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Middleman · July 7th, 2009, 01:24 PM

Had an interesting occurrence with a Blues Junior at GC last week end. I have a BJ and have done a few of the Billm mods like the twin and tone stack mods. I will try the power supply stiffening this weekend. There is a sustain and warmth you get with a 5E3 or even the Blues Deluxe that is not quite resident in the BJ. It seems a bit flat or hard sounding in the lower mid range but overall, given its size, weight and tone, it's convenient. This even after the mods.

Last weekend I went to the Hollywood GC and they have their amps setting inside small cubicles which are the normal display racks for multiple amps. The cubicles have Styrofoam inserts on the left and right of the amp to keep it snug in it's cubicle. Other stores may or may not have these. I came to a Tweed BJ with the Jensen speaker, turned it on and was amazed at the tone it had. In fact I have never heard, across multiple BJs I have played, such an amazing tone. It sounded closer to a 5E3 with great warmth, smoothness and sustain. I thought this amp must be one exceptional example across many and pulled it out of the cubicle to check its speaker and tubes. Everything was standard as far as I could tell.

I set the amp on guitar stool and played it again. Suddenly, all the richness and sustain I had experienced just moments before was gone and it sound exactly like mine at home. I have to admit I was taken back a bit as to how much better the amp sounded up in the cubicle so I put it back and tried playing it again. The sustain and warmth came back.

The cubicle ran about 6 inches deeper and maybe six inches higher than the actual amp, but that larger resonant chamber made a huge difference in the sound that was projected. Maybe it was the low end bass throw that the cubicle created over the top of the amp but whatever, it was fairly obvious that either a larger amp cabinet or a shell cubicle around the existing amp will make a very large difference in the sound of the amp.

Call me crazy but I went out and bought some thin plywood to build a portable amp shell see if I can duplicate the tone I heard in the store. If I don't get the results I am looking for you can chalk this up there with Big Foot. If you have some time, try this experiment, you might be amazed.

July 7th, 2009, 01:24 PM	#24 (permalink)
Middleman Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MV, CA Posts: 232	Had an interesting occurrence with a Blues Junior at GC last week end. I have a BJ and have done a few of the Billm mods like the twin and tone stack mods. I will try the power supply stiffening this weekend. There is a sustain and warmth you get with a 5E3 or even the Blues Deluxe that is not quite resident in the BJ. It seems a bit flat or hard sounding in the lower mid range but overall, given its size, weight and tone, it's convenient. This even after the mods. Last weekend I went to the Hollywood GC and they have their amps setting inside small cubicles which are the normal display racks for multiple amps. The cubicles have Styrofoam inserts on the left and right of the amp to keep it snug in it's cubicle. Other stores may or may not have these. I came to a Tweed BJ with the Jensen speaker, turned it on and was amazed at the tone it had. In fact I have never heard, across multiple BJs I have played, such an amazing tone. It sounded closer to a 5E3 with great warmth, smoothness and sustain. I thought this amp must be one exceptional example across many and pulled it out of the cubicle to check its speaker and tubes. Everything was standard as far as I could tell. I set the amp on guitar stool and played it again. Suddenly, all the richness and sustain I had experienced just moments before was gone and it sound exactly like mine at home. I have to admit I was taken back a bit as to how much better the amp sounded up in the cubicle so I put it back and tried playing it again. The sustain and warmth came back. The cubicle ran about 6 inches deeper and maybe six inches higher than the actual amp, but that larger resonant chamber made a huge difference in the sound that was projected. Maybe it was the low end bass throw that the cubicle created over the top of the amp but whatever, it was fairly obvious that either a larger amp cabinet or a shell cubicle around the existing amp will make a very large difference in the sound of the amp. Call me crazy but I went out and bought some thin plywood to build a portable amp shell see if I can duplicate the tone I heard in the store. If I don't get the results I am looking for you can chalk this up there with Big Foot. If you have some time, try this experiment, you might be amazed.