Fender Blues Junior IV vs Blues Junior III & Blues Junior SE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2018
- Fender Blues Junior IV vs Blues Junior III & Blues Junior SE
In this video I compare the brand new Blues Junior IV against the previous generation of amplifiers. Can you even hear a difference in the mix at the start of the video? I hope this video is helpful if you're looking to buy a new blues junior guitar amplifier.
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Thanks Shane that really helped. Bought my 4 yesterday it is maybe less organic than the 3. But the 4 is smoother (tamer maybe) fuller sounding and ticks most of my boxes. A good Overdrive and you have the best of most worlds. Plug in and play.
Thumbs up for this comparison! Great job as always Shane!
Your new videos are great! Very classy and great editing!
Thanks so much man! :-)
My blues junior three sounds great to me then again I never have the verb more than a third of the way up love your demos man greetings from Bonnie Scotland
Anyone thinking of buying another guitar who doesn't have as nice amp...skip the new guitar and buy a nice amp. I should've gone for the amp a long time ago! Having a Fender Blues Junior whether it's a tweed III or a black IV it doesn't matter, they're so loud and sound so good. Buy an amp and not another guitar, you'll be very happy you did!
I just bought a 3 yesterday for $539. I'm a hobbyist guitar player and it's already so much louder than I'll ever need! I brought it home and playing my guitars on it art my house was way more impressive than playing at the store. It's so loud I can't even believe it! I stayed up all night playing and my ears are ringing! The sheer joy of loud guitar has lifted my spirits, I absolutely love the tweed blues junior ltd! It's funny, there's nothing on the amp or the manual that says anything about III in either Roman numerals or written out..so I'm confused about that, but it's okay!
I am thinking of buying a tweed blues jr where did you buy it ? 🙂
I like the III. More open sound.
Excellent demo. I wish all demos were this way.
I'm looking into buying a blues junior and this video was very helpful. Thanks for making it (:
Hello Jack, there is a chance Fender will make Special Edition of the Blues Junior IV if you want to wait :p
I can’t help but notice the Levitate poster in the background. That’s in my hometown all the way on the other side of the globe. Awesome.
Great compare man , thank you . i have limited edition woody of this Bluse Junior III . she has a Jensen p12Q with Ash cabinet . she is AWESOME
I have a 3 and while I can hear some small differences between the 3 and the 4, they're not prominent enough to get me to my local amp dealer to look for a replacement. I'm pretty happy with the 3 at the moment, and if I want to upgrade, I'll definitely look into speaker replacement before I spend the money for a whole new chassis.
Hey Shane! Thanks for the video on the blues jr 4 - very helpful 😊. This is rather off-point, but I wondering where to get those mini posters that we often see on the wall behind you? I have a classroom that I’d like to ‘jazz up’ a bit.
Hey Shane... Nothing to do with the topic here but I got to tell ya that I really appreciate that you're not always trying to cram as many notes as humanly possible into a bar here.... I'd much rather listed to something that I can enjoy the "notes" and their tone tand actually see what you're playing... Shredding is fine anymore that's all every is doing... Nice to have some melodic examples to watch and listen to..
Thanks.
Loved the IV, but I tend to gravitate towards punchy low mid, and it didn't seem to flub on the low end as much as the III. Thought the III picked up more of the strat "jangle" and pick scrape which are valid and good in doses but not my thing to that degree. Felt like the IV carried the strat just the right amount. I'll have to go try one out and see if I have the same experience.... then buy it. Thanks for vid Shane!
I liked the 3 and 4 about same. ya the SE is a step down for sure. great vid! man that camera and the footage looks the best it ever has! 🎥🎥🎸🎸👍
Hi Shane! first of all I want to tell you that your sound is amazing, wow!! However I'm thinking to buy a blues junior IV but after reading and listening to the reverb issues, now I am a bit worried! Do you know if the Blues jr. IV have issues? I hope it haven't because I love the BJ tone..
Blues jr iv, all the way, it’s a lot warmer sounding, more fuller sounding, and the reverb mod makes a huge difference in making it sound less boxy. I’ve been very happy with the new Type A speaker they put in them, i have other amps with those speakers, they actually have become my favorite speaker. I have both the iv and the iii, and especially when you crank them it’s night and day. I also have the Pro jr iv, which sounds great as well.
I love the Chris Cain poster behind you, he’s the man.
I have a III and I must have got a good one. I love the way you can work the amp from a very nice clean tones to a good rock tone. My only complaint is that there is no stand-by switch. If you have a tube amp that is a must-have!
