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Guitars Etc. / Fender Blues Junior Amp Resurrection
« on: August 07, 2016, 04:39:56 PM »
I had been wanting to pick up a small tube amp for guitar for some time now, and I came across a non-functional Blues Junior on Craigslist back in June. It was in minty condition cosmetically, but it had "blew a fuse" according to the owner. I took my chances, made him an offer and brought it home.
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.27.36%20PM.png)
Upon tearing into it, it looked like one of the power tubes may have failed and smoked the corresponding screen resistor.
I cleaned up and fixed that mess, installed a new set of JJ tubes, and it fired right up!
Since these are pretty popular units to modify, I did some research and decided to make some of the common improvements while I still had it partially disassembled:
- Replaced the cheap PCB-mounted input jack with a Switchcraft
- Replaced the cheap PCB-mounted "fat" switch pushbutton with a toggle
- These are fixed-biased kinda hot from the factory, and so I added a trimmer to provide adjustable bias... and set it up to be a little gentler on the power tubes
- Upgraded the caps in the tone stack, and implemented the "Twin mod" on the midrange pot for a greater range of adjustment
- Replaced/upgraded the power supply filter caps
- Added a 3-position progressive Carling power switch that provides for a "standby" setting in the middle position (nice to mute the amp)
- Grabbed an amber jewel lamp for it just for grins
(haven't installed that yet)
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.28.41%20PM.png)
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.29.38%20PM.png)
I ran that way for a couple of weeks, and during that time got a promotional email from Antique Electronic Supply advertising a 10% off sale in July. Figured that offered a good excuse to grab an upgraded driver and reverb tank for it!
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/blues-junior/0726162123.jpg)
That MOD tank made a vast improvement in the sound and sensitivity of the reverb, and the C-Rex driver really tightened up the low end. It sounds great for a cheapie amp! I'm happy with the results, especially considering I'm in it <$300 after all is said and done![Cool 8)](https://bassoutpost.com/Smileys/default/cool.gif)
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.27.36%20PM.png)
Upon tearing into it, it looked like one of the power tubes may have failed and smoked the corresponding screen resistor.
I cleaned up and fixed that mess, installed a new set of JJ tubes, and it fired right up!
Since these are pretty popular units to modify, I did some research and decided to make some of the common improvements while I still had it partially disassembled:
- Replaced the cheap PCB-mounted input jack with a Switchcraft
- Replaced the cheap PCB-mounted "fat" switch pushbutton with a toggle
- These are fixed-biased kinda hot from the factory, and so I added a trimmer to provide adjustable bias... and set it up to be a little gentler on the power tubes
- Upgraded the caps in the tone stack, and implemented the "Twin mod" on the midrange pot for a greater range of adjustment
- Replaced/upgraded the power supply filter caps
- Added a 3-position progressive Carling power switch that provides for a "standby" setting in the middle position (nice to mute the amp)
- Grabbed an amber jewel lamp for it just for grins
![Grin ;D](https://bassoutpost.com/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.28.41%20PM.png)
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/bluesjr/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-04%20at%205.29.38%20PM.png)
I ran that way for a couple of weeks, and during that time got a promotional email from Antique Electronic Supply advertising a 10% off sale in July. Figured that offered a good excuse to grab an upgraded driver and reverb tank for it!
![](http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/amps/blues-junior/0726162123.jpg)
That MOD tank made a vast improvement in the sound and sensitivity of the reverb, and the C-Rex driver really tightened up the low end. It sounds great for a cheapie amp! I'm happy with the results, especially considering I'm in it <$300 after all is said and done
![Cool 8)](https://bassoutpost.com/Smileys/default/cool.gif)