After 25 years with my Fender Ultimate Chorus 2x12 solid state, I got a Blues Junior about 6 months ago to have a tube amp. Love it. And then messing about in GC the other day I plugged into an LT25 at random to try a guitar, and had so much fun that I took it home. LT25 is a super fun, light, inexpensive easy option for practice, and would be amazing for beginners.
I have an LT25 and 50, they are fabulous practice amps. For performing a tube amp or ToneMaster is the ticket. Having said that, a little eq action would really help the LT in the demo.
I’ve owned a Blues Jr and have just bought an LT25. If you want something to match a Blues Jr - then it’s a Blues Jr 🙂 If you want something that will sound like a Blues Jr and that’s good enough - and can sound like lots of other things then the LT25. However they’re a completely different intent.
Great review and playing. That Blues Junior sounded so smooth. I got a Mustang L25 and it's good for a beginner like me, but it doesn't have bluetooth.
The fender mustang LT doesn't do some stuff mentioned in this video, like apps fender do an app but doesn't seem to be possible on this amp and doesn't seem to have Bluetooth I almost bought this amp on the back of this video , I would have been very disappointed!
Throw a decibel meter up to show how much louder you have to play the Blues Jr to get good sounds out of it. Not bedroom levels, that's for sure. Two amps for two different users. One is a home practice amp or jamming with buddies. The other is made for playing in clubs or with a band. It's important to tell your end users that tube amps need to be played loud to get those good sounds out of them. Also a 15 watt tube amp is about as loud as a 100 watt solid state amp, the powers don't correlate. I have tube and modeling amps and normally use the modeling b/c I play at home and with friends, I'm not gigging. I think tubes are over rated unless you are really cooking them. If you aren't A/Bing things your ears get used to what you are playing. So find something that sounds decent and just play. Gear is not the most important thing. Cheers.
Would definitely enjoy an entry level tube amp vs high end tube comparison. The selection from Fender alone for a single speaker tube amp is pretty broad in price and features.
Right, just do not pay for "Vintage" you will get screwed just about every time. Some guys just love to be sodomized. I see them every dat. Especially in the "High end" shops. You have to watch out for the vocabulary used by the sales person. I can tell when on commission. GC watch out for the extended warranty, as Sweetwater has an automatic 2 years, free.
Yeah this wasn’t a fair comparison at all. The point of all the pedals effects is to tweak the tone. This sounds like the bass is too high. Sounds nothing like my LT25 with some tweaks. Will turn off a lot of potential people from buying it.
The LT25 has 20 different amp models, any of which can be inserted into any of the 30 presets. Preset #1 is titled Fender Clean into which you can load models of a Fender Tweed Champ, Deluxe, Twin, or Bassman, a BF Fender Twin, Deluxe, Princeton, a Vox AC30, or late 60's Marshall or HiWatt. Obviously, the presenters of this video chose NOT to make any effort to try to "tweak " the LT25 , probably choosing a model that had nothing to do with a Fender amp similar to a Blues Jr. As an owner of an LT25 and prior owner of an original 1997 Blues Jr. I can tell you that this was a very poor comparison of what the LT25 can sound like with just a little effort manipulating the amp models.
Not sure if you dialed the LT25 incorrectly or got a defected amp....My LT25 doesn't sound that muffled. Also wouldn't it have made way more sense to do this video with a strat/tele?
This video frustrated me. I don't think the comparison is fair and I think the sound of the LT-25 could have been dialed in better. I have owned the LT-25 for two years and love it, it is a fantastic bedroom/practice/learner amp. None better at the price, it sits next to me and will always be there. I am new to guitars and it's been a fantastic learning too with all the amps and pedals and effects modeled. Not long ago I bought a Fender Mustang GTX100 and it is mind-blowing for only $500. With 100watts and a good 12" speaker and many more pre-programmed options and bluetooth and a looper and excellent functional footswitch I think it would be a much better comparison to the Blues Junior.
Not even close, but thanks for comparing them. However, living in an apartment I've had to look for a headphone solution. The Fender Micro fixed this and the Captor X for my tube amp. Great job as always. Thanks for the video.
A guy I jam with has a Twin tone as his base tone, and it's no way muffled. This is not a fair comparison, because it gives the impression that the Jr is so far ahead. I've owned four Jr's, and sold all of them, not as good as the ProJr's. YMMV
I think, you could have cut back the bass control of the LT25 to get a matching tone. Looks like you used identical pot settings for both amps, which is an unfair setting, as both the amps are radically different.
I bought a GTX 50 I've owned Pro Jr, Hot Rod Deluxe, Reverb Deluxe, RI 59 Bassman, Mesa 5:25, 68 Princeton, Roland Jazz chorus 40, Champ XD, and others, they were all nice. I had a massive pedal train PB and lots and lots of pedals but now I have just the GTX and all the rest of the gear has been sold. When I play out at jams I just use what they have there. People mostly can't tell the difference when you're that close in tone so it comes down to your performance. I'd rather have more guitars to play.
Nice comparison , thanks for the video! I'm actually from Wisconsin, but a couple years ago I went to a jam at the Texas Ice House. ( tiny, but super fun) Very different from Milwaukee! I used a Blues Jr there, mainly because of the ability to control the master volume. I also have a Pro Junior which is the amp I travel with in my RV. I have used them both at gigs in medium-to-large bars, and the Pro with it's 10" speaker actually cuts through more than the Blues Jr w/the 12. I have gone to sit in at several gigs where guys are using 4-12 Stacks, and I tell them I'll just be in the background with my little peanut amp. Amp placement is important of course, but I usually just put it on a chair. Then when it's to to solo, just let it rip full bore. It's fun to watch the other guys turn around and wonder where that sound is coming from. I can't say I'm very impressed with the solid state amps. but as you say, they do have thier place.
The LT25 (as others point out) was simply not dialed in. I have used the LT25 for years and it does not sound muffled at all. They have knobs for a reason... use them. And I use mine with pedals. And as another person points out, you can play this one super quiet and still sound good. But no, it is not a gigging amp, (but shhhhh most guitar players don't gig)
I have an LT25 and it sounds just as muffled, if not worse (when hearing it in person). Do you have any tips on making it sound less muffled? Giving it a little more treble than the base presets usually helps but it tends to sounds so muffled and boomy nonetheless.
