4 Fender Blues Junior Tricks to Sound AWESOME

[@JackFossett]

Thanks for watching everyone! Remember to like and subscribe, and check out my personal gear recommendations on my webpage! www.jackfossett.com/gear-recommendations

[@SteeringSteel]

“ it’s not quite terrible but it’s going in that direction.” That is the absolute best description I’ve ever heard for the fat switch 😂

[@markdeffebach8112]

The fat switch removes an ac bypass capacitor to ground in the first gain stage. This gives you an older more vintage type of sound. If you play with "touch" the fat switch allows you to get more saturation when you dig in and a cleaner sound when you use a light touch, the way amps from the 30s through the 50s behave. In my opninion, it's the best feature of this amp. If you turn off the fat switch your amp will behave more like an amp from the 60s or 70s where you have less control of tone from "touch". Your clean tone will change more in volume and less in "fatness" from playing hard. So if you like a vintage response use the fat switch. If you prefer a more sterile sound, don't use the fat switch.

[@luisfguitar]

Fat switch always on for me

[@mattgilbert7347]

Fat switch on when using my Xotic AC Booster, OCD 1.3, and Tech 21 Double Drive.

[@goldwold]

I leave the fat switch on always.

[@bldallas]

One of my favorite pedals, is my Boss Fender ‘65 Reverb. I bought it, originally, as a perfect addition to my 57 year old, ‘65 Fender Champ. With the Blue Jr, it functions as a boost, additional EQ, alternate reverb and tremolo. Very cool.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Always been curious about that reverb pedal.

[@bldallas]

@@mattgilbert7347 it’s an amp in a box. Definitely has the ‘65 Reverb tone, in my opinion. Before I bought my Blues Junior IV (which has a spring reverb built it), that pedal was an B always on for me. Now, I get my reverb from my amp, for the most part, but I’m able to set the gain on this pedal for just a bit of natural tube amp breakup tone along with a reverb “bump” at lower volumes.

[@georgehoggatt3759]

I have one also, a pro Jr and 57 deluxe , use this reverb pedal.

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@bldallas thanks for the info. Sounds cool

[@mr.fancypants698]

​@@bldallas I have that same pedal, love it! ❤ Looking to have a smaller amp to run it through, thought of the blues junior. I'm currently running it through a '72 fender bassman 100watt head, and an '80's marshall 4x10" cab., with 10" celestion speakers. That pedal, gives that amp a cool reverb, as bassman's do not have reverb. Just want a clean, smaller amp. I see there's different versions of it too, still trying to decide.🤔

[@davidhealy7743]

Thanks Jack , I have one of these amps and the numbers and descriptions identifying the knobs are worn off . And , now I know what’s what. Your tips and suggestions are appreciated and helpful for my ancient ears. Nice job. Thanks.

[@rickkowalski1755]

Great vid, I found that taking the treble and mid way down, (both are just under 3) and bringing the bass up to 7 gives a really sweet flavor of tweed that still has that mid push and top end sparkle. Strangely enough, with the fat switch on with the eq set like that, it brings in some really nice top end definition, and really lends itself to use of the volume and tone controls.

[@CRUNCHCOLE]

I have a Blues Jr 3 with Bill M mods and Celestion V-Type 70 Watt speaker. I have found keeping the master down about 8-9 keeps the lows from being so flubby when you are pushing it. It is the same way with a stock one. I use a V-Treb treble bleed on my strat so the tone stays the same when you turn the volume down. I set my amp for the sound I want and use the tone about half the time to soften the highs. That way I can have either sound at full or partial volume. I usually use a strat with Fender Hot Noiseless pickups but sometimes I use my Carvin three pickup tele or my Epi 339 with Gibson pickups. All of them sound great. I get lots of compliments on my tone

[@LA-zc9rg]

Bought a BJr in ‘98 new. Best $300 I’ve ever spent😎! Still have it completely stock. The 90’s US green board amps are darker and not as bright as the MIM cream boards. Original speaker which is basically an Eminence 1258, is perfect. Great amp!

[@geoffdewar8845]

Thanks for your suggestions. I have a Blues Jr lll Limited Edition Tweed with the Cannabis Rex speaker. I love the amp. Your ideas will help me understand how to get the most out of this amp.

[@jamieskillman6972]

I also have the limited BJ, I also have the BJ 4 playing them togeather is awsome.

[@nickf2170]

I may have mentioned this here before, but I was really surprised how much better this amp sounds thru an external speaker cab. I would say its a night and day difference. And so many people are making full-on amp mods....the amp is actually fine, the struggles with the sound of this amp all went away as soon as I plugged it into a different speaker cab. The cab I am using is an open back Avatar with two Eminence RWB speakers, and it sounds great.

[@antonjensen9883]

how do you use a ext cab when there is no "ext spkr" on the amp?

