Fender Blues Junior - Greg Koch

dean111music

There is a recorded Live hour long Greg Koch on Facebook.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155154114094009&id=172977589008&refid=46&__xt__=12.{"click_type":"result","module_id":80,"result_id":"172977589008:10155154114094009","sid":"106564681","browse_result_type":"browse_type_story","module_role":"PUBLIC_POSTS","module_result_position":0,"result_creation_time":1487786316}&__tn__=*s

Playing through a Fender Blues Junior.

Sounds incredible with a les paul and guitar volume


I read some reviews and it does get a 50/50 vote. To me it sounds awesome.

Whats everyones views? Whats it like at band level? Cleans up well with volume by watching this. But this is at home what about playing with a band?

Voxman

Can't find the session you're referring to.  A direct link would be better rather than face-book page if you have one.  But Greg Koch could play a £100 guitar through a cheap practice amp & still sound terrific!

dean111music

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155154114094009&id=172977589008&refid=46&__xt__=12.{"click_type":"result","module_id":80,"result_id":"172977589008:10155154114094009","sid":"106564681","browse_result_type":"browse_type_story","module_role":"PUBLIC_POSTS","module_result_position":0,"result_creation_time":1487786316}&__tn__=*s

ICBM

There is a bad smell in my workshop today. A sort of nasty acrid smoky smell which from experience is usually from a very badly charred PCB. Not coincidentally there is also a Blues Junior in there...

Fender's worst modern amp? Not sure, and to be fair they have made quite a lot of them, but this is not exactly the first one.

dean111music

haha 

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

There is a bad smell in my workshop today. A sort of nasty acrid smoky smell which from experience is usually from a very badly charred PCB. Not coincidentally there is also a Blues Junior in there...

Fender's worst modern amp? Not sure, and to be fair they have made quite a lot of them, but this is not exactly the first one.

Sure you didn't burn your toast?

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

Sure you didn't burn your toast?

If my toast smelled like that I'd be seriously worried about what they're putting in the bread these days .

dean111music

basically the amp sounds good.... for 5 minutes then it smells like burnt toast. He has probably got a few of these. two of which are always at the techs home

Bridgehouse

dean111music said:

basically the amp sounds good.... for 5 minutes then it smells like burnt toast. He has probably got a few of these. two of which are always at the techs home

It sounds good for 5 mins?

I call fake.

chromatuna

I own a Blues Junior (with a C Rex speaker which makes it rather different to stock - also a few cap changes)  and I wouldn't recommend it as an amp to anyone. It has served me well with a band (live and rehearsal) the last couple of years and it's not a wholly bad amp, it's OK  but it's not great. One fundamental problem I think is that the cab is just too small. I am not in a band at the moment but if I was I would be looking to change it. Better used options in a similar price range I now realise. For similar wattage I would be trying a used Princeton reverb with a 12, DRRI or maybe even a Lionheart 20. Not sure what would suit exactly but those are on my amps-to-try list.

Exorcist

I watched that the other day and I'm pretty sure he was playing a pro junior not a blues junior FWIW. Although he makes anything sound amazing, he did say he loved that combo and had used it more than once for recording (and one of his favorite amps of all time).

MattFGBI

Blues junior can be a marmite amp. It's by far our best selling amp so I can only assume lots of people like marmite....

ICBM

MattFGBI said:

It's by far our best selling amp

As you know this completely baffles me. 

Even accounting for taste regarding the sound, it's poor value for money as well as being significantly less well-made and reliable compared to your other amps, especially the Hotrod Deluxe (which I actually thought was the bigger seller). It's now over £500 new, which is ridiculous for what it is.

To be fair the same is true of Peavey and the Classic 30, which is probably their worst amp but seems unaccountably popular.

Exorcist

Just confirming he is playing a Pro Junior. He makes it clear it is NOT a blues junior.

Voxman

Exorcist said:

Just confirming he is playing a Pro Junior. He makes it clear it is NOT a blues junior.

That would make sense!  I just couldn't envisage why Greg Koch would be using a Blues Junior. Without doubt, one of the most dreadful amps I've ever played. 

dean111music

Whoops got the completely wrong.the pro junior it is! One volume and one tone!

what are these like? 8" speaker I guess boxy?

ICBM

dean111music said:

Whoops got the completely wrong.the pro junior it is! One volume and one tone!

what are these like? 8" speaker I guess boxy?

10" speaker and far less boxy than the Blues Junior with it's 12". Just a much better amp.

MatthewShreddery

Oh how I love a pro junior. 

cbilly22

ICBM said:

dean111music said:

Whoops got the completely wrong.the pro junior it is! One volume and one tone!

what are these like? 8" speaker I guess boxy?

10" speaker and far less boxy than the Blues Junior with it's 12". Just a much better amp.

@ICMB I'm sure we have been here before recently with regards this bewilderingly popular amp. The Pro Junior doesn't get the same love but it's far better.

dean111music

What are like in a band setting? Can it compete with a drummer I guess clean headroom is an issue? Reliable? 

dean111music

Less boxy than the blues jr? Better cabinet? Is there a year or particular model to look out for?  There USA made from some years ago? Are the ones to go for or the newer editions