I love your videos, because you aren't trying to sell us a product. you're offering us advice because you genuinely care about what you do and it shows. You make killer pedals too!
For quick comparison: stock speaker clean(bridge): 2:01 stock speaker clean(neck): 2:16 stock speaker overdrive(bridge): 2:59 stock speaker overdrive(neck): 3:10 veteran 30 clean(bridge): 6:18 veteran 30 clean(neck): 6:27 veteran 30 overdrive(bridge): 6:39 veteran 30 overdrive(neck): 6:54 ET65 clean(bridge): 7:38 ET65 clean(neck): 7:47 ET65 overdrive(bridge): 8:09 ET65 overdrive(neck): 8:31 British lead clean(bridge): 9:15 British lead clean(neck): 9:26 British lead overdrive(bridge): 9:49 British lead overdrive(neck): 10:08 Green Beret clean(bridge): 10:52 Green Beret clean(neck): 11:08 Green Beret overdrive(bridge): 11:28 Green Beret overdrive(neck): 11:43 black and blue clean(bridge): 12:44 black and blue clean(neck): 12:56 black and blue overdrive(bridge): 13:17 black and blue overdrive(neck): 13:41
I don't think it has anything to do with the internet or out doing other people. An essential part of being an artist is always improving your craft. Gear is an extension of that craft.
Stock speaker holds it's own in this comparison. Thanks Wampler for doing what I would have likely done, only to be frustrated that it didn't sound 30% better.
Beautiful Jensen Speaker, like the era of silver faced amps, rock, surf, blues, it covers it all. Of course many ears will hear many sounds. But for me that traditional fender speaker vibe and sound is smooth, silky and gorgeous. 👌👌
If Brian says the speaker sounds like crap, and he's the one sitting in the room with it, then the speaker sounds like crap. What we hear on RUclips and what he hears in real life will never be the same :)
I bought a Blues Jr Texas Red with a Celestion 30, and, it sounded so good I went back the next day and bought another one without even plugging it in. When I got it home, it didn't sound even close to the first one. I took them both back and showed them the difference. They agreed to find another one. The next one didn't make the cut either. They brought one over from their other store, and that one sounded great. I've still got them both, and they still sound great. These days not many mass produced products are consistent. Guitars or amps. Sometimes you just have to find the right unit.
Fender Gibson. Poor Quality control. Traynor YCV80's are 250$ in the USA. Just mod the loop to series if You use tape delays. Then get your pedals right.
I really did not like mine, sounded very boxy and harsh. Though I wanted to keep it because of its portability. BillM mods and a Cannabis Rex speaker made all the difference in the world.
Thank you Brian! I almost gave up on my BJ. Your EQ trick works great! It’s now gig worthy for small gigs. Nice to put my eq pedal on my board too. I never really had a use for it until now. Thank you!
I dig my BJ NOS, but the bass can get a bit flubby. It could use some tighter bass IMHO, but proper EQ can help.. But yeah, great amp. Only complaint is that despite the master volume, too loud for my city apartment. Yeah, I could lower the master and increase the volume, but for driving the power tubes (instead of preamp) w/ pedals, I need to crank the master. Then the neighbors start wailing on the walls. :(
Have the red one and a hot rod deluxe 111 love them both just the way they are great platform amps for pedals the blues Jr with delay and a comp pedal sounds awesome but what the hell do I know only been playing for 40 years if you like something that's all that matters
@@adaptiveagile I use 3.5 volume , 8 treble, 12 bass, 3 mid, 3 reverb, 12 master vol, these settings were what it took to make it sound like my deluxe reverb, I aby'd them both and it was damn close. I drop the volume with my pedals but my tone stays the same, I drive it with a Blues Driver/ Ts9, compressor, and an equalizer, sounds pretty damn good for a cheap amp.
I just watched the intro of this video probably 20 times and I can't not stop watching you fall off the chair sorry but it's funny I'm glad you kept that in there keep up the good work.
Dial it in right and you’ll get every thing any blues player could want in any amp that comes in under $600. Plus, it’s light enough to carry in one hand with a guitar in the other.
Hey after reading all the complaints in the comments here, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time and putting in the work to make gear videos that are FREE TO WATCH! I don't know how RUclips reimbursement works, and I don't care(I hope your channel is profitable), because the videos are ALWAYS FREE FOR ME TO VIEW! I am a 1or 2 pedal kind of guy, but I still enjoy your channel because I pick up great info that has zero to do with pedals, and/oh yeah-this info is COMPLETELY FREE! The playing is general and varied enough to demonstrate tone well, while still solid (as opposed to that 18-22 fret showoff metal noodling with 3 modulating effects and Fender solid-state practice amp distortion found on other channels). Thanks for your channel, thanks for being unique and honest, and thanks for all the great FREE information! Clue to the haters: to get video quality like this takes investment in cameras, BRIGHT lights, microphones (even more than most RUclipsrs because he is mic'ing amps and mixing his voice track, computers for editing, gear (speakers, parts for mods, guitars and amps), and biggest of all time and energy for: brainstorming topics, planning, gathering things needed, making time to film, outlining info and/or full script, filming, editing, mixing, reshooting, more editing, making thumbnail and creating title and desciption consistent with channel's "vibe/style/etc", uploading to youtube, counting all that dirty youtube cash, and replying to people that are upset because you mention that you don't like something Do it better, faster, cheaper, smarter, and funnier than Brian and I'll come to your channel, until then, just chill and enjoy what he puts into this.
I actually like the sound of the stock speaker better than most of the others. The AlNiCo sounds fantastic, I like that better. But most of the others are too upper-mids heavy and sqwauky. Great video, saved me money on new speaker tryouts!
I spent $30 on the BillM tone stack mod for my Blues Jr. It doesn't sound like a box, the low end doesn't flub out at all and there is more head room. It sounds AMAZING. 30 bucks.
BillM has great ears matched with knowledge of amp tone stacks to make the adjustments his ears like and he took the Blues Jr. apart piece by piece and great tone capacitors and coupling caps make a big difference !
