Blues JR or VOX?

D-Dawn · #1 January 28th, 2008

I don't have a clue! I'll have around $400 to spend on an amp next week, but I need a bit of imput.

I just got a new Fender Fat Strat and I want my own amp...I like my sons G-Dec ok but I prefer a cleaner sound. I know I can get the clean sound from the Blues Jr, but I've had a lot of ppl recommend the VOX amps...andbody own a VOX? What do you like about it?

Opinions?? I do like the distortion occasionally, but I prefer a really clean (loud long lasting heh) amp. BTW this is just for at home so I don't need anything huge or really expensive!

GotDeeBlues · #2 January 28th, 2008

I've been pretty happy with the sound from my Fat Strat and a Roland cube. Butshe sounded sooooo sweet when I bought her wired into a nice Fender Tube amp.(Forget which one) Check out the $300 Super Champ...15 watt with different voicing and effects built in.

Stratrat · #3 January 28th, 2008

D-Dawn - I've got both of those amps (Blues Jr. and Vox AD30VT.) The Blues Jr. is a great-sounding little tube amp, and the Vox is a great-sounding little modeling amp (yeah, like THAT helps you at all!)

With that said, I'll try to narrow it down for you a little. The Blues Jr., like most tube amps, sounds kinda 'thin' at low volumes. It hits its "sweet spot" when it's cranked up enough to get the power tubes working....only problem is that it's LOUD when you get it to that point! You can use an attenuator to overcome that problem, but we're talking about a different topic (and another couple/few hundred dollars!) It's also a one trick pony as far as tones go - you can get a pretty clean tone or a slightly overdriven tone by playing with the master/vol settings, but it's pretty much the same tone - just with a little more or less 'hair' on it.

The Vox does have one tube in the signal path, but it's not a true tube amp - it's considered a "hybrid", but at its core it is still a solid-state modeling amp. The Vox is more versatile than the Blues Jr. as far as the sounds you can get out of it....from a very sweet clean to a filthy, grungy metal-type overdrive, and everything in-between. It has built-in effects you can play with, and you can dial in a sound you like and save it as a "patch" so you can always come back to it with one button push (it actually saves two separate patches). It also has an attenuator built into the amp (control is on the back panel), which allows you to get "loud" tone at low volume. IMO the Vox is much better suited for low-volume home practicing, but it can easily get loud enough to jam with others too....I play it when I jam with my drummer and the Vox holds its own just fine volume-wise. A guy on another board has gigged for a couple years with his Vox AD30VT (mic'ed, of course), and says he sold his Fender Deluxe Reverb because he likes the Vox so much.

D-Dawn · #4 January 28th, 2008

Oh why do they give us so many choices?!?!?! Thanks stratrat! I'll play both...but I agree that the Blues Jr is way loud lol...I cranked it in the shop and was like "WOW" *giddy* lol I'm such a kid! But looking and listening to the VOX is getting me more interested! Its cool that they give you a bit of a preview online

s1120 · #5 January 28th, 2008

I have a VOX ad30vt also and like it. Grated I am new, and have nothing to compair it to so take it for what its worth .

For that money you could jump up to the ad50vt also, and have more power, and some extra goodies over the ad30vt.

D-Dawn · #6 January 28th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1120

I have a VOX ad30vt also and like it. Grated I am new, and have nothing to compair it to so take it for what its worth .

For that money you could jump up to the ad50vt also, and have more power, and some extra goodies over the ad30vt.

LoL my neighbors would disown me if I go any louder!!

P-90 · #7 January 28th, 2008

Too many choices, yes! But look at the bright side... you want good cleans. Good cleans are FAR easier to find than good dirties. You almost can't go wrong.

Stratrat · #8 January 28th, 2008

You can always "dirty up" a clean amp - but you can't "clean up" a dirty amp.

fly135 · #9 January 29th, 2008

I pains me to recommend a Valvetronix over a Blues Jr, but it sounds like the Vox may be more suited to your needs.

stratplayer · #10 January 29th, 2008

You could always go with a low wattage tube amp I have a 5 watt frenzel amp $345.beautiful clean tones and nasty breakup that i love still gets loud but will keep you in good with the neighbors.

krissovo · #11 January 29th, 2008

I have both, I love the Blues Jr its just a shame that I live in an apartment and I never get the chance to play cranked so if I play with a amp its the Vox mostly.

Either would suit but the BJ......hmmmmmm

D-Dawn · #12 January 29th, 2008

LoL the Blues Jr is loud huh? I played with it in the shop and was very impressed. I just don't want to decide til I play the Vox as well. Your input has been a big help all! Thanks again!!

doug russell · #13 January 30th, 2008

I prefer to go through my Hotrod when I use my fatstrat. The clean valve tone "for me" is unmatched.

D-Dawn · #14 January 30th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug russell

I prefer to go through my Hotrod when I use my fatstrat. The clean valve tone "for me" is unmatched.

Hotrod? You're talkin' to an amp newb here doug lol...what is a Hotrod?

Thanks in advance!

P-90 · #15 January 30th, 2008

Hotrod: .:: Fender®.com ::.