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Guitar Tube Amp – Fender Blues Jr. or Others?
October 2, 2008 | 2 Comments
hooper5446 asked:
Look to buy a new amps for my guitar (Les Paul studio). I 'M seeking a truly bluesy tone and a fairly knowledgeble my friend said I should definitely go with a tube amps for that. Most you find are quite expensive. I 'm. looking to spend $ 500 maximum (but would prefer to spend even less). I saw the junior blue cushion of shock, which is at the top of my price range, but gets great reviews everywhere I look at that. Some questions: This is a good amps? As I said, I 'M really seeking that bluesy tone, but also plays some rock. This gives the amps distortion at all settings? Can you suggest any other tube amps in my price range which is worth a look? Thank you!
Look to buy a new amps for my guitar (Les Paul studio). I 'M seeking a truly bluesy tone and a fairly knowledgeble my friend said I should definitely go with a tube amps for that. Most you find are quite expensive. I 'm. looking to spend $ 500 maximum (but would prefer to spend even less). I saw the junior blue cushion of shock, which is at the top of my price range, but gets great reviews everywhere I look at that. Some questions: This is a good amps? As I said, I 'M really seeking that bluesy tone, but also plays some rock. This gives the amps distortion at all settings? Can you suggest any other tube amps in my price range which is worth a look? Thank you!
Comments
2 Comments so far
Generally Fender makes the best tube amps available for budget conscious bluesmen. I would certainly recommend a Fender tube amp for ultimate blues tone at a fair price. I admit I am not that familiar with the Blues jr but I have had lots of experience with Fender Twin tube amps and not only do they produce excellent blues tones, but with their pre amp and channel variations can also produce tones covering every style from Bill Haley to Slayer. Fender tube amps are also rugged and relatively compact making them ideal for gigs on the road.
I assume you’re talking about a new Fender?
Yes, a tube amp is just about the only way you’ll ever capture that warm blues tone you’re looking for.
Having said that, and this is a personal preference, the older the amp the better.
I suggest looking on Ebay for a used amp, try searching for any old Harmony, Silvertone (anything made by Sears prior to 1977), Ampeg, any older Fender (Champ both silver face, or better yet Black face,). The older Fenders can be very pricey, but are well worth the money.
So far as effects….distortion, reverb, delay….you’ll be hard presseed to find an older tube amp with these effects, not saying they aren’t out there….but once you’ve played through an older tube amp, you’ll learn how to manipulate the volume and tone controls on both the amp and your guitar to get just about any sound you’d like.