@@goldie481 It may also have to do with what folks are using with it and other things. But yes, lowering your bass, boosting your mids and treble may help. And don't be afraid to dial the settings, a lot of people are afraid to move them to their "extremes" in either direction. And that aside, there may be differences in each AMP. We see that with a lot of things, from guitars, amps, you name it.
@@goldie481 - That sucks. My LT-25 didn't sound muffled at all... In fact I had to keep the treble knob down below 1/2 for most tones... The one in this video sounds awful... But I DID see an interesting video this last weekend where someone went out and bought an after-market Celestion 8" speaker and did a driver swap on the LT-25 and it sounded decent before but AMAZING once the std. speaker was swapped out. Guy said the new 8" driver only cost him $40 USD, so he got an amazing sounding modeling amp for about $200... Maybe look into a driver swap. The LT-25 can sound great, maybe yours just has a crappy 8" driver in it... Driver swaps are easy, and can make a HUGE difference in sound...
It would be great a comparison between some low wattage valve amps in the market. 15W is not suitable if you live in an apartment and you want to have a peaceful relationship with your neighbors. Also, I believe Fender should launch a Blues Junior with a 1/5/15w switch or a lower wattage Blues Junior. In fact, they launched a few months ago a Pro Junior with 15W. Missed opportunities IMHO.
I found a used Fender Tube USA Sonic 22 combo w footswitch 4 button, including FX loop in switch for 850.00- It is a tweed to boot. The thing can sound like just about anything, if the time based effects are run through the loop. That from what I thought you said was 500.00. I think it is about being patient and deals will come along.
You need to take bass out. I got the LT 25 when I got my Gretsch G2420T because the cheap kit 5 watt I had flat out wouldn't work with the Streamliner low output pickups. I turn the tone almost all the way to treble to brighten it up. Though, that hollow body with flat wounds with the bass heavy, could double as a bass.
My LT25, along with my Yamaha THR10C, records amazingly great sounding tones direct through USB to Cakewalk or Cubase on my laptop, and both provide the most amazinfg recording quality I've gotten at home ever, with any recording setup. Try that with a Blues Jr.
It depends on what you want it for and how much power you need. The Fishman Loudbox Mini is awesome for a lower power and smaller acoustic amp, and for bigger gigs the Marshall AS100 is simply incredible. In between, you'll find the large Fishman Loudbox models and the Marshall AS50
You should've used the presets in the LT25 to match the sound from the Blues Junior. The comparison seemed meaningless since the LT25 sounded very very bad than needed to be without the presets. With some tweaking you can absolutely come close to the goat. Also tube vs solid state debate would have more interesting if a good comparison was made. Otherwise it's just 2 wise guys having a chat.
The Mustang LT25 was my first amp and it did its job for the first year or so. I love that it has an Aux in so you can play along with recorded songs through the amp. Most good amps don't have this feature. It also sounds much better through headphones than through the speaker. Hopefully as a beginner, you are using headphones a lot and sparing family/ neighbors from your learning curve! I now have a Fender Champion 50xl which sounds significantly better than the Mustang through the speaker.
Interesting take. I just went from a champion 40 to the LT50 and I think the LT50 is head and toes better than the champion. Sound quality is literally identical but with the LT you have way more customization on your sound compared to the only 8 sounds that come on the champion
@@apocalypticalkitty1 The Champion 50 is a lot newer than the 40 and is much better sounding, but the LT50 may be just as good, and is certainly more feature rich and more versatile, with many more amp models and effects, as well as having direct recording ability thru USB, which the Champ 50 doesn't have
Love the Blues Jr. but as many are stuck at home. Would like to see a video on how to achieve great tube tone at home volumes. Blues Jr with an attenuator vs 1 watt or 5 watt amps with the goal of achieving the best tone.
@@RedLion88 can’t get the most out of the amp with the master volume low. Natural edge of power amp breakup happens around 5 or 6 on the dial. Too loud for home. I know you can get preamp distortion (volume knob at 5/6 ish) and master volume at 2. Would like to see a comparison at low volumes - clean and natural power amp breakup. Best way to achieve great tone at low volumes.
I had the blues jr 3 and sold it. Got the fender mustang gtx50. I just like the different presets and how you can load more. Had the boss katana and Spark and didn’t like them.
Awesome stuff guys, the Jr was definitely much more dynamic. To your point though, the Mustang is a great amp to experiment different effects without breaking the bank. Thanks!!
I have a Fender Vibro Champ, which I got at Alamo Music, and it would be my desert island amp. I also have a Princeton and a Friedman Mini Dirty Shirley. But the Vibro Champ is the most useful for me.
Yes, me too. I also have a replica of a fender champ 600. Only has a volume knob and I got it used. Much less expensive than a Champ hand wired tweed. A pedal or 2 for that for reverb or OD. But the Vibro Champ custom or a used Vibro Champ XD is great for practice and apartment use.
The LT25 sound like it is in another room compared to the Blues Junior. Like it's muffled. I started with a Champion 100 which sounded the same, but I only realized after I purchased a DSL40. I sold the Champion about a week later because I knew I would never play it again. The difference between tube and SS is like night and day. I've got an AC15 now, too, and love that even more than the DSL40.
I have seen on UA-cam a comparison of the Boss Katana Artist Mk ll, and the Blues Junior, and the Katana Artist was the clear winner. I preferred the tone of the Artist and it is also far more versatile, as you can play it both at home and you can gig with it. I currently have a L25 and I am ordering a Katana Artist.
The Jr. has so much more "high" tone it was almost no comparison. Like Cooper said, the Mustang is a good intro amp but the Jr. is by far a more complete sound when comparing with "identical" settings. Now about the Vegas crack Chris ...
Blues jr is a great amp. I gig with it alot Takes pedals perfectly. Nothing like a tube amp, thats why All the modelers try to duplicate. I love my Kemper (versatile) but the blues jr is a work horse.
This is a music store for profit. They going to make the more expensive unit sound better so you will buy it from them. Even with the sound not tweaked properly the LT sounds good to me. You could pay numerous thousands to buy pedals to get opportunity to create and experiment with these other guitar styles. Current price is about the same as dinner for a family of four at Outback. Come on man!