[@nickf2170]

@@antonjensen9883 Get a speaker cab that matches to ohms to the amp. Then follow the wire coming out of the amp speaker, it will go to a 1/4 jack up under the head, unplug that, and plug the new speaker cab into that jack, done. Note, the connecting cable that goes to the new cab must be one specifically for a cab application. It is not a standard guitar cable.

[@netterstyl]

Fender fixed the reverb on the BJ numero 4. So rip out the guts on the 3, and use the cabinet to store Christmas tree ornaments, or maybe cram old issues of Guitar Player magazine in it. (Or, if you follow Jack's advice, get great tones out of the 3.) Btw, Fender did a really good job of blending/transitioning the colors on that Stratification guitar.

[@cubano100pct]

Great playing and great video on demonstrating the tones. I have Fender Blues Junior IV Limited Edition Sonic Blues with 1x12” Eminence Cannabis Rex speaker.

[@blackfishgaming7145]

I have the same amp. I think fender dialed in the amp to eliminate some of the points made in this video. I’m really happy with it.

[@DrewTriesToPlayGuitar]

I LOVE the Cannabis Rex. It was a game changer for me in my blues junior and my Blackstar HT20!

[@expatcanuck2087]

Same amp. I've found the Rex to be darker (which I like), but tend to keep the treble in the 6-7 range. Playing a small club, I've never needed the Volume beyond 3-4 and the Master beyond 12 o'clock. Don't use the FAT switch. Don't use the Reverb beyond 2. Feed the amp with either my Player Tele or D'Angelico Premier Mini DC.

[@morrisgentry8624]

I also have the same amp. I don’t use the reverb at all due to the noise it adds. I use a Boss RV6 instead. I set the EQ roughly as Jack described, keep the Master around 9 and the volume around 2 or 3. I use a Boss DD8 in my chain and an MXR 10 EQ to tweak my tone. This works pretty well with my Telecaster to achieve noise-free clean tones.

[@aitken1965]

My Blues Jr III has had a cap job, new power resistors, new tubes and is equipped with the Eminence C-Rex speaker. It's never seemed boxy to me.

[@robertrichter7702]

That blue Tele is A Beauty!! I bet it sounds even better then it looks

[@CountryHitsUSA]

I think you’ve got the Best Video on the BJ3! I’m not sure why fender doesn’t set all the controls to 6 then tweak the circuit???? After 4 versions of The Same Amp!!!

[@juhamikkonen]

Thank you for all your tips! :) I had a basic black Blues Junior 3 and it was a very good amp after I changed the speaker Eminence Cannabis Rex into it (the original speaker was too bright). However I decided sell my old amp with it's original speaker and buy a handmade point to point clone of Blues Junior and put Cannabis Rex into it. A Finnish ampbuilder Rikstone built it for me and also designed and added a precence nob into it. It was a bit more expensive but not much. And it made a difference. If you have possibility to buy a point to point amplifier made by a professional technician I would recommend it. This is how they made amps in the good old days. They sound more full and deep and there is less noise. They are also more durable than factory made. I think that one problem with modern amps is the circuit board technology. It is less expensive to manufacture amps this way in factories. Modern handwired amps are much better but they are very expensive and still not as good as a true point to point made amp.

[@PaulSter]

PTP wired amps do not affect tone in any discernable measure. All of the major amp builders have long since gone to PCB. Just remember that not all PCBs are created equal. The ONLY advantage that I think is absolute, is that PTP amps can easily be repaired FOR-EVER

[@davolk9525]

Just picked up a Blues Jr Mk1 with an upgraded Mod reverb tank. Coming from a Mesa 100 watt combo. I can't believe how loud this little amp gets and how much gain it can produce. So far I really like it. BTW, no one seems to know that the fat switch is footswitchable, including people who have owned one for years. It plugs into a 1/4 inch jack next to the speaker jack up inside the back. It's not labeled so you'd never know unless you read one sentence in the manual about it.

[@Jrup2110]

Ha! I was so mad when I bought it that it didn’t come with the foot switch. Then I looked in the back of the amp and found it

[@Thoracius]

I find the mod tanks really muddy and washed out sounding. Makes guitar sounds distant instead of thick.

[@rickriccardi4741]

I hooked up a footswitch to my fat switch and it gives me a little something extra when I want it. Good idea.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Thanks, Jack. I think I'll grab my old Blues Junior Tweed iii today (same model as yours) and have a play, it's been a while. I do use the "master volume trick" to eliminate some of the boxiness. Master volume up as high as I get away with (NOT all the way), preamp volume as my "de facto master". Thanks for showing us Master Volume Tricksters some respect :D I have a Champ clone that I want to use as my dry amp in a little wet/dry rig- the Junior should make a good wet amp. I do quite like the fat switch when I'm using certain drive pedals (not tubescreamers), playing at volume with the band. It just works for me. Totally agree on the reverb. I barely use it. I'll definitely try lowering the mids, I think I've been running it around 5-6. I could probably drop down to 3-4, my 335's pickups are pretty "strident" to begin with. Nice Strat!

