Epiphone Valve Junior Combo

Dyllpan · July 2nd, 2006, 09:36 PM

Any thoughts?
This 5 watt class A singel ended all tube amp so so freaking cheap,
but I hear that it sounds the same as a point to point wired gibson GA5 Les Paul Junior gold tone!
What's up?
Thanks.

ibobunot · July 3rd, 2006, 12:28 AM

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/showthrea...e+Valve+Junior

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/showthrea...e+Valve+Junior

JohnnyCrash · July 3rd, 2006, 01:09 AM

It does NOT sound exactly like the Gibson GA-5. Although the speakers are supposedly the same Weber ceramics on both amps.

I personally am not a huge fan of the Epi (although their semi-hollow body guitars are pretty decent for the price), BUT some folks like the amp. If you like the sound, buy it - it's only $100. If, like me you don't like it, you can always sell it and/or write off the measley $100 as an experiment.

DIFFERENCES BTWN GIB & EPI
It's different in circuit schematic as well as quality of parts. The Epi's transformers are particularly poor (in sound at least). upgrade to new tubes and swap-out better transformers and you could have a serious upgrade.

CLASS A MYTHS
Class A and Single Ended has been a big giant marketing hype for some time (pushed early on by Mesa).

Some Class A amps sound great, some don't. Some Class AB sound great, some don't.

It's just a different power section method - there's no tonal benefits or not - it really depends on the WHOLE CIRCUIT not just solely the power Class.

CLASS A GENERALLY MEANS LOWER POWER
Class A generally doesn't tap into a tube's full potential power (sort of like how Cathode Biased amps still don't squeeze as much power out of a given set of tubes as Fixed Bias, or Adjustable Fixed Bias does). This inefficiency usually means Class A amps are much lower wattage. This generally lends itself to guys who like the "cranked" sound without shaking the neighbors pictures off of the wall...

CLASS A = LOW COST MANUFACTURING
Single power tube amps HAVE to run in Class A (unless it's a dual triode type tube or something where there are two tubes in one).

1. Phase Inversion is no longer really needed (no PI tube, socket, wiring needed).

2. Tube Rectifiers provide no "sag" in single ended amps. Therefore much cheaper solid state Diode rectifiers can be used (no tube for rectification, less wiring, no tube socket).

With the fewer parts, less wiring, less complicated manufacturing (the Epi's are already printed PCB made), Epiphone can make these amps very cheaply. Single Ended amps can also be a haven for added noise, another drawback of the Epi.

--

I still like some Class A circuits and use them a lot, and some folks really dig their Epi Valve Jr's, so like I said - try it out, for $100 it's worht giving a listen to.

AtomicMassUnit · July 3rd, 2006, 05:21 AM

I tried some NOS tubes in one, ran it through a cab with Vintage 30s and it is one of the best sounding amps I've heard. Amazing considering the cost. I'm tempted to buy one and upgrade to mercury magnetics in it. Very cool little amp! I liked it a whole lot better than some of the Dr Z el84 amps...

Gee · July 3rd, 2006, 05:52 AM

The Epi VJ is an amazing amp for $100. If you change the (2) tubes it will improve a lot.

If you can make changes to the circuit then $10 of resistor and cap changes will make it into a very impressive little amp. (See the 18Watt.com forum for details - there must be some reason that there is a 535 and growing reply thread just on the subject of modding the VJ). By the way the resistor and cap changs are only value changes. There is nothing to complain about the quality of the VJ construction. Sockets and the one pot are mounted off the main PCB which negates the main critisism of PCB construction in an amp.

If you change the OT for a Hammond then the VJ will sound and behave like a GA-5. The PT is fine and it does not need a choke. I.e. you don't need to waste money on the Mercury Magnetics mods.

Gee · July 3rd, 2006, 06:00 AM

Oh, and one more thing. All current VJ's produced since the begining of this year are really quiet. I.e. first time you turn it on, you think the amp is broken until you hit a string - quiet. Don't believe anyone who says otherwise. The very first VJ's were noisey but that was fixed.

Dyllpan · July 3rd, 2006, 06:33 AM

So what's the verdict?
I mean still don't really get it. I hate amp that have
a nice tone for the money. That doesn't say anything.
Is this amp a gift from God? Or just an atempt to fill the gap
an the market right now?

