Len - Fender Blues Jr vs MonoPrice Stage Right 4-19-22

I've been looking at the Monoprice Stage Right for years - supposed to be a good Blues Jr clone. When I was ready to buy, they were out of stock Everywhere. I bought the BJ a month before the Stage Right became available again.
I'm going to guess the BJ is a version 2, maybe 3.
Same watt, same controls. Sounds are similar.
I'm anxious to see what you think. Plz leave comments below. What's your preference?
* * My opinion - the Stage Right is a better deal and sounds better with some OD or Dist (BJ sounds a little harsh to me)
The BJ clean is maybe a tad better than the Stage Right but not $400 worth better **
Hope you enjoy.

[@maryseling5801]

These Cheap tube amps are INSANE these days!!!! Love them all.

[@rockinvida1960]

great video...thank you...I am kicking myself for not picking a Monoprice SR a year or 2 ago when they were ultra cheap...now they are out...gonna pick one up as soon as they are back in stock...

[@dlmullins9054]

You play like i wish i could play. Thanks for the great review. Been considering a Stage right like this. Think i'll go for it.

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thanks. You gotta love doing it.

[@supdude4223]

Thanks for the demo!!!

[@lennyslickstunes]

Glad you enjoyed 😉

[@InterestingWorldLove]

Yea I got the Monoprice, but just want to say how cool (maybe from playing them so much) you put your own twist to those tunes and make them your own.

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thank You !! Len

[@blueslideguitar7605]

Great rhythm playing. Sounds like Terry kath on "Beginnings", am I right? Just for the record though, this is not a Blues Jr clone, it's a clone of a Laney Cub, and their are supposedly more like a Marshall or a Tweed Fender. I think my Stage Right 15 kicks the butt of my Blues Jr on breakup., but they're both great amps!

[@geosmith3436]

That “smoke on the h2o“ snippet was hilarious 😂

[@beneten6462]

Love my Monoprice. Have a few videos on it myself. Did a lot of mods to it!

[@Hardjaxl]

Thank you sir. It was helpful.

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thank you. Good luck with your search.

[@kennethm.380]

Dude be rockin'

[@cmmnsenserules4339]

Heyyy, I was going to disagree with much of what you said......but then I read your "about the video" and you did say the Blue junior is probably better, but NOT 400-500$ better. That's exactly what I was going to say. The blues junior is still your classic glassy bright beautiful Fender tone we love....but it has the master+volume+fat switch. SO,but does offer more tonal options than many expensive fender amps. BUT, the monoprice, for 400-500$ cheaper???? It's way better in terms of value for cost. Great video, Great monologue, very fun playing. 👍👍. Well done gramps.

[@norfolknwhey4787]

A simple speaker swap and a few better tubes and it absolutely sounds better than a stock Blues Jr. It’s not even close.

[@davedawave4705]

Remember, the tube circuits for old film projectors and small pa amps are pretty much the same as the old, small guitar amps. This is certainly not rocket science, but the big name and boutique builders alike would have us believe it is. Quality components / tubes, quality sound. Tone is really highly dependent on the players abilities and personal touch. Kinda of like a fast car with an unskilled driver rarely does well, but a highly skilled driver in a mediocre car can often blow out the competition. Look up Jack Pearson. A Squire stratocaster, old tube screamer, and virtually ANY amp and the magic is there every time. Love this comparison by the way. Great job!

[@ulisesgonzalez251]

great video, just got the monoprice, best tone for the buck!

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thanks. I still like mine.

[@bradleyard4195]

I used to have the Blues Junior, but had to let it go years ago. Ended up buying a Monoprice combo. Pound for pound, it's just better. It has the 1/15 watt selector, an effects loop, and the "tone" knob (more like a "presence" knob), all features the Junior lacks. The speaker is also a better quality unit, especially after it's broken in. It's also ridiculously loud for being just 15 watts. In fact, I like it so much, I bought a second one so I can use my stereo effects. Something to remember, though, is that these amps are voiced very differently. The Junior is a Fender, so it sounds like a Fender. The Monoprice is the same circuit as the Laney Cub 12R, which is a very British, Marshall-esque circuit. So, these really are very different animals. That said, the Monoprice, with its tone and its features... it's just better.

[@lennyslickstunes]

I agree it is not worth the price diff

[@norfolknwhey4787]

Go check out “IR” pedals. You can simulate any voicing you want, including fender. Another option is the cheap American Joyo pedal that accurately reproduces that famous Fender tone.

