Fender Blues Jr -- bass speaker???

henryjurstin13 · #1 04-22-2011, 07:59 PM

I don't want this to turn into a thread saying buy a bass amp, or get this combo, or etc.... I currently have a Blues Jr & am not using it with my geetars, b/c I recently picked up a VERY SWEET CARR SLANT 6V!!!

And I have other bass amps, I'm just curious about this lil project.

My curious question....

What would it be like to drop a 12" BASS speaker into the open back Blues Jr? This would be for acoustic/pub/quiet gigs --- NO major volumes. I wouldn't be trying to thump anyone in the chest, just have a warm/wooly/versatile lil amp to grab on the go. Anyone done anything like this? Experience with anything similar?

billfitzmaurice · #2 04-22-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryjurstin13

Anyone done anything like this?

Leo Fender, in 1959. It's why the '59 Bassman was a total failure as a bass amp, though a great guitar amp. Open backs can't go low. For studio levels they're OK. For coffee house gigs, maybe.

henryjurstin13 · #3 04-22-2011, 09:04 PM

Well, I'm still partially intrigued... with a passive 4 string, at low volumes -- it could possibly make a cool/unique lil amp for mids/low-mids & mainly just enough volume to hang with acoustics in a VERY small PA environment...

mmbongo · #4 04-22-2011, 09:11 PM

The Blues Jr. cabinet is not even big enough for a proper guitar signal, much less a bass signal. It sounds very boxy and dull, that's why guitar guys always run their Jr. to a separate cabinet.

So, get a separate bass cabinet for it.

skidrawk · #5 04-22-2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

The Blues Jr. cabinet is not even big enough for a proper guitar signal, much less a bass signal. It sounds very boxy and dull, that's why guitar guys always run their Jr. to a separate cabinet.

So, get a separate bass cabinet for it.

Lies. It kills on guitar.

henryjurstin13 · #6 04-22-2011, 09:52 PM

I agree, I dig my Jr with guitar. And remember, I'm not looking to have a bass amp to cover every part of the audible EQ... just curious about the tonalities of possibilities. Sometimes the strangest things yield the coolest results....

skidrawk · #7 04-22-2011, 10:03 PM

I've recorded and rehearsed on my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe open back with great results but the risk of not working in a live situation, and having a gigable rig has kept me from attempting.

Denial · #8 04-22-2011, 10:05 PM

I used to have one, and though I never used it with my 4 or 5 string, it sounded fantastic with my baritones (A-A and B-B Tuning) and my Bass VI. Of course not trying to push the volume. Great little amps.

4Mal · #9 04-22-2011, 10:16 PM

I do a wine bar gig using a Princeton Reverb chassis stuffed into a Fender Deluxe sized, open back cab with an Altec 12. It sounds great! A buddy has a BJ stuffed into a 4x10 with Webers that sounds amazing for guitar. The BJ is a popular palce to start for that sort of thing.

(Congrats on the Carr! I lust for a rambler...)

My advice would be two fold
1 get a cab to mount the BJ amp in that will accomodate a 12, get a really good 12. By good, I don't necessarily mean a good bass driver. A 3012 would be not appropriate. Vintage JBL, Altec, recent Weber clone.... You might be trying a few 12's to find just the one... I majorly dig the Altec but they aren't easy to find or cheap when you find them.

2 get a speaker level DI (Avalon U5 in my case) and use the BJ as a front end to that and then on to a board or something ... You'll be amazed....

JimmyM · #10 04-23-2011, 02:26 AM

stanley clarke is using a blues jr or some sort of similar amp in his bass rig. it's cool if you're looking for true tube grind on a gig and can't blast too loud. but he mixes it with regular amps and uses it to do mids and highs so it doesn't blow.

henryjurstin13 · #11 04-23-2011, 08:34 AM

Yeah, JimmyM -- that's exactly the type of tones I'm talking about. Not looking for a low B to thump anywhere/anyhow. Now I just need to find me the right 12" & I'll report back...

Miezu · #12 04-23-2011, 08:52 AM

I use my Fender Concert II (Rivera) as a practice amp. Black Shadow Mesa speaker, 12". Never tried it for Gigs, though. Even with my five string fretless this works well. Bass reproduction is fine. Sound is cool.

jnewmark · #13 04-23-2011, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidrawk

Lies. It kills on guitar.

Also kills for Blues harp.

mmbongo · #14 04-23-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidrawk

Lies. It kills on guitar.

Hook it to a good 1x12 cab and then try to go back to the little honky boxy sounding cabinet. You won't do it. I ran mine to an Avatar 1x12 with a Weber 12A125A. It did kill. I've since replaced it with a Super Champ xD though.

skidrawk · #15 04-23-2011, 01:18 PM

funny I have a superchamp xD too. Love it. Also use it for blues harp.

mmbongo · #16 04-24-2011, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidrawk

funny I have a superchamp xD too. Love it. Also use it for blues harp.

Honestly the SuperChamp xD destroys the Blues Jr. but I didn't want to start a war here

bass-shy · #17 04-24-2011, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Honestly the SuperChamp xD destroys the Blues Jr. but I didn't want to start a war here

I bought a SuperChamp XD a couple weeks ago. I replaced the tubes with TungSols (stock power tubes rattled like mad) and the speaker with an Eminence Ragin' Cajun.

That little amp screams!

I have been wondering what an Eminence Legend bass driver would do for it, though. Might be worth the cash just to see how it would handle low-volume bass playing.

Interesting thread, BTW.

henryjurstin13 · #18 04-26-2011, 02:02 PM

If anyone wants to help further this thread... I've been thinking about a few different Eminence speakers to try out (as I'm an Eminence artist):

Swamp Thing: supposed to have really nice lows & works well for 7-strings & drop-tuned guitars. It might help with some lowend for the bass notes, while still not trying to get any "real" lows.

And as far as the bass speakers go, I've kinda picked 2 that I think might be good starting points: Basslite S2012 or the Deltalite II 2512.

Anyone wanna crunch any numbers & checkout some graphs to see what'll work best?