Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed Special Edition

This amp was made in 2009 for Sam Ash in limited production. Made in Mexico. I believe 125 were made. Mine is number 60 of 125. All the same knobs and switches as the regular BJ's but it has the blonde/tan tolex with black sides. Super cool look. It also has the 8ohm 12" fender re-issue "Gold Label" speaker. I wish it had a standby switch but from what I understand you can get one now from BillM for about $20.00 and put it in yourself. Plenty of power with it's 15 watts. It comes with 2 EL84's and 3 12ax7's and they are the fender/sovtek tubes that everyone changes when they get home/extra money. For the super cool looks and cream chicken head knobs I give it a 9.

I play a usa strat with stock pups and it sounds as good as my NOS limited edition MIM tweed BJ I have. I just did a side by side with my morley a/b box. I did change the tweed el84 tubes to jj's a short while ago and left the stock fender/sovtek 12ax7's but the black and tan has the stock tubes and the speaker and tubes are new as well so take that into consideration. The black and tan broke up a little sooner on the same settings and sounded just a slight bit darker. Probably the tubes and speaker but I like it that way. Probably will upgrade the tubes later after they break in but will leave the stock speaker. The tweed has the ceramic 12" in it and the two played together sound awesome together. The reverb sounds the same on both. I find it very useable on the two or three songs that call for it but I dont use much reverb other than that. I like the light weight and the fact that it's very useable. If you need more volume just stick a good mic in front of it.

So far so good. I just got it. My usa pro jr and my mim NOS tweed BJ are holding up good so far so no need to worry. I do gig sometimes without a backup but only when I'm close to home. If I travel I always bring a backup.

I have two world class amp techs that keep all my gear rolling when needed so I'm covered. I've heard horror stories about fender warranty work so good luck.

I have been playing for over 35 years and have owned a lot of tube gear and others as well. I find that the blues jr fits into my working collection very nicely. When the weather is bad I just load a BJ into the truck and mic it at the club. Sometimes you don't even need the mic because it has a loud 15 watts and good reverb. I play fender tube amps only but have ownedsome solid state stuff in the past. The only solid state amp I ever played live was a bone stock marshall lead 20 and with a mic in front at the club we played that thing rocked the house so go figure. Just that special guitar/amp combination. Happy hunting for your grail.

As seen in other reviews, it has 15W of all-tube power and basic controls: Treble, Mid, Bass, Volume, Master, Reverb & a "FAT" switch. There's only one channel and it has no standby (which is why I gave a 9). Standby would've been nice, but I get around it by using my BOSS Noise Suppressor pedal in "Mute" mode, thus creating a pseudo-standby. No big deal, though. This amp was an upgrade from my cheapo Epiphone practice amp. I use the amp mostly for practice, small gigs and recording, as its 15W is plenty for that.

The tweed finish really caught my eye, as well as the layout of the controls. Basic and to-the-point, unlike a lot of the junk on modern amps with built-in effects. I play Rockabilly, so I use effects pedals to get my tone. All I need from this amp is basic EQ and I let the pedals do the rest, since I go for a raw Rockabilly tone. I never use the Reverb, only when I get a hair up my butt to play "Walk Don't Run".

Right now I'm playing on a customized Epi LP with Duncan Phat Cats and a Gretsch G5129 with DeArmond 2000's. To get my tone, I run BOSS '59 Bassman, Compression/Sustainer & DD-7 Digital Delay on Analog mode for slapback echo. I leave the Volume knob on the amp in the middle and let the '59 Bassman pedal give me the bulk of the Overdrive. This rig gives me a raw Rockabilly tone, especially when playing on the Bridge pickup on my guitars. When using the amp's overdrive, to my ears it gives a smooth, "milky" type of distortion. I occasionally use it without my Bassman pedal to get smoother jazz-like tones. But with my rig this amp gives great sounds for my style of playing and music. It does the job very well for what I use it for!

I have never had a problem with it in the year I've owned it. I've seen reviews about the bias being too high. It may be the case, but so far no problems. I've played in cold garages in the dead of winter to hot garages in the dead of summer and everything in between with no issues. Plus I baby my amp; keep it covered when not in use and I don't bang it around. But shouldn't this be the case for all your equipment?

I have a few times needed to move it while it was on, and this created a screeching sound. Nothing happened, fortunately. But, hopefully my amp will live up to the legendary Fender reliability.

I've never had to contact Tech Support. Since I love this amp for practice and recording, I'll probably keep it for the rest of my playing years. I'm always the type to hang on to equipment and fix it as it breaks. I'm okay with electronic equipment, so if it breaks, I'll attempt to tackle the job myself. Failing that, there's an amp shop close to my work, so I can always hit them up for repair work if need be.

I would most definitely get another one if I lost it and kick myself in the butt. If stolen, someone's gonna die!

Overall the "bare bones" controls and tweed look complement myself and my playing style. I don't need a million fancy digital effects with a million knobs on an amp to play some Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash or old Sun Records era Scotty Moore tunes. Just give me my axe, my Blues Jr. and my BOSS DD-7 and I'll rock this town inside out. The price, control simplicity, tweed and tone had me sold when I tried it out at Guitar Center.

Although I wish it had a standby switch, this amp does exactly what I need it to do. When I'm ready to do bigger gigs, I'll get myself a Blues Deville 410 Reissue, as the Blues Jr. convinced me that Fender amps are awesome.

This is an updated review on a cream board Blue Junior NOS after mods. Let me say that I liked the amp right out of the box. However after reading several forums, I found out that the amp could be improved. My preference is for warm clean tone with maximum head room which can be used with both single coils and humbuckers.
First I changed tubes to JJs. Eddie at Eurotube is great to work with. Next I changed the stock Jensen speaker to a C-Rex. These changes did help me achieve a warmer sound with a bit more head room.
Finally, after reading about Billm mods,I decided to make a local road trip out to visit Bill himself,who could not be a nicer guy to work with. He is extremely knowledgeable and a true gentleman. Bill let me play through his various amps with different mods,speakers etc. By comparison, it was like my amp had a blanket over it even with the speaker and tube changes.
I decided to do the basic cream board mods, presence switch, clean boost, twin stack mod and change the reverb pot to a tapered audio pot which gives finer and more gradual control over dialing in reverb. I must tell you that Bill's prices for labor and materials are extremely reasonable compared to Techs I have used in the past.
After Bill did this work, I myself changed the reverb tank to a Ruby and installed the 3-way stand by switch ordered from Bill. The instructions he supplied could not be clearer and I made the upgrade in 15 minutes (working carefully/slowly) After the addition of a presence control and standby switch, I give this amp a 10 on features.

As mentioned after the mods, it was like I pulled a blanket off my amp. Let me be clear, Bill's mods do not change the character of the amp, but rather bring out it's full tonal potential. Tone is subjective, however there is no dispute that the moded amp tone is cleaner, more articulate with greater headroom. The boxiness, we typically hear of with the BJ is gone also. The twin stack mod allows you to totally dial out or signicantly reduce the mids which helped greatly to achieve a cleaner non-boxy tone. Bill even got out the annoying amp hum, buy re-routing wires which is part of the basic mods.
The addition of the presence adjustment allows you to contour the treble sound from sharp to warmer. Lower bias is dialed in with the newly installed manual bias mod, part of the basic cream board mods which makes the amp run cooler and yields greater head room. The Ruby reverb tank is warmer with longer duration. The audio taper pot on the reverb is a must, with this or even the stock Accutronics tank, giving you finer control, bringing the reverb in slowly as you turn up the reverb control.
While the Jensen speaker is much cleaner than the stock emminece speaker in the black tolex model, it is just too schrill, or what some call "ice picky" on the high end. I just love the rounded mellow tone of the C-Rex speaker. Now I get nice warmer highs, with that Fender chime, and a tighter, deeper, more pronounced bottom. The bottom end was improved further with Bill's power stiffening mods.
You may say, after all of these changes, "why not just buy another higher end amp". Look, if you are so inclinded to tinker, as myself and many of us do, I would have made some changes to refine the sound of any amp I buy. In fact, I plan to change the stock speakers in my 65 twin reissue to the C-Rex. However, for me, the BJ now gives me the exact tone I want and is a keeper. Thanks Bill for the mods, many e-mail conversations.

