Epiphone valve jr

[CharvelRocker]

V1 was the original. V2 changed the filaments to DC for quieter operation. V3 added bleeder resistors for the filter caps. The heads start at V2, with all the current ones starting early lats year being V3s. Unsure about the combos. I have heard nothing about the output transformers being changed.

[DonP]

V1 was the original. V2 changed the filaments to DC for quieter operation. V3 added bleeder resistors for the filter caps. The heads start at V2, with all the current ones starting early lats year being V3s. Unsure about the combos. I have heard nothing about the output transformers being changed.

Sounds like I'd go for the newest version. DC filaments are nice. The bleeder resistor is a nice safety feature to prevent mod'ers from being shocked / killed.

markD, I wasn't trying to bust 10secondLX's chops (although it sure sounded like it). The only point I was trying to make is don't always assume the latest is the best.

As lerxstcat correctly pointed out, companies are out there to make a buck. They might come out with an excellent first release of a product, but then get greedy and try to cut corners to make even more money.

Just look at what happened to the early Jackson Pros. First with ebony and real MOP inlays, now with rosewood and MOTO. I know, it was because they competed with the USA's, but still, it happens.

[CharvelRocker]

I checked wikipedia.... I don't find it to be accurate. The V3 came out early last year based on what I've heard, and the output transformers are the same according to a few people I've asked. The V3 also has a couple extra slots on the PCB, probably a left over from the board being mass produced and used on other amps.

[mjtripper]

I use mine a lot for a small practice amp and like it. It's the v2. V1 was really noisy but the tone was similar with v2 being a little brighter. V3 has some component changes but I haven't heard the transformer being one so I'm not sure. It's a little brighter yet again but v2 and v3 are really close. From memory v1 has 3 stripes across the front while v2 and v3 only have 2 stripes. V1 and v2 have a I and O on the power switch while V3 doesn't have any writing on the power switch. All the heads have speaker outputs for 4, 8, and 16 ohms but only the v3 combo does. V1 and V2 combos only have a 4 ohm speaker jack. I've played all three and V3 is the one to get.

[mjtripper]

I forgot about the blackheart. I played the 5 watt combo a little while ago and liked it quite a bit. I plan on checking out the 15 watt version as soon as I can find one. I liked it better then the epi mainly because it had a tone stack. The one thing I really don't like about the epi is it's a very dark sounding amp. I only use it for a low volume clean practice amp so didn't really care about the overdriven sounds of either. When I want that I use my pod into the front of the epi. At the same time I checked out a bad cat mini cat 2 and that is one sweet sounding amp, if it wasn't so much I would have walked out with it.

[VitaminG]

At the same time I checked out a bad cat mini cat 2 and that is one sweet sounding amp, if it wasn't so much I wouldn't have walked out with it.

so you bought it BECAUSE it was expensive? Shallow, man. Very shallow.

[mjtripper]

so you bought it BECAUSE it was expensive? Shallow, man. Very shallow.

DOH!! Okay, I guess I need to start proofing my posts