Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed Special Edition

Boring, I'll skip this part. Not much to say that hasn't been covered. I got a mint condition one used about 4 hours, all stock and then I modified it. I put a 60's Jensen P12P in it first keeping the circuit stock. It was a big improvement right there so I never looked back at the stock RI C12N. Then I moved on the add Bill M mods like so many have done. I started with the presence knob, then did the power stiffening, tone stack, twin mids, bent steel between the transformers, and put a white LED in a real red pilot jewel. These ALL helped make the amp sound better. I also put JJ EL84s in it and NOS GE 12AX7s, which also helped get about 1.5 % better sound. The features are actually better than some more simple amps and it makes for a pretty versatile package.

First off, the stock amp sound was ok, about what I expected since I have heard a couple of BJ's before. The Jensen RI sounded a bit better than the stock speaker, but only marginally. It is still a tight (uptight?) and fairly bright sound. The vintage Jensen warmed it up a bit but still sounded surprisingly modern. Overall a full-range tone that I really liked. This was an expensive speaker @ $100+s/h so not everyone will want to do this. I had an Eminence Texas Heat which I was going to try ($57) but no need, the Jensen is great so it stays. Maybe one day I'll fool around with speakers some more.

The mods helped bring in more bass and eliminate much of the boxiness, exactly as promised by Bill M on his site. I also purchased the Indyguitarist mods which I can try if I'm not entirely satisfied but read on...

Each of the mods really made the amp sound more like a boutique amp. Ok, it really just took it from sounding like a production-line mexican-made tube amp (which is not such a terrible thing) to sounding "whoa -that's some mighty good tone". The stock sound is a step above a transistor amp, but as far as tube amps go, kind of bland. First off, EL84's are not bassy sounding and will generally not sound as big & warm as 6L6's EVER; they can't, it's their design so just forget about getting a Super Reverb tone out of your BJ. However, the Bill M mods help a ton.

So what I end up with after the mods is a much more usable amp that can be clean or dirty. The clean has good enough headroom for jazz and the dirty isn't so loud that your hearing suffers permanent loss. What is very interesting to me is how well the tone controls work. They can really change the character of the amp. Twiddle some knobs and you can make a really bright and jangly sound or dark & meaty. Use the Volume and Master knobs. The speaker I put in is very responsive and does not do anything I don't like (most speakers will have something that annoys me like too bassy or a mid frequency I can get rid of or just not lively enough).

At this point I would recommend the amp WITH THE MODS, but without them, it's really just a so-so tube amp. What is good to know is that the mods don't cost alot and the quality of the tone is inherent -you can coax it out with a few caps and some soldering. It is still a somewhat bright amp and I may or may not try the cooler bias mods one day.

I don't know how well it's going to hold up -one of the tube sockets is a bit loose and sometimes crackles if the tube wiggles. I may have to put a spring retainer on it. The pots are cheapo tiny plastic circuit board mounted jobs. They sound fine but we'll see how well they hold up.

Na

With mods, GREAT amp which I would put up against most of the more respectable units out there. It would keep up with many vintage amps (though not all of course). It doesn't sound like my other amps which is important to me, but I like it alot better than most new amps in its price range. The fact that Bill M has put up clear instructions on how to make it sound better is more attractive than other makes & models because although they CAN be modded, you really need to know what you're doing first because mods are simply not available online for free.

So big thanks to him for letting the world benefit from his experimentation!!!! He deserves alot of props.

Not sure when this amp was made. The technical features haven been mentioned extensively in other reviews, so I would like to focus on some features that made me decide to buy this amp.

This sounds trivial and unglamorous, but I was looking for an amp that that wouldn???t kill me hauling it up and down two flights of stairs twice a week. I also wanted an amp I could play at home without freaking out the neighbors and at the same time could be used at band practice (In my case, if it works at practice, it works at gigs as well). It should also be a ???serious??? amp: no compromise on tone, all tube, a decent 12??? speaker and a great basic sound. I found and tried many amps that posses most of the above requirements, but not all. For me, this amp has it all ??? great tone in a small package.

Is it versatile? Well, more than I expected it to be. I was amply warned that this amp is a one-trick pony; salespersons at almost every music store I visited were kind enough to point this out to me (they all seemed a bit bemused that anyone actually considered buying this amp). I use this amp for blues, some jazz/fusion and classic rock. I guess it will sound ok at our band???s occasional surf-extravaganza, but not if you play in yer local a slipknot-tribute band. To my surprise, I don???t miss channel switching or the FX-loop at all. Haven???t found a practical use for the FM-switch (yet). ???oh, and a footswitch would have been nice.

Although it lacks most features of most 21st century amps, I still give this amp a relatively high rating since it excels in some features that I think are relevant

I was a bit apprehensive before buying this amp. Based on previous experiences with two HotRods, I dismissed the modern fenders as being too bright, even harsh-sounding with an unpleasant drive. But I was soon won over by the sound of this amp. The sound of this amp is limited, but very good. ???Fender clean??? and more mellow, jazzy sounds are superb. Mild overdrive/break-up sounds equally great; full overdrive on this amp sounds good ??? not great.

The sound is open and transparent and it doesn???t tire me. It brings the character of my guitars to life; they each sound different and each of them sounds good on this little amp. I own several guitars (the usual lot) and don???t have a specific favorite, but the biggest surprise was how well my 335 sounds on this little box. By the way: it loves stompboxes, but I don???t really need them on this amp (besides the obligatory TS9).

It???s not noisy at all and yet louder than you???d expect. The reverb sounds good and is usable but for my taste becomes a bit too much above 4. However, it still is a small amp. It lacks the punch, oomph, growl and roar of bigger amps. But compared to amps within the same sound-, size- and price range, I don???t think you???ll easily find a comparable sound of this quality.

It???s a Fender. It looks reliable enough.

No experiences. Abundant authorized service centers in Europe ??? so I expect no problems there.

Before buying this amp, I???ve tried and compared a lot of gear. I seriously considered buying a modeling amp or solid-state, even tried to get back a Sessionette75 (still do actually). Tried every small tube-amp I came across: from the Epi Valve Junior to the Boogie 5:25. The Fender won it on its clean sound and size.

I???ve been playing for over 25 years and over time collected a lot of gear; some of it stayed, most of it went. I???m certainly not a big Fender fan ??? had too many disappointments with their stuff. But this one will definitely stay and I think I would seriously consider replacing it if something would happen to it. Serious contenders would then be a Koch Studiotone (came in second place, fantastic amp!) or perhaps something like the 5 watt Laney Lionheart (couldn???t find one yet).