No problem since I have owned this amp.

Well, now with the mods done, the warranty is is void, but I do not care with the tone I have achieved. Even if a problem develops in the future, I just take a ride out to see Bill again. Why go to a random authorized Fender Tech when you can go directly to the "BJ Guru".

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years and am fortunate enough to own many high end and vintage guitars which this amp compliments well. In my opinion, you do not necessarily have to spend thousands on boutique amps to achieve really nice tone. I hope this review was helpful, because we, whether hobbiest or professional musicians, rely on one another for feedback and ideas.

This amp, made in Ensenada, Mexico, in 2008, has 15 watts from a single channel tube head, a Jensen 12" speaker and an attractive tweed covering. It has reverb, three-band EQ, volume and master controls, a "fat" switch, and a single input jack. It weighs 31 lb, and has a leather strap handle centered on the top. Power comes from a pair of EL84s; the pre-amp is composed of three 12AX7s and a solid state reverb driver, and the rectifier is solid state. It is constructed around an integrated circuit board.

It is retro-Fender in appearance, with the controls mounted at the top back edge, and has a brown and chrome "Fender" plate above the speaker baffle. It most resembles a '55-'59 Deluxe or Pro, and I find it attractive.

I use mine for coffee house gigs, church (the "Baptist Blues Band") and general jams.

For a basic guitar combo, it has plenty of features. Some may prefer an amp with switchable channels (I have a couple of them, myself) but they would be ought of place on this one.

I bought this to play my Gibson ES-335 through. I wanted a rounder, chimier tone than I was getting from my Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight, and it delivers. It's not crunchy (although you can get a creamy distortion by turning the volume -- pre-amp gain -- up) but those who want such sounds would not like the modest size on stage. I use mine on a tilt-back stand.

I play my 335 with a glass slide (getting old and arthritic in the fingers) and this amp sings: toneful and rich, and it will bite when I dig in with the pick.The responsiveness is one of the things I really like. By adjusting pick attack, I can easily go from mellow to stinging or anywhere in between.

It's an amp that works better to dialing in than to trying for a wide variety of sounds, which suits the way I play. If I want to be more aggressive, I have other amps for that, but for now I'm happy with this one.

If you're looking for the focused sound of the Deluxe Reverb reissue, this one may not be the one for you. On the other hand, I find the Blues Junior's chime more musically useful than what I hear from the DRRI.

I have not noticed any noise, and I have played reasonably large venues without micing it.

The reverb is Fenderish, but I improved mine by swapping out the stock reverb pan for a Ruby Reverb. It has a bit more shimmer, to my ear. Neither one could be used about about 3 on the knob, however, without becoming overpowering.

It's not an amp for all seasons, but it sounds the way I like to hear myself.

I haven't had it very long, but I note that there are many used ones around, and they work fine. A friend just acquired one several years old: he plugged a guitar in and it sounded almost as good as mine.

No worries for now.

No experience

Fender is increasingly finding sweet spots of size, sound and price. I hear people gripe about the circuit board wiring and "they don't make 'em like they used to" and all the rest, but this is an inexpensive gem. Try pricing an original Pro or Deluxe from the '50s and you'll find that you'll pay a lot more. The Hot Rod Blues Junior NOS (to give it the full title) is an excellent sounding, lightweight and attractive amp that looks at home everywhere I take it -- especially coupled with my natural blonde 335.

I own several Fender amps (Band-Master VM, the Blues Jr, and the Jazzmaster Ultralight), and each one works with one or another of my Gibson electrics (the 335, a Les Paul, and an SG).

I've been playing since '70, and bought my first tube amp in '74. Over the last couple of years I've been downsizing (no more 150 lb stacks!) and I was delighted to find this. It's great that Fender is building modern amps with warranties that sound this good.

If it walked, I'd definitely get another. It has gotten me away from my long-time love (the Les Paul) and made me play the 335. That's not a bad thing.

My comments are regarding the Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Jr. NOS, 15 watt, 12" Jensen speaker, Tweed finish. Purchased the amp new through MF a few weeks ago, approx $650 or so. Basic features, nothing special. I read a lot of praise on the various internet sites regarding this amp so I bought it. Had so many problems I sent it back and am now looking for something else. Going through many of the comments about the amp again, some sites are stuck on comments from two years ago!

Most often play my PRS Semi Hollowbody II and Fender VG. I generally play classic rock and blues. I delve into some alternative rock and metal w/ my son. I'll have to say, playing clean, the Blues Jr. NOS sounded OK. I tried the amp w/o added effects, altered the settings as much as I could....really, was NOT impressed. It is possible the poor sound was related to the problems written about below.

Fender, if you're listening, address your quality control. I've read other comments about new amps arriving w/ tubes rolling around the cabinet. I've read about malfunctioning reverbs. I think I experienced every problem w/ this one experience. The amp arrived w/ external packaging in great condition. Still, when opened, all the tubes were rolling around in the cab. There was also a loose spring and a metal bracket free in the cab. Replaced all the tubes, couldn't tell where the spring or the bracket were supposed to go. Plugged in and turned on. Reverb didn't work, it just let out a loud hum. Gain switch was crooked, didn't add much to the sound anyway. I got clean sounds out of the amp, not much else. Oh, there was an annoying vibration when every I played my 6th string!

I didn't call customer support. The amp sounded bland, reverb didn't work, couldn't coax much distortion, there were still the two loose parts, and the vibration occured every time I played the 6th string. Too many problems to try to fix. Sounded too bad to try to fix.

I've been playing guitar for 30 years, 10 years electric. I expect quality out of my gear and this Fender was a dog. I won't give Fender another chance, there are too many other choices out there. I purchased this amp because of all of the positive reviews out there, although, in retrospect, there were some red lights. Trayner has their "No matter what" warranty, perhaps I'll try the Custom Valve 40WR YCV40WR instead. Funny, I wrote a similar review for Musicians Friend where I purchased the amp but the review never appeared on the Blues Jr. NOS page. Hmmmm? Shop carefully. Too many people lately have been voicing concerns about Fender quality issues, I'm a prime example.

I have an 08 Tweed Blues Jr. It has pretty basic controls which is perfect. Volume, Reverb, Treble, Middle, Bass, Master and little guy called a fat switch. I think the basic Blues jr needs that fat switch but the tweed version with the Jensen speaker is nicw without it. You may have read that it does not have a standby...IT DOESN'T NEED ONE!! This is a 15 watt amp and has no need for one and it will not affect its performance at all.