[@mattgilbert7347]

...I fell asleep and it didn't happen. Oh well. Next weekend!

[@neildavidvandenbergh5422]

Leaving that fat switch off is a GREAT tip!!! Someone I respect told me they love to just leave it on, and so I did, and I could never get the tone that I wanted. Haha Leaving it off does work so much better, and honestly makes way more sense in terms of allowing the subtleties of your dynamics and attack to be heard and whatnot. Great video and tip, thanks man! 🙏😄

[@hubbsllc]

I just don't have any use for the Fat switch. I just don't think it's very musical. Same with the pull boost on my SF PR.

[@stevenrussi5973]

I have the III tweed model with the Jensen and using it primarily for jazz--great amps for this because they are quiet, especially the black ones. The quality of the guitar itself and the pickups that are being used is the critical variable--there is a great difference between quality pots and pickups. The cheap jazz guitar with poor pots and its Korean pickup sounds nice but the amp seemed bland. When you hook up the super strat with Seymour Duncan's SH-2n "Jazz" Shop Floor Custom, #9 stacked single coil (awesome pickup) and the JB jr.,and quality 500 K pots, this amp came alive. Wow! The Jensen sounds great with definition and clarity (this is at low volume levels). This guy is right about the eq section, leave it on flat. The reverb sucks so turn it down. I've heard that many players (rock) leave the fat switch on all the time--it does affect the timbre in a rounder, warmer-type sound.

[@Thoracius]

Bro the quality of pots does not affect the sound. An expensive 250k ohm pot will sound exactly like a cheap pot with the same resistance reading.

[@julielocke-balish1707]

Thanks for all your videos!! I love them! Do you use an attenuator with the blues jr? I can’t put mine up over 5 without blowing my ears out.. in the house anyway.. lol

[@mikehickey6256]

Vol 4 treble 7 mids 3 bass 5 master 9 reverb 2 fat switch in. Done and done. Clean to over drive controlled with guitar volume.

[@iPeteStorr]

Hi, thanks for this informative and dare I say unbiased view on this amp, the tips you've given are a welcome help to my next decision to buy or not buy. I'm right now looking for a new amp and have been looking at Fender Blues Junior with Eminences speaker as a possible, shall I buy, I'll remain quiet about that and simply say this video has cleared some thing up, thanks.

[@bobarciero4097]

fabulous Jack. helping an old guy out!!

[@ferpirata76]

Great review. Subscribed! One question. I have a 6120 Gretsch. I,m actually playing with an Orange Crush 20. Do you think this beautiful Fender is a good amp for rockabilly? Thank you very much!

[@JackFossett]

Thank you! Yes definitely, this could do rockabilly. Would sound great with a slapback delay.

[@Keule20001]

Hello Jack I play a Music Store Edition: Fender Blues-Junior IV LTD with an Eminence Red-White speaker. I personally play a Telecaster Ultra. Do you have some setting tips for me? I play the rhythm guitar. Vg. from Germany Klaus

[@BreadLightPray_EWFMgtr]

Really Good tips on the blues jr ‼️ I intuitively dialed in my blues jr LTD (Jensen ceramic) and my Gretch Electromatic exactly as you described both 'cause brash tones don't suit my lighter fingerstyle play ; this is my first tube amp and my first electric amp is the Orange crush 35RT which I basically dialed in for similar clean tones with mild reverb _ anyhow been playing electric just over one year with forty more years on acoustic steel string flat top , so I kinda knew intuitively what tones I was looking for out of the electric amp/guitar and my method matches exactly as you have described here 😉

[@maviedeveuf6585]

Thank's for the advice for the switch , my sound was to very sharp with my fender ultra ! :)

[@SouthMeckStunna]

Wow I’ve never seen a strat that color before. Pretty cool.

[@davolk9525]

I just bought a Blues Jr. Mk1 with an upgraded Mod reverb tank. I'm coming from a Mesa 100 watt combo. I can't believe how loud this little thing gets and how much gain it can produce. BTW no one seems to know that the fat switch is foot switchable. It plugs into an unlabeled 1/4 input inside the back up next to the speaker jack. You'd never know it was there unless you read one sentence about it in the manual. I played a mk4 and it sounded very dark compared to the tweed or the older black versions that I tested. The only thing I might do is throw a Jensen speaker in because I like how it sounds in the tweed.

[@liviob100]

The MOD reverb tank sounds much thicker and shimmery than the stock tank. It's worth buying if the stock tank seems to be working fine.

[@williamsporing1500]

My whole gigging rig consists of a blues jr with a Texas heat speaker, my LP and HX effects. Does everything I need it to do.

[@djc5897]

what eq settings do you use for your humbuckers? You go a little higher on mids and treble and lower on bass?