Amps that have stayed are a Line6 HD stack (currently gathering dust, waiting for that arena-gig that never comes, should sell it), an AC30 (my true and only love, as long as I don???t have to carry it), a Roland Micro Cube (which is just fun) and a Peavey Delta Blues (the one with the 15???). The Peavey was a mistake. For some reason I got the impression that it would make a nice bluesy practice amp for at home. Between all the stacks in the shop it looked tiny and it was ???just??? 30 watts. At home it turned out to be a roaring monster. I still think it sounds good and I like it very, very much, but it weighs a ton and has ungainly dimensions (at least on my staircase). The Fender will eventually replace the Peavey I guess??? The clean sounds better and for extra drive I???ll use a pedal.

This is a Fender Blues Junior Limited Edition, laquered tweed amp with the Jensen C12N speaker. Same specs as the stock Blues Junior - two 12AX7 preamp tubes, two EL84 power tubes, 15 watts, fat switch, treble, bass, mid, reverb, volume and master volume switch. The fat switch just boosts the volume (preamp gain). This is one channel.

It's perfect for what I do now, which is old school funk-jazz, latin, afrobeat, southern-tinged blues in small bars and clubs. This has enough power for these venues - it will need a mic for larger places. I love the simplicity of it - but you do get some flexibility by playing with the volume and master volume knobs.

The tweed covering and brown grill look awesome!

The Jensen speaker provides a different sound than the stock. The tone is warmer, more vintage sounding. The stock speaker is very trebly, which I didn't really like. The breakup is not quite as sweet as power tube breakup, but it sounds great nonetheless. You get to a point (depending on your guitar's pickups) where playing softly will get you clean tones, and digging in will get you some dirt.

Just got it, barely used, used it for one gig, so can't tell how reliable it is. But I know these are well made and it seems very sturdy.

n/a

Overall, it's a great value for what it is - a one channel amp that's great for blues, jazz or country. I compared this with the Ampeg J-12T, which is a similar amp, but that broke up much earlier than the Blues Junior and I had read about reliability issues with that amp.

It is a new amp. We play dance music for all so we cover a lot of vintage ground. I just took it to a small vemue and it WAILED. The clean with my Dada's original 1953 Tele was awesome!! The PRS hollowbody clean sounds had sustain for days on single note lines like "wonderful tonight". It blew the guys away and these guys are player's players..(unlike myself). I have been using Boogie recto which is great, but the tubes in this little sucker on 6 were breathing hard and the Keeley pedals just gave the most beautiful sustaining wail...even beat out my Fender Blues Deluxe (60 watts)

LOUD clean soul man stuff, "Sarah Smile" intro was stunning. This amp to me probably because you need to crank it by 4th set, has that mojo we all look for. You know that "recorded" sound live where it was put through neve, harrison, La2a etc etc. on record...sounds like that live. Quiet ..but sits in the mix extremely well. The Boogie is too much for small to medium venues..imuo..firing those groove tubes up hot just is heaven for me. I have a friend..blues.. and he has been begging be to try 2 of them so that's what I'll do. An extra 6 or so db of gain is picked up with amps close together and even without that sonic factoid they will be PLENTY loud enough. I actually got coments from non-pickers. I like cranking the gain to about 4 as it really warms it up. Distortion..no metal here but the Fulltone OCD covers the Marshall to a T. God what a pedal..it does one thing through all my amps..but a serious one trick pony for sure. The '53 tele gave chillbumps in harmony when it came to Stones. I love this amp and plan on having BillM mod it and buy another of course. Talk about an easy load out. With BillM mods you can get extension speaker outlet which will allow me to put 2 12's on 1 amp and the single 12 in the other..mix and match speakers?...probably like matchless. The only amp I have heard to compete is the Victoria 35310 which is expensive but very top shelf.

It's a Fender!

mmmm..not even close to Boogie of course......

Drummer for 10 years in school. Closet guitar player with some other Physicians here..I LOVE the weight..so light and with 2 I'll be in stereo. The Boogie is more versatile and would suit most needs. But with small or large gigs 2 of these little monsters will do it fine..especialyy with the high end stopms now..Man the Keeley sd-1 and bl ..ues driver are IT for me....I wish it had a cleaner boost but I get that from TS-9 set light gain..more level. Yes there is something I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. For years I played Boogie only and always felt the power was too much as the tubes can't breath hard without causing instant deafness. I have always bee looking for just the right amount of wattage and volume. Come on now guys!!! W H O is always the loudest player?..usually the drummer or us. Another thing is the LOW end supprised me. I chose this as a practice bedroom amp and it is great for that but discovered my new rig!!!

Made in Mexico

Blues Classic rock, and slide zone Blooze

Has reverb, 'fat' switch, and 'master' volume control..GOOD STUFF

One channel, NO channel swiitching, effects loop, or phone jack.

Could use a h-phone jack, but for some reason, no mfr. includes a headphone jack on tube amps. Standby switch would be useful!

At home use...no road tours for this Blues tone-questiog geezer

Bought this amp because I blew a speaker in my '66 Super Reverb

Best sounding amp for around $500 because of the Italian Jensen 12" speaker. Perhaps better tubes, because its much more quiet than the Pro Junior.

Fits my style just fine. Good clean tones too. Gain? well I just use my Fulltone OCD...gain is just fine!
On its own...decent gain can be had with the Master Volume too.

Time will tell. Hope it goes better than my 'thumping' Deluxe reissue

Had past negative experience with a '65 Deluxe Reverb reissue....thumping tremolo.

Fender Inc. made 3 attempts to fix; could not....shop gave me full credit...bought a G&L Legacy and never thought I would give Fender Inc. another shot...nver say "never". They tried, and the shop (Bananas @ Large...yes thats their name) made good.

Playing over 45 years...still a student. Have mastered some difficult licks/phrases.

yes I would replace if lost stolen or strayed

Comps: Pro Junior...guess I am a reverb junkie and like the tone of at least 2X 10" speakers. 1X12" of the italian Stallion Jensen sounds nice and full to my ears

also compared it to a rgular Blues Jr. the Laquered Tweed is $130 better for sure! But I am picky and like the tweed cover looks.

Been wanting one of these for a while. Finally found an excuse to bring one home

One channel all tube. I would sum this amp up as simple. The only feature is reverb. I bought 2 have owned them for a year now, play one or both depending on size of the room. I have almost always used one. Do not buy this amp if you are looking for a clean sound, crank it nice slight overdrive, great with single coils bright sound. Best part is I can carry both amps my bag and gretsch in a club in one trip, very handy in NY city.

