Which Is Better? Vox AC15 vs Fender Blues Junior

The Vox AC15 and the Fender Blues Junior are surely 2 amps that capture the essence of their brand’s sound.

They are pretty similar in specs, but yet so different in tone and this might confuse many people.

Fortunately, you can’t go wrong with any of these, so if your choice has come down to these 2 options, congratulations. You are about to make a great purchase.

If you are looking for a quick description of the main differences between a Blues Junior and an AC15, here it is:

The main differences between the Vox AC15 and the Fender Blues Junior are that the Vox AC15 is a British-sounding amp, with an amazing crunch tone, built-in tremolo, and heavier weight. The Blues Junior focuses on its amazing clean tone, it doesn’t have built-in reverb and it’s lighter in weight.

If you want to dive a bit deeper into the subject, stick around with us.

In this article we will talk about the main features of both these amps, then we will put them side by side and talk about what are their main differences. Finally, we will give you our insights into which one we think might work better for different kinds of players.

Are you ready?

Let’s get started!

Vox AC15 main features

Vox AC

The Vox AC line has been a staple for the British sound for over six decades.

The original AC15 was introduced in 1958 and since then has remained as one of the most highly regarded and distinctive sounding British amps.

With users like The Beatles, Queen, U2, and The Rolling Stones, you know that this amp can hold its ground.

The voicing in this little beast is geared towards its characteristic overdriven sound that can only be achieved in its true form by cranking the volume and letting the power stage break up.

However, probably the thing that makes that many players gravitate towards Vox amps, is that the cleans are also beautiful. And with 15 watts, for practicing or home use you will have a lot of headroom to keep those cleans clean.

Here is a more detailed description of its specs:

SpecVox AC15
Output power15W
Speaker Size and brand1 x 12” Celestion
Preamp tubes3 12AX7
Power tubes2 EL84
ReverbYes
TremoloYes
EQ3-band EQ (Top Boost)
Weight48.5 lbs
Made inChina

Check Vox AC15 prices on Amazon

Is the Vox AC15 loud enough to gig with?

At 15 Watts, the Vox AC15 might be loud enough for small-sized gigs. For medium-sized venues and above, it might begin to fall short in terms of volume. If you can’t expect the location to have a PA system, we recommend you don’t rely on the AC15 as your only source of amplification.

Is the Vox AC15 too loud for home use?

The Vox AC15 might be too loud for home use if you are looking for the characteristic Vox overdriven tone that can only be achieved by pushing its power section. If you are looking for this sound, maybe a smaller unit like the Vox AC4 might suit you better. 

Fender Blues Junior main features

Fender blues junior

The Fender Blues Junior is a small amp very popular among blues and jazz players. But don’t take me wrong, it’s not limited to these genres at all.

Whoever likes clean tones knows that Fender is king whatever style they play.

The Blues Junior is an all-tube amplifier introduced in 1990 with the objective of delivering warm clean tones to appeal to a broad range of players from blues to rock while remaining portable and affordable.

It surely delivered.

But let’s talk about what makes the Blues Junior a Blues Junior.

Here’s a table of its main specs:

SpecFender Blues Junior
Output power15W
Speaker Size and brand1 x 12” Celestion
Preamp tubes3 12AX7
Power tubes2 EL84
ReverbYes
TremoloNo
EQ3-band EQ
Weight31.5 lbs
Made inMexico

It has everything you could ask for in an amp like this, including built-in spring reverb.

Tube sound, enough EQ, a small form factor, lightweight, and the Fender logo.

Its main drawback is that it might be a little low in volume to gig with, or even to play with drums while maintaining a pristine clean sound.

Check Fender Blues Junior prices on Amazon

Is the Fender Blues Junior loud enough to gig with?

At 15 Watts, the Fender Blues Junior might be loud enough for small-sized gigs. For medium-sized venues and above, it might begin to fall short in terms of volume. If you can’t expect the location to have a PA system, we recommend you don’t rely on the Blues Junior as your only source of amplification.

Is the Fender Blues Junior too loud for home use?

The Blues Junior might be just fine for home use in terms of volume. Considering that you would probably be using it clean, at lower volumes, you would have a lot of headroom. However, if you intend to push it until it breaks, the volume required might be a bit much for home use.

Main differences between the Vox AC15 and the Fender Blues Junior

As I said earlier if you just look at the spec sheets of these 2 amps you might even confuse them. They’re built very similarly.

Look at them side by side here:

SpecVox AC15Fender Blues Junior
Output power15W15W
Speaker Size and brand1 x 12” Celestion1 x 12” Celestion
Preamp tubes3 12AX73 12AX7
Power tubes2 EL842 EL84
ReverbYesYes
TremoloYesNo
EQ3-band EQ (Top Boost)3-band EQ
Weight48.5 lbs31.5 lbs
Made inChinaMexico

However, if you ever had the chance of listening to them, the difference in tone is obvious.

How could that be? Well, it’s all about the electronic layout and voicing. But I’m not an engineer and really it doesn’t matter.

What matters is the concept or spirit behind each brand’s sound, and that luckily can be defined or described easily.

The Fender Blues Junior is an American-designed amp (made in Mexico) that excels in clean sparkly bright tones. This doesn’t mean that it can’t play dirty and sound amazing, but this amp is voiced and mostly used with its clean capabilities as its main resource.

The Vox AC15 is a British-designed amp (made in China) that has an amazing and characteristic crunch tone. Its cleans are also amazing, but with a different character in comparison with the Blues Junior.

Both amps can work great as pedal platforms and their 15 watts make for lots of headroom when playing clean at bedroom volume.

In terms of effects, the AC15 takes the lead with its built-in tremolo, a great addition especially for newer players that don’t have many pedals.

Which one should you choose?

Here in GearAficionado, we don’t like to make blind recommendations to our readers.

Getting a new piece of gear is a very personal journey, and you should transit it the way it better suits you.

What we can offer is objective information that will surely help you arrive at a good choice. However, nothing that you could read in an article or see in a YouTube video will be final or right for you.

We always encourage you to go out and try all the amps before deciding on one. There are subtleties that you could only listen to or feel personally.

We can, however, give you our insights into what we think might work out better for different players when thinking about the Blues Junior and the AC15. Here they are:

  • If you like sparkling clean sounds, go for a Blues Junior
  • If you prefer crunchy overdriven tones, go for an AC15
  • If you are looking for a pedal platform, both the Blues Junior and the AC15 are great options
  • If you value the extra built-in tremolo unit, try out the AC15
  • If weight is a deciding factor, check out the lighter Blues Junior

Sound comparison