Blues Tone With Blues Junior And Keeley BD2 Blues Driver

Just a little gear video I threw together with my Texas Red Blues Junior and my current pedalboard (which probably isn't current anymore :)
The voice is a little low in the mix, sorry about that. But you can hear the guitar amp just fine. Enjoy!

[@charleshettich7396]

Finally a KZbin pedal board that I agree with

[@TonyHookedonVanlife]

I know this is an old vid, but holy crap, your tone is just amazing. You're a helluva player too.

[@Rishabhgreenday]

What makes the tone even better is the playing! Sweet!

[@marlonborreo]

There should be a favorite button. Or a double like. Because I keep coming back to this video for listening to some real good tone. Don't ever pull this vid, please! :)

[@Joemommas]

There is a favorites.

[@mattgilbert7347]

Same! I am back again, to convince myself to keep my SD-1, TS-9, BD-2 (I have two, Keeley SPM ge & Monte Allums), DD-7 and script logo Phase90. BUT - mine has a different speaker. I need to upgrade.

[@1alexanderkup1]

2020 here, coming back the vid since..2012 I think

[@android199x]

Still watching 2020 :')

[@LMDAVE29]

Me too, my blues driver is coming in next week. I love the tone of it, and his playing is great. I need his lessons

[@tobiaslindbladh3025]

This is the most amazing video on KZbin (for guitarists anyway....) I learned so much from this video, I'm actually putting together a similar pedal board. You have such a versatile setup with great tones, humble attitude, ability to explain how it works and stellar playing chops... REALLY dig it!!! 🙌

[@GoldStar5XL]

this vid sold me on the blues jr and boss sd1,bd2,and ibanez TS

[@mattgilbert7347]

Ditto. I already had the amp, was using different pedals. Not anymore! I threw a RAT in there plus a little Mooer Flanger and my delays are slightly different (Maxon AD-9 Pro for analog, DD-7 for digital) but otherwise, this guy's rig is my inspiration for the best tones from my Jnr Mk.3

[@AdanLucass]

Dude I know it has been 5 years, but does de Blues Jr have headroom enought to gig with?

[@JBurtonTenor]

I am absolutely BLOWN away by this video. I did the search because I was considering A Blues Jr Lacquered Tweed, and wondered if it would take dirt pedals well. I guess you'd say the answer is YES. These tones are fanTASTIC. Thanks so much.

[@ZEGO24x]

Great playing, great tones - Thanks for the overview, Chief!

[@sat8vai14]

One of the coolest vids Ive seen for a while...good explanation...cool playing ...great tone....nice

[@delosanator13]

I'm loving that jazzy clean sound you are getting out of the Junior!

[@MrThresher7]

Hey Who's watching in 2019?? Well..almost...lol..just a month away. Imagine an update in HD....Whoa!

[@chopperking007]

BEST TONES IVE HEARD ON KZbin...10/10

[@1Ma9iN8tive]

I love your sound man - God let me win the lottery so I can buy the gear I need to copy your sound ... So rich and warm ... Perfectly tonelicious!!! That Strat bridge tone ... E gadz Man

[@xtazxvegasx]

Won the lottery, eh? Would you be nice enough to send me an Axe-Fx =D

[@TerryMasri]

Don't know why, but it's so satisfying and inspiring watchin a pro at work!

[@spivvo]

Thanks for a really great tone demo, I have been playing thirty years but looks like it will be another thirty before I can play as well as you do in your demo.....Very nice playing! Paul, London.

[@mrtambourineman6107]

I got the same amp......i literally fell in love with it in a matter of seconds.....with a touch of reverb is just heaven!

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

@SASchertz - I've been through so many multi-effects boxes over the years and my big complaint is that I can't adjust them on the fly. I've contemplated the Axe-Fx many times, but when I need to reach down and slightly turn the tone knob on a pedal I can't. Every gig is different and there's just no way to pre-program everything for every room.

[@JMKillingsworth]

Love your tone and nice chops as well. I am a big fan of your sound and the simplicity of the Blues Jr. It is truly is a fantastic amp and is really underrated for being able to practice, jam and play live with.

[@tomcat8983]

Love your setup! But more importantly, I love your playing style. So clean and articulate, not all run together in a wall of noise. I can hear every single note. Awesome video and thanks for sharing this!

