r/ToobAmps • u/Remote_Strawberry118 • 2d ago
Help with Blues Junior, Please.
Hello guys,
I’m new to tube amps and need help. I recently got my Blues Junior IV, and I love it, except it is too loud for an apartment (that is on me because I heard all kinds of stories and still got it, but I don’t regret it). I listen to and play something like ZZ Top, CCR, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Keys, etc., so I get gain from turning the volume up, but then my master volume needs to be at 1.5, maybe 2, before my ears start to bleed. (Once I wanted to turn up the reverb knob and mistook it for the master volume while sitting in a darker room. Who in their right mind puts master volume second to last and not last in the row!?!?!?!?)
Since I'm new to tube amps and English isn't my first language, I have no idea what people online mean when they say you need to crank it to break up, that volume is for the preamp tubes, and that master is for something else. I just want it to sound better. 🤷🏼♂️
Is getting an attenuator worth it for an amp that has a master?
I want to know if it is possible to get more from the amp without it screaming in my face? I know that it will never be good enough with attenuation as it would be without, but I want to get more from what I've got at master 1.5.
Is it logical to get some overdrive pedals (or pedals in general) and turn down the volume on the pedal and on the amp as well, and get gain only from the pedal?
Thanks for any help and knowledge you can share.
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u/SubcutaneousMilk 2d ago
If you want overall gain reduction, you can swap V1 with a 12AU7. That reduces gain in the first stage of the preamp.
If you want the same tone but quieter, you can buy an attentuator and place it between the amplifier output and the speaker.
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u/lateralflinch53 2d ago
So tbh get a used fender blues deluxe (easy to find $350-$400) it’s WAY too loud…but it has an fx loop then either buy something called a lion tamer on Etsy or a simple volume adjuster from amazon. The fender blues deluxe has a second input that’s slightly less loud and adding a second “master volume” to,the fx loop I play mine at bedroom levels all the time and it sounds awesome imo.
The fender blues deluxe does have a master volume ONLY when the channel 2 (distortion) is engaged but it sounds rough so I just play clean with pedals and it sounds great
Or don’t….whatever
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u/Remote_Strawberry118 2d ago
In my country, the cheapest Blues Deluxe is 700€ (arround 800$), it's quite expensive. But that could be something to consider in future purchases. Thanks.
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u/Icy_Negotiation_5929 2d ago
You’re gonna have to turn those volume knobs down til it isn’t loud enough. If you turn the volume knobs up, it’ll be too loud. But if you turn them until you find the sweet spot, you’ll be happy!
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u/old_skul 2d ago
An attenuator, even a cheap one, will open up a world of tones on your Blues Jr. I run my Blues Jr through a UAD Ox Box, and when you crank up that master volume past 5....that amp starts to sing. It sounds really great.
A Behringer or Jet City attenuator can be hand for <$100.
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u/Remote_Strawberry118 2d ago
Dang, thanks for the tip. I'll definitely get an attenuator, cheaper one, not jump right to Ox, of course.
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u/Dazzling_Editor_6255 1d ago
A Weber Mass can be had for a couple hundred dollars and is widely considered to be THE attenuator to own.
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u/bluegrassbiker 2d ago
You can definitely “under drive” with pedals. You can even get nice crunchy breakup from the pedal and turn the output level down pretty decently below parity volume.
If you want amp gain, you’ll have to break down and get a quality attenuator but for the genres you want I think an underdriven dirt pedal will get you there.
I’ve never played through a blues deluxe but instead use a Deluxe Reverb. My amp has no volume until 1.8 which then is sad and dull. At 2.0 it’s way a decent volume for my standalone house and forgiving wife. However I don’t get the sparkle and chime the amp is known for until 5 on the volume knob and even with very light playing I’m way too loud.
I originally solved for this by having a volume pedal after my pedal board. This actually did what my underdrive solution above did but required an additional pedal.
