simpleman3441 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 So I've just dealt with a series of frustrations stemming from finding an amp that sounded the way I've dreamt an amp would sound. The Fender Blues Jr. Emerald limited edition. As most of you know, I went through two different amps in this model and both were faulty. I may have completely lost faith in Fender's quality, unless someone can convince me otherwise. So anyhow, I'm starting this new topic to see what other amps I should try. I really liked the difference between the Emerald edition and the other Blues Jr. they had in the shop. I know one difference is that the Emerald has a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker in it. Is that what made the difference? Should I now be looking for an amp with that speaker? I know I want a low watt 112 if anyone has any other suggestions that I might be able to find for under a grand. Thanks guys, for bein there through these difficult times... We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesape Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Tungsten is in that ballpark - handmade in the US. Stratagery has one, and loves it. Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 They look slick. I'll have to call em' tomorrow to see if they have a dealer in Ohio. Don't think I'll ever buy an amp I haven't played... We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluzkat Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 simpleman3441, Don't let a couple of 'bad apples' spoil it for you! I've been using Fender amps for well over 40 years. I purchased a HR Deluxe limited edition (laquered tweed) last summer and it is absolutely killer! I looked at about every "boo-teek" amp available and still went with the Fender. This thing flat out screams with my Les Paul Jr. Depends on what you need... I guess. Peace. bluzkat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super combinator Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I can second the Tungsten amps, I have been holding out on the forum I actually had Tungsten make me a Princeton clone in a large cab with with a 10" speaker about a year ago, just volume & tone, 5watts, very nice & pretty damned loud. Look where I live, it was easy & enjoyable dealing with Adam, he will do you right! http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/dimitator/100_2444.jpg http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/dimitator/100_2435.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 If you're considering a Tungsten, I can say that Adam is a stand-up guy, knows what he's doing, has extensive related experience prior to starting his own line of amps, and LOVES vintage Fender style amp tones. He understands how to achieve various given flavors of "tweed" type amps. Describe to him what you liked about the Fender Blues Jr. Emerald as opposed to other amps, and what guitar and pickups and any pedals you're using, and he'll steer you right, the first time. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Those are some really great sounding amps and I called and talked to Adam. Sounds like a cool guy and he was pretty helpful. Then I looked at the price. A bit high for me in my current situation. I was hopin for something under 800, but if its exactly what I want and under a G then I might be able to swing that... Myles says its all operator errors with the Emerald. Wish I could show you all what's goin on with them. This isn't my first experience with an amp. I know how to operate them just not how to troubleshoot issues. I was hoping to learn a bit more from the forum rather than just return it and wash my hands. Guess it's one of those "you had to be there" things. We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Anyhow, I'd like a few more suggestions if you have em. We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Myles says its all operator errors with the Emerald. Wish I could show you all what's goin on with them. This isn't my first experience with an amp. I know how to operate them just not how to troubleshoot issues. I was hoping to learn a bit more from the forum rather than just return it and wash my hands. Guess it's one of those "you had to be there" things. Well, if it's a new amp, or even a newly purchased used amp, and it doesn't work- you don't want to try to fix it, you want to return or exchange it, for sure! Otherwise, if you mess with the amp, you're just gonna hafta eat the loss yourself. If it was some older amp that you'd had for a few years and there was no valid warranty or reasonable new-purchase trial period, yeah, we could talk a walk through a few diagnostic/trouble-shooting steps; and Myles- if asked in brief- can tell you anything that you'd need to know there, limited only by your capability and test-equipment. MAYBE there's just a bad tube in that second Emerald, maybe even just loose. But a bad tube (or even a loose one) can cause damage to the rest of the amp, or could have been caused by something else that's wrong but less obvious up front; so, in your case, a return/exchange is still your best bet. I know you're frustrated, but maybe the third time'll be a charm- maybe if you try one more Emerald, and try it out in the store, fresh out of the box, with your own guitar, before you leave with it- maybe, hopefully, you'll wind up with the amp you want, at the price you want. I know I've bought new gear and rushed home before trying it at the shop, only to be disappointed; the owner of one of my favorite local guitar and amp shops tends to insist on customers trying anything and everything out in the store before leaving with it, for just that reason. A lot of current music gear is manufactured and built to a lesser standard than in the old days (PCBs and consumer-grade vs PTP and mil-spec, etc.), and doesn't take punishment from shipping or touring-gigging like the old stuff. And, honestly, a LOT of music-store employees are CLUELESS. New amps that are made more like the old ones will be more expensive; they're made to a standard, instead of made to a price-point. They cost more, but one of their benefits is much, much tougher durability and reliability. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 So I've got good news. There doesn't seem to be an issue with the replacement amp. I had this funny feeling and rechecked the speaker connection. It was plugged in when I checked the first time. It's just that someone had plugged it in the footswitch jack. Before that I had noticed a few tubes were loose and, using a cloth, pushed em up in better. Should I be worried about those two issues causing damage or should I just trust my ear and be ok with it if it sounds fine? We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 "...rechecked the speaker connection. It was plugged in when I checked the first time. It's just that someone had plugged it in the footswitch jack. Before that I had noticed a few tubes were loose and, using a cloth, pushed em up in better. Should I be worried about those two issues causing damage or should I just trust my ear and be ok with it if it sounds fine? Hmmn; hopefully, when you ran it with all controls full-up and no speaker connected at the output, it didn't hurt anything. If the amp seems alright, then maybe you lucked out. Give it a good thorough listening to at a variety of volume levels. Hopefully that "smell of hot tubes" was only that... If the fuse didn't blow and there wasn't any unusual or horrendous burning smell or smoke or noises either when you first tried it with the speaker mis-connected, or since with the speaker properly connected, you're probably fine. Seems strange that the speaker was incorrectly connected like that, though; how the heck did that happen? Weird... _________________________________________________________________ Now, I have a vague recollection of some relatively newer amps being designed with a safety-circuit of some sort designed in to protect the amp if no speaker is connected... anybody else remember anything along those lines? Can't remember if that was Fender, Mesa/Boogie, or who, what or when... ?? _________________________________________________________________ But in general, you don't want to run a tube-amp without a suitable load connected to the output. As for the loose tubes, if they were only slightly loose, just loose enough to push in but not coming out of the contacts in the sockets, probably no harm done; it's when they're loose enough to cause arcing around the pins and socket-contacts that bad stuff can happen. ("Bad stuff", that's a technical term, yeah. ) Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 K well I've got 27 days or so to return. I'm gonna try to play it everyday till then and we'll see if there's any issues. For now though, I'll sleep well knowing I've got an amp to play in the morning! We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Remember suggesting you check the speaker and footswitch connections...glad you found the problem and hope it works out for you...may save you a grand... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman3441 Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 Yeah thanks again, man. This is why we're here! I'm trying to get GC to find me one in a box now since they botched my first two efforts. First thing I'll look at when I get it is the speaker connections. This time I'll know to look closer than what I did first. We cannot accelerate the growth of a tree by pulling on its branches. - Ricardo Iznaola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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