isaacullah
800 posts
Mar 07, 2010
10:33 PM
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That's right, you heard it. One of the biggest solid state heretics on this forum is going to buy a Tube amp. Why? Well 'cause I'm getting a damn good deal on a Valve Junior head, that's why! I played through the VJ at the guitar center a while back, and I fell in love with the tone. People in the store were coming up and saying how much they were digging it. That felt good!
So i've been keeping an eye on craigslist to see if I could pick up one cheap. Well, my vigilance has paid off. I'm buying one off a guy for $70 tomorrow. It's just the head, but I have a great 2 x 8" cab I just finished building anyway, so that's perfect. Plus the guy had the tone and gain mod done to the amp, but doesn't realize this ADDS to the value. He's one of these guys wuo apparently thinks that a) using the amp decreases the value a lot, and that 2) modifying further decreases the value. Whatever, that's cool, I'm getting a barely used $129 amp with a sweet $50 mod done to it for $70. SWEET!
Oh, and I sold my little pignose for $90, so I'm doing pretty good in the old amp trade up game! What to do with my left over $20?
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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nacoran
1362 posts
Mar 07, 2010
10:46 PM
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Cool!
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Nate
Facebook
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isaacullah
801 posts
Mar 07, 2010
10:55 PM
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Thanks Nate! Oh, and the guy had done a tube upgrade too! There an ElectroHarmonix 12ax7 and JJ EL84... That's another $40 right there!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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Ant138
359 posts
Mar 07, 2010
11:53 PM
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Thats a sweet deal Isaac, welcome to the VJ club.
Buy your wife something with the $20, it always pays to keep them sweet if you've just done a deal.
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Last Edited by on Mar 07, 2010 11:59 PM
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Ryan
203 posts
Mar 08, 2010
1:19 AM
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You may want to use the extra $20 to swap out the 12ax7 for a 12ay7 pre-amp tube. I'm not sure how the mod effects it, but on the stock model VJ the 12ay7 definately sounds better for harmonica.
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Nastyolddog
380 posts
Mar 08, 2010
2:05 AM
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Yo Isaac check the toddl-Gs thread i just bumped mate worth keeping an eye on Bro.
I know like myself and most Muso's we don't have a vast amout of cash to Flash,
but check out MERCURY MAGNETICS TRANSFORMERS web page they have upgrade kits or just upgrade the Transformers later on..
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hvyj
181 posts
Mar 08, 2010
4:15 AM
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Put it towards changing the EH tube and replacing it with a JJ Electronics tube. Either an ECC803S (12AX7) or an ECC 81 (12AT7).
IMHO, JJs sound much warmer and smoother than EH for harp.
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Kingley
995 posts
Mar 08, 2010
4:34 AM
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Welcome to the dark side Isaac!
The Epi VJ is a great entrance into the world of tube amps.
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toddlgreene
973 posts
Mar 08, 2010
5:05 AM
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Welcome to the mad, mad world of tubes, Isaac! Do you know which version it is? If it hums, it's a 1, and version 3 has the 4, 8 & 16 ohm speaker outs on the back. Not sure other than cosmetic differences(I think version 2 had some piping added?). Version 3 is the latest/greatest(without delving into the 'hot rod' version they make which costs 100 bucks more). Also note I did a video a few weeks ago playing thru a 12" cab(the Epi one), and although the audio for the camera I used did it no justice, the 12" was the way to go. Have fun!
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
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toddlgreene
974 posts
Mar 08, 2010
5:07 AM
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hvyj-"IMHO, JJs sound much warmer and smoother than EH for harp."
Thanks! I was wondering if anyone had tried the same value tubes as stock, but with a different make. I was contemplating some JJ and Mullards for mine.
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
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hvyj
182 posts
Mar 08, 2010
5:31 AM
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FWIW, I have a Princeton Reverb Reissue. I replaced the stock Ruby Tubes (which I thought sounded harsh) w/ JJs (same value tubes, just a different brand). The amp sounds smoother, fatter and warmer.
In my Super Reverb Reissue, i replaced the stock EH tubes with JJs but used stepped down preamp tubes in V1 and V2 (EEC 81 = 12AT7), a JJ GZ34 in place of the stock Rectifier tube and an ECC 832 = 12DW7, which is an unbalanced triode, in the V6 (phase inverter) slot. I replaced the rest of the tubes with equivalent value JJs. Sounds great and feedback is much more controllable.
