epiphone valve junior vs blackheart litte giant

Which amp do you prefer?

  • Total voters
    24
niteblade

niteblade

New member
for those of you who have TRIED them

btw the ones im referring to are the heads with the 1x12 cabs

what are your takes on them and how they fare against each other?

as we all know, tone is subjective

but you can state why YOUR preferences and WHY
 
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Different voicings here..
I voted for the VJ.. Simply because the cleans are sound fat, and works great with pedals..
I didn't like the Blackheart as much.. Was less smooth.. And the 3 band EQ is just a trick (not that responsive).. Give em both a go at Blackwood man!
 
tried a blackheart sometime at the start of the year. i felt that it was lacking something

the epi sounded quite nice when i tried it at goose's place but he was using 2x12 celestions
 
niteblade said:
for those of you who have TRIED them

btw the ones im referring to are the heads with the 1x12 cabs

what are your takes on them and how they fare against each other?

as we all know, tone is subjective

but you can state why YOUR preferences and WHY
Click to expand...

I own the Valve Junior Combo. The sound signature is inherently muddy, and the lack of an EQ section does not enable tweaking (perhaps the Blackheart would be better in this aspect?). Also, the reliability is slightly questionable - I had quite alot of trouble with an intermittent signal until Seekz fixed it. On the whole, it is a cheap and decent tube amp that does take drive pedals well, but some tweaks will probably have to be made if you are using a humbucker equipped guitar.

If I were on the market for a small tube amp now, I would probably get the Blackheart simply because of the aforementioned EQ section. When I bought my VJ, it was the only small amp in its class apart from the Ibanez Valbee (which is aesthetically revolting IMO).

Perhaps you could check out the Tone Drive tube amp from Standard Value or even a Ceriatone?
 
niteblade said:
tried a blackheart sometime at the start of the year. i felt that it was lacking something

the epi sounded quite nice when i tried it at goose's place but he was using 2x12 celestions
Click to expand...

...c/w with an oversize OT.;)

And it will be futher mod with gain, tone and master volume.
Plus three switches for futher tonal choices.

It belongs to a fellow softie who wants to take it futher as he finds that it lacks sparkle and punch.

The black Heart can be mod with an oversize OT as the stock is a bit small and plus other circuit tweaking will surely bring to new tonal possibilities.

These amps used with their stock speaker cab equipped with 'china' speakers limits their full potential...imo.
 
I would probably get the Blackheart simply because of the aforementioned EQ section.
Click to expand...

Looking at the schematic, that tone stack doesn't have a good recovery after since it's a single pre tube with dual stage prior to output power tube.

Possibilities:

1) Remove tone stack and incooperate single tone knob.
2) Add recovery stage with an additional tube.

;)
 
gsonique said:
These amps used with their stock speaker cab equipped with 'china' speakers limits their full potential...imo.
Click to expand...


would getting a new speaker to replace the stock speaker help to fufill their potential? or the problem is intertwined with the cab housing
 
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gsonique said:
Приятного Рождества и счастливого Нового Года всем любителям европейской кухни! :)С наступающими праздниками!
Click to expand...

LOL. Let me try to translate that... "Pleasant Christmas and happy New Year to all fans of the European kitchen! With coming holidays!"

Ok off topic =\
 
Well i own a blackheart little giant, and honestly speaking changing the tubes does change the character of the amp quite abit, but after talking to goose abt it, i am convinced that for the little giant to reach it's fullest potential, it definitely has to be modded. As for the standard speaker it sounds gd and decent for the price u pay for (not bad in anyway unless u compare with the high end speakers), although wat goose say abt the chinese eminence may be true and swapping the speakers to a gd celestion and eimnence may just do the trick but it is up to ur own judgement. Cab construction wise seems good and it is a close back so with a speaker swap, it may just sound really good imho without splashing cash on expensive cabs.
 
I hated the blackheart i had, the thing just sucked unmodded. It couldnt really take drives well and the eq section was just kinda useless.

Well a certain relative of mine is having a good time with it...meanwhile i shall be looking forward to getting a better amp *hints to goose*
 
Oooohhhh, Ized dun give the game away lol......keke me too my man is looking forward to the u know what hehe........just hope that the wait is not too long lol.
 
nah....its all hype bro! :lol:

Although lets just say that we know what really lives up to "hype" and what's just hype ;)
 
Haha profound but totally understood the meaning bro, it is true abt hype and all but end of the day it is not just abt how gd the product is, but how it makes u "feel good". Aiyoh so Ized my man u must be all prepared with the moolah and just waiting for the day to come huh? keke.
 
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