This 2 part series was so interesting to watch...and that is one lucky client. I hope he fully grasped everything that you put into this project...and tipped you well...
Psionic, I discovered your videos a couple days ago while doing research on Blues Junior III Tweed amp I found on Facebook Marketplace. The amp is basically new. The gentleman I bought it from said he had all of about two hours on it and then it sat for the last two years. He just didn't have time to play it anymore. I got it for a good price. Anyway, I watched your videos with you repairing and modding the Blues Junior and it actually contributed to my desire to buy it. It seems like a great amp to tinker with. I assembled/soldered a StewMac Klon clone pedal not that long ago and had a blast doing it. I was looking at doing a Mojotone Princeton or Deluxe Reverb kit, but those were a bit out of my price range at the moment and I figured tinkering the Blues junior would be a good intermediate step. You mentioned in a couple of your videos that the Blues Junior has a cheap PCB with delicate contacts that can be easily damaged if you don't solder properly. Soldering isn't one of my best skills, yet. But I do have digital temperature controlled Hakko soldering iron and I'm willing to practice. Do you know of any cheap PCBs that can be obtained that would be good practice for working with a Blues Junior? Would cheap prototyping breadboards be a rough equivalent?
Watching your videos on the BJ gave me the incentive to install a Fromel Supreme mod kit in my Blues Jr. It took me about 3 hours however I took my time and double checked everything I changed out to make sure of the polarities were correctly placed where applicable. Having a little expirience working on automotive circuit boards provided the confidence to do the mod. What prompted me to do the mod was the red paint on the EL84's had turned 80% grey from overheating. Luckily, the board had no signs of scorching on it. Thanks for providing the content on repairing amps.
That sounded amazing. I have a dozen Blues Juniors in need of repair and one that needs a new board. I’ll have to watch this a few more times for inspiration.
I have 2 Blues Jr.s. Both are old as can be. Both creme boards. Mine have both been giggged hundreds of times for 3 to 4 hour sets with no repairs. I change the tubes every year so maybe thats helped prolong their lives, but I always hear horror stories about them, yet mine have always treated me right. Granted I only push the amp to about 40% volume then use pedals. Mine have both been examined by myself during tube changes and everything always looks clean and well preserved. Hope I dont eat my words soon.
Man, that sounds great, I remember in the late 80's it was such a popular myth to over bias amps, now I'm seeing that it's cooler amps that I prefer the sound of especially for clean tones... 😎👍
Ahhh Maze ING! Very nice wor attention to detail!!!! Thanks for taking the time to film edit and share! You have motivated me to take the time to upgrade/fix my blues Jr. I can’t afford your time but I’d certainly be more than happy to pay for a listing of the mods (what resistors /wattage , locatation Etc.) you did on this junior! And if not , I understand thanks for your video !!!
I was in the same boat with a broken blues jr. Too expensive to fix, too expensive to throw away. Ultimately sent it to Carls Custom in NM and had it converted to a 5F1 tweed champ and it’s been fantastic ever since.
I'm thankful I bought my Fender Blackface Showman back in 1982-3 (think it was '82), $125 (also a Fender Squire for $125, but I consider the Showman the better purchase). I've obviously had to recap it in the years since, and replaced a preamp tube - one of these days maybe I'll splurge on new 6L6s, but overall it's been rock solid... Although it weighs like a good sized rock too. 😁 I picked up a Sears Silvertone at a yard sale a few years ago too, $20, that's been on my list of "to do" things though... Thankfully I grew up with a radio/TV repairman grandfather (and Extra class ham) so I can do the repairs myself, fixed my old TV a few times before buying a new one (gave the old one away to someone in need - two years later they called me, it got zapped in a lightning storm and they took it to a repair shop who quoted them $250 to fix - to con them into buying a used/refurb off them for $150... I told her to get it back - honestly, they never even opened it, the undisturbed 20+yrs of dust made that plain. Had to hit Radio Shack for a 1A/12V zener (eh, 2/$1.50 was a ripoff, but it was quick) and had a regular 2A rectifier diode handy, but under $2 in parts to fix - gave it away later to someone else in need). One thing I did learn from grandpa though, not something I want to do as a business - every TV we had growing up was a repair a customer wasn't willing to pay for and left with him (that he repaired and gave to us). It got worse as society got more "disposable" and TVs got cheaper - funny, people used to be more willing to pay for repairs when I went on house calls with him for those huge wooden console sets, and they could actually see what he went through (and me running out to the trunk of his car to find for some of the less common tubes). Somehow when people drop something off and can't watch what it takes (and how long) they think your time has no value. I got "dead" 14-15" monitors and working but "low end" PCs at my old job in the 90s (they'd let me raid the junk being sent for computer recycling) and would fix them up for friends wanting to get on "that internet thing", I'd make them pay for the modem card (had to buy those) but... Generally got a good dinner or a case of beer out of it otherwise (for an hour or two of basic training to get them online). That ended when I switched jobs of course, and by then LCDs were incoming over CRTs, and they were all surface mount... I don't mess with that unless it's my own stuff I'm willing to replace if I screw it up.