I have a 65 reissue Fender Twin Reverb amp and I cut the power and 1/2 by taking two of this 6L six tubes out and run it to one speaker but swapped out the Jensen for a celestion v 30 and it sounds amazing especially with your Wampler tumnus Deluxe pedal sounds really good
obviously this post has attracted a lot of blues jr. enthusiasts. I am with you on this one Brian. The Blues Jr. needs all the help it can get. I had one for a couple of years and never got what I was looking for out of it even with pedals. I had heard that replacing the speaker was a big help but I lost my patience with that amp and sold it. I have owned several Fender amps over years and sold them all but one. My Champ 12 (Red Knobs) has been modified by a great tech. He added a speaker jack so that I can unplug the internal speaker and plug into an external cabinet. And DAMN, what a difference! I also use it cranked up through a load box into some IR's and it has become my secret weapon. ;)
I was lucky and I picked up a Limited Ed Blues Jr and it had a Cannibis Rex speaker in it and the amp was so much better than the stock Jensen speakers that all the other ones had. I then did a few of the BillM mods and the amp is really a great little tool to have. The BillM mods were 1) Presence circuit add 2) Change of the filter caps for the power supply (got rid of the flubby sound in the bottom end) 3) I changed out the output transformer which has a self adjusting Impedance so I can use an add on cab if I need to push a bit more air. 4) It also had an option I took to add in a variable resistor (mini) so I can adjust the bias for the tubes 5) Replaced the tone caps with orange drop caps with slightly different values to adjust where the tone circuits are centered at 6) New switchcraft input jack (not mounted to the PC board) 7) a few resistor changes that took some of the gain off the preamp. I know that is at the top end of things to do to make this amp work but I now have more of a small fender twin than a blues Jr, but its hefty enough to play live with and if I take either a 1x12 or 2x12 I can really cover some tones.
These speaker tone comparison videos although often entertaining to watch, they really are of little value to anyone outside of the room its in. It's like comparing pics of the sunset on the horizon
Didn’t feel like I heard a whole lot of difference with any of them. Having said that, I changed out my c12n for a p12q, seems to be a bit more manageable volume wise. I’m using the c12n with my plexi clone. Happy with how they sound alone and in stereo. The problem with using external pine cabs, is if you like the sound of a speaker, there’s no guarantee that it will sound the same if you put it in the amp cab.
Thanks for this video. It helped me with a 5 watt Vox amp that has been troubling me. A speaker change plus the EQ trick transformed it into something more like a plexi. Great stuff!
I own a Blues Jr NOS and didn't get much out of watching this, I'm playing at home in my bedroom and its good enough. If would ever turn Pro or start gigging I would look at something else, I also was considering changing the speaker but after watching this I'm gonna keep it stock for now.
Great comment!!! I see so many people in the guitar community going out and spending ridiculous amounts of money to play guitar in their bedroom every once in a while. Crazy
I quit fretting over trying speakers and settled with the Celestion vintage 30 8 ohm speaker as it makes all my amps better sounding every time I tried it ! My ears can really tell the difference , less so in changing preamp tubes for voicing the amp which does improve the tone some what better ! The best tube for OD is the Tungsol 12ax7 , some vintage tubes are great but the tungsol has a perfect EQ tone overdriven ! Guitar needs great midrange a the vintage 30 excels in the tone right there where needed !
I just acquired a 1999 BJ that I just couldn’t get a decent tone out of. Bottom was muddy, reverb almost useless. I put the Fromel mods and a Cannabis Rex speaker in it, along with some better tubes and it sounds great now especially with a Strat.
I agree as well and it is worth to point out the the amp has an EQ for a reason. The sound options of a BJr are quite versatile if dialed in. I didn't get the "trick" with the EQ pedal. Why not try the amp EQ first?. In all fairness, the Jensen speakers are bright and more brilliant than the regular BJr speakers and not for everyones taste. The standard BJr might have worked better for him... if he'd used the amp EQ ;-)
@@dirkbehrens5849 By the way its very easy to do the BJ Twin mod, where you can extent the mid control down to zero similar to a Fender Twin. Took me 20 mins. You just have to connect 2 pins.
I like you. You are an amazing Musicianologist. You made me laugh when you called the Strat a Tele.I just turned 64, and I may have to go back to drinking. My Mind needs a major kick. Hope you are well.
The peculiar thing about the Fender Blues Junior is that, while it has a very similar pre-amp circuit to many other Fender valve amplifiers, Fender has chosen to reduce the value of the first couple of inter-stage coupling capacitors from 0.022uF to 0.0022uF. As a result there is a considerable degree of bass roll off in the pre-amp. If you replace those two capacitors with 0.022uF the bass is restored and I think the Blues Junior sounds much better. And, apart from the inconvenience of having to open up the amp and lift the PCB, which is particularly easy and should not be attempted by those not familiar with high voltage valve circuits, it is a very cheap modification.
I picked up one of the Blues Jr 80 proofs and with single coils suffer from ear fatigue within 15 minutes. Humbks sound good. #1 fix is get a MXR 10 band eq and use as second channel. #2 fix is to run it through a 1 or 2x12 with ANY other speaker and it sounds better. Currently I am running the BJ Jr with a Blues Deluxe in stereo through a Mesa 2x12 cab with Vintage 30s and the other G12hs. So yeah the BJ and 2 grand + of cabs/speakers it sound incredible.
Thank you i just picked up a Blues Jr. i dont have a lot of room to add a cabinet I’ve heard something with the tub screamer works well with it something about the mids adding the EQ i will definitely get another one Thanks glad i found this feed NE Hozier saying hey 👋
Thanks for the video! I was surprised. Out of all the speakers i thought the Green Beret sounded the best. I have never liked the ET65 speaker in any version of that amp.
Blues Juniors are one of the most popular amps Fender has ever made and there is a good reason for that: they sound good and are a very reasonably priced, all tube amp. It's not a boutique amp, or even a Reissue Deluxe Reverb (a great amp, btw) and you do get what you pay for. You're correct about the speaker change being the easiest way to get a sound that may be more what a person is looking for. One of my own faves is a USA made Blues Junior from 1996. It kicks ass and does not have the thin, small sound of later Mex made versions. The newer ones have a better reverb but not a better sound. To me, the best sounding speaker was that 25 watt WGS Green Beret and the last one (made in Indiana?) was excellent also. But that tube screamer sucked. When you put the eq in with it and dropped those mids some, the whole rig sounded better. With my USA Blues Jr., I dime the mids, keep the volume below half, and work off that and a couple of pedals. I think if you push the gain (volume knob) too much it sounds kind of small and fake. Keep the volume (gain) lower and goose up the master. The USA Jr.'s have a lot more beef on the low end, so that has to come down and the dimed mids and about 2 o'clock on the treble makes it come alive. Blues Juniors are what they are, which is pretty good for the money and with some judicious tweaking can be great. Good demos!
