Comments on: The Jumpy Mod http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod Adventures in thermionic home brewed guitar tone Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:52:45 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Gabi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-190 Gabi Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:52:45 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-190 Matt - that's the part I have already documented in my upcoming video. Considering that we can wire a negative feedback, you can insert a Presence or Resonance control if you wish, really easy. Matt – that’s the part I have already documented in my upcoming video. Considering that we can wire a negative feedback, you can insert a Presence or Resonance control if you wish, really easy.

]]> By: Gabi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-189 Gabi Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:49:00 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-189 Hi Matt - Sorry for the delay. I suspect playing with the cathode resistors (R8 and R9) and their respective plate resistors (R3 and R4) on each half of the preamp tube would do the trick. Version 3 has a typical Fender biasing (100k anode and 1k5 cathode), check if this is the case. In other words you should have: R3 - 100k / R8 - 1k5 R4 - 100k / R9 - 1k5 Hi Matt – Sorry for the delay.
I suspect playing with the cathode resistors (R8 and R9) and their respective plate resistors (R3 and R4) on each half of the preamp tube would do the trick. Version 3 has a typical Fender biasing (100k anode and 1k5 cathode), check if this is the case. In other words you should have:

R3 – 100k / R8 – 1k5
R4 – 100k / R9 – 1k5

]]> By: Gabi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-188 Gabi Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:34:28 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-188 Hi Sam - Very sorry for the delay. Hmmm... that's strange. Not sure why. Need to test that on mine. Hi Sam – Very sorry for the delay. Hmmm… that’s strange. Not sure why. Need to test that on mine.

]]> By: Sam http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-177 Sam Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:39:03 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-177 Hey Gabi, So I have the V3 combo, and I did the JP-1 mod and love the new clarity. One question though: Now, with the volume on the amp completely off, I can hear my guitar signal very faintly. What's up with that? It seems somewhat fizzy and distorted. I didn't do anything wrong did I? Hey Gabi,

So I have the V3 combo, and I did the JP-1 mod and love the new clarity.

One question though: Now, with the volume on the amp completely off, I can hear my guitar signal very faintly. What’s up with that? It seems somewhat fizzy and distorted. I didn’t do anything wrong did I?

]]> By: Matt S http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-165 Matt S Fri, 21 May 2010 22:27:05 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-165 Hey Gabi! Been reading about the JP1 mod (did it to my EVJ head a while back) and other things people are trying. I have found that the amp has so little head room that it hasn't been as ideal for what I'm looking for (which is a clean-to-slightly overdriven tone). One option I've tried is switching out the preamp tube for an AT7. It's still quick to break up, so I'm contemplating an AY7 to bring the output down even more from the preamp stage. I've been considering all the many mod kits out there like Bitmo and Watts Tube Audio. Overall, I'd like to brighten the tone and create more head room so that it can be more versatile. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Hey Gabi! Been reading about the JP1 mod (did it to my EVJ head a while back) and other things people are trying. I have found that the amp has so little head room that it hasn’t been as ideal for what I’m looking for (which is a clean-to-slightly overdriven tone). One option I’ve tried is switching out the preamp tube for an AT7. It’s still quick to break up, so I’m contemplating an AY7 to bring the output down even more from the preamp stage. I’ve been considering all the many mod kits out there like Bitmo and Watts Tube Audio. Overall, I’d like to brighten the tone and create more head room so that it can be more versatile. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