Gee · July 3rd, 2006, 08:59 AM

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...d_Valve_Jr.wma

Sounds like a gift from God to some.

Cobra8272 · July 3rd, 2006, 12:39 PM

I've got one and been singing their praise since i got it.
NO they are not a squillion dollar boutique amp but there is nothing close at this price or 2 or 3 times the price.
Mine is a V2 and dead quiet - even with a Tele and single coils its barely noticeable,with humbuckers its silent.
As someone said you have to pick astring just to check its on.
swap the tubes , don't touch the speaker and play with a few mods.
Have fun!
I'm waiting for a head as sson as they arrive in Australia i'll buy one.
rgds
Cobra

skip62 · July 4th, 2006, 07:03 PM

Hey Gee, nice clip, thanks. well sort of, makes me want one...:) The grindy stuff, what pedal is that?

Thanks -Skip

Gee · July 5th, 2006, 04:40 AM

skip62 - That clip was created by baron55 over on the 18Watt forums. The "Grindy Stuff" is the amp - there is no pedal.

peteb · July 5th, 2006, 02:28 PM

Gee,

Thanks for posting the clip.

That answers any questions I had about the VJ being a decent tube amp or not.

Now I do not even have any need to try one

Joe-Bob · August 14th, 2006, 08:10 PM

I bought one of these Epi heads today, and it sounded great...for a few minutes. Then it started making a loud crackling noise, even with the volume all the way down. I think it's a bad tube, but it sure is a disappointment. Now I have to take it back, and wait for who knows how long to get it fixed.

Pepi · August 14th, 2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-Bob

I bought one of these Epi heads today, and it sounded great...for a few minutes. Then it started making a loud crackling noise, even with the volume all the way down. I think it's a bad tube, but it sure is a disappointment. Now I have to take it back, and wait for who knows how long to get it fixed.

Just order a 12ax7 and el84 JJ tubes. Less than 20 bucks. This is a must too on these amps anyway. The tubes that come with them stink.

Joe-Bob · August 14th, 2006, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepi

Just order a 12ax7 and el84 JJ tubes. Less than 20 bucks. This is a must too on these amps anyway. The tubes that come with them stink.

I think you're right. There's an amp repair place 2 blocks away. I think he stocks JJ tubes.

July 2nd, 2006, 09:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dyllpan TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 77	Epiphone Valve Junior Combo Any thoughts? This 5 watt class A singel ended all tube amp so so freaking cheap, but I hear that it sounds the same as a point to point wired gibson GA5 Les Paul Junior gold tone! What's up? Thanks.

July 3rd, 2006, 12:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
ibobunot Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dullsville Posts: 3,456	The reviews are mixed. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/showthrea...e+Valve+Junior http://www.tdpri.com/forum/showthrea...e+Valve+Junior

July 3rd, 2006, 06:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dyllpan TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 77	thanks So what's the verdict? I mean still don't really get it. I hate amp that have a nice tone for the money. That doesn't say anything. Is this amp a gift from God? Or just an atempt to fill the gap an the market right now?

August 14th, 2006, 08:10 PM	#13 (permalink)
Joe-Bob Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 46 Posts: 4,017	I bought one of these Epi heads today, and it sounded great...for a few minutes. Then it started making a loud crackling noise, even with the volume all the way down. I think it's a bad tube, but it sure is a disappointment. Now I have to take it back, and wait for who knows how long to get it fixed. __________________ "German is the language God uses when He really means business." --FZ

