Epi Valve Jr Hot Rod

[brokrguy]

Got an email from Sweetwater that these are FINALLY in stock...I had given up any hope of them ever coming out:



I love my VJ 1/2 stack, but I would've bought this head in a heartbeat if it had been available. Saves you a few mods on your VJ, and takes care of most people's main complaint about it: no reverb. Great little head for $220...

[amerturk]

That is a nice looking piece with the added reverb, gain and standby switch. My question is this....where is the reverb? Is it a solid state chip or does a new cab come with it?

Either way, I like it and I have the old model which is played more than all my others...since it's next to my bed

[brokrguy]

"Also acts as a 5-watt standalone reverb tank with dummy load output."

Perfect for me - dummy load ouput...

[KramerBassFan]

The spring tank could be contained inside the head.....

Why would it necessarily be in a speaker cabinet?

[KramerBassFan]

"Also acts as a 5-watt standalone reverb tank with dummy load output."

Perfect for me - dummy load ouput...

This means you can run the reverb tank inside this amp from another amp.

Making it just one big reverb tank.

[jonasaberg]

In Europe, Thomann.de has them for 195€.

[Rick S]

The Hotrod is cool. The reverb has gotten nothing but crap assed review. I've heard it and agree. Its not the tank (Short 3 spring Accutronics in the head) its the circuit. Crap. The gain is nice though. A standby is imo not needed on a 5 watter but is still neat. I wish it was available in the small combo version though.

Shane, you will definetly be better off with your mods and your original VJr. Add a Bit-Mo B-verb mod to your Trio and you'll be far ahead of the Hotrod as far as tone and versitility is concerned.

[smorgdonkey]

A standby is imo not needed on a 5 watter but is still neat.

That's to help on/offs and so on be easier on your tubes so 'needed' on any tube amp really.

I'd be interested to hear the reverb. Too bad the reviews aren't good.

[Rick S]

Yeah, I know what its for. How many times is a guy on and off with his 5 watter two tube amp? Thats the only reason I don't consider it a big deal. On amps with lots 'o tubes its a must have. I'm still using my same 12ax7 and EL84 in both amps (three years in May). I figure one amp has about 500 hours on 'er and the other has about 300. If one fails its a whopping $20 max.

That's to help on/offs and so on be easier on your tubes so 'needed' on any tube amp really.

I'd be interested to hear the reverb. Too bad the reviews aren't good.

[brokrguy]

Shane, you will definetly be better off with your mods and your original VJr. Add a Bit-Mo B-verb mod to your Trio and you'll be far ahead of the Hotrod as far as tone and versitility is concerned.

Got the Trio - I'll look at the B-verb. Truth is, it's a great little amp stock...I don't really need the mods - I just want 'em . I haven't heard about the lousy reverb on the Hot Rod - same thing on the Senior?

[Rick S]

I thought that too when I got my VJr. Now, the amp is way, way better. It just is, to me anyway. Just got my B-Verb today. I hope to install tomorrow. Sure will be nice to just plug into one pedal now. I loves me the TubeScreamer or Boss OD1. Yup, same crappy way overdone reverb as the Senior. Just a smaller tank. To bad really. However, I'm sure some of those modders will have a fix soon.

Got the Trio - I'll look at the B-verb. Truth is, it's a great little amp stock...I don't really need the mods - I just want 'em . I haven't heard about the lousy reverb on the Hot Rod - same thing on the Senior?

[smorgdonkey]

You know what...I've never tried a pedal reverb. Does anyone have any experience with good pedal reverbs that aren't arm & a leg boutique models?

I don't have any non reverb amps anymore but it begs the question...and when I did have an Epi Valve Jr I really liked it with a little delay so for those who are running them without a reverb mod - are you using a pedal or have you used a good one?

[Rick S]

Well, up to now I've been using my Reverb Machine. Its a ripoff of the Line 6 Verbzilla. I have absolutly no qualms with it. Great verbs and great tuneabiity.

[syncopa]

I've used an EH Holy Grail for yrs now, but not sure if they still make them. It'll go from strangely transparent to surf no prob.

[Rick S]

One down, one to go. The B-Verb is sweet! Very similar to the spring reverb model in the RM. I am very, very happy with this mod.

[Rick S]

I now have the twins up and running with verb. I must say, I am very, very happy with this mod. And to top it off the mod itself is easy as pie to install. As for the standby switch, No need. My hunch about not needing it has been validated from the guys over at Sewatt. Check it out........................http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/standby.html

[barreta5150]

those epi's have great clean sound and id personaly hook up a tube screamer to is

[Rick S]

Someone asked how I attach two cabs to one VJr head. I thought it was in this thread but its not. Anyway, I just drilled hole on the top cab and wired in a new jack parallel like. Simple as pie! The sound is much much fuller. And yes, 2.5 watts per speaker is great!

[amps_go_boom]

Here in workshop I got an Epi Valve Jr for modding.

Will post some pictures when I'm done,but this thing can get few mods and produce a great amount of gain.

I did put an TS9 into it,before preamp,and true bypass switch(can be turned on/off via footswhitch). And it's rock machine now.

That means I hot roded a valve jr more that they did

[mmmtacos]

Has anybody modded Blackstar 5 watters?

I'd like to amp-up the gain some and get a bit more bottom end.

[Rick S]

http://www.bitmomodkits.com/servlet/StoreFront

I did alot of the Bitmo mods on my VRs. The Blackheart mods are basically the same and imo must do mods. Plus its fun!

Has anybody modded Blackstar 5 watters?

I'd like to amp-up the gain some and get a bit more bottom end.

[BamaKramer]

i have never seen any mod kits for blackstars.

[helocene]

Has anybody modded Blackstar 5 watters?

I'd like to amp-up the gain some and get a bit more bottom end.

I haven't but if I were to do a quick change I would bump R62 from 1.5K to 1.8K and R66 from 1K to 1.8K. The HT-5 already has a 220K resistor on the anode so it's hot already

I'd leave the 2.2uf bypass cap on the R62 cathode resistor to keep your bottom end. Doesn't look like R66 has a spot for one, but you could always piggy back one on top of the R66 resistor.

[amps_go_boom]

Has anybody modded Blackstar 5 watters?

I'd like to amp-up the gain some and get a bit more bottom end.

First thing I suggest when some1 comes to modding is "let's try different tubes and speakers".

I had it only once in workshop and replaced tubes for JJ(good bottom end) and tried on GT75 cab and guy was pleased and didn't want to mod anything else...

Also,higher gain preamp valves are here also,so you can consider replacing that too

[BamaKramer]

wouldn't a 12" speaker increase the bottom end a bit? i know the stock blackstar cabinets have 10" speakers, if you are using that.