[@Franklinfishingflies]

I'm currently using a borrowed blues junior. I have been playing through a marshall for quite some time. I'm liking what I have heard so far. I landed on your video and we have most of the same pedals which I thought was helpful. Just wanted to chime in and say thanks for the video.

[@2008Dasilvaj]

one of the few pedal demos with someone who can REALLY play. sounded killer man!

[@kentwyngaard8803]

Wow! that BD2 with the 335 was amazing

[@jamesdunstan8099]

I just bought a brand new Blues Jr. Lacquered Tweed Edition. Nicest amp I have ever owned. Kicking my self for not getting one years ago. However, I now own one.

[@Dinyeh7bmj]

SRV was a tremendous talent and his music is just as meaningful today as when he released it. However, even Stevie combined the use of several amplifiers, modified his Strat and used a variety of pedals. In the end, for the rest of us not as gifted as SRV, music is still in our heart and these are tools to help us express ourselves. My motto is: If the bills get paid , if I work my butt off and give the proper priorities to family, and then music stuff can be very cathartic.

[@android199x]

This was my favorite KZbin video as a guitar demo. Thanks alot sir!

[@oneampscouse]

Such a nice tone and great playing. 👍🏻

[@kangaroofoot]

Pedal stacking just seemed like something cool to try before this video. After watching it, it makes total sense.

[@dawsonhooker7480]

Came for the amp ! Stayed for the music! You rock dude !

[@losrogers13]

I love this setup and your playing rips! Great tone; great licks

[@Sparta2310]

Perfect setup man plus your chops don't hurt any either , great job

[@alexanderleach2290]

seriously great demo man. you seem to make great use of all those pedals.

[@thorpenator9148]

Love the demo of your pedal board, and playing even more, cheers from Cleveland, Ohio.

[@JimJamDaMan]

that 335 sounds sooooooo good

[@rjosephinterrante621]

I am suprised to hear how good the boss pedals sound. No need to go boutique. great playing and great tone. my blues jr would rattle something aweful when I turned it up.

[@starstudies9004]

There are probably videos comparing the two, so you can see how much the boutique aspect (Keeley) comes into play. I'm gonna go search for them now...

[@starstudies9004]

Your use of the digital delay in place of the amp reverb was very interesting and informative. Thanks!

[@swedeinla]

i abolutely LOVE your phrasing, some of the best ive heard

[@franksturgis3695]

I just bought a Blues Jr amp and this is very informative as how I should use my pedals .

[@choffman1995]

Awesome video! Good playing and sound comparisons, and I like seeing a nice, neat, simple board like that. Kudos.

[@SkagitAdventures]

I use the same three Overdrive pedals in my board, the Boss Super Overdrive is my all time favorite, and they are still $50 new! Great video and very informative.

[@SuperMIKEFREE]

Great video,Great Guitarist, you know I like this guy, sounds like a the sort of person you'd be happy to work with in a band, very cool.

[@00xanawolf00]

Love the slapback/delay trick for getting a shorter, darker reverb. I personally like the reverb built into the Fender tube amp models, but I like the sound the Slapback/delay tone as an alternative.

[@PByt1512]

Wow alright ! Who says you need those big expensive pedals to get that great sound... take a look at this setup with well-known AFFORDABLE pedals... nothing to envy, and at the same time thumbing a nose at all these overpriced boutique pedals. This is all you need when you know how to tweak these littles buttons!! I really enjoyed this video,... sometimes less is better! thank you for sharing your know-how.

[@joemamma4324]

WOW!.Great find on that Super overdrive!..Just ordered one.Wish I could get this tone out of my Super Champ...

[@steveindorset]

I also came to listen to the Fender BJNR and have just been convinced it’s the one I what. Loved the way you stack the BD, S-OD and TS. I already have most of those pedals. I was looking for something lower volume to play at home and in church. My boogies are just far too loud. Could not get over how tight the bottom end was, when most say the BJNR is too loose in the bottom end. Great....so great I’m gonna watch it again. Cheers.

[@noworries12]

great review and master playing...I just ordered the blues jr. ...cant wait!!

[@charliesullivan1960]

love that tone.just the way i like! not even playing loud.thanks for this vid.

[@noakwesterberg]

Killer tones! I also used to stack a ts9 and a modded blies driver, it's a great lead tone. The super overdrive shocked me though, need one now!

[@Bixll09]

Very similar to my board. Love it. easy, simple and clean.

[@surfzion]

Awesome licks, great tone. Thanks for the video man.

