Fender Pro Junior

This amp was made in 2001. When I bought it, it had been modified. It's been boosted to 18 watts, and has an Emminence Patriot Copperhead speaker. In and of itself, it is not very versatile, but with a decent multieffects unit, it's great. It is 15 watts, and has a ten inch speaker. It has one channel, and one tone knob....that's it! I have played for 20+ years, and my preference is for a one channel amp with a killer clean tone. I have gigged with this connected to a Peavey 4x10.

KILLER clean tone. With the volume set at 7, it starts to compress and distort with a bluesy type of distortion. With the volume at 12, it has a really nice, thick, midrangey classic rock type of distortion. It cleans up very well with my Yamaha guitar when I turn the volume knob on the guitar down. It's a tube amp.....so it is noisy, but no more noisy than any other. My guitar has a P.A.F. style humbucker and two fender single coils....I'm sure these type of pickups are what they had in mind when they made this amp.

I would never give a tube amp a ten, because tubes can blow at the most inopportune times. this particular amp has never given me any trouble. I have gigged with this at a couple of blues gigs, connected to a Peavey 4x10 speaker cab.

I live in Atlanta, so I never have any problem finding a service center.

I have been playing 20+ years. I also have a Peavey Classic 50, and a Peavey 4x10 extension cabinet. I use Yamaha and Fender guitars. If this was stolen, I would buy another in a heartbeat. I compared this to a low watt, tube Crate, and an Ampeg. No comparison in my book!

I think this thing is cool.
No frills, sounds like my Tele wants to....and, when you crank it, it SINGS!!

I've read the other reviews on this site, and have experienced none of the hum and noise problems they refer to.

No reliability issues, and although I do use it gigging, I wouldn't use it without a back-up - after all, we are talking Fender mass-production.

30-year pro player, mostly small to medium clubs, and some studio stuff. Speaking of studios, this amp is a great little specialty studio rig. Sorta like a dumber Dr.Z Carmen Ghia. Makes some pretty cool and snotty rhythm sounds.

I bought it new in the mid '90, so it's still the old American one...
A lot of people told me that the new Mex amps are really different so don't use my review as an excuse with your mother if you want to buy it...

I play an Ibanez RG2120 Prestige. Strange guitar to be paired with that kind of amps...

Out of the box isn't the best I've ever seen... It's a shame that there's no gain control on this little beast... In fact you can only get clean sounds at a very low volume. Even working with the guitar knobs isn't enough with my Ibanez RG2120 Prestige... The tone knob is really useless, just because turning volume up to 3 makes the sound dirty and compressed, loosing a lot of presence...

I think that giving a soul to a guitar that doesn't have it is a painful operation... But this little beast does it's hard work very well... After a lot of years with the same old used out of the box cheap valves, when my friends listen to my demoCD ask me how is it possible to have a sound like that...
Even the constant hum that someone find's terrible is kind of music to my ears, so I don't need to eliminate it. Also I won't lower the rating because of that. But if you like "plastic" sounds without any rust and dust feel, please don't buy is and save your money for cosmetics... I personally prefer the feeling to pure sound. Pure is something I like to say about something else than electric guitars sound...

I fell in love with this amp from the first time...
It was my companion when I played prog-rock and even now that I'm interested in jazz it will remain with me...
Forever...

The day after I bought it I had to get it back to change a valve that was broken.
Since then no other "surgery" needed...
I'm very happy

As I told you before I have no elements to write anything here...

Not 10 just because it doesn't have that damned gain knob... And believe me when I say that there's absolutely no proportion between volume and drive...
But I love it so much that I can live without any clean sound...
It's a box full of taste and old flavors people need to hear still today, in the amp-modelling era...
Nothing sounds like a small combo, no one sounds like that little beast...

As for the weird fuzzy honk mentioned in the review below, I have had what I believe to be the same fuzzy honk in my pro jr, though when playing harmonica. At certain notes (relatively low notes when playing at higher volumes), there is an "extra" tone overlaying the actual, played tone.
When asking my amp tech about this, his explanation was that it was probably caused by too small filter capacitors. Due to interference, an extra tone is either added or subtracted from the tone that you play, thus causing those "ghost" tones. He also said that this is a known problem with some older Vox AC30:s and that the latest AC30 reissues therefore have a switch on the back panel to chose between more or less (original) filtering.
The problem can be solved by soldering an extra pair of 22uf/500V capacitors (just like the grey ones already in there) parallel to the two caps sitting there.
To test whether or not it is the speaker causing the problem, try connecting the amp to an external spkr cabinet and see if you get the same fuzzy honk.

