Fender Blues Junior

1995 Tweed made in USA. Very versatile from smokey blues to jazz, country, pop. Sounds great even with my acoustic plugged.

Warm Warm Waaaarm. It beats most of the boutique amps I've played, and I've tried a lot.

No issues yet, seems trustworthy

No need to deal with Fender.

Been playing about fifteen years. Perfect companion for my LP, Tele, ES-335 and other guitars. Great little tubey. Beats overhyped amps like Deluxe Reverb and co

It has a speaker and a cabinet and a cord for plugging it in. Just a treasure trove of options, buttons, amp models, cabinets, tone knobs, effects, pedals, Roth IRA deposits, foriegn car parts and optional options for optioning your options. It pushes 100 watts of power through a 1.2" speaker. 250 channels plus Direct TV and cable. Many deep menus for scrolling through the other menus and menus explaining the menu structure. Incredible depth and presence of the incredible depth. It can cover any style except most styles you would cover if you went undercover to cover a cover tune. Full coverage.
The 40 button footswitch switches the switching to the floor pedal for four by 10 pushbuttoning for switching. I switched to this floor pedal pedal and boy I'm glad I did! The grillecloth is chocolate, frosted with chocolate grillcloth. Try it. Has a killer bit of bite better than a bitter, buttery tone! Mine is the tolex version revision with the vision plan and medicare plus output jack. Two inputs putting in the power to the dynamic diecast moling motor with a factory installed fan module for the tubes. Nice chrome covering on the valve input putters. Weighs in at 340 thousand tons-light as father's feathers. Very versatile but varies very much.

Has a sound sounding sound. I tend to leave the amp in the on position when playing and the grillcloth on, too. By cranking the crank and the master volume you can get the sound yo want or don't want. And it's a full electric sound. Then it sounds better with a guitar too. It oscillates lately but is as stable as a three legged table with a toothpick jar underwater outside of Berlin or Japan in a dishpan by Don Van Vleeeeeterburg. That's why I bought it anyway. No worries. I was drowning out the other guys in the bathtub. Total action of supressing the press when pressed to express it. Hope to add the Billm mods to mod it. My guitarz are 1928 Mercedes Benze and a 1947 Jaguar S-type.

I tossed it from a Sukov T 381r9i fighter over the Ukraine at 300,000 feet. It fell for 7 hours and landed on a solid granite rock. Plugged it into a squirrel's anus and it fired up like a dustpan on the griddle. No worries. Buried it out in Nevada at a Nuke Weapons test site. After detonating a 500 megaton bomb strapped to the speaker, I found it worked just fine. Not bad. About as rugged as a jelly donut. Runs on batteries, house current or squirrel **** excretions.

I called Chuck at Fender. He sent me a million dollars and a free amp. What more could you ask for?

Too heavy. Way too loud. Doesn't even work unless you plug it in and turn it on. Unaware of the social dynamics of most Cuban-American churches or black liberation theology. Disconnected capacitors for a better overall sound. Government action subdivides the teaching repudiated by Dr. James Comb. Comes around to a situation between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. Promoted to a framework of nationalism.

Features listed below, a thousand times over.

I wish this amp had a Standby Switch, otherwise, I wish only that I had 17 more of these little things. I play everything from rock to blues to jazzy style stuff to country style stuff to whatever. This thing does it all.

Like most any food worth eating, this amp just gives the most incredible palate of hot and tasty. First, let me say that I haven't had this amp up past 4 in practice OR gigging. 15 tube watts is JUST THAT LOUD. Now, for the tone.

I'm playing 2 main guitars through this thing:

Epiphone Les Paul Classic - hot, hot, hot, hot tone. Loud and hot. Serves for the rockier side of our sets. Hot. Beautiful, crunchy overdrives from this amp with humbuckers. I've found that clean is not so easy with HB's, as the amp breaks up early (volume around 4, master volume isn't a factor). Comes out even hotter with the Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal.

Whoa.

Fender Standard Strat - crystal glassy sound, you can dial in SRV tones or whatever sound you want for that matter. Not quite as loud or as hot as the Les Paul, but talk about tasty. Doesn't break up quite as early, so louder clean is easier with the Strat. Sounds really nice with the Danelectro Fab Flange pedal.

*drool*

That being said, the amp has a FAT Switch which I use as a boost for the Strat to even out the volumes from each guitar, and serves to give a nice break up to the Strat while not completely breaking up the Les Paul.