The amp makes one sound good for blues, rockabilly and classic rock with addition of blues driver/tube screamer. I play rockabilly/pychobilly/punkabilly, ad a gretsch all set. Also not bad with strat/tele. I luv simple stuff, plug in 10 seconds of messing with the knobs and you can play.

The amp has never let me down, I play alot so I have changed the tubes but that was to prevent sound deterioration. You dont have to bias it due to low power so its a cheap fix.

n\a never busted

I have been playing since 1990 when I was a wee lad. I have owned the full spectum of equipment some I sold and kick myself (marshall jcm800 stack) ya id never use it but man it was cool. Some I wish i had never bought. This amp I will never sell. I bought a vox to use for other projects, but if you like the one trick keep the pony.

2006 all the tweed you need. Ok, so here is what I like about the features... they are minimal (i could even live without the reverb)

This amp sounds good on a relative scale... for it's size, cost and weight, it excels, but it certainly does not fill a room like a 4X10 bassman. So... I like the sound quality reatively speaking : )

pretty new, but seems put together with some care... plus has 5 yr warranty so...

n/a

overall, this amp serves the purpose I bought it for... portable, good, reliable tone. I totally dig it, and it doesn't hurt that my wife thinks it is "cute" so I can leave it in the living room!!

It's probably not fair to give it an official rating after offering a review in July, so instead, a commentary:

A few years back, I a/b'd a bunch of boutique amps, including Bogner Shiva, Top Hat and a Dr. Z 2-10 Maz 38. Problem I had with the Shiva was, in order for it to really come alive, it had to really get loud. Problem with the Top Hat is it was a little too high-midrange for my taste. Of the three I liked the Dr. Z the best, but it seemed to go from 0 to 80, without as much plug-n-play 'in-between' as I'm used to.

One of the salesguys at the small, independent shop I was visting said, "Close your eyes and let me plug you into something that'll blow you away." I was game, and sure enough, the mystery amp sounded amazing. I was thinking, "Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about."

You guessed it, THAT amp was a Blues Jr.

Since then, I have gigged with some very nice, vintage and high-end amps; I own an exceptionally nice sounding 67 Vibrolux Reverb. My favorite two boutique amps on the market currently are the Z. 1-12 Maz 38 Sr. and the Bogner Metropolis.

The class A circuit Blues Jr NOS with the Jensen C12N ceramic speaker and a set of JJ tubes does not sound exactly like any of the above amps, but it provides an equivalent sonic value, and in terms of sweetness of tone, it excels, IMHO.

Which brings me to the reason for the re-review. I just picked up a 2nd NOS tweed Blues Jr., and gigged with both, simultaneously, tonight.

If you haven't tried this, you owe it to yourself. The tone was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I had the hair standing up on the back of my neck all night long. I used a 61 SG Reissue with WCR Coils pickups and a 50's style Strat with Van Zandt Vintage Plus's. Holy S**t. Friggin's incredible. And the comments - I've never had so many people compliment my tone, even a few who weren't guitar players!

I paid $475 for both, new, including tax, so for $950, not only do I have an affordable tone monster for a combined amp, but I can lift it in two stages, significantly lightning the load.

And to the guy who bought one of these used and said it didn't measure up, you might replace the tubes and take it to a reputable amp tech and have him check it out. I just can't see it - something may be wrong with that amp.

Do you know what year the amp was made in?
2006.

Is the amp versatile enough for you and the styles of music you play?
YES.

What are those styles?
CLASSIC ROCK, BLUES, JAZZ

How many channels?
1.

Does it have channel switching?
NO.

Effects loops?
NO.

Headphone jack?
NO.

What features do you wish it had?
CHANNEL SWITCHING, EFFECTS LOOP, HEADPHONE JACK

Why?
FOR VARIATION AND QUIET PLAYING

Are there features you never use?
NO

Where do you use this amp?
CLUBS, BEDROOM

Does it have enough power for you?
YES, OTHERWISE I MIC IT

Feel free to enter any other features (stereo, tube or solid state, etc.).
MASTER VOLUME, FAT SWITCH, ALL TUBE EL-84, REVERB

What kind of sounds can the amp make? How much variety?
CLASSIC ROCK DISTORTION, JAZZ CLEAN, BLUE DIRTY. GREAT VARIETY

Is the clean channel distorted at high volumes? In what settings?
NO

How brutal is the distortion?
GREAT FOR CLASSIC ROCK.

What guitar and pickup styles are you using it with?
IBANEZ S, FENDER STRATOCASTER, GIBSON LES PAUL

How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)?
EXCELLENTLY. ROCK, BLUES, JAZZ.

Is it noisy? On what settings, and in what environments?
NO

Can you depend on it?
YES

Would you use it on a gig without a backup?
NO

Has the amp ever broken down? Because of neglect of regular servicing (as in tubes), or just plain neglect?
NO

If you've dealt with the company, how helpful/friendly were they?
N/A

Ever try and get it repaired? Was the repair done under warranty?
NO

Were you able to find an authorized service center easily?
N/A

How long is the warranty?
FIVE YEARS TRANSFERRABLE

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?
35-YEARS, SEMI-PROFESSIONALLY. I OWN ALL KINDS OF MASS-PRODUCED AND BOUTIQUE GEAR. THIS IS THE BEST AMP I HAVE EVER OWNED IN 35 YEARS.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?
YES

what do you love about it? What do you hate?
TONE


Did you compare it to other products? Which ones? Why did you choose this one?
NO

Anything you wish it had?
NO

Anything else you'd like to share?
NO

2004 Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed Limited Edition. Reissue Jensen speaker and JJ Tesla tubes. All stock.

Okay -- c'mon now, people. This amp sounds decent enough -- but this isn't anywhere near a "10". All you folks that rate this amp a "10" - have you actually played good high end and vintage amps? The Blues Junior Limited might be a fine amp for only $500, but plug it in next to a Dr. Z MAZ 18 Junior and then you'll know what a "10" sounds like. Next to something like the Dr. Z, the Tweed Blues Junior sounds thin, cheap and boxy. Sorry, but is time it was said here. I have owned one, and I liked it -- but it rates a 4 or 5 at best. And that reverb is truly aawful.

Seems solid enough -- but that tweed veneer rips so darn easily. Never had a problem with it otherwise.

