Epiphone Valve Junior Modifications

[just strum]

Yes! To DVM you listen!

I like the bluesy overdrive I can get from my TO800 through the Blackface model better than cranking the gain on the AD30VT alone. For that I'll keep the gain on the amp at about 1:00 and set my TO800's drive at about 9:00, the level at noon, and the tone at about 1:00-2:00. That gives single coils some respectable SRV-esque umpf.

As I've mentioned many times before, I use my TO800 to give the UK70s model the extra cajones that it otherwise lacks. The gain is dimed on the AD30VT. My TO800 is set for virtually no drive, but the level is dimed and the tone is at about 1:00. Basically I'm using it as a non-clean boost (by "non-clean" I mean it is also boosting upper mids slightly).

Do you have any idea as to how this compares to a Bad Monkey? I see they are about 1/2 the price as the BM, but I was curious on how the two compare.

checked out e-bay the other day and could have had a new Bad Monkey for $40, free shipping (BuyItNow) - but drag your feet...

[marnold***]

Do you have any idea as to how this compares to a Bad Monkey? I see they are about 1/2 the price as the BM, but I was curious on how the two compare.

checked out e-bay the other day and could have had a new Bad Monkey for $40, free shipping (BuyItNow) - but drag your feet...

I've never seen a Bad Monkey. I'm sure it has more solid construction than my TO800. IIRC, the Monkey also has two tone controls instead of one on the TO800. I posted a link to a review about a year ago where someone compared a TO800 very favorably to a TS-808. Sounded good to me!

[duhvoodooman***]

For the sake of completeness, I've updated my Valve Jr. Mods webpage with a description of the last 3 mods/upgrades I did to my "vers. 1" VJr combo:

• Speaker upgrade to Jensen C8R
• Switchable 4 ohm/8 ohm output
• Output transformer upgrade

The new info is down near the bottom of the page.

While doing the OT swap, I came across a very useful document HERE. These are the detailed instructions, with a lot of good technical explanation, that came with a commercial VJr upgrade kit from S2 Amps. Though the kit is no longer sold, the information is detailed enough that you could easily buy your own components and do many of these upgrades yourself. I see a couple in there that I may yet do on my own VJr (it never ends!)....

[Bloozcat]

While doing the OT swap, I came across a very useful document HERE. These are the detailed instructions, with a lot of good technical explanation, that came with a commercial VJr upgrade kit from S2 Amps. Though the kit is no longer sold, the information is detailed enough that you could easily buy your own components and do many of these upgrades yourself. I see a couple in there that I may yet do on my own VJr (it never ends!)....

That is a very good document, DVM. I made a hard copy of it awhile ago and put it im my "amplifiers" book.

[Duff]

I have a bad monkey but haven't used it since I got a couple multi effects units: a Digitech RP350 that usb's into the computer, and a really neat Korg AX5G that is plastic but uses batteries or ps and is really full of great sounds without even tweaking but is highly tweakable and has a pedal that works as a selectable vol, wah, or effects depth pedal, also has a default setting for each program you can change. Got the Korg AX5G for 39 price match at GC from printout of Music123 sale. Got an acoustic AX3A, no pedal, I'm experimenting with but my Grate Gunnison 60 watt two channel has some effects built in, not many but good ones.

The bad monkey is nice. I like it but it is fairly heavy overdrive even at the lowest settings. There is a lot of great distortion/overdrive, but not outrageous like a Metal Master or even a Grunge. I like my Grunge though. Fairly heavy distortion/overdrive. My VJr. brand new, (what version would that be?) has great natural overdrive. I'm using it mostly with the Epi 4 by 12 So. Cal. Cab I got for it rather than the matching one 12 that I also have for portability purposes. Those 4 by 12s sing and I got it new for 199. The one 12 is like 130. I can now also get a more powerful head.

Bad monkey is something I won't sell though. It has great tone. Way superior to my Metal Master. My Boss OD-3 is neat though and has a lot less overdrive if you are looking for something that you can turn the overdrive down on.

[F_BSurfer]

Ok after starting some mods to the stock board I decided to go full tilt!! Had most everything except the board ,tube sockets and the sozo caps so did not have to invest much more into it. Now that it is done I am totally happy with it.No more hum and its got some serious balls now,gain might be a little over the top I think if I did the tone mod it would curb that some,will wait get some more playing time and see??Just sounds way cool through my 2x10 cab!!

[duhvoodooman***]

Very cool! Nice job there, FBS! : :

Got clips?? :

[F_BSurfer]

No don't have any clips no way to record right now one of these days I am going to get a 57,but right now gear budget going to a few amp builds......Two more builds and one rebuild then I'll be set........ I think??????? Plan then is to pick up couple 57's ,multi track digital recorder (something like Boss Br 900 cd) and a looper.

The last pic is not how the VJR finished out I wound up rerouting some wires the tied down excess for a cleaner look.......Have pull the chassis to cool down bias some will take final pic then