One Channel, Volume + Tone, each going to ??12??. One 10" Eminence speaker. 2x12AX7 valves in preamp, 2xEL84s in the power amp. 8Ohm output. No standby switch.

Most guitarists would understand the limitations of this combo when buying into it. I play modern blues on a strat and for my style, it does two things well: a pure clean tone at low volumes, and an overdriven tone when the amp is pushed past the halfway mark. I couldn??t give an opinion on the sound of humbuckers through this amp. In my experience, the 10" speaker sounds excellent in one??s bedroom, studio or at low volume rehearsals, but when asked to fill even a small room at gigs it gets too nasally, the sound loses it??s balance and becomes thick and ugly. I recently tried connecting a cabinet with an 8Ohm Celestion Vintage 30 at a gig and it sounded good, but the amp wasn??t loud enough. To be fair, it??s asking a lot of a 15watt amp to get over a strong drummer. There??s always the option of sticking an SM57 in front of the speaker! One odd characteristic: when I have the amp cranked into distortion and bend a note on the 1st string, 15th fret up a tone, there is a weird ??fuzzy honk??. It may be the speaker, I don??t know.

I certainly have confidence in this product. Sometimes it hums quite loudly, but that has been down to faulty tubes.

I??ve owned mine for three years and never needed to visit the repairman.

I chose this amp because I wanted to learn how to play an amp like I??ve learned to play the guitar - as an instrument. It??s good to have that valve tone in your house at your fingertips. I recommend it. It??s a fun little amp!

tone knob, volume knob, 10inch speaker, input jack...lovely!

For small venues the PJ is my first choice. I play a variety of everything from reggae to rock. Breaks up at around 5 which is the volume i play at. I love the sound of this little thing with my telecaster through a Rat, dd-3 and a home made clean boost. Its all i need most of the time.

No problems at all. I use it for, on average 4 gigs a week.

I've owned the PJ for about 4 years now and i just couldn't imagine not owning it. Its the perfect amp for small venues, easy to lug, and sounds great. For larger venues I use a 59 bassman.

Got a 1992 tweed off the bay. It's got too many features if you ask me. Who needs a tone control? It's the ultimate in versatility, which may seem like an oxymoron: an amp with one volume and one tone control being versatile? Read more below.

First I must address the awful hum that plagued this amp (and other pj's from what I have read and witnessed). Very loud hum/hiss. Thought I got taken. Went to the local guitar center and guess what, their brand new pj had the same thing. Read some forum stuff and came up with a potential solution: 12AX7 WC's. I also know that you can sub 12AY7's for a slight decrease in output power. Got matched pair of each. The WC's only helped slightly. The AY's helped a lot. The amp is now useable. Some people may not like that solution though. The output decreases and hence the overdrive. I solve that by kicking in the tubescreamer when needed, so I have the best of both worlds. Clean & quiet and overdrive. I a/b'd it with my blackface Champ and it is only slightly less clean but I don't think I would have noticed it if it were not an a/b, one right after the other and back type test. The pj volume at about 5 was roughly the same as the Champ volume on about 9.

A little more on the AX/AY switch. With AX7's, the pj was very aggressive. Even at volume of 3-4 it screamed and was very rough and dirty. Cool for some situations, but if you need some clean at higher volumes, it just wasn't there, so like I said about, you sacrifice some output, but for me, there is a much more useable range of volumes there.

A little more on versatility mentioned above. It's so versatile because you can stick with the amp's overdrive or you can use an od pedal or a fuzz or whatever. It accepts everything well and doesn't get all muddied up. Also, you can tell what you're playing through the pj, whether single coil, humbucker or otherwise. it doesn't all get lost in the mix like with some (mainly non-Fender) amps I have used. So the versatility is all up to you. If you want to play country, it's there. So is blues, rock, etc. With the AX7 in there, I think it would be plenty loud to practice with all but the most aggressive drummers

It's held up since 1992 in the hands of god knows who before me, but it seems to have been well maintained. I would depend on it without asecond thought.

Nowadays all the young'ns are all about loud, loud, loud. "100 watt Marshall stacks, hang those who talk of less!" I get the sweetest sound out of my 6 watt champ and this 15 watt pj. I can basically walk into practice carrying a guitar case and this amp and be ready to go. I'd probably take some effects if it was a gig, but I'd have no problem going clean (but would probably put the AX's back in if I did). I was looking for an amp that was louder than my Champ and that I wouldn't worry about taking out of the house. The Champ is 1967 (older than me, but not by much) and it's almost mint, so that ain't gonna see the outdoors. So I've got a pint sized screamer for under 4 bills. When 15 watts isn't enough, I've got the 59 Bassman RI, so with 3 amps I'm pretty well covered and that's what it's all about: not breaking the bank to get what you need. Compare it to the other amps in the 15 watt range, and you won't beat the Pro Junior

Volume and treble knob. Simple as I like it.