I have a 1st edition of the Blues Junior made in USA, and the new 4th edition, I aby the 2 amps and have a full tone, with one or both, nothing boxy with a Blues Junior.
The best Mod I did on mine was replaced the speaker to Eminence GB128 and new 12Ax7 from EHX now it sounds like a little British Amp! Works with any Pedals now!
Maybe if you have a speaker laying around - speakers added a little tonal variety, but nothing really made me say "wow, I like that Blues Jr now" EDIT - the WGS speakers are an improvement for sure
Here's what Fender needs to do: A home tube amp limited to 5 watts 1. 6V6 tubes 2. spring reverb 3. effects loop 4. master volume 5. power scaling. 6. line out to computer. That's all. Do that. Is FMIC listening?
Great vid; thanks for posting. I have a BJ 4, and recently bought a 68 Super Champ on an impulse buy. But it's going back; really didn't hear too much difference between the two, so i'm returning it.
EQ pedals are really useful. The Boss EQ isn't the most hi-fi pedal, however. It would be nice if more pedal companies, like say, Wampler, made graphic EQ's :-)
I like your thinking I tested a lot of speakers, but I'm the son of the 70s and I settled with my D123e JBL from the 70s and 1 other 1990 JBL 2130 with it's bigger voice coil. I also use 10" Warrior's and Sansui tweeters and Horns. I have pictures. My tones are completely comforting with my 2 tube amps, 1 uses EL-34 (50watt) and the other 6L6's (40watt). I have pictures, I made the cabinets and the electronics using the SF20M by JBL for the 2-way inductor circuits.
You can definitely change the character of the blues Jr. to match your taste, but the stock speaker is still pretty nice, I popped that "special design" in a closed back 1x12 and was pleasantly surprised with the result
Great video, recently subscribed and really dig the channel! . People often overlook their cabinet and put all their money in guitar+amp.... a good pine cab makes a ton(e) of difference !!!!
Veteran 30 has a nasty spike. 65 is better, but still spikey. British Lead has a wider peak - might be tamable with the treble control - but it has a dip in the mid too ;-( Green Beret has even less mids. Overall, I'd take the stock one.
Hey Brian, I saw this vid and couldn't help stopping by to comment. I have a tweed blues jr that I put a Celestian lynchback speaker in and I'm running your Pinnacle distortion through it. I'm playing a strat with the PV '65 pickup set, boy does it sound sweet. Love turning down the volume to get a slight crunch out of the Pinnacle and then going back to 10 for some screaming riffs. Thanks for a great pedal
ditch the overdrive. It takes away from the valve sound a little (sounded better with the 60). But the vet 30 clean sound was an improvement on original. appreciate ur efforts. ty
Funny it didn't change the cleans all that much but made a world of difference with the overdrive. 10000x better. I can't stand stock blues juniors but I don't mind the Tweed version. Definitely usable
Love my Blues Jr Relic, I bought used. Put a new set of tubes in it recently and it just opened. Lot better head room. Installed a new MOJOTone reverb tank.Very happy with it.
Jensen speaker in a blues JR is all you really need. Instant vintage fender tone. What's great is that it sounds somewhere between a blackface and a tweed. What more could you want? Always boggled me that these amps have el84s though. They're the only amp I've ever heard with those tubes that don't sound like el84s. They're way more 6v6 sounding to my ears, especially with a nice speaker.
Nice comparison. They all sounded pretty decent (not the same but decent) to me, even the stock speaker. I'm listening on headphones but I know RUclips compresses the audio.
Brian, not to detract from the point of how much speakers can improve the blues jr, but could you provide a link to any of the mods you came up with for the circuit (for tinkerers like me who do have the desire and skills)? I've tried looking online and can't find much. I can vouch for circuit mods to this in general making a huge improvement to the amp (with or without a new speaker). Last year I did a bunch of the Bill Machrone (RIP) mods to mine, and it turned it into a tone machine - and that was after having put in an Eminence C-Rex too. If there are any of your mods that can enhance the amp even further, I'm sure others like me would love to try them. Thanks
The way you mike a speaker makes massive differences. There for, think of your ear as a mike. Too bright, have speaker more off axis to your ear/mike. Too dull, opposite. This solves lots of issues except for the projected sound for the audience maybe harsh if too bright. Lots of options.
The Jensen Speaker C12n in the tweed version is the best speaker for the combo imo. The Celestion V30 makes it very harsh. I don't know why you say the jensen misses warmth and sounds too bright. I've tried it with other speakers. The C12n was the best. Secondly, if you don't like the blues junior, so be it. Don't hate on it. If it's good enough for Clapton, it's good enough for me. And thirdly, you come off as arrogant when you start with 'some Jensen speaker, I don't know, I don't like it'. Why is your tag 'wampler pedals'?The Blues Junior is not made too push out huge bass frequencies. It's not designed that way.
Wampler Pedals No, it doesn't. It's you who is butt-hurt over my opinion. This is a comment section. If you don't want comments or opinions, block comments. Going to 'triggered' is your projection on me.
So many people diss the blues jr but as someone just getting into electric playing I find it has great warmth (not mids) perhaps organic sound? Hadn't really hear anything better that small for fender cleans. I understand you only get so much by listening through youtube but it still sounds better to me than others for clean warmth with low volume breakup. It seems there are a lot of amps out there that can do crunch on up... In fact I didn't hear anything more warm/organic until I saw a video comparing a bassman to a blues jr but pricewise and volume wise that is not a valid comparison. So if you want organic cleans at low volume and you diss the blues jr, what is the alternative? I have tried a few budget amps and have an scxd at the moment which I usually play clean or on bassman settings - its still a little boxy though so was considering blues jr but if there are alternatives I would like to know because every other comparison seems to be concerned with overdriven sounds and it seems like the organic warmth that I'm looking for is extremely rare in smaller packages.
For me most of these speakers, especialy the greenback are better suited for closed back cabs and should not be used in an open back cab unless bright shrill and thin is what your after. Out of all of these speakers the only two that are well suited is the ET65 and the Black & Blue Alnico as they have the warmth & bass response needed for a full sounding tone from an open back cab. But Brian did a great job of demonstrating the difference a change of speaker can make. With the right choice it is a cheap and simple way to transform a good tone into an amazing tone. Well done Brian.
