I think a basic rule while playing a blues junior, escpeially tweed, is to scoop the mids (like at 2). It really opens up and sounds less boxy. At least for me
To’ work the amp in its sweet spot you’ve got to crank both the pre- and the power amp to 12, switch off the fat-switch and turn down the mids to 2-3 maximum and work the rest with your guitar volume/tone knobs. And yes, it’s insanely loud, like all fender amps.
I find the amp much easier to set when NOT engaging the fat switch . I’m pretty sure the reverb is also a 2 and not a 3 as many fenders are,so much more pleasing to the ear .
Red House and Pride and Joy tone nailed. Just got one of these amps - still figuring it out. Love it so far. But does require some thought and tweaking of settings.
Hi Steve, Thanks so much 👍 I keep on coming back to this amp, it feels really nice to play through too. These tweed ones are great the reverb is lovely 😊
@@crossroadbluessecrets what model is it? 2? 3? 4? Have you done any mods to it? There’s a a few American companies, like BillM, that do some major mods kits for them.
@@steveindorset it's a 3 no mods at all.You can't get a tweed in a 4 unless you get from Sweetwater. Yes those mods look good, I just like the sound as it is out of the box 👍🏻
Thanks a lot for the video, John. I'll try to get similar tones on my blackstar ht -1mk2, although without full EQ it will be difficult. And I will save up for Blues Junior))
Thanks so much for watching 👍 yes you can always get some nice tones with what you have. The blues junior is a great amp. Because it has the master you can get it to breakup at low volumes.
You possibly should have said something about the overall volume in the room which these settings produce - with that sort of Hendrixy first sound you had the Master on 11 and Volume (which is sort of "Pre") on 8. I'm actually pretty confident my bandmates would consider killing me if I cranked my BJ to these settings in our rehearsal room... That being said I do think resp. even positively now that cranking the Blues Junior’s Master to somewhere between 10 and 12 is a good way to go get the amp to respond really dynamically to the pick an to get a really "solid" tone (even if that means you have to set the normal Volume/Pre to just 3 or 4 to avoid being too loud for your bandmates wellbeing). However, you'll then have to use some overdrive or distortion pedal for a certain amount of grid. But that's not bad either, as you can easily dial in the right - possibly not that much - amount of overdrive on the pedal without affecting the overall loudness so much. If you listen closely to many Blues guys who have a seemingly "hefty" tone, you may find that they actually don't have THAT much distortion and compression at all. There is a certain solidness of tone that springs very much rom driving the power tubes sufficiently (i.e. setting the Master high enough).
Thanks so much for writing. Yes sorry, volume in the room was zero because this was recorded through the ox box no effects added through that though just the cab and room mics. I did do this without the ox box and in a tiny room it was too loud so I had to put it outside in a different room. Another good thing to make the tone bigger is to get a fuzz and turn the volume on guitar down.
The amp settings are good advice but what are your guitar volume and tone settings. Without those it kinda makes the amp settings irrelevant. I don't mean to be critical of your vids which I enjoy but I find that guitar settings are very important.
Hi George, Yes you're right! Here they are: Red House - Neck Pickup - Volume 8 Peter Green - Pickup - Position 2 - Volume 10 Albert King - Pickup Bridge - Volume 10 - Tone Controls 10 SRV - Neck Pickup Volume 7
My Fender Blues Jriii Royal Blood factory Greenback is a beautiful sounding amp. Clean or with pedals. The cleans are absolutely sweet. It is in excellent condition with all tags and paperwork from new. If I were to sell what do you think I should price it? I don't jam or play with a band and thinking a smaller practice amp will be suffice now. Thanks in advance.
That sounds like a great amp! I'm in New Zealand and the sell new for $1800 Nz here second hand ones are about $1200 I'm not too sure were you are of course. They seem to be available cheaper in Uk for example. We just can't get things here.
