Question about Blues Junior and Blues Deville amps

I do Have this question for both amps : The Blues Junior and the Blues Deville
Is there any way to completely disconnect the Amp part and use only the preamp by connecting the preamp out to another extrenal amp?
 
thank you your reply,
when playing home those amps are sometimes too loud. and with using an attenuator I still consume power and useless hours on the power tubes. I would prefer using the preamp on another smaller amp
 
The Blues Jr preamp is everything before the master volume, well according to the schematic reference there is also a reverb tank feed coming off that point as well. You would want to buffer that output and maybe add an individual volume control then to a 1/4" jack as a preamp output. In a similar fashion, an effects send/return loop could be implemented. I'd look online for anyone who modded these amps for an effects loop and maybe get some ideas how to proceed.
 
Yes the blues junior does not have an effects loop. (Actually I am using a volume atenuaton on the blues Deville who has an effects loop). This could be already a solution but If we create an effects loop (as already exists on Blues Deville) the amp tubes are still active and consume power for nothing.
 
But then, even with a schematic, you would have to guard against over voltage caused by not loading parts of the power supply with the disconnected tubes.
Dumb question, can you not turn the volume down?
I realise this might change the sound of the amp but then so would running through an external amp.
 
1But then, even with a schematic, you would have to guard against over voltage caused by not loading parts of the power supply with the disconnected tubes.

2 Dumb question, can you not turn the volume down?

3 I realise this might change the sound of the amp but then so would running through an external amp. .


1 It is logical yes. I am not an expert but I agree with you.
2 Mainly according to the preamp volume and setings I am getting vintage guitare sounds (pushing the preamp tubes signal accordinly) then the amp volume is very loud for home use. In studio or on stage by adding the amp volume you getting additional sound characteristics but its loud..
3 Using an external 1 to 5W amp should be the idea


Maby for not messing with those amps better buying a smaller one like 57 Champ amp!!
 
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exactly.
You practice playing technique at home quietly then crank it up to get the sound effect.
You cannot get the same sound at low volume.
Get a practice amp for home use. Even they can be loud!
Get a sound proof shed.
Can you play 'Over The Hills And Far Away'?
 
exactly.
You practice playing technique at home quietly then crank it up to get the sound effect.
You cannot get the same sound at low volume.
Get a practice amp for home use. Even they can be loud!
Get a sound proof shed.
Can you play 'Over The Hills And Far Away'?


I guess.
I've never tried that one yet. I guess is a Dmajor pentatonic...
 
The above suggestions are correct:you CAN take signal out from your Preamp but it will be basically Clean, notice that to get what you like you need to rise volume a lot.
That´s because the "nice" distortion comes from the power amp driven hard, which of course is too loud.

Even a Champ is annoyingly loud if driven hard.

Most practical solution is building an attenuator, which *can* be quite simple.

702765d1536623220-attenuator-15w-25w-guitar-amp-simpleattenuator-gif


Main problem is mounting the power resistor (it gets HOT) and getting a ventilated metallic box.
Forget plastic or wood but you can repurpose any old cabinet or even an empty PC power suply case such as:

ps2power230.main.jpg


which you can get for free from any friend who repairs PCs.

Build this **simple and cheap** attenuator, I call it the "3 AM attenuator" for obvious purposes, it can reduce any up to 50W amp to a Bedroom friendly one.

Just use a resistor with a power rating 50% higher than amp rated output.

body-bg-alt.png


High power resistors (50W - 100W) are typically tubular and must be mounted "floating" separated from chassis walls and case must be well ventilated, lots of holes for it to "breath":
k1.jpg


This is a mounting kit but if hard to find, it´s easy to kludge your own.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
 
Thank you
I guess it has to be connected on the speaker's output of the amp.
The amp (and preamp) can be fully pushed up while the attenuator will reduse back all this energy down..!
In the case of blues deville the preamp gives good sound already. for the moment I use a simple A pot 100k volume box in between.
I might try connecting it to a small simple amp on whitch I will hook its speakers. An idea would be to try and connect a 5F1 head kit or similar..?

On the contrary I need to find a way for the blues junior
 
Here's a layout and plan (attached) for a home-built guitar amplifier attenuator that will equal or exceed anything that's available commercially, and for a whole lot less money. Another alternative is a London Power scaling kit that supposedly gives you full volume tone at bedroom levels:
https://londonpower.com/product-category/power-scaling/
 

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