Valve Jr head+cabinet arrived! now some pedals...

[Steben]

Apart from the mods, this is certainly not the version I have (comes with original schematic).
Mine has
- DC filaments
- 68k input resistor.
- 220 ohm resistor from Vs to transformer tap point (as in sag circuits)

Here is the correct scheme:
http://www.muzique.com/news/images/Epi1.gif  Thanks to Jack Orman!

Hint: lugs 1 and 2 of the master volume pot shouldn't be linked. Just use a normal volume wiring.

yeah i think its for the combo
and the master vol seemed to work for him, so i dont see why it matters

oh well, it works. But with the normal pot there is a constant impedance as load for the second triode.

[Hanglow]

The output transformer in the V1 and V2 seems much more suited to 6v6 builds. I resused mine from the Harley Benton in one. Works fine, much better than it was with the EL84


They are great modding platforms.


Incidentally, the cheapest I have seen them in the UK is from Andertons, both head and cab are £60 which is even cheaper than thomann and the HB GA5 now.

http://www.andertons.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fEPAIEMJRH%2ehtml
http://www.andertons.co.uk/acatalog/info%5fEPAIEMJREC%2ehtml

[liddokun]

Anyone try getting 2 epi valve junior cabinets and making a full stack? I want to try this, and put them in parallel. The cabinets are 16 ohm, so I guess I'll have an 8 ohm load in the end.

[Steben]

Anyone try getting 2 epi valve junior cabinets and making a full stack? I want to try this, and put them in parallel. The cabinets are 16 ohm, so I guess I'll have an 8 ohm load in the end.

It will work, but you'll end up with a slight "louder" set. Not the quality one should look for when using low-watters.

[remmelt]

Steben, could you share with us where you got the amp? Did you have it sent over from the USA? If so, what where shipping cost and taxes? Importing stuff into the Netherlands is not very cheap at all.

[Steben]

Steben, could you share with us where you got the amp? Did you have it sent over from the USA? If so, what where shipping cost and taxes? Importing stuff into the Netherlands is not very cheap at all.

I ordered it at "Piens" in Deinze, Belgium.
I planned to buy it, walked in, they didn't have, I let them place an order, one week later they had it!
So, concerning the taxes and import: I don't have a clue! I just payed 198€ for the head + cabinet at the store.

[Hanglow]

remmelt, you could also look at the Harley Benton GA5, it's exactly the same as the version 2 of the Valve junior, just with a different covering and an eq tacked on. I think it's thomann's own name brand. Anyway, the circuit board has "Epiphone Valve Junior" scratched out on mine. The main difference is that the newer epiphones have a better output transformer. But it is cheaper

http://www.thomann.de/gb/search_dir.html?xsid=777e387b2e9e0721252b41e9ec84565e&sw=ga5&x=0&y=0

[Steben]

yeah, but the OT is an important feature if you just have to pay a couple of $ more.
The newest version (3) has 5.2k primary (ideal for EL84 = 5k). I think the second version has 7k?

[Steben]

BTW, there is no standby switch.
How tough is this in practice for the tubes?
It takes about 15 - 20 sec(?) before the sound gets through.

[remmelt]

Thanks for the replies!

About the standby, lots of smaller amps don't have one. My Champ 5F1 replica doesn't, but it's tube rectified so that might make a difference. Fender's Blues Jr doesn't have one either. As far as I know, the standby protects the tubes from having to work hard/being hit with the B+ voltage before they're properly warmed up. With a rectifier tube, it takes a while anyway before the rectifier itself is warm and will spit out the full B+ so it's a matter of who gets warm first.

I think there are two different standby switching options. The simple one is an SPST between the rectified and filtered B+ and the first tube, the other cuts off the center tap (if you have one) to ground.

Anyway, this is how I understand it.

[Hanglow]

yeah, but the OT is an important feature if you just have to pay a couple of $ more.
The newest version (3) has 5.2k primary (ideal for EL84 = 5k). I think the second version has 7k?

yeah that is true. I think the genral consensus on sewatt was that the v3 ot was similar in performance to the Hammond 125CSE . So if you are going to keep the  amp as an el84 then that was the one to go for, but if you were wanting to go with a bigger output tube, then you would probably have to upgrade the output transformer again.

[petemoore]

  You probly said what pickups...
  Treble bleed on volume knob ?
  Boosting.
  Fuzzing with FF, go for the guitar volume cleanup on this build.
  Then boost FF input for ~Tonebender sound.
  Wide range of dirt consistancies.

[WGTP]

It appears to me that a pedal like the MXR Double Shot would work well with the Jr.  It has 2 distortion channels and 3 band EQ on each.  This would make it much more versitile in a live situation.

Seymour Duncan also has a new distortion pedal, the Power Grid, that has 3 band EQ.   

[mac]

BTW, there is no standby switch.
How tough is this in practice for the tubes?
It takes about 15 - 20 sec(?) before the sound gets through.

I read somewhere about the same problem with Laney LC15. It was suggested to set volume at min when turning it on and wait 3min until tunrnig volume up and begin playing.
Tearing electrons off a cold metal surface is not good. It will surely degrade the surface properties.

mac

[liddokun]

Are standby switches easy to add? Should I add one to mines?