N/A

I have played for thirty years. The Blues Junior Limited might just be the most overrated amp ever. I'm not saying its terrible -- it is simply an adequate amp that is probably best used as a home practice amp. I can't imagine any guitarist with good chops would use thing for anything important. It is dang loud -- that is for sure -- but it has little girth to its tone. It seems to work pretty well with pedals, by the way. BUT THIS AMP IS NO CLASSIC.

Just received the relic version of this amp after bidding for it on ebay. I must say that it was well worth the search and the dosh. I played through every amp I could get my hands on both bigger and smaller. Some had more features but none had the presence and tone of this little guy. I say little only becuase I have been playing through a borrowed 59 Bassman but the sound is not small. It does just what is says on the box. No whistles and bells no loops just sweet tone tone tone. If you can find one of these buy it if you can find two of them buy them

I play mostly Blues so this amp suits me down to the floor. I use a 56 Strat Relic and a 1946 Gibson L-7 set-up for slide and this amp is just the ticket for both. It works well in a small room and a big room as well. 15 watts make it very quiet so it works well for recording. It can also be miked and used in a club venue. Reminds me of seeing Robin Trower in Detroit on stage with his Strat and a single tiny amp. Couldn't sound better, just couldn't. Perfectly matched to my guitars and playing style.

Only just started using it but I have never had problems with Fender amps. Even the crappy ones seem to keep on going.

Never delt with Fender direct always with the dealer and never really had to do that.

This is a great little amp which has already become collectable. The Jensen speaker just sings. The only problem with this amp is that friends are always asking to borrow it and I don't like the way people eyeball it when using it in a club. I had to lose this amp but would pay a small ransom to have it returned if it was nicked. The relic version is a nice touch if you have vintage equipment it fits right in. Skip the tolex model and find a relic or tweed and just plug in.

Just recently purchased my tweed Blues Junior amp. I love the sound that it produces (both clean and gritty) thanks to the master volume and regular volume. I love the tweed look. Couldn't afford the 57 tweed twin, so this one will have to do. But at least this one has a great reverb which the 57 twin tweed is lacking. I use this amp primarily for playing the blues and it fits the bill very nicely. This amp sits beside my 65 twin reverb. They compliment each other very well. I am hoping to purchase a foot switch that will allow me to switch from one amp to the other, and allow me to play through both amps simultaneously.

The amp can be a git noisy, but not bad. Just need to keep the pickups faced away from it.

I play my Fender Strat and Epiphone's copy of the Gibson es-175 through the amp. I notice that the humbucker pickup on my Epiphone gets a bit more of a "growl" (great for some blues riffs) from the amp than my Fender. This amp has plenty of distortion for my taste.

So far, the amp seems totally dependable. No problems as of yet.

Haven't needed Fender Customer Support as of yet and hopefully won't have to.

I've been playing off and on for approximately 40 years.

It would break my heart if the amp became lost or stolen. This is why I have insurance on my instruments. Yes, I would replace it with the same product (if I could still find one).

I'd still like to pick up a Leslie speaker. Guess I'm a bit nostalgic when it comes to vintange instruments and sounds.

This amp has the features you would expect in a little tube amp made to sing the blues. It has a Master volume, so you can use the gain knob to dial in from clean to funky, then you can push the small fat button and dial in some more grit -sweet!
Does it have a bunch of other sounds and effects? No- that's not what it is about. it does have reverb - it does not have a stand-by switch or a foot switch. One of the features has got to be how it looks - the vintage tweed is really nice

This amp is quiet - maybe that is expected from 15 watts vs. my hot rod deluxe at 40 watts - but if you crank it up it is plenty loud.
The sound is great rich / warm and vintage - you can dial in plenty of variations. it sounds great with both my deluxe Strat and with my Epi Sheraton with P-90's. you don't need pedals to get funkadelic
you just plug and play.... and have a nice day, whatever

It looks, feels and smells tough

Standard Fender warrenty - I think they are in bussness to support mussicians and not for the fast buck - so I guess I am going to rate this high.

I am going to rate this high because it was everything that I bought it for - great bluesy tone - maintains tone at lower volumes - and it looks great with my sunburst Strat next to it.

The Blues Jr. Relic was only sold at Guitar Center as far as I know.
It is a tweed version that has been distressed (translates to made to look ratty). It is exactly the same as the black Jr. inside except for the speaker. They put a Jensen P12R in this one, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! I played it next to a black one in the store, and they
were like night and day!! This amp captures the feel of the Super Reverb (with those 4 P10R's) without the volume!!! (15 watts Vs 40 watts). It's all tube with bass/mid/treble, reverb, and a FAT switch.
The only things it doesn't have are a stand-by and effects loop (but
you don't need effects with this one).

The Relic can go from sweet with great high end sparkle to all the growl you need. My 52 reissue Tele and this amp were made for each other. I also play a Clapton Strat, LP Custom Lite, 335, and a Carvin
electric acoustic (EC175) and all can find great sounds thru it. My music ranges from 60's british & Dylan to Blues, and all of my stuff
likes the Jr. Simply, the tone is there.

I've had it 2 years...no trouble yet.

Fender is great. I haven't dealt with them on this piece, but I have
always been satisfied with them on other things.

I've been playing for over 40 years, and I've played my share of
equipment' and I couldn't drop coin on this amp fast enough.
It's amazing what the alnico equipped P12R did for this piece.
Would I get another if I had to? Truthfully, I would get a CLEAN tweed version and replace the speaker. I am also toying with the idea of buying a black copy (cheaper) and droping in the Jensen
for a back-up.

This is probably one of the best known little amps out there, so I won't bore you with all the specs and features. They are the same as the standar Blues Junior. However, this amp is the Lacquered Tweed Special Edition, not relic, not blond, just Laquered Tweed.

That means that the amp is covered in a beautiful laquered tweed tolex that gives this amp a rich deep tweed color like the vintage ones but with a NOS (new old Stock) look. Also, the crappy Emminance speaker found in the standard blues junior has been upgraded to a made in Italy Jensen speaker.

So, the tweed plus the speaker and the fact that it is a limited run, adds $150 to the cost of the amp over a regular BJ.

I'll give it a 9 since it should have included the foot switch

I got this amp to compliment my other amp sounds and get some blues sounds without too much tweaking. My other Amps inlcude a THD Univalve run through a 2x12 Avatar Cab with Celestion speakers, and a Marshall Valvestate 1x10 combo unit.

I use a Fender American Ash Telecaster, a Les Paul clone, and a Takamine Acoustic.

I was looking for an amp that was low wattage so I can get tube distortion without going deaf and that it could play clean enough for the acoustic.

