Fender Blues Junior IV
Rating: 4.5 / 5
The classic small valve combo. Sparkling Fender cleans and sweet breakup from a 15-watt single-12 — the most-recommended tube amp for blues, country and indie.
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Pros
- Classic sparkling Fender cleans
- Sweet valve breakup when pushed
- Pedal-friendly
- Gig-ready yet portable
Cons
- Single channel
- Can get loud before it breaks up naturally
- Stock speaker divides opinion
The benchmark small tube combo
The Blues Junior has been a gigging staple for decades, and the IV refines it with a smoother reverb and a tweaked preamp. Fifteen valve watts through a 12" speaker gives you that chiming Fender clean at lower volumes, and a lovely natural overdrive when you push the master. The "FAT" switch thickens it up for solos.
Where to buy: Check the current price of the Fender Blues Junior IV on Amazon →
It is loud enough for small-to-mid gigs, light enough to carry, and sounds wonderful with pedals in front. For most players wanting their first real valve amp, this is the one.