View other reviews for this product:
BigB « Aptly named »
Published on 09/09/11 at 13:00
Value For Money :
Excellent
The specs for starters: small single-channel combo 15w lamps, 2 EL84 power and two 12AX7 preamp in, spring reverb, no loop, a bowl Eminence 12 "8ohms, all in a small cab unfortunately a little cheap.
In terms of settings, there is the necessary but no more: gain (called "volume "...), three band EQ, reverb and master, plus a small switch" fat "is essentially a mid-boost.
In my case, in this price range and amps, I see nothing to add (I'm not very customer loop effects) and nothing to remove.
UTILIZATION
I have not read the manual, whose main interest is - for DIYers - include a diagram of the amplifier. Anyway, no need manual for an amp of this type (unless you have never used a guitar amp), it's very plug and play.
SOUNDS
The eq is decent but not stunning enough effective provided (there are those who are not afraid to get out the soldering iron a few very simple changes which, it seems, make the tone stack much more efficient). The reverb, argued that without an old Twin is quite musical and not the next "pool" from that of the Vox AC15.
The remains fairly clean typed Fender, both friendly and well crystalline, while having a specific color EL84 - less excavated and less deep bass with the 6V6 / 6L6 usual brand, but in against a small side " chemistry "that made the reputation of Vox (even if it is not at all in the same area, the circuits are very different). That said, do not expect to keep a clean really clean volume to repeat, it is a 15W so it twists quite quickly even with low gain (it's a little fact for that matter).
In crunch, we feel a very bright amp, and this time quite different from the signature Fender. It's very medium of travel (EL84 + small open cab, do not expect to have the Oumph a Marshall or Mesa 4x12 closed on either), but very song (thank you EL84) and warm. I'm talking about the crunch of the power stage - that obtained at low volume amount of the gain is usable race (and quite nice) but rather all-purpose (of course since this is the distortion of the 12AX7, which equips 99 preamps% of the market). A volume of repeat always, playing between the gain and master, and (of course) as microphones, you can go almost a clean starting to drool a quite big overdrive. It is always typed enough vintage, so it will fit perfectly for blues, garage, classic rock. For the metal, go your way! -)
Other well known as the Junior Blues: it works very well with tubescreamers, OD and various distos. Besides my old TS-09, I tested it a few OD and distos at all from the high-end, and all went well, we feel the respective characters of the guitar, the pedal and the amp.
The fact that it is single channel can be disadvantageous if one wishes to switch its clear and crunch, but it also has a nice clean sound at lower volume (I mean, low volume on a 15w lamp is still quite box), this amp is primarily made to be pushed (hard to maintain its _really_ clear to the volume of repeats). At least there is no making head is opened and we send
Major weakness, for against, the bowl a bit noisy (seems that the latest version is a bit better) and, especially, the cab pretty cheap and in any case too small. I first changed the bowl for Eminence Legend GB 12 / 8 (greenback-like an excellent price / quality ratio), and was already a marked improvement - better defined bass, midrange singing even more, acute and less screaming. Subsequently I put the bowl in my Hotrod (cab bigger and stronger), I took the test and connect the HP port of the cab of the BJR HRDx, and this is seen limits: as amply, the BJR is really good, but the cab is not up to par. I then could test (briefly) the BJR on a marshall 4x12, and all of a sudden this little thing even prove useful for the large hard-rock riff (well, with the shovel is going well and a hand tube screamer).
OVERALL OPINION
Well, after that is a 15W combo nine to 500 € (you can find opportunities for € 350 or less), so should not be too demanding, and being able to carry with one hand even when you are a shrimp like me is pretty nice. Since nothing prevents plug it into a cabinet when needed, it is an acceptable compromise.
In summary: if you want a little amp easily transportable, used at home (well, in a house in any case - in an apartment, I guarantee nothing), powerful enough to play in groups and tailored to the blues and rock, try this one, on occasion it is an excellent quality / price ratio in its class. on the other hand, if you want crystal clear sound at high volume, distortion or a nag like metal, or if you have a taste for gas plants, go your way ....
I ended up selling this amp after going on HRDx (more suited to my needs at the time, but not fundamentally "better"), but I miss a few times, the drive was more singing.
