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[Steve M Smith]

the Blues Jr. is a loud angry little amp - it's loud because it's EL84 powered, and 2 x EL84 can get deceivingly loud quickly

And four can get even louder. I'm currently repairing/refurbishing a Vox AC30 with four EL84s operating past the manufacturers' specifications in what Vox claim to be class A but isn't really.


Steve.

[Bob Leonard]

I know an old school guy who can do wonders to any Fender amp with tubes. Especially those with little or no headroom, poor dynamics or uncontrollable volume.

Ned hit the nail on the head.

Now if you want a great sounding amp at low volumes a Champ or Princeton Reverb is the way to go.

The VOX AC30 is a wonderful amp and very loud, but too much top end and a very hard mid range.

Another great little practice amp is the Epiphone Valve Junior. No real headroom due to the low output transformers, but just right for the bedroom or office late at night.

[Steve Hurt]

Changing the pot is best done by someone used to working on PC boards.  Old school amp techs don't like them because they've never learned how.....

Not all old school guys are afraid of circuit boards.

Bob Leonard is old school as they get and he does a fine job on circuit boards as well as point to point.

His rebuild on my circuit board based Vibrolux Custom is amazing.  I know a guy with a cherry 63 Vibrolux and my circuit board amp sounds better.

[Bob Leonard]

Thank you Steve. How's the Super Reverb working out?

[Bob Leonard]

Timmy,
Here's an easy fix to the gain problem on the Blues Jr.

Replace the first pre amp tube (V1) with a 12AY7.

Replace the phase inverter tube (V3) with a 12AT7.

No board pulling, no soldering, no chance you'll destroy your amp.

If you like how that works let me know and I'll give you some option for the Hot Rod Deville.

[Steve Hurt]

Thank you Steve. How's the Super Reverb working out?

Rockin!  (and heavy)  Not sure what I was thinking, I need a roadie to move it!  Sure sounds good though.

[Stephen Kirby]

The VOX AC30 is a wonderful amp and very loud, but too much top end and a very hard mid range.

Have you ever played a real JMI?  The guys at Black Market Music pulled one out when I made the same comment once.  Totally unlike any other ones, or any of the Matchless, Top Hat, etc, clones.  Divided by 13 isn't harsh when cranked but is stiff and dry turned down.  Not a bedroom/garage amp.  Stage only.

The JMI AC30 is magical but is also a stage only amp.  Down around 3 it has that Beatles clarity and jangle but without any shrillness or dryness.  Very smooth while still having sparkle on top.  Around halfway it softens up more and the top end starts to go away.  Wonderful blues amp.  At 7-8 you get full throated Brian May.  All thick and creamy, and the top end sparkle is all gone.  Plenty of articulation and speed, but no sparkle.  Different guitars with different outputs may need different settings, I was doing this with a vintage 335 they had.  But you can't get one sound at different volume levels.  You have to set it to get the sound, mic it and/or deal with baffling it to get the stage/house levels you need.

[Bob Leonard]

Steve,
Yes I have. They were very common in this part of the woods back in the 60's coming straight from England to New England. The B3 player for one of my bands in the 60's bought one for his VOX Jaguar, then proceeded to sell the Jaguar and leave the amp at my house for the next year. Side by side with the Fenders and Marshalls of the day they were always brighter by comparison, and my memory hasn't changed. I'll back off a little on the mid range, but the top end still seemed much brighter than it should be, almost brittle when compared. You have to remember my guitars at the time were just as they are today. Gibson's with humbuckers and one lonely Telecaster. Now if you play a Moserite, Gretch, or Rickenbacker through the same amp you'll be in heaven, IMO and YMMV.

[Timmy Liland]

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for all your good advices.
My guitar playing friend has followed this thread with great interest.

In the mean time he has tested his Blues Jr.
The sound is something between a Fender and a Marshall with a full tone that surprises him.
Country licks that he rarely uses on a Hot Rod gets a fullness on the BJr that absolutely
accentuates the licks. It sparkles where it should for chicken pickin´and crunches the way he wants so this has the potential for being the new favorite amp.
He also sad that "this amp will NOT be tampered with"

That means I´ll have to try Bob´s preamp tube trick with my own rental BJr during the Holidays in December.

[Ned Ward]

Speaking of loud...

I'm finally thinning the herd, and while I have loved my 65 Fender Showman that Bob brought back to life, it spends 360 days of the year in storage with my 65 Bandmaster cabinet. It's not easy, but an amp this amazing deserves to be played, not sit around. It's on Reverb but open to offers. There are other Fender Showman amps, and knowing the state this was in before it was resurrected by Bob - I know Leo Fender's ghost is smiling down on it.

https://reverb.com/shop/neds-boutique-3

To be clear, the rear panel that's on there is not of Bob's doing - it was a repro panel I bought that the glue isn't holding. I should take it off, dry it out and reglue it but have been busy.

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