# Blues Jr IV



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I've been looking for a lighter amp for practices and small gigs so I don't have to lug my 67 pro reverb. I put this on the back burner for a while but now am looking again. I was considering one of the tone masters but I'm not convinced these solid state amps are the answer to tubes yet. At least not for me. So now I'm looking at the Fender Blues Jr IV. It seems to get great reviews as the best of the incarnations. 
$800 new comes in a lot cheaper than the tonemaster amps. So anyone want to weigh in with their opinions. Is there something else I should be looking at? I prefer a blackface sound but for this amp it doesn't really matter the flavor. Its main purpose is to amplify my guitar at practices and small gigs and sound decent with a tele.


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Kijiji is littered with used Blues Jrs. You can easily get one for $500 or less.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

JBFairthorne said:


> Kijiji is littered with used Blues Jrs. You can easily get one for $500 or less.


Already scanned Kijiji. Lots of 3's but no IV's. From the description and reviews on the 2, my preference would likely be the IV. Maybe if I looked on Kijiji outside my area I might find a 4 but #1 for the trouble of having to travel to pick it up I'd rather pay a couple hundred or so more and just get it local and new. #2 Its not exactly the best built and durable amp so I might be better off just buying new and get the warranty. Long and Mcquades performance warranties don't cost much and would give me extra protection.


----------



## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

How about looking at the Supros? I got a Supro Blues King 12 last year. I prefer it to the BJs. Something else to try.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Try a Vox AC10? Super light.


----------



## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

^ Either of those above 2 suggestions are great ideas.

I haven't played through version IV yet, but IMO Blues Jrs are overrated. I played through a few of the other versions and while they're not bad, for me they're not worth owning either. There has to be a reason people are dumping them by the hundreds on CL & Kijiji.


----------



## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

I dreaded the blues junior when I had one on loan from the music store.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

BlueRocker said:


> Try a Vox AC10? Super light.


I don't like 10 inch speakers. Or else I might have considered a 65 princeton. and I find lower powered vox'es dont have enough clean headroom for me. lets face it though. for $800 new I cant expect much. I'd spend as much as maybe $900. maybe I'll just keep looking on the used market. 
The Supro might be worth checking out but it looks like I'll have to make 2 hour trip to Cosmos if they even have one in stock


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

There are a few Princeton variants with 12’s.


----------



## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Clean headroom = 6L6 tubes and 2 heavy power/output transformers. Maybe it's time to hit the gym and keep lugging around your Pro Reverb. Except for its travel weight, it's perfect for the job.


----------



## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

FatStrat2 said:


> ^ Either of those above 2 suggestions are great ideas.
> 
> I haven't played through version IV yet, but IMO Blues Jrs are overrated. I played through a few of the other versions and while they're not bad, for me they're not worth owning either. There has to be a reason people are dumping them by the hundreds on CL & Kijiji.


I don’t see hundreds. I see more than other amps but there are a lot more sold than other amps.


----------



## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Kerry Brown said:


> I don’t see hundreds...


I mean over the last few years. Yes, hundreds.


----------



## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

If you get one at a good price and are willing to get some Mods done, Picking one up is worth it. Look up some of the old BillM mods to see what types of mods are available. Might allow you to make up your mind if you want to get one. I love my BJ3 with Mods. Great pedal platform if you're into that.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

I read many good review about Tonemaster. I'am vintage tubes amps guy.

One of them; 




Ropati Dee : 
In my 70's now. I grew up around blackface Fender amps AND mullard, rca, telefunken etc tubes. I've owned and played blackface princeton reverbs, deluxe reverbs, twins and a super reverb. I own a deluxe reverb tonemaster. Do I like it as much as the blackface amps with great tubes. ...yes, but it's not the same. I much prefer the deluxe tonemaster over the reissue deluxe reverbs even with "today's tubes"


----------



## Ronniedblues (Jan 29, 2021)

morning Guitarman if you get a chance try a Pro Jr IV I just got one for practice and rehearsal and it fits the bill quite nicely. Hangs with the drummer, and I use it with the volume around 7 or 8, no effects, just adjust the guitar volume accordingly for rhythm and solos. The less circuitry really let’s the amp ”sing” like a cranked F style amp does.


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I always found the lack of multiple tone knobs to be a deal breaker for me on the Pro Jrs.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

FatStrat2 said:


> Clean headroom = 6L6 tubes and 2 heavy power/output transformers. Maybe it's time to hit the gym and keep lugging around your Pro Reverb. Except for its travel weight, it's perfect for the job.