For some silly reason I went a bought a Bad Monkey overdrive pedal before my amp arrived so I can play this amp at bedroom volumes but still get that creamy overdrive. No need for it, you can turn the volume up to 12 o'clock and the master as low as you want and it just oozes tone. Add the fat switch and you just faint. Well okay it does sound good and I am basing this on a 15 watt newly made amp, my bed has a 69 50 watt Marshall rectifier with original cab that looks like Hendricks dragged it around for years that sounds better but.....IT'S 15 WATTS AND ONLY WEIGHS 36 POUNDS!

This amp is not for someone who wants high headroom, it does break up easy, I have a guitar with P-90's and I can hardly get it clean but thats okay for me, I bought it for its overdriven sound.

Okay here's a story about this little guy's toughness. I bought a blem model from Guitar Center. Hey I figured they were selling the exact model with beer stains and a torn grill for a $100 more and calling it a special edition so how bad could a blem look. Well mine looks perfect so not sure what the blem was. Anyways when it arrived they had stuck it in a box that was too big for the amp and put a little paper in there to keep it from sliding around and that was it, no styrofoam or bubble wrap just the amp in a flimsy cardboard box. I mean when it arrived I could feel it sliding around and hear things rolling around inside (not a good sign). When I opened it I found three of the five tubes rolling around loose in the amp so I put them all back in and tightend up the others and turned it on and much to my surprise they were all glowing. The amp came through that horrible shipping without a scratch and it is working great.

I have never had to deal with a problem yet so can't say but the amp has a 5 year warrenty.

I have been playing for 8 years and am just a hacker but I am a tone whore and have been since I was 11 and hung around the stereo shops and that has been a looong time. I play a PRS with P-90's, A Washburn 335 copy modded that was way to chimey on my SS amp but is a blues machine on the Jr. I don't use effects much but have the Bad Monkey and a Zoom G.2 that I use for various effects when needed. I would get another if stolen for sure but may choose to not have it shipped!

On/Off Switch, Reverb, Master, Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume, and a Fat Switch. Those are the only controls on this amp. Nice and simple. Those are also the only controls you need on a good amp. To me that is better than having a bunch of built in modeling and effects. Those amps have a ton of features and do everything, but they don't do any of it good. This amp has all the controls you need to go from the cleanest of cleans to a gritty rock sound. I wouldn't advise getting this amp if you're into playing metal though. Kind of like you wouldn't buy a Mesa for its' cleans. It also handles the pedals I've used on it very well. They all sound great through this little amp. Add to that the Jensen speaker and the tweed casing and this amp has all the features you could want.

I use a Fender Am Deluxe, a Fender J5 Telecaster and some Ibanez guitars. I mainly use the strat and tele though so the others don't matter for this amp. I use this amp for blues, rock, classic rock, funk, etc. Can get a nice SRV to a RHCP Frusciante to a grittier rock sound with it. The amp is not at all noisy. I use a Dimebag wah, Boss DS1 and a Big Muff Pi. All 3 pedals sound great through this amp. Even with these pedals there's very little noise (obviously there's some when you're using a distortion/fuzz pedal though). That's good though cause I like playing with feedback.
This amp has the best clean tones I've ever heard. I love them. The first 2 nights I owned this amp I was up until 330am playing my guitar because of it. Eventually I became worn out and had to get a decent nights' sleep though. That's how good it sounds.

I haven't had this amp very long, but I have had no problems with it. I researched it pretty thoroughly before buying it and I didn't come across any complaints of people that had problems with it.

I have never had to deal with Fender's customer support. I think this is mainly because they make quality products that can take quite a beating.

I've been playing for 11 years. My other amps are a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and a Vox Valvetronix AD30VT. The Mesa is amazing for high gain distortion and has a decent clean sound. I don't like the vox as I don't care for built in effects, modeling, etc.
The Blues Jr cleans blows anything I've heard away. I actually prefer the distortion I can get from the Blues Jr with the Big Muff Pi and the DS1 to the 2nd channel on my Mesa. Obviously though the Blues Jr can't compete with the Mesa when you switch the Mesa's distortion to Channel 3, but it's not made for that. Just like the Mesa's clean channel can't compete with the Blues Jr's cleans.
The only products you can compare this to are other Fender amps because no other amp can get that Fender clean sound. There's nothing I wish this amp had. I knew what it could do when I bought it and it does it all great.

This review is for the BJ Lacquered Tweed Limited Edition "Relic" version. The stock speaker is a Jensen P12R AlNiCo. I believe there were only 120 made, and it was made around 2005. I wasn't really looking for an amp with a relic job, I bought it for the oh-so-sweet sound. This amp also has the billm mods, which might also explain the smooooothe tone of this amp. I don't know if all the relic tweed ltd.ed. BJ's had the billm mods but mine did. Other features same as all other BJ's

With the billm mods, cream board and Jensen P12R AlNiCo speaker, this is the BEST Blues Jr. that I have ever heard. Virtually no amp hum or buz, can get anything from nice clean sparkly highs to fat crunchy overdrive without any pedals - Just by adjusting guitar volume, EQ, reverb, amp volume and amp master volume. I play the Blues & rock using Tele's & Strat's. I use this in my home and have played clubs with a band for up to 75 people with no problem. Compared to all the other BJ versions out there, I would have to rate the sound of this particular Fender BJ version a solid 10.

I have 4 fender tube amps, and 5 Fender electric guitars and I have never had one break. I just keep my equipment in good service and it has never let me down. Credit to Fender for good solid products!

I have asked a few product questions via email and have always gotten a timely response. I had some warranty work on a pickup height adjustment on a new Strat once, and they got right on it and got her fixed.

I've been playing over 40 years. I got the BJ because it is an excellent sounding amp for the size and price (easy to carry around) Like I said above, with the billm mods (tone stack, adjustable bias and power stiffening), and the Jensen P12R AlNiCo speaker, & the fender shop relic job, this combo has all the amp tone & mojo I need.

It has all the features I need. It would be good to have a standby switch and tremolo, but I can live without them. It also gets a point for NOT having any lame built-in digital effects.

I play it with a G&L Legacy and and Ibanez ES-335 clone. I usually put the gain on 9, the 'fat' button on, and the tone controls all the way up. It sounds great on this setting, with an edge-of-breakup sound that I can overdrive with a boost pedal or clean up with less volume on the guitar.

I owned a standard Blues Junior for about two weeks and hated the spiky treble and stiff response. I got this amp a year later and the difference is incredible! I really find it hard to believe it is the same electronics as the black version, they sound and respond a lot differently.

I have used this amp for straight-ahead jazz, funky Scofield-type stuff, SRV blues, and classic rock. It really lets the guitar and pickup sound come through and it's less finicky about pedals than my boutique amp. There is a little hum noticable at bedroom levels, but not at louder settings, and I don't notice any hiss.

It's good so far and I'm hoping it will continue to be reliable. I have a feeling the circuit-board-mounted tubes will cook the circuit board eventually but at least it is a common enough amp that an amp tech will probably know it pretty well already.

I doubt I would ever try to contact Fender if there was a problem because I don't expect that they would respond.

I also own a handmade Allen Encore blackface Fender Vibrolux/Super clone. The tone of the Blues Jr isn't as lush and responsive compared to the Allen, but that is to be expected. This amp is more portable than the Allen, which is a 4-10 combo, so it actually gets a lot more use. I would compare this amp to a Peavey Classic 30 or a Traynor YCV20, both of which I used to have, but I like this one better than either of those two and it is way above the standard Blues Jr.

