• From: Mt Clemens Michigan
  • Registered: 2006-09-12
  • Posts: 572

Topic: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

I just picked up over the weekend a Fender Blues jr and a Superchap XD. These are two rocking little 15 watt amps I tell ya! Especially the jr.! The Super Champ has some cool effects. There is the classic channel all tube and there is the voice dial that gives you 16 different tones. Guitar Center has these Super Champs on sale right now for $279.99 and if you use their 10% off coupon, its like $250.00. I dont think you could buy a better tube amp for this price IMHO.

The Blues jr you can do mods to. Mine was used and is the Blonde Tolex version. There is a site called BillM that does all kinds of upgrades with this amp or you can do it yourself. I want to look into this as I guess it really makes a world of difference. I cant imagine making this amp sound any better then it already is!

These amps are good for gigs I guess if you mic them. I wanted them for easy transportation.

Anybody have one of these amps? If so, how do you like them?

All my tears they fell like rain, cant you hear them falling?
Led Zeppelin: Since I been Loving You
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

Cool man!  I really regret trading my Blues Jr. in as it was one of the earliest ones made and sounded great.  I've never tried the Super Champ but I've heard they are pretty cool too.  With the effects from the Champ and the Blues Jr. running pretty much dry (maybe a little reverb) you would have a very cool little amp rig there!  Add a LP and tubescreamer and you're in business!  How does the Champ compare to the Junior?

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Mt Clemens Michigan
  • Registered: 2006-09-12
  • Posts: 572

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

The Champ seems to be a little brighter. Keep in mind this amp has alot of modes. It has 16 channels for all kinds of cool sounds. It also has a FX knob to dial in reverb, delay, chorus, vibratone and tremolo. In that knob selection there is even more variations like Chorus + delay, chorus + reverb.  The voicing channel has 16 differt sounds as I just mentioned. There is Tweed, blackface, british, hot rod, metal jazz and accoustic. Each one of these catergories has 3 to 4 differences for a total of 16 sounds. Also has a gain knob. I believe the voicing circuit is solid state though. The regular amp is tube. Tubes are: one 12ax7 and two 6v6.
Like I mentioned in my first post, Guitar Center has them on sale for $279.99

The Blues jr is a little more boomier! That really is a loud amp! There both loud but the jr is louder.

All my tears they fell like rain, cant you hear them falling?
Led Zeppelin: Since I been Loving You
  • eva
  • eva
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  • From: germany
  • Registered: 2007-03-15
  • Posts: 1,885

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

I wanted to get a Superchamp originally, because I read a lot of good stuff about it in the magazines - but I think I´m going to get the Orange Tiny Terror combo now (which is what Joe recommended), this one really rocks. I tried it just a couple of days ago and I think it´s really worth the extra Euros in this case. Will have to spend some more days working for that one though. wink

But I´d be interested in what you have to say about the voice dial of the Superchamp - because I´ve made the experience that the more "tones"/possibilities one amp has to offer the less "original" they sound ... don´t know if that makes sense. wink

Eva

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

That's cool Eva, if Joe says it's good more often than not it's good!  I heard the Tiny Terrors are pretty tough also.  Before you jump the gun I would check some other amps out too that are in a similar price range (shopping is 90% of the thrill).  Check these out if you haven't heard of them before:
http://www.valvetrainamps.com/
Most of their offerings are lower wattage so you can crank them up to get that very harmonically complex and sustaining overdrive, much like an old tweed or vox combo.  Also, a cabinet will be an additional cost with the TT unless of course you already have one.  The Valvetrain amps are very tweedy, point to point, and sound incredible.  Good luck on your new amp search and keep us posted!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

6 Reply by eva (edited by eva 2009-02-09 07:55:51)

  • eva
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  • From: germany
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Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

Thanks for the link ... I hadn´t heard of those before. Are they US only? They don´t have them listed at my local store (which is the biggest music store in Europe btw wink) ... but what you say about them sounds good for my purposes..

I have tried the Blues Jr, a Vox AC15 model and the TT combo (which is what I´d buy rather than head+cabinet). The TT is the favourite right now, but I´ll keep looking, because - as you say - shopping is half of the fun. big_smile

Eva

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

eva wrote:

Thanks for the link ... I hadn´t heard of those before. Are they US only? They don´t have them listed at my local store (which is the biggest music store in Europe btw wink) ... but what you say about them sounds good for my purposes..

I have tried the Blues Jr, a Vox AC15 model and the TT combo (which is what I´d buy rather than head+cabinet). The TT is the favourite right now, but I´ll keep looking, because - as you say - shopping is half of the fun. big_smile

Eva

I've been on a little combo kick lately because they are just so much fun to turn up and wail without killing yourself in the process!  Some of my favorite lil' guys are the Fender Blues Jr,  '65 Princeton RI, '65 Deluxe Reverb RI, anything Valvetrain, Hiwatt Bulldog 40 (half switch to 20watts), Egnator Rebel (VERY cool amps), Boogie Lonestar special, and my baby...DR Z Maz 18JR with Reverb!  I could talk amps all day, it all depends on what you want and how much you have to spend.  I don't have a lot of experience with anything britsh besides Marshall/Hiwatt.  What does the Orange sound like compared to the others?