Note 1: For robustness, I have not had the amp long enough to speak. That said, the Bjr is a small tube amps in the world's best-selling, and it seems that he shows in general rather reliable. In any case I had no problem with the few months of use (home & repeat).
In terms of settings, there is the necessary but no more: gain (called "volume "...), three band EQ, reverb and master, plus a small switch" fat "is essentially a mid-boost.
In my case, in this price range and amps, I see nothing to add (I'm not very customer loop effects) and nothing to remove.
UTILIZATION
I have not read the manual, whose main interest is - for DIYers - include a diagram of the amplifier. Anyway, no need manual for an amp of this type (unless you have never used a guitar amp), it's very plug and play.
SOUNDS
The eq is decent but not stunning enough effective provided (there are those who are not afraid to get out the soldering iron a few very simple changes which, it seems, make the tone stack much more efficient). The reverb, argued that without an old Twin is quite musical and not the next "pool" from that of the Vox AC15.
The remains fairly clean typed Fender, both friendly and well crystalline, while having a specific color EL84 - less excavated and less deep bass with the 6V6 / 6L6 usual brand, but in against a small side " chemistry "that made the reputation of Vox (even if it is not at all in the same area, the circuits are very different). That said, do not expect to keep a clean really clean volume to repeat, it is a 15W so it twists quite quickly even with low gain (it's a little fact for that matter).
In crunch, we feel a very bright amp, and this time quite different from the signature Fender. It's very medium of travel (EL84 + small open cab, do not expect to have the Oumph a Marshall or Mesa 4x12 closed on either), but very song (thank you EL84) and warm. I'm talking about the crunch of the power stage - that obtained at low volume amount of the gain is usable race (and quite nice) but rather all-purpose (of course since this is the distortion of the 12AX7, which equips 99 preamps% of the market). A volume of repeat always, playing between the gain and master, and (of course) as microphones, you can go almost a clean starting to drool a quite big overdrive. It is always typed enough vintage, so it will fit perfectly for blues, garage, classic rock. For the metal, go your way! -)
Other well known as the Junior Blues: it works very well with tubescreamers, OD and various distos. Besides my old TS-09, I tested it a few OD and distos at all from the high-end, and all went well, we feel the respective characters of the guitar, the pedal and the amp.
The fact that it is single channel can be disadvantageous if one wishes to switch its clear and crunch, but it also has a nice clean sound at lower volume (I mean, low volume on a 15w lamp is still quite box), this amp is primarily made to be pushed (hard to maintain its _really_ clear to the volume of repeats). At least there is no making head is opened and we send
Major weakness, for against, the bowl a bit noisy (seems that the latest version is a bit better) and, especially, the cab pretty cheap and in any case too small. I first changed the bowl for Eminence Legend GB 12 / 8 (greenback-like an excellent price / quality ratio), and was already a marked improvement - better defined bass, midrange singing even more, acute and less screaming. Subsequently I put the bowl in my Hotrod (cab bigger and stronger), I took the test and connect the HP port of the cab of the BJR HRDx, and this is seen limits: as amply, the BJR is really good, but the cab is not up to par. I then could test (briefly) the BJR on a marshall 4x12, and all of a sudden this little thing even prove useful for the large hard-rock riff (well, with the shovel is going well and a hand tube screamer).
OVERALL OPINION
Well, after that is a 15W combo nine to 500 € (you can find opportunities for € 350 or less), so should not be too demanding, and being able to carry with one hand even when you are a shrimp like me is pretty nice. Since nothing prevents plug it into a cabinet when needed, it is an acceptable compromise.
In summary: if you want a little amp easily transportable, used at home (well, in a house in any case - in an apartment, I guarantee nothing), powerful enough to play in groups and tailored to the blues and rock, try this one, on occasion it is an excellent quality / price ratio in its class. on the other hand, if you want crystal clear sound at high volume, distortion or a nag like metal, or if you have a taste for gas plants, go your way ....
I ended up selling this amp after going on HRDx (more suited to my needs at the time, but not fundamentally "better"), but I miss a few times, the drive was more singing.
Note 1: For robustness, I have not had the amp long enough to speak. That said, the Bjr is a small tube amps in the world's best-selling, and it seems that he shows in general rather reliable. In any case I had no problem with the few months of use (home & repeat).