Actually this past 5 months with keto and some exercise I've greatly improved my health and went from a little over 200 pounds to 162 pounds. So the last couple practices I've had absolutely no issues lugging the amp. And it does sound great. However I'm thinking it would be a good idea to have a backup amp so may as well be a small compact amp that I'd use mainly for practice and real small clubs and may as well be easy to lug.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Ronniedblues said:


> morning Guitarman if you get a chance try a Pro Jr IV I just got one for practice and rehearsal and it fits the bill quite nicely. Hangs with the drummer, and I use it with the volume around 7 or 8, no effects, just adjust the guitar volume accordingly for rhythm and solos. The less circuitry really let’s the amp ”sing” like a cranked F style amp does.


I'm pretty sure the Pro jr is a 10" speaker which is a deal breaker for me.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

JBFairthorne said:


> There are a few Princeton variants with 12’s.


On kijiji I saw a few Princeton's with 12" speaker but they were all solid state amps. Is there a current Princeton tube amp that comes stock with a 12" or is this something that someone has to change out to. I could be interested in a 65 reissue Princeton with a 12".


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I believe there’s a 65 Tweed that came stock with a Cannabis Rex 12. Pretty sure there are other FSRs with 12s stock. Also, I think the stock 68s come with a 12.


----------



## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

If it's the "BlackFace sound" you prefer, the tweed PRRI with 12" C-Rex gets you there and is an excellent sounding amp IMO. A Blues Jr will not get you there, no matter what mods are made. I just saw one for $1K, which is a good deal, however I'm sure you're aware you can get a DRRI for about the same $.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

StevieMac said:


> If it's the "BlackFace sound" you prefer, the tweed PRRI with 12" C-Rex gets you there and is an excellent sounding amp IMO. A Blues Jr will not get you there, no matter what mods are made. I just saw one for $1K, which is a good deal, however I'm sure you're aware you can get a DRRI for about the same $.


To be honest I do prefer higher head room amps for clean pedal platforms, even for low volume situations. So the 22 watt deluxe is better than the 12 watts of the Princeton. However I've never played a DRRI I've liked the sound of. Always sounds, thin, cold and harsh. The exceptions have been a vintage 65 I played and the few 64 customs I've played. But for a second amp I don't want to spend that much. However if I ever see a custom 64 come up for 2k or not much more I'm tempted to bite the bullet and grab it. I let one go a little while ago that was a great price because I really don't want to spend that much.


----------



## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Rent a Tone Master from L&M for a week. I did.

If you're after a Princeton Reverb with 12", you could have Brian Luckhurst of Etobicoke build one. He does the chassis, and Derrick Bell makes the cab. These come in around $1000. Brian can also make them in 22 watt, and 40 watt versions if you're after more headroom. I have a 40 watt head. He typically builds in fall and winter, so may have to wait.


----------



## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

I’d recommend snagging the first Tone Master you see listed for $950 or less.

This is what I would choose light years over a blues Junior: Vox handwired ac4hw1 tube guitar amp | Amps & Pedals | City of Toronto | Kijiji

Princeton Reverb Reissue is fine. +1 for an FSR with a ‘12. But they are all actually pretty nice. You’ll pay more for one used than a Deluxe.

I’d take the tone master deluxe over a prri.

also +1 to having a AA1164 built to your specs.


----------



## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I don’t understand the hate for the Blues Jr. It is a decent low cost amp. I’ve played a lot worse sounding, more expensive amps. The IV in particular is decent for the price. I know of two guys gigging them. They get no complaints about tone.


----------



## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

I am a diehard tube amp guy, and have owned several modelling, or solid state amps, over the years.

I have had a Blues Junior and liked it, but eventually sold it when a PRRI came along and got most of the attention.

For a beater, fairly light amp for the price of a pedal, buy a used Katana. A 50 watt one is enough amp for most to lug as a practice amp, that can be gigged with if you want to. I picked up a used, 100 watt combo Katana that can pretty much give you what you need. The cleans are very good, the crunch is there, and it takes pedals any way you want to use them. Cheap pedals sound quite good through it, good boutique pedals are surprisingly heard in a very good, and maybe never heard before, positive way. The 100 watt amps can be more useful with the GA-FC foot controller. All the built in effects can be made to sound good, but the amp being used as a simple pedal platform, on the clean channel, simply delivers.

The acoustic setting is quite good, and a cheap acoustic with piezo sounds stellar. I know you have stellar acoustics, but taking a beater, cheap acoustic that feels good, can do the job.

The half watt setting might be loud enough for some situations, but I find using the 100 watt setting, turned down adds some punch. Turning it up, will hurt your ears, it can get that loud, in a good way.