If it went missing I would either look for another one of these or for a PTP Princeton or Deluxe Reverb type amp, depending on cash available. I really like how I can leave it on one setting and the overall sound comes from my guitars. It's very versatile in that way. It's not going to replace nicer boutique or PTP amps but it does a great job for the price and I like it the best of any circuit board mounted amp this size in current production.

The features have been covered countless times. I have everything I need on the control panel except a stand-by switch, which is a common complaint. The 50's style lacquered tweed and brown/gold grill cloth are lovely and the leather handle is a nice touch. The light weight is also a great advantage as I have to carry my own gear around. Roadies can get expensive.

Since I am throwing my opinion in here, this seems to be the most popular and reviewed amp on this site, I can only echo what other Classic Rock/Blues players say. This is a great amp for such musical styles. Beautiful clean to dirty tones and a nice Fender reverb. Surf sounds and 50's & 60's pop are also in this amp. I use Strats, a 335 and a new Tele and the amp allows the sonic character of each guitar to come through, whether you are playing clean or with the wonderful tube distortion that the Blues Junior produces. The controls are very interactive so dialing in the right mix is not an issue. Pedals are no problem either as it will take any pedal you can think of. One more thing, it has VOLUME and can get quite loud, especially considering it's size.

I have only had it for 3 months, but it seems very solid and well built.

Have never needed it.

I would rate this a 9.5 as 10 is considered perfect and no electronic device is perfect, yet. I demoed this with a standard Blues Junior, an Orange Tiny Terror combo and a VOX AC15. The Orange is good but a little more aggressive than I was looking for, while the standard Blues junior was not as full sounding as the Lacquered Tweed version. This is probably due to the Jensen speaker up-grade which is in the amp I bought. I already have a VOX AC30 and since I wanted something with a different sound, I passed on the AC15 even though it sounded very good. I still think the Blues Junior is a better amp for this size and price range (400.00 to 600.00) and I love the 50's look. This is a wonderful value for a Fender amp and I highly recommend it to players who are looking for a low to mid-powered amp and are into good musical tone and not massive metal noise pollution.

It would be great if this amp had a tremelo. Not really a problem though-reverb is good and has the basic controls you need.

The sound of this amp is wonderful! It has very nice glassy clean tones and has a good dirty blues tone when turned up. I usually use a 57 strat and a Les Paul w/50's neck through the Blues Jr and they both sound great. This amp is great for getting that Stevie Ray Vaughan tone. It is not an amp for metal players, but would suit any blues/rock player perfectly. The amp sounds the best if it's projected by a stand or is at ear level.

So far so good-haven't had any problems. It is a tube amp though, so be careful when carrying it around!

I got this amp at a very good price-only $400. I have been very pleased with it. It has that classic fender tone in an affordable, lightweight box. As good as any fender amp-check it out!!

All you need, really. No standby switch or effects loop, but good reverb, and tone controls that make a difference. 15 watts is a perfect output for everyday use. You would need to mic it if playing with a drummer.

Excellent. As good a fender amp as i have ever used. There not many amps that can conjure up a clean or overdriven tone at everyday levels any better, no matter how much you spend.
Its quiet, and handles effects fine.
The upgrade speaker from the standard is worth every cent.

Been rock solid and it had to put up with being stored in a garage and then played in varying temperatures. Not a problem.

this amp is best value I have come across. I have owned many, and also use a Matchless and a boogie mark one. this holds its own, which is amazing.
It does not feel as robust as those amps, and the covering feels a bit flimsy, but these are the most minor of quibbles. I would recommend this without hesitation. It is well worth paying the extra 80 bucks or so over the standard for the Jenson speaker. Put aside any sniffiness about it being made in Mexico and enjoy.

I have had very mixed feelings about how to rate this amp. Read on because I eventually wound up with a terrific sounding amp that I am very happy with. Nice features include spring reverb and a footswitchable gain boost and midrange control. Kudos for Master volume which is a crucial feature for me, not necessarily just for getting overdrive. It also allows me to dial in just the right charactor of clean tone too.
Basically this amp is a jack of several trades, master of none but is low priced compared to any boutique equivolent. I would not say this amp is generous for the price however. Overall build quality is POS: cheap particle board cabinet, flimsy pc board with super thin traces, cheapo plastic pots mounted directly to a pc board and with NO threaded nuts securing them, and feeble power supply. Push a little on any pot and you flex the entire board!

The fixed resistor value it comes with runs the bias WAY WAY too hot which cooks the power tubes so hot the paint burnt within the first day! It sounds raspy, weak and edgy until the bias is fixed. The reverb is op amp driven, something I didn't even think was possible and the boost uses a JFET or some type of transistor. The other glaring problem is thanks to poorly laid out board: It is highly prone to oscillation. This accounts for the low level squeals with cranked gain and also the unstable "swimming" sort of response that kept irking me. Go find BillM's site on the internet for help.

This amp is for all practical purposes, really not a Fender amp. It is better thought of as a low budget hotrodded Vox AC-15. Before buying it I constantly read complaints of a "boxy sound". At first I didn't know what they were talking about until I stepped away from the speaker. For some reason this amp has very, very poor off axis response. Consequently it does not project sound well at all which was immediately obvious when I tried playing along with a friends fender deluxe and vibrolux reverbs. I highly recommend a good amp stand which went a long way to correcting this issue.

I bought this amp knowing full well it needed aftermarket work. I also own a Marshall plexi 50w reissue that I completely rebuilt with ptp board etc. I bought this little amp because I have been enjoying getting back to my roots with old zeppelin, more jazzy blues rock etc. And I DO love a tinkering project if gets me somewhere. I am mostly playing a Fender Custom shop strat with Dimarzio HS-3 PUS. I DO manage to get a great old fashioned strat tone with these pu's believe it or not.

If you do nothing else, at least jump the midrange pot and Kudos to BillM for coming up with this trick! That extends the range of the mid pot such that you can pull down mids more and get much more of a traditional fender tone. Out of the box, the distortion was ok but raspy and not inspiring. Clean sounds were ok but bland, thin and also not inspiring. I constantly had the sensation of a nice tube tone being somehow suffocating in a closet. The response of the amp was also jumpy and erratic.

Here is everything I did which finally got the old fashioned vintage tone I was seeking: A tech friend installed adjustable bias and got the power tubes running in the proper range. Then we converted power section to triode mode. This drops power to about 10 watts but gained much needed density and richness to the tone. Doubling the power supply cap gave it a bit more punch. I have seen preamps with a more robust power supply than this amp! Jump the mid pot as I discussed above. Then I replaced coupling caps with high voltage film-foil orange drop types. Icing on the cake was replacing the high voltage plate resistors with funky old fashioned carbon compositions which generate a lot of low harmonics when under stress and also gives you a richer sound. The final step was caving in and putting a Dunlop 10 band eq in front of the amp. Try this before you go mucking around revoicing the tone stack. I put in a mild midrange bump with the modded midpot down to 3 and notch out 125hz about 6 db. You might question why hit the amp with a midboost and suck it out again but trust me its not the same and works like magic. Notching out 125hz might be simulating a 10 inch speaker which perhaps might be more appropriate for this amp and a mod I contemplated. After all this, I have a really vivid, authentic old electric-chimey yet purring warm clean tone, very much like Zeppelin's "since I've been loving you" off led zep 3. Although the amp's distortion is now quite good, I like to use an analoge delay which requires distortion BEFORE it. So I use a fantastic non-op amp based pedal by zvex call the "box of rock" which I will review seperately. With the eq in front of it, I get a very dumble-ish distortion texture that really inspires me. So, out of the box, this amp gets a 6. I list the score AFTER modding it to include my eq pedal trick which didn't at all impart a cheap transistor tone I would have expected. Also despite being allergic to op amps I did finally start using the reverb and frankly I admit it manages to sound good, not the "boing" you get with tube driven springs but still decent and usefull.