[@williamsporing1500]

@@djc5897 I run the bass about 4, treble at 6, and mid at 4

[@user-nu7xx7pc1d]

Hi!! why did you change the Jensen speaker? Are you happy with the change? How did the sound changes? thanks!!

[@williamsporing1500]

@@user-nu7xx7pc1d it took a lot of the shrillness out of it, and I love it. Gave it a little more natural growl. At the moment I’m doing mostly souther stuff…allmans, ZZ Top, hatchet, SRV kind of stuff. It’s perfect for that. I’m not a heavy effects user, I just use them to ‘flavor’ the tone.

[@williamsporing1500]

@@djc5897 well, I play a ‘cheap’ guitar my kids gave me for Father’s Day in ‘94. It’s an Epi LP. (Sold my 2 gibson LP) I put PAFs pups in it and a set of NOS ‘58 caps in it. On the guitar I run the tone all the way up, and the blues junior I run the highs around 6, kids around 5 and lows around 4.

[@thesurfjunkies]

Great suggestion about not using the fat switch. Ok for a solo boost but it tends to be too much in most cases volume wise.

[@JCFern]

I just bought my first tube amp, a Blues Jr IV( Limited Edition British Racing Green) after a side-by-side comparison with a Blues Jr Tweed LTD. At the time in the store, my ears were drawn to the IV, but now, I really wish that I had watched this video first, if only to have a better understanding of how to properly manipulate the controls, in order to do a more “educated” shootout between the IV and that Tweed LTD(visually, I had my heart set on that Tweed). I am admittedly still very new to tube amps, I’ve been pretty much a solid-state desktop practice amp bedroom hobbyist player all this time, and learning about an actual tube amp has been quite an “eye-and-ear” opener. Having said that, I like my new Blues JR IV a lot! Thanks to your video, I now have a somewhat better idea of what to do and listen for, rather than be stuck aimlessly twiddling the knobs every which way, hoping to stumble on some “million-dollar” tone.

[@adirondacktrekking1972]

Dude thanks man ,I needed this bud 🤟

[@JackFossett]

Glad it helped!

[@florisvanlingen]

I run a Honey Bee Amps Double Trouble Overdrive in front of my Blues jr. This really makes the jr sound way better.

[@Hammerman48]

I’m ok with the fat switch…..I use it for a boost on solos. A Les Paul through the Junior sounds great and the fat boost really helps to cut on a solo.

[@jefflevesque5316]

Thanks Dude....have a gig this weekend with her tis gives me a jump start. Now to break it in. Cheers!

[@symoboy]

Everything you said is 100% facts thank you for the tips

[@TheBenb1999]

Great video, I don’t have a Blues junior but I still learned some useful stuff. It’d be interesting if you did a video like this on other amplifiers.

[@jaredbear9809]

Great video, Jack! Bought my Blues Junior based on your videos, learned to dial it in based on your videos, keep learning more every time you post something new about this great little amp.

[@ShineDawg]

Same here, it gets a bad rap, but sounds wonderful when you dial it in. I don't have a lot of space in my studio so I have to stay small, but I would take the BJ over the AC10 Amy day. All the best fam

[@liviob100]

I have a NOS Blues Junior. Before seeing your video i pretty much settled at all of the settings you recomended. Master at 10. Trebele at 5. Mid at 4.5. Bass at 6-8 and volume at 6-7. I added a MOD reverb tank which sounds much better than stock tank and i added Swamp Thang speaker. It is heavyer but has much more bass, headroom and smother treble tones.

[@CrystalizedSound]

Another great video Jack, I have a Blues Jr tweed (current model) and I really like your playing, it demonstrates your concepts well & you play with a lot of feeling as opposed to playing 100mph riffs where you don't really get a feel for what is being demonstrated, as in many other videos! So please keep that up, it's appreciated. I use the Fat switch most of the time but then I'm mainly studio-based, so quieter volumes & mainly clean or with a little blues crunch & it works really well in this scenario. I have the footswitch so I do regularly bypass it, especially while setting up my tone, just to check in on what it's doing & if it's improving the tone or not. I agree it can get a bit much when playing loud or with distortion. I think of it as a 'low boost', as in those hifi stereo systems where they give you a low boost button to add a bit of weight and fullness when playing quieter, because obviously you lose some bass & warmth when playing quiet. I love the reverb and always have it on at least 2, maybe a touch more if I really want it to be present as part of the tone, but on 2 it's just nice & subtle and works for me there most of the time. I find the eq really smooth, you can sweep quite widely without destroying your tone so I think it's a great shaping eq but even so, I find I don't veer too far from 5-6 on any of the bands unless I'm going for something extreme. All round good advice Jack, thanks

[@Thoracius]

Gen 1 and 2 do not have the harsh treble issues that the 3 and later have. On my gen 2 blues Jr I can use the fat switch with no issue.

