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Attn: tone masters - Need some New Amp Purchase Advice

zepsurfzepsurf Posts: 9
edited June 2009 in Musicians and Gearheads
Calling all masters of tone:
Anyone on the boards use have a Fender Blues JR? - I am considering upgrading my amp to an all-tube setup (currently have a vox valvetronix ad vt 30). I am thinking of getting the tweed model that has a better speaker. This will be my first-all tube amp purchase, so I dont know a ton about them, but the reviews for this model seem good. I have not had a chance to try it out yet in a shop though.

I usually only play at my apt and dont plan to gig anytime soon, so I figured this model would be better than a 40w hot rod deluxe since its only 15w. I realize this is still prob way too loud if I dimed the master volume to play in my apt, but I have a keeley moded Blues Driver pedal as well as a keeley moded Metal Zone pedal that I figured I could use to get decent distortion at a lower volume. I know the BJ also has a master volume and another volume control - does anyone know if this is similiar to having a power attenuator like the vox valve tronic amps have (so in theory you could dime the master to heat up the tubes to get good tone, but still play at a lower volume)?

Also - I play a MIM deluxe roadhouse strat with texas special pick-ups as well as an EPI Les Paul Standard. Is it even worth spending money on a better amp with these "lower quality" guitars. Or is my money better spend on a better guitar. I am considering buying the amp used off of craigs list for $300 or so for a BJ or $400 - $500 for a Deluxe.

I appreciate any suggestions or recommendations for an all-tube set-up. Figured I would reach out the the PJ communty before I make a purchase.

Thanks
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Comments

  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    zepsurf wrote:
    Calling all masters of tone:
    Anyone on the boards use have a Fender Blues JR? - I am considering upgrading my amp to an all-tube setup (currently have a vox valvetronix ad vt 30). I am thinking of getting the tweed model that has a better speaker. This will be my first-all tube amp purchase, so I dont know a ton about them, but the reviews for this model seem good. I have not had a chance to try it out yet in a shop though.

    I usually only play at my apt and dont plan to gig anytime soon, so I figured this model would be better than a 40w hot rod deluxe since its only 15w. I realize this is still prob way too loud if I dimed the master volume to play in my apt, but I have a keeley moded Blues Driver pedal as well as a keeley moded Metal Zone pedal that I figured I could use to get decent distortion at a lower volume. I know the BJ also has a master volume and another volume control - does anyone know if this is similiar to having a power attenuator like the vox valve tronic amps have (so in theory you could dime the master to heat up the tubes to get good tone, but still play at a lower volume)?

    Also - I play a MIM deluxe roadhouse strat with texas special pick-ups as well as an EPI Les Paul Standard. Is it even worth spending money on a better amp with these "lower quality" guitars. Or is my money better spend on a better guitar. I am considering buying the amp used off of craigs list for $300 or so for a BJ or $400 - $500 for a Deluxe.

    I appreciate any suggestions or recommendations for an all-tube set-up. Figured I would reach out the the PJ communty before I make a purchase.

    Thanks
    Go with the amp, those are fine guitars for the money! My main guitar lately has been my Epiphone Sheraton, while my US strat has been sitting in its case...
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    Well, I don't have a Blues Jr., but I've heard from people whose opinion I trust that the tweed model with the better speaker is a great amp, and much better than the regular black-tolex version. It's amazing how a good speaker can make a world of difference for an amp. 15 watts can still get loud, so it's not like you'll have a tiny amp that sounds small. But it will work well for a bedroom player.

    A "master volume" amp basically has two controls that interact to produce your ultimate volume levels. The "Volume" control is also called the preamp gain control, and it ultimately controls the volume of the amp's input. That means it controls the volume of the first preamp tube, so you can crank this control and leave the Master on low and get preamp tube distortion. The "Master" control is also called the power amp, and controls the volume of the amp's output into the speaker(s). That means it controls the power tubes. If you wanted to have the simpler, old-school, non-master amp, then you can turn the amp's Master control all the way up, and the Volume control acts like it did on older, non-master amps. But both knobs work together to determine the ultimate loudness of the amp. Generally, you would keep the Master low and the Volume high to create distortion, and you would keep the Volume low and the Master high to play clean. If you want to use pedals in front of the amp (as I would recommend), then you would probably set the amp for a good clean tone, or maybe set for light overdrive and use your guitar's volume control plus pedals to switch from clean to dirty.

    As for your guitars, they are certainly "good enough" to justify the amp. Generally, there is a bigger difference in tone between a cheap amp and a good tube amp than there is between the MIM Fenders and USA Fenders, Epiphones and Gibsons, etc. If it makes you feel better, I have some REALLY nice amps, and I still regularly use my Epiphone Les Paul and my MIM Strat and Tele. In fact... I don't have any guitars that were made in the USA! And I have pretty good tone.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • zepsurfzepsurf Posts: 9
    Very helpful - thanks guys
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