Love for Blues Jr Vs Deluxe Reverb

[texmck54]

I'm torn between these 2 amps for smaller rooms I play. Here in Canada
I'll be paying 2X the price for the Deluxe over the Jr in the used market.
Is the deluxe twice the amp the Jr is I don't use reverb very often & Trem.
would be nice but can get a pedal for that. So what you say members.

 

[blackguts]

I have one of each, the Deluxe Reverb is a little on the heavy side for dragging around to practice and jams. I really like the Blues Junior for that. The Blues Junior's master volume will let me work without pedals if I want, as you can get it pretty grindy at a reasonable volume. However, I have noticed that diming the master and adjusting the gain volume to taste is a more pleasing tone to my ears. The Blues Junior does burn up a set of tubes every year.

 

[JuneauMike]

I have both. The Deluxe is an outstanding amp that just sounds better at low volumes than the blues Jr. Blues Jr. is a really good amp too, but very different from the 6V6. I think overall the Deluxe is more adaptable in a wide variety of situations; small room, large room, apartment playing, etc.

Blues Jr is probably a better modding platform, if you are into that. But the Deluxe is the last amp you'll ever need to own.

 

[JuneauMike]

I have one of each, the Deluxe Reverb is a little on the heavy side for dragging around to practice and jams. I really like the Blues Junior for that. The Blues Junior's master volume will let me work without pedals if I want, as you can get it pretty grindy at a reasonable volume. However, I have noticed that diming the master and adjusting the gain volume to taste is a more pleasing tone to my ears. The Blues Junior does burn up a set of tubes every year.

You can mod the Blues Jr to adjust the bias down if you are really hard on the tubes. Can also upsize the smallish output transformer.

This guy will fix you right up. http://billmaudio.com/wp/

Still think the Deluxe Reverb is more of an all-purpose amp.

 

[tele12]

I'm torn between these 2 amps for smaller rooms I play. ....I don't use reverb very often & Trem.
would be nice but can get a pedal for that. So what you say members.

Smaller room and don't use reverb much.........get the Junior, cheaper and lighter to carry.

 

[NiceTele]

Gigged with both amps. I think if you can handle the extra weight of the Deluxe Reverb, and can stretch your budget, it is a much better amp- low volume or turned up. I was hoping the Blues Jnr would do the small club thing for me, but I was never happy with it. As an alternative on a budget, have a look at the current Peavey Bandit 112..I'm getting some great Fendery tones out of mine..and no pesky tubes!

 

[vangoghsear]

How about a Princeton?

 

[JuneauMike]

Princeton is even more expensive, and coveted, than Deluxe Reverb.

Yeah, don't really care for a stock Blues Jr. at low volume.

 

[clarity451]

I went from the deluxe to the blues junior. The deluxe was obviously the better amp but hella heavy. The main thing about the blues jr is that it sounds boxy in comparison. It's still a solid amp. I would look at the ampeg gvt15. Very good medium between the two that I was happy with before I went vintage.

 

[barker]

I'm torn between these 2 amps for smaller rooms I play. Here in Canada

I'll be paying 2X the price for the Deluxe over the Jr in the used market.

Is the deluxe twice the amp the Jr is I don't use reverb very often & Trem.

would be nice but can get a pedal for that. So what you say members.

Don't forget about the magic little amp that sits right between the BJR and DR, the 68 Custom Reissue Princeton:

Small and lightweight, check.
Great trem and verb, check.
Decent price, check.
No mods required. Priceless

 

[JuneauMike]

You got me there, I didn't realize a reissue PR was out. And it's 6V6 so will likely have a nice deep tone that the BJ lacks. Princeton Reverb RI would be a great option. Good luck finding a used one.

I did most of the BillM mods to my BJ and added a hemp speaker and each one got it closer to leaving the practice amp zone. Then I built a new upsized cab for it and the boxiness is gone. Big crisp tone now. Not sure what a new cab alone does for it but I'll bet it would be a big improvement over the tiny MDF box it comes in. That amp has great bones.

 

[T Prior]

Now the DR is too heavy ? Geesh ! For a minute I thought I was reading a Twin Reverb thread ! :?:

two totally different amps, both excellent. In this scenario you really need to understand the SOUND differences of these two amps...the DR offers the classic Fender 6V6 tone with the classic Fender tone stack on the front end, clean until you get up the knob a bit and drive the output...

On the other hand the Bjr is an EL84 amp, totally different sound. The MV and front end volume allow you to do things that cannot be done with a DR.

I find that these two amps are not even close in tone comparison...but they are both fine.

One is a supposed 22 watts and the other a supposed 15 which in the scheme of things is equal.

If cash is an issue, the Bjr is a fine performer with lots of flexibility.

Oh and it's not as heavy as a DR which actually isn't heavy at all!

 

[telex76]

Blues Jr. is only half the amp the DR is (not even that as far as I'm concerned), but maybe that's all you need.

I'm talking build quality and reliability as much as tone.

 

[davenumber2]

How bout a Pro Junior? Very cheap used and a good sounding amp.

 

[SamClemons]

I think there is a reason folks pay double and more for a Deluxe Reverb or a Princeton. I don't care for the BJ. I would look at some other amps over the BJ...just about any tube amp.

 

[waparker4]

I think there is a reason folks pay double and more for a Deluxe Reverb or a Princeton. I don't care for the BJ. I would look at some other amps over the BJ...just about any tube amp.

Like a peavey classic 30, a carvin, an ampeg, an Ibanez TSA 15 or 30, a Roland blues cube eg. lotta amps out there

 

[Henry Mars]

I went from the deluxe to the blues junior. The deluxe was obviously the better amp but hella heavy. The main thing about the blues jr is that it sounds boxy in comparison. It's still a solid amp. I would look at the ampeg gvt15. Very good medium between the two that I was happy with before I went vintage.

+1 on the Gvt15. I find myself using this amp more than any of my others ... But a speaker change is a must with this amp.

 

[Abu Twangy]

I've had both.

The Blues Jr is more portable--a big factor to me having to carry the amp up and down two flights of stairs every rehearsal and gig.

The BJr also has a "Fenderish" tone--scooped mids but not blackface/silverface.
To me that was a big plus as I had used BF/SF Fenders as my main amps many years ago and had grown tired of the classic Fender sound. So I had a BJr for my main gigging amp as well as a Hot Rod Deluxe and a Pro Jr for six or seven years. All good amps, all different from one another.

After selling them off and going all modeler for a few years I bought a used DRRI. Turns out that it covers a lot of my needs. Also use a Ramparte and an Excelsior for then rest, both more portable than the DRRI.

If I ran into a BJr and could swap out my Ramparte and Excelsior for it, I'd do it. But the DRRI is staying

 

[Jonzilla]

Like a peavey classic 30, a carvin, an ampeg, an Ibanez TSA 15 or 30, a Roland blues cube eg. lotta amps out there

I owned a TSA 15 and blues jr simultaneously for about 24 hours. The TSA 15 sounds great, but was surprising lower volume than the Blues Jr. I had to send it back. Cranked volume on the TSA was about equal to the Blues Jr on 3. I wouldn't consider it as an alternative to the BJr. Maybe the 30 would be better.

 

[uriah1]

Had Jr,..still have (DRRI,TSA15,C30)
The DRRI is prob an amp, everyone should have, however,
I have been gigging with my TSA15...and I am able
to keep up with young drummer, barely, but, he is quite loud.lol
C30 way loud..but, nice too....Jr is nice portable, also...takes
speaker swaps..