It’s no secret that small tube amps can mean big tone, and Fender recently announced its Limited Edition Pro Jr IV SE, which sees a couple of tweaks reduce the price of the SE version, making this minuscule tone machine even more affordable.
Just as with the regular Lacquered Tweed version of the Pro Junior IV, the Pro Junior IV SE is a 15-watt valve combo with a 10-inch speaker, 2x 12AX7 preamp valves, and a pair of EL84 valves in the power section. But the first thing you’ll notice is that the SE version has had a facelift, clad in black vinyl, its grille cloth is swapped for silver, and the leather handle replaced with a black rubber version.
The SE features the same panel circuit, with a none-more-simple input, volume and tone controls and power switch (complete with a classic red jewel light). This design puts some of the control back on the player, with the Pro Junior IV reacting to shifts in dynamics form your playing, as well as your guitar’s volume controls.
As well as this, the uncluttered control section and ability to go from clean to natural valve breakup/overdrive also lend the Pro Junior IV to being used with pedals, with Fender describing it as “Fun, flexible and pedal-friendly.”
Fender has swapped the speaker from the standard Pro Junior IV, which houses a Jensen to a Fender Special Design model. It’s still 10”, and still boasts “sweet articulation with cool vintage-style breakup when pushed.”
So what difference does that speaker make? Well, we can hear for ourselves, as Fender has now officially released the Pro Junior IV SE, with shipping starting imminently. To accompany the release, Fender has also uploaded a demo detailing the Pro Junior IV SE, which you can watch above, as well as Fender's demo of it's standard Pro Junior IV.
The Fender Pro Junior IV SE is available now, priced £399.