Its not really a good comparison. Its more about solid state vs tube; isn't it? The Blues Jr is a very functional amp in a lot of ways. I bought it thinking that it was a good apartment amp. Like the pro junior, it was just too much power. The Vibro Champ Custom amp worked out really well. A bit pricey, but 5 watts was enough for sure. Imagine a 5 watt Blues Jr type tweed? That would be awesome. Solid state amps with built in digital options and effects can be a lot of fun, but it is a different sound for sure.
Hi there...........I have this Amp..............What would you suggest to drive the 30 pre set sounds that are in this amp..........A Fender Telecaster with the 2 Single Coils......Or the Fender Telecaster with the 2 Humbuckers.......I want to know what pickups would make those 30 pre set pedals sound the cleanest...........Thanks
Tube amp definitely seemed more hi-fidelity. Solid state almost had a transistor radio thing going on. Which is good if you are going for that very specific aesthetic. Not so good if you want to melt someone's face off though. Solid state also felt like you needed to compensate by turning the treble up a bit (or more than a little bit).
Dig into the LT25. The Fender clean preset is Garbage in my opinion. Start with a basic amp sound on the LT25 and tweak from there. Ignore the crummy presets altogether………I’ve owned (and still own) high end amps and am impressed as hell with the LT25.
Do you know any resources I could use to help me build my tone on the LT25? I hate the presets, especially the Fender clean, sounds so muffled with my strat.
Solid State vs Tube has always been a non to me. I started with a Sunn SS but went to a Fender Super Reverb and heard the difference.thats why I'll always pick a tube first. You can always by a pedal.
I looked a bunch of modeling amps and purchased the LT25 ( Boss Katana was close second and perhaps more versatile?). I wanted something for practice and fun and fairly simple, so this fits the bill. Price wasn't an issue for me, but space and no desire to buy a bunch of pedals was. Certainly you won't use it to fill a large venue , but that's a given. The sound is actually pretty adjustable ( The LT50 has an additional control at mid range and a bigger speaker) based on the amp you choose. For the price, it is a deal ,I think.
The LT25 has a mid control, but only in the screen tweaks, not on the top panel. I've owned the Kat 50, and I much prefer the LT25, as well as the Yamaha THR10C and the Kat Mini. Those are my three favorite low volume amps for getting great low to mid gain bluesy tones with a Strat or Tele
You hit the nail square on the head. I have a number of Fender Tube amps but settled in on my gigging amp which is the Blues Jr. Tweed NOS with a Boss ME-80 multi effects pedal. I would really like to see a comparison between a Mesa Boogie MkV 25 or 35 with separate head and cabinet compared to the MkV 25 Combo with a 10" speaker (I would really like a 12" speaker) and could the MkV 25 Combo plus using a 12" open back external cabinet which is what I am leaning towards due to the weight. Is going the Mesa Boogie route worth the expense? Thoughts are appreciated.
Hey guys have you heard of driftwood guitar builders? I bought the Taylor 324ce v class. It sounds amazing and they keep telling me that v class is a gimmick and they have never played a good sounding v class guitar. Do you think they just are being arrogant or did I make a bad choice?? Cost me 2300 with taxes. I love it sounds and looks but I just keep seeing their remarks and it bothers me. I don’t get why other companies don’t make v class as well now. I really like the sound and play but I’m not an expert on x or v bracing. Can you let me know your thoughts on my choice of the 324ce v class? Please.
We discussed Driftwood in a previous channel . They are a small builder and I (Chris) have never seen or played one of their guitars. They do cover a lot of guitars on their UA-cam channel which is a good way of getting views. Taylor sells tons of guitars and have sold more since the switch. It isn’t a gimmick and there are lots of different bracing patterns from different builders. Like what you like. Also, V-class is patented so no one else can use it.
@@AlamoMusic Their videos are pretty interesting. However, if I were a guitar builder whose starting price for a build was $15,000 I don’t think I would be wasting a minute of my time making UA-cam videos when I could be spending my time building guitars. I completely agree with the “like what you like” comment. It doesn’t matter if the guitar cost $500, $1,000, or $5,000+ if you like it, if it inspires you, and if you could reasonably “afford it” nothing else matters.
@@AlamoMusic hey Chris thanks so much for getting back to me. That’s really good to hear. Yea he said it was a gimmick copied from hundreds of years ago. I was like no I’m pretty sure Taylor came out with that design recently. They’re very arrogant. You all at Alamo are fantastic. Love your channel. Ryan :)
A closer comparison would have been the Mustang gtx 50, but you will never get a digital or solid state to feel like a tube amp. Not even the tonemasters feel like a tube amp. Closest I've played is the blues cube range.
This video is a testament to all consumers- Don't buy anything from this store, because they know nothing. But, that's about what I expect from some place in Texas called Alamo Music.
No! They tried to make the LT25 sound as bad as they possibly could. When I got my LT25 I compared it to the Blues Jr., and at low apartment volume the LT25 blows the Blues Jr. away. If they had used a BF Deluxe or Twin amp model and tweaked the gain and tone they could have made it sound as good as the Blues Jr.
I bought a blues jr 3 used for like $400 cash and ive had it maybe 8 years. Maybe changed the tubes once? Tried it in a Samash to demo a guitar and my amp at home (H&K blue 60) couldnt compare 😂
It's the Epiphone 1959 Les Paul, released this year as a partnership between Epiphone and the Gibson Custom Shop! You can see our review here: ua-cam.com/video/hrUlZom-3mA/v-deo.html
I love all of your videos and I have learned a ton watching them but I don’t think you give Guild enough love. They have some great guitars and I just tried their new A-20 Bob Marley signature guitar and I love it. I know it’s gimmicky but it felt great to play.
I wouldn't call the B.J. expensive. But for all the technical issues it has, you have to wonder if it's fully worth the cost. If you have to regularly pay for repairs and replacement parts, it's not.
I had a Blues Jr. many years ago but sold it and I remember paying something like around $500 area. I am sooo sorry I sold it, but things happen. You can hear the difference between these two amps and there is no question about which is better. The solid-state sounds like it is packed with blankets, that's how muffled it is compared with the Blues Jr. ..I would love to see the Blues Jr compared with a higher end tub amp, Please!!
