Blues & Rock: Best Speaker/Tube Upgrades for Blues Junior?

FenderGuy53 · June 15th, 2008, 08:00 AM

Preserving that classic Fender sound (as much as one can using EL84s), what are some recommendations for speaker and tube upgrades for a stock BJr?

Sonically, I'd like to land somewhere between dark and shrill (I don't like shrill).

Thanks for any help.

eugenedunn · June 15th, 2008, 08:39 AM

First, replace V1 with a 12AY7. This should give you sweeter vintage tones and increase clean headroom. Then you can max your Volume knob and just use the Master to set overall volume (set your guitar volume knob about 1/3 to half-way down first). Control sustain and grind....everything from your guitar volume knob then.

I recommend you put Bass and Treble about 6-8, scoop mids to around 3-4. FAT swtich off.

See where that takes you.

strat a various · June 15th, 2008, 11:53 AM

Fender guy,
I mean this with all due respect, but if you really want to preserve that classic Fender sound, the best speaker upgrade would be an OLD Jensen ... preferably housed in a Deluxe Reverb, or at worst, a DR reissue, 'cause you ain't gonna get any classic Fender tone out of a Blues Jr.
But seriously, look at the Jensen Mod speakers. I have a 12" 50 watt and it screams; blew me away for the price. Not really an upgrade, more of a "attitude adjustment", but they handle overdrive well and seem to be tight and balanced. If you want "louder", think about a used Peavey Scorpion or Black Widow. Really.
best wishes

Wardpike · June 15th, 2008, 12:20 PM

JJ tubes, and an old Jensen speaker, or you couold try a 12" Celestion or Weber alnico blue. Maybe one of them new fangled Warehouse.com speakers, the Black & Blue. That might make it sound a little British though, and Lord thunderin, who wants an accent like that? LOL... if you knew me, you'd realize the irony there.

JimiBryant · June 15th, 2008, 12:28 PM

I put an Eminence Legend in one of my Blues Juniors and one of those
Italian Jensen reissue P12s (smallest ceramic magnet, whatever letter
designation that would be) one of the ones that everybody seems to
badmouth, in the other..

both amps greatly improved from the stock Fender-branded Eminence 12"

I have tons of spare tubes so I've tried swapping 'em in varous combinations
in both amps until I get the sound/feel that I'm seeking.

vintage power tubes are great but honestly a pair of brand new JJs for $20
sounds just as good to me - now, the preamp tubes, on the other hand -
well, that's where the "x" factor lies because different tubes will give
different results and it's not enough to generalize that so-and-so makes
good tubes so if I spend $125 for a NOS tube from the 1950s it's going
to sound better than anything else, because that may or may not be the
case.. there have been runs of Chinese 12AX7s which share every bit of
the same sonic magic as my beloved Amperex Bugle Boys, and I can buy
six of 'em for the cost of one NOS Amperex! will they last as long?
probably not. but that's the trade-off isn't it?

June 15th, 2008, 08:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
FenderGuy53 Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: East Coast Posts: 117	Blues & Rock: Best Speaker/Tube Upgrades for Blues Junior? Preserving that classic Fender sound (as much as one can using EL84s), what are some recommendations for speaker and tube upgrades for a stock BJr? Sonically, I'd like to land somewhere between dark and shrill (I don't like shrill). Thanks for any help.

June 15th, 2008, 08:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
eugenedunn Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 55 Posts: 635 33 Photos	First, replace V1 with a 12AY7. This should give you sweeter vintage tones and increase clean headroom. Then you can max your Volume knob and just use the Master to set overall volume (set your guitar volume knob about 1/3 to half-way down first). Control sustain and grind....everything from your guitar volume knob then. I recommend you put Bass and Treble about 6-8, scoop mids to around 3-4. FAT swtich off. See where that takes you. __________________ Ono Boy says "good n' swampy....."

June 15th, 2008, 12:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
JimiBryant Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Chicago that toddlin' town Age: 46 Posts: 1,495	I put an Eminence Legend in one of my Blues Juniors and one of those Italian Jensen reissue P12s (smallest ceramic magnet, whatever letter designation that would be) one of the ones that everybody seems to badmouth, in the other.. both amps greatly improved from the stock Fender-branded Eminence 12" I have tons of spare tubes so I've tried swapping 'em in varous combinations in both amps until I get the sound/feel that I'm seeking. vintage power tubes are great but honestly a pair of brand new JJs for $20 sounds just as good to me - now, the preamp tubes, on the other hand - well, that's where the "x" factor lies because different tubes will give different results and it's not enough to generalize that so-and-so makes good tubes so if I spend $125 for a NOS tube from the 1950s it's going to sound better than anything else, because that may or may not be the case.. there have been runs of Chinese 12AX7s which share every bit of the same sonic magic as my beloved Amperex Bugle Boys, and I can buy six of 'em for the cost of one NOS Amperex! will they last as long? probably not. but that's the trade-off isn't it? __________________ I am very proud of the fact that I'm so humble! Last edited by JimiBryant : June 15th, 2008 at 12:29 PM. Reason: sorry wrong number

June 15th, 2008, 11:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
strat a various Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dana Point Ca Age: 50 Posts: 135	Fender guy, I mean this with all due respect, but if you really want to preserve that classic Fender sound, the best speaker upgrade would be an OLD Jensen ... preferably housed in a Deluxe Reverb, or at worst, a DR reissue, 'cause you ain't gonna get any classic Fender tone out of a Blues Jr. But seriously, look at the Jensen Mod speakers. I have a 12" 50 watt and it screams; blew me away for the price. Not really an upgrade, more of a "attitude adjustment", but they handle overdrive well and seem to be tight and balanced. If you want "louder", think about a used Peavey Scorpion or Black Widow. Really. best wishes

June 15th, 2008, 12:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 587	JJ tubes, and an old Jensen speaker, or you couold try a 12" Celestion or Weber alnico blue. Maybe one of them new fangled Warehouse.com speakers, the Black & Blue. That might make it sound a little British though, and Lord thunderin, who wants an accent like that? LOL... if you knew me, you'd realize the irony there.