Nice hand wired Vox in the back ! Cool video I've been thinking about picking up a Blues Jr but it doesn't have an fx loop. Hence why I was also looking into a peavey classic 30 for same price
You are a star cos of your sincerity. I would have likex this video even more if you just turned the "Master" volume up a bit more just to hear the clean sound.
I would both agree and disagree with Brian regarding the Jensen speaker. When I first bought this amp new, I was a little dissapointed in the tone and speaker, very lackluster. The amp sounded warm, but not all that dynamic. Given that I had spent a lot of my gear budget on the amp, I had no choice but to stick with it. About six months in to owning the amp I began to notice a positive difference in the tone. I don't know if the speaker finally started to break in, or if the amp did (can that even happen with an amp?), but it was a noticeable difference. Two years into owning it and I can't get enough... with my Kenny Wayne Shepherd Strat it sounds amazing! Spanky country lead tones, great rock tone with pedals, etc. It also sounds good with my LP.. At this point the only way I would describe the tone of the amp is both warm and dynamic. I'm even considering getting a second one to run in stereo. The amp is still completely stock...
tone is subjective... all the speakers sound different but who's to say? Good video, thanks for the samples. i love my Bjr, jensen and all. Rock on my dude!
I have a 2nd generation B-JR and did the pods/ ,knobs. , input ,ect. planning to buy a Wharehouse et 65 ( crunchy ala Jimi ) so this was a good infomercial and funny , the British lead was very Led Zep . Thanks
The choice of speaker/cabinet can mean life or death to the sound of an amp. I have a Marshall JCM-1 and it literally is a different amp every time I change the cabinet. And to make things "worse", the choice of pedals in front of the amp can even lead to another cabinet to be the best. If I play the JCM-1 on its own or just boosted via Tubescreamer/Boss SD-1, a Celestion Hot 100 sounds killer. But if I set the amp clean and use pedals, suddenly a Celestion G12K100 sounds way better.
Nice comp. Brian. I first changed the speaker to a green back 30 I had around and that really helped, but then I built a cheap pine cabinet the size of a deluxe reverb and it now sounds great. I now am not in a hurry to get a new amp
I agree - using a better/bigger cabinet does wonders! I was mic'd so closely here that you aren't hearing much of the cabinet, mainly just the speaker.
I did a very similar thing. I used a crappy old Bugera 2 X 12, put one WGS Retro 30 and a angled DIY damper (8:00 position pointing down) and it changed the whole dynamic. Nice bell tones.
good video, except most have never heard of those speakers, so there is no reference . Should have used name brands. The Blues Jr's tiny speaker cabinet is its biggest drawback.. not the speaker. So when you used a bigger cabinet , of course it sounds better.
I think that wss the point, to get them a little more well known bc almost every comment liked the original speaker anyway and considering it was smaller cab and all it didn't really work to sell those Hoosiers
Recently picked up a used Peavey Classic 30 and it kills the Blues Jr in every respect except maybe reverb, of which I only use a very light touch anyway. Selling the Fender. I was never that happy with it- kind of woofy yet shrill at the same time, just not that pleasant to listen to for my taste. The Peavey offers much more especially through an extension cab where it is fantastic (no speaker out on the BJ). Plus it has an effects loop and MUCH better dirt at all volume levels. Louder too.
playing an amp with other speakers in different cabinets isn't a good way to determine how a speaker is going to work in the amp. The actual cabinet is part of what makes an amp sound like it does.
I love your videos, because you aren't trying to sell us a product. you're offering us advice because you genuinely care about what you do and it shows. You make killer pedals too!
You don't think he's trying to sell WGS speakers? lol
For quick comparison:
stock speaker clean(bridge): 2:01
stock speaker clean(neck): 2:16
stock speaker overdrive(bridge): 2:59
stock speaker overdrive(neck): 3:10
veteran 30 clean(bridge): 6:18
veteran 30 clean(neck): 6:27
veteran 30 overdrive(bridge): 6:39
veteran 30 overdrive(neck): 6:54
ET65 clean(bridge): 7:38
ET65 clean(neck): 7:47
ET65 overdrive(bridge): 8:09
ET65 overdrive(neck): 8:31
British lead clean(bridge): 9:15
British lead clean(neck): 9:26
British lead overdrive(bridge): 9:49
British lead overdrive(neck): 10:08
Green Beret clean(bridge): 10:52
Green Beret clean(neck): 11:08
Green Beret overdrive(bridge): 11:28
Green Beret overdrive(neck): 11:43
black and blue clean(bridge): 12:44
black and blue clean(neck): 12:56
black and blue overdrive(bridge): 13:17
black and blue overdrive(neck): 13:41
🏆
Unpopular comment : I love the Blues Junior the way it is.
I don't think it has anything to do with the internet or out doing other people. An essential part of being an artist is always improving your craft. Gear is an extension of that craft.
As do I!
I love mine too.
I love mine to death, but recently I've been playing as the lone guitarist in a 3-piece band and I've found myself wanting more.. girth? Kinda?
I just wish it were in a bigger cabinet, but otherwise I love mine and wouldn't get rid of it.
Stock speaker holds it's own in this comparison. Thanks Wampler for doing what I would have likely done, only to be frustrated that it didn't sound 30% better.
Beautiful Jensen Speaker, like the era of silver faced amps, rock, surf, blues, it covers it all. Of course many ears will hear many sounds. But for me that traditional fender speaker vibe and sound is smooth, silky and gorgeous. 👌👌
I discovered loads more headroom in my 79 Vibro Champ (my #1 amp) with the Jensen. Lots more clarity in the bass, which is hard to do in a little amp.
If Brian says the speaker sounds like crap, and he's the one sitting in the room with it, then the speaker sounds like crap. What we hear on RUclips and what he hears in real life will never be the same :)
I don’t know how old this video is,but thanks,Brian. I appreciate all your videos man,thank you for all you do.
I bought a Blues Jr Texas Red with a Celestion 30, and, it sounded so good I went back the next day and bought another one without even plugging it in. When I got it home, it didn't sound even close to the first one. I took them both back and showed them the difference. They agreed to find another one. The next one didn't make the cut either. They brought one over from their other store, and that one sounded great. I've still got them both, and they still sound great. These days not many mass produced products are consistent. Guitars or amps. Sometimes you just have to find the right unit.