[@bradleyard4195]

@norfolknwhey4787 For me, those options are a hard pass. Impulse responses sound decent enough in a mix, particularly for metal, and are used a lot these days in a studio, with headphones, and through PAs. For me, I'll stick with amplifiers. I don't need headphones at home, since the only "complaints" I get are from my cats. If I'm going to jam with people, my two small amps are more than adequate, and create plenty of volume. If I'm recording, I can mic up my amps and dial in my tone in just a few minutes. It's just more simple for me.

[@popsfereal]

I couldn't get a decent clean tone out of my MP15, plus it constantly ate preamp tubes.

[@bobbyburke4594]

Sounds like you didn't get a good one. It's also possible that it's tone just isn't for you. Going through preamp tubes though is rare and since that's where a lot of your tone comes from that could be the reason it sounds bad. Look up a bunch more videos if you don't have access to another 15W and see if maybe it was just yours.

[@cmmnsenserules4339]

1 more thing, I personally don't think tube changes make much a difference at all over overall "tone"....BUT, a tube upgrade and speaker upgrade (my personal preference, I put Jensen speakers in everything). Does help kinda, "level things out"....

[@MrMojabo]

What kind of Jensens. Because I do basically the same with Fender. With my Monoprice I added a Celestion H30 70 Anniversary

[@maryseling5801]

Sir you have a very soft strumming hand. Are you a rhythm guitarist??? Love your style.

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thank you but actually I'm more of a lead/riff guy, but I was originally a drummer and I think hand rhythm helps me with some chord work. Thx

[@johnmason7425]

$300? Wow I paid $179 a few years back...Inflation sucks!

[@lennyslickstunes]

I looked at them for years. When I was finally ready, they were out. The whole world was out !! When they came back I jumped on it.

[@benallmark9671]

Just recently I paid 5 CDN.

[@davidnee]

thanks for posting this comparison - that sounds like a Chicago song, am I right?

[@lennyslickstunes]

Yepper

[@davidnee]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/onqQc4B6o9mcasU

[@Fektthis]

Tone is subjective as we all know. I liked both. I could use either. I'm flexible like that. Some might like one more than the other. However, is there 400 dollars worth of tone difference? For some I'm sure there is. Certainly not me though lol. Honestly I don't see myself getting either as I'm not crazy about tube amps and already have my Peavey Bravo and have had it for nearly 3 decades at this point. If it ever blows up I'd have to get the Monoprice or maybe a Behringer. Both seem nice for the price points.

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thanks for your note

[@what1864]

herd rumors that the monoprice tube15 amps are biased cold and if you bias them properly they have more head room , i have one and love it , one of the only amps i have that sounds good at low volume distorted with just the amp , i have upgraded the speaker in mine to a old alnico jensen clone but the stock speaker was fine after a few hours of break in ...

[@blueslideguitar7605]

They are biased cold, but if you bias them to the correct value it won't increase headroom, it will decrease it.

[@what1864]

@@blueslideguitar7605 thanks , that is good info to know , think i'm going leave mine factory ...

[@WeaponsRemorse]

Does changing tubes do anything? Tone or gain wise or nah as I just bought one

[@what1864]

@@WeaponsRemorse not much , unless there is something wrong with a tube ....

[@Jenisonc]

Someone stole my Blues jr 3 at a gig. Another band.. so now I have to replace! The monoprice is looking good. I can't afford another jr3..

[@lennyslickstunes]

sorry for the theft, but I gotta ask - how does that happen? I played places that looked like they were condemned but never suffered a theft.

[@Jenisonc]

@Lenny's Licks & Tunes I was playing a small gig with a very large Ska band behind us, and it was raining pretty badly. As we were taking things off the stage, the only room to place everything out of the way was out the front door under the awning. Due to the rain, everyone's gear was there. During the unload/loading between bands, my amp was taken from the front in all the chaos. There is a video of a man walking up and placing it in his car very discreetly. That packing up sceen can be fast, and my Lil amp suffered. I've learned my lesson!

[@lennyslickstunes]

@@Jenisonc sucks sorry

[@ernestschultz5065]

I'm beginning to think that Fender over-charges for their amps.

[@alafenetre81]

It's even obvious! They must make a huge profit margin.

[@Wooburnmusic]

....... And then you need to modify the dopey things.

[@mslush47]

I have that amp but just stopped to compliment you on your rhythm skills :)

[@lennyslickstunes]

Thanks Michael !! Len

[@michaelstankiewitch5391]

Your getting recording input overload which negates all what your trying to show us.

[@crazywisdom2]

what's that mean in english ?

[@wicked3564]

@@crazywisdom2 his mic isnt gain staged properly so its basically distorting whatever he is recording for us to listen to. he might have been better off just pointing his phone at it and taking a video.

[@francoreia8147]

Change your last tube to at7 don't need all that gain added with reverb and last stage to output tubes.