Hi everyone,
I'm mostly a keyboard player and would use this amp for a Rhodes, for jazz/funky stuff. I also play guitar on occasion. I use a Roland jazz chorus 77 with a tube preamp but I now want to switch to an all-tube amp. What I'm wondering is, would the Blues jr. be loud enough for small gigs (without micing)? I see this one and the classic 30 listed in the local ads for the same price. I believe the ideal would be the Fender Deluxe reverb but it's $500 more.
thanks for any input
Martin

Depends on how tight and clean you want it, how much clean overhead on-tap. Not to mention your definition of a small gig and its volume requirements.

Definitely maybe!

You can get a wider range of output volume and overdrive simply by hitting the input of any of these amps with a louder signal. Headroom and cleaner definition may be another matter, however.

I'm thinkin', between the Fender Blues Jr. and the Peavey Classic 30, that the Peavey Classic 30 is going to suit you better.

You may want to experiment with that same tube preamp that you've been using, in front of a Blues Jr or Classic 30 or Deluxe Reverb, too. That way, if a given amp doesn't give you quite enough of the overdrive character that you want within a given volume range, you can get more of it from a combination of the outboard-preamp and the tube-amp both being a little overdriven, and/or boosting the signal hitting the input of the tube-amp.

+1

I want a Blues Jr myself, I would also like the Classic 30 as an alternative I would think the Classic 30 would give you more clean headroom, although the Stock Blues Jr is sparkling clean at lower volumes. I don't think the Peavey is as sparkling clean but it is sure a good amp for the money. If I was buying one or the other, I would probably go for the Blues Jr since I already have a Hot Rod Deluxe which out powers the Classic 30, and I only play guitar.

They're all three good amps. Any chance you could borrow or rent one of each for a gig to try them out? That's probably the only way to really tell which would work best for your needs.

Now, a pair of Blues Jr's- or, for this app with a keyboard, Classic 30s- running Left and Right stereo would be sweet for your Leslie/rotary sims and other stereo modulation effects...

I LOVE running my guitar through a Boss RT-20 "Rotary Ensemble" and into a pair of amps or a stereo amp or PA for Leslie 145, Fender Vibratone, Univibe sounds, etc...

While we've got you here, bourniplus, what would you recommend for trying to cop a sort of a quasi Rhodes Piano sound on an electric guitar? (Not a "guitar synth" or digital-sampler/modeler, either.) What sort of modulation, and anything and everything else you might think of?

Hi there...Rhodes through a guitar amp RULES! As a guitar player it's hard to guess how your keys will respond through an amp but guitar-wise (and only IMO) the Fender is a bit punchier sounding than the Peavey. For that reason, I'd probably prefer the Peavey for guitar as it's a bit more forgiving. It's likely to have more clean headroom than the Fender too, although the juniors I have played in small gigs were loud!

Did a session a while back through a deluxe reverb on 12 (yes the numbers go that high, from memory!). That amp cranked + tele = wow!

good luck!

Was that a Hot Rod Deluxe, by any chance, or a "tweed" style Deluxe?

I'd have a small PA for your keyboard (with horns & tweeter)like the Fishman Solo or a Bose...then get the Fender Hot Rod Delux for your guitar...you will be totally set up for any solo gig...you should try to run your keyboard as well as your vocals direct to the house PA (you can mic the guitar amp too if you want to). You'll get tons more out of your keyboard using a PA especially using the stereo outs to two different channels, most keyboards have a power selector switch and are made to go direct to the PA..one of the stero outs will also be marked for mono...either way a PA is the way to go...another way to go (if you don't sing) is a small Roland Keyboard amp and the Blues Jr for your guitar...you'll be set up for your bedroom size practice room, have some nice stage monitors, and mike one or both to the House PA....for me the Blues Jr is a little light on volume for gigs unless you crank it, for clean playing with plenty of volume I like the Delux...not a big fan of Peavy but have heard some good reports on their newer stuff...the reverb on the Fenders spoil me and Peavy's older amps just didn't have the right reverb sound for me...IMHO...this is all coming from my old keyboard days....I'm sure the Keyboard forum would also get you some updated input...

Ok, I meant the old 22 watt Fender Deluxe Reverb (if I have the name correct). It was a black tolex silver face...i think! (This was back around '98 or something).

You did jog my memory, however. I owned a tweed blues deluxe (the 40 watt tweed one, pre the "hot rod deluxe" model in black tolex). I also tracked some stuff on it (turned up to 12 also!) with another borrowed tele...also wow!

Thanks for all the replies!
this kind of confirms what I was thinking: Classic 30 better for gigs, Blues Jr. better for bedroom volume practice. I had the opportunity to try a Classic 30 the other day for a rehearsal and liked it, I think I'm leaning towards it. It's frustrating when you don't have enough volume on a gig so it will probably be a safer bet.
(quote)
While we've got you here, bourniplus, what would you recommend for trying to cop a sort of a quasi Rhodes Piano sound on an electric guitar? (Not a "guitar synth" or digital-sampler/modeler, either.) What sort of modulation, and anything and everything else you might think of? (end of quote)
I'm not sure I fully understand, but I have no idea how you could make a guitar sound more Rhodes-like...