Fender Deluxe VM - anybody like it?

[mattkw80]

Hey Guys,

Thinking about trading my Vox Valvetronics AMP in for a new Fender Deluxe VM.

http://www.fender.com/products//sear...tno=2220000000

Anybody here used one / heard one / own one ?

[lpdeluxe]

Great amp: here's a recent thread: http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=281458

[mattkw80]

Ok thanks... will read asap.

Sorry I did search, but didn't find anything. (Must have not searched right)

Anyway... I apologize to the Server Hard Drive / Forum God's who hate redundant threads.

Thanks again for the links.

[lpdeluxe]

I sent you the link mostly because a lot of ground was covered. If you have any questions, let us know.

I quite like my BM VM, but my Blues Jr wins out at most gigs for portability with only a very small diminution in tone.

[mattkw80]

Cool thanks again.

Is this the Blue Jr your talking about?

http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=0213205000

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

I sent you the link mostly because a lot of ground was covered. If you have any questions, let us know.

I quite like my BM VM, but my Blues Jr wins out at most gigs for portability with only a very small diminution in tone.

I have a Blues Jr and a Deluxe Reverb (an old one), and with my Strat there is a lot of difference in tone. The Jr is a great little amp, but it doesn't do clean and glassy anywhere near as well as the DR. With humbuckers the Jr is actually better than the DR, IMO.

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by ggunn

I have a Blues Jr and a Deluxe Reverb (an old one), and with my Strat there is a lot of difference in tone. The Jr is a great little amp, but it doesn't do clean and glassy anywhere near as well as the DR. With humbuckers the Jr is actually better than the DR, IMO.

I'm not comparing the classic, back-in-the-day Deluxe Reverb, but the newer, hybrid tube and digital amp with the same name. I've played through a DRRI, and it was quite different from the Band-Master VM head (identical to the Deluxe Reverb VM, without the speaker) that I have. And, to my ear, the DR/BM VM is closer to the Blues Jr sound than the Deluxe Reverb.

I've been greatly tempted to get the DRRI, but first I've got to finish putting a Bigsby on my SG, working out an open-back 15" cabinet for the Band-Master, and (if there's time) dealing with life in general.

[mattkw80]

Well thanks for all the insight guys.

I am hoping to pick up my new Deluxe VM at lunch.

All I want is a light weighted (45lbs.) little all tube 1x12 combo that I can grab and go for the handful of gigs I play every year, and something tells me I'll be happy with this.

I did get to play one last week.... the distortion was really really nice, and I like that the Chorus can be pushed to almost out of this world 'Electro Harmonix' levels.

[lpdeluxe]

Here's the model of BJ I have: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...Amp?sku=483711

Luckily I got it before the price went up.

I replaced the stock reverb pan with a Ruby Reverb, which improved it a bit.

I find the sound of the Blues Jr and the Deluxe VM to be similar, but the bigger amp has more oomph on the lower notes. Both are on the "chimey" side of the spectrum, which I quite like with my ES-335.

My version is the Band-Master VM, which is identical to the Deluxe VM other than the fact that it's a head only (and the speaker outputs are labeled differently on the back). I currently plug into a Hartke 115TP for a nice round tone. Later this year I plan to get a Weber 1-15 open back cab, which should sound better for guitar.

As soon as I get a gig that's not on a crowded stage, I'll take the Band-Master. So far it's made more sense to take advantage of the smaller footprint of the Blues Jr.

[mattkw80]

Well,

I've had the Deluxe VM home now for 3 days. Love it. I've never owned a guitar amp this nice before. I play a Mexican Strat, and an Epiphone SG, and both guitars sound great through it.

The Clean is very nice, and the Drive Channel distortion is also excellent. My guitar pedals really work well with it as well - I find the EH Big Muff Pie a little more manageable through this amp.

Delay is more than good enough, and the Chrous is great. Reverb is also great.


Anyway... love the amp. Hoping this is the last guitar amp I'll ever need to own.

[lpdeluxe]

I'm glad to hear that you like it. I need to pull out my 335 again -- I've been working up material on my '51 Precision, a different beast entirely.