Awesome comparison mate. It really narrows down my choice.
Great demo Shane, The IV sounds like it got a great clean tone upgrade with the A-type speaker its warm and full. I still think to get the best drive tone out of these amps a greenback is the best speaker choice. But for clean players the stock IV seems like a great alternative to the usual cannabis rex'd BJR.
I'd look at the speakers in each! All different. IF they have ext outs, I'd check them against the same speaker!
I would like to hear a comparative with the master vol. all open and controlling the gain with the volume.
Thanks four the vid. Very usable for decide.
Greettings from Lima-Perú
awesome camera shane !
the video quality is way better. didnt have a problem before tho. i cant imagine this camera setup was cheap.
Thanks mate I really appreciate it. I don't every go out and buy everything at once. This upgrade is now complete as of a few days ago. I started moving to Panasonic cameras around September last year. and you'll see what hopefully is the final results on of the camera swap coming up on the Marshall DSL1 and Squier demos I have in the works. :-) That main shot at the start is why I wanted to do the upgrade it literally allows me to get much more creative and professional shots. It's not cheap but it's a good investment for the next few years of daily use. :-)
I put my blues jr III into a Marshall 2x12 cab loaded with a v 30 and another (forget which) more scooped celestion and it sounds amazing. Btw, my Reverb seems just fine but, replacements Reverb tanks are fairly easy to obtain and they don’t cost a lot.
Hi Shane great video as always,would you advise someone who plays mainly blues and only uses at home to get a Blues Junior? Thanks :)
I like the v4 better - thanks for the comparisons Shane
I've got the Blues Jr. Tweed model, the master volume pot is my #1 complaint, you max out the volume then slowly increase the Master vol but it doesn't really kick in until #2 and then it goes from silent to good breakup but under 2 you just can't hear anything. I guess you have to change out the pot.
Bugger a new blues Jnr. But I do love my B Jnr 3 it has served me well. Don’t know if should up grade. I had to edit I’m swapping the speaker to the one in Your Video. As the 3 on a stand stoves the tank issue. Just add the Tweed champ for recording and lounge room practice blues playing with maybe a delay if not recording into my Logic Pro X on my MacBook Pro. 👍
Given pot or component drift that may have affected the III versus the IV when controls were set “identically” for both, via visual knob position confirmation, can you make the IV sound as clear as the III by adjusting the tone controls, and if you can do so, what control(s) do you have to adjust, and by how much?
Interesting shoot out! Honestly done.
Excellent demo thanks Shane!!!
I’ve been seriously considering a Blues Junior for a while; I want a clean pedal platform with a spring reverb that I can justify purchasing ie isn’t going to cost much. A Blues Jr is a shoo- in, but there’s now four different iterations.
Fender’s own promo content makes the IV sound fab, but then they would, wouldn’t they?
Your demo makes it much easier to choose.
Thanks Shane!!!
I'd have to shoot out a III and IV in person to see which one I really liked. I can hear the differences on the video, but I bet they both "feel" a little different, too. I may be alone here, but I thought the SE was not without it's own charms. I bet it could do a cool kind of Neil Young-type "gnarly" sound paired with a humbuckers.
Great review! Could you do DeVille IV vs III?
Is the SE solid state? I think the III, and IV both have their good points. III = chime, IV = girth. That’s why I love my AC-15, it delivers both, and the reverb is very controllable.
Right now I play through a Yamaha THR10C and mostly use the setting that is supposed to model the Blues Jr. I was thinking of getting a tube amp for home use, but am wondering if the real Blues Jr might be a bit much? I was almost thinking of the Bugera V5 for the power staging option, even though I'm guessing it doesn't sound as good. I haven't tried either in person yet. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Other recommendations? I would be using this for clean tones only and using pedals for anything else.
The III is a killer! Happy that I got it before Fender has replaced it with the IV. The IV is more versatile though because of the heavier bass. I think they have to keep both versions in the product line.
I prefer the 3, it's unapologetically vintage with character, attitude and chime. that was the whole point. otherwise I'll go play my blackface amp. the 4 just doesn't sound as blues jr to me. it sounds tamed. give me the wild one lol.
What about the Junior IV vs Junior IV tweed, are there differences?
I like my BJ 3 Ltd with Jensen speaker. I intend to do a couple of mods to it but I'm happy with the speaker.
I have a blues jr 3 and love it! I find the 3 warmer and smoother then the blues jr 4.
