Snagged a Fender Blues Junior!!

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, looks like that was from his Buffalo Springfield days.

Getting clips out of Tone will be like pulling teeth, but when we do it'll probably be something like a kick-*** clip of "Funk 49" or "Shook me All Night Long".

I have seen that pic before and liked it then. I think it is on his wiki page in straight black and white.

Tone, do the Nutcracker, but do it Funk 49 style! :rockon: ancake:

 

[duhvoodooman]

Getting clips out of Tone will be like pulling teeth, but when we do it'll probably be something like a kick-*** clip of "Funk 49" or "Shook me All Night Long".

Geez, that's kind of spooky that you mention demoing this amp with You Shook Me All Night Long, OG. That's one of the many songs on the "List of Tunes that Every Guitar Player in the World Knows Backward & Forward, Except for DVM" that I've been working on learning just the past couple of days. I was playing it through my new Blues Junior just last night. Weird....

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I don't think the Fender lends itself to AC/DC though. I mean it could probably do it but it would be......sacrilege! :master: Oh Leo please forgive them for they know not what they do!

 

[Spudman]

Actually I was thinking of doing my version of the Nutcracker Suite. :AOK:

With the Fender maybe this one



or if ya really got some hair

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Yup that's exactly what I'm talkin' about. Love those 2 versions and finally got to hear Brian's a week ago.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Ok here's something unique and kinda cool actually. No this isn't my Blues Jr. yet....I just thought this was neat. This guy made a homemade 4x6 looks like speaker cabinet with a cardboard box LMAO! :master:

Oops forgot to add that he's using a Blues Jr. in tweed to drive it. It kinds sounds cool in a way.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Hey Tone! YOU LOSE!! The first-to-post-a-clip-race, that is! :bootyshake:

First Blues Jr. clip linked below. Recorded using my Strat, to demonstrate the amp's clean tone. Tone controls are all set at 50%, volume at 4, Master at 2.5, and the FAT switch turned on. Recorded through a mic at 45 deg. angle about a foot from the speaker. Amp reverb is off, but I added a little plate reverb with my Digiverb pedal. No other effects at all.

There are two riffs on the clip, each repeated twice. The first is the intro to Sweet Home Alabama, which I thought was a good vehicle for demonstrating the amp's nice bright top-end. Recorded from pickup position two, for that characteristic Strat "quack". The first run-through is through the amp's speaker, and the second is through my Drive 2x12 cab with a pair of Eminence Legends, so the tone is rounder, with more bottom but a bit less top-end sparkle.

The second pair of riffs are just a simple blues bass figure, to show the amp's bottom end. This one is recorded using the bridge and middle p'ups in series--a mod I made to the wiring on this guitar. It also has some quack to it, but with more depth & authority. As before, first time through is the onboard speaker, and the second is the 2x12 cab. Quite a bit more thump, but a little muddier.

Here's the link:

http://www.box.net/shared/hogwl31w8s​

I'll post some "dirtier" stuff in another day or two, prolly.....

 

[duhvoodooman]

OK, here's a clip recorded with my LP that features the Blues Junior "dishin' the dirt." Recorded from the bridge pickup. As before, tone controls on the amp are straight up and the FAT switch is on. Here, though, the volume is pegged at 12 to get maximum preamp distortion, and the Master is a hair under 2, to keep the paint on the walls. Mic'ed exactly as before.

Again, two riffs, each played twice, first through the stock speaker and then through the 2x12 cab. The first riff is primarily single-note soloing, mostly up fairly high. The second one is mostly chords up at the top of the neck, to show the amp's "crunch". Here, the so-called "boxy" character from the stock speaker and the amp's small cabinet is more evident than in the Strat clips. Not objectionable at all, to my ear, but the 2x12 cab definitely has a more open sound on these riffs.

Here's the link:

http://www.box.net/shared/na4s688ow8​

Tell me what you think....

 

[Robert]

It sounds better through the stock speaker. What's up with dat? My desktop speakers are fooling me? :messedup:

 

[marnold]

It sounds better through the stock speaker. What's up with dat? My desktop speakers are fooling me? :messedup:

I thought the same thing, although both of them sound quite nice.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Did you guys think that with both the Strat & LP clips?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

The stock speaker definitely sounds better with the strat. The cab is a bit muddy.

With the Lester the cab is heavier & deeper sounding & that suits it fine, but the bright crunch with the stock sounds good too.

 

[marnold]

Did you guys think that with both the Strat & LP clips?

Yep. Both seem to have more clarity with the stock speaker. Of course, I'm listening to a recording of it through a Sony boombox that's been converted into computer speakers. I'm sure it's a different animal sitting right next to it.

 

[duhvoodooman]

The clip makes the cab sound a little muddier than it does to me while I'm recording, though it definitely doesn't have the clarity of the stock speaker. Could have something to do with the fact that I'm not really sure how--if it's even possible--to mic a 2x12 cab equivalently to a single 12" speaker. OTOH, the recordings of the stock speaker sound VERY close to the live sound, to my ear. I definitely preferred the stock speaker for the Strat clip, but the 2x12 cab sounded at least as good with the LP, where clarity wasn't the main point.