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

8 Reply by JohnTB (edited by JohnTB 2009-02-09 10:04:27)

  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

I bought a fender champ xd back in july 08 because lumping a fender deluxe around started to annoy me, Ive gigged with it alot and it holds its own with numerous drummers ive played with...

Eva I have a few recordings of it somewhere from my last recording sesh which was a bit rushed but the amp sounds ok I'll email them over to you if you want? tbh its a great little amp for both practise and smaller gigs and the tweed setting on it (particularly voice 2) is especially lush with a strat, the blackface being nicer with a les paul imo.

It isnt as good as my deluxe and I doubt it ever will be but for £200 or however much I paid I didnt expect it to be. It hits that affordability, weight, tone quite well and I'd def buy another one, for guy esque sounds though I think its in a different ball park the marshall voices are good but atleast for me I just cant seem to get anything near a Joe sound I did get some nice sounds just messing with it though.

  • From: East Tennessee
  • Registered: 2006-04-25
  • Posts: 240

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

eva wrote:

Thanks for the link ... I hadn´t heard of those before. Are they US only? They don´t have them listed at my local store (which is the biggest music store in Europe btw wink) ... but what you say about them sounds good for my purposes..

I have tried the Blues Jr, a Vox AC15 model and the TT combo (which is what I´d buy rather than head+cabinet). The TT is the favourite right now, but I´ll keep looking, because - as you say - shopping is half of the fun. big_smile

Eva

I have a TT with a 1x12. AB a combo vs head and cab before you buy. I love the head/cab because you get a tighter low end with the "closed back" cab, a little more "marhsally" (excuse me making up a word). I run mine with a 4x10 DeVille and I hear the difference between the open back combo and the closed back TT everytime I play.

Just a thought--enjoy the search!

Larry

"...play skillfully and shout for joy." Psalm 33:3b (honest, it really says that)

10 Reply by eva

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Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

JohnTB wrote:

Eva I have a few recordings of it somewhere from my last recording sesh which was a bit rushed but the amp sounds ok I'll email them over to you if you want?

Yes that would be cool, thank you! smile

Larry, if head+cab sounds more "marshally", I´ll have to think that over again ... I only had the chance to check out the combo up to now (because head+cab is ACTUALLY over my budget wink).

Eva

11 Reply by stratpaulguy86 (edited by stratpaulguy86 2009-02-09 19:45:20)

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

eva wrote:
JohnTB wrote:

Eva I have a few recordings of it somewhere from my last recording sesh which was a bit rushed but the amp sounds ok I'll email them over to you if you want?

Yes that would be cool, thank you! smile

Larry, if head+cab sounds more "marshally", I´ll have to think that over again ... I only had the chance to check out the combo up to now (because head+cab is ACTUALLY over my budget wink).

Eva

Don't forget the Pro Jr...these are cheap and sound pretty badass!   Here's some proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPChfSClslQ
This guy gets some amazing sounds out of his.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,855

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

eva wrote:

I wanted to get a Superchamp originally, because I read a lot of good stuff about it in the magazines - but I think I´m going to get the Orange Tiny Terror combo now (which is what Joe recommended), this one really rocks. I tried it just a couple of days ago and I think it´s really worth the extra Euros in this case. Will have to spend some more days working for that one though. wink

But I´d be interested in what you have to say about the voice dial of the Superchamp - because I´ve made the experience that the more "tones"/possibilities one amp has to offer the less "original" they sound ... don´t know if that makes sense. wink

Eva

The Orange TT will last you forever and if you decide to sell it it will hold it's value. Best of all it's gonna rock yer socks off!!! You can coax more tone out of that lil box then any other combo of the same wattage!! Yes it's worth the extra euros. They're built to last.

Best of luck.
me

  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-02-11
  • Posts: 453

Re: My New Fender Blues Jr and Super Champ XD Amps!

Hey guys this is my first post here hope its useful. I have a super champ XD/orange setup. I'm using the orange 1x12 with 16ohm V30 as an extension cab and it sounds really good. Most of the time I have the super champ set for voice 6, (driven blackface) and use a blackstar HT-dual for my overdrive sounds. Check out the blackstar pedals they are def worth a look.  I have the ISF on the dual set at 2-3 for marshall type over drive. I run the channel 1 of the dual on overdrive mode for a nice vintage overdrive, great for The who, pearl jam, zep. The second channel I have set for big smooth lead tone (attempting to sound like Joe) with a tube sreamer for extra sustain.

THis is a very versatile setup with the fender's voice selection but like I said I have it mostly on driven blackface. I essentially have four sounds. Just gotta get my hands on a Les Paul and I think I could get close to the bonamassa tone with this setup.