I have not had a problem but surely would have without fixing the bias. You would only get one chance to drop anything on the amp's pots. This is not a rugged amp, treat it like a newborn baby.

N/A

If you are making the transition from a cheap solid state practise amp you will most likely be delighted. If you've have owned and played the best like original vintage tweed amps, boutique stuff etc you will either accept it for what it is or make a rewarding project out of fixing its flaws and wind up with a terrific sounding little amp cutie of an amp. The oscillation problems and totally idiotic bias out of the factory are inexcusable however.

Also forgot to mention tubes. I used to roll my eyes over exclaimations of joy from swapping preamp tubes. My tech friend has a tube tester and we are astounded at how rare a sovtech 12ax7 ever ever measures beyond "reject". 9 times out of 10 at least one half the tube is practically dead. Yes, we compare other tubes, any generic chinese tube usually has strong emissions. Sure enough all three stock sovtech preamp tubes were practically dead on the tester. Replacing them to include a pricey NOS vintage 12ax7 for the first stage was indeed a miraculous improvement though not initially enough to overcome all my complaints until the rest of the amp was tuned up.

Features have already been previously described for amp. I like things simple and this amp does just that. In addition I was looking for something light weight, portable with good sound. I own a fender Twin 65 reissue and a Hot Rod Deluxe, both pretty heavy to transport. I rated it a "9" because a standby switch would have made the simple features of this amp perfect.

There is a big diffence in the NOS tweed version with the Jensen vs. the Emenence speaker in the standard black tolex BJ. I was originally considering the black tolex version, but just was not impressed by the sound. It was just OK. Then one day when I was in Guitar Center, and was listening to one of the sales guys playing a Les Paul which sounded great (warm clean). I was surprised to see it was a tweed Blues Junior. I asked the guy to play through both amps and comfirmed the big difference in sound between the two amps. I must admit that I originally thought while the tweed was pretty cool looking, the difference bewteen the two amps was just in appearance. Boy was I wrong and I bought it on the spot for $500! I did re-tube it with a set of JJ tubes which for $53 made a noteable improvement to the already warm clean sound with additional head room as I play primarily "clean". By the way, the Eddie at Eurotubes was just great speaking with me via e-mail as well as on the phone to put together a JJ tube set combination designed for the sound I wanted. I play blues, rock, jazz and Christian contemporary music. I own a Hertiage H555, Les Paul, Strat, '59 Gibson ES 125, D'Aspiranta New Yorker and all sound great through this amp. In fact, I rarely use the Hot Rod Deluxe any more since I have this amp. My twin is too heavy to move and stays at my church where I use it to play with a contemporary choir.

After a day or so I discoved one of the original pre amp tubes was microphonic and Guitar Center immediately replaced the tube. Since then, I have had no other problems.

No support from Fender required. I only received customer support from Guitar Center replacing thhe bad tube without question.

Best production line small small amp out there for the money. Great sound (warm clean Fender tone), cool looking, light weight and plenty loud for a 15 watt amp. This amp could easily be miced if played in a larger venue.

all features have been previously described. i don't know how to operate a real tricky amp so it's plenty good for my purposes.

mostly blues with strats and dual humbucker solid bodies. this amp is easy to dial in. much more responsive than the two bj's i owned a few years ago. just twist a few knobs and you get a great warm clean or a dirty and dirtier grind tone. nice grit to it, maybe not the best of all time but it is a very useable amp right out of the box.

my first one started making hawaiian noises and the 12ax7 in V1 was going major microphonic. guitar center gave me a new tube and it was less microphonic. trusted it enough to gig with it, however it died in the second set. luckily i had a back-up. GC exchanged it for a new one and so far so good. i'm gonna try it at our next few shows. hope it works.

fender customer support? ok i guess.

i'm a retired guy, kinda new to gigging, been screwing around with the blues for about 7 years now. been through stacks of amps, built and rebuilt a few. i kinda know what sounds ok. this one is my current fave. portable and sounds bueno, clean or grind. i'm gonna knock off a point for the reliability factor. for the money (not a knock, it's priced fairly for a mass produced amp) it sounds far better than most.

I have the 60 anniversary tweed cream board.
I had heard about it and when I turned it on the first time I understood the rage. None of this applies to metal...Jazz very wide variety in this 24 year band.
We cover 60,70 80's dance wedding band..not many bars after 40 years of playing
R&B Classic rock..Clean is drop dead and I own Budda, mesa, ada Mp2 150 comb0, '65 twin ' original 53 fender ..many others.
In a small gig it smokes with a very natural organic natural 'sit in the mix and cut' sound clean. Clapton tone is stunning!
Simple set and forget! No boogie 'tweakness don't move a single knob paranoia"..too complicated and will certainly distract / interfere with your playing a Boogie and tone wimps out! Junior is S I M P L E thank God after rack midi nightmare days!

'53 teal my dad bought new..real deal,,,Lindy Fralin rewound original. Absolutely nails tele clean and overdrive. I use PRS '87 bought new and PRS HB2 which feedsback to soft harmonic beautifully..strat. Single coil or 'buckers both well!! Very quiet..so organic natutral !! Drop dead Stones tones...Locked and slaved to the Budda 18 watter it is absolutely the best sound I have gotten all these years..Bigger gigs get both..small gig Fender only by demand of killer players in the band far more talented than me. With 2 Keeley pedals and fulltone OCD (Marshall in a stomp box..Santana Gary Moore)..and
L O U D in a hot room. I will never sell this amp as it also is the perfect bedroom amp.
The Budda if mid size large gig..there is a" badger" amp for you from clean to Brutal..11 for blues junior IMUO> I L O V E this little 31 pound monster. I have played some fairly large rooms..no mike...BUY ONE!! ...huge on stage sound that just wails!!! Junior best value for $ anywhere!!!!!!

It;s a fender and getting the tubes breathing very hard with low wattage is key for me personally. Just super warm tube saturation and I love the el84's. Suits vintage well. Mertal players do something else..whatever that is!
Has seen some very hard gigs and loud plaing..not one single problem. Again you will never find this sound at this price with any amp!! Do Not let 15 watts fool you..it's loud on it's own
and through a 4x12 Marshal or 2x12 it's blastin!!

mmm no clue..NOT BOOGIE or BUDDA for sure from what I'ver heard...Budda is unreal as in they call or email back in minutes or hours same day with tube questions...great bunch of guys at Budda...(Sorry just can't shut up about my precious Budda 18..all Boogies for sale!

Playing 40 years..drums for 10.5 in college. Would buy another the same week. Very articulate and immediate pick response..funk licks are slammin'
Look guysat the end of the day its about a simple great sounding amp so we can play and woodshed..not tweak for days! This amp and the Budda are set and forget...very responsive to volume and tone clean up. Ok I do Love it so much I hate I waited to buy. So fast load in and out...small 4 pedal board. I would have paid twice as much...very close to many Victorias I have played. It's funny in that I am blessed to not have to worry about money but I go for this $520 amp anyday!
Higher cost is BUDDA 18 hands down. play one and you will probably buy it in a vintage cover band. EXTREMELY LOUD 18 watts..never above 5 in huge clubs and convention centers.

