are the first thing to go, and your ability to hear
SKIP’S TIP: Well, all you nice people out there
a brighter and thinner tone. Let’s turn that thing
them will be noticeably reduced as a long, loud
know that I don’t mess with newer amps
permanently “off” instead!
night rolls on. Finally, the all-important human
too much, but I have always said that the
factor; we all tend to turn up when we can’t
Fender Blues Junior offers amazing sound
Have your tech open the amp up and look at
hear ourselves, and it is very easy for a band
for the money. Recently a harmonica-playing
the circuitboard. Right next to the input jacks
to creep up in volume over time. To our ears,
customer brought a Blues Junior, along with a
you will see a small disc capacitor clearly
both of these factors can sound just like your
vintage amp, and asked me if I had any easy
labeled “C-3.” Snip one lead at either end of the
amp is losing power or tone. That low-wattage
suggestions for harp mods. At first I said lower-
cap and check out the tone. MUCH better for
amp that was rocking two hours ago can
gain preamp tubes, or perhaps a different
harp and, in my opinion, a lot of guitar players
start sounding pretty distorted when everyone
speaker would be the only things I would
would agree. The only potential problem in my
decides to crank up.
suggest. In my world, those fragile printed
mind would be that the extra fatness could be
circuitboard amps are no fun to modify!
considered too “muddy” by players who use lot
I don’t think that the average player needs
of distortion and, yes, it can be a royal pain to
to run out and get a voltage regulator, and I
I got to thinking about it a little and took a look
re-solder the cap if you don’t like it because the
certainly wouldn’t suggest that a certain wall
at the schematic. I noticed that the Blues Junior
leads are very short.
voltage is essential to get “your tone.” Also, it
has a “bright switch” (as used on most vintage
is very unlikely that a voltage spike would harm
Fenders) that is turned permanently “on.” If
I’m sure that others have figured this out before
a sturdy Fender or Marshall as long as you are
you have ever played through an older Fender
me, but I just want to make sure that people
using a proper fuse in the amp, and I would
with a bright switch, you know that it makes
are aware of this mod. If you play harp or blues/
say it’s a non-issue for most players. On the
the amp sound a LOT brighter, especially at
Americana guitar through a Blues Junior, give
other hand, a consistent source of AC will make
low volume. How does it work? Basically, the
it a try.
for a more consistent tone, and a regulator
switch connects a small capacitor across the
may make good sense for gigging musicians,
volume potentiometer, which allows the high
Email your questions to
especially if you play in wide variety of venues.
frequencies to by-pass the pot. The effect is
SkipSimmonsAmps@gmail.com