It's small, compact, and *relatively* light. Not too keen on the tubes exposed from the back, but with care, this seems like a solid little unit. I MAY look into getting a fan set up to cool the tubes, as well, as I use an amp stand which tips the amp backwards, keeping more heat inside the unit.

5 year limited warranty.

No idea about service.

Amps I Have Owned:
Fender
Vox
Laney
Crate
Traynor
Peavey
Yamaha

The Blues Junior beats the worthless crap out of all of them.

If I lost this amp, for whatever reason, I would have to replace it with 2 more. I am also looking at building an extension cabinet for it (sweet one like on the billm mods website). I looked at a lot of low wattage amps, because I wanted to be able to turn it up and get that tube overdrive, without deafening the neighbours. And in this amp, I've got that. I've also got an amp that's loud enough to use for practice and gigs.

all the features I need, but nothing special.

I play an archtop guitar in a jazz-trio setting so I am after a clean sound. Normally I use a polytone, but I borrow this from my bass player now for any other gig and use it in our rehearsal room. the amp has only 15 watt, so at a certain volume it tends to break up and it does that smooth and gentle and it shows a nice reaction to my picking dynamics, just a hint of compression to make me feel good. it is easy to get vintage jazz tones like burrell and grant green with this amp.
there is some noise, but thats always the tradeoff for an "open" tube sound.

so far it didn't let us down.

never dealt with them.

I play like 30 years, owned fender, marshall, boogie and some other brands. this is a nice amp to play in jazzclubs if you want a bit of tube compression and a hint of overdrive. sounds pretty warm and real. If I need more clean headroom I use my polytone.

Make this quick, there are over 500 reviews on this ampy--what else can I add???? Here's is my review. This SOB is awesome! Everything else is too heavy, too obnoxious, too loud, too much. I take this baby to the studio while other dudes take their stacks, and I rip their balls off, yeah, they leave a girlyman. Sure they get LoWD, but blah blah blah quiet is the new loud. Clean is the new distort. This 15megaWatt torch sinks the roof. Okay, that's my review.

The simple features are well documented. The beauty of this amp is what it's not. This is the amp for someone who has had enough of solid state and onboard effects. This is the amp for someone who cares about tone.

I'm using this amp with a Les Paul Custom and Godin SD. I play Christian radio rock/pop, so I don't use heavy crunch or distortion, so the bluesy tone of this amp is works very well for me. All tubes amps have a little noise, especially if other electrical equipment is nearby or the tubes are aging. I've been able to modify from clean to a little crunchy with the master volume. Just work with it, and be patient enough to realize the tube tone is so worth it over solid state.

I just purchased this new, so I can't say. I hope it's reliable; however, this is my second tube amp (first was a Peavey Classic 30) that was problematic. As with all tube amps, plan on replacing the tubes at some point. Buy them in advance. If you want maintenance free, go solid state, but know that you're sacrificing tone for toys.

Have not had to call them, and hope I don't have to.

I've been playing for 8 years, mostly acoustic. I have a Roland Cube 30 that I don't use, a Behringer ACX1000 acoustic amp. I have a Martin HD28 that's a gem, and several other lesser expensive guitars, a couple basses, and a mandolin.
If it were stolen, at this point, I would replace it (depends on reliability).
I love tube tone so much that it's worth any maintenance issues. I also love the simplicity (great, great tone without all the crap). To meet the needs of a few songs we do, I will have to add a couple pedals.

You should know the features by now. Single channel (which I like), master volume to control your gain/volume (which I like), reverb that is serviceable if dialed down (which I like), 3 tone controls (which I like). Obviously, I like the simple control system but the options it does provide.

I play Fender and Gibson guitars through Fender amps. That's my tone thing. I've gone through 3 Blues Juniors over the years. Just bought my third one. This is the type of amp that isn't necessarily your #1 thoroughbred, but it still manages to find a place in the back of the stable. It is great for what it is, IMO: a grab and go type of amp that doesn't take up a lot of a stage area but still performs. I hate when people try to compare this to other amps. It is what it is, people. Love it or hate it for that, but don't dis it for not having Marshall crunch or not being a metal amp or not have Twin Reverb cleans. Please, this is why there are other amp models out there. To please everyone's needs! The amp does old school rock and roll and blues spot on. With a few mod tweaks and maybe a speaker replacement, you can have yourself a great little boogie amp (by that, I mean boogie rock not Mesa/Boogie, just so you know). Tonewise, it'll never blow away your cranked Deluxe Reverb or an old 50s Deluxe, but jeez, what else will? Judge this little baby on its own terms and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I have been.