Fender Gibson.
Poor Quality control.
Traynor YCV80's are 250$ in the USA.
Just mod the loop to series if You use tape delays.
Then get your pedals right.
I liked the Blues junior as it was.
I really did not like mine, sounded very boxy and harsh. Though I wanted to keep it because of its portability. BillM mods and a Cannabis Rex speaker made all the difference in the world.
This guy needs a good kickin mate! 😠 😡
You probably like the taste of milk of magnesia too! 👎🏽👎🏽
It’s not just the speaker! It’s the particle board cabinet too.
They all sounded great, but I still liked the Jensen speaker the best. Cool video Brian! Love the Blues Jr!
Thank you Brian! I almost gave up on my BJ. Your EQ trick works great! It’s now gig worthy for small gigs. Nice to put my eq pedal on my board too. I never really had a use for it until now. Thank you!
Dude stop hating on the blues junior, it's a great amp. Not to be sniffed at!! For such an affordable, small amp it's very good.
I dig my BJ NOS, but the bass can get a bit flubby. It could use some tighter bass IMHO, but proper EQ can help.. But yeah, great amp.
Only complaint is that despite the master volume, too loud for my city apartment.
Yeah, I could lower the master and increase the volume, but for driving the power tubes (instead of preamp) w/ pedals, I need to crank the master. Then the neighbors start wailing on the walls. :(
Have the red one and a hot rod deluxe 111 love them both just the way they are great platform amps for pedals the blues Jr with delay and a comp pedal sounds awesome but what the hell do I know only been playing for 40 years if you like something that's all that matters
@@adaptiveagile I use 3.5 volume , 8 treble, 12 bass, 3 mid, 3 reverb, 12 master vol, these settings were what it took to make it sound like my deluxe reverb, I aby'd them both and it was damn close. I drop the volume with my pedals but my tone stays the same, I drive it with a Blues Driver/ Ts9, compressor, and an equalizer, sounds pretty damn good for a cheap amp.
I just watched the intro of this video probably 20 times and I can't not stop watching you fall off the chair sorry but it's funny I'm glad you kept that in there keep up the good work.
Dial it in right and you’ll get every thing any blues player could want in any amp that comes in under $600. Plus, it’s light enough to carry in one hand with a guitar in the other.
Hey after reading all the complaints in the comments here, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time and putting in the work to make gear videos that are FREE TO WATCH! I don't know how RUclips reimbursement works, and I don't care(I hope your channel is profitable), because the videos are ALWAYS FREE FOR ME TO VIEW! I am a 1or 2 pedal kind of guy, but I still enjoy your channel because I pick up great info that has zero to do with pedals, and/oh yeah-this info is COMPLETELY FREE! The playing is general and varied enough to demonstrate tone well, while still solid (as opposed to that 18-22 fret showoff metal noodling with 3 modulating effects and Fender solid-state practice amp distortion found on other channels). Thanks for your channel, thanks for being unique and honest, and thanks for all the great FREE information!
Clue to the haters: to get video quality like this takes investment in cameras, BRIGHT lights, microphones (even more than most RUclipsrs because he is mic'ing amps and mixing his voice track, computers for editing, gear (speakers, parts for mods, guitars and amps),
and biggest of all time and energy for:
brainstorming topics, planning, gathering things needed, making time to film, outlining info and/or full script, filming, editing, mixing, reshooting, more editing, making thumbnail and creating title and desciption consistent with channel's "vibe/style/etc", uploading to youtube, counting all that dirty youtube cash, and replying to people that are upset because you mention that you don't like something
Do it better, faster, cheaper, smarter, and funnier than Brian and I'll come to your channel, until then, just chill and enjoy what he puts into this.
That Intro 👌😂
can't help replaying it
I actually like the sound of the stock speaker better than most of the others. The AlNiCo sounds fantastic, I like that better. But most of the others are too upper-mids heavy and sqwauky. Great video, saved me money on new speaker tryouts!
I put a Texas heat in my blues jr. took a lot of that shrillness out.
the stock speaker sounded alot better to me on the clean tone.
I spent $30 on the BillM tone stack mod for my Blues Jr. It doesn't sound like a box, the low end doesn't flub out at all and there is more head room. It sounds AMAZING. 30 bucks.
BillM has great ears matched with knowledge of amp tone stacks to make the adjustments his ears like and he took the Blues Jr. apart piece by piece and great tone capacitors and coupling caps make a big difference !
Ditto! How much would it have cost Fender to make them this way and save us all the trouble?
wheatonna The blues jr IV is pretty much the blues jr with the billm mods stock.
I have a 65 reissue Fender Twin Reverb amp and I cut the power and 1/2 by taking two of this 6L six tubes out and run it to one speaker but swapped out the Jensen for a celestion v 30 and it sounds amazing especially with your Wampler tumnus Deluxe pedal sounds really good
obviously this post has attracted a lot of blues jr. enthusiasts. I am with you on this one Brian. The Blues Jr. needs all the help it can get. I had one for a couple of years and never got what I was looking for out of it even with pedals. I had heard that replacing the speaker was a big help but I lost my patience with that amp and sold it. I have owned several Fender amps over years and sold them all but one. My Champ 12 (Red Knobs) has been modified by a great tech. He added a speaker jack so that I can unplug the internal speaker and plug into an external cabinet. And DAMN, what a difference! I also use it cranked up through a load box into some IR's and it has become my secret weapon. ;)
What speaker are IR"s ?
I love comparing speakers but not close-miked. Their differences and unique qualities are more apparent when heard a few feet away.
Dude, you are classic. Love your pedals. Running the tumnus and latitude...
I was lucky and I picked up a Limited Ed Blues Jr and it had a Cannibis Rex speaker in it and the amp was so much better than the stock Jensen speakers that all the other ones had.
I then did a few of the BillM mods and the amp is really a great little tool to have. The BillM mods were
1) Presence circuit add
2) Change of the filter caps for the power supply (got rid of the flubby sound in the bottom end)
3) I changed out the output transformer which has a self adjusting Impedance so I can use an add on cab if I need to push a bit more air.
