How "normal" is Blues Junior Rattle (of some level)

By rattle, what exactly do you mean? Metal or wood sounding? Buzzy?

 

The late Bill M had a few tricks to tighten these up.

 

Its normal. Play what ever frequencies at what ever volume make it rattle. Get a pencil and prod around until the vibration stops. On my Blues Jr, the Tube "cage" rattled like a jar of marbles when I hit open A w/ some volume behind it.

So I took it out.

Like I said, use a pencil, don't get yourself electrocuted.

 

My BJ rattled quite a bit. Tightening everything down as it sounds like you have done took care of about 80% of it. I had some poly-fill ( https://www.parts-express.com/acous...eaker-cabinet-sound-damping-material--260-317) left over from my studio monitor build and put that in the bottom of the cab and that took care of the remaining 20%. You could use pillow stuffing but you want to know the temperature rating of whatever material you use.

 

I had the same issue, with the tube “cage” rattling.

I wedged a bar coaster under it to absorb the buzz.

It took getting thrown out of a bar to learn it, but I know those things are ridiculously hard to set on fire, so I’m not too concerned about the tube heat causing any issue.

The amp still buzzes, especially when the volume and bass increase, but I just write it off as the nature of a combo amp built/priced to be entry-level.

 

https://billmaudio.com

Welcome to the jungle!

 

Yeah, my only concern is tubes dropping out. So I occasionally just stick my hand up there and push them in. Lol Its my workhorse amp, I don't baby it.

 

Does it stop when you press your hand on the cab or baffle? Or I imagine those tube cage could rattle, as others have said. I haven't had mine up too loud very much, so I haven't noticed anything like this.

 

I have had a couple, and they all rattle, to greater or lesser degree. Removing the tube retainer helps. Adding tube dampers or tube rings helps.

 

Maybe I'm lucky, but I've played several gigs and MANY practices with my BJ III, and don't experience any "rattles". Right now, though, I'm mostly using my Vox Pathfinder 15R, re-housed into a cab with four 8" speakers. I built the cab myself, and (knock wood) it's working well.

 

Other than the reverb tank pinging away when its in the car, my Blues Jr never rattles.. Its been to a boat load of gigs and rehearsals.. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

Can't you just remove the cage?. Those things aren't usually necessary, they are only there because of EU regs.
Al

 

Myeh. I guess I could remove it, but I figured it also held them in place.

Having a daughter about to turn 5, my plugged in amp time is pretty limited, and the Blues Jr. comes in third behind a TRRI and Orange Rocker 15.

Someday I’ll probably look at a more elegantly-engineered solution than the bar coaster.

Right now, though, I’m being put to work helping dust a rock collection, and I’m being scolded for losing focus on the project at hand.

 

I don't have a solution to your problem, don't live in the Austin area, but you're welcome to send the free beer up here to Ft Worth.