Hot Rod Deluxe distortion

telecaster62 · June 29th, 2008, 03:56 PM

The clean channel on my 2003-ish Fender Hot Rod Deluxe starts to break-up at about 3.. even with a regular ol' American Standard Telecaster, no 'hot' pick-ups. It does that with my Warmoth w/Bardens, too. Haven't tried it with a Les Paul or similarly-high-powered guitar. Straight-in or with effects, doesn't matter. Always has, I just figured this is the way it's supposed to be, being a "hot rod" and all.

Granted, the HRDx isn't the most glamorous amp around, but I was hoping that on a forum in which people are building their own amps, someone might have an idea what's going on.. is it a tube issue, or transformer, or speaker? The whole thing is stock.

Darcy Hoover · June 29th, 2008, 06:07 PM

Sounds about right. I had a Blues Deluxe, while not exactly the Hot Rod, just a warmer voiced version lacking a second drive channel, but on the clean channel, things started getting growly at 3. I found that was getting pretty loud for my use. My Blackface Princeton Reverb has some significant hair on it at 3 as well, with the guitar volume dimed, but at significantly less volume than the BD.

Mike Fleming · June 29th, 2008, 06:54 PM

I played one in Guitar Center a couple weeks ago, and that is the extent of my experience with that amp. But, if it helps you at all, that one started breaking up around 5 or so, which was decently loud, like small-gig-normal-drummer loud. It also sounded at least in part like speaker breakup.

If you're getting speaker breakup too, a different speaker can give you more clean headroom by breaking up later (and give more sensitivity too, which roughly means it will be louder at the same setting on the volume knob). Also, different power tubes, PI tube and preamp tubes can each result in more or less headroom, so I'd definitely play with tubes if you have any around. To get rid of breakup at 3 though I'd start with the preamp. Like try a 5751 for the first preamp tube, or a 12ay7.

Mike

June 29th, 2008, 03:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
telecaster62 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1	Hot Rod Deluxe distortion The clean channel on my 2003-ish Fender Hot Rod Deluxe starts to break-up at about 3.. even with a regular ol' American Standard Telecaster, no 'hot' pick-ups. It does that with my Warmoth w/Bardens, too. Haven't tried it with a Les Paul or similarly-high-powered guitar. Straight-in or with effects, doesn't matter. Always has, I just figured this is the way it's supposed to be, being a "hot rod" and all. Granted, the HRDx isn't the most glamorous amp around, but I was hoping that on a forum in which people are building their own amps, someone might have an idea what's going on.. is it a tube issue, or transformer, or speaker? The whole thing is stock.

June 29th, 2008, 06:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Darcy Hoover Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 417	Sounds about right. I had a Blues Deluxe, while not exactly the Hot Rod, just a warmer voiced version lacking a second drive channel, but on the clean channel, things started getting growly at 3. I found that was getting pretty loud for my use. My Blackface Princeton Reverb has some significant hair on it at 3 as well, with the guitar volume dimed, but at significantly less volume than the BD. __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/darcyhoover

June 29th, 2008, 06:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mike Fleming Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 370	I played one in Guitar Center a couple weeks ago, and that is the extent of my experience with that amp. But, if it helps you at all, that one started breaking up around 5 or so, which was decently loud, like small-gig-normal-drummer loud. It also sounded at least in part like speaker breakup. If you're getting speaker breakup too, a different speaker can give you more clean headroom by breaking up later (and give more sensitivity too, which roughly means it will be louder at the same setting on the volume knob). Also, different power tubes, PI tube and preamp tubes can each result in more or less headroom, so I'd definitely play with tubes if you have any around. To get rid of breakup at 3 though I'd start with the preamp. Like try a 5751 for the first preamp tube, or a 12ay7. Mike