As requested, Hot Fudge review

Bob Arbogast · May 8th, 2005, 04:04 PM

The Allen Amplification Hot Fudge is based on the 6G2 Princeton circuit (the Hot Fudge with Nuts is based on the 6G3 Deluxe). Besides a number of tweaks and variations on that starting point, the main electronic difference is in the power supply and transformers. Setting it apart from the Princeton, the Hot Fudge has a choke-filtered power supply with significant current capability and a beefy output transformer. In addition, the Hot Fudge has more speaker options, with larger cabinets to match.

After building my first Hot Fudge (a 1x12), I had to have another (a 1x15). Here are some details:

Hot Fudge #1 (1x12)[*]NOS 5Y3GT rectifier[*]JJ6V6 power tubes[*]EH12AX7 preamp tubes[*]Vishay Atom electrolytic capacitors (30/30/20)[*]Eminence Red White and Blues speaker[*]15W

Hot Fudge #2 (1x15)[*]Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier[*]TAD 6L6GC power tubes[*]EH12AX7 preamp tubes[*]F&T electrolytic capacitors (47/47/22)[*]Eminence Big Ben speaker[*]20W

Now, on to performance. I have been playing both my Tele and my Guild Starfire IV through the Hot Fudges. People usually say that brownface amps straddle the line between tweeds and blackface amps; I agree. Both of these amps have more clean and more guts than a tweed Deluxe (5E3); on the other hand, they don't have the sparkle of a BF amp. I have played through them numerous times at a local blues jam and have had no problem keeping up/being heard. I made sure by having a friend play a set through HF#1 while I listened, both in the middle of the room and right at the stage. Of course, these aren't 40W-60W amps running through multiple speakers. But to my ears the tone (classic rock/blues) is fabulous, the best I've ever had. And that's not even mentioning what happens when I run the two of them together!

Bob Arbogast

TwinReverb · May 8th, 2005, 04:13 PM

Nice work!
What are the most significant differences between the two HF's? How do the speakers compare?
I'm very interested in the Big Ben. Your insight is very welcome.

cheers
Erik

PS any pic's? 8)

mkg · May 8th, 2005, 04:53 PM

Bob, excellent review. I played my HF/nuts unmic'd last night outdoors at a Derby party in Louisville and it kept up fine in our five-piece band. Will play it again this weekend unmic'd in a local club.
I'd sure like to hear your two amps together, I can only imagine how cool that sounds.

Jef · May 8th, 2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

I'm very interested in the Big Ben. Your insight is very welcome.

So am I! I was thinking of putting one into a 15 watt amp as well...

Jef

shakedancer · May 8th, 2005, 07:06 PM

Thanks Bob!!! Which of the 2 do you prefer @ why? MKG: 6V6's in yours?

mkg · May 8th, 2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakedancer

Thanks Bob!!! Which of the 2 do you prefer @ why? MKG: 6V6's in yours?

shakedancer, 6L6s in mine, which puts it at 35 watts.
If I use 6V6s it runs at 20 watts. Mine's based on the 6G3, while Bob's is based on the 6G2.
I think Bob has mentioned elsewhere that he prefers the split load PI of the 6G2 rather than the long-tailed pair of the 6G3.
Another difference is that I'm using 12AT7s in V1 and V3 instead of 12AX7s.

Bob Arbogast · May 8th, 2005, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinReverb

What are the most significant differences between the two HF's? How do the speakers compare? I'm very interested in the Big Ben. Your insight is very welcome.

PS any pic's? 8)

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakedancer

Thanks Bob!!! Which of the 2 do you prefer @ why?

#1 (6V6, 1x12) is nearly as loud as #2, but it has a creamier, more saturated sound when cranked (especially with the Guild). #2 (6L6, 1x15) has a fatter sound and more upper-midrange presence, with less saturation. I'm not at the point yet where I prefer one to the other. As for the speakers, they seem quite similar in tonal spectrum to me: neither dark nor bright, and without annoying peaks.

For pictures of #1, click here. Please note the essential amber jewel!