Cool video John. How many DB do you think it made it up to? I live in an apartment; I'm considering getting an attenuator to get it to that "explode" sound, without getting kicked out lol.
Hi Christopher, Thanks so much for watching. Actually I recorded this at 11 at night with an attenuator (ox box, really good!) with headphones so it was totally silent! I’ll get a db meter and try that tone with the amp and let you know! When I turn it up like that in the real world I get a long lead and put the amp it in a cupboard!
Hello, no on your guitar it looks like the middle two screws are missing on the tremolo/bridge plate. You have four rather then 6 screws but maybe it was just the light. It was just something that caught my eye
I think a basic rule while playing a blues junior, escpeially tweed, is to scoop the mids (like at 2). It really opens up and sounds less boxy. At least for me
Thanks for the tip 👍
I don’t know how I missed this video but I’m tuned in now dude! Thank you!!!
Thanks so much 🙏
To’ work the amp in its sweet spot you’ve got to crank both the pre- and the power amp to 12, switch off the fat-switch and turn down the mids to 2-3 maximum and work the rest with your guitar volume/tone knobs. And yes, it’s insanely loud, like all fender amps.
I wish more fender amps had a master volume like the Junior.
I find the amp much easier to set when NOT engaging the fat switch . I’m pretty sure the reverb is also a 2 and not a 3 as many fenders are,so much more pleasing to the ear .
Thanks 🙏 it alway good to try all these things. The reverb in this model can get so you loose the notes!
Great video! I just got a new Blues Junior and am just starting to play around with it. This really helped.
Thanks so much! Yes, they are great amps these, I've tried so many other Fenders but always come back to this one 👍
Red House and Pride and Joy tone nailed. Just got one of these amps - still figuring it out. Love it so far. But does require some thought and tweaking of settings.
I think it’s for a lovely break up tone and really great it has a master volume, I wish more fenders had that 👍
Thank you great video, 4 helpful reference guitar sounds using the fender blues junior.
Thanks so much, hope it helps
Definitely my next amp ‼️👍
Good choice! They are great 👍
Hi John
Great sounds from the Blues Junior. I’m looking at one of these for bluesy cleans. Good stuff. 😎👍🏻
Hi Steve, Thanks so much 👍 I keep on coming back to this amp, it feels really nice to play through too. These tweed ones are great the reverb is lovely 😊
@@crossroadbluessecrets what model is it? 2? 3? 4? Have you done any mods to it? There’s a a few American companies, like BillM, that do some major mods kits for them.
@@steveindorset it's a 3 no mods at all.You can't get a tweed in a 4 unless you get from Sweetwater. Yes those mods look good, I just like the sound as it is out of the box 👍🏻
@@crossroadbluessecrets ok bud thanks. 👍🏻
Nice but without an attenuator these settings would melt the walls and deafen anyone within 100yds...
It's not too loud but after saying that too loyd for at home!
Thanks a lot for the video, John. I'll try to get similar tones on my blackstar ht -1mk2, although without full EQ it will be difficult. And I will save up for Blues Junior))
Thanks so much for watching 👍 yes you can always get some nice tones with what you have. The blues junior is a great amp. Because it has the master you can get it to breakup at low volumes.
Nice video man. Helpede. I habe BJ and I love that amp. Cheers from Czech Republic. Pretty nice tips.
Thanks so much 🙏 hope all is well in the Czech Republic 👍 hello 👋 from New Zealand
Thank you
You're welcome
What version of the Blues Jr. is yours?
This is a BJ Three
Can it get a Robert Cray or Jimmie vaughan tone?
You possibly should have said something about the overall volume in the room which these settings produce - with that sort of Hendrixy first sound you had the Master on 11 and Volume (which is sort of "Pre") on 8. I'm actually pretty confident my bandmates would consider killing me if I cranked my BJ to these settings in our rehearsal room...