[@ediek8048]

Hi. I have viewed several of your videos on the Blues Jr. I have the latest Blues Jr. IV, and I find all your suggestions to be right on and useful. One question: several people have commented that it sounds boxy. Can someone please explain to me what "boxy" means. Thanks.

[@bldallas]

Regarding the Fat Switch, “It’s not quite terrible.” Love it….and I just bought a Blues Jr. IV on Saturday!

[@MrGunwitch]

Great video Jack. I've got a IV, what settings would you recommend for a Slash AFD tone? Cheers!

[@markmcmyn8967]

I found the best tone ,for me, was diming the master volume.I also changed the speaker to a cannabis rex. Even so,I have disabled the amp and use it as a speaker cab for a 57 tweed deluxe,and dumble style clones.

[@dannyjohnson6357]

Thanks for the review. Good pointers. Had one for a few months now. Swapped the box out for a pine mojo tone box and replaced the speaker with a cream back. Hate that boost button. Love your reviews.

[@BreauxBobby]

How did that pine cabinet work out? Did it help it sound better? I put a Celestion H12 in mine and it sounds so much better.

[@chrispage2782]

Hey Jack; great, comprehensive vid. I need some advice pertaining to your recommendations. I have an American, Green board Jr (‘97 I think). I’ve just paid more than twice what I bought it for, for repairs and inspection. It has Bilim mods, it’s been re-capped, two new tubes, mid range knob replace, biased, etc. In other words, it’s as good as it’s going to be. Jensen special design speaker. Depending on where Im playing, a lot of times it sounds like a donkey farting through wax paper. It might be the fat switch, it might be that I’m pushing the mids too much (many folks have told me I SHOULD push the mids). The lead tones are great, the single note soloing, but the rhythm chords, when I’m comping, sound like two tube screamers on 11; really garbage. Now, I KNOW it’s not a Marshall, and Im aware of the pitfalls of the JR, but do you have any advice? It seems like if I disengage the fat switch, there’s not enough power to cut through, but engaging it, makes it sound like a turd. Thanks for any advice, love your channel!

[@teledice1317]

Great post,, I have an original FBJr made in the USA.. I would like to change speakers for a warmer bluesy sound,, any suggestions will be appreciated...I know I was doing too much of what you said not to do, It sounded like crap,, so thanks for your input

[@thelion27]

I keep reading about the eminence swamp thing

[@johnpuljic2141]

Thanks Jack, enjoyed the demo!!

[@JackFossett]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@realtruenorth]

Tube screamer 808 on the front end of one of these sounds amazing

[@iamanovercomer3253]

I'm looking to get Fender blues jr 4 Eminence Speaker - Lacquered Tweed ... right now I use a Fender champion 40 .... and learning how to get sounds . BTW nice color strat 🎸👍

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

Does the blues junior III 230v (Eur) have a headphone and foot pedal jack? Where will you insert the footswitch to engage the FAT boost? Thanks

[@ali2ndmail]

I can’t agree enough with your comments about how to use the tone controls. Spot on. However, I have found the bass control doesn’t actually help much on most blues juniors because the speaker doesn’t have a good low end response anyway. Changing the speaker was the best thing I ever did, followed by cooling the bias and changing the tone and coupling caps.

[@PoeticInsanity]

how much did this all cost total to do?

[@ali2ndmail]

@@PoeticInsanity tone and coupling cap changes were cheap. You need to be able to solder though. You can buy a kit to do it or research what bits to change on internet and buy them yourself for a few pounds. For the bias, if you want it adjustable then it's a bit more pricey as you need the right sort of potentioneter but there is a cheaper option of changing the bias with one resistor and having it non adjustable. Speaker change was the most expensive and cost £50.

[@The030Berliner]

Hi Jack! I've been playing the exact same model as you for a few years now and have never regretted buying it. Imho the BJ (though only with the Jensen speaker) produces these wonderful, bell-like upper mids and highs. I couldn't agree more with your recommendations on how to dial in the EQ! One thing I find is that the amp sounds rather harsh with more distortion than a light crunch, no matter if it comes from the amp or any pedal I've tried -- probably due to that speaker as it really projects the highs rather than cutting them (as Greenbacks do, for instance). So for heavier tones (but only for those) I prefer different combos or speakers. And a 12AY7 in the position 1 helped the amp not to "fart out" with the volume set higher than 9. Thanks for your helpful videos on the Blues Junior btw!

[@hubbsllc]

I wasn't very knowledgable about amps when I bought my BJr but I knew what I was after: this particular "ring" I was hearing in the "Songs From Tsongas" concert video that Yes put out. It was Steve Howe playing I think a Les Paul (in any case, a four-knob dual-humbucker Gibson) in a certain register, and the amp was a Twin Reverb. I didn't want TR weight or volume but I went to a guitar store in Atlanta that was a bit of a boojie place and they let me go around with a four-knob dual-humbucker Collings (I did NOT know it was like a $5K guitar) and I was getting that ring out of a Blues Junior.