Well, I suppose these observations make sense, in a way--you'd like to think that Fender would do a good job of matching up the speaker they use with any given amp.

BTW, after I finished these two initial clips, I installed the Jensen C12N in the BJr. It adds even more sparkle and clarity to the top end, and my initial impression is VERY positive. I bump the bass up to about 3 o'clock and the mids to about 1:30, and it sounds very good to me--essence of vintage Fender tone. Here's the comments made by the guy who owns South Valley Vintage Amps regarding the Jensen C12N:

The C12N ceramic speakers are my personal favorite Jensen speaker (both new reissue and original vintage)! In my opinion, the current vintage reissue C12N is the closest sounding speaker to true vintage Jensens. The C12N provides the most emphasis on the midrange frequencies and has better dynamic response throughout all frequency ranges (compared to the C12R and C12Q versions). Typically, ceramic speakers tend to be more dynamic at high volume and provide higher maximum volume per watt, than their AlNiCo speaker counterparts. The ceramics don't break up as early as the AlNiCo's (e.g. that "bluesy" tone), so I use a TS9DX Tube Screamer pedal when I want a more colored or bluesy tone. With the ceramics and a good pedal, you can get the best of both tones … more clean headroom when you need it, and colored tone with the pedal!​

This guy sells 44 different 12" speaker models, most of which are far more expensive than the Jensen. His strong endorsement of the C12N was a major factor in my decision to go ahead and buy one. Plus, I have a pretty fair TS-type pedal to use with it!

I'll post a clip or two with the Jensen in a day or two....

 

[oldguy]

Thanks for the clips, Vood!!

I appreciate it. I like the stock speaker w/ Strat, the other cab w/ Paul. I do know how deceptive clips can sound, tho. Record, upload, download, playback, speaker differences.......
Nice riffs, too, btw....:AOK:

(P.S.---I knew you'd post something before Tone-I just knew it. )

 

[Tone2TheBone]

You guys have entirely way too much time on your hands. FIRST of all recording clips and SECOND of all waiting for them! Must be nice! Last I checked it was December 22nd around here! We're down to the wire folks! :messedup:

 

[duhvoodooman]

You guys have entirely way too much time on your hands.....Last I checked it was December 22nd around here! We're down to the wire folks!

Well, maybe if you didn't wait until Dec. 20th to start your Xmas shopping, you could be spanking the ol' planks, too!!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Well, maybe if you didn't wait until Dec. 20th to start your Xmas shopping, you could be spanking the ol' planks, too!!

You know me all too well buddy. :thwap: Clip is forthcoming...really. :beer:

 

[oldguy]

Tone...Did I miss those clips somewhere???????
I'm sure you've posted them by now....oke:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I still have Christmas packages laying all over the livingroom floor. Recording? Ha! No can do at the moment. I'll get you something though you can count on it buddy.

 

[oldguy]

I still have Christmas packages laying all over the livingroom floor. Recording? Ha! No can do at the moment. I'll get you something though you can count on it buddy.

Wow!Cool! I already opened (both of) mine.....ancake:
Knew I could count on you, Tone.:AOK:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Finally got some alone time to video my Blues Jr. The quality is not very good I'm sorry and I will apologize for that. The first one is through my Classic 50s Strat played on the neck and middle pickup. The digital cam doesn't pickup sound very well and the mic gets distorted easily. Of course the volume and master on the Blues Jr. was on 6 too so....



Here's one on the neck pickup. Amp was clean and sounds wunnerful with the new Jensen C12N speaker. Totally Fendery sounding though the video cam recording sucks. I've got to mic this baby on the computer and post those as they'll really sound much better.

 

[Robert]

Sounds like a good fit for your Strat!

Rock on with that sucker and post more clips.

 

[oldguy]

Sounds like you got the mojo tone goin' on there, uh, Tone.... yes you need to post more clips when you have time. I bet that baby sounds sweet w/ Telecaster, too.

 

[duhvoodooman]

AFT!!! (You can figure that out, Tone!) :dude: :rockon:

Yeah, that camera mic sucks out loud, but the playing is excellent and it still manages to get the point across. Now you really need to get a decent mic to run into your PC!! oke:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Thanks men. Voo I got a decent SM57 mic 'memberrrr...you 'memberrrrr. The amp sounds good in person and the 57 should record it well. I'll work on that this week.

 

[Algonquin]

The clips sound great, even through the mini camera mic.

But where's the 'Earache my Eye' clip??? :rotflmao:

Cheers! :beer:

 

[duhvoodooman]

Voo I got a decent SM57 mic 'memberrrr...you 'memberrrrr.

Well, you've been selling everything else, so I figured that musta gone , too....

So if you still have it..... USE IT!!! :reallymad: We wanna hear your virtuosity unfettered by crappy mic tone!! :rockon:

 

[SuperSwede]

Tone, thats some blues deluxe tones! +1000

 

[Sblack]

I love the vibe, look, and tone of that amp. It really captures that SRVish vibe. Nice chops, too! :AOK: