Which head is better? I like the hotrod as it has more knobs ;D but will this inhibit any modifications that can be done to it.. would i be better off with the 1 knob valve junior with regard to modifications? O0
[quote author=ESSER link=topic=20804.msg250424#msg250424 date=1279309052] Decided on hotrod :dontknow: [/quote] Not familiar with either one, but based on my car days anything using the word "Hotrod" has to be good..... doesn't it?
I've played around with the valve juniors and I'll say to my ear, they were ok but nothing special. Now having said that, I do know there are tons of mods for them so lots of people buy them and then enjoy tweaking to get the sound they want. Re the hotrod, are you talking about the fender hotrod tube amp or another hotrod amp?
I have a VJ version 2, which I'm about to sell. I bought a mod kit for it, but it's beyond my abilities to do it. I've replaced it with a Blackstar HT-5, which needs no modding at all. I played along with a vid of Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood the other day using my Strat, and nailed Eric's Blackie tone. I've yet to try it with my SG and LP, since they both need some attention, but so far I'm very pleased with it. I paid £160 for it, and it's in mint condition. The VJ is OK, but not in the same league as the HT-5.
It's this one ORF.. http://www.imuso.co.uk/Amplifiers/A...Junior-Hot-Rod-Electric-Guitar-Amplifier-Head Beef. That HT5 looks the biz and that was a great price it seems.
oic, never seen that one so can't comment but looks like it would be a cool upgrade to the regular valve junior.
I've owned three Epi valve juniors. A V1, a V2 and currently a V3. IMHO, mods are mandatory for any of the three. In my experience, the amp is a one trick pony. Meaning, I mod it to sound great, but it only sounds great with one guitar; the guitar I tuned its circuit with. In the V3's case, a Str*t*c*st*t. There are MANY mod sites out there for a good solderer. It all depends on the sound you are looking for. PG
[quote author=ESSER link=topic=20804.msg250488#msg250488 date=1279490445] It's this one ORF.. http://www.imuso.co.uk/Amplifiers/A...Junior-Hot-Rod-Electric-Guitar-Amplifier-Head Beef. That HT5 looks the biz and that was a great price it seems. [/quote] Yeah Esser, it was a good price, and I've just bagged a Brunetti Dual Cab 2x12 bankrupt stock to go with it for £175. I'm a happy bunny.
I think that's a version 1, and that the 3 looks the same as the 2. http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/epiphone-valve-5w/68250 and there's this one, the Valve special from Epiphone themself, who probably noticed that everyone wanted to mod them, http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/fi...alveSPC1-f10241f69e1acc0571a8c18979c7256c.jpg
Version 1 & 2 had the wrong output transformer for a EL84/6BQ5. It had a 7.5K ohm primary winding. The version 3 has a correct 5K primary. When buying one of these amps, always check.
Oh crap Why doesn't someone make something that doesn't need to be bloody modified! Pedals... nope ... got to have a keeley mod or something... guitars... nope got to have some funky wiring/caps/pots and pickup job, amps ... nope..... got to be deft with a soldering iron and a phd in electronics and do tons of research before hand. Vintage amps if new nowadays would probably need to be modified but because they are old and are what they are; are tolerated if not venerated for their foibles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D Just a quick rant. I'm not spending 1k on a little watt valve amp, so i will just have to suck this Epi and see. Only want a rusty low gain blues tone out of it anyway. I suppose i will have to modify the floorboards too.
These don't have to be modded, http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_valve_junior_hot_rod_head.htm http://tinyurl.com/valve-special
[quote author=ESSER link=topic=20804.msg250592#msg250592 date=1279742788] Oh crap .................. ;D Just a quick rant. I'm not spending 1k on a little watt valve amp, so i will just have to suck this Epi and see. Only want a rusty low gain blues tone out of it anyway. I suppose i will have to modify the floorboards too. [/quote] Don't forget dude, the amps 1/2 the sound, what are you going to do for a cab? If ya can, get the best spkr possible. Are you going single 12??? I'd go celestion if possible. Starting with a Rocket 50 at the low end on up... Forget jensen and other fendery spkrs on this one.. I don't have any exp with the head itself, but if totally not satisfied I'm sure voxy can offer some good advice if we can get his attention and I can provide soldering tips...lol.... If you weren't so far I'd open it up if needed. I can thank vox for being so cruel and showing me this obsession of wanting to tweak... Enjoy it man, put it on 10 and I'm sure some tone will be there..!!!
re speakers for cabs, I totally agree with the celestion suggestion. However the rocket 50 is NOT the celestion to get. I had one in a cab years ago and no matter what i did, I could not get it to sound any good. I'd say when it comes to low wattage celestions, it is hard to go wrong with one of three choices. THe greenback, V30 and herritage. One of those three speakers will usually sound pretty good with a tube amp.
The Rocket 50 is also a very inefficient speaker. If you want to quiet down a loud amp, a Rocket 50 would work. LOL!
[quote author=oldrockfan link=topic=20804.msg250617#msg250617 date=1279900799] re speakers for cabs, I totally agree with the celestion suggestion. However the rocket 50 is NOT the celestion to get. I had one in a cab years ago and no matter what i did, I could not get it to sound any good. I'd say when it comes to low wattage celestions, it is hard to go wrong with one of three choices. THe greenback, V30 and herritage. One of those three speakers will usually sound pretty good with a tube amp. [/quote] Orf - I had put a pair of Rocket 50's in a 50w project I got recently going and wasn't happy with them as they just couldn't handle the amp once it was turned up enough to cook - However, I tossed one of them in a 12" cab I have for my 1/2watt project amp (Firefly) and it shines there. It all depends what's the budget and whats the target amp thats why I suggested starting at the Rocket 50 and go on up. My 50watter wound up with a G12H30 and G75T pair since I had them around, originally I didn't think it was the best pairing due to a mismatch in sensitivity, but I'm loving it. Celestions rock!