One thing about your videos... If I ever have the privilege to get back into playing, I'm definitely going to be checking out the guts of any amp I might find interest in!😁
At least these piles of junk keep the lights on(sometimes). I mostly got out of fixing PCB amps, unless it’s a gut job. It’s just so much easier/faster/cheaper to replace the whole circuit with a hand wired turret/eyelet board. Always appreciate the work and the videos, Lyle.
Thanks - I came to the conclusion some years ago that it wasn’t worth the time and effort to keep my Blues Jr. running once the gremlins moved in. I hate those ribbon cables. There is visual evidence of heat problems all over. The input jack dying was the last straw for me, partly because several of the crappy pots are near failure as well. The amp sounded really good but with a replacement speaker and adjustable bias, but there’s no way I’m taking the time to put in the new tube socket board, filter caps, etc. However, there’s nothing wrong with the chassis or transformers. The cab is too small for a full length reverb tank, and workable tube driven reverb with only 3 preamp tubes is a challenge. Need to figure out what to put in that cab someday.
I had my burned out blues jr converted to a 5f1 champ by carls customs in New Mexico. I call it the Fixer now, as it makes every guitar plugged into it sound great. Probably too expensive but I hated to just throw it out.
Thank you. You have convinced me to save to buy a valve amp that is properly made and easily serviced. I agree with the consensus here, the amp sounds great!
Brilliant job Lyle..You sure do know your stuff..! I'm trying so hard to get to grips with it all, and it's such an interesting learning curve.Thanks so much for sharing your expert knowledge & Great job..Ed..uk..😀
Same here. Based on a number of repair videos of many of the current Fender amps that I've viewed, even $1500 models, chucking this one and buying a replacement is just asking for more of the same kind of trouble not too far down the road. I'd consider the cost of proper repair as an investment into something that could now last forever. I doubt that there's a $750 amp (the current retail price of a Blues Jr), that doesn't have cheap boards and other important components that are cheap and prone to failure. In other words, I'd spend the $$, unless there's a hand made alternative avail. for $750.
“Mother puss bucket!” I know how you feel man. Not often, but sometimes I pull a real boneheaded stunt and think I should have just stayed in bed. 😂 But hey, it worked out for the best because you wound up using better wire anyway. Sounds real nice!
The ones that can reach you are so lucky. I have Marshall a late 80s vertical input, Orange Thunderverb head, GIBSON GA30RVS, Marshall Astoria custom,Blackstar 30 artisan handwired but no tech near me. I love tube amps but the fact that no tech near me just hinders me on my next purchase. Lookin at a Marshall Master model Mk2 100 watt head for a very good price but again no tech. Might as well get a Blackstar El34 St.. James. Love your channel.
What a beautiful job you made of that amp man. You should use that as advertising it's that good. I just upgraded my Hot Rod using your vid for guidance. 1st time I switched on, I lost 2nd channel, and bright switch. +- volts on ic were ok, but wouldn't switch, so redid job and tidied up a few things, but scared to try it again, as it means so much to me. I don't have the money to replace it.
Nice repair. I had to do something similar on a Mesa Single Recto (50w) head maybe 15 years ago. The PCB that the output tube sockets were mounted to had just charred beyond repair. It was a friend's amp, so I took the time to mount new tube bases to the chassis and PTP wire that section of the amp. It sounded ok at lower volumes, but the tiny OT just collapsed at anything over half volume. Not really great considering they're aimed at the metal market.
Lesson learned. I know that when I take on projects there are always unseen time and costs. And its hard to do jobs half assed. I usually get it done right the first time. It's my name and reputation. But there is a limit. Your integrity and work ethic are first class. I consider myself lucky to have such a professional working on my amp. Keep up the great work and awesome content. See you in July, take care.
I feel your pain sir. I have 5 Pro Jrs that I would like to strip and make them the old fashioned way with phenolic boards, not fish paper. 5 you say, I think the Pro Jr is the best sounding Fender amps made. Thanks for the video and honesty, Lyle
Wow, that's first class tone. Like others say, one of the best Blues Jr i have ever heard. I have a butchered Fender Mustang III that needs work, can You make it in to a twin reverb? ;)
Was just about to say with all that work done on this thing I am sure it came close to the cost of the amp to begin with. Have no clue as to your rate per hour OR the parts cost involved BUT the owner will get back probably the best little Blues Junior around so that's something. It's not any of my business so I will not ask but I was trying to gauge how much this would cost as opposed to the cost of the amp in the first place as I think you can purchase one for something like $650 or so if I am not mistaken. Just wanted to take the time and say that I fully enjoy your videos and Thank YOU ! Wish you all the best in the future...
@@PsionicAudio I was thinking much more LOL! I think it would be worth it if it was my AMP as that's not bad at all. Once again Thank You for your time as the videos and work that you do are first class and I wish you much success in the future!
wow - again I really enjoyed watching this (and I am NOT a gear guy at all) - so I am curious to know if you had charged your full rate what would the cost have been? I ask genuinely as I love my blues jrs and if I ever needed to would probably actually pay it.
Hello, I know I have asked this but lost my information, what is the type of Kestor solder you use? what is the product number. thank you for your time.......
so inquiring minds want to know what would have been the cost if you charged full boat? I can buy a used BJr for around $375 if i had someone put $250 -$350 time and parts into its still cheaper than a Dr z or comparable boutique amp,..yes?
