$300 blonde BJ day!!!

[ShortBuSX]

Ever since I scored my Deville Ive been trying to tame it for household use...Id considered an attenuator for weeks before I came to the conclusion that the money for an attenuator might be better spent purchasing a used Blues Jr to accomodate my bedroom sessions instead.
Once I realized that was what I wanted Ive been actively searching the Craigslist for a good deal on one...for the last 3 months:
And whats worse, is that while searching Craigslist...you cant un-see a great deal...even if it isnt what youre really searching for...such as a $100 MIJ Strat...or $225 MIM sunburst:
And when you see a "deal" on Craigslsit you gotta act fast! So Ive been searching 3 times a day for, like I said, months.
Well yesterday just after lunch I finally saw the sign Id been waiting for

Fender Blues Junior tube amp - $300

No picture included, just the description:

Up for sale is my Fender Blues Junior tube amp ,this is in great shape and sells new for a lot more,great tube sound for blues and also has reverb for those Peter Green,Clapton sounds

The ad posted at 12:45 and I began blowing his phone up @ 1:15 until he returned my call @ 3pm...we made arrangements to meet at his place bout 6pm, hed recieved several others just as anxious as I, but their calls came after hed agreed to meet with me...yeah!

ON a side note, Id already made special dinner plans with my girlfriend out of town for the evening...but this chic is soooo awesome that she was more than willing to go with me to meet this guy on the way to dinner, 1/2 hour, out of the way to dinner. And just so yall know, this is the same awesome chic that reassured me that I should go back and purchase that Deville...and the MIM burst...and the MIJ! Very supportive...even if the rest of the world thinks Im insaine with my "guitar associated spending"...Im very lucky!:

So we meet with the guy...walk in the door and am greeted by a USA made Blonda Blues Jr with hang tags! Totally expected the standard Hotrod black tolex...his ad made no mention of the blonde with leather strap! Niiiiice!
He even let me play his 52ri Tele through it...SOLD!!!

BTW, pics are forthcoming!
And the reason being, this is a 5 year old amp and the blonde tolex is kinda dirty, with a tiny lil hole in the front...part of me is tempted to clean 'er up and make her new looking...and then the other part of me thinks Id be wiping away all the added mojo...so I AM curious to get opinions.

[warren0728]

ON a side note, Id already made special dinner plans with my girlfriend out of town for the evening...but this chic is soooo awesome that she was more than willing to go with me to meet this guy on the way to dinner, 1/2 hour, out of the way to dinner. And just so yall know, this is the same awesome chic that reassured me that I should go back and purchase that Deville...and the MIM burst...and the MIJ! Very supportive...even if the rest of the world thinks Im insaine with my "guitar associated spending"...Im very lucky!:

part of me is tempted to clean 'er up and make her new looking...and then the other part of me thinks Id be wiping away all the added mojo...so I AM curious to get opinions.

the heck with opinions....does your girlfriend have a sister!

ok....as for cleaning her up....if it looks dirty i say clean it....if it looks worn then maybe keep as is for the mojoness (i think i just invented a new word)!

ww

[Katastrophe]

Great score!

Your girlfriend gets, many, many cool points for being understanding. You could clean it up, replace the grill cloth, and lacquer the tweed. That would end up looking way cool.

HOWEVER...

I say keep it the way it is. Spend the time more wisely, by playing!:

[Spudman***]

Congrats. :

[piebaldpython***]

HEY SHORT.........with a title like $300 BLONDE BJ........I though I had stumbled onto a totally "different" site....... .......nice score BTW.....while some of our brethren think that your girlfriend is way COOL......so long as she STAYS your girlfriend, she'll be COOL.........all the while trying to REEL you in......thinkin' that your GAS money might very well become "HONEY BUY ME THIS OR THAT" money....I've seen that happen to too many pals........now if she plays guitar and she still encourages you to sate your GAS attack......then buy all means, MARRY her.....:

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yeah the title of this thread had me chuckling too.

Great score ShortBUS & triple cool beans for the girlfriend. :

[ShortBuSX]

HEY SHORT.........with a title like $300 BLONDE BJ........I though I had stumbled onto a totally "different" site.......

Yeah the title of this thread had me chuckling too.

What can I say, this stuff writes itself...its like one of those crazy attention grabbing newspaper headlines.

the heck with opinions....does your girlfriend have a sister!

Yeah she does, although shes married...BUT she does live in Orlando, meh.:

You could clean it up, replace the grill cloth, and lacquer the tweed. That would end up looking way cool.

I say keep it the way it is. Spend the time more wisely, by playing!:

I wish it was tweed!:
OF course I was curious if the blonde had any differences with the hotrod black Jr, so I looked this up...and it kinda explains the difference between blonde and tweed too.

What is the difference between the standard Fender Blues Junior and the Blonde Fender Blues Junior?
There is not much of a difference between the standard Blues Junior and the Blonde Blues Junior. In fact, the only difference is that the Blonde Blues Junior has blonde tolex to give it a vintage tweed look. Other than that these two amps are identical. And they both have amazing tube tone.