The difference between the III and IV are minimum to my ear so either one is a good buy, unless you have the reverb issue on the III. To be honest, the SE shouldn’t have been in the comparison because of the glaring tone and volume difference between the other two. Once again great job Shane!!!!🤙🏾🎸🤙🏾🤘🏽
Hi Shane, I have had a blues junior 3 for 5 years and has never been a problem and my reverb works fine sorry you had that problem, I'm looking for an all-around better amp like a Fender Vintage Reissue 65 Princeton Reverb Amp or Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb which one would you pick and my main guitar is a Les Paul Standard?.
I surprisingly really preferred the III. Had the fender top end sparkle I'd expect, not to mention the IV sounded a bit muddy to me.
I purchased a blues Junior SE yesterday. I put it through its paces last night. Although it's made in China I must say it has plenty of punch and a beautiful Fender tone. I am impressed.
Were they made in Mexico before ?
You know, I've always liked the blues jrs. Never had a problem with them. Always got the tones i wanted from them. I know you talked about Australia VS USA as far as quality control or whatnot. Im from the US so maybe there is something to that. Anyway, i like both the 3 and 4. They sound great. The 4 is abit louder and more aggressive. Three sounds more mellow. Nothing wrong with either. The SE sounded cheap. No surprise i guess. Anyway, great video Shane. Since i discovered your chanel i always check out your reviews when im doing research on gear. Thanks.
hi ... could you explain to me a little more the reasons for choosing celestion creamback 75 over creamback 65 in the bj iv thank you !!!
I agree with what you said. The IV has more attitude and the III sounds smoother. Yes, each had three different speakers, but they're the stock speakers, and this is a "stock" amp comparison. For me, the reverb sounded better on the III, and the III sounded more "Fender-y." Excellent demo. Thanks for not making it a half hour long.
In my opinion the Blues Jr 3 is the best sounding , it is the classic fender tone, even though the 4 has the new A type speaker it just doesn’t have the vibe and tone that I’m use to hearing and they changed up
the reverb a bit too, the blues Jr 3 is a work horse and a main stay at most all the local jams.
Great review. 😎
Yeah, you're exactly right here!
Agreed, Tweed with a Jensen or Cannabis Rex is the tone. You gotta max out the Master and use the Volume as your master, then the infamous "boxiness" vanishes.
Hi Matt, the way you say is exactly the way to use this amp - took me some time, actually, to work this out but it's definitely the key to a very convincing sound that responds beautifully to dynamic playing.
It doesn't even take the Tweed, the regular black is fine as well. Obviously some really good tubes and a decent replacement speaker (an Eminence Swamp Thang for me) won't hurt as well.
@@moreorlesslikeso
In complete agreement. The stock speaker in the black (Eminence?) is a fine speaker. It's how to set up the amp - this is what many get wrong, in my humble opinion
@@moreorlesslikeso
Swamp Thang is *huge* tone
FYI - I put the Jensen back in my Tweed iii ! I missed that Jensen thing, that sparkle. Kept the C-Rex and might make a cab :)
Ahh posters ! Cool Night of the living dead one ! I Didn't know about de SE edition. Thank you.
I'm looking for a home use valve amp (combo or head/cab), I interesed in clean sound, to run pedals for dirt. Would you recomend the iv version, the iii or any other amp in that same range (800$, 10w-20w)
Thanks!!
Sergio Perez Arrieta I like the Pro Junior! Good head room and likes the dirty pedals! 15 loud watts and the version 3 used probably $300-399ish?
Does the blues junior III 230v (Eur) have a headphone and foot pedal jack?
Where will you insert the footswitch to engage the FAT boost? Thanks
if the blues jr III changed the speaker for a celestion what would be the result? I believe that the change of tonality is only the speaker
Hi Shane, have you noticed any QC issues with the new IV that we had with the Australian III models in 2017? Thanks for putting this comparison together, super helpful and I’m leaning towards the IV personally.
Hi Adrian,
The version IV I tested was fine. It had no issues with reverb or severe rattle issues either. I would opt for the new one just based on this alone but be sure to try it out in person to make sure.
The answer here is obviously that you need to play both the III and the IV in parallel! :)
Great comparison Man! The SE is really weak...love the label on the SE’s loudspeaker though haha! The IV is a bit more “Marshally” sounding, while III is definitely more “Chimey,” if that make sense. Didn’t care for the heavy reverb on the III much either.
Do you prefer a fender telecaster over a stratocaster? and what about this player and american professional series?
I picked up a blues jr lv and right away swiched the speaker to a texas heat and love it! Hit my tube screamer for over drive and wow got the srv sound I'm looking for. Sounds great with my strat.great speaker the texas heat and got to have that extra base the bj lv has.had a lll didn't like it not enough base.