Gives me some ideas for my number three/Tesax Red Jr. I put the adjustable tube board in the one with the Fromel mods but it still sounds muffled compared to my number one Jr with Bill M mods. I like the hand wired tube board but it is a little above my skills.
You mention you would rather just build an amp instead of doing what ya did here. How much would you charge to build your version of a Bjr ? Ive been wanting to get a Bjr head made that still has the reverb. Curious what youd charge to build one. :-)
Please, I noticed you chose a Celestion G12 M for a certain HRD. I saw some reviews on that speaker and liked it. What would be your choice for a Blues Jr ?
Lots of good choices though I wouldn't put an expensive speaker in a Junior. Legend 1258, G12C, Veteran 30 most likely. Note that the prices I get on speakers and pass on to customers is much less than retail, so my "inexpensive" isn't a "cheap" speaker.
If you knew a gigging guitarist who owns EIGHT Blues Jrs in various states of useabilty would recommend they just continue to replace them with new ones when they malfunction? If you were going to build one with reverb from scratch what form factor makes the most sense? I understand that the regular Blues Jr chassis doesn’t readily allow for reverb circuits. when hand wired? I keep imagining getting a solid hand-wired version made for him so he’d finally have a reliable Blues Jr.
Someone buys eight lemons and continues to buy that brand of car? Stop buying junk. A real amp cannot be made out of the BJ chassis without spending more than many other already-good amps cost.
@@PsionicAudio also: yeah--I know that a decent amp can't be built in that chassis so I'm wondering what OTHER chassis (a.k.a. "form factor") would be appropriate to build a solid, BJ-ish amp? He clearly likes the sound of them or he'd buy something else! He can afford any small combo on the planet besides the super collectable ones. He might even mortgage his house for a Dumble if it was small & light enough and suited his playing. But he doesn't want a Dumble. He wants a Blues Jr. Also, you've said many times that these badly-built amps are fine if you're willing to replace them when they break. You've especially said this about modeling amps, but I just assumed this applies to other crap builds. My buddy's weird trait is he doesn't get rid of the dead BJs when the fail. They're not worth anything--I have no idea why he keeps the old ones.
Lyle, it occurs to me to ask, do you or have you worked on any or many Valco-built amps? Being as you're in Tennessee, I'd expect you might see a few Western-inspired Gretsch amps with cow-horns on the cloth grille, not to mention that Chet Atkins used them as well....
tell us the truth you just did it cause John Mayer asked you kindly :D great sound after the repair! honestly i would do it myself, cause even if you buy an amp for 500 euros (yes im in EU) and then something similar in the mods/ repair, and that would make the amp last 10 20 additional years in the meanwhile giving it a nicer sound than many 1000 euros out of the box amps for me its still a deal. I would consider it as an investment. Of course i also understand not many people would say the same
Not in most amps. Yes, if you touch the bare tube you'll hear noise, but that's not an environment that exists in most amps. Unless you touch the tubes.
That amp was never so well built. Fender should be embarrassed by the choices they make. My MIM Deluxe Strat looks like a child soldered the electronics. You sir however rock!
Well it definitely sounds better than any Blues Jr I have ever played! Love the Ghostbusters quote! I say that all the time and my wife cracked up hearing you say it!
I didn't change the reverb bits. Earlier amps have C9 in place, later ones like this don't. That could be it. But also know the stock tanks have wide variations in sound. Easy thing to upgrade.
I probably missed any comments You may have made about the FENDER BLUES Jr 4 with the Cannabis Rex 12 inch speaker and Western tolex...I'm curious what You think of them.
No need to be Super Man, you either build boutique hand wired amps your way - or you repair these cheap amps in the most budget way possible that gets ‘em fixed. Which means using a stock replacement pcb board and leaving the plastic Jack alone if it works. You didn’t build nor buy the cheap amp. I use to paint houses and poured over 500 man hours into one home, that’s $20,000 in labor alone at the time @ $40/hr plus materials. But being a fixed cost contract. The total cost to the customer was 11k. I took a bath, homeowner thought he was being charged up the wazoo. All because I had a Superman complex. Then someone told me about a 200k interior painting job for the wrestler Chyna Phillips. Then he went on to explain exactly the process used and I almost crapped in my pants! I learned a valuable lesson that day, there is no such thing as a “quality” job. There is only different levels of quality, and which one is the customer willing to pay for?
Yup.. you make a you tube video about a crap job and compare subscriber's. Pride maybe a deadly sin but there's too much crap in the world.. It's Great to see a good job professionally done. How much advertising do you spend. You won't get much from word of mouth.. When you reach that point in your life when you can work no longer and look back at the cash and failure of your career. What did you ever achieve?? You will answer that..