About my only complaint is that side by side with a good tube amp, the Katana may slightly lack some bass that a tube amp has. It isn’t even a complaint that would be noticed in a band situation.

Spend some time with a Katana, it has more to offer than a Blues Junior, cheaper, and sound better.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Always12AM said:


> I’d recommend snagging the first Tone Master you see listed for $950 or less.
> 
> This is what I would choose light years over a blues Junior: Vox handwired ac4hw1 tube guitar amp | Amps & Pedals | City of Toronto | Kijiji
> 
> ...



If I do decide to go Tonemaster I'll be grabbing the twin. Still light enough to be an easy grab and go. A single 12' speaker, although a good way to lighten the load in a tube amp, is still a compromise for me as my preference is and has always been 2X12. So it would be nice if I could fine a TM Twin for $950 or less. That I might jump on. But likely I would buy new to have the warranty.


----------



## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Kerry Brown said:


> I don’t understand the hate for the Blues Jr. It is a decent low cost amp. I’ve played a lot worse sounding, more expensive amps. The IV in particular is decent for the price. I know of two guys gigging them. They get no complaints about tone.


I’ll chime in on this incase I was misleading with my comment. My first real amp was a Blues Junior. Loved it. It opened a lot of doors for me at the time sonically and enabled me to learn about it EQ and master volume and reverb etc. That being said, I paid $250 for it. And when I sold it, I knew that $350-400 was a guaranteed sale.

If I’m faced with a choice between buying a brand new Blues Junior at today’s retail prices and a Handwired Vox, I’d buy the actual Vox. Because to me, a Blues Junior is a Vox.

The majority of amazing local gigs I’ve seen played were using a Peavey, a Blues Deluxe, a Traynor or an Excelsior amp. They do their job well, they amplify sound and don’t break the bank.


----------



## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

guitarman2 said:


> If I do decide to go Tonemaster I'll be grabbing the twin. Still light enough to be an easy grab and go. A single 12' speaker, although a good way to lighten the load in a tube amp, is still a compromise for me as my preference is and has always been 2X12. So it would be nice if I could fine a TM Twin for $950 or less. That I might jump on. But likely I would buy new to have the warranty.





guitarman2 said:


> If I do decide to go Tonemaster I'll be grabbing the twin. Still light enough to be an easy grab and go. A single 12' speaker, although a good way to lighten the load in a tube amp, is still a compromise for me as my preference is and has always been 2X12. So it would be nice if I could fine a TM Twin for $950 or less. That I might jump on. But likely I would buy new to have the warranty.


I can understand that!
I think I mentioned to you before that I actually bought the blonde twin and then exchanged it with the deluxe simply because I don’t like how the EQ works on a twin. But it sounded really nice.

I have seen a number of tone masters listed for 900-950 both deluxe and twin. I personally wouldn’t let the warranty sway me too much because they are definitely not going to shit the bed before the warranty expires. And when they do, they are just a really nice pine cab lol. But who knows, Fender is really making a lot of progress with the tone master and it may be that they accommodate their customer base by allowing us to buy or replace the processor when it inevitably dies. But at the price point, compared to the reissues and for what your getting, I’d buy another.


----------



## topboost (Nov 18, 2010)

I'll be the dissenting voice in the room. The Blues junior is probably my favourite Fender amp of all. Why? Because it doesn't sound like a typical Fender amp. A long time favourite of mids and Vox type tones, the junior has it in spades. I own some pretty classic sounding amps, Vox ac30 and vintage ac10, blackface deluxe reverb. Just yesterday I was tracking guitars and stuck the blues jr. 4 into the frey and it won. Nice fat lower mids, sat perfectly in the mix. I used them for years for gigs. It's a loud 15 watts that you can carry in one hand and pack in a small car. I presently have the first version tweed and a 4. Both are excellent. The 4 is a bit more flexible with a better reverb and a more sweepable mid control, but crappier build quality. I love them and really, I could do everything I need with just that amp and a couple of pedals. If you want traditional fender cleans with scooped mids, look elsewhere. I had a silverface Princeton reverb and while that was a gutsy little amp, when I would bring a jr. to rehearsal it sat where it needed to be much better. I found the princeton to get ratty after about 3.5 on the dial.
Don't ever buy one new. Just buy a rental rat from L&M or go private. I didn't really like the blues jr. 2's and 3's as I found them too brittle in the highs, but you might like them.
I tried a tonemaster deluxe reverb and it's an amazing amp, but I preferred the tone of the jr. and it's way cheaper and about the same weight with a smaller footprint.
I tried a couple of pr juniors and hated them. Way too aggressive sounding for my taste and a one trick pony.