So the only difference is tweed is waaaay cooler looking!:
Im thinking the above is a good reason to keep it dirty(and not clean 'er up)...to give it more of that worn faded tweed look.

HEY SHORT.........your girlfriend, she'll be......thinkin' that your GAS money might very well become "HONEY BUY ME THIS OR THAT" money....I've seen that happen to too many pals.

Nah, this ones not like that, surprisingly...but yeah, I know the type, Ive seen it too. She was actually trying to talk me out of the expensive steak dinner wed planned for last night, saying she thought it "cost too much"...but the amp purchase? ...very supportive!:

BTW, had a great night with the amp(and GF), I'll post more tomorrow...and pics too:

[just strum]

...maybe keep as is for the mojoness (i think i just invented a new word)!

ww

Sorry, but I'm sure Bush has used it at some point in his 8 years.

[Kazz]

Yes....but would she throw rocks at an alligator?

[ShortBuSX]

This is a slight down side to my new blonde...with this amph I get no lush reverbs! I think there is something wrong with the pan, now that Ive got a BJ it seems the reverb is the weakest link and this is common, I found this page that discusses repairing the reverb by fixng the wires that go into it...I tried it, after using an ohm meter to find out which wire was the culprit, I thought Id fixed it after testing it with the meter again. I got it all buttoned up but still no lush reverbs on this amph! I think maybe my polarity is wrong, I'll try flipping the wires on a couple of times to see if thats any help.
When I rake the springs I can hear a lil shimmer through the amph, but thats it.
The RCAs seem fine, when I touch the black one I hear a strong buzz that indicates that end is working...I measured both with he amp off and the both get readings.
Aside from buying a new reverb tank...I dont know what else to look at or consider.

Aside from that, even without the reverb working...lovin this amp...I stayed up till 2am last night getting a lil further acquainted.

[warren0728]

a new reverb tank looks like a pretty cheap fix....

ww

[ShortBuSX]

a new reverb tank looks like a pretty cheap fix....

Riiiight?!
Yeah as a matter of fact I just got off the phone, ordered the above mentioned Ruby tank...and $100 worth of new tubes.:

I personally would lightly clean it up, just cause I would want to add my own dirt later, but that is just me.

Yeah, I kinda wanna wipe it down with a muddy rag

[warren0728]

Riiiight?!
Yeah as a matter of fact I just got off the phone, ordered the above mentioned Ruby tank...and $100 worth of new tubes.:

well....it would have been cheap....if you didn't get the tubes!! :

ww

[sunvalleylaw]

Riiiight?!
Yeah as a matter of fact I just got off the phone, ordered the above mentioned Ruby tank...and $100 worth of new tubes.:



Yeah, I kinda wipe it down with a muddy rag

Maybe your chain lube rag would give a nice effect. Some Dumonde Tech, along with some good trail dirt, gives good results I think.

EDIT: I personally think it is cool that between this application and Spud's re-use of old chain links to build pedal boards, we can in corporate cycling into the guitar world.

[sunvalleylaw]

I hope the reverb tank works out, and congrats on all the rest! I personally would lightly clean it up, just cause I would want to add my own dirt later, but that is just me. Glad you made that score!

[aeolian]

Nice score!

I've cleaned up an old amp and a guitar case with a damp rag and then go over them with ArmorAll. Looks new after I'm done.

[Tone2TheBone]

I have a Blues Junior with a couple of the Billm mods too. I bought the amp from some guy who did the cool mod with the one resistor swap. It's a lot clearer sounding from a stock BJ with that mod. I myself did the twin stack. Easy to do and makes the mid knob more useable. I also swapped out the stock Eminence for 2 speaker choices...one being the Jensen C12N and the other a Warehouse Guitar Speakers Veteran 30 (a Celestion Vintage 30 knockoff). I agree that the Jensen C12N produces absurdly good Fender clean tones but I found for my purposes that I prefer the sound of the WGS Veteran 30 because I like to play with some overdrive and all out distortion and the Jensen (to my ears) was too shrill. Anyway FWIW....

[ShortBuSX]

Im glad to finally see some BJr talk...I knew a couple of yall had em, but the BJr doesnt seem to get much love here at the fret

Seems like were all in agreement about the mods to do...looks like Ive got the right plan.

Speaker changes, but no tube swaps?

And mine was the only one with a bum reverb???

[Tone2TheBone]

Im glad to finally see some BJr talk...I knew a couple of yall had em, but the BJr doesnt seem to get much love here at the fret

Seems like were all in agreement about the mods to do...looks like Ive got the right plan.

Speaker changes, but no tube swaps?

And mine was the only one with a bum reverb???

I have lots of love for mine. It loves me back when the amp's pushing past halfway on both the volume and master. Forgot to mention that I have J&J tubes in it. Both power and preamp tubes. Also forgot to mention mine is an American made green board Blues Junior.