Anybody tried the Valve Junior?

[johnS]

Anyone heard the Epiphone Valve Junior amp? I'm looking for a small recording amp and this looks like it might be ok for a stripped down pop/rock sound. It's real cheap and only five watts, too, so probably good for apartment recording. I read somewhere that they sound much better if you swap out the speaker for a Celestion--which you could do and it would still be cheap!

I wonder how they compare to the small Fender tube amps?

[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.

[johnS]

More low-watt tube amps:

Fender Blues Jr.
Fender Pro Jr.
Gibson Les Paul Junior

Which one wins for recording purposes? Any others?

[GearJunkie]

The Gibson LP Jr and the Epi Valve jr are the exact same amp. I read somewher where they opened them up and they were the same circuts, transformer, etc.

Fender Blues junior is a monster. If you're looking for a great little amp, try an old Fender Champ. Those are fantastic.

[johnS]

The hand soldering must explain the $400 diff between the LPJr and the Valve Jr. Sure, that must be it.

I guess I should go to an amp store and do a side-by-side test.

Thanks for the input!

[GearJunkie]

Also the ZVex Nanohead. That thing is so freakin cool.

[johnS]

Yeah, very nice. Any idea what sort of speaker cab goes well with those? Is there anything with a small speaker? Like 10" or 8"?

[GearJunkie]

You can run a 4x12 with those if you want, actually. I'm sure a 1x10 or 1x12 would work great on that. For half a watt, the thing's REALLY loud. Same with one of those Lil' Smokey amps. They're amps that were built in cigarette packs. I've got two of them.

Great little recording amps I'd still go with an old Fender Champ as choice #1.

[smopo24]

is the blues junior better than the epiphone valve standard amps?

[mikegee]

Originally Posted by smopo24

is the blues junior better than the epiphone valve standard amps?

yea, thats a good question, i'd like to know that too...

Also, since the Epiphone Valve Junior amp is so small, only 5 watts with a tiny speaker, can you possibly get tube quality sound and tone in such a little package>? if so, it defintely looks worth buying. i have a vox brian may practice amp, and its a tiny 10 watter, with a tiny speaker, and it sounds extremely tinny (i know, its supposed to in a way, being that it emulates brian mays signature tone...) but i wonder if that little tiny epiphone amp can pack a 5 watt punch worthy of listening and jamming to...