July 3rd, 2006, 01:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	It does NOT sound exactly like the Gibson GA-5. Although the speakers are supposedly the same Weber ceramics on both amps. I personally am not a huge fan of the Epi (although their semi-hollow body guitars are pretty decent for the price), BUT some folks like the amp. If you like the sound, buy it - it's only $100. If, like me you don't like it, you can always sell it and/or write off the measley $100 as an experiment. DIFFERENCES BTWN GIB & EPI It's different in circuit schematic as well as quality of parts. The Epi's transformers are particularly poor (in sound at least). upgrade to new tubes and swap-out better transformers and you could have a serious upgrade. CLASS A MYTHS Class A and Single Ended has been a big giant marketing hype for some time (pushed early on by Mesa). Some Class A amps sound great, some don't. Some Class AB sound great, some don't. It's just a different power section method - there's no tonal benefits or not - it really depends on the WHOLE CIRCUIT not just solely the power Class. CLASS A GENERALLY MEANS LOWER POWER Class A generally doesn't tap into a tube's full potential power (sort of like how Cathode Biased amps still don't squeeze as much power out of a given set of tubes as Fixed Bias, or Adjustable Fixed Bias does). This inefficiency usually means Class A amps are much lower wattage. This generally lends itself to guys who like the "cranked" sound without shaking the neighbors pictures off of the wall... CLASS A = LOW COST MANUFACTURING Single power tube amps HAVE to run in Class A (unless it's a dual triode type tube or something where there are two tubes in one). 1. Phase Inversion is no longer really needed (no PI tube, socket, wiring needed). 2. Tube Rectifiers provide no "sag" in single ended amps. Therefore much cheaper solid state Diode rectifiers can be used (no tube for rectification, less wiring, no tube socket). With the fewer parts, less wiring, less complicated manufacturing (the Epi's are already printed PCB made), Epiphone can make these amps very cheaply. Single Ended amps can also be a haven for added noise, another drawback of the Epi. -- I still like some Class A circuits and use them a lot, and some folks really dig their Epi Valve Jr's, so like I said - try it out, for $100 it's worht giving a listen to.

July 3rd, 2006, 05:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
AtomicMassUnit Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 153	I tried some NOS tubes in one, ran it through a cab with Vintage 30s and it is one of the best sounding amps I've heard. Amazing considering the cost. I'm tempted to buy one and upgrade to mercury magnetics in it. Very cool little amp! I liked it a whole lot better than some of the Dr Z el84 amps...

July 3rd, 2006, 05:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Gee Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 309	The Epi VJ is an amazing amp for $100. If you change the (2) tubes it will improve a lot. If you can make changes to the circuit then $10 of resistor and cap changes will make it into a very impressive little amp. (See the 18Watt.com forum for details - there must be some reason that there is a 535 and growing reply thread just on the subject of modding the VJ). By the way the resistor and cap changs are only value changes. There is nothing to complain about the quality of the VJ construction. Sockets and the one pot are mounted off the main PCB which negates the main critisism of PCB construction in an amp. If you change the OT for a Hammond then the VJ will sound and behave like a GA-5. The PT is fine and it does not need a choke. I.e. you don't need to waste money on the Mercury Magnetics mods.

July 3rd, 2006, 06:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
Gee Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 309	Oh, and one more thing. All current VJ's produced since the begining of this year are really quiet. I.e. first time you turn it on, you think the amp is broken until you hit a string - quiet. Don't believe anyone who says otherwise. The very first VJ's were noisey but that was fixed.

July 3rd, 2006, 08:59 AM	#8 (permalink)
Gee Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 309	http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...d_Valve_Jr.wma Sounds like a gift from God to some.

July 3rd, 2006, 12:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Cobra8272 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Perth - Western Australia Posts: 257 4 Photos	I've got one and been singing their praise since i got it. NO they are not a squillion dollar boutique amp but there is nothing close at this price or 2 or 3 times the price. Mine is a V2 and dead quiet - even with a Tele and single coils its barely noticeable,with humbuckers its silent. As someone said you have to pick astring just to check its on. swap the tubes , don't touch the speaker and play with a few mods. Have fun! I'm waiting for a head as sson as they arrive in Australia i'll buy one. rgds Cobra

July 4th, 2006, 07:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
skip62 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 337	Hey Gee, nice clip, thanks. well sort of, makes me want one...:) The grindy stuff, what pedal is that? Thanks -Skip

July 5th, 2006, 04:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
Gee Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 309	skip62 - That clip was created by baron55 over on the 18Watt forums. The "Grindy Stuff" is the amp - there is no pedal.

July 5th, 2006, 02:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
peteb Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 248	Gee, Thanks for posting the clip. That answers any questions I had about the VJ being a decent tube amp or not. Now I do not even have any need to try one