2005 Blues Jr amp. 15 Watts of El-84 tube power, Single Channel, 1X12 Jensen speeker. I like the fact that it has a gain knob as well as a master volume knob. I wish it had a stand-by switch but I have found a way arround that by using a tuner pedal that mutes the signal when engaged. The light weight is really nice. It is designed to be a straight forward single channel amp with great tone and that's exactly what it is. However, I gave it a 7 because when you get right down to it it's elegently simple.

I play Strats and LP's through this amp. Both sound great! I play blues, classic rock and alt rock. It excells at blues and classic rock and get by as a alt rock amp. It takes pedal real well (you might want to get a reverb pedal because the reverb leaves a little to be desired.) I also usa TS-808 Tube Screamer modded by Robert Keeley that sounds awsome through this amp.

It took me a little bit of time to dial this amp in and it definitaly seemed to improve sonically as the Jensen speaker broke in. When I first brought it home it has serious ice pick goning on but it has since warmed up VERY nicley. Some say it is too warm but I love it's tone, especially when it is played loud in a band! However when you are playing loud in a band you cannot expect this little beauty to be sparkley clean. It will always be a little "hairy". I gave it an 8 only because when compared to legendary amps like Deluxe Reverb or a Bassman or compared to great boutique amps it is still falls a little short. It's still a great amp though and I love it.

Never a problem, owned for one year and transported it to an from rehersals the whole time. It's never let me down.

I have never had to call Fender for anything.

I have been playing for over 20 years and have owned a Boogie Mark 4 and a Fender Twin. In my opinion the little beauty sounds better than the Boogie and the Twin. This is a great little amp. The only reason I would consider replacing it is if I needed more power. Until, and if, that moment ever comes I will continue to play the snot of this little jewl.

I believe this amp is made in m along with the other Hot Rod Series amps.A single channel reduces flexibility but the treble, mid and bass knobs really allows you to sculpt whatever sound you are looking for and the master volume allows many varities of cruch at virtually any volume-great for practice or small gigs. The reverb is fine, and the fat switch does give you some control as you can purcase a foot control for this.

I originally bought the black tolex version of the blues jr from a small local music shop. I was upset at myself when i realized several weeks later that there was a tweed version available at Guitar Center that looked alot cooler and also featured a Jensen C12N speaker. When I compare the two amps directly at a Guitar Center store I realized immediately that I bought the wrong amp! The Jensen speaker took away the harshness that I was hearing in the stock speaker and added depth, warmth and richness. I purchased the NOS version and sold my old blues jr on Craig's list within 24 hours!I am ecstatic with this amp, as it has a beautiful clean sound and a creamy distortion that is reflected by the sweet EL-84 output tubes. I know everybody likes to talk mod, but this amp does not need a single thing done to it.

it seems very well built.

i have been playing for 35 years and own several PRS guitars and currently playing a fender deluxe strat alot.I love the way this amp looks and sounds and I think it is a killer value.

This amp has been reviewed so much that I'll only add here that I replaced the EL84 Groove output Tubes with NOS RCA Black Plates ($100 matched pair), put in a GE 5751 ($12) in V-1, and 12AY7 in V-3 ($15), left the Fender V-2 12AX7 alone. I also put a Boss FDR-1 (Fender Deluxe Reverb pedal, reverb/tremolo/gain) in front of it.

The amp now produces the closest thing to the classic Chicago Blues tone of a Fender Deluxe Reverb that I could ever get (think Mike Bloomfield, Albert King, etc.) in a 30 lb amp. The Jensen speaker really helps. To get that sound one has to dime the Master (pushing the output tubes), and put the volume on 6 or better (which controls the pre-amp tubes), mids about 6, bass 6-9, treble 4-5. It's very loud even in a smaller bar at that point, but I have a Dr Z Airbrake attenuator that will reduce volume in smaller locations or at home and leave tube saturation alone. I use the reverb/vibrato mix from FDR-1 pedal, add a little gain, and presto! The NOS Blues Jr. just sings!

I also have a Fuchs BJ 21 6V6 tubes very clean amp that with the FDR-1 pedal won't make that sound like the BJ does. It takes a Fender circuit wired for reverb to get it. I couldn't get it with a Fender Deluxe clone (5E3 circuit) either.

I only had one Fender (new Champ) that had a bad circuit board in 50 years. I trust Fender products, and know their centers repair them.

Never needed any in last 50 years.

Playing since '55. I now play Gibson ES-345 and Heritage H-157 (original LP factory in Kalamazoo), both with PAF '57 humbuckers. Only other pedal I ever use is Boss Blues Driver with heritage, but seldom need it with ES-345 as I have Varitone switch and wiring (like BB King), and moving switch from 2 back to 1 gives big volume increase, and moving pickup switch from Neck to both pickups is all the boost I ever need.

Past BJ's I have owned sucked, were too too muddy, not clean enough, most probably due to Sovtek tubes and bad speakers. I tried, but never kept one. Tweed Pro Jr.'s (USA) were better and cleaner at lighter weight. Fender has hit a home run with this NOS model!

The old full time guitar tech (old friend) at GC turned me on to it, and I couldn't believe it. I had the chance to A/B it with the FDR-1 pedal and a Deluxe Reverb while there, and was stunned at the tone!

I made this review simply in the hopes that it may help another player who likes the Deluxe Reverb sound to have it in a 30 lb. rig, that costs much less even after buying FDR-1 and new NOS tubes ($800 vs $1200). Also, the NOS BJ has a multitude of other great tones for R&B, classic rock, surf, anything other than heavy distortion and metal. My new 30 lb Blackface Fender!

You know the details.
You know what, this amp is simple, perfect. I use it for it's clean tones primarily. it's overdriven tones are good too. The reverb is decent. the fat switch does fatten it up a little and the eq section does what you would expect. For the money, it has nice features and sounds good. I wish it had a standby switch but it doesn't and that doesn't ruin my day. I use this amp with a small pedal board. I use it for blues and classic rock and it works perfect. it sounds good with a harmonica/mic too. I don't gig out with it and if I did I would mic it and run it that way. It's actually pretty loud for it's size. It's nice and light so if your drummer isn't a lumberjacker, your golden. I really like the laquered tweed. Once you go tweed, you never go back!

I love the way it sounds. I could rate this against a twin but this isn't a twin. this is a good sounding, inexpensive response to what alot of amatuer musicians were asking for. I run some pedals through it and it sounds good. I overload it for fun and it has never broken up or given me any lip. It just does what it does and nothing more. If I wasn't married, I'd have another and run them stereo bacause I could. But I am so that dream is smothered. It's not any more noisy than any other amp. The amp goes from sparkly clear to light overdrive. You can mod this to your liking though. Lots of mod sites. Lots of Bj cults. Check them out. Good info. For blues and classic rock tones, it's awesome. If you want to play slipknot or L.O.G., go get a Rivera or Mesa. But if your loaded you probably went straight to the twin anyway. Whatever. For 5 bills it sounds excellent and is fun to play.

I have heard that they run hot and you can mod them so you don't burn your tubes up and ruin the board and plastic sockets. But I don't really know so I'll probably just play it to death and them think about that stuff when i need to revive it. It has never quit on me so far. If I was worried and so inclined, I might get some nicer tubes and all that but I'm not. I'm lazy. I think its fine. two years and no problems. And i do some stupid stuff to it. It's not made for metal but I wouldn't know.