@@johnnorris1983 I have reached that point. And looking back nothing I ever did ever mattered to anyone except family. It’s nice to see quality work, just warming that it can be a trap. Amps. Guitars, etc, they are just material things and nobody will care about you or visit your grave when you’re gone just because you cared more about quality. What’s important in life I found is being able to put food on the table for family. Nobody cares I did a 25k paint job on a 2,000 SF New England colonial house for 11k. But that is 14k I will never see
@@voxpathfinder15r I understand. But it's good to have a hobby where you can be introspectively expressive in your own time. If work and family is All you need. Then I understand
As much as I dislike ribbon cables, it could be worse: they could have been secured to the boards with corrosive/conductive glue, as so many manufacturers of stereo equipment did from the 1970's onward. Originally a tan/brown rubbery glue (generally known as Sony-Bond) that dries up and turns dark brown, crusty and brittle with age and (especially) heat, creating leakage paths and causing corrosion that creeps up the leads of diodes, resistors, transistors and voltage regulators, anything that runs hot, causing the device to become noisy and intermittent and eventually destroying it or eating through the component lead. I've even seen it eat copper foil traces right off the board! I have spent countless hours scraping it off circuit boards, and replacing corroded parts, and have broken dozens of dental picks in the process. Some manufacturers in the past couple of decades have switched to a different glue that is known as "the black goo of death"; Different color and different texture but the end result is the same ---- yet another device that dies prematurely and likely doesn't get fully recycled..
@@marka1986 , yeah, I know that; most aerosol "duster" cans will work if you hold the can upside down (they don't actually contain air, but some type of fluorocarbon as you likely already know). Still a royal pain to remove the glue! Repairing corrosion and replacing the damaged parts is even more of a pain. I've even seen the corrosion creep down along the component lead and right down through the hole in the circuit board, separating the lead from the solder joint where you can't even see it, and if you resolder it, it actually bubbles and makes a poor connection!
Most people today want two things: Fast and cheap. If you try to sell reliability and longevity, or if you try to explain that money spent now equals no headaches later, (such as failure in mid song right in the middle of the gig) your words often fall on deaf ears. "If I pay you extra to do it right I won't have anything left over for beer money"! So you give them fast and cheap....the customer is always right. Then, when it fails, everybody in town hears about what an incompetent bonehead you are, and how you're out to gouge poor musicians out of what little money they have. Might as well play Russian Roulette with a Glock. If they don't want me to do it right, I just send them down the road.
They can exacerbate any microphonic tendencies of a tube. They don't cause it but they can reveal it. They also slightly darken the sound, though this isn't apparent on all amps (and can be a good thing on some amps).
Look on the bright side side; you said it yourself" " The best little Bluez jr in the World" that player is going to happy. People still drop 2k on PCB amps everyday that are made badly and even wired back to front(Reverb etc). Do have done a good deed and that is worth more than money.
@@PsionicAudio I understand your p.o.v. I'm only curious which version it is? Also I just recently purchased a hot rod blues jr iv from fender this past year. It's a stock 1. Nothing done to it at all. It came stock with v1-ecc83; v2-12ax7r; v3-12ax7r; v4-el84; v5-el84. It also has a black PC board & looks like it's similar to the original circuit bit much better built. It sounds amazing paired with my AmPro Tele
@@PsionicAudio If after having it done one ended up with a great sounding result that they knew was going to be trouble free for a very long time, then it seems it’d be well worth the cost of getting it done….especially when one also knows it’ll be done right!
Sorry about your 1 1/2 hours but it is reassuring for newbie’s like me to see a pro goof and admit it! I mean you could have edited that out and no one would have known. Thanks
Really nice man. Almost avionic level. Don't forget, this amp is now probably going to last another 20 years rather than ending up on the landfill.
This 2 part series was so interesting to watch...and that is one lucky client. I hope he fully grasped everything that you put into this project...and tipped you well...
One of the best sounding amps you have fixed.
Psionic, I discovered your videos a couple days ago while doing research on Blues Junior III Tweed amp I found on Facebook Marketplace. The amp is basically new. The gentleman I bought it from said he had all of about two hours on it and then it sat for the last two years. He just didn't have time to play it anymore. I got it for a good price.
Anyway, I watched your videos with you repairing and modding the Blues Junior and it actually contributed to my desire to buy it. It seems like a great amp to tinker with.
I assembled/soldered a StewMac Klon clone pedal not that long ago and had a blast doing it. I was looking at doing a Mojotone Princeton or Deluxe Reverb kit, but those were a bit out of my price range at the moment and I figured tinkering the Blues junior would be a good intermediate step.
You mentioned in a couple of your videos that the Blues Junior has a cheap PCB with delicate contacts that can be easily damaged if you don't solder properly.
Soldering isn't one of my best skills, yet. But I do have digital temperature controlled Hakko soldering iron and I'm willing to practice. Do you know of any cheap PCBs that can be obtained that would be good practice for working with a Blues Junior? Would cheap prototyping breadboards be a rough equivalent?
Watching your videos on the BJ gave me the incentive to install a Fromel Supreme mod kit in my Blues Jr.
It took me about 3 hours however I took my time and double checked everything I changed out to make sure of the polarities were correctly placed where applicable.
Having a little expirience working on automotive circuit boards provided the confidence to do the mod.
What prompted me to do the mod was the red paint on the EL84's had turned 80% grey from overheating. Luckily, the board had no signs of scorching on it.
Thanks for providing the content on repairing amps.
I gotta say. Even through RUclips, I can hear some amazing magic going on with that amp. I’d say it was very much worth it.
That sounded amazing. I have a dozen Blues Juniors in need of repair and one that needs a new board. I’ll have to watch this a few more times for inspiration.
Man, what you did there is a piece of art! Of course, money wise it makes no sense, but damn is it beautiful to look at!
One of, if not your best, and the most informative videos on the blues Junior.
Thanks and keep up the great work.