Used to have a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 60watt while in college 😂 What do you mean noone needs one? Yeah I thought it it was loud, really loud to get any significant distortion lol. My Spark Mini emulates it pretty well though lol
I am tempted to buy a small tube amp but how reliable these amps full of chips are? Tube amps need regular maintenance but nobody talks about it. And each time I see one in the ads, I tend to think that the owner sells it before doing the maintenance whereas he knows the amp needs it. I'll keep my old Park G25R for a while until I buy a point-to-point boutique amp which I think is the real deal.
I’ve been a hard core tube amp fan since I bought my first tube amp in the early 90s. So much so that I’ve only bought one solid state amp (a Fender Acoustic amp-specifically the original Acoustasonic SFX) since then. I completely understand the concern that people have with components in modern digital amps. However, it seems to me that the approach that amp makers are taking is different than the approach of other types of consumer electronics such as cellphones, computers, TVs, or small appliances. Cellphones suffer from planned obsolescence. I’m sure an original iPhone would still work just fine with a new battery (and more memory), but the oldest model of iPhone that Apple still supports from a software standpoint is the iPhone 6s. With computers the the tech and the software advance so quickly that people are also forced to upgrade to stay current. TVs advance quickly also so they have some of the same push to upgrade that computers and cellphones have, but in TVs manufacturers often “cheap out” on components to meet a price point which has caused many lower end TVs to fail more quickly than older TVs ever did. Small appliances are just outright made to be disposable today. On the other hand, in the 20-25 years of digital amps I haven’t really heard of the amps failing (the same is true for regular solid state amps after the first couple of generations from the 60s/early 70s). With amps people seem to be buying the newer models simply because they sound better than the older ones, and because they have more features and are often easier to use. I’m 50 and I doubt I’ll be replacing my tube amps with modeling amps any time in the near future. However, I do have my doubts about how much longer companies will keep making tubes. It’s already to the point where most modern tubes are nowhere near the quality of older ones.
Guys thank for this review of cheap vs expensive... I always wondered why my 1969 Volkswagen beetle couldn't beat those Olds 484's in a street race... guess I should have opted for the "turbo charge package"....! Any way Cooper earlier in this presentation you mentioned that hopefully someone there would maybe delve into and make some mods for the LT25... did they? Not seeing anything on the UA-cam.
Or they could have simply used the tone controls on the amp to tweak the sound. I have the LT25, and it is NOT lacking in clarity or muddy on the BF Deluxe or Twim amp models. None of the Fender modeling amps are great at really high gain sounds, and a Katana is better for that. But, for low to medium gain blues and classic rock tones they far outperform the Katana, IMO
Speaking of amps I'm 65 now, but back in the late 60s early70s I bought a fairly well used Yamaha amp and guitar beautiful sunburst, but that amp just kicked ass. Set up with so many cool presets I didn't need any stompers aw that thing just was so at home with blues to rock and jazz . I wish I could get that amp back. Unfortunately My dad sold it off when I shipped out and I never found anything that matched up. I couldn't tell you the specs now it's been too long gone black brown leather and a great front panel crisscross diamond pattern. Now I would like to find a good decent amp that I can still do some old Viejo rock before I lose all my skills.the little I have left. Damn I love music. Thanks for your humor and knowledge you are doing a great service. Jimmy Lee blues
When it comes to how good your music sounds when playing a guitar, this a list of factors in reverse order: Guitar wood (neck, body or fingerboard, take your pick) Quality of guitar lead Nut material Bridge type Strings Pickups Amp What your fingers do
The LT25 could hold its own if they had bothered to tweak the tone on it. It does have gain and tone controls after all, as well as dozens of different amp models. They went out of their way to use the shittiest sounds they could find on the LT25 to sell a warehouse full of Blues Jrs that they're sitting on, while the LT25s are flying out the door, lol
Fender tube .. I use no pedals .. little reverb and not looking to recreate another band's sound .. I play better when I get the sound I like and practice more
After 25 years with my Fender Ultimate Chorus 2x12 solid state, I got a Blues Junior about 6 months ago to have a tube amp. Love it. And then messing about in GC the other day I plugged into an LT25 at random to try a guitar, and had so much fun that I took it home. LT25 is a super fun, light, inexpensive easy option for practice, and would be amazing for beginners.
I have an LT25 and 50, they are fabulous practice amps. For performing a tube amp or ToneMaster is the ticket. Having said that, a little eq action would really help the LT in the demo.
I’ve owned a Blues Jr and have just bought an LT25.
If you want something to match a Blues Jr - then it’s a Blues Jr 🙂
If you want something that will sound like a Blues Jr and that’s good enough - and can sound like lots of other things then the LT25.
However they’re a completely different intent.
Great review and playing. That Blues Junior sounded so smooth. I got a Mustang L25 and it's good for a beginner like me, but it doesn't have bluetooth.
The fender mustang LT doesn't do some stuff mentioned in this video, like apps fender do an app but doesn't seem to be possible on this amp and doesn't seem to have Bluetooth I almost bought this amp on the back of this video , I would have been very disappointed!
Throw a decibel meter up to show how much louder you have to play the Blues Jr to get good sounds out of it. Not bedroom levels, that's for sure. Two amps for two different users. One is a home practice amp or jamming with buddies. The other is made for playing in clubs or with a band. It's important to tell your end users that tube amps need to be played loud to get those good sounds out of them. Also a 15 watt tube amp is about as loud as a 100 watt solid state amp, the powers don't correlate. I have tube and modeling amps and normally use the modeling b/c I play at home and with friends, I'm not gigging. I think tubes are over rated unless you are really cooking them. If you aren't A/Bing things your ears get used to what you are playing. So find something that sounds decent and just play. Gear is not the most important thing. Cheers.
I literally made this upgrade last month. Very much enjoying my Blues Jr!
Would definitely enjoy an entry level tube amp vs high end tube comparison. The selection from Fender alone for a single speaker tube amp is pretty broad in price and features.
Right, just do not pay for "Vintage" you will get screwed just about every time. Some guys just love to be sodomized. I see them every dat. Especially in the "High end" shops. You have to watch out for the vocabulary used by the sales person. I can tell when on commission. GC watch out for the extended warranty, as Sweetwater has an automatic 2 years, free.
The LT25 will sound muffled - if you don't turn the ttreble up. Hellooo?
For real, it’s not impossible to EQ it.
