Fender Blues Junior Anyone

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  • If you can only use headphones, these are all non starters.  If you want to record with them, you need to mic them up.

    The tone you want is clean - so no need for an attenuator.  You'll not get a nice tone from a blues junior, it's impossible (woops...) but you *can* get near whisper volume from a HRDx or similar, which actually have nice sounding cleans. You still won't be able to use headphones though.

    The Yamaha THR series is also good, and don't go very loud at all, so maybe a starter.

    To be honest, you've not spent much time with the Blackstar.  There are a lot of settings on it, so it can take some tweaking, but if you use the 6l6 or kt88 settings, on a clean channel and adjust eq to taste, you will get much nicer sounding tone than you ever would with a blues junior IMO.  And at any volume you want, from home practice to rehearsal to headphones (which seems important to you).
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Hi bertie

    Yes the sounds you hear on the demo are my usual tone,i try not to copy anyone but i always get the 
    Marvin comment as i have played aShadows stuff for so long.

    I notice the Blues Deluxe has a Pre-Amp out socket,it that for recording?

    Regarding the attenuator,the main thing with it is the Line Out it has,that means i can record DI with most any amp but i didn't know i could use an amp with a higher wattage?

    Alan

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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    edited December 2013
    The pre-amp out/return is basically an FX Loop   -  its either line level (ok) or instrument level (youd need to bump the signal) youd need to check the manual.    

    You can, with  extreme care use a lower powered attenuator making sure you got nowhere near maxing the power section on the amp -  but considering what you've spend on guitars,  a new  attenuator wouldnt be too far a stretch   ;)  

    if you're "set" on mostly recording, and/or never using the speaker - then valves may really be a waste of time - might as well get a pre-amp/ pod pro  type of set up.
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Hi bertie

    Why do you say valves would be a waste of time if i am not using the speaker.

    Don't they make a difference to the sound when DI recording?

    I thought the signal would still be going through the preamp stage valves,surely the power amp
    valves are there just to boost the preamp signal to something we call output wattage,e.g. 30w 50w 100w.

    Alan

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  • What about a PRRI?  I borrowed a BJ once and lent my PRRI out, nearly cried until I got it back.  Only 15W so you could use it with an attenuator for line out.  Sound great at low volume too, of course you can't crank them at home but they don't sound sterile at any volume.

    They are overpriced but you can get 2nd hand ones for around £500
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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    edited December 2013
    asimmd said:
    Hi bertie

    Why do you say valves would be a waste of time if i am not using the speaker.

    Don't they make a difference to the sound when DI recording?


    Alan

    debatable and subjective,   many say (and Id agree) that its the power section in conjunction with the speaker that is the real tone definer so if you're by-passing them 99% of the time, why have them ?

    Look at hybrid amps  with valve pre-amp sections and s/s power sections,  or Valve pre-amps/rack mounts.   
    My ears cant tell the difference TBH, and many other have the same opinion.  For recording, its bloody hard to tell the difference between a valve pre-amp -> DI and a modeller................
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23956
    asimmd said:
    Hi bertie

    Why do you say valves would be a waste of time if i am not using the speaker.

    Don't they make a difference to the sound when DI recording?

    I thought the signal would still be going through the preamp stage valves,surely the power amp
    valves are there just to boost the preamp signal to something we call output wattage,e.g. 30w 50w 100w.

    Alan


    Nope!

    The power amp gives a great deal to the sound in many amps. 

    Probably not in a dedicated 'metal' amp where the sound is all in the preamp, but in a Fender or non Master volume Marshall etc, the power section (valves and the transformers) have a huge impact on the sound.

    Swapping EL34 valves for 6L6 or KT88 in a power section is quite common (mods & re-bias might be needed) and drastically changes the tone of the amp.

    But if you don't get the power valves cooking, then they aren't doing much, so if you are recording of headphone use only, then you'd be better off with a Line 6 Pod HD or other modelling unit.
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    So judging the comments made here i would be just as well keeping my Blackstar ID30.