Your integrity is appreciated. Very rare these days. Thank you.
Build me a Vibrolux 4/10 please sir. I really need to contact you...
I have 2 Blues Jr.s. Both are old as can be. Both creme boards. Mine have both been giggged hundreds of times for 3 to 4 hour sets with no repairs. I change the tubes every year so maybe thats helped prolong their lives, but I always hear horror stories about them, yet mine have always treated me right. Granted I only push the amp to about 40% volume then use pedals. Mine have both been examined by myself during tube changes and everything always looks clean and well preserved. Hope I dont eat my words soon.
Man, that sounds great, I remember in the late 80's it was such a popular myth to over bias amps, now I'm seeing that it's cooler amps that I prefer the sound of especially for clean tones... 😎👍
Ahhh Maze ING! Very nice wor attention to detail!!!! Thanks for taking the time to film edit and share! You have motivated me to take the time to upgrade/fix my blues Jr. I can’t afford your time but I’d certainly be more than happy to pay for a listing of the mods (what resistors /wattage , locatation Etc.) you did on this junior! And if not , I understand thanks for your video !!!
I was in the same boat with a broken blues jr. Too expensive to fix, too expensive to throw away. Ultimately sent it to Carls Custom in NM and had it converted to a 5F1 tweed champ and it’s been fantastic ever since.
That's the way you do it.
Just beautiful work... Customer better be deliriously joyful
or I'll find him and klonk him me own self.
Cheers
I like that you played something tragic there at the end... But I will say, that little money pit sounds rather lovely.
I'm thankful I bought my Fender Blackface Showman back in 1982-3 (think it was '82), $125 (also a Fender Squire for $125, but I consider the Showman the better purchase). I've obviously had to recap it in the years since, and replaced a preamp tube - one of these days maybe I'll splurge on new 6L6s, but overall it's been rock solid... Although it weighs like a good sized rock too. 😁
I picked up a Sears Silvertone at a yard sale a few years ago too, $20, that's been on my list of "to do" things though...
Thankfully I grew up with a radio/TV repairman grandfather (and Extra class ham) so I can do the repairs myself, fixed my old TV a few times before buying a new one (gave the old one away to someone in need - two years later they called me, it got zapped in a lightning storm and they took it to a repair shop who quoted them $250 to fix - to con them into buying a used/refurb off them for $150... I told her to get it back - honestly, they never even opened it, the undisturbed 20+yrs of dust made that plain. Had to hit Radio Shack for a 1A/12V zener (eh, 2/$1.50 was a ripoff, but it was quick) and had a regular 2A rectifier diode handy, but under $2 in parts to fix - gave it away later to someone else in need).
One thing I did learn from grandpa though, not something I want to do as a business - every TV we had growing up was a repair a customer wasn't willing to pay for and left with him (that he repaired and gave to us). It got worse as society got more "disposable" and TVs got cheaper - funny, people used to be more willing to pay for repairs when I went on house calls with him for those huge wooden console sets, and they could actually see what he went through (and me running out to the trunk of his car to find for some of the less common tubes). Somehow when people drop something off and can't watch what it takes (and how long) they think your time has no value.
I got "dead" 14-15" monitors and working but "low end" PCs at my old job in the 90s (they'd let me raid the junk being sent for computer recycling) and would fix them up for friends wanting to get on "that internet thing", I'd make them pay for the modem card (had to buy those) but... Generally got a good dinner or a case of beer out of it otherwise (for an hour or two of basic training to get them online). That ended when I switched jobs of course, and by then LCDs were incoming over CRTs, and they were all surface mount... I don't mess with that unless it's my own stuff I'm willing to replace if I screw it up.
One thing about your videos... If I ever have the privilege to get back into playing, I'm definitely going to be checking out the guts of any amp I might find interest in!😁
At least these piles of junk keep the lights on(sometimes). I mostly got out of fixing PCB amps, unless it’s a gut job. It’s just so much easier/faster/cheaper to replace the whole circuit with a hand wired turret/eyelet board.
Always appreciate the work and the videos, Lyle.
Agreed.
Thanks - I came to the conclusion some years ago that it wasn’t worth the time and effort to keep my Blues Jr. running once the gremlins moved in. I hate those ribbon cables. There is visual evidence of heat problems all over. The input jack dying was the last straw for me, partly because several of the crappy pots are near failure as well. The amp sounded really good but with a replacement speaker and adjustable bias, but there’s no way I’m taking the time to put in the new tube socket board, filter caps, etc.
However, there’s nothing wrong with the chassis or transformers. The cab is too small for a full length reverb tank, and workable tube driven reverb with only 3 preamp tubes is a challenge. Need to figure out what to put in that cab someday.
I had my burned out blues jr converted to a 5f1 champ by carls customs in New Mexico. I call it the Fixer now, as it makes every guitar plugged into it sound great. Probably too expensive but I hated to just throw it out.
Thank you. You have convinced me to save to buy a valve amp that is properly made and easily serviced. I agree with the consensus here, the amp sounds great!
Man, that little amp sounds incredible. Fat mid-range. Great work my man!
Looks like excellent quality work and it sounds good. Think that amp owner is very lucky! Thanks for the video, good job, enjoyed it!