I have the LT25, and I compared it to the Blues Jr. when I got it, and at low volume the LT25 blew it away
Yup, a nice eq pedal before the LT gives it a nice boost too. Even my cheepo Beringer gives the LT a nice kick.
Yeah this wasn’t a fair comparison at all. The point of all the pedals effects is to tweak the tone. This sounds like the bass is too high. Sounds nothing like my LT25 with some tweaks. Will turn off a lot of potential people from buying it.
Amen
The LT25 has 20 different amp models, any of which can be inserted into any of the 30 presets. Preset #1 is titled Fender Clean into which you can load models of a Fender Tweed Champ, Deluxe, Twin, or Bassman, a BF Fender Twin, Deluxe, Princeton, a Vox AC30, or late 60's Marshall or HiWatt. Obviously, the presenters of this video chose NOT to make any effort to try to "tweak " the LT25 , probably choosing a model that had nothing to do with a Fender amp similar to a Blues Jr. As an owner of an LT25 and prior owner of an original 1997 Blues Jr. I can tell you that this was a very poor comparison of what the LT25 can sound like with just a little effort manipulating the amp models.
Yeah it felt like they’re trying to sell the Blues Jr here. Pretty disappointing because I like the guy on the left.
Tweaking helps but doesn't change the fact is sounds muffled.
So you prefer the $750 amp over the $150 amp.
Not sure if you dialed the LT25 incorrectly or got a defected amp....My LT25 doesn't sound that muffled. Also wouldn't it have made way more sense to do this video with a strat/tele?
This video frustrated me. I don't think the comparison is fair and I think the sound of the LT-25 could have been dialed in better. I have owned the LT-25 for two years and love it, it is a fantastic bedroom/practice/learner amp. None better at the price, it sits next to me and will always be there. I am new to guitars and it's been a fantastic learning too with all the amps and pedals and effects modeled. Not long ago I bought a Fender Mustang GTX100 and it is mind-blowing for only $500. With 100watts and a good 12" speaker and many more pre-programmed options and bluetooth and a looper and excellent functional footswitch I think it would be a much better comparison to the Blues Junior.
Not even close, but thanks for comparing them. However, living in an apartment I've had to look for a headphone solution. The Fender Micro fixed this and the Captor X for my tube amp. Great job as always. Thanks for the video.
Great video. I was surprised how different they sounded. Jr was so clear.
Yes more comparisons of "like" amps.
A guy I jam with has a Twin tone as his base tone, and it's no way muffled. This is not a fair comparison, because it gives the impression that the Jr is so far ahead. I've owned four Jr's, and sold all of them, not as good as the ProJr's. YMMV
I think, you could have cut back the bass control of the LT25 to get a matching tone. Looks like you used identical pot settings for both amps, which is an unfair setting, as both the amps are radically different.
I bought a GTX 50 I've owned Pro Jr, Hot Rod Deluxe, Reverb Deluxe, RI 59 Bassman, Mesa 5:25, 68 Princeton, Roland Jazz chorus 40, Champ XD, and others, they were all nice. I had a massive pedal train PB and lots and lots of pedals but now I have just the GTX and all the rest of the gear has been sold. When I play out at jams I just use what they have there. People mostly can't tell the difference when you're that close in tone so it comes down to your performance. I'd rather have more guitars to play.
Nice comparison , thanks for the video! I'm actually from Wisconsin, but a couple years ago I went to a jam at the Texas Ice House. ( tiny, but super fun) Very different from Milwaukee! I used a Blues Jr there, mainly because of the ability to control the master volume. I also have a Pro Junior which is the amp I travel with in my RV. I have used them both at gigs in medium-to-large bars, and the Pro with it's 10" speaker actually cuts through more than the Blues Jr w/the 12.
I have gone to sit in at several gigs where guys are using 4-12 Stacks, and I tell them I'll just be in the background with my little peanut amp. Amp placement is important of course, but I usually just put it on a chair. Then when it's to to solo, just let it rip full bore. It's fun to watch the other guys turn around and wonder where that sound is coming from.
I can't say I'm very impressed with the solid state amps. but as you say, they do have thier
place.
I'd like to have heard the Mustang settings changed from 'noon' to make it sound brighter.
The LT25 (as others point out) was simply not dialed in. I have used the LT25 for years and it does not sound muffled at all. They have knobs for a reason... use them. And I use mine with pedals. And as another person points out, you can play this one super quiet and still sound good. But no, it is not a gigging amp, (but shhhhh most guitar players don't gig)
I have an LT25 and it sounds just as muffled, if not worse (when hearing it in person). Do you have any tips on making it sound less muffled? Giving it a little more treble than the base presets usually helps but it tends to sounds so muffled and boomy nonetheless.
@@goldie481 It may also have to do with what folks are using with it and other things. But yes, lowering your bass, boosting your mids and treble may help. And don't be afraid to dial the settings, a lot of people are afraid to move them to their "extremes" in either direction.
And that aside, there may be differences in each AMP. We see that with a lot of things, from guitars, amps, you name it.
@@goldie481 - That sucks. My LT-25 didn't sound muffled at all... In fact I had to keep the treble knob down below 1/2 for most tones... The one in this video sounds awful...
But I DID see an interesting video this last weekend where someone went out and bought an after-market Celestion 8" speaker and did a driver swap on the LT-25 and it sounded decent before but AMAZING once the std. speaker was swapped out. Guy said the new 8" driver only cost him $40 USD, so he got an amazing sounding modeling amp for about $200... Maybe look into a driver swap. The LT-25 can sound great, maybe yours just has a crappy 8" driver in it... Driver swaps are easy, and can make a HUGE difference in sound...
It would be great a comparison between some low wattage valve amps in the market. 15W is not suitable if you live in an apartment and you want to have a peaceful relationship with your neighbors.
Also, I believe Fender should launch a Blues Junior with a 1/5/15w switch or a lower wattage Blues Junior. In fact, they launched a few months ago a Pro Junior with 15W. Missed opportunities IMHO.
Not sure an 8” budget solid state vs a 12” medium range priced tube amp is a good h2h.
LT25 does not have Bluetooth but does have an input for tracks.
I found a used Fender Tube USA Sonic 22 combo w footswitch 4 button, including FX loop in switch for 850.00- It is a tweed to boot. The thing can sound like just about anything, if the time based effects are run through the loop. That from what I thought you said was 500.00. I think it is about being patient and deals will come along.