----------



## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Speaking of Juniors....picked this one up a few weeks ago..,very reasonable and very good condition with the stock Celestion Vintage 30.
Carefully removed boards, speaker and packed it up for another day.
With the gutted chassis , I added some sockets and a choke and thought I would try a very minimal design .Went with post phase inverter (12AT ) volume, an EF 86 and 6V6's.
Lil Texas Eminence neo.
Sounds wonderful and just as light as it looks.


----------



## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)




----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> If I do decide to go Tonemaster I'll be grabbing the twin. Still light enough to be an easy grab and go. A single 12' speaker, although a good way to lighten the load in a tube amp, is still a compromise for me as my preference is and has always been 2X12. So it would be nice if I could fine a TM Twin for $950 or less. That I might jump on. But likely I would buy new to have the warranty.


Rent one and see if it does the trick.

That's why the rental program exists, but it seems many dont take advantage.


----------



## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

guitarman2 said:


> On kijiji I saw a few Princeton's with 12" speaker but they were all solid state amps. Is there a current Princeton tube amp that comes stock with a 12" or is this something that someone has to change out to. I could be interested in a 65 reissue Princeton with a 12".


There are 2 Princeton versions that I know of that are FSR and both come with 12". Tweed with a 12" C-rex and a Fawn with a greenback.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




www.kijiji.ca


----------



## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Not endorsing this @guitarman2 since I know nothing about the seller but this just popped up:









Fender Blues Junior IV 15-Watt 1x12" Guitar Combo | Reverb


For decades, Fender amps have been the standard in clean, gorgeous guitar tone. With the 15-watt Blues Junior IV, Fender doesn’t skimp on tonality, delivering a crisp sound through the company’s traditional Jensen speaker, housed in a compact enclosure.




reverb.com


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Always12AM said:


> I can understand that!
> I think I mentioned to you before that I actually bought the blonde twin and then exchanged it with the deluxe simply because I don’t like how the EQ works on a twin. But it sounded really nice.
> 
> I have seen a number of tone masters listed for 900-950 both deluxe and twin. I personally wouldn’t let the warranty sway me too much because they are definitely not going to shit the bed before the warranty expires. And when they do, they are just a really nice pine cab lol. But who knows, Fender is really making a lot of progress with the tone master and it may be that they accommodate their customer base by allowing us to buy or replace the processor when it inevitably dies. But at the price point, compared to the reissues and for what your getting, I’d buy another.


I just had L&M put a tone master Twin Blonde on hold for me till I can get down there on the weekend. I'll have 30 days to see if this is something for me. Either way I look at it there was going to be some kind of compromise from the tone of my 67 Pro Reverb, whether I went with a blues jr IV or some other 1X12 tube amp. With the tone master I'll get the 2X12 speaker config I prefer, much lighter to haul around and no tubes to replace. As well an attenuator, although I'm not sure why I would ever want to attenuate a twin since it would be a clean pedal platform. Every source I read about these tone master amps is positive that they are very close to tube sound. Although responds like an SS amp will be one of my compromises.


----------



## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

guitarman2 said:


> I just had L&M put a tone master Twin Blonde on hold for me till I can get down there on the weekend. I'll have 30 days to see if this is something for me. Either way I look at it there was going to be some kind of compromise from the tone of my 67 Pro Reverb, whether I went with a blues jr IV or some other 1X12 tube amp. With the tone master I'll get the 2X12 speaker config I prefer, much lighter to haul around and no tubes to replace. As well an attenuator, although I'm not sure why I would ever want to attenuate a twin since it would be a clean pedal platform. Every source I read about these tone master amps is positive that they are very close to tube sound. Although responds like an SS amp will be one of my compromises.


I think you will be surprised by the amount of sag and touch dynamics generated by the over powered class D. I think it’s actually more consistent and detailed than the tube models.

Like you said, 30 days is a healthy amount of time to
feel it out. I had the twin for 20 days and then switched for the DR and didn’t look back. But they are both very nice. The twin tilted back with the bright switch on sounds phenomenal at low volumes. Once it’s at high volumes, it sounds good all around.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Tone Chaser said:


> I am a diehard tube amp guy, and have owned several modelling, or solid state amps, over the years.
> 
> I have had a Blues Junior and liked it, but eventually sold it when a PRRI came along and got most of the attention.
> 
> ...



No shortage of bottom with the 100 watt head and the 2 X 12, but I agree, a 50 watt Katana is more than enough.
I only went with the head because it also has built in speakers so you can use it for practice or apartment playing with no cab at all.


----------