It's a fender, need I say more?? yes, they are probably just as big a pain in the butt to get ahold of as anyone else these automated days. But I have never had a problem and I have been abusing it for two years now. I'm not going to drag a rating down because I don't know.

I like it. I like these low wattage, tube amps. I like the way it sounds. it's light and portable. the tweed is cool. I use it for harmonica also. if anything is going to blow it up, I'd think that would be it but it's not a problem. I have run some pretty long strings of effects through it and it's cool. It's not top of the line but it's far from bottom. For what it is it is perfect for the money you pay and the sounds you get from it. If you're a tube person. I have been playing for 13 years. I'm not going to tell you I know good tone. I know what I like and it's more than likely not the same as your tastes. But from a versatility standpoint, very. It's going to appeal more to blues, classic rock, etc. If it were stolen I'd be pissed. these tweeds are hard to find and I like it. I didn't compare it to other products because there weren't any in that price range. If I wish it had one thing it would be a standby switch and/or better reverb. It's usefull up until 3 and then it's just too damn much. But i'm sure someone will love it and find a use for those tones. So I would just say the standby switch. that's it. But it's not a big deal. I paid 5 bills and not 10.

I just picked up the amp brand new so I assume it is a 2007 model. I think it is a very versatile amp in the context of what it is. It is a bles amp and so will not be good for metal. However, as far as blues tones go, this amp is great! Everytime I plug in I am able to get some new sounds out of it. I have only had it for a couple of weeks but I have been playing it about 2-3 hours daily. This is a very basic tube amp combo, no effects loop, no headphone jack. Single channel, three knob eq, master and pre-amp volume, with reverb. It also has a "fat switch" that give it a little mid boost. I play it at home and it gets pretty loud but not too loud. I can crank it without getting the cops over but it still has enough to piss off my wife. I really like the basic controlls on this amp.

This amp sounds great!! Since getting it I have been late to work everyday because I cant stop playing it. I need to qualify that by saying that this is a $500 dollar amp, and in that price range I don't think I could find anything better. I have heard some people compare this amp to much more expensive amps and complain that this amp is not as good. That is true, but for this price range this amp sounds real, real good. The clean is just beautiful. I like that you can really turn up the clean without too much breaking up.The amp breaks up at about 6-7 on the volume and does it perfectly. When playing master volume and preamp volume both flat out chords get pretty muddy, but single note soloing just screams! I have been able to get a variety of sounds out of it with no effects in. There are time playing through this amp I get a shiver up my back from the sheer sconic quality.I am playing a custom warmoth strat with DiMarzio noisless pickups. There is some noise at higher volumes but nothing that bothers me at all. The reverb is the biggest drawback. Past 2-3 and it is about useless to me. Not the type of reverb I normally think of when it come to Fender. But it is usable at those low levels. I played a standard version of this amp at the store and there is no comparison. I would not have purchased that amp but the Jensen speaker in this tweed addition make a huge difference.

I only have had this amp for a couple of weeks so I can not comment here

Have not had to deal with the company ever.

I have been playing for 24 years. I have owned several Fender amps as well as vox and Marshal. I have owned solid state but cant stand the fake sounds that I have gotton from most of those. This amp is real tube tone and to my ears is beautiful. I play blues, rock, punk, jazz and rockabily and this amp seems to work for all. If someone stole this amp they better hope I never find them because I would be seriuosly pissed off. Sound vs price this is my favorite amp I have ever owned.

This is the third (countem: 3rd) Tweed NOS Blues Jr. I have owned but more on that story later. I also own a Mesa/Boogie F-30 combo.

For such a small, highly portable combo, this little class A tube amp's 12 inch Jenson Ceramic speaker brings memories of classic rock and roll with a little bluesy twang. But, with a twist of the Volume knob this thing also growls and drips dirty yet creamy tones all over its beautifully lacquered tweed covering delivering a powerful punch from within such a refined exterior.

The controls are just like the amp itself: straightforward. The Power Switch and red jewel power indicator are located on the top of the cabinet next to the Master Volume & Volume, tone and reverb control knobs. The control knobs are all black "chicken-head" style knobs again commanding images of those classic tweed amps of the 50s.

This amp works great as a practice amp at home as well as in small jam sessions like I have at two different friend's homes. Being powerful and portable is great. Just a hair shy of being powerful enough to rattle the next door neighbor's dishes and yet still being able to rattle yours' is a major plus in this little beast. Can you control it??

For what its worth and how the amp's features work in relation to the amp's tone, the tweed covering appeal and the combo's overall size, I give it a 10 on features as it is exactly what I want for its size and tone.

From clean bell tones to classic broken overdriven tube tones. The Jensen Ceramic speaker is a significant upgrade from the standard Blues Jr's speaker. As I worked in Guitar Center all summer and fall, I had many opportunities to A/B this amp (INCLUDING A STANDARD BLUES JR) with many many other amps in the store. The fact of the matter is several sales associates and I agreed to the amp having the best looks, tone and overall bang for the buck when compared to several more expensive amps and several much more expensive amps. I have had many occasions to completely max the Master Volume and find where I think the sweet spot is around 4.5 on the Volume control. Anything higher is a bit muddy in my opinion.

I did enjoy playing through the Mesa/Boogie Express 5:25 which were very close in sound quality on the 5 watt setting, which I found surprising considering the price difference which was the major factor for not purchasing the new Mesa (I do already have the f-30) Nothing from Marshall, Peavey, Line Six, B-52, Crate, or even Fender could come close for value, looks, size and that bang for the buck factor. The AC15 Vox did come in a close second because it was close in price and tone but the look of the NOS Blues Jr won.

Actually, what got me to purchase this amp again was how it sounded when played WITH a Mesa F-30 like the one I have at home. Standing there in the store with a blend of those awesome two amps bathing me from both sides was invigorating and as smooth a deal closer as you ever heard of in your entire life. Having them together in a stack and mixed together is my tone now.

I also had the privilege of playing several dozen guitars thru the amp as it was always my demo amp of choice while at Guitar Center. Never had to worry about tweaking that one to make whatever guitar we were trying out sound good right off the bat.

My personal electric guitars include a PRS Custom Artist 24, a custom Stratocaster, and a Gibson Flying V.

No Pantera or Children of Bodom tones from this amp without pedals.

But damned if I can't nail Clapton's Lay down Sally or Knopfler on Sultans as clean tone examples and ZZ Top's La Grange all fat and dirty with NO EFFECTS. Throw a tubescreamer in the line and damn, as Billy G says "watch out watch out..." Being single channeled is actually just what I need does not limit this one if you have a good effects pedal line up.

A hand built point to point amp might get a 10 for sound but this one sure deserves a 9 for sweet tone outta the box.

So, as I said this is my third one.

FIRST (December 2005) Immediately dug the look and when a buddy of mine got one, I had to have one. I had mine for a couple of days and it started continuously rattling in the reverb even when the reverb was not on. I took it back and upgraded to the Mesa/Boogie F-30. I still have and love that Mesa.

Second (Sept 2007) After working in Guitar Center and realizing what a truly versatile amp it was, even comparing it to the Standard Blues Jr, I had to have another one. I dig many things about it and had forgotten about the trouble I had with the first one until...it started buzzing and buzzing no matter what power conditioner or supply. No explanation for what it was. I took this one back to Guitar Center remembering what happened 2 years ago. When I was there, I plugged into the floor model that I had demo'ed so many guitars thru, and had subsequently drug all over the floor during my A/B test

THIRD (October 2007) I took the floor model home because even with the hours I had personally played on it at the store, not to mention all the times I literally plugged someone into it, the thing was in PERFECT condition and obviously sounded great and already broken in. I have begun to call this one BURLEY and am stoked it has been played by COUNTLESS people.