You need to take bass out. I got the LT 25 when I got my Gretsch G2420T because the cheap kit 5 watt I had flat out wouldn't work with the Streamliner low output pickups. I turn the tone almost all the way to treble to brighten it up. Though, that hollow body with flat wounds with the bass heavy, could double as a bass.
My LT25, along with my Yamaha THR10C, records amazingly great sounding tones direct through USB to Cakewalk or Cubase on my laptop, and both provide the most amazinfg recording quality I've gotten at home ever, with any recording setup. Try that with a Blues Jr.
thr 10c or thr 30ii ?
Can you guys do a video on the best acoustic guitar amp. I would like to get an acoustic electric guitar but I'm not sure which amp to get.
It depends on what you want it for and how much power you need. The Fishman Loudbox Mini is awesome for a lower power and smaller acoustic amp, and for bigger gigs the Marshall AS100 is simply incredible. In between, you'll find the large Fishman Loudbox models and the Marshall AS50
You should've used the presets in the LT25 to match the sound from the Blues Junior. The comparison seemed meaningless since the LT25 sounded very very bad than needed to be without the presets. With some tweaking you can absolutely come close to the goat. Also tube vs solid state debate would have more interesting if a good comparison was made. Otherwise it's just 2 wise guys having a chat.
The Mustang LT25 was my first amp and it did its job for the first year or so. I love that it has an Aux in so you can play along with recorded songs through the amp. Most good amps don't have this feature. It also sounds much better through headphones than through the speaker. Hopefully as a beginner, you are using headphones a lot and sparing family/ neighbors from your learning curve! I now have a Fender Champion 50xl which sounds significantly better than the Mustang through the speaker.
Interesting take. I just went from a champion 40 to the LT50 and I think the LT50 is head and toes better than the champion. Sound quality is literally identical but with the LT you have way more customization on your sound compared to the only 8 sounds that come on the champion
@@apocalypticalkitty1 The Champion 50 is a lot newer than the 40 and is much better sounding, but the LT50 may be just as good, and is certainly more feature rich and more versatile, with many more amp models and effects, as well as having direct recording ability thru USB, which the Champ 50 doesn't have
Excellent review! Cheers from England uk.
Love the Blues Jr. but as many are stuck at home. Would like to see a video on how to achieve great tube tone at home volumes. Blues Jr with an attenuator vs 1 watt or 5 watt amps with the goal of achieving the best tone.
Jr has a separate master volume knob so there’s no need for attenuator.
@@RedLion88 can’t get the most out of the amp with the master volume low. Natural edge of power amp breakup happens around 5 or 6 on the dial. Too loud for home. I know you can get preamp distortion (volume knob at 5/6 ish) and master volume at 2. Would like to see a comparison at low volumes - clean and natural power amp breakup. Best way to achieve great tone at low volumes.
@@paulcavaliere213 Sure. Tone King Ironman II mini to the rescue.
I had the blues jr 3 and sold it. Got the fender mustang gtx50. I just like the different presets and how you can load more. Had the boss katana and Spark and didn’t like them.
I think the tone settings on the LT were set to muffled? Closed Back makes a difference too?
Awesome stuff guys, the Jr was definitely much more dynamic. To your point though, the Mustang is a great amp to experiment different effects without breaking the bank. Thanks!!
I have a Fender Vibro Champ, which I got at Alamo Music, and it would be my desert island amp. I also have a Princeton and a Friedman Mini Dirty Shirley. But the Vibro Champ is the most useful for me.
Yes, me too.
I also have a replica of a fender champ 600. Only has a volume knob and I got it used. Much less expensive than a Champ hand wired tweed. A pedal or 2 for that for reverb or OD. But the Vibro Champ custom or a used Vibro Champ XD is great for practice and apartment use.
The LT25 sound like it is in another room compared to the Blues Junior. Like it's muffled. I started with a Champion 100 which sounded the same, but I only realized after I purchased a DSL40. I sold the Champion about a week later because I knew I would never play it again. The difference between tube and SS is like night and day. I've got an AC15 now, too, and love that even more than the DSL40.
16:35 even the guitar is saying wow 😹
There is eq on that digital amp. In comparing the 2 you should eq the digital to better match the jr.
I have seen on UA-cam a comparison of the Boss Katana Artist Mk ll, and the Blues Junior, and the Katana Artist was the clear winner. I preferred the tone of the Artist and it is also far more versatile, as you can play it both at home and you can gig with it. I currently have a L25 and I am ordering a Katana Artist.
The Jr. has so much more "high" tone it was almost no comparison. Like Cooper said, the Mustang is a good intro amp but the Jr. is by far a more complete sound when comparing with "identical" settings. Now about the Vegas crack Chris ...
Thanks, I'm going out to get the Jr! I have another modeling amp and they are ok for practicing.
Blues jr is a great amp. I gig with it alot Takes pedals perfectly. Nothing like a tube amp, thats why All the modelers try to duplicate. I love my Kemper (versatile) but the blues jr is a work horse.
Daaayum son diggin what y’all are playing
This is a music store for profit. They going to make the more expensive unit sound better so you will buy it from them. Even with the sound not tweaked properly the LT sounds good to me. You could pay numerous thousands to buy pedals to get opportunity to create and experiment with these other guitar styles. Current price is about the same as dinner for a family of four at Outback. Come on man!
Fenders recent cost increase is out pacing inflation, run and buy the blues Jr , before tubes are obsolete 🤘
I have two modeling amps but I I have a Acoustasonicthat I love.
Wow!!! The sound difference is amazing. But so is the price. The LT25 was so much softer. But man that Blues Jr pops!
I’d love to see a cheap vs expensive modeling amp… say the LT25 vs the GTX50
LT25 doesn't have a looper. The next one up does, tho.
Did the guy on the right give all his hair to the guy on the left?
Its not really a good comparison.
Its more about solid state vs tube; isn't it?
The Blues Jr is a very functional amp in a lot of ways. I bought it thinking that it was a good apartment amp. Like the pro junior, it was just too much power.
The Vibro Champ Custom amp worked out really well. A bit pricey, but 5 watts was enough for sure. Imagine a 5 watt Blues Jr type tweed? That would be awesome.
Solid state amps with built in digital options and effects can be a lot of fun, but it is a different sound for sure.