Sound is great. Starts breaking up on 3, than goes to british tone.
It's loud for gigs, I don't need to go over 4. Also cuts through mix very well and takes vintage effects without problems.

Great sound but it's build like a $2 tin can. Seems they've tried to cut every corner they could to make as money as possible on this amp.
Chassis is made of such thin sheet metal it vibrates like crazy. Along with it vibrates the rear cover. Feels like my wife's vibrator when you touch it and play the amp loud. This send all the tube nuts and they vibrate like nuts. New tubes last about a week than they get all loose and rattle like nothing else I've ever heard. I've got two Juniors and are both exactly the same.
Fender is trying to sell this amp as the old Champ. What a load of crap. I've got an old champ and rattle what so ever. They used to build them well cheap bastards. This amp isn't cheap either for it's quality.
I'g got many mates who also got this amp and all have same noise problems.
There is a way to fix it to a degree which is what I did. The chasis needs another piece if sheet metal bolten over it, the rear cover needs metal plate across the overhangin bottom of it to stop it from virtually flapping around from the wind the speaker causes.
Tube sockets need to be replaced and attached to chassis. And off course with all this you'll need new tubes because the old ones are to shaken up. That this amp works ok but is it worth all the trouble? By the way using the amps 2x a week, the tubes only last one year. This amp eats tubes.

After a three months owning these new two amps Fender was telling me the noises are bad tubes but the warranty don't cover them. Load of crap. The amp destroys the tubes it's not bad tubes.

Great sounding amp. I use two on stage and don't use my old Twin much anymore. Sad it is build like a crap which makes it a pretty expensive amp. Most no brand made in China amps are build better quality.

2005 Pro Junior. (Slightly hot rodded) 15 watts, one 10 inch Fender speaker. Volume knob, tone knob. Nothing fancy but it works. Yes it hums just sitting there.
I ordered some JJ/Tesla EL84s but they came broken, and Sovtek 12AX7LPS.
Was told at Tube Depot these will do the magic. Will have to see later.
I also got from them a Celesion Vintage G10 inch speaker. Its easy to see this is a lot better quality speaker than the Fender side by side. Heavier also.

Gibson Les Paul Jr.(new model)with one P90. And a (05)Gibson 135 with two P90s. The LP Jr. like the amp is no frills. Gets a basic good rock sound. However the 135 does everything in this amp. Jazzy low volume, nice break up halfway, and you'd swear it was plugged in to a Tube Screamer at 7 and 7 on the amp.
I did a trial run with the Fender speaker then replaced it with the Celestion at the same amp settings and stock tubes. The Celesion has better low volume tone and punch, and cranked up on the guitar it breaks up killer. The Fender speaker gets muddy and very early. Lots of distortion mind you but mud compared to the Celesions breakup sound. Now take this puppy to a blues jam. The best 85 bucks you can put in this amp. I was going to consider hacking a 12 inch speaker in the amp but no need to now.

Im a retired garage band musician anymore so wont be using it five nights a week. It might hold up. Would be fun to see.

If it broke I'd probably throw it away than mess with Fender.

I've played off and on for years. I can compare this to my 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue. It aint bad. With a delay, and reverb pedal I could have saved a lot of money. Ive played them side by side. Not bad. The DRRI plays a lot louder of course without breaking up, but for blues rock without blowing out your ears this is nice.

This amp is as basic as you can get. Tone and volume. If you cant figure ot how to operate it you need to stop huffing paint.

This amp is a mixed bag. On lower volumes the clean tone is junky and thin. Cranked past the halfway mark and this amp gets a really cool tube distortion that is totally unique. It's has an incredible overdrive tone and it's extremely full. This amp is really loud for it's size!!! The amp is prone to massive feedback. So, even gated it does have some problems. I would not recomend this amp to someone who lives in an apartment becasue you really have to crank it before it sounds good.

I had the stock tubes replaced because they were giving me problems. I replaced them with groove tubes and had no problems since. The amp is great for small gig because it is really portable.

N/A i never dealt with Fender for anything yet.

I have been playing for about 18 years now. I've played in a variety of situation frome blues to Jazz and metal to country. I recently traded this amp in for some recording gear. I miss it an i'm thinking about buying another one.