[@steadyrm]

Great Video! I have the IV with the Cannabis Rex. 6 is the magic # Volume and Master at 6 pushed with an SD1 sounds amazing

[@martyc4906]

Love the channel. Great content. 😇

[@GearBoxTy]

I use the Fat Switch (with a footswitch) as a lead boost...because it changes the tone and increases volume.

[@mikehorton1934]

I have a IV. Just purchased it about 3 weeks ago. I had one back in the 80s that I used in the college dorms, but never explored it's nuaunces. I played in a punk band and tone was something our fanbase wasn't concerned with. Fast forward through the career/family years and I'm now coming full circle. I spent a day playing through three different versions of the Blues Junior and experienced all of the issues you demontrated with the III. Someone mentioned below that the reverb was improved in IV, and I tend to agree. It's still a spring, but it's not as chimey or surfy (you can use surfy...it's a good word). The sweeps on the mids really vary between the versions. The Blues Junior IV is not as touchy but the range still seems to be there. The biggest difference I have found is that you can crank the bass to 12, dial the treb and mid to 1 and have a great baseline to start from. No mud in the bass at 12. I know that Blues Jr's are known for this but the IV is amazing at that level. Especially if you mic the back of the cab. The lows were mellow and clean in the track through a 57 (off axis). All amps were un-modded. The IV has the Jensen speaker, which is the better of the three, but there are some better speakers to be had. Great vid and wise words.

[@martinlahaie6012]

Go on... we all need more info...

[@NickRobbMusic]

The first Blues Junior (the "made in USA" version, which I own) was produced in 1995.

[@mikehorton1934]

@@NickRobbMusic You are absolute correct. I had my decades messed. It was in the mid 90s when one of the engineers brought one back from a gear show. Don't remember which one.

[@chuckmiller2741]

Hey, Jack. Love this video. I just got the Blues Jr IV in sonic blue with the Cannabis Rex speaker. I will take your advice and try your settings to see how that helps.

[@SawdustAndShavings]

Where do you like to set your guitar tone knobs when you are getting your baseline tone set up?

[@JackFossett]

Usually wide open but not always. I actually don't play with tone knobs a ton in actual practice, I like a very clear signal, but there are certainly times at live volumes when I back them off a bit.

[@jroobz]

I had a bias mod done to my blues junior and it’s calmed it down a bit and made the fat switch more usable. I always like to use it on as that’s what the amp really is, but I love the tones you got here

[@JackFossett]

I may at some point do the Fromel mods or other and do a video on it - just haven’t decided which yet

[@alexander_winston]

@Josh R…. I swapped out the stock speaker to an Eminence Texas Heat…. Such a big improvement.

[@genem9725]

Thanks. A big help.

[@msaintpc]

That's the most beautiful Strat I've ever seen. Where can I get one like it?

[@JackFossett]

Thats the Fender Player Plus Series in Tequila Sunrise, they should be available pretty much anywhere -

[@davidhoward8951]

What's the best speaker to put in a blues jr. Jensen or eminent

[@mr.rudolph630]

This really helped. Can you let me know your volume and master vol. settings or any advice on using these to improve the overall sound?

[@izzajoker]

I have a 3 in purple with a Type A speaker, and I use it for recording reggae guitar. I like the "just breaking up" setting, and then EQ it for the guitar. I use a 57 and a Fathead ribbon to track it.

[@user-nu7xx7pc1d]

nice strat and playing Mr.!

[@CrazyCalabrese78]

Nice playing and tones on this video, Jack. Informative video too. I have a Tweed version that I bought new early this year which has the Jensen speaker. I have tried various eq settings and found nice big cleans but not a good tone with pedals then I turned off the fat switch and found it a little boxy sounding even with the bass up which just made it sound a bit flabby and not really that full sounding. I understand that the fat switch off is acting as a bass and mid cut so I turned it on and leave it on but tried the old trick of sweeping the eq settings until they just sound active. I found a point where the bass and mids really got muddy with the fat switch on and the bass flabbed out. After more tweaking I found a nice clean sound and a nice pedal platform at the following settings, using a guitar with humbuckers: Reverb 3 Master 3 (for bedroom but turn it up if your room allows) Mids 8 Bass 3 Treble 3 Volume 3 I hope you or some others with humbuckers can give this a try and tweak it to taste. You may be able to bump the bass or treble up to 4 depending on your guitar.