How do we know which is which .Or do we just have to guess ?
i am a fender guy but i toured with a pv classic 30, perfect stage volume on clean with break up + 2 drive channels
LOL to ‘Because I’ll be better!’ 🤣
I’m sure we’ve all been there at some point ahah!
Hi there...........I have this Amp..............What would you suggest to drive the 30 pre set sounds that are in this amp..........A Fender Telecaster with the 2 Single Coils......Or the Fender Telecaster with the 2 Humbuckers.......I want to know what pickups would make those 30 pre set pedals sound the cleanest...........Thanks
Tube amp definitely seemed more hi-fidelity. Solid state almost had a transistor radio thing going on. Which is good if you are going for that very specific aesthetic. Not so good if you want to melt someone's face off though. Solid state also felt like you needed to compensate by turning the treble up a bit (or more than a little bit).
Dig into the LT25. The Fender clean preset is Garbage in my opinion. Start with a basic amp sound on the LT25 and tweak from there. Ignore the crummy presets altogether………I’ve owned (and still own) high end amps and am impressed as hell with the LT25.
Do you know any resources I could use to help me build my tone on the LT25? I hate the presets, especially the Fender clean, sounds so muffled with my strat.
Great comparo. I think the Champion series would be to vs the other ss amps.
Great comparison', but a good caparison would be solid state vs solid state, say a spark 40 vs fender mustang lt 40 amp.
please do both of those future ideas
Solid State vs Tube has always been a non to me. I started with a Sunn SS but went to a Fender Super Reverb and heard the difference.thats why I'll always pick a tube first. You can always by a pedal.
Excellent reviews… are there any decent tube amps that cost less than the blues jr? I am looking for a practice and recording amp.
Blackstar HT1 or HT5 are amazing- lower power, size and the MkII has now been replaced by MkIII so deals around on MkII.
IMO! 😅
I looked a bunch of modeling amps and purchased the LT25 ( Boss Katana was close second and perhaps more versatile?). I wanted something for practice and fun and fairly simple, so this fits the bill. Price wasn't an issue for me, but space and no desire to buy a bunch of pedals was. Certainly you won't use it to fill a large venue , but that's a given. The sound is actually pretty adjustable ( The LT50 has an additional control at mid range and a bigger speaker) based on the amp you choose. For the price, it is a deal ,I think.
The LT25 has a mid control, but only in the screen tweaks, not on the top panel. I've owned the Kat 50, and I much prefer the LT25, as well as the Yamaha THR10C and the Kat Mini. Those are my three favorite low volume amps for getting great low to mid gain bluesy tones with a Strat or Tele
Great Playing - Pros Junior sounded Great - I have an EVH 2 12 - but would love a Pro-Junior
I wonder what those ‘more expensive’ tube amps are they are referring to? Are they suitable for home playing?
Have the fender LT25 and the treble is indeed not very good, sounds always like a bit underwater....
You hit the nail square on the head. I have a number of Fender Tube amps but settled in on my gigging amp which is the Blues Jr. Tweed NOS with a Boss ME-80 multi effects pedal. I would really like to see a comparison between a Mesa Boogie MkV 25 or 35 with separate head and cabinet compared to the MkV 25 Combo with a 10" speaker (I would really like a 12" speaker) and could the MkV 25 Combo plus using a 12" open back external cabinet which is what I am leaning towards due to the weight. Is going the Mesa Boogie route worth the expense? Thoughts are appreciated.
Hey guys have you heard of driftwood guitar builders? I bought the Taylor 324ce v class. It sounds amazing and they keep telling me that v class is a gimmick and they have never played a good sounding v class guitar. Do you think they just are being arrogant or did I make a bad choice?? Cost me 2300 with taxes. I love it sounds and looks but I just keep seeing their remarks and it bothers me. I don’t get why other companies don’t make v class as well now. I really like the sound and play but I’m not an expert on x or v bracing. Can you let me know your thoughts on my choice of the 324ce v class? Please.
We discussed Driftwood in a previous channel . They are a small builder and I (Chris) have never seen or played one of their guitars. They do cover a lot of guitars on their UA-cam channel which is a good way of getting views. Taylor sells tons of guitars and have sold more since the switch. It isn’t a gimmick and there are lots of different bracing patterns from different builders. Like what you like. Also, V-class is patented so no one else can use it.
@@AlamoMusic
Their videos are pretty interesting. However, if I were a guitar builder whose starting price for a build was $15,000 I don’t think I would be wasting a minute of my time making UA-cam videos when I could be spending my time building guitars.
I completely agree with the “like what you like” comment. It doesn’t matter if the guitar cost $500, $1,000, or $5,000+ if you like it, if it inspires you, and if you could reasonably “afford it” nothing else matters.
@@AlamoMusic hey Chris thanks so much for getting back to me. That’s really good to hear. Yea he said it was a gimmick copied from hundreds of years ago. I was like no I’m pretty sure Taylor came out with that design recently. They’re very arrogant. You all at Alamo are fantastic. Love your channel.
Ryan :)
I would be interested in a comparison of the Blues Junior and the BOSS Katana Artist. A high end solid state versus a good quality tube amp.
A closer comparison would have been the Mustang gtx 50, but you will never get a digital or solid state to feel like a tube amp. Not even the tonemasters feel like a tube amp. Closest I've played is the blues cube range.
This video is a testament to all consumers- Don't buy anything from this store, because they know nothing. But, that's about what I expect from some place in Texas called Alamo Music.
is that really the closest mustang can be dialed to sound like blues junior?
Right?
No! They tried to make the LT25 sound as bad as they possibly could. When I got my LT25 I compared it to the Blues Jr., and at low apartment volume the LT25 blows the Blues Jr. away. If they had used a BF Deluxe or Twin amp model and tweaked the gain and tone they could have made it sound as good as the Blues Jr.
I bought a blues jr 3 used for like $400 cash and ive had it maybe 8 years. Maybe changed the tubes once? Tried it in a Samash to demo a guitar and my amp at home (H&K blue 60) couldnt compare 😂
What version of the blues jr is that? III or IV
Anybody know the specific model of Epiphone Les Paul used in the tone demos? I really like that top and satin looking finish.
It's the Epiphone 1959 Les Paul, released this year as a partnership between Epiphone and the Gibson Custom Shop! You can see our review here: ua-cam.com/video/hrUlZom-3mA/v-deo.html
Would love to see comparison with acoustic fishman amps.....