4) It also had an option I took to add in a variable resistor (mini) so I can adjust the bias for the tubes
5) Replaced the tone caps with orange drop caps with slightly different values to adjust where the tone circuits are centered at
6) New switchcraft input jack (not mounted to the PC board)
7) a few resistor changes that took some of the gain off the preamp.
I know that is at the top end of things to do to make this amp work but I now have more of a small fender twin than a blues Jr, but its hefty enough to play live with and if I take either a 1x12 or 2x12 I can really cover some tones.
These speaker tone comparison videos although often entertaining to watch, they really are of little value to anyone outside of the room its in. It's like comparing pics of the sunset on the horizon
Didn’t feel like I heard a whole lot of difference with any of them. Having said that, I changed out my c12n for a p12q, seems to be a bit more manageable volume wise. I’m using the c12n with my plexi clone. Happy with how they sound alone and in stereo.
The problem with using external pine cabs, is if you like the sound of a speaker, there’s no guarantee that it will sound the same if you put it in the amp cab.
Thanks for this video. It helped me with a 5 watt Vox amp that has been troubling me. A speaker change plus the EQ trick transformed it into something more like a plexi. Great stuff!
I just adjust my tone knobs on my guitar.....Seems to do wonders....
ok boomer
@@Moose91
Does it bother you that someone has common sense ?
I own a Blues Jr NOS and didn't get much out of watching this, I'm playing at home in my bedroom and its good enough. If would ever turn Pro or start gigging I would look at something else, I also was considering changing the speaker but after watching this I'm gonna keep it stock for now.
Great comment!!! I see so many people in the guitar community going out and spending ridiculous amounts of money to play guitar in their bedroom every once in a while. Crazy
always wondered what that amp would sound like with different speakers. great video. thanks so much.
I quit fretting over trying speakers and settled with the Celestion vintage 30 8 ohm speaker as it makes all my amps better sounding every time I tried it !
My ears can really tell the difference , less so in changing preamp tubes for voicing the amp which does improve the tone some what better !
The best tube for OD is the Tungsol 12ax7 , some vintage tubes are great but the tungsol has a perfect EQ tone overdriven !
Guitar needs great midrange a the vintage 30 excels in the tone right there where needed !
I just acquired a 1999 BJ that I just couldn’t get a decent tone out of. Bottom was muddy, reverb almost useless. I put the Fromel mods and a Cannabis Rex speaker in it, along with some better tubes and it sounds great now especially with a Strat.
The stock setting sounded the best overall, no matter what he did...
I agree, I think this was an ad for his buddies company maybe
The Jensen's that come with fender amps are still the best choice, but everyone's entitled to their opinion.
Yeah the BJ III Tweed with the Jensen is great.
@@SuchaDoofus I agree - I have found videos like this to almost convince me that my setup is bad, but then I hop onto it and it sounds great.
I agree as well and it is worth to point out the the amp has an EQ for a reason. The sound options of a BJr are quite versatile if dialed in. I didn't get the "trick" with the EQ pedal. Why not try the amp EQ first?. In all fairness, the Jensen speakers are bright and more brilliant than the regular BJr speakers and not for everyones taste. The standard BJr might have worked better for him... if he'd used the amp EQ ;-)
@@dirkbehrens5849 By the way its very easy to do the BJ Twin mod, where you can extent the mid control down to zero similar to a Fender Twin. Took me 20 mins. You just have to connect 2 pins.
I like you. You are an amazing Musicianologist. You made me laugh when you called the Strat a Tele.I just turned 64, and I may have to go back to drinking. My Mind needs a major kick. Hope you are well.
The peculiar thing about the Fender Blues Junior is that, while it has a very similar pre-amp circuit to many other Fender valve amplifiers, Fender has chosen to reduce the value of the first couple of inter-stage coupling capacitors from 0.022uF to 0.0022uF. As a result there is a considerable degree of bass roll off in the pre-amp. If you replace those two capacitors with 0.022uF the bass is restored and I think the Blues Junior sounds much better. And, apart from the inconvenience of having to open up the amp and lift the PCB, which is particularly easy and should not be attempted by those not familiar with high voltage valve circuits, it is a very cheap modification.
Thats handy info, thanks
I like that you're a pedal builder but aren't afraid to use other brands of pedals in your videos 😂
I picked up one of the Blues Jr 80 proofs and with single coils suffer from ear fatigue within 15 minutes. Humbks sound good. #1 fix is get a MXR 10 band eq and use as second channel. #2 fix is to run it through a 1 or 2x12 with ANY other speaker and it sounds better. Currently I am running the BJ Jr with a Blues Deluxe in stereo through a Mesa 2x12 cab with Vintage 30s and the other G12hs. So yeah the BJ and 2 grand + of cabs/speakers it sound incredible.
Thank you i just picked up a Blues Jr. i dont have a lot of room to add a cabinet I’ve heard something with the tub screamer works well with it something about the mids adding the EQ i will definitely get another one
Thanks glad i found this feed NE Hozier saying hey 👋
Green Beret sounded the best to me.
Same!
Yep
yeah- or the last one black & blue
Me too!
Thanks for the video! I was surprised. Out of all the speakers i thought the Green Beret sounded the best. I have never liked the ET65 speaker in any version of that amp.
Blues Juniors are one of the most popular amps Fender has ever made and there is a
good reason for that: they sound good and are a very reasonably priced, all tube amp.
It's not a boutique amp, or even a Reissue Deluxe Reverb (a great amp, btw) and you
do get what you pay for. You're correct about the speaker change being the easiest way
to get a sound that may be more what a person is looking for. One of my own faves is a
USA made Blues Junior from 1996. It kicks ass and does not have the thin, small sound
of later Mex made versions. The newer ones have a better reverb but not a better sound.
To me, the best sounding speaker was that 25 watt WGS Green Beret and the last one
(made in Indiana?) was excellent also. But that tube screamer sucked. When you put the
eq in with it and dropped those mids some, the whole rig sounded better. With my USA
Blues Jr., I dime the mids, keep the volume below half, and work off that and a couple of
pedals. I think if you push the gain (volume knob) too much it sounds kind of small and
fake. Keep the volume (gain) lower and goose up the master. The USA Jr.'s have a lot more
beef on the low end, so that has to come down and the dimed mids and about 2 o'clock
on the treble makes it come alive. Blues Juniors are what they are, which is pretty good
for the money and with some judicious tweaking can be great. Good demos!