I give this amp a reliability score of six (2 of the 3 I have owned went back to the store) and still wonder about that even though the one I have is proving to be a stalwart example of the Tweed Special Edition Blues Jr for sure.

Never had to deal with Fender directly as Guitar Center took the amp back both times no questions asked.

I think if you are looking for a great sounding practice amp that you could almost swear was a vintage amp in looks and tone, then the Tweed Blues Jr Special Edition is the one for you. When compared with many other amps in this size and price range, this one wins hands down. The ability to have such a diverse range of tone from super clean to fat and dirty is wonderful in such a small package.

The tweed covering is also very nice to look at so you could almost leave this one in the living room and get compliments from the guests instead of having it out in the garage...

I am a bit concerned about the durability of this amp but am glad to report that this particular one has done rather nicely. In the past two months since I picked it up, I have had it on a cross country trip jamming in 4 states along the way and in several jam situations since I have been home in Park City. I think if it breaks down for any reason I will send it to Billm and have his modifications applied. But right now I will continue to rock it daily...

If someone stole it I would be bummed but they will have to get thru my attack powderdog first...

Not sure of the year, it was bought new in late 2007 (so I'm guessing it's a 2007 model).

I play alternative, rock, and blues. This amp is definitely a great choice for much of the stuff in those genres. You won't get heavy rock or grunge out of this thing without a pedal though.

Single channel amp (with preamp and master volumes) with a spring reverb tank, no effects loop or headphone jack.

It would have been nice to have this be a multiple channel amp with an effects loop, but for the size and cost, it's probably not feasible.

I use this amp mainly at home (volume is usually around 2-3). This thing certainly has the power for playing with a band and small club gigs.

It includes three 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes, and a solid state rectifier.

This is the best sounding small portable amp I have ever played through. Compared to the stock (black tolex) Blues Junior, this thing kicks butt. It's certainly worth the price premium over the stock version (which I have previously owned). The tone is thicker and has more bottom end. I can't get enough of it!

The amp goes from classic Fender clean to a mild overdrive. I haven't cranked the amp to gig levels yet, but from what I hear it's not too difficult to get nice power tube overdrive out of this thing at higher volumes. If you need the extra clean headroom, you can swap to tubes with a different rating.

I play with a Fender Highway One Stratocaster, and the combo is absolutely to die for.

There is a very small amount of low-level hum when the amp is turned on (though much less than the Vox AC15CC1 that I bought and returned). Though, it has to be really quiet in order for you to hear it (at Guitar Center, with the ambient noise and my ear right next to the speaker, I couldn't hear the hum...only at home where it's dead silent was the hum apparent, and only if you're really close to the amp).

I haven't had any problems with this amp yet (though it is still pretty much brand new).

I haven't had to deal with customer support at all. It does have a 5-year warranty though.

I've been playing guitar for the better part of 12 years now, and have gone through a multitude of electric and acoustic guitars, amps, and other gear.

At this point, I can say that the Fender Blues Junior NOS Tweed is the best amp I have come across for the size (portability is a big factor for me) and cost. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, and like I said previously, it's a HUGE step up from the stock black tolex Blues Junior.

If this amp were lost or stolen I would get another one immediately.

First let me say that this and other "tweed" Blues Jr. amp's are no different than any of the tolex or other models with the exception of the speaker. This 60'th Anniverisary issue comes stock with a Jensen C12N, which is a HUGE improvement over the stock Eminence "Fender" speaker that comes with other models. The circuitry is the same as all the BJ's made since 2001 when the tan board version came out. The tan board version has had some changes made to it as compared to the old green board version used in the early models. The reverb circuit was changed and the layout of the circuit board is different as well, but other than reverb circuit, the main circuit remained the same as the older model. I have a tweed 1996 model as well as this new tweed model. They do sound different, and with the bugs removed from the older green board model, I believe that they have a better tone than the new models. I modify my own amp's, and I've done and tried every mod ever thought of and then some for this amp. The tone stack mod's as per the Bill M mod's are a must, and changing all the cap's to better ones help's too. I use the amp for harp, and as it comes stock, is an OK amp with the C12N, but for harp, a vintage Jensen P12R is THE only speaker for this amp. A P12R only, don't use a P12S, P12Q or other type. The P12R was made for a 18 watt amp and is perfect for the BJ. With the right mod's for harp, this amp can be one of the best 15 watt amp's ever made for harp, but the mod's are a must. With the right mods, the amp has great crunch and distortion, plenty of volume and tone comparable to the old class A amp's. The vintage Jensen P12R alone makes a big improvement. With the right mods, it's a tough amp to beat for harp tone. Very loud and awesome Chicago blues tone. With a seperate master and preamp volume, the tone controls and reverb, you have total control over the sound of the amp. Not many 15 watt amp's with all these features sound this good!

The tone is very shapable with all the controls available, and the reverb on the new tan board models can be a bit harsh, but that can be fixed. I modified my amp to make the reverb sounds adjustable to suit my taste, but I still like the old green board reverb better. I don't use a lot of reverb, so it really not a big issue. The overall sound quality of the amp is very good. If you want it for harp, the Jensen C12N is a good speaker, but if you want a more distorted crunchy tone, then stick a vintage Jensen P12R in it. Get a vintage one, not a new P12R, there's no comparison. For guitar, the stock Jensen C12N is a great speaker. Very efficient and gives the amp lot's of volume.

Being in the amp repair - modding business, I've seen many Blues Junior amp's with problems, mostly due to the flimsy soldering on the circuit boards. They run very hot as they come from the factory, and they go through power tubes much faster than they should. This is a problem that can be fixed as well by having the bias lowered, or made adjustable. The volume and tone pot's also wear out quite easily, but go easy on them and you'll get a few years out of them before they need to be replaced.

Depends on where you have to take it. Support from Fender is OK.

Overall, the Blues Jr. laquered tweed model (60'th Anniverisary)is a very cool looking amp, and it does sound much better than the other stock models thanks to the Jensen C12N speaker which does not come as stock with other models. Out of the box, OK. Modified it can be one of the best 15 watt amp's around, especially if you play harp. I'm not a guitar player, but I have many friends who have played through the amp stock, and I have to say that it's an impressive amp for being only 15 watts. Good tone and plenty loud. Very loud with a guitar. I don't know why some people are paying $700 for it when it can be had for $550 or less if you're patient and look around. I paid $413 for mine, thanks to my buddy at the store where I bought it new, but I have seen them for sale new for around $500 on the net. Would I buy another if it were stolen? No, I'd hunt down the person who stole the amp and use my older one until I found them. If they made it out of the country, I would definately buy another one!

This is my baby as far as amps go--there are so many people who rag on this kind of amp--but when you listen to them -they are playing metal or hard rock and wanting this to do that--it is a BLUES amp--says it right on the back--this sucker is pristine and for more distortion--throw a tube screamer at it--chorus--get a t.c. electronics scf--this thing is loud but not annoyingly hot rod deluxe loud--i am convinced most guitarist are deaf these days--this thing will hold up and deliver--it also sounds good with acoustic guitars--but with a strat--forget it--i put it up against anything else out there--and that's from a blues player for 25 years of searching for the right tone.

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)