I love all of your videos and I have learned a ton watching them but I don’t think you give Guild enough love. They have some great guitars and I just tried their new A-20 Bob Marley signature guitar and I love it. I know it’s gimmicky but it felt great to play.
Was the treble turned down on the Fender? Very muffled.
I wouldn't call the B.J. expensive. But for all the technical issues it has, you have to wonder if it's fully worth the cost. If you have to regularly pay for repairs and replacement parts, it's not.
Shout-out to my Man Rhett!! ;-) Good Job Guys!
I had a Blues Jr. many years ago but sold it and I remember paying something like around $500 area. I am sooo sorry I sold it, but things happen. You can hear the difference between these two amps and there is no question about which is better. The solid-state sounds like it is packed with blankets, that's how muffled it is compared with the Blues Jr. ..I would love to see the Blues Jr compared with a higher end tub amp, Please!!
How do you hook up a Bluetooth to the 25LT so I can use it with my phone?
It has a 3.5mm aux input for that
Lol, my first amp was a Park(by Marshall) 30w. They weren't bad at all!
Really informative review, and effective demonstration. Thanks for putting this concept to the test!
can you guys do a review of Tone King amps??
I don’t think they sell Tone King amps. Maybe that’s one the “expensive” amp brands they were hinting at trying to be getting.
Used to have a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 60watt while in college 😂 What do you mean noone needs one? Yeah I thought it it was loud, really loud to get any significant distortion lol. My Spark Mini emulates it pretty well though lol
Do you guys ever get H+H solid -state amps from UK, listen to one if you can...or listen to Dr Feelgood?
I am tempted to buy a small tube amp but how reliable these amps full of chips are? Tube amps need regular maintenance but nobody talks about it. And each time I see one in the ads, I tend to think that the owner sells it before doing the maintenance whereas he knows the amp needs it. I'll keep my old Park G25R for a while until I buy a point-to-point boutique amp which I think is the real deal.
That’s my fear too. I think I’m going to go with a regular amp maybe the fishman mini loudbox? Do you like them?
I’ve been a hard core tube amp fan since I bought my first tube amp in the early 90s. So much so that I’ve only bought one solid state amp (a Fender Acoustic amp-specifically the original Acoustasonic SFX) since then.
I completely understand the concern that people have with components in modern digital amps. However, it seems to me that the approach that amp makers are taking is different than the approach of other types of consumer electronics such as cellphones, computers, TVs, or small appliances.
Cellphones suffer from planned obsolescence. I’m sure an original iPhone would still work just fine with a new battery (and more memory), but the oldest model of iPhone that Apple still supports from a software standpoint is the iPhone 6s. With computers the the tech and the software advance so quickly that people are also forced to upgrade to stay current. TVs advance quickly also so they have some of the same push to upgrade that computers and cellphones have, but in TVs manufacturers often “cheap out” on components to meet a price point which has caused many lower end TVs to fail more quickly than older TVs ever did. Small appliances are just outright made to be disposable today.
On the other hand, in the 20-25 years of digital amps I haven’t really heard of the amps failing (the same is true for regular solid state amps after the first couple of generations from the 60s/early 70s). With amps people seem to be buying the newer models simply because they sound better than the older ones, and because they have more features and are often easier to use.
I’m 50 and I doubt I’ll be replacing my tube amps with modeling amps any time in the near future. However, I do have my doubts about how much longer companies will keep making tubes. It’s already to the point where most modern tubes are nowhere near the quality of older ones.
The lowkey mocking of the LT25 its clear they love the Blues Jr.
There's no comparision at all but in my opinion the Mustang FT40 it's not so bad and has a little more Power.
Guys thank for this review of cheap vs expensive... I always wondered why my 1969 Volkswagen beetle couldn't beat those Olds 484's in a street race... guess I should have opted for the "turbo charge package"....!
Any way Cooper earlier in this presentation you mentioned that hopefully someone there would maybe delve into and make some mods for the LT25... did they? Not seeing anything on the UA-cam.
Mustang was lacking in clarity and treble especially in the crunch setting. A speaker upgrade could possibly improve the Mustang sound.
Or they could have simply used the tone controls on the amp to tweak the sound. I have the LT25, and it is NOT lacking in clarity or muddy on the BF Deluxe or Twim amp models. None of the Fender modeling amps are great at really high gain sounds, and a Katana is better for that. But, for low to medium gain blues and classic rock tones they far outperform the Katana, IMO
Speaking of amps I'm 65 now, but back in the late 60s early70s I bought a fairly well used Yamaha amp and guitar beautiful sunburst, but that amp just kicked ass.
Set up with so many cool presets I didn't need any stompers aw that thing just was so at home with blues to rock and jazz .
I wish I could get that amp back.
Unfortunately My dad sold it off when I shipped out and I never found anything that matched up. I couldn't tell you the specs now it's been too long gone black brown leather and a great front panel crisscross diamond pattern.
Now I would like to find a good decent amp that I can still do some old Viejo rock before I lose all my skills.the little I have left.
Damn I love music.
Thanks for your humor and knowledge you are doing a great service.
Jimmy Lee blues
When it comes to how good your music sounds when playing a guitar, this a list of factors in reverse order:
Guitar wood (neck, body or fingerboard, take your pick)
Quality of guitar lead
Nut material
Bridge type
Strings
Pickups
Amp
What your fingers do
GTX 50 would have been able to get a lot closer to the Blues Jr. But I get it... Not as cheap as the LT25.
The LT25 could hold its own if they had bothered to tweak the tone on it. It does have gain and tone controls after all, as well as dozens of different amp models. They went out of their way to use the shittiest sounds they could find on the LT25 to sell a warehouse full of Blues Jrs that they're sitting on, while the LT25s are flying out the door, lol
There are plenty of Solid-State Amps you can happily gig with.....but not that one!
I use an AC15. It weighs a tonne and makes my ears bleed when it's turned to 9.
The BMW comparison is right... Great till it goes wrong. Then you find out it's impossible or prohibitively expensive to fix.
WOW LT25 please take the blanket off it. 🤣
Fender tube .. I use no pedals .. little reverb and not looking to recreate another band's sound .. I play better when I get the sound I like and practice more