I have a 1st edition of the Blues Junior made in USA, and the new 4th edition, I aby the 2 amps and have a full tone, with one or both, nothing boxy with a Blues Junior.
This intro still has my heart
Huh, I thought Blues Jr sounded the best with its stock speaker. Everything else sounded muffled and less 3d
Thanx 4 the pratfall. Brings you down to earth literally.
The best Mod I did on mine was replaced the speaker to Eminence GB128 and new 12Ax7 from EHX now it sounds like a little British Amp! Works with any Pedals now!
wow - that WGS British Lead really stood out for me - that Alnico black & blue wgs has a distinct sound - nice demo
tube screamers are the bomb with any amp
The midrange in the Jensen is way richer.
Maybe if you have a speaker laying around - speakers added a little tonal variety, but nothing really made me say "wow, I like that Blues Jr now" EDIT - the WGS speakers are an improvement for sure
Wow man your are the guy, that's amazing advice for us. God bless you
Here's what Fender needs to do:
A home tube amp limited to 5 watts
1. 6V6 tubes
2. spring reverb
3. effects loop
4. master volume
5. power scaling.
6. line out to computer.
That's all. Do that. Is FMIC listening?
no they'll just give us a tonemaster vibrochamp instead lol.
Great vid; thanks for posting. I have a BJ 4, and recently bought a 68 Super Champ on an impulse buy. But it's going back; really didn't hear too much difference between the two, so i'm returning it.
The Alnico magnet speakers are half the price of the amp
EQ pedals are really useful. The Boss EQ isn't the most hi-fi pedal, however. It would be nice if more pedal companies, like say, Wampler, made graphic EQ's :-)
Lawrence Gillespie Try the Earthquaker Devices Tone Job!
Mxr 10 band eq ?
Such an informative video. Can totally hear the difference between all of yhem!! Thank you!
If only you d use time stamps, i swear id would ve been the perfect video. Its just 9.6/10 right now tho.
I’m glad you like it!
This video is fairly old, and that that time YT didn’t have the time stamp feature. I do use them in my newer videos though.
"I've got goats to feed" just might be the single best reason to sub to a RUclips channel, ever.
I like your thinking I tested a lot of speakers, but I'm the son of the 70s and I settled with my D123e JBL from the 70s and 1 other 1990 JBL 2130 with it's bigger voice coil. I also use 10" Warrior's and Sansui tweeters and Horns. I have pictures. My tones are completely comforting with my 2 tube amps, 1 uses EL-34 (50watt) and the other 6L6's (40watt). I have pictures, I made the cabinets and the electronics using the SF20M by JBL for the 2-way inductor circuits.
New Celestion A Type is killer in this amp!
Once again, the GE-7 rides to the sonic rescue!!
It’s the ONE everyone always needs to have handy
You can definitely change the character of the blues Jr. to match your taste, but the stock speaker is still pretty nice, I popped that "special design" in a closed back 1x12 and was pleasantly surprised with the result
The alnico one is by far the best.
It spontaneously liked that too
Great video, recently subscribed and really dig the channel! . People often overlook their cabinet and put all their money in guitar+amp.... a good pine cab makes a ton(e) of difference !!!!
Veteran 30 has a nasty spike. 65 is better, but still spikey. British Lead has a wider peak - might be tamable with the treble control - but it has a dip in the mid too ;-( Green Beret has even less mids. Overall, I'd take the stock one.
Ahhh Brian, I love how you kept the chair scene.
Hey Brian, I saw this vid and couldn't help stopping by to comment. I have a tweed blues jr that I put a Celestian lynchback speaker in and I'm running your Pinnacle distortion through it. I'm playing a strat with the PV '65 pickup set, boy does it sound sweet. Love turning down the volume to get a slight crunch out of the Pinnacle and then going back to 10 for some screaming riffs. Thanks for a great pedal
Thanks! Glad you like it!
ditch the overdrive. It takes away from the valve sound a little (sounded better with the 60). But the vet 30 clean sound was an improvement on original. appreciate ur efforts. ty
Funny it didn't change the cleans all that much but made a world of difference with the overdrive. 10000x better. I can't stand stock blues juniors but I don't mind the Tweed version. Definitely usable
Love my Blues Jr Relic, I bought used. Put a new set of tubes in it recently and it just opened. Lot better head room. Installed a new MOJOTone reverb tank.Very happy with it.
We just need to admit that we are all trying to make our Blues Jr’s into mini Plexi’s!!
Jensen speaker in a blues JR is all you really need. Instant vintage fender tone. What's great is that it sounds somewhere between a blackface and a tweed. What more could you want? Always boggled me that these amps have el84s though. They're the only amp I've ever heard with those tubes that don't sound like el84s. They're way more 6v6 sounding to my ears, especially with a nice speaker.
I wonder how did he plug the amp into extension cabs, since blues junior doesn't have extension cab input?
I soldered in a jack
I turn the mid down to 0 and the whole amp opens up.
Nice comparison. They all sounded pretty decent (not the same but decent) to me, even the stock speaker. I'm listening on headphones but I know RUclips compresses the audio.
Sounded better original! Very " Walk this way" Tone . Lost all that with the different speakers. If it ain't broke?
Brian, not to detract from the point of how much speakers can improve the blues jr, but could you provide a link to any of the mods you came up with for the circuit (for tinkerers like me who do have the desire and skills)? I've tried looking online and can't find much. I can vouch for circuit mods to this in general making a huge improvement to the amp (with or without a new speaker). Last year I did a bunch of the Bill Machrone (RIP) mods to mine, and it turned it into a tone machine - and that was after having put in an Eminence C-Rex too. If there are any of your mods that can enhance the amp even further, I'm sure others like me would love to try them. Thanks
The way you mike a speaker makes massive differences. There for, think of your ear as a mike. Too bright, have speaker more off axis to your ear/mike. Too dull, opposite. This solves lots of issues except for the projected sound for the audience maybe harsh if too bright. Lots of options.