This amp exceeded my expectations. The sound that comes from this small box is amazing. It doesn't sound boxy at all and the bass notes are all there. The whole combo seems to resonate so when listenting to it in a room, it is hard to know where the sound is coming from. Is very non-directional, or three dimensional like.

The reverb is decent. I never liked too much reverb any ways, so I keep my reverb no higher than 3.

The clean sound is very, very nice. It makes my Takamine sing, the sustain that I can get is awsome and the harmonics just as amazing. The highs are like shivering bells but without being overwhelming and the bass notes just full and warm, the mids fill in the void and makes the guitar sound like its natural unplugged sound, just louder. Perfect!

Of course, if you want some break up, just raise the volume a bit on the amp and increase the guitar volume and then you can create nice warm tube breakups with just the attack of the pick.

The Grove Tubes EL84's that come with the amp are rated at a 9 or so, so they have plenty of headroom for acoustic stuff. If you like an earlier breakup, get a pair of matched JJ's EL84's with a rating of 5. Enough head room and they get crunchy earlier than the standard tubes.

If you want a boutique sounding amp for a fraction of a cost, then this is it.

I have to give this small tube amp a fairly low rating on features because it doesn't have all that stuff that you can find on bigger amps or small modern digital amps. But my approach is simple so it suits me. The reverb sounds fine set between 2-3, but I can't see ever having pass 4-5. I am still learning when to use the fat switch, which, at first, I thought was superflouous. I wanted a tube amp that could produce a great tone and would not break my back to carry around. I have a Music Man 2x12 that I passed on to my son since he has the back for it. I have not wanted to get back into the Music Man as I can kick ass with the BJ or groove with mellow tones, ... whatever I'm in the mood for. I'm planning on buying an A-B switch so I can have both my electric guitars go into the one input.

I use a standard 70's Strat (single coils) and a Joe Pass Epiphone (humbuckers) for two very different sounding instruments. The music I like is all over the place (rock, pop, jazz, latin stuff, blues, R&B), but I tend to like funky, jazzy bluesy sounds. With tweaks of the guitar and amp controls I can settle into sounds that work for all "my stuff." The NOS tweed version of the Blues, Jr. is cleaner sounding to me than the standard version of the amp and I had to fork over the extra cash for it. I use the amp primarily in my music room and I run it pretty clean with volume on 3 and master up to whatever I need but usually at 5. The Trebble and Bass usually sit around 8 and the Mid is at about 2-3. (I too have found that the amp sounds more dynamic with the Mid cut back) I don't know about the "breaking in" of the speaker, but the amp can be harsh. It's got a great clean sound the way I set it. I'm still finding lots of sounds and tone in the amp, so various tweaks in the guitar, amp and effects tone knobs create lots of variations - almost too many for me. I like things simple so I don't budge the amp controls that much. I use Boss Compression and Blues pedals. My Epi's bass can overwhelm many amps but with this amp the bass sounds pretty clean and feedback is manageable. With default amp settings, the bridge pu on the Strat is harsh though, so I either have to roll of the Trebble or stick to the other pu's. I've been doing the later lately and enjoying mixing the tones as your can do on the Strat's 2nd and 4th pu's. I don't plan to play big halls so I think the presence of the amp will work for me. I'll know something about how it will work in performance next month when I actually get out and play for some people.

I'm banking on the well known Fender quality. My Strat has not given me any problems in over 30 years of playing. I hope this little amp will follow suit. I've had it only a couple of months. While I can't attest to this amp's particular reliability, I can say that I tried several other amps over a period of months in the store. I was dismayed to see how many of the amps in the guitar store would develop problems from the constant playing by customers. I took a Vox amp home to try out and it acted up on me and three of the Vox floor models had issues that the salesman could not fix. I never noticed any problems with the Fender BJ's though.

Never had to call Fender customer support.

I've been playing for about 40 years, on and off. I own and play a Yamaha solid wood acoustic, a Yamaha classical guitar, a Gitane D-500, a 70's Strat, a Joe Pass Emperor II Epiphone, a beat up OM-16 Martin guitar and a Music Man 75 watt 2x12 amp. I chose this product because it sounded good with both my electric guitars. (You know it sounds decent if the sales people and discerning customers-players come over to listen to you play)I would go to the store and plug in the store's Strat and Epi into various amps, play for a while and repeat the practice the next week. Since things sound differently on different days, I kept going back doing my tests -- it was driving the sales people nuts. I would have liked to have compared it to a Polytone, since I enjoy jazz, but there were more issues noted on the Internet about Polytone realiability and the BJ, tweed version, worked just fine with my guitars. The way I see it, you need to make sure that your guitar(s) and amp combo match well. I had to have an amp that could reach a lot of music genres and this one did it. If it were stolen or lost, I'd probaly play around testing what was out there but there's a good chance I'd select the BJ again.

Great little amp with a retro vibe. Very simple single channel layout with reverb and a fat switch, upgraded with the Jensen speaker and lacquered tweed.

I'm mainly a rockabilly guy and my main guitars are a Gretsch 6120 and Duo Jet.

I mainly use it for club gigs (it's louder than it looks) with the volume on about 8 and the master volume to suit. It has alot of midrange snarl and like the previous reviewer, I play with the midrange backed right off.It has a rawer sound than your typical smooth clean Fender, ideal for the style I play.

I also play jazz and with a tweek to the settings, it makes a fine little jazz combo.

The only mod I made was to swap out the original EL 84's and replaced them with Tesla's which gave me a little brighter and more dynamic tone.

I originally bought this amp to gig with because of the continual problems I'd been having with my AC 15.

It's played many gigs and has never missed a beat.

Also the lacquered tweed is very durable.

Never dealt with them, but it has a 5 year warranty.

Been playing for about 25 years and have owned many amps and I've come to really love this one.

I originally bought it on a whim because I needed something quick and to be honest I wasn't overly impressed initially but after many hours of gigging with it, the tone seems to have opened up and the speaker seems to have broken in nicely.

The only thing I'm not overly impressed with is the reverb. It's really cavernous. It takes you from dry to Dick Dale with half a turn of the knob (I'm a slapback guy anyway so it's not a big issue).

Overall a great little amp.

Low wattage tube amp with three 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes. Jensen ceramic "made in Italy" speaker. Fat switch which increases preamp circuit gain. Single channel, master-volume design with midrange control in addition to bass and treable dials. Cabinet is particle board and wiring is PCB. A low cost amp dressed up with some laquer and a speaker upgrade.

For what it's designed for, I give it a 10. Heck, I'd give it a 12 if that were allowed.

