Anybody tried the Valve Junior?

[smopo24]

Originally Posted by dagosto

After my recent experience I would say wait for the reissue Fender Champion 600. Yeah it's a bit more but it will be worth it.

I just recently purchased a valve junior head and there was no sound coming out. I exchanged for a new one and had the same problem with the second one. I could probably fix whatever the problem is pretty easily but that would void the warranty. So now I will eagerly await spending 3 times as much for the fender.

too bad it's not a head; i'll have to check it out. looks kind of cool. any other details besides what fender is giving up on their site? like how much clean headroom there is, and the sound?

http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=2330100000

[GearJunkie]

granted, it's not a head, but it has an extension speaker output. it's a great sounding amp. i had a chance to play it a few months ago and loved the sound out of it. more companies need to be using 6V6's in their signal chain for the sheer uniqueness of the tones it emits. I loved this little amp. I'd buy this over a valve jr head any day of the week.

...granted, I already own a valve jr head and will probably buy this too, but that's beside the point.

[Gunforhire]

I've had my Epi valve Junior head for a few months now and absolutely love it.. i work with mesa's and marshals and a variety of top end Boutique amps but without haaving the kinda of cash they are asking for them here in new zealand , i took a punt on the valve junior. and its payed off wonderfully.. I have fitted the Bitmo trio mod kit myself, as i wanted a tone control as i have a variety of guitars i use thru it and the voicing switch which really makes it scream.. i've even had it at the matamp, 65 Amps, Splawn importer and hes had a play thru itand was really impressed and that was before i modded it , and retubed with jj's as i wanted it a bit more gainy.. the stanadard sovteks it came with were a little farty and not as punchy.. I also wanted to make it a little more my own so i made a couple of the external mods people are making and double vented it.as you should see here in the pics below.. I love it, i love its tone, its size and the fact my whole rig fits in the front seat of my car. I'm a full time guitar tech for a bunch of bands so i'm used to stacks and double stacks for each guitarist.. and who wants that kinda hassle jamming at home..I'm keen now to take my little rig to a show here and see how it holds up on stage.. with a good monitor system i don;t see much problem.. i have been tunning it with a single 12" speaker i just fitted into a car audio sub box..i picked up cheap.. its not ported or vented but it gives a really tight punchy sound. the speaker is ampeg one i had left over from my old SS-140c i think its an eminence re badged, i'm gonna fit a green back vintage celsestion but i'm having too much fun with it as it is right now so can;t bring myself to change it just yet..haha
I have a MI AUDIO BOOST & BUFF pedal i'm waiting to pick up to throw in front of it to see how far i can push its gain structure. but so far just as it sits its always outting smiles on my face.. for its price.. i really think everyone should have one.. I'm gonna start taking mine on tour and it'll always make my time spend sitting side of stage fun.

[GearJunkie]

the thing that cracks me up is that NO-ONE likes the red face on the amp that it ships with, so everyone either flips it to the other side or does something else with it.

I'm the exact same way. I put the red face on the back of the amp. it's ugly as hell.

[sleepyseven]

Anyone try the new Blackhearts? I think it's a cooperation between Crate and some other speaker manu. company.

[GearJunkie]

They're actually made by the exact same designer as the Valve Junior heads. He pretty much tweaked them out, put in EQ and switchable power settings but the basis of the amp is identical.

[JonnyM]

Originally Posted by GearJunkie

I'm REALLY tempted to get one of these because god knows i need ANOTHER amp, but that's beside the point.

Swap the tubes out for some NOS Svetlanas and change the little speaker to a weber, i bet it kills.

I've got a trace eliott velocette. 15 watts, class A, 1x10 combo. the thing is my secret weapon in studios. Also, put a 2x12 cab through it and it's extremely punchy.

I'm feeling your pain. I have a Gibson Goldtone GA-15, pretty much identical to the Velocette. I've been using a jury-rigged cab, the shell of an old dead Univox combo with a Vintage 30 12" installed as the output to get a little more Bass out of the amp. Works pretty good, but it's completely open back, as in see through, LOL.

I've order the Blackheart mini-stack hoping to kill two birds, maybe three. The Head can power the included Eminence, the Vin30, or I can power by large Bandmaster 2x12" cab with it. Meanwhile I can try the GA-15's 15 Class A watts thru the Blackheart Closed Back Cab. I wish the thing would get here!!!