Having listened to several comparisons between BJs MK IV and MK III - using both headphones and computer-audio through home-stereo setup - this one confirms my opinion that the new MK IV tends to sound kind of muffled and lacking that typical sparkly Fender sound. I definitely don't like it and don't think this is an desirable improvement. For this category of amps the BJ MK III with a decent replacement speaker for more stable lows is still the way to go IMHO...
Exactly my thoughts.
I got a up graded reverb chamber in my blues jr 3 and put in Celestion G12H modered sounds great
I'm leaning towards the III.
WOOAH Dude!!
3:26
thats some magick shit there
The Tweed version of the III is the way to go if you like the III sound. Seems like the Jensen speaker works well with the smooth midrange of the BJ III... makes the amp actually "tweedish" in tone. I use the reverb only on 1 or 2... but I know what you mean about the reverb. Most of my reverb, if I want more, comes from a Vox AC15 (it's switchable)... I have the pair of amps on a Radial Twin City amp switcher. Really want to try a IV in my 2-amp config tho. Also leaning heavily towards a Marshall Origin 20... since I already have the Tweed BJ III. I presume we can expect a video on the Origin as well...
Did you had any issues with the reverb on the tweed III?
I had a v2 and modded that amp to death! I think to my ears I liked the v4 the best but I always thought the v3 didn’t sound as good as the v2. It would be nice to hear an old v2 against a v4.
For what its worth I have just repaired a BJ111 altered the circuit and components plus fine tuned and modded the cabinet not forgetting the plastiflex.....this blows all others away....the owner in a very happy man, now there's people at my door, but alas this was a one off and at the end of the day if you like your sound just go with it.....
I think what Fender did with Blues Jr is to make BJr IV act more like a Deluxe Reverb 68 and the BJr III to act more like a Deluxe Reverb 65. I like both but I just love that Reverb of III.
(I love the tweed III for the cleans)
Blues junior IV or Laquered tweed? Nice review
Nice info
Ouh - new camera? Footage looks fantastic! What camera is this if I may ask?
Panasonic GH5 :-) . Thanks John.
i didnt know you were left handed, nice playing, i have a blues jr its nice, but i needed an amp with a dirty channel but its really a nice amp
Finally, why did it take Fender 3 version to finally upgrade this amp? Always had 3 massive problems, low end, speaker and reverb and they finally did the 3 of them. Shane it would be great if you could now do a speaker test with the version 4 perhaps with some of your favourite speakers!
Have u tried the SE with a good speaker? Is it work, or definitely not!? Thx
3 sounded twangy/quacky. 4 sounded like it had a flatter frequency spectrum. Probably better at the crunchy stuff. Kinda made the strat sound humbuckery. Nice comparo.
what is the guitar you r playing with
Great comparison Shane! I have a Bjr 3 tweed and the 4 is tempting. If you just upgraded the speaker in the 3-what would you add? The cannabis rex? I've watched many of your older videos on speakers and just wondering what your current thoughts were. Thanks Shane!
I've gone for the Eminence Swamp Thang in my BJ MK III and still like it a lot. Possibly the Texas Heat would be great, too (or a nice Weber).
Thanks! I'll give one of those a shot.
Isaac Johnson
Cannabis Rex, bro.
Texas Heat is second best. The Rex is sooooo good.
For the IV Fender say that apart from the cosmetic changes and the use of a Celestion speaker they have made changes to the pre-amp and to the reverb circuit. If you ask them for a circuit diagram they say they don't have a new issue because the circuit is the same as the Blues Junior III. Perhaps by that they mean they have just changed a few resistor and capacitor values and are keeping the details secret. To me, the III and the IV don't sound hugely different in this demo. I recently repaired an issue 1 Bjnr and a Bjnr III. They both sounded very aggressive and punchy, possibly because of the Eminence speakers. The Bjnr III was very bright because of the 'sparkle' mod - Fenders removal of a single capacitor between the top of the master volume and ground.
I liked the III the best. Subjective, I know. It did seem a little smoother and warmer to my ear.
I tried the blues junior IV out at Guitar center and I thought it sounded really good! I have the blues junior iii and I think it sounds boxy and the Reverb isn’t very good. Did you notice that the blues junior IV sounded more full and less boxy?
Are we by chance forgetting the fact that the speakers for the SE & the iii models are broke in and that the speaker for the IV is not ?! Just saying...; is this also the case ?