Got the JJs on line from Eurotubes. The owner, Bob Pletka, is a really nice guy and knows quite a bit about re-tubing amps to voice them for harp, so he's worth talking to and doesn't mind answering questions, making suggestions and consulting. Email him or a call and leave a message and he'll call back.
Eurotubes also sells a preamp tube replacement kit for the Blues Junior that's terrific. It's not listed on their website, but if you ask them about it, they'll know what you're interested in.
Btw, my primary amp for performance these days is an SWR Baby Baby Blue acoustic bass amp which has a solid state power stage and a tube preamp. But for certain applications, I use my Super RRI or my Princeton RRI, neither of which would be usable for gigs w/o the JJs.
Mullards are supposed to be good, but I have no experience w/them.
Last Edited by on Mar 08, 2010 5:41 AM
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Bluzdude46
520 posts
Mar 08, 2010
6:23 AM
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Ok I'm thinking the three VJr's I've modded came with EH and JJ tubes. I'm fairly certain because I have them in a drawer in my desk at home after changing to Mullard and Tube Amp Dr. All the head versions came with 4,8,16 ohm 1/4 outputs. The difference between v1,2,3a,3b is after v1 they changed the dc filaments to eliminate the hum and after v2 they bumped the value of some of the pre amp channel resistors.
Isaac? if the person that had it modded was a guitarist beware he may have done headroom mods which are counter productive. If you have no issues with feedback with your mic leave the 12ax7 alone no reason to cut your gain if you don't have to. Putting bigger filter caps and adding a treble cut is preferable. Others have claimed they need to dial up the volume almost to 10 to get the nice break up from an Epi, I get it at 6 with room to spare. Alot depends on your mic rig and how you cup. Get it and spend some time with it before making changes. and guitar center STILL has the Epi Lady Luck cabs for $109. I encourage any harp player to grab them while still available.
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The Original Downtown Philadelphia Fatman... Accept No substitutes!
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toddlgreene
977 posts
Mar 08, 2010
6:27 AM
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Mine came with EH tubes in both sockets. And yes, as Bluzdude states, that cabinet rocks, and is a great deal for the price.
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
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congaron
640 posts
Mar 08, 2010
7:59 AM
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Mine came with a EH in the preamp and a sovtek in thee amp.
I have some old british tube my guitar player gave me in the preamp now..the writing is all wiped off it. Original sovtek in the amp. I also have tried some chinese fender 12ax7,s in it. The british one is a tad smoother, but not much. For me the mic ans speakers made more of a difference than the tube swaps, but I never tried jjs or mullards. I went the dirt-cheap route with borrowed tubes to swap in. I think there were some sylvanias and teslas, phillips, not sure what else. The EH sounded good too, but i dropped it and broke it during all the tube swaps.
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isaacullah
802 posts
Mar 08, 2010
8:47 AM
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Wow! Thanks for all the great input guys! Awesome! I guess there is QUITE the VJ fan club here!
Okay, so the picture shows three speaker outs (4, 8, and 16 ohm), so I guess it's a version 3, then. Which is good!
Also, I use Mid-Z and Low-Z mics, so I have a feeling that the 12ax7 will be fine (I will certainlly consider to upgraded it to a JJ, though, if I think the EH one is harsh). When I tried out the VJ in the store with my favorite mic (Mid-Z Shure PE57), it sounded really good and I did not have any issues with feedback, so that's why I'm fairly sure the 12ax7 will work for me... And thanks for the info about the possible gain mod, I'll be wary of it for sure!
I have a collection of various vintage power and preamp tubes that I've pulled from old junked electronics, so perhaps I'll make a list and stick it up in some amp forums to see if anyone wants to make a trade for an ECC803s or other vintage 12ax7 compatible tube...
The stock cab sounds like a great one, but I just finished building a 2x8" cab of my own I'm gonna try first. I've got a good combo of some vintage speakers in there (from old electric organs), so I'm hoping it will sound pretty good with the VJ head.
I go to pick the amp up at noon today, so that means (you guessed it) be on the look out for a new YouTube video very soon!!! I can't wait to try the amp with my Digitech RP155 used as an effects modeler in front. The Digitech lets you bypass the internal amp models so you can make effects-only patches whilst still retaining the tone of your amp. It should be a bitchn' combo!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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isaacullah
803 posts
Mar 08, 2010
8:48 AM
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By the way, I think I WILL use that $20 to buy something for the wife (Thanks for that idea Ant), I certainly need to keep her happy! ;)
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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congaron
642 posts
Mar 08, 2010
8:52 AM
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I have a single 8 inch cab I have used for practice. it sounds great. Actually, every speaker I've ever plugged into it just sounds a different kind of great. I'm sure you'll find the same thing. I'm not sure they made the head until version 3. I read something somewhere that said that...all heads were version 3. I wish I could remember where because there is a TON of valve junior stuff on the web!