[ACS]

Just picked up my VJr cab and head last week - my wonderful wife bought it for me for my birthday   Is second hand off Ebay - $300 Australian for the lot, and it's only 2 1/2 months old!  Pretty pleased with that, as list is about $450 here (that in itself is annoying, as our dollar is damn near the same as the US at the moment, but imports are yet to catch up with this  )

Really please with the sound AND look Even the wife says it look cool.  Seriously loud little sucker, and great tone.  Love it with my Rangemaster for a lead tone, and with my Valvecaster for a great overdrive even at lower volumes.  For anyone that's interested, the following link is to about the most definitive and informative mod instructions that I've found.  http://www.s2amps.com/docs/vj_kit_inst.pdf

I'm going to do the 1M input resistor mod first, as it sounds like a 'must-do' and also sounds pretty effective.

What a great little amp

[Steben]

Just picked up my VJr cab and head last week - my wonderful wife bought it for me for my birthday   Is second hand off Ebay - $300 Australian for the lot, and it's only 2 1/2 months old!  Pretty pleased with that, as list is about $450 here (that in itself is annoying, as our dollar is damn near the same as the US at the moment, but imports are yet to catch up with this  )

Really please with the sound AND look Even the wife says it look cool.  Seriously loud little sucker, and great tone.  Love it with my Rangemaster for a lead tone, and with my Valvecaster for a great overdrive even at lower volumes.  For anyone that's interested, the following link is to about the most definitive and informative mod instructions that I've found.  http://www.s2amps.com/docs/vj_kit_inst.pdf

I'm going to do the 1M input resistor mod first, as it sounds like a 'must-do' and also sounds pretty effective.

What a great little amp

If it's really so young, the 1M is probably already there.
In my owner's manual there is an official schematic of version 3, showing the 1M resistor.

Looking at all the mods on the net, I found out there is nothing crucial to mod in the 3rd version. Resistors are ok, Transformer is ok, DC filament heating...
All the tone shaper mods ( trio, bitmo, ...) are actually easy to achieve with pedals.
Standby is a question though.

[remmelt]

Are standby switches easy to add? Should I add one to mines?

I don't want to sound like an ass, but if you have to ask, you'd probably be better off taking it to a tech. Dangerous voltages, you know the drill.

That said, yes, it's pretty easy. A decent SPST switch that can take the B+ voltage and ampere that breaks the line that goes from the rectifier to the first tube. Presto: standby.

You can also get an ON-OFF-ON switch (DPDT) if you don't want to mess with the looks of your amp. One side is standby, the other is play. Center is off. See: http://www.rru.com/~meo/Guitar/Amps/Kalamazoo/Mods/standby.html

I bought a 5F1 Champ kit at tubeampdoctor, and Andreas (the Doctor, I suppose) was kind enough to supply me with the following information:

the 5F1 has no standby switch.
We supply the kit only as they are I regret.
BTW, I would not install a stand-by with 6V6 or EL84 amps in SE.

not needed on the quick-warm-up tubes like EL84 or 6V6.
If too long run in stand-By it rather destroys the cathode then it
helps.

So IMO it is not needed with this amp.

He seems like a knowledgeable guy so I took his advice and left off the standby.

[ACS]

Just picked up my VJr cab and head last week - my wonderful wife bought it for me for my birthday   Is second hand off Ebay - $300 Australian for the lot, and it's only 2 1/2 months old!  Pretty pleased with that, as list is about $450 here (that in itself is annoying, as our dollar is damn near the same as the US at the moment, but imports are yet to catch up with this  )

Really please with the sound AND look Even the wife says it look cool.  Seriously loud little sucker, and great tone.  Love it with my Rangemaster for a lead tone, and with my Valvecaster for a great overdrive even at lower volumes.  For anyone that's interested, the following link is to about the most definitive and informative mod instructions that I've found.  http://www.s2amps.com/docs/vj_kit_inst.pdf

I'm going to do the 1M input resistor mod first, as it sounds like a 'must-do' and also sounds pretty effective.

What a great little amp

If it's really so young, the 1M is probably already there.
In my owner's manual there is an official schematic of version 3, showing the 1M resistor.

Looking at all the mods on the net, I found out there is nothing crucial to mod in the 3rd version. Resistors are ok, Transformer is ok, DC filament heating...
All the tone shaper mods ( trio, bitmo, ...) are actually easy to achieve with pedals.
Standby is a question though.

Ah, interesting - I was under the impression that even the v3's still had a 68K input resistor there - will just have to open it up to check it out

[Steben]

If it's really so young, the 1M is probably already there.

Ah, interesting - I was under the impression that even the v3's still had a 68K input resistor there - will just have to open it up to check it out

Of course I only mean the 1M to ground, otherwise it would be gainkilling again.

If you play a HB guitar and would have 68k to ground, you would have a very dark sounding amp (somewhat buzzy at drive).

I play fender's noiseless PU's. they are not as trebly as SC, but neither they are P90's. Very "warm glassy", likes bluesrock.
I really like the combination with the (latest) Valve Jr, which is in fact a very neutral amp (as you also notice with pedals).

Never liked AC30 for example, since they - as superb as they are however - can sound only British. With the Vlave Jr. you can easily emulate British or American or Jazzu...stick in a pedal!

blabla I'm getting dull I guess...