Brilliant job Lyle..You sure do know your stuff..! I'm trying so hard to get to grips with it all, and it's such an interesting learning curve.Thanks so much for sharing your expert knowledge & Great job..Ed..uk..😀
Nice job and good sounding
I personally would always pay top dollar for professional repairs. This is now a great amp.
Same here. Based on a number of repair videos of many of the current Fender amps that I've viewed, even $1500 models, chucking this one and buying a replacement is just asking for more of the same kind of trouble not too far down the road. I'd consider the cost of proper repair as an investment into something that could now last forever. I doubt that there's a $750 amp (the current retail price of a Blues Jr), that doesn't have cheap boards and other important components that are cheap and prone to failure. In other words, I'd spend the $$, unless there's a hand made alternative avail. for $750.
“Mother puss bucket!” I know how you feel man. Not often, but sometimes I pull a real boneheaded stunt and think I should have just stayed in bed. 😂 But hey, it worked out for the best because you wound up using better wire anyway. Sounds real nice!
Love it! Thats a ghostbusters reference to me
The ones that can reach you are so lucky. I have Marshall a late 80s vertical input, Orange Thunderverb head, GIBSON GA30RVS, Marshall Astoria custom,Blackstar 30 artisan handwired but no tech near me. I love tube amps but the fact that no tech near me just hinders me on my next purchase. Lookin at a Marshall Master model Mk2 100 watt head for a very good price but again no tech. Might as well get a Blackstar El34 St.. James. Love your channel.
Getting rid of that nasty ribbon wire makes it look like a totally different amp. Looks worth about $200 more.
Thanks for rescuing this little amp.
What a beautiful job you made of that amp man. You should use that as advertising it's that good. I just upgraded my Hot Rod using your vid for guidance. 1st time I switched on, I lost 2nd channel, and bright switch. +- volts on ic were ok, but wouldn't switch, so redid job and tidied up a few things, but scared to try it again, as it means so much to me. I don't have the money to replace it.
Nice repair. I had to do something similar on a Mesa Single Recto (50w) head maybe 15 years ago. The PCB that the output tube sockets were mounted to had just charred beyond repair. It was a friend's amp, so I took the time to mount new tube bases to the chassis and PTP wire that section of the amp. It sounded ok at lower volumes, but the tiny OT just collapsed at anything over half volume. Not really great considering they're aimed at the metal market.
Sounds amazing now!
Lesson learned. I know that when I take on projects there are always unseen time and costs. And its hard to do jobs half assed. I usually get it done right the first time. It's my name and reputation. But there is a limit. Your integrity and work ethic are first class. I consider myself lucky to have such a professional working on my amp. Keep up the great work and awesome content. See you in July, take care.
This video is making me want a strat. That amp sounds fantastic.
I feel your pain sir. I have 5 Pro Jrs that I would like to strip and make them the old fashioned way with phenolic boards, not fish paper. 5 you say, I think the Pro Jr is the best sounding Fender amps made. Thanks for the video and honesty, Lyle
Very nice work BTW.
Wow, that's first class tone. Like others say, one of the best Blues Jr i have ever heard. I have a butchered Fender Mustang III that needs work, can You make it in to a twin reverb? ;)
Nice
Sounds very sweet. Did things go south when the bean counters took over ?
Yup. Really started in '69.
Now it's a race to the bottom.
With what you should have charged compared with the price of a similar quality replacement, wouldn't it be cost effective?
$600 , new at Sweetwater , last time I looked . "When To Hold Em and When To Fold Em.'
Was just about to say with all that work done on this thing I am sure it came close to the cost of the amp to begin with. Have no clue as to your rate per hour OR the parts cost involved BUT the owner will get back probably the best little Blues Junior around so that's something. It's not any of my business so I will not ask but I was trying to gauge how much this would cost as opposed to the cost of the amp in the first place as I think you can purchase one for something like $650 or so if I am not mistaken. Just wanted to take the time and say that I fully enjoy your videos and Thank YOU ! Wish you all the best in the future...
Labor was $150, parts were $40. I can do this fairly quickly if I'm not shooting video, and I don't charge clients for video time.
@@PsionicAudio I was thinking much more LOL! I think it would be worth it if it was my AMP as that's not bad at all. Once again Thank You for your time as the videos and work that you do are first class and I wish you much success in the future!
Told ya mate, shoulda got one of my PCBs!
So what was the total bill on upgrading all these things?
wow - again I really enjoyed watching this (and I am NOT a gear guy at all) - so I am curious to know if you had charged your full rate what would the cost have been? I ask genuinely as I love my blues jrs and if I ever needed to would probably actually pay it.
Hello, I know I have asked this but lost my information, what is the type of Kestor solder you use? what is the product number. thank you for your time.......
so inquiring minds want to know what would have been the cost if you charged full boat? I can buy a used BJr for around $375 if i had someone put $250 -$350 time and parts into its still cheaper than a Dr z or comparable boutique amp,..yes?
I wonder where that amp is now. Maybe it will be famous someday
Gives me some ideas for my number three/Tesax Red Jr. I put the adjustable tube board in the one with the Fromel mods but it still sounds muffled compared to my number one Jr with Bill M mods. I like the hand wired tube board but it is a little above my skills.
