre-1985): conceived by former Fender long-timer Don Randall as direct feature-for-feature competition to Fender's silverface tube amps (and priced similarly in their heyday), these were arguably the first solid-state amps with any real tone when they were introduced in the early-70's and grossly underappreciated/undervalued in today's market; available in a variety of configurations (2x10", 4x10", 1x12", 2x12", 1x15") the "orange-stripe" and "gray-stripe" versions - with two independent channels/trem/'verb like their Fender counterparts - can be had for as little as $100 if you look around (some guy on the Archtop subforum scored a 2x10" at GC a while back), but more typically in the $150-250 range...
Hope this helps...
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:28 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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The Fender Blues Jr, now in the 4th edition, is good but not inexpensive. I managed to pick up a NOS 3rd edition known for clean and bright.

I would look at Monoprice and Bugera for lower price 15watt or less.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:32 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
My tuppence worth:
  • Bugera V22 1x12": the classic club-players' low-power tube combo updated for the 2K's - $449 MAP, can be had for (much) less, built like a tank and sounds like twice the price;
  • Bugera V55 1x12": ditto above, but 6L6 power tubes provide more "American" tone and 55W (switchable to 25W) provide more clean headroom;
  • Fender Frontman 212R (used): looks like a blackface Twin from six feet away, sounds enough like one that the surf guys are all over these and prices are going up as a result - you can still get a clean one for $200 or less if you shop around;
  • Peavey Delta Blues 115 (used): I played in a group with a guy who had the Classic 30 and IME the DB, with its 15" speaker, is warm (as expected) where the C-30 can get brash - new MIC models will set you back $700+ but since they're a niche item resale value is low, and I've seen older USA production for $350-400 in decent shape;
  • Peavey Bandit 65/Special 130 (used): the darlings of the '80s Nashville studio scene and still in use by many in-the-trenches road warriors, they'll take anything you can throw at them and keep coming back for more, with tons of clean headroom; the mid-/late-80's versions (with the 3-knob Saturation circuit, which allows use as a second clean channel) go for $150-200, and IMO have the best tone/construction of the series;
  • Randall RG-120 combos (pre-1985): conceived by former Fender long-timer Don Randall as direct feature-for-feature competition to Fender's silverface tube amps (and priced similarly in their heyday), these were arguably the first solid-state amps with any real tone when they were introduced in the early-70's and grossly underappreciated/undervalued in today's market; available in a variety of configurations (2x10", 4x10", 1x12", 2x12", 1x15") the "orange-stripe" and "gray-stripe" versions - with two independent channels/trem/'verb like their Fender counterparts - can be had for as little as $100 if you look around (some guy on the Archtop subforum scored a 2x10" at GC a while back), but more typically in the $150-250 range...
Hope this helps...
I had a Peavey USA Delta Blues 15" speaker model and it sounded, as you've mentioned, warm, and let me add full but the tremolo kind of sucked as it lowered the volume when engaged.

I currently have a Fender Blues Junior III Musician's Friend Custom with Jensen Alnico 12-inch speaker and two-tone Tolex covering. It sounds pretty nice but I don't play electric much so it just sits doing nothing.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:43 PM
Gmountain Gmountain is offline
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I recently got the Blues Jr Humboldt Hot Rod from Musicians Friend and it sounded much better than the B Jr III. Wood cabinet, cannibis rex speaker. They will knock some money off if you ask.
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Old 02-24-2019, 03:57 PM
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Livingston Livingston is offline
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Good luck in your search. If you end up with another Blues Junior, check out this site: http://billmaudio.com/wp/

I've had friends who have followed some of the advice and modifications to their Fender amps (specifically Blues Junior) from this website. One person in particular modified his Blues Junior per Bill M's advice, to increase clean head room. His amp sounds wonderful...and it's much lighter and more compact than his Deluxe Reverb.
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Old 02-24-2019, 04:47 PM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Big fan of the Blues Junior but like others have said, a Roland amp might be the go.
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Old 02-24-2019, 08:00 PM
GHS GHS is offline
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Se my post down below...N A D Monoprice 15w amp. Tube tone for 200 bucks or less.
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Old 02-25-2019, 11:33 AM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
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I probably should've mentioned that we're definitely looking for a tube amp, and not so much interested in any kind of modeling features.

Wish I knew how to quote multiple posts so I could respond to them specifically. Failing that; I don't have anything against solid state, so a Roland Cube and some of the other amps mentioned were good suggestions. It's just that we're kind of interested in what the Blues Jr "seems" to offer.

And Livingston, thanks for the link to the mods page. The person we initially traded the Blues Jr from was somewhere along the road to becoming an amp expert - he is certainly keen to learn all he can about them - and very much into modding. He tracked down something online about the problem we experienced with the Blues Jr. Apparently it's a common issue. Not sure if his modifications had anything to do with it, though I suspect they didn't.

Thanks all for the replies and suggestions so far (keep 'em coming). Still hoping to hear from someone who has something to say about the Peavey Classic.
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Old 02-25-2019, 12:52 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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My previous Blues Junior III was well on its way to a decade of worry free service with the exception of the input jack which has plastic internals and should be upgraded. The way I avoided wear on it was always to have it plugged in with a cord.

I know the BJr is a popular modification platform but I remember someone talking about how they modified theirs so many times the back panel no longer held securely due to stripped threads.

My philosophy is to leave well enough alone.

Last edited by Jaden; 03-11-2019 at 06:12 PM.
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Old 02-25-2019, 12:57 PM
perttime perttime is offline
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Definitely look at Rolands. JC and also the Blues Cube line of amps.
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Old 02-26-2019, 08:36 AM
Chickee Chickee is offline
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If it's a tube amp you desire, Reverb.com has twenty Peavey Valve King II 50's for sale. New and used from $250 to $600. Great clean and overdrive channels. Takes pedals really well. 1x12" combo, good reverb, really loud. All tube preamp and power amp. I've used it with a semi hollow jazzer and a pedal steel. Very versatile. Used they are $325. Not a big investment.
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