Good luck with the amp. I'm sure you can make it rock!
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isaacullah
810 posts
Mar 08, 2010
3:47 PM
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Okay!!!!! I got it and it sounds f*ing GREAT!!!! The gain mod is just variable gain, not a gain ceiling lift, so it gives me just another way to control the break up point. The volume and the added gain control are very interactive, so there are a lot of tones to be had there. The tone control is a treble cut, and also is quite interactive with the volume/gain. So far, I like the treble cut all the way down, but I can have it up for sound that'll better cut through a mix if I want.
The two old 8" speakers in my cab sound really really good with it. I have them wired up parallel, so I'm using the 4 ohm tap, but I might wire them in series and see what it sounds like on the 16ohm tap (hey, you never know, right?)
Anyway, I'm going back to playing it now. I'm breaking out the digitech rp unit, and am going to do some serious foolin.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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congaron
647 posts
Mar 09, 2010
1:17 PM
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I have also run two 8 ohm speakers in parallel on the 8 ohm tap. It changes the character of the breakup a little. You might like it, i didn't think it was enough to worry about it. I also tried them in series on the 16 ohm tap..I didn't detect anything, but mine ar 12 inch speakers too..it all varies. Glad you like it. They are cool amps aren't they? I really like mine for guitar too. I have a Dot studio that sounds amazing through mine with the 2 12's. actually, all my guitars sound good, it's just a great little amp. Congratulations.
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Joch230
16 posts
Mar 09, 2010
1:38 PM
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I was surprised last night when I saw a Billy Branch YouTube showing that he used a Solid State Peavey amp on stage. It was basically the same amp I have had forever for guitar. I have been doing the Adam thing...splitting his mic signal and sending it to his mouse solid state amp and a tube amp placed a ways apart to get a fuller sound. I use the Peavey and the Epi Valve Jr. and so far I'm really pleased with it.
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Joe_L
71 posts
Mar 09, 2010
2:06 PM
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@Joch230 - Do you really play through a Special 130 in the house? It can be earsplitting loud in a club. I'm surprised you could even hear a Valve Jr with that amp in the same room.
Billy Branch has been using Special 130 for years when playing live. He sounds great through it. If you want to hear how it sounds, he used it during the recording of Taildragger's CD and DVD entitled, "My Head Is Bald: Live At Vern's Friendly Lounge". It's a killer CD. The DVD is awesome, too.
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congaron
648 posts
Mar 09, 2010
2:23 PM
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I have run the valve junior and my keyboard amp off my digitech pedal. Just in the house, but it would be a pretty good setup for a big room, judging from the SPL readings @ 1m.
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krisalis
14 posts
Mar 09, 2010
2:27 PM
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I had a EH pre-amp tube and a sovtek el84 in my epi VJ head - just changed them both (12AT7 pre-amp now) - great results. Not that I was unhappy with the amp to start with -the tone out of the box is ridiculously good. I'd like to get a second cab and wire them in parallel. Maybe one day I'll get around to modding it and addding more knobs and switches, but now I'm in the VJ fan club, I'm starting to think you only need one knob.
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Joch230
17 posts
Mar 09, 2010
6:40 PM
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Joe, I use a Peavey Backstage amp...an older 20 watt model. It has the same looks as the Special 130 with one less EQ knob. I go from my mic to a Boss ME20 multi effects product that has EQ in it already (and a little delay or whatever I want to use). It has a stereo out and I send one signal to the Epi and the other to the Peavey. The two amps together, space about 10 feet apart give a really different sound than what you would get from a single amp. Adam tells how he does this in his first Youtube lesson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDKbqacmPyw&feature=PlayList&p=B91BE018D551300E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1
John
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Joe_L
73 posts
Mar 10, 2010
1:11 AM
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Joch230 - Thanks. I've seen Adam's video. I've also seen Billy play quite a bit. That's why I was curious about using a big 130 watt, solid state amp with a small 5 watt tube amp. That Peavey that Billy uses puts out a whole lot of sound.
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