[@aXegat]

Great tone and awesome playing. Inspiring!!! I just bought a Free the tone-gigs boson and loving it. Cheers

[@jaylamb1434]

Along with your great chops, your tone is there. Thanks for the vid.

[@jeshely]

Simple, tasty, versatile pedalboard for the working man.

[@Torrello13]

killer tone you got me rethinking my whole setup. I thought that stacking would create more noise but it sounds great. I sarted upsizing my rig again and am already regretting it (ouch my back) a friend GAVE me a Rickenbacker SG412 cab and naturally i ran right back to the half stack. never really thought about fine tuning my pedalboard. gotta start from scratch.

[@rjc7289]

I've always been surprised with how much gain is packed into the stock Blues Driver. It can handle a wide variety of overdriven tones.

[@petar16949]

Beautiful sound that inspires for some great blues playing. I love your setup and your playing style of course :-)

[@gregs8685]

I like everything about your playing and sound. Really enjoyed watching it, except for having to look at your toes lol.

[@2309612]

Your not going to get “that tone” even with same pedals........this guy is incredibly talented plain and simple the tones in him!

[@manifestgtr]

among my overdrives are the ts-9 (like any respectable pedal geek) and the sd-1...our setups are actually pretty similar in a lot of ways...I'm in the same boat in that I've recently been way into the sd-1...honestly, it sounds as good or better than many boutique overdrives I've encountered over the years...on top of that, it's a $50 pedal that could survive a nuclear apocalypse...what more could you ask for?

[@kentwyngaard8803]

Tone is in the fingers. Great playing

[@grewejames1]

nice selection of pedals. seems to generate practical and usable tones. great demo, thanks

[@gweeds334]

obviously youre totally into blues. very srv, john mayer-ish. I have been trying to develop the mixing of major and minor blues into my soloing. I have got it a little but I just cant seem to hit it just right. I am a self taught guitarist so I want to make sure I am practicing the right thing. Do you reccommend anything to help me out? Thanks!

[@ClaptonKehoe]

Love the tone. Love the playing. Great video.

[@manothemtns]

Geez, how long have you been playing? Obviously gifted. I am not. But I work hard. Enough schmooz. Very serious question here (for the author,.please): I'm currently using a "too clean" Two Rock Exo15 through a streamlined but and not nearly dirty/creamy enough effects chain. It goes like this: Guitar "4" to Xotic Effects Sl1 Marshall clone drive to Xotic Effects SP Compressor (always on low) to Xotic Effects SP Boost (on/of +/-15dB, depending) to TC Electronics Mini Reverb (always on, 11 o'clock), and finally through the same MXR analog delay you use for slapback, always on maybe,10 o'clock, all positions), with final pass through the accompanying 12" Exo 15 cab and a nice, low wattage PA...when desired/needed. With this investment! in mind, say, think as though it were your own, and without scrapping and e-Baying the lot, what would you do to yield your affected Blues Jr. tone? (In actuality, I would consider selling my setup and going with something Blues Jr. driven, as I have located just the right amp...for sale now, likely snatched by someone by tomorrow). I have another setup that I actually enjoy hearing more than my "boutiquey" one, and it's a simple guitar "whatever" through Roland Cube 40, Tweed or Classic setting. No pedals, no frills. I find this discrepancy to be hugely frustrating, an intriguing but never-ending challenge, but, most importantly and because I'm not a gifted guitarist, wasted time chasing tone when I should just be working on my playing!! (In fact, I should be playing right this moment and...so, please, do respond...Thx!)

[@GeorgeFN]

I second a lot of the comments here. Really helpful and inspiring vid, as I'm about to have a very similar rig - Same drive pedals and I'm getting an old Blues Junior to replace my Boss Katana!

[@ryandangermac]

Awesome playing! Love the tone.

[@gkathmandu]

uve certainly made best choices in terms of gears out there.

[@theodorehuxtable6908]

Well done. Great explanation, tones & playing. Lose marks for no toes. Thx for the upload.,

[@Mainstreet2006]

Really nice tone, great playing too...I like the demo...Thanks

[@hafstrat]

Awesome playing, gear set up and tones. Lovely!

[@youngmokjang6757]

This video is amazing! Tone + clean play is just awesome. I'm just considering to get one of BD-2, between Keeley and JHS (2 switch old version), which would you recommend for Strat + Blues Junior III?

