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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Using a Fender Pro Junior amp
Using a Fender Pro Junior amp
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Woody
29 posts
Nov 19, 2010
1:40 PM
Hi everyone...
I am a keen novice and bought a Fender Pro Junior
to use in my band.

Please give me your tips and tricks to getting
a hot sound out of this little beauty.

I use a Hohner BluesBlaster mic.

The shorter the reply, the better.
Thanks in advance.....






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Electric Harp....I just love it.
bluemoose
399 posts
Nov 19, 2010
2:07 PM
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/559378.htm

as usual, scroll down to barbequebob.

also

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/371618.htm

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MBH Webbrain
FerretCat Webbrain

Last Edited by on Nov 19, 2010 2:26 PM
Woody
31 posts
Nov 19, 2010
2:31 PM
great info, thank you bluemoose
...I thought it had probably all been discussed before.
I need to change the valves it seems...
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Electric Harp....I just love it.
Joe_L
839 posts
Nov 19, 2010
7:14 PM
Just play it. I had a Pro Jr for a while. It's a good harp amp.

I swapped the speaker in mine. I put a Weber 10a125-O in mine. It cut the brightness of it a little. It made the tone control a little more useful. Unless you've got the dough burning a hole in your pocket, i wouldn't make this change.

The change I would make is putting a 12AY7 in the preamp socket. That gives you a little more sweep on the volume control before feedback sets in.

I played that amp for a couple of years and was happy with the tone. The only problem is that it can easily be drown out by a loud band. It's better than the Blues Jr. I had a lot of fun with that amp.

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The Blues Photo Gallery
jbone
436 posts
Nov 20, 2010
5:42 AM
haven't tried a pro but i have used the blues jr a few times. one big help- and this came from adam when he did a clinic here about a year ago- was to put a boss dd3 digi delay between mic and amp. set right it creates just a bit of sag that rounds out the signal really nice.
MN
20 posts
Nov 20, 2010
9:54 AM
With that mic, you made want to experiment with tube subs (Google is your buddy). Another option is an SM57 with the stock tube setup. I've gigged with that rig before and it sounded great. Whatever you do, err on the side of keeping the tone knob down. In fact begin each sound check with it wayyy down or all the way off. Get you volume where you need it, then creep up that tone knob to taste or until it's feedback time.
Joe_L
841 posts
Nov 20, 2010
11:44 AM
After swapping the speaker, I found the tone knob to be helpful. Like MN, I started with the tone knob off. I increased the volume just before the point of feedback, then I dialed in the tone knob just before the amp would feedback. I usually got the volume control to almost 4 and the tone knob to 4. I found that using the tone control helped the amp cut a little bit better.

I used a variety of mics with that amp. I got the best sounds out of it with a JT30 that had a controlled magnetic element in it.

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The Blues Photo Gallery
strawwoodclaw
129 posts
Nov 20, 2010
12:11 PM
I had a Pro Junior new which I couldn't use for Harp it had way too much treble , even with the tube swap it still squealed feedback & sounded thin,they are voiced for guitar

I think the Pro Juniors that were built in the USA in the 90s are better for harp than the modern Mexican built Pro Jrs. You could try different pre amp tubes with different gain factors . (12au7 = 20 gain factor, 12av7 = 40 12ay7 = 45 12at7 =60 5751 = 70 & 12ax7 = 100% gain.

If the amp is not right changing the speaker will not make much difference

try keeping your treble turned down, you might need to turn it all the way down

Kinder AFB+

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barbequebob
1435 posts
Nov 22, 2010
7:52 AM
The one I have I bought new in 1995 and one of the last ones that still used the same Eminence made alnico magnet speaker they also used in the Bassman reissues at the time.

I've never modified the amp in any way, shape or form. I didn't do any of those tube swaps for other numbers except replace all of the Chinese made tubes with NOS tubes of the numbers they called for. I don't believe in the tube swaps for other numbers because frankly, that just makes things so distorted that you have no tone control and dynamics happening and you lose too much when you vary breath and attack, which is the REAL secret to good tone and tone control.

The single tone control I always turn all the way down. Soudn wise, it's like a 4-10 Bassman at about 1/3 of the volume and have used it so many times in gigs that low volume is needed (and since I usually work with standup bass rather than electric bass, I have FAR fewer volume problems)>
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Woody
32 posts
Nov 22, 2010
8:35 AM
Thanks Everyone.....I took the Pro Junior back
to the shop and swapped it for a Blues Junior which
is SO much better for me....I like a dirtier sound..
I have a DD3 in the chain too, so I get a great tone
now.......The Blues Junior is SO much more for me...
I am happy now.....

Thanks for all the replies and info...
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Electric Harp....I just love it.
HarpNinja
785 posts
Nov 22, 2010
8:42 AM
The VHT Special 6 with an Eminence Ramrod can be had for under $300 and will be at least as loud as a Pro Jr with harp. The con is it is a single ended amp, however.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
HarpNinja
789 posts
Nov 23, 2010
5:59 AM
How are you setting up the BJr? Is it stock? Typically, the Pro Jr is favored for harp, but I don't have any experience with the BJr.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Amp for Harp Blog
30637_401170553450_767928450_4282699_3821941_n

Last Edited by on Nov 23, 2010 6:00 AM
barbequebob
1437 posts
Nov 23, 2010
7:58 AM
If you use a Blues Junior, make damned sure the Fat switch is turned off or it's a total feedback nightmare. Those amps sound better when you put in an alnico mangnet speaker in it. The reverb unit in it is really cheesy sounding compared to the old Hammond reverb tanks they sed to use in the pre-CBS Twins, Super Reverbs, Princeton Reverbs, Pro Reverb amps.

I usally turn the master volume all the way up, which turns that circuit off completely because when you get the sound too ridiculously saturated in distortion, you lose dynamic touch no matter what mic you use with it.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
barbequebob
1438 posts
Nov 23, 2010
8:01 AM
If you use a Blues Junior, make damned sure the Fat switch is turned off or it's a total feedback nightmare. Those amps sound better when you put in an alnico mangnet speaker in it. The reverb unit in it is really cheesy sounding compared to the old Hammond reverb tanks they sed to use in the pre-CBS Twins, Super Reverbs, Princeton Reverbs, Pro Reverb amps.

I usally turn the master volume all the way up, which turns that circuit off completely because when you get the sound too ridiculously saturated in distortion, you lose dynamic touch no matter what mic you use with it.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
gmacleod15
95 posts
Nov 23, 2010
6:12 PM
Bob
I am currently shopping for a alnico speaker for my Blues Jr. Any brand recommendations.

I am currently waiting for a reply from Weber for what they can offer.


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MBH member since 2009-03-24
barbequebob
1440 posts
Nov 24, 2010
7:57 AM
The one you want from them is the closest thing to a real Jensen P12R for that amp. Eminence did had for a while alnico magnet speakers (25 watt range) for both 10's and 12's that were great and the 10 was what was in Bassman reissues and Pro Juniors.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
barbequebob
1441 posts
Nov 24, 2010
8:01 AM
The one you want from them is the closest thing to a real Jensen P12R for that amp. Eminence did had for a while alnico magnet speakers (25 watt range) for both 10's and 12's that were great and the 10 was what was in Bassman reissues and Pro Juniors.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte


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