You mention you would rather just build an amp instead of doing what ya did here. How much would you charge to build your version of a Bjr ? Ive been wanting to get a Bjr head made that still has the reverb. Curious what youd charge to build one. :-)
Please, I noticed you chose a Celestion G12 M for a certain HRD. I saw some reviews on that speaker and liked it. What would be your choice for a Blues Jr ?
Lots of good choices though I wouldn't put an expensive speaker in a Junior. Legend 1258, G12C, Veteran 30 most likely.
Note that the prices I get on speakers and pass on to customers is much less than retail, so my "inexpensive" isn't a "cheap" speaker.
@@PsionicAudio Thank you 😁
amp sounds great noticeably different
Been there, done that, have the flattened forehead to show for it.
Don't beat yourself up, we all do it sooner or later.
So the caps you change for better caps when you say better, do you mean sound wise or longevity wise
Both.
If you knew a gigging guitarist who owns EIGHT Blues Jrs in various states of useabilty would recommend they just continue to replace them with new ones when they malfunction? If you were going to build one with reverb from scratch what form factor makes the most sense? I understand that the regular Blues Jr chassis doesn’t readily allow for reverb circuits. when hand wired?
I keep imagining getting a solid hand-wired version made for him so he’d finally have a reliable Blues Jr.
Someone buys eight lemons and continues to buy that brand of car?
Stop buying junk. A real amp cannot be made out of the BJ chassis without spending more than many other already-good amps cost.
@@PsionicAudio he likes the way BJs sound. He plays with 2 most gigs. He could (& occasionally does) play with other amps but prefers the BJ sound.
@@PsionicAudio also: yeah--I know that a decent amp can't be built in that chassis so I'm wondering what OTHER chassis (a.k.a. "form factor") would be appropriate to build a solid, BJ-ish amp? He clearly likes the sound of them or he'd buy something else! He can afford any small combo on the planet besides the super collectable ones. He might even mortgage his house for a Dumble if it was small & light enough and suited his playing. But he doesn't want a Dumble. He wants a Blues Jr.
Also, you've said many times that these badly-built amps are fine if you're willing to replace them when they break. You've especially said this about modeling amps, but I just assumed this applies to other crap builds. My buddy's weird trait is he doesn't get rid of the dead BJs when the fail. They're not worth anything--I have no idea why he keeps the old ones.
Can get a price on a new amp like that will do all the blues he will do and more. I also hate that reverb too. Howard Black. Thank you.
Lyle, it occurs to me to ask, do you or have you worked on any or many Valco-built amps? Being as you're in Tennessee, I'd expect you might see a few Western-inspired Gretsch amps with cow-horns on the cloth grille, not to mention that Chet Atkins used them as well....
Nothing too cowboy, but many Valcos over the years.
Here's one:
ruclips.net/video/pFanHLrR4uU/видео.html
tell us the truth you just did it cause John Mayer asked you kindly :D great sound after the repair! honestly i would do it myself, cause even if you buy an amp for 500 euros (yes im in EU) and then something similar in the mods/ repair, and that would make the amp last 10 20 additional years in the meanwhile giving it a nicer sound than many 1000 euros out of the box amps for me its still a deal. I would consider it as an investment. Of course i also understand not many people would say the same
Don't the tube shields do more than just retain the tubes, especially on the first preamp tube?
Depends on the circuit, the tube type, etc. This amp doesn't have them from the factory and doesn't need them.
I'm trying to build up enough skill & courage to do your bias mod
The shields help hold-down the noise.
Not in most amps. Yes, if you touch the bare tube you'll hear noise, but that's not an environment that exists in most amps. Unless you touch the tubes.
@@PsionicAudio - Do a study with a scope and see the difference.
Go teach your grandmother...
Sounds killer on my phone though.
That amp was never so well built. Fender should be embarrassed by the choices they make. My MIM Deluxe Strat looks like a child soldered the electronics. You sir however rock!
Well it definitely sounds better than any Blues Jr I have ever played! Love the Ghostbusters quote! I say that all the time and my wife cracked up hearing you say it!
The value of time
I have this amp. The reverb sounds way better than mine. Did he change the tank ?
Did you change something involving the reverb?
I didn't change the reverb bits. Earlier amps have C9 in place, later ones like this don't. That could be it.
But also know the stock tanks have wide variations in sound. Easy thing to upgrade.
@@PsionicAudio
Thanks very much.
I don’t know what C9 is. Is it a pin ?
I’m sorry. I’m trying to learn but I’m very much out of my league here. lol
@1952TeleDude Generally, a component labeled with a 'C' will be a capacitor.
I probably missed any comments You may have made about the FENDER BLUES Jr 4 with the Cannabis Rex 12 inch speaker and Western tolex...I'm curious what You think of them.
The Law of Dimishing Returns...
No need to be Super Man, you either build boutique hand wired amps your way - or you repair these cheap amps in the most budget way possible that gets ‘em fixed. Which means using a stock replacement pcb board and leaving the plastic Jack alone if it works. You didn’t build nor buy the cheap amp. I use to paint houses and poured over 500 man hours into one home, that’s $20,000 in labor alone at the time @ $40/hr plus materials. But being a fixed cost contract. The total cost to the customer was 11k. I took a bath, homeowner thought he was being charged up the wazoo. All because I had a Superman complex. Then someone told me about a 200k interior painting job for the wrestler Chyna Phillips. Then he went on to explain exactly the process used and I almost crapped in my pants! I learned a valuable lesson that day, there is no such thing as a “quality” job. There is only different levels of quality, and which one is the customer willing to pay for?