[@djc5897]

Humbuckers sound way too dark with those settings you need to jack up the treble up at around 8-10 to some what eliminate the muddiness/darkness. more like 3 for bass, 3 for middle (the amp has natural mids anyway present) and turn up the treble. Your settings are for like single coil players. But its dawning on me regardless of my eq settings my blues jr 4 always sounds like there is a blanket over the speaker i quite cant put my finger on it

[@CrazyCalabrese78]

@@djc5897 you’re right. I went back and checked the settings the next time I plugged in and upped the treble to 5 and dropped the mids to about the same. Left the bass at 3. Much more clarity and not too dark sounding on either pickup. I might have been running in coil split mode when I dialled it in originally. Just gotta find the right overdrive or boost to use as a first gain stage now. The Carl Martin Plexi tone I have can be used to fatten up the clean tone with the gain on zero. At any other setting it’s got too much gain lol

[@derektournas3149]

Hey man what a great video, The info you gave here has opened additional doors for me Your way at explaining things in terms of the “keeping the volume toned in at nine” Being able to explain the technical stuff in detail is a gift i wish other “teachers”people have So thax man ,, I will be checking your stuff out You should make more vids Maybe music theory??? Hint hint lol

[@JackFossett]

Thank you! I actually have done some guitar lessons, however they've never really gotten much attention so I've only done them sporadically. But here is a playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6uvapV5n9B-fpI

[@telecasterguitarslinger]

Good advice ! I have BJr iii and contemplating changing the speaker to a Jensen C12N. Any thoughts on that ? Thinking Princeton like sounds ??

[@robertrichter7702]

These are awesome tips !! I didn’t know that about the bass I don’t think I’ll push it to 12 but maybe 9 or 10 and keep the treble and mids rolled back to between 3 and 5 .. thanks for this info

[@bldallas]

Great stuff. On a side note, I freakin LOVE that double bound Lake Placid blu Tele on your wall! So cool.

[@FleetwoodCrack]

I played with the BJ3 in black used in store I really liked it and was not impressed with how the Fat switch functioned on that model after someone bought the 3 I was playing on the original 4 and felt the same way. I made the decision one day to get it in basic black and when I got home I unboxed the LTD Tweed with the Jensen and it was a way better sounding amp. I mostly play clean noodling and Pop Punk, Punk, and Hardcore and I live with the Fat switch on because it gives me the raw sound with no pedals. When I do use my board the Fat gets turned off because it is too much. Sometimes it really isn't practical but I feel it makes this amp very usable right out of the box it gives a boost that would otherwise require more money spent. It may not be for everyone but I definitely get why Fender put it in.

[@jackgraffiti9815]

Hi Jack, very informative as usual. I got a bj iii with a weber ceramic speaker. Ive been using it with the master all the way up as many people do but I don't like the sound of my casino elitist through it. What are your setting master/volume? I play mainly classic soul rnb ..thank you!!!

[@colinmortimore218]

Very balanced and informative 👍

[@JackFossett]

Glad you liked it

[@ShineDawg]

How about a TS10 in front of it? Personally, I love my blues junior. One of only 2 combos I have and it sounds amazing. My version does have a Cannabis Rex speaker though. It's an amazing amp that you can play at home with out upsetting the neighbors. Love your informational videos Jack. Always a pleasure, all the best and god bless

[@JackFossett]

TS10 I bet would be great, although I haven't paired them. I have several times taken out the Blues Jr with a TS9 and it just works.

[@MellowFellow137]

greatly made video

[@lnugent1000]

Is that the player plus? How do you like it?

[@marcoprins4880]

Jack. Should I get the tweed or black one?

[@darrinvandemark4781]

Wish the video explained the difference between BJ and this model which is a BJ 3. Whats different? What about a BJ 4?

[@1cleandude]

Awesome video Jack thanks for your time and expertise! I have the 2012 BJ FSR with Celestion Greenback and just can’t seem to dial in that brittle clean tone you demonstrated! I’ll try these suggestions and see what gives!🙏🏻

[@jmmozingo]

Consider replacing the AX7 tube in V1 with an AY7 if you are looking for a smoother tone. And yes, the boost button should be renamed the “harsh” button.

[@f69tele]

I have a NOS Tweed Jr. that I bought new in 2005. Re-capped it with the kit from Fromel. Reverb tank crashed so put a MOD in it. I'm still "Jone's-in" for a 68 Custom Princeton Reverb. I have experimented with all kinds of settings trying to get a tone I'm happy with. I will try these suggestions. Last time I played out I had the Master on about 8 and the Vol on about 2.5. I also have a Tech21 Flyrig that I use the Sansamp in front of the Jr. sometimes to give it a different flavor. So.... Still searching and turning knobs.... My axe is a '69 Thinline Telecaster Re-issue (a 1998 model) Mahogany, with Fralin Blues Special bridge p/u and Fralin standard Tele neck p/u.

[@AustinAzz93]

I have a BJ3 and replaced the stock speaker with a Texas heat. Game changer.

[@JackFossett]

Oh yeah, speaker can make a massive difference. I’m working on a speaker shootout with this one.

[@pugforce8315]

Thinking of selling my hotrod deluxe to “downgrade” i think it’s just to big and loud for what i use it for. Any advice?