Not any more or any less reliable than any other amp out there on the market. Fender is a solid company. There may be a few duds that get out of the factory, but on the whole you can rely on it. Besides, any amp tech can work on them. Easy to access the board and make mods.

Never dealt with. I use a personal amp tech.

Been playing long enough to know tone and to still be searching for it. Like I said, I've had 3 of these amps in the past 15 years, so I'd say I know a little about them. It's an amp that I've had, used extensively, then sold to upgrade to a "better" amp, then gone back and bought another one. There's something about the BJ that satisfies my blues itch. I won't lie and say it's the greatest amp I ever played, but I will say honestly that I dig its tone and bottom end grit. My amp tech and I worked for 3 months on modding one to get it just right to cut through a band mix. I just bought another one to settle my jones for the BJ tone. Best part about it: When there's a jam somewhere, you can just grab it, throw it in the back of the car with your guitar and rock and roll to the gig. Plays well with pedals and that's all you can ask for. Main knock against it is IT IS A LITTLE NOISY. That's inherent in the amp and you can't really fix it. But once you play notes, you're not going to hear it at all.

I bought this amp in 2003 and at first I have to say that I didn't like the overall sound I got from it. I was playing in a high school band covering metal and I can honestly say compared to my buddy's Marshall, it sounded like shit. But as my amp and I have matured, I have realized metal is not this amp's style, it is meant for warm tone-rich blues, jazz, and with the right effects loop earth tone hendrix, 60's psychedelia.

I am using my Fender '84 American series strat with this amp, with a Dunlop crybaby, a Pro Co Rat, a Maxon OD808 Overdrive pedal and a foot-switch. Now being heavily into the blues and jazzy earth tone, it is a perfect fit. The clean channel is distorted but only at max volume. And the distortion is perfect.

I wouldn't use it in a gig without a backup, I recommend this for recording and personal enjoyment only. Small gigs are fine. Twice in the last year it has crapped out on me right before the gig then mysteriously worked after.

No comment.

Very very good amp, for personal and recording.

I bought mine from a friend that had hardly played it for $360. I think it's a 2001 or 2002 model. I use this amp mainly for gigs where space is a concern or I have to carry my gear long distances. Also if I don't want one of my more expensice amps in the weather or sight of thieves. I play blues and rock and the blues jr is pretty good at both. If you can mic it this amp will work anywhere. As far as features go, nothing impressive, but enough to manage.

I changed the speaker to the weber version of an alnico V30 and have all GT tubes. I play american strats & teles, a les paul, and a danelectro. I also use a THD hot plate. The strats and dano work well with this amp. I think it sounds best with the master all the way up and the volume dialed to your desired crunch level. I use the hot plate if I need to dial back the overall a little. I never touch the master. It's always on 12. This amp really sounds pretty damn good. It has tons of gain and is very responsive for what it is. I've gotten huge metal tones from this with my humbucker equipt tele. The cleans are good too, but not comparable to a princeton or anything. I've run it through a variety of cabs too. Sounds great into my 4x12 Marshall 1960AX.

I've toted it all over. In the cold, rain, summer heat, ect. It's always got it done. The el84's worry me on the road sometimes though.

Very solid little amp for the money. Classic fender tones all the way around. It's no Princeton, not by a long shot, but it IS loud enough to practice and gig with, and on stage it can give you the classic sounds that you need. I've actually had more musicians comment on the great tone I've got from this amp alone than when I've had my Bivalve and Marshall cab or 4x10 Deville out.

I replaced the speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30. This was the smartest thing I ever did. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! If you are looking to add a warmer, deeper, chunkier sound to this amp, then do it.
It doesn't alter the Fender clean at all, it just adds depth to it.
When you run an Ibanez tube screamer or a Marshall Guv'nor into it, it just sounds INCREDIBLE. All the distortion you ever need. Even for metal!
I have not tried the Billm mods, but I really don't want to mess with my amp by soldering and desoldering components. This was a very quick and easy replacement, but at a cost of 100 dollars, maybe too expensive for some people.