]]> By: Jacob http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-163 Jacob Fri, 21 May 2010 06:56:41 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-163 Hello Gabi, I watched your videos of both the unmodded amp, and after doing the JP1 mod. I have to say, the amp you got sounded extremely bad to my ears. The thing is, far as I can tell from the numerous demos I have heard, Valve Juniors do not normally sound that bad. Not that they couldn't stand some improvements, but that is not their normal out of the box sound. Maybe it's the sound quality of your videos. Maybe the Celestion Blue doesn't go with the amp very well. But, I suspect you may have gotten a bad amp. We all know they use cheap components to keep the price down, and even I know that cheap components are inconsistent, which means the amps are probably a bit inconsistent as well. I have a new, completely unmodded Vjr combo, and it sounds better than yours does even with the JP1 mod. So does the one in this video--stock VJr head and cab, US Telecaster Standard, no effects, with some pretty cool playing (and pretty funny too. Check out the "decoration" sitting on top of the amp head)--which shows what this amp should sound like out of the box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJByqsSExgw Perhaps if you want to accurately represent the Valve Junior and the mods that you do to it, you should start with an amp that isn't a lemon in the first place. On the other hand, maybe starting out with a bad one will show viewers that even if they get a lemon, there is hope. :) In any case, if the JP1 mod improved your horrible sounding head, it ought to make my pretty decent sounding combo really shine! Now, where's those clippers... Hello Gabi,

I watched your videos of both the unmodded amp, and after doing the JP1 mod.

I have to say, the amp you got sounded extremely bad to my ears. The thing is, far as I can tell from the numerous demos I have heard, Valve Juniors do not normally sound that bad. Not that they couldn’t stand some improvements, but that is not their normal out of the box sound.

Maybe it’s the sound quality of your videos. Maybe the Celestion Blue doesn’t go with the amp very well. But, I suspect you may have gotten a bad amp. We all know they use cheap components to keep the price down, and even I know that cheap components are inconsistent, which means the amps are probably a bit inconsistent as well.

I have a new, completely unmodded Vjr combo, and it sounds better than yours does even with the JP1 mod.

So does the one in this video–stock VJr head and cab, US Telecaster Standard, no effects, with some pretty cool playing (and pretty funny too. Check out the “decoration” sitting on top of the amp head)–which shows what this amp should sound like out of the box:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJByqsSExgw

Perhaps if you want to accurately represent the Valve Junior and the mods that you do to it, you should start with an amp that isn’t a lemon in the first place. On the other hand, maybe starting out with a bad one will show viewers that even if they get a lemon, there is hope. :)

In any case, if the JP1 mod improved your horrible sounding head, it ought to make my pretty decent sounding combo really shine!

Now, where’s those clippers…

]]> By: Matt http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-145 Matt Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:12:09 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-145 Thanks, Gabi, Is there any danger to experimenting with putting things between the clipped ends of the JP1? Thanks, Gabi,
Is there any danger to experimenting with putting things between the clipped ends of the JP1?

]]> By: Gabi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-143 Gabi Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:51:48 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-143 Matt - thanks for explaining the treble bleed effect! I always used the 47pf even on all my <a href="http://www.gabtone.com" rel="nofollow">Gabriel amps</a> and never experimented with different values to tell you what the effect would be. As for you second question - I would suspect it will not have the same effect as if the mod was not there since it will not add the capacitor back in the equation.. I suspect this is doable using a NFB/off/C3-in switch - which I will document in my next mod video - already half done! Matt – thanks for explaining the treble bleed effect! I always used the 47pf even on all my Gabriel amps and never experimented with different values to tell you what the effect would be.
As for you second question – I would suspect it will not have the same effect as if the mod was not there since it will not add the capacitor back in the equation.. I suspect this is doable using a NFB/off/C3-in switch – which I will document in my next mod video – already half done!

]]> By: Jordi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-142 Jordi Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:42:11 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-142 I also loose a just a little volume when i switch the on JP1 on but the sound does realy get better and brighter. I also loose a just a little volume when i switch the on JP1 on but the sound does realy get better and brighter.

]]> By: Gabi http://www.soundgaragetales.com/epiphone-vj-mods/epiphone-valve-junior-jp1-mod/comment-page-1#comment-141 Gabi Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:38:51 +0000 http://www.soundgaragetales.com/?p=96#comment-141 Sorry to hear that, Doug. You must not have the right board version and probably cut another jumper that was labeled JP1. With my version I honestly didn't hear any volume loss. Can you identify the board version in your amp? Sorry again. Sorry to hear that, Doug. You must not have the right board version and probably cut another jumper that was labeled JP1. With my version I honestly didn’t hear any volume loss. Can you identify the board version in your amp?
Sorry again.

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