First, the obligatory background: I have played professionally since the 1970's. I currently play in two bands, and pick up work from time to time (check out my personal website, http://www.guitardavetaylor.com ). I use all kinds of electric guitars, including a stock Gibson 61 SG reissue, a heavily modified Epiphone Emperor archtop, reissue Strats and Teles, you get the picture. I have owned and operated vintage and newer Fenders, including a '59 Champ, '64, 65, 66 and 67 Super Reverbs, 65, 71 and 65-reissue twins, Blues Deluxe(s), 2-12 Blues Deville, 67 Vibroluxe. (note - I am not a collector - these have all been players).

I play jazz, blues, funk, rock, and assorted other flavors.

Now back to the original statement, "For what it's designed for...". This amp is strictly old-school blues, r&b. You plug straight in and crank it. On the right settings, it has a creamy overdrive without having to lean to heavily on the master volume. The midrange control is a nice feature because, at full volume, this amp sounds great with the midrange rolled completely off. That's right. Turn the damn midrange off - the 'boxy sound' problem goes completely away and the amp really comes to life.

BTW, I played this same amp with the stock Eminence speaker, and the Jensen is a huge improvement. It puts you right in the sweet spot.

Note - if you want screaming distortion, this is not the right amp for you. If you want rich, warm overdrive that makes people in the audience go "Yea!", check it out.

Aside from owning a few other brands over the years, I've owned Fenders since 1976 and have never had many problems. The few I've had were very serviceable.

Have never dealt with Fender Warranty service.

Overall rating = I use it to supplement my other sounds. It sets next to a higher wattage amp that gets used with a Tube Screamer for more edge and sustain. Using an a/b box, I switch to this amp for that fat, "old school" tone, sans effects. It rocks.

Brand new 2005 I believe, Tweed lacquer finish, Jensen C12N speaker. I just sold my american made Fender Blues Jr with a 12 Emenence Speaker all though it never said anything other than fender musical instrument on it. I bought this one because it looks better to me and the sound is better. My old 2000 jr had a hum noise inherent with the reverb, a problem they have sense solved. Made in mexico I am not to keen on but it appears to be the same amp just up graded speaker and covering with out the reverb hum. So all in all I am very happy. This is a must amp for any guitar player a deffinate work horse that never fails.

I have been playing for 41 years. I play Xaviere copy of ES335 which is better than my 335 and a Strat Deluxe thru it and both sound great. My style is mainly blues but I can rock as well as play jazz. If you haven't picked up to the new Xaviere model X900 you might want to scope it out on ebay. That is the only place you can buy it and the only person selling it is Jay. For the money one hell of a guitar. You can read my review on it as well here at HC.

There is no Amp made more reliable than a fender.

Fender factory has always been very helpful in answering any questions I have about any of there products and have always been good to deal with.

I would not be without one. In addition I intend on adding another piece of equipment to my arsenal soon which will be Crate Power Block stereo amp which sounds excellent for an amp that is no tube. I love this guy because it is so small it fits in your glove compartment and makes a great back up amp in case any problems should happen on sight at a gig. After playing thru one plugged into a celestian I am sold that this is a great sounding amp for the money and built solid. 150 watts stero I believe and very impresive. Small is good best and better. Tired of lugging big amps around.

First let me say that the amp I'm reviewing isn't just the laquer tweed Fender Blues Junior. This is a laquer tweed Blues Junior that has gotten the modding treatment by Bill Machrone, a tube amp tech in New Jersey.
his web page on Blues Jr modding is http://home.comcast.net/~machrone/bluesjunior.htm.
He can be emailed at machrone@comcast.net
I believe his website has instructions on how to upgrade your Blues Junior, but I just mailed him the chassis out of mine and he did some magic on it.

He modifies the tone stack with orange drop caps. He adds bias pots which work individually on each power tube so that not only can you Bias the amp...but you can use unmatched tubes.

He also adds a presence control...all for about 120.00

Let me say that when I bought this amp it was very good. I could give it all the superlatives the "relic" guy gave it for his Blues Junior....
But after I got this thing back. Well I got to figure I have the ultimate boutique amp here. I can't live without the presence control this guy added. He made the drive sounds a lot smoother when you turn down the master.The bass is really defined and doesn't flop around at cranked volumes. I'm thinking of getting rid of all my other amps because of this little guy. The reverb is better too. If you are a tech...just read his web site and maybe understand better what he does.
All i can say is that it's the best amp I've played.

Blues Juniors are put together cheaply. But the cost is low and the thing sounds so good...If it ever breaks I'll go through whatever it takes to restore the thing to whatever specs it is now.

After the mods you void the warrantee. I don't care. It was worth it.

I'd don't care how much you love your BJ. Bill Machrone can make it better.

The amp I am submitting this review on is the Fender Blues Jr., Special Edition, Tweed, with the 12" Italian made Jensen Speaker.
What a surprise!!
Here's the deal; I have been on the "hunt" for the sound, we all know what that's like, not fun, but it is a journey.
I'm playing a '04 Powerhouse Strat, with the 12DB overdrive built in.
The sound I want will range from "Creamy overdriven Clapton", "Clear-Driven-Carlos's sustain", Mark Knopfler's un-mistakable sound from "Sultans of Swing", the "Hollow-Gritty-Hear the Ridges" on the 4th, 5th., & 6th. string of SRV, to the almost spiritual sound of Hendrix's Axis, Bold as Love, .... and I want it using as little pedals as possible.
Using an T-S9 Tube Screamer, not overly distorted, an old DOD EQ, just to be able to contoll the high & mids, then, using the master volume, in conjunction with the standard volume control ... IT NAILS THEM ALL!
1 channel, no loops, no headphone jacks, just sraight forward.
It does have a "FAT" option that adds just the wright on "fullness" to the sound. (note: the foot switch is "optional".
My othe guitars include a '72 Tele Thin-Line that I purchased new, which is set up for "slide only" as well as a Washburn ES20 Eric Sandias/Elecrict Resonater, also for slide. They all sound great.
Don't let the 15 Watt rating make it sound like it's only for the bedroon.
I've been using it in mid-size clubs & @ 1/2 it's rock'n, and sounding purrrrrfect!
My other amp is a Mesa F-50, withan addition 1-12" cab, which I love, but this little Jr. damb near fits in my back pocket ha-ha!

I think I wrote most of my thought already, but sound wise I give it great marks!
It was suggested that one couold change the tubes to ones that would "break-up" at a highr point, giving more to the clear end, which I may consider, but right, it all good!