Yup.. you make a you tube video about a crap job and compare subscriber's.
Pride maybe a deadly sin but there's too much crap in the world..
It's Great to see a good job professionally done.
How much advertising do you spend. You won't get much from word of mouth..
When you reach that point in your life when you can work no longer and look back at the cash and failure of your career. What did you ever achieve?? You will answer that..
@@johnnorris1983 I have reached that point. And looking back nothing I ever did ever mattered to anyone except family. It’s nice to see quality work, just warming that it can be a trap. Amps. Guitars, etc, they are just material things and nobody will care about you or visit your grave when you’re gone just because you cared more about quality. What’s important in life I found is being able to put food on the table for family. Nobody cares I did a 25k paint job on a 2,000 SF New England colonial house for 11k. But that is 14k I will never see
@@voxpathfinder15r
I understand. But it's good to have a hobby where you can be introspectively expressive in your own time. If work and family is All you need. Then I understand
As much as I dislike ribbon cables, it could be worse: they could have been secured to the boards with corrosive/conductive glue, as so many manufacturers of stereo equipment did from the 1970's onward. Originally a tan/brown rubbery glue (generally known as Sony-Bond) that dries up and turns dark brown, crusty and brittle with age and (especially) heat, creating leakage paths and causing corrosion that creeps up the leads of diodes, resistors, transistors and voltage regulators, anything that runs hot, causing the device to become noisy and intermittent and eventually destroying it or eating through the component lead. I've even seen it eat copper foil traces right off the board! I have spent countless hours scraping it off circuit boards, and replacing corroded parts, and have broken dozens of dental picks in the process. Some manufacturers in the past couple of decades have switched to a different glue that is known as "the black goo of death"; Different color and different texture but the end result is the same ---- yet another device that dies prematurely and likely doesn't get fully recycled..
Freeze spray can help make the glue more brittle and allow you to break away larger chunks of it.
@@marka1986 , yeah, I know that; most aerosol "duster" cans will work if you hold the can upside down (they don't actually contain air, but some type of fluorocarbon as you likely already know). Still a royal pain to remove the glue! Repairing corrosion and replacing the damaged parts is even more of a pain. I've even seen the corrosion creep down along the component lead and right down through the hole in the circuit board, separating the lead from the solder joint where you can't even see it, and if you resolder it, it actually bubbles and makes a poor connection!
Most people today want two things:
Fast and cheap.
If you try to sell reliability and longevity, or if you try to explain that money spent now equals no headaches later, (such as failure in mid song right in the middle of the gig) your words often fall on deaf ears. "If I pay you extra to do it right I won't have anything left over for beer money"!
So you give them fast and cheap....the customer is always right. Then, when it fails, everybody in town hears about what an incompetent bonehead you are, and how you're out to gouge poor musicians out of what little money they have.
Might as well play Russian Roulette with a Glock.
If they don't want me to do it right, I just send them down the road.
Tube shields add micro phonics in a combo amp?
They can exacerbate any microphonic tendencies of a tube. They don't cause it but they can reveal it. They also slightly darken the sound, though this isn't apparent on all amps (and can be a good thing on some amps).
Look on the bright side side; you said it yourself" " The best little Bluez jr in the World" that player is going to happy. People still drop 2k on PCB amps everyday that are made badly and even wired back to front(Reverb etc). Do have done a good deed and that is worth more than money.
We all lose money on a repair. Well, we do if we are honest anyway. I know a jeweler that loses money on repairs too.
Why not mention the other changes you made?
There are two rules when it comes to making a living from your intellectual property:
Rule 1) don’t tell people everything you know.
Rule 2) ...
09:43 Indeed.
Which type of blues jr is that?
A Fender one. They are all the same. Cosmetics change but the "design" remains the same.
@@PsionicAudio I understand your p.o.v. I'm only curious which version it is? Also I just recently purchased a hot rod blues jr iv from fender this past year. It's a stock 1. Nothing done to it at all. It came stock with v1-ecc83; v2-12ax7r; v3-12ax7r; v4-el84; v5-el84. It also has a black PC board & looks like it's similar to the original circuit bit much better built. It sounds amazing paired with my AmPro Tele
Regretting buying a 68 Custom Pro Reverb now and havent even got it yet
Aw, don't let me sour your expectations.
Hope you love it!
@@PsionicAudio I got a deal but im not getting too excited, at least the sockets are not board mounted I think
Hoffman board?
Yes.
How much do you charge to do this to a Blues Jr ?
$873.47
@@PsionicAudio If after having it done one ended up with a great sounding result that they knew was going to be trouble free for a very long time, then it seems it’d be well worth the cost of getting it done….especially when one also knows it’ll be done right!
I send those jobs to the other tech in town.
I'd rather invest (full repair price) in your upgrades, than buy a new one with all it's flaws.
Sorry about your 1 1/2 hours but it is reassuring for newbie’s like me to see a pro goof and admit it! I mean you could have edited that out and no one would have known.
Thanks
This is not a "Blues Jr." anymore ... my two cents.
By the time you stop wiggling the tubes they will be loose.