[@justinpaquette224]

Every amp I have that has a master is set with it on 10, it just always sounds best to me

[@regansmallridge8040]

BilM mods are the way to go with a BJ.....made a good amp sound great. The mids knob is the only tone knob you cannot turn completely off.....unless you complete a very easy solder mod on the back of the pot. Swapping out the speaker also makes a huge improvement. Strongly recommend checking out Bill Marcone's (former Fender amp tech) and what he has to say regarding the design of the Blues Junior.

[@mikerush8135]

I read that Bill had passed. The website is down.

[@regansmallridge8040]

@@mikerush8135 That's correct, he did.....I believe his family continued to run the business. There is a FaceBook page, you may be able to get in touch there perhaps.

[@Slushpuppie55]

Thx for the effort you've put into this Video. Much appreciated. I have just bought the Blues Junior IV in Laquered Tweed... Can't wait to get her home and start noodling.

[@JackFossett]

The IV you’ll most likely have much more range on - from what I understand the reverb in particular is quite a bit better

[@PaulMcCartGuitarTracks]

I use the line out of my Vibro Champ. It takes the edge off the harshness.

[@ferpirata76]

Hi Jack. Sorry to bother you again. I have a good offer on a Fender pro junior IV. My budget is not great so I need to be sure. As I told you I play with a Gretsch 6120 and i use an overdrive and rever pedals. I don’t like that the pro has only volume and tone. For 100 more euros I can get the limited edition. Which one would you get on that range? ( I want a valve one but it doesn’t have to be Fender )Thanks a lot for your time and kindness. I value a lot your opinion. Best wishes

[@JackFossett]

If they have any available, the Peavey Classic 30 or Delta Blues are great amps. I also love the Supro Delta King which has a generally nicer tone than the Fender, although the Fender may be better character wise for Rockabilly. I have limited experience with the Pro Jr amp but I do know they’re good, a lot of people like them better than the blues jr for their simplicity

[@ferpirata76]

@@JackFossett thanks a lot for your answer. I just found a supro delta king 10 and a Peavey classic 30 at a very good price. It would be one of those or a Fender blues. Tough choice but I think that you would discard the Fenders wouldnt you? There's also a guy selling a Delta Blues but is expensive and I think too much power for a flat (I wouldn't like to be assassinated by the neighbours haha). Which one would you choose? Thanks again for your time and kindness. You have a great channel with excellent reviews so congratulations. Best wishes from Spain!

[@johnmirabile3535]

AND I NEED YOUR HELP! MY BLUES JR, SOUNDS GREAT WITH AN EQ AND OVERDRIVE, I JUST PUT DAVE STEPHENS HUMBUCKERS IN MY LP, AND THAT COMBO IS AMAZING! BUT WHEN I TOOK OFF THE [PEDALS RIGHT BEFORE I UNPLUGGED I CAN SWARE I HEAR A SLIGHT VOLUME SWAY...LIKE ITS GOING IN AND OUT ITS VERY SUBTLE BUT I KNOW I HEAR IT...CAN IT BE A TUBE READY TO GO? TY

[@JackFossett]

Possibly, hard for me to say Im not the best at troubleshooting

[@BreauxBobby]

Sounds really good! I have a Blues Jr IV and put a Celestion H12 in it. It sounds much better now. Although it sounded very good before with the A type. It isn’t quite as harsh now and the bass is a little tighter, I changed all the tubes to my preference and it didn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference. The tubes the amp came with were fine. I always use the fat switch. The amp sounds a little anemic without it, but I love the way the amp sounds in this video, so I’m going to try this approach.thanks for the tips! Sounds great!

[@Just_play_guitar]

Are you familiar with the Blues Jr IV? do you have any tips for that amp? the III and IV are voiced a bit differently?

[@JackFossett]

I am familiar with it but never owned one - I’m actually trying to get my hands on one for videos

[@jerrywalaszek2473]

I have the Blues Jr. IV and don't use it because after watching Psonic *** You Tube channel I'm worried that I need certain mods done so it does not fail prematurely.This guy knows his stuff at least I would hope so , he is very professional.

[@PaulSter]

Bah! Just plug and play.

[@CRUNCHCOLE]

I have Bill M mods with his clean boost mod in my number one Jr and a Celestion V-Type 70 Watt speaker. It sounds like a $2000 amp. I leave My hand wired Allen Accomplice amp(best amp I ever plugged into) at CHurch to play every week but still use my modded Jr when I play anywhere else.

[@jonlane2083]

Great vid. Love the BJ III. Granted I've done a lot of mods to mine, but well worth it and it made the eq section much more usable. 100% agree on the fat switch. An Eminence Swamp Thang is magic in this amp as well.

[@JackFossett]

They’re really only a few minor mods away from being superb amps

[@105Gunner]

Great video Jack. Would love to see a similar one for a Pro Junior if you could. Thanks!

[@lambo831]

Dude, the fat switch sounds so good. You’re literally hating on all the things that make fender amps great! You might want a mesa boogie. 😢