That being said I do think resp. even positively now that cranking the Blues Junior’s Master to somewhere between 10 and 12 is a good way to go get the amp to respond really dynamically to the pick an to get a really "solid" tone (even if that means you have to set the normal Volume/Pre to just 3 or 4 to avoid being too loud for your bandmates wellbeing). However, you'll then have to use some overdrive or distortion pedal for a certain amount of grid. But that's not bad either, as you can easily dial in the right - possibly not that much - amount of overdrive on the pedal without affecting the overall loudness so much.
If you listen closely to many Blues guys who have a seemingly "hefty" tone, you may find that they actually don't have THAT much distortion and compression at all. There is a certain solidness of tone that springs very much rom driving the power tubes sufficiently (i.e. setting the Master high enough).
Thanks so much for writing. Yes sorry, volume in the room was zero because this was recorded through the ox box no effects added through that though just the cab and room mics. I did do this without the ox box and in a tiny room it was too loud so I had to put it outside in a different room. Another good thing to make the tone bigger is to get a fuzz and turn the volume on guitar down.
The amp settings are good advice but what are your guitar volume and tone settings. Without those it kinda makes the amp settings irrelevant. I don't mean to be critical of your vids which I enjoy but I find that guitar settings are very important.
Hi George, Yes you're right! Here they are:
Red House - Neck Pickup - Volume 8
Peter Green - Pickup - Position 2 - Volume 10
Albert King - Pickup Bridge - Volume 10 - Tone Controls 10
SRV - Neck Pickup Volume 7
@@crossroadbluessecrets
Due to inflation your amp now needs to go to 12 😂
Great amp, enjoy!
You're right! 😀
My Fender Blues Jriii Royal Blood factory Greenback is a beautiful sounding amp. Clean or with pedals. The cleans are absolutely sweet. It is in excellent condition with all tags and paperwork from new. If I were to sell what do you think I should price it? I don't jam or play with a band and thinking a smaller practice amp will be suffice now.
Thanks in advance.
That sounds like a great amp! I'm in New Zealand and the sell new for $1800 Nz here second hand ones are about $1200 I'm not too sure were you are of course. They seem to be available cheaper in Uk for example. We just can't get things here.
From Kentucky in the United States and thanks for replying. The amp is a limited edition. Haven't saw a lot of information on it.
Cool video John. How many DB do you think it made it up to? I live in an apartment; I'm considering getting an attenuator to get it to that "explode" sound, without getting kicked out lol.
Hi Christopher, Thanks so much for watching. Actually I recorded this at 11 at night with an attenuator (ox box, really good!) with headphones so it was totally silent! I’ll get a db meter and try that tone with the amp and let you know! When I turn it up like that in the real world I get a long lead and put the amp it in a cupboard!
Not terribly important but did you remove2 screws from trem making it 4 point? Interesting setup choice?. Video very helpful
Sorry did you mean four screws from the amp?
Hello, no on your guitar it looks like the middle two screws are missing on the tremolo/bridge plate. You have four rather then 6 screws but maybe it was just the light. It was just something that caught my eye
I can’t imagine how loud that must be…I’ve never got above 3-4
Ah... that's where the attenuator came in handy!
🤔 I thought SRV played mostly in the neck pickup, especially Pride and Joy
I’m sure he probably did 👍 I was just going for what sounded good on the amp 😃
I find the amp ridiculously loud for home use.
You can always turn the volume up and the master down you get a nice sound at low volumes that way.
Peter Green sound was a little bit thin in my opinion!
Good playing though!
Thanks for watching Tony 👍
i love blues juniors but a different speaker and prescence mod turned mine into a beast
That sounds great 👍 was that a specific mod?
You weren’t on the neck pickup man!
Which tone did you think that?
Red Hose sounded good - the rest sounded tinny and kinda cheap.
The second part is what my girlfriend said about me…
You talk to much
That’s funny because that’s exactly what I said to your mum
😂😂😂@@crossroadbluessecrets