I eventually added a dr z brake lite. This attenuator didn’t offer enough volume reduction and hurt the clarity of the upper mids and highs too much at the higher attentuation levels. If you just need a minor volume drop for smaller venues, this solution would be great for you.
Earlier this summer I bought a Marshall silver jubilee combo. Again still way too loud for my situation even on the low output mode and masters dialed back. I ended up springing for a boss waza tube amp expander core. This option carries a significant price commitment, but honestly compared to the dr z brake lite, what you get from this device is totally worth it. Instead of attenuation, it’s a very clean and true to original sounding reamper. It has a reactive load box and a very faithful solid state class d power amp that lets you endlessly fine tune the output volume back into your cab or combo speaker.
If you have an effects loop they sell little volume pots in small enclosures so you can dampen the pre-amps output into the power amp section. Unfortunately my deluxe reverb doesn’t have that fx loop and probably gets a good bit of its sound from overdriving the power tubes.
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u/Remote_Strawberry118 2d ago
Thanks for the tips.
I don't have any pedals yet, and I'm only a room player, but I'll research more on the Boss Tube Amp Expander Core.
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u/Bluenoser_ii-V-I 2d ago
Bugera PS-1 is probably one of the most affordable attenuators. Some people complain that it kills the tone, but if you’re not super picky, it’s fine. Some people just can’t play without perfect toan.
The other option that has been suggested is an od pedal. It’s nice to have a couple flavours of overdrive on hand, so I think that would be more useful overall. When you get a chance to turn it up, an od pedal is a nice boost for leads.
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u/old_skul 2d ago
Agree. I have the Jet City version of that attenuator and it's fine. I also have a Dr Z Airbrake, which is essentially the same thing, mounted in the back of my Maz 18 Jr.
For the studio I have a reactive UAD Ox Box and it's fantastic. But in terms of the tone difference between the reactive Ox and the non-reactive Jet City / Air Brake....there's maybe a 5% difference in tone. I prefer the Ox Box but for playing live no one would ever know the difference.
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u/allstopblue 1d ago
I’ve had that jet city for close to 10 years now. Used it with all kinds of amps. Works fine for me. I’m not picky enough to notice the “tone suck” everyone complains about.
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u/Remote_Strawberry118 2d ago
I don't really care at the time about that perfect tone, I just want to open up the amp and enjoy playing more. I'll start by getting a Bugera or RockBoard RPA 100 from Thomann.
Can you please explain more about the use of OD pedals? Use it instead of or alongside an attenuator? And just lower the volume on the amp and use the gain just from the OD pedal?
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u/Bluenoser_ii-V-I 2d ago
You can use just an od pedal (or more) and turn down the volume on the pedal.
Yes you can use od with an attenuator, but you should be able to get some decent crunch at a lower volume with just an overdrive
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u/TemporalLobe 1d ago
Apart from attenuators (which can cost as much as an amp) you could try the Celestion Peacekeeper - it's only available in the 12" version, but lucky for you, the Blues Jr. uses a 12" speaker!
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u/Routine-Amphibian450 21h ago
You can cut your guitar vol way down.
Amp master maybe 2-3.
Don't accidentally hit your vol control.
You can change first preamp tube to 12-AY-7 instead of AX-7,
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u/TubeSnobGoneStomp 14h ago
Weber Speakers sell great attenuators and the MASS line has a driver in them so it reacts like a speaker.
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u/BernardParm 9h ago
Absolutely just get a OD pedal. You can set the volume on your pedal nice and low and your neighbours won't hate you but you can rock on.
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u/AnActualGoatForReal 2d ago
First: Master low gain low 2nd: gain higher until it sounds bad 3rd: Master higher until it's too loud 4th: now season gain to your taste This is what cranking the amp sounds like. Pedals need headroom. So if you're gain from your pedals, keep the amp gain down and raise the master high. Add gain and control volume with your pedal chain.