I'm hoping ....... 6 months ago I purchased 2 differnt Hot Rod Deville's, 1 the reverb spring was broken, returned for another, and the drive channel made so much noise, I took it back and bouth the F50.

No comment regarding this amp

I been playing 38 years, yes you are right, I did start at 3!!
I love this question, "If it was lost or stolen", man, that would be a heartbreak, it doesn't leave my sight, or someone I know,but YES, I would buy one again.
Please remember, this is not the standard Blues Jr.
On another note: for those playing a strat, I just purchased the "Clapton 25DB" kit to upgrade my 12DB, which is now available for around $75.00.
If let on 0, sounds stay clean, as yuo move towards 10, the sounds "fatten" as you boost both the Mids as well as the voulme.
It's like have an EQ at your finger tips ... just something to take with you on your journey towards your own sound!

I'm taking the time to write this review in hopes of dispelling some misconceptions about this amp. I am refering to the Blues Junior Ltd. Edition Relic. There is also a non-relic version with a different speaker reviewed elsewhere. This "Relic" version, is a very specific amp. I believe this was a short lived edition that Fender produced to test the waters for relic merchandise, and to mess with stock Blues Junior owners.

As of this writing, what was produced, is out there, done.

Basically, it's a Blues Junior. Same guts and schematic as the licorice flavored black Tolex models. The Blonde vanilla versions, same thing. You can obtain the details from other posts and on the Fender website. The only significant difference, (and a BIG one) is the speaker (Jensen P12R) and a rather amusing job of "distressing" the lacquered tweed covering, knobs, handle, and faceplate. At 15W, it will not humble a Dumble but in it's own way, I believe it merits a place in the pantheon of must have amps.

I have a rather modest group of four guitars. A JLV Strat with Kinman AVn Blues; a stock MIM Tex-Mex w/Rosewood slab; a Epi LP Gold-Top RI with SD P90's: and finally, a LP Classic with SD59's. A good cross section of rock and blues tools. I have spent a long time burnishing them into sonic shape with modifications, set-ups, string guages, and the like. I am comfortable that whatever talent I possess, I can at least express myself without thinking, "If only I had done this to the ....". Therefore, I set out to find the amp(s) to best compliment these instruments.

Without boring you, let's say I have gone through a rather long list of both stock and boutique circuits in an effort to find THE amp. As most of us can attest, that beast is probably just around the corner, languishing on ebay, or amongst some stunning guitarists stage rig. However, until said beast arrives at my door, I amuse myself with an array of amps that do "this" or "that". I would characterize my preferred style of music as "guitar driven". I'm one of those rhythm players. I would never shy away from taking a solo, but I prefer the lost art of rhythm playing. The parallel would be "sit-ups" as opposed to the use of a "Bowflex" machine.

In the past, I have played through a number of Blues Juniors. Some modified, some not. Each possessed something the others did or did not have. At best, I had always considered the Blues Junior as a "make do" starter amp. Not a Swiss Army knife small combo, but a one note, somewhat flexible low watt amp with iffy reverb. I was never shy about expressing this opinion to others when the Blues Junior entered the conversation, or shared the stage. One day, a very good, respected player I have the honor to know and play with, challenged me to try the "Relic" edition I'm reviewing.

What follows is my testimonial. I bought it on the spot!

Trying to apply creamy, dripping with this or that, clean, lush, tweedy, blackface, glassy, sweet highs, solid mids, deep lows, dynamic response, vintage etc. etc. to any amp, is merely an exercise in thumbing through a Thesaurus. Try as we will, our personal impression and the superlatives or dispersions we cast upon any amp, is a type of salesmanship, intended to convince, (mostly) ourselves that we invested well in our purchase or avoided sonic disaster.

So, what I will say out of complete conviction, is that each guitar, played through this amp, comes as close to what I wanted/dreamed that guitar would sound like. Of course you cannot possibly know what that means, or how it relates to your interest in this amp. The best I can offer is that sonically, this amp is very different from the all the other Blues Juniors I have played. When placing it amongst other players and amps, most if not all agree that this version is something very special.

If pressed, I would identify this amp as a CBGB, (Country,Bluegrass,Blues) amp. Good volume on stage and in the studio. It's only failing might be it's lack of stature to nestle amongst some 100w stacks. High GAIN is not a part of the Blues Junior's circuit design. So perhaps the ROCK in this amp depends on your area of expertise.

In the relatively short time I have owned this amp - it starts and stops on cue. The warranty is still very much in effect. However, if any repairs are needed, my tech will do the work.

On that note, I surrendered the amp to him for a sort of analysis. He confirms that it is in fact a stock Blues Junior. It was agreed that the Jensen RI speaker plays a significant factor in the tone of this amp. Having said that, we removed the Jensen speaker and placed it in a stock Blues Junior (licorice version). After about 10 minutes of play, we both looked at one another and nodded that this was not the same tone we enjoyed from the "relic" cabinet and amp. Stock Fender (Eminence) in relic cab. Stock Blues Junior sound.

We returned the Jensen to it's rightful place. Switched it on, and the magic was back. Go figure.

Customer Support. Yes.

I believe I'm doing my part.

In summation, I return to my opening statement about my interest in dispelling some misconceptions about the Blues Junior Ltd. Edition Relic.

Until now I have not addressed the issue of this amp's cosmetic appearance, other than to list the "distressed" elements rendered so by the effects department at Fender. After some 40 years of playing guitar on and off stage, I believe I can honestly say I have seen and heard some wonderful amps. Some great ones looked like they had traveled from gig to gig on the roof of a Mini-Bus, and did. Fender has created a NOS (Not Only Sound) amp. The cosmetic details, er flaws were intentional in an effort to create the ultimate vintage, "relic" vibe.

There are those persons who find the ownership of a "relic" amp or guitar dishonest. They rail against the lack of authenticity, the audacity and foolishness of paying for a "special effect". Subliminally, the boo-birds claim that the "relic" owner is assuming the mantle of experience without having "paid the dues". These comments are rife with Freudian implications that I will not even attempt to address in this space. To the doubters and purists I say, more of your attention needs to be paid to the music that eminates from the source, than the issues of ego and authenticity some find so crucial to their own enjoyment. I seem to recall that Bob Dylan had this problem some years ago as well.

Hopefully, the Fender marketing department is enjoying their moment of Zen right now.

To continue, I don't feel like an imposter. On the contrary, whenever I play this amp, it feels like I'm finally playing the real thing, whatever that is. I have an amp that gives me very satisfying tone, in a package that permits the random scuff or ding to become part of the design, not cause for an insurance claim. It does not require a roadie to move it, or a tractor trailer to transport it. These are all positive "old fashioned" attributes that any purist could embrace.

