what fx would you suggest?

[Snowblind]

Alright. I think im going to be getting an epiphone valve junior. But I definately think think ill need wah,reverb,overdrive,EQ. So I was thinking to get a multi fx board. Any suggestions to make this amp really sing?

Thanks.

[warren0728]

Alright. I think im going to be getting an epiphone valve junior. But I definately think think ill need wah,reverb,overdrive,EQ. So I was thinking to get a multi fx board. Any suggestions to make this amp really sing?

Thanks.

i don't have a multi effects pedal but the bad monkey sounds great in front of that amp...

ww

[Nelskie]

Any suggestions to make this amp really sing?

Yeah. Just you and your guitar. Try that for a week or two before you put any effect in front of it. What you hear might surprise you . . .

Buuuutt, if you simply cannot stand the thought of totally vanilla Class "A" tone, and hearing every mistake you make, you might want to consider the following:

1.) DigiTech Bad Monkey - Like ww said, it sounds great through this amp. You can drive the distortion to an earlier break-up, and it adds a nice warmth to the overall character of the tone, esp. with the gain pulled back on the clean channel. Very nice - esp. @ $39!

2.) DigiTech Tone Driver - A little more expensive than the Bad Monkey ($69), but there's some high quality distortion models to be found in it - including the venerable Ibanez TS-808 and TS-9. This pedal will really add some life to the overdrive aspects of this amp.

3.) Zoom G2 - At $100, this multi-pedal will cover the gambut of the effects you've mentioned - wah, reverb, EQ, along with a slew of different overdrive effects and amp models. I've covered this unit in multiple posts (pedal section), so refer to them for some of the other features and details. Yes, you could invest in something much higher end and feature-wise, but if you're just looking to add some colour to the Valve Jr.'s already cool vintage tone, you probably won't need anything more. The G2's effects / models can be used separately as well, so you can turn off the amp / cab models, and just use the effects individually, or any other combination thereof. That's a nice feature in my book. Plus, if you find a particular combination of effects you like, you can save it to memory, and use it over and over again. You could also snag a Zoom 505II multi-effects processor on Ebay for around $40 - $50, and you'd have most of the same stuff. The G2 is the newer version of that pedal.

There are a ton of mods and other relevant info covered in the Valve Jr. thread in this same section, so if you're interested in taking it further, like different tubes, or a different speaker, you'll definintely want to read that. It's a lengthy thread, but very worthwhile if you're looking to getting into one of these amps.

Above all else, remember this about the Valve Jr. - it's a small, Class A tube amp with an 8" speaker. And while it is loud for 5W, you most likely won't be gigging with it (unless, of course, you plan on mic'ing it). The tone is decidedly vintage (think 1950). The amp has a bit of a hum, which is common to the Class A design, and you will need to learn to love it. Lastly - it costs $119. I point these things out before-hand because for whatever reason, people who buy this amp don't seem to have a good understanding of what it really is. This is as basic as a tube amp can get - totally barebones. Yet, there is something very genuine about its stark simplicity, and perhaps that's why I dig mine so much. If the Valve Jr's retro vibe and tone connect with you like it did with me, you're gonna' be playing this little rig all the time!

BTW - I play my Valve Jr. sans effects most of the time. Otherwise, it's the G2, with a smidge of reverb, and a little slap-back echo or maybe a touch of chorus. It's all there, bro', plus a bag of chips.

[duhvoodooman***]

Can't really comment on the multi-fx approach, other than to say I briefly owned a Digitech RP-200A multi-fx processor and quickly learned that I much preferred a row of simple single-function stomp boxes. So my personal setup is a couple of good OD pedals (Digitech Bad Monkey & Tone Driver), a Dunlop CryBaby wah, a cheap Behringer 7-band EQ for additional tone-shaping flexibility, a Digitech delay pedal (mostly for slapback, not echo) and a Boss chorus pedal. For my playing preferences (blues & classic rock), I've found these are really all I need.

Re: the OD pedals, if you only want/need one, the Digitech Tone Driver would be the way to go, IMO. It offers a broad range of overdriven tones through its "morph" control, from quite subtle to in-your-face overdrive. The Bad Monkey makes a great compliment to the Tone Driver. It has a warmer and more understated tone, and is particularly well suited to blues use. And you can always run the two pedals in series for more pronounced distortion.

To save some significant bucks, see what you can find for used pedals listed on eBay. I've had great luck with this approach. You can commonly find used pedals in "nearly-new" condition going for half of what the new ones fetch. This is true for both single and multi-fx pedals. Every pedal I own, except for the Behringer EQ, came from eBay.

Lastly, I'd recommend that you take heed of Nelskie's excellent advice. Spend some "quality time" with just the three of you--the Valve Jr., your guitar, and your own bad self. Get a real solid feel for the character and capabilities of this little dynamo before you start altering the tone through other means.

[Tone2TheBone]

You don't want to upset the delicate balance of the force using "pedals" on a Valve Jr. It's heresy. If you want effects buy something like the Vox.

[warren0728]

You don't want to upset the delicate balance of the force using "pedals" on a Valve Jr. It's heresy. If you want effects buy something like the Vox.

lol tone...i must admit that when i play the jr. i rarely use effects...and if i do it is usually the bad monkey...i have used my early 90's danelectro cool cat chorus pedal with it a couple of times with good results.

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

*evil grin* I'm just stirring up the pot buddy.

[Snowblind]

Thanks a lot guys.

[Robert****]

Don't forget about Das Fuzz! A good fuzz pedal is a joy to play with. I love mine, it has sustain and cleans up beautifully when you roll off the volume knob.

[Tone2TheBone]

Snowblind - if you're leaning toward the Valve Jr. consider getting the head version. Supposed to be better model with less amp hum. You'd need an extention cabinet with it too. I think THAT would really be cool.

[warren0728]

if you're leaning toward the Valve Jr. consider getting the head version. Supposed to be better model with less amp hum. You'd need an extention cabinet with it too.

i've heard they addressed the hum issue with the newer combo models too...but i'm not positive....i don't mind the hum...in fact i hardly notice it now.

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

Yeah I don't mind the hum either. Having the ability to drive different cabinets is a sweet idea though.

[tot_Ou_tard]

i've heard they addressed the hum issue with the newer combo models too...but i'm not positive....i don't mind the hum...in fact i hardly notice it now.

ww

I'll have to look into that. I was seriously reconsidering my crazy idea of adding speaker out and speaker in jacks to my AD30VT. That way I could use it as a cab for a valve jr head and when I finally get around to buying a cab I could run the Valvetronix out into that cab as well. The normal AD30VT operation would be to use a patch cable between the out and in jacks.

By the way one can buy the jacks at....dum..ta..ta..dum...

Mojo Music!

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/

A mojo repair site is just what the doctor ordered to get your mojo workin' again.

However, I could find neither hands nor coffee there.

[warren0728]

Yeah I don't mind the hum either. Having the ability to drive different cabinets is a sweet idea though.

it sure is....i suggest one of each!

ww

[tot_Ou_tard]

The hum wouldn't bother me much, but it would drive my wife batty.