EPIPHONE VALVE JR?

redhed · #1 07-21-2011, 08:53 PM

Does an EPIPHONE VALVE JR. really sound good for bass?

Texx · #2 07-21-2011, 09:28 PM

I did youse one at home with a EBS 1x12 for sometime. A side by side comparison with a bass amp (littlemark) or a poweramp (44 magnum) showed that it definitely lacks in the low end. There´s a great thread about modding it to make it more suitablefor bass.

Texx · #3 07-21-2011, 09:31 PM

...by the way, i use a aguillar tonehammer with a 44 Magnum now. It can perfectly simulate the tube breakup of the Valve Jr. if desired.

Klopp18 · #4 07-21-2011, 09:34 PM

my dad just picked up a modded one for bass. i played it today and loved it. i dont know to much but my dad put in different tubes and was getting alot of different tones. one really dirty, one really mellow, and the other i didnt try. but like texx said, theres a really good thread about it.

DeathFromBelow · #5 07-21-2011, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texx

...by the way, i use a aguillar tonehammer with a 44 Magnum now. It can perfectly simulate the tube breakup of the Valve Jr. if desired.

Cool, I've been thinking about doing the same.

Are you running it through the EBS 1x12? And if so, is it the Classicline 112?

onosson · #6 07-21-2011, 09:40 PM

A friend has one at his studio, and (lacking a real bass amp) we have used it for tracking bass and in-studio jamming and rehearsing. Without mods, IMO it doesn't really function as a bass amp even for quiet jamming - the tone is not really there.

JebDude · #7 07-21-2011, 09:54 PM

Lacking the money for anything better, I actually played a short concert with my Valve Jr. (unmodded) and a guitar 4x12 cab. Wasn't bad at all. I was tuned in drop D and everything sounded okay from my Ibanez GSR300. I know the cab doesn't really have the bottom end hadn't heard about any problems with the Valve Jr. I will definitely check out the mod thread.

JB

kuys · #8 07-21-2011, 10:18 PM

Can we get a link to that mod thread?

T-Bird · #9 07-21-2011, 10:56 PM

Hi.

I don't have first hand experience about the valve Jr, but based solely on the circuit, I'd say yes, it does sound good with bass if it does sound good with guitar. Only much, much more quiet.

Since it's a SE class A, it won't sound anything like PP class A/B, so if a traditional tube bass sound is the goal, forget it. Or at least try before You buy.

I had an Ibanez Walbee for a while, and with the octal socket the tube selection was far greater than with the Epi. The power tube makes the world of difference, so You may need to experiment for a good while.

The good thing about SE class A single tube amps is that perfectly good used vintage tubes that are next to impossible to find in matched sets or even pairs, are pretty plentiful and cheap as singles.

Regards
Sam

Texx · #10 07-22-2011, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Cool, I've been thinking about doing the same.

Are you running it through the EBS 1x12? And if so, is it the Classicline 112?

It´s the NEO 112 with the tweeter completely off.
Only bedroom levels for now. Can´t wait to use the tonehammer in a live setting through my Littlemark and 2 aguillar GS112.

here´s the thread Epiphone Valve Junior to Bass! A thread of tiny modding and major sound

Jason P Bass · #11 07-22-2011, 06:03 AM

Keep in mind that you can run a preamp into the Valve Jr, at which point it's simply a 5W class A all-tube power amp. I agree that alone it lacks low end, but a Sansamp pedal will compensate for that to a large degree.

(At the end of the day, though, a 5W class A all-tube power amp will NOT be transparent. It's going to color the tone heavily, but that's part of the magic.)

I have also found that the Valve Jr is VERY sensitive to different cabinets. I have a Peavey 115 BW cabinet (cheap, entry level gear) that sounds great with the Valve Jr, but my Genz Benz 210 XB (expensive, pro gear) sounds horrible. So if you don't like what you hear, plug it into something completely different.

TaylorO' · #12 07-22-2011, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texx

youse

QUE?

s_mcsleazy · #13 07-22-2011, 06:20 AM

as a valve jr. user let me say this on the "does it sound good" thing

HELL F****** YES

rodl2005 · #14 07-22-2011, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaylorO'

QUE?

Youse, as in 'youse guys are real dumb'. Ppl use it here all the time ;-)

TaylorO' · #15 07-22-2011, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodl2005

Youse, as in 'youse guys are real dumb'. Ppl use it here all the time ;-)

Yes, but Tex used it as the word "use".. i just thought it was funny.

Are you guys using the valve jr to play out? i use one just for home, but it would never work for playing out anywhere or not even at practice, not with my current band anyway.

hdracer · #16 07-22-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_mcsleazy

as a valve jr. user let me say this on the "does it sound good" thing

HELL F****** YES

+1!!

The version 1's need a lot of work to make right. The V2 & 3 do not need much.

On The V2 just do the JP-1 mod and change the tubes out & install a Hammond 125ESE universal output transformer.

V3 just needs the same as V2. they updated the transformer in the V3 but the Hammond works much better with bass.

The JP-1 mod is free & easy.

s_mcsleazy · #17 07-22-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

+1!!

The version 1's need a lot of work to make right. The V2 & 3 do not need much.

On The V2 just do the JP-1 mod and change the tubes out & install a Hammond 125ESE universal output transformer.

V3 just needs the same as V2. they updated the transformer in the V3 but the Hammond works much better with bass.

The JP-1 mod is free & easy.

all thats been done to mine is it distorts at a lower volume. oh and the rear grill is on the frount and vica versa

rodl2005 · #18 07-22-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaylorO'

Yes, but Tex used it as the word "use".. i just thought it was funny.

Are you guys using the valve jr to play out? i use one just for home, but it would never work for playing out anywhere or not even at practice, not with my current band anyway.

I know, sorry, I couldn't resist. ;-)

**fuzzy beard** · #19 07-24-2011, 08:55 PM

This thread needs a pic and and a sound clip! Who here can help keep this alive i am so very interested in one now! Thanks hdracer!

audiomitch · #20 07-24-2011, 11:14 PM

I did the BitMo TRIO Mod Kit on my Epi Valve Jr, but I use it exclusively for guitar. I never found it had a good tone for bass, it tended to cut the lows. I think the transformer mod might remedy that, but couldn't swear to it.

I was running the head through a GK Neo 115 cabinet. For guitar I use a Celestion G12H 30 Watt Anniversary 12" driver. Sounds great for guitar.