Yep. And recording with the mike centered over the speaker exaggerates the treble. Move it toward the outside for a richer tone. :P
The Jensen Speaker C12n in the tweed version is the best speaker for the combo imo. The Celestion V30 makes it very harsh. I don't know why you say the jensen misses warmth and sounds too bright. I've tried it with other speakers. The C12n was the best. Secondly, if you don't like the blues junior, so be it. Don't hate on it. If it's good enough for Clapton, it's good enough for me. And thirdly, you come off as arrogant when you start with 'some Jensen speaker, I don't know, I don't like it'. Why is your tag 'wampler pedals'?The Blues Junior is not made too push out huge bass frequencies. It's not designed that way.
+colaboytje #triggered
Wampler Pedals Man, this 'triggered' bs is so stupid. It just short for 'I have no good response, so I'll shame you'.
+colaboytje no, it means go start your own RUclips channel and stop getting butt-hurt over someone else's opinion. SJW, eh?
Wampler Pedals No, it doesn't. It's you who is butt-hurt over my opinion. This is a comment section. If you don't want comments or opinions, block comments. Going to 'triggered' is your projection on me.
+colaboytje lol, poor troll attempt. Go make your own videos. I'm not hurt over your opinion, you're just wrong. 😂
So many people diss the blues jr but as someone just getting into electric playing I find it has great warmth (not mids) perhaps organic sound? Hadn't really hear anything better that small for fender cleans. I understand you only get so much by listening through youtube but it still sounds better to me than others for clean warmth with low volume breakup. It seems there are a lot of amps out there that can do crunch on up... In fact I didn't hear anything more warm/organic until I saw a video comparing a bassman to a blues jr but pricewise and volume wise that is not a valid comparison. So if you want organic cleans at low volume and you diss the blues jr, what is the alternative? I have tried a few budget amps and have an scxd at the moment which I usually play clean or on bassman settings - its still a little boxy though so was considering blues jr but if there are alternatives I would like to know because every other comparison seems to be concerned with overdriven sounds and it seems like the organic warmth that I'm looking for is extremely rare in smaller packages.
Just put a Celestion JB85 in mine. Absolutely insane sounding now.
you put a JB in your BJ ;)
For me most of these speakers, especialy the greenback are better suited for closed back cabs and should not be used in an open back cab unless bright shrill and thin is what your after. Out of all of these speakers the only two that are well suited is the ET65 and the Black & Blue Alnico as they have the warmth & bass response needed for a full sounding tone from an open back cab. But Brian did a great job of demonstrating the difference a change of speaker can make. With the right choice it is a cheap and simple way to transform a good tone into an amazing tone. Well done Brian.
I love these vids man, keep it up!
Epic intro Brian! Cool video :) Cheers
Nice hand wired Vox in the back ! Cool video I've been thinking about picking up a Blues Jr but it doesn't have an fx loop. Hence why I was also looking into a peavey classic 30 for same price
You are a star cos of your sincerity. I would have likex this video even more if you just turned the "Master" volume up a bit more just to hear the clean sound.
We probably won’t believe it as it’s click bait! 😂
I would both agree and disagree with Brian regarding the Jensen speaker. When I first bought this amp new, I was a little dissapointed in the tone and speaker, very lackluster. The amp sounded warm, but not all that dynamic. Given that I had spent a lot of my gear budget on the amp, I had no choice but to stick with it. About six months in to owning the amp I began to notice a positive difference in the tone. I don't know if the speaker finally started to break in, or if the amp did (can that even happen with an amp?), but it was a noticeable difference. Two years into owning it and I can't get enough... with my Kenny Wayne Shepherd Strat it sounds amazing! Spanky country lead tones, great rock tone with pedals, etc. It also sounds good with my LP.. At this point the only way I would describe the tone of the amp is both warm and dynamic. I'm even considering getting a second one to run in stereo. The amp is still completely stock...
tone is subjective... all the speakers sound different but who's to say? Good video, thanks for the samples. i love my Bjr, jensen and all. Rock on my dude!
I have a 2nd generation B-JR and did the pods/ ,knobs. , input ,ect. planning to buy a Wharehouse et 65 ( crunchy ala Jimi ) so this was a good infomercial and funny , the British lead was very Led Zep . Thanks
The choice of speaker/cabinet can mean life or death to the sound of an amp. I have a Marshall JCM-1 and it literally is a different amp every time I change the cabinet. And to make things "worse", the choice of pedals in front of the amp can even lead to another cabinet to be the best. If I play the JCM-1 on its own or just boosted via Tubescreamer/Boss SD-1, a Celestion Hot 100 sounds killer. But if I set the amp clean and use pedals, suddenly a Celestion G12K100 sounds way better.
Hey Brian, all of those WGS speakers sound great! Nice speaker review! Though shall not tempt thy Blues Jr owner.
Nice comp. Brian. I first changed the speaker to a green back 30 I had around and that really helped, but then I built a cheap pine cabinet the size of a deluxe reverb and it now sounds great. I now am not in a hurry to get a new amp
I agree - using a better/bigger cabinet does wonders! I was mic'd so closely here that you aren't hearing much of the cabinet, mainly just the speaker.
I did a very similar thing. I used a crappy old Bugera 2 X 12, put one WGS Retro 30 and a angled DIY damper (8:00 position pointing down) and it changed the whole dynamic. Nice bell tones.
good video, except most have never heard of those speakers, so there is no reference . Should have used name brands. The Blues Jr's tiny speaker cabinet is its biggest drawback.. not the speaker. So when you used a bigger cabinet , of course it sounds better.
I think that wss the point, to get them a little more well known bc almost every comment liked the original speaker anyway and considering it was smaller cab and all it didn't really work to sell those Hoosiers
Recently picked up a used Peavey Classic 30 and it kills the Blues Jr in every respect except maybe reverb, of which I only use a very light touch anyway. Selling the Fender. I was never that happy with it- kind of woofy yet shrill at the same time, just not that pleasant to listen to for my taste. The Peavey offers much more especially through an extension cab where it is fantastic (no speaker out on the BJ). Plus it has an effects loop and MUCH better dirt at all volume levels. Louder too.
playing an amp with other speakers in different cabinets isn't a good way to determine how a speaker is going to work in the amp. The actual cabinet is part of what makes an amp sound like it does.
hi and thx for the comparing, the only question remaining is how standard celestion and electro voice would sound within this set up.
Why not get a great Line 6 Spider? There's every amp sound built-in! No need for pedals either.
+Hero Zero please tell me you're trolling.
Trolling.
+Hero Zero I was literally scared for humanity for a second
Wtf?
I liked some. Some others, not so much. Thanks for you input.