Physically, the amp is a throwback to the original amplifier designs of the 50's. Compact, radiolike in size and power. The retro chicken head knobs are period correct as well. All these features characterize the current Hot Rod and Historic Re-issue line of Fender amps. Does that make all the other stock Blues Junior, 59' Bassman, Tweed Twin, and Hot Rod Deluxe owners posers as well? Absolutely not, they are preservationists. Amp huggers if you will.

So please do not assume that the Blues Junior Ltd. Edition Relic is only a marketing gimmick designed to identify the fool with the fake. It is one of those rare magical amps that one must seek out and play, to fully appreciate. It has not caused me to divest of my other amps. They all have their place and function for my needs. I will say, that of late, I am almost always grabbing this amp whenever I go out to play. It's always handy.

If it were stolen?

Not if, so much as when. Several band and jam mates are clearly planning their moment to pounce. Therefore, I cannot imagine someone stealing this amp unless they know exactly what they are stealing. The "relic" finish of this amp acts as a bit of camouflage. It's appearence suggests a broken, worthless garage sale orphan, hardly worth the risk. It's the Walking Stick of the amp kingdom. So, that too is a positive attribute for the uninsured.

The Fender Blues Junior Ltd. Edition Relic is a moment in history. If you own one, it's a little bit of history repeating every time current flows through those tubes. It does not require a second mortgage on your domicile to acquire it, nor the gentle care and feeding that many other amps I have owned must have.

If my only liability owning this amp, is the ridicule and shame for owning a "relic", I can handle that. I'm a bit of a relic myself, with many self-inflicted dents, dings, scuffs and stains. However, turn me on, and I work and play very well with others.

I'd just like to add a few points about this amp that I've noticed from research and playing the amp a few weeks now. The amp does NOT have an adjustable bias. That normally wouldn't be an issue but the rumor is that the amps are biased extremely hot from the factory. The sound is great but unless you are willing to modify this amp by retrofitting a bias control on it, you'll probably go through tubes quicker. Don't get me wrong...the amp sounds great. But I just pulled the tubes to check and even though the amp is brand new, the tubes have that brownish cast to the glass. I have also heard issues with the fact that this amp cuts a lot of corners when it comes to quality. Ribbon connectors to the tubes, plastic tube sockets connected straight to the board, Cheaper components. But again, the sound is awesome...but probably not built to last. My guess is that a "repair" on an amp like this would involve replacing the board entirely more than just replacing individual components.

Sounds awesome clean. Not much distortion quality though.

see above.

For 400 bucks did you really expect a bullet proof transformer, PTP wiring, and a pine cabinet?

Just picked up this baby and paid RETAIL for it. Am I an idiot or what? I'm sure I could have bought it cheaper online or on Ebay. WHy did I walk into a local music store and buy it? Well, because I got to play it first and these are getting hard to find. The salesman said "The tweed makes this amp sound better than the standard model." I kid you not. That was enough to make me try it. Either he was stupid or just saying that to get me to A/B the amp against a standard Blues Jr. Sure enough. The tweed one sounded better. I looked in side and informed him that the speaker and tubes were different and that was probably why. Made in Italy Jensen speaker and Sovtek tubes. Laquered tweed 15 watt class A/B amp with spring reverb. It has a master volume, fat switch and bass/ mid/ trebel Not much else. Solid stete rectifier. That's probably a good thing in this small of an amp. a tube rectifier wouldn't improve sound much at this low wattage and probably hurt reliability.

This amp sounds awesome but it mostly excels at one thing: cleans to mild breakup. Forget about heavy distortion by turning down the master and cranking up the volume. As a matter of fact, I would say that master volumes don't work well with most amps for that. It's not going to sound as good as pushing the tubes from the front with a good pedal or high output pickups. Leave the master on "12" and just adjust the volume. I'd even consider installing a bypass switch myself but it's no big deal. If it gets too loud to get the distortion you like, stick a TS808 or somesuch in front of it and lower the volume instead of lowering the master . The fat switch is worthwhile but I can't believe anyone would buy the "optional pedal" to control it. It's not that big of a change. The reverb is o.k. but like most Fenders it seems to turn into a cavern past 3. A bit thin too. I have a Deluxe Reverb reverb tank I might try with it to see what happens.

But for that tube sound thats lush and full at moderate volumes this amp has got the goods.

It's new but I Do like the way they've got brackets and dampers on the tubes to avoid rattle.

The closest amp I can compare this to would be a blackface Deluxe Reverb. It has the same kind of clean sound with mild breakup, but one less channel and a punchier sound. If you are looking for a tube amp for home and small band work, this is the amp because it's cheaper than boutique amps that sound the same. At least if you shop around unlike me, who just throws money at the first one he sees. It might also work well in a band/bar setting miked for the PA..we'll see about that.
I'd probably like to change the reverb to be better and maybe get rid of the master volume. Other than that it's a great find. a lot different than the standard Blues Jr's in sound...but maybe swapping out the speaker and tubes would bring it up to this one's level.

"Wow".. That was the first word out of my mouth when I plugged my Strat into a Limited Edition "Blues Junior" Tweed Amp(relic). "Awesome" was the second word. Although I don't really care for any of the "relicized" Fender instruments, they are almost always the best sounding products that Fender makes.(I would much rather be the one responsible for whatever rust and/or dings my amps or guitars may suffer.) This particular little flame thrower of an amp was the only one around so.... I did what had to be done: I BOUGHT IT! I was able to get it for $425. too... which was the best price I could find anywhere. (Guitar Center) This amp's reverb is too sweet.. the best in any combo out there when playing clean. The dirty tones are there also... with very useful overdriven distortion sounds at your fingertips. My salesman "John" asked me: "Do you know why this little baby sounds so good?" I guessed right the first time replying: "It's the Jensen speakers ain't it?" John replied, "Yep".
No doubt the Jensen single 12" speaker is at the heart of thus great amps sound but the whole package is worthy of a "10 rating"

If you can find one of these Limited Edition babies (they stopped production) get it! JimmyD said so.

PS: Can you say "Da Bomb?" This amp is it.

Reliable and sturdy. No problems so far. Love it

5 yr. warranty... No problems so far..and don't expect any.

I'm 55 yrs old and have been playing guitar for 40yrs. If this amp was stolen I would dedicate my life and resources to finding the Monster who took it. (you don't want to know what I would do to him/her)