The 3 had more of that vintage hot sound. The 4 seemed more cool, controlled, and had more clarity. The SE honestly wasn't too spectacular compared to the 2.
The III seems to have more presence and bite - like a compromise between a Vox AC and the Blues Jr IV.
You should always volume match in comparisons.
I was pleasantly surprised by the IV - my fave of the bunch. It’s a bit less bright than the III. I’d buy one. Hated the SE. The III is legend but the IV will be legend too. Still love my Blues Deluxe (original) tho’. G’day from a Melbourne expat in Toronto.
If you want to check out a blues junior, you should actually look at the lacquered tweed nos version. It has a Jensen speaker instead of Eminence speaker, and sound way different. The tweed version is about $70 more in the US, but sounds way better and more than worth it.
I have an FSR Blues Jr which came from the factory with a Cannabis Rex. I still prefer my Deluxe Reverb, but this amp with its 15 Watts seems to work nicely on a decent size stage with six person band. I’ve never much gotten on with stock Blues Junior Models, otherwise. My point is it seems the speaker can make a huge impact on the sound of the amp. Blues Juniors are no different. The Cannabis Rex took the amp from one I wouldn’t buy and leave stock, to an amp I’m happy to own and gig with on just about any stage.
The IV is a little muddy for my taste. I'll keep my III(the tweed one). The word that comes to mind about the SE...anemic...
The Mk iii has a sharp Fender tone, the Mk iv is more subdued like a Marshall. I suspect the Mk iv is probably more versatile for most people, but the Mk iii is a more specific tone that people will be longing for in a few years.
BJ IV ... warmer, reverb not washy, no ice pick highs. Had a BJ III, did all the BillM mods ( r.i.p. Bill ) and put a Cannabis Rex in it before I liked it. But modding is a P.I.T.A. and expensive. Glad to see the IV come out. Btw, love the Antone's poster on the wall, I live in Austin, was there last week ;)
for me, I really like the "iii" with the AX7's, and A type speaker; as I have a separate HEAD and all the tools to built extension speakers in pine or birch etc, I just might build speakers boxes with a different speaker, Celestion A, GOLD and an Eminence legend (better than Jenson; G10R. ALL IN 10 INCH. (Saves space) Then mix them with my GN10-30 . OH, WHAT FUN! PAPA KIRANA.
You are either recording a bunch of vids the same day or you have a new favorite shirt. Lol. It looks good on ya though. Thanks for your honest vids.
Earthskills I have three shirts that are all very similar but I do try and shoot 2-3 videos a day some days. 😂👍
Always enjoyed my Jr.III. Just wish it and the other Hot rod amps came in a head version
I don’t even believe him when he says he likes the 4 better. His playing seems way more real with the 3.
lol
What a video. That camera makes the vid even better. Quick question. Which amp is warmer, Laney Cub 12r or Fendr blues Jr iii? I can't go and try them because they aren't in my country so I will probably buy them in Thomann online.
I never really liked Laney I find them very generic sounding. My instinct would be to get the fender.
intheblues Thank you very much, guess I'll go with the Fender
I have both. Tweed Mk3 and Cub12r. Laney is warmer.
Cub12r is for pedal freaks, great platform. I am getting Gilmour and Page tones from it. I do run both in wet-dry tho.
Matt Gilbert I have a multi effect pedalboard and a Boss for looping, i don't want to achieve a particular tone i just want to have a good clean tone. So do you think the Laney is a good option?
Love my lll sounds great with my Strat
The 3 and the 4 could probably be tweaked to sound more like each other just by moving the tone controls a little. The reverb is another issue. The reverb is just a matter of what you like. The 3 reverb sounds more surfy. The 4 reverb seems more refined.
Exactly. Tweak the EQ, gain and volume if you want your 3 to sound like a 4.. or a 4 like a 3.
That IV sounds a lot darker.
i like the blues junior 4 more. sounds fuller and warmer in this video compared to the blues junior 3.
How about Pro Jr IV vs the new Pro Jr IV SE?
I like the version IV. Which one did you like? How do you like the Pro Junior IV. I think it sounds great.
Just skip to the end of the video I give you my thoughts about them all. :-) . Out of these I'd pick the IV. If the III had a less dodgy sounding reverb tank it would be really close.
Listened through the intro 5 times without knowing which was the iii and iv. No doubt about - III sounds better than the iv. Much better mids and sparkle, I also think it sounds fuller than the iv. What do you need the extra bass for in the iv? It will get drowned in a live mix anyway. It might be that the conclusion is - bedroom player = iv in a band player = iii
Plus, pro jr is better for a band player anyway