    In fact,a valve amp would probably be a waste of money,given that i only want it for D.I recording.


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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    based on the samples you've posted, a big yep and yep.  BUT at the end of the day................ its what you're happy with that counts.
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • ROOGROOG Frets: 554

    I have a growing collection of small amps for home use only, including a BJ (iii), I bought it because I wanted a small valve amp. Now whilst it works just fine I don't run it at high output so the valves probably aren't making much contribution to the overall tone. 

    What it does do, when compared to my solid-state amps is make more noise, both 'hiss' and 'hum' and whilst these don't bother me I don't think that these are ideal characteristics for a recording amp.

    If you don't need big volume, i'd certainly give the THR10 a try, but I've just remembered your OP, when I tried the ID series I thought they were pretty good.  

    Oh and the valve amp helps to keep my small room warm.

     

          

     

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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Well we've come a long way since I asked the question and now we have an answer.

    I have to say i do like the Blackstar and i am really pleased i got it,the sound you hear
    in the 2 clips i posted is pretty much exactly what i wanted,and i can't really see a valve amp getting
    any better while i D.I my recordings.

    I had a message from someone today who has just bought a Blackstar and wanted to know how i got it
    to sound the way it does in the 2 clips,they can't get it anywhere near.Of course i sent them the settings i use
    but i thought it was a nice compliment.

    OK,one last question in this thread.............What am i going to do for a new toy now!!!!

    Thanks to all who commented

    Alan

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  • bertiebertie Frets: 13564
    asimmd said:
    W.What am i going to do for a new toy now!!!!


    get a THR    ;)


    :D
    just because you don't, doesn't mean you can't
     just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Whats a THR
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  • rprrpr Frets: 308
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Oh sorry,i have been using Strats for so long,didn't know there were other makes available,ooooops.

    Theres an idea,nice vintage Strat?


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  • asimmd;103695" said:
    Oh sorry,i have been using Strats for so long,didn't know there were other makes available,ooooops.

    Theres an idea,nice vintage Strat?
    The thr is the amp, not guitar!

    Get a tele ;)
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Double oops sorry. I got a tele but it don't play it very often.
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  • CatthanCatthan Frets: 355
    the Bjr was my first real tube amp which I only played at home and in those circumstances was lovely. but hated pedals,, at least mine did. later on i put a jj ecc83 in v1 and a greenback speaker in it and although still boxy, it sounded a bit more woody, edgy and vintage which was nice but didn't hesitate a bit when i saw people here were looking for them so i sold it without regret. if you already got a nice amp with features i don't see why to get a Bjr. I don't think it will give "that" fender tone you associate with twins etc. Having said that, there was this guy on youtube, steviesnacks or smth' who could get really convincing SRV tones with his tweed jr and some EQ pedals. If you're really gasing for one, get it under a 7 day eturn policy and see what it does for you.
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  • Personally I always loved Blues Juniors but I agree they work best with single coils. For me, the one to have is the tweed with Jensen speaker. I currently have 4 of the little beasts - one tweed that needs a revalve, two mk2s, one of which needs the reverb fixing - common fault which is usually very easy to fix, and one mk3.

    Considering doing the Billm's mods to the one with the reverb issue and then the same to the tweed...

    Of course I gig a Lazy J so this is all just fun in the background but I hope that the modded BJ might become my gig spare which will allow me to move on my Victoria 20112 which is a bit expensive to have just as a spare... fab sounding amp though...
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  • asimmdasimmd Frets: 115
    Looked at BJ on youtube,seems there are some mods you can do to make it sound better.

    Takes away the boxy tinny sound.

    One of them is called the Twin Stack mod,but i couldn't find out what it was.

    The other was to eliminate the hum and noise,it involves replacing a lot of caps
    and resistors,something i would not try myself.

    Alan

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