[@anfiorsceal]

Great playing and everything is explained really well -thanks.

[@MisterJayguitarist]

great playing! good explanation! you just sold me in on a blues driver. i have super overdrive and tube screamer already!

[@jadonx]

I have the tweed blues junior but just have boss ds1(a bit harsh),was considering the Wampler distortion but after watching this I am impressed with your overdrive options.

[@Dialoquese]

Do you like the Strat to Jr. Blues as a small club combo? Looks light enough Speaking of Gibson' ...I'm Thinkin' about their recent offering - the 337, Engineered for mufti-tonal experimenting. Might be a Les Paulish connection in there somewhere. P.S. - Give the E.H Cathedral stereo some consideration next time you're at Manny's .

[@emitchsr]

I agree about the reverb on these moedern fender amps washed out passed 3. And i like a lot of reverb

[@thatpeterboy]

awesome vid man and great tone this has helped me a lot in my gear choices...thanks :)

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

@resoslide I run it for about 3 repeats at about 400ms of delay and set the mix about 10:00.

[@mmsun44]

Sounds great! I have a Jr. too and love it.

[@tonyhouston9388]

Sweet tone!!! Even greater licks.

[@bruzzgravely3470]

Tell me man, is it more the amp or is it the pedals you are using to get that great sound???

[@travismiller77]

Fantastic licks... Catching a lot of Mayer in there. Love it!

[@cfoscoop]

How would you recommend starting out learning blues guitar? I already play guitar but I would love to learn the type of stuff that you're playing in this video.

[@bluesrocker137]

For my own personal rig, that's what I'm starting to do. I use the ME-70 for modulation and delays, but all of my overdrive and distortion is supplied by either an SD-1, DS-1, or my cheap TS-7 tubescreamer. They all sounded awful before, but a certain little monster called Stratocaster came along and changed that... :)

[@hdscoot69]

Nice playing! I use the Carbon Copy and just a touch of the amps reverb with my Blues Junior III. I also have the Ibanez tube screamer. The BJ III takes pedals very well. Love the way my Strat sounds through it! Might add the Keeley next. Thanks!

[@XLshred]

Do you gig with the the blues junior? I'm trying to decide if you want to get one or not but if it can't be heard over a drummer at a bar gig i'm not interested

[@guitargarrett1]

Great playing and great pedal board. Do you think stacking a couple of tube screamers would sound good??

[@JDGless]

Great response and so true. Multi-effects boxes have so much promise but just don't deliver.

[@markeecoward]

love this video. can you tell me which model of pedaltrain you have?

[@Nico58795]

Hi man good tone!! What speachers do you use??

[@BrunoKrnetic]

One of the rare tubescreamers with proper led light haha. Is that also Keeley mod?

[@simon01ize]

Beautiful looking Gibson.

[@ArtDonna84]

Biased I admit, being a BGU DVD student of yours, I really enjoyed the video. I would like to have had a better view of the settings on the pedals you did not mention, as I'd like to try them and could see well on the video. I also hear different versions on how to set up the board order so I'll give it a try, though I prefer guitar straight to the amp. Thanks Griff. Can you tell me what your DD5 setting was. I have a DD3. Thanks again.

[@robertkizik3939]

Not sure if you’ll see this comment since the video has been around for a while (but it’s new to me). Would love to see what you can do with the wah pedal…came across a live SRV doing Voodoo Chile and just loved how he worked the wah. As always, thanks Griff!

[@kimr45]

Awesome tone and playing man!

[@roddiculousguitar]

This is a great video Griff. I don't usually watch gear videos, as I want to get better at playing .. but getting an insight into this is fantastic. Is there an updated version, showing what you use now? I'd be particularly interested in what you use on the BGU 2.0 video tutorials. Cheers!

[@longotown]

Sounds great - is the Super OD modified as well by Keely?

[@Rowen170]

What is the mic running into? I'm only asking cause I don't know, but what's the reason for mic the amp in a small room? I see a lot of people doing it on videos. Any help would be appreciated.

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

Using the mic into the computer makes it so you're hearing the amp and not just a room mic. Whether that is better or worse is probably up for debate

[@glguitarman]

Cool sounds. What mods were done to the two Boss pedals?

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Nobody can convince me you can get better overdrive tones with expensive boutique pedals over boss, especially modded boss pedals and Ibanez/Maxon pedals

[@swaffy101]

That strat tone is amazing! Great playing!