[marcusnieman]

[Horslip]

Hi fellow Tokai addicts,

I am just about to buy a Blues Junior Texas Red which comes with a
Celestion Vintage 30 speaker as part of the package.
I play Les Pauls, Strats, a Tele and an SG.
Any views or better Fender recommendations within the £500.00 price bracket.
Many thanks.
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Horslip

[craigyh77]

Hey Horslip, there's only one better fender amp in the price range and that's an old school vibro champ if you can find one. It's not that versatile, it's impossible to overdrive but it's a very clean, sweet, chiming bluesy sound that responds brilliantly to pedals. That said, there is NOTHING WRONG with a blues junior. I didn't really have an opinion either way until last week when I had some studio time and cranked up the amp past 3 on the volume to record some guitar lines.... man it came alive and it was.... well.... awesome! I play an epiphone riviera (82 matsumoku with PAF pickups) and a fender tele and they both sounded cool. I doubt you'd be disappointed if you bought one.

[Horslip]

Many thanks craigyh77.
I am much encouraged by your reply.
But I am curious, does anyone have any direct experience of the Blues Junior Texas Red with Celestion V 30 speaker versus the Blues Junior with Jenson speaker or even a Hot Rod Deluxe which is not that far away in terms of price.
Thanks.
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Horslip

[stratman323]

If you want something a bit bigger, you could try a Blues Deluxe, a 40w 1x12. They originally brought these out in the early 90s, then stopped them in favour of the Hot Rod Deluxe, which is basically the same except with a higher gain setting on the overdrive channel.

Unless you really like the high gain setting (I hate it), you're better off with a Blues Deluxe, which can sound quite authentically Fender, yet is quite flexible, & is big enough for medium sized gigs.
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"Guitars have a potential rather than a sound". Kimberley Rew, 2010.

[Horslip]

Many thanks stratman323
I am grateful for your views on the high gain setting on the Hot Rod Deluxe.
I suppose, given that I play exclusively at home, I would not have the need for the increased power of the Blues Deluxe.
So my question still stands for anyone who has any direct experience of the Texas Red Blues Junior with Celestion V30 speaker versus the Tweed version with Jensen speaker.
Thanks.
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Horslip

[Deadstring]

Hi, same amp bar the speakers/cometics. I had a tweed junior with the jensen speaker. The jenson won't break up as easily as the celestion,
its kinda tighter/brighter, with well defined cleans. The celestion is probaly the more versatile all rounder.
The upgraded speaker does make a big difference. Yes they can be kinda noisy, boxy etc. But turn the master volume up (pre amp volume down)
gives a nice cleanish base throw a quality overdrive pedal in front of that your good to go.
There a deceptively loud little bastard so I dont think they make a good bedroom/practice amp.
Decent portable small gig/rehearsal amp (with speaker upgrade
of course) for the money.

[marcusnieman]