Thanks for the kind words.

Bob

Bob Arbogast · May 11th, 2005, 04:09 PM

I took my 1x15, 6L6 Hot Fudge to the local blues jam again last night. I plugged my Guild Starfire IV straight in. Without a doubt the best tone I have ever had in 31 years of playing: rich, fat, articulate. And, yes, it sounds terrific with a Tele, too—the jam host played the first set with his Tele straight in to the Hot Fudge.

Gotta love it.

Bob

mkg · May 11th, 2005, 04:40 PM

"...rich, fat, articulate."

The amp Orson Welles would play if he weren't so dead.

TwinReverb · May 11th, 2005, 04:46 PM

Very nice soldering Bob. Clean as a whistle 8)
Beautiful pic's. Wow!

cheers
Erik

BB · May 11th, 2005, 05:38 PM

Very nice work and reveiw Bob. The best blues and classic rock tones quote certainly got my attention! How much clean headroom is available before it starts to break up? Are you running any pedals or just straight into the amp using the guitars vol control to go from clean to mean? How long did it tale to put these two together? I bet running the two of them at once is pure nirvana. Thanks for the post. Great info.

Bob Arbogast · May 12th, 2005, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB

How much clean headroom is available before it starts to break up? Are you running any pedals or just straight into the amp using the guitars vol control to go from clean to mean? How long did it tale to put these two together?

BB:

I've mostly been playing my Guild Starfire lately. With those humbuckers, Hot Fudge #1 has little clean headroom. #2 has more, but not a lot. With a Tele, there's more clean. I plug straight in. With the Guild that's the absolute ticket. A Tele, on the other hand, could probably benefit from a booster of some sort.

Bob

Tom P. · May 12th, 2005, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Arbogast

Please note the essential amber jewel!

The only choice and a perfect match! Great amp!

Rob DiStefano · May 13th, 2005, 06:33 AM

Real good scoop, Bob - thanx for sharing. Makes some good points for comparing the Winfield Rosco - I hope it'll be near as good as yer Fudgies!

May 8th, 2005, 04:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bob Arbogast Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA Age: 48 Posts: 558	As requested, Hot Fudge review The Allen Amplification Hot Fudge is based on the 6G2 Princeton circuit (the Hot Fudge with Nuts is based on the 6G3 Deluxe). Besides a number of tweaks and variations on that starting point, the main electronic difference is in the power supply and transformers. Setting it apart from the Princeton, the Hot Fudge has a choke-filtered power supply with significant current capability and a beefy output transformer. In addition, the Hot Fudge has more speaker options, with larger cabinets to match. After building my first Hot Fudge (a 1x12), I had to have another (a 1x15). Here are some details: Hot Fudge #1 (1x12)[]NOS 5Y3GT rectifier[]JJ6V6 power tubes[]EH12AX7 preamp tubes[]Vishay Atom electrolytic capacitors (30/30/20)[]Eminence Red White and Blues speaker[]15W Hot Fudge #2 (1x15)[]Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier[]TAD 6L6GC power tubes[]EH12AX7 preamp tubes[]F&T electrolytic capacitors (47/47/22)[]Eminence Big Ben speaker[]20W Now, on to performance. I have been playing both my Tele and my Guild Starfire IV through the Hot Fudges. People usually say that brownface amps straddle the line between tweeds and blackface amps; I agree. Both of these amps have more clean and more guts than a tweed Deluxe (5E3); on the other hand, they don't have the sparkle of a BF amp. I have played through them numerous times at a local blues jam and have had no problem keeping up/being heard. I made sure by having a friend play a set through HF#1 while I listened, both in the middle of the room and right at the stage. Of course, these aren't 40W-60W amps running through multiple speakers. But to my ears the tone (classic rock/blues) is fabulous, the best I've ever had. And that's not even mentioning what happens when I run the two of them together! Bob Arbogast

May 8th, 2005, 04:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
TwinReverb Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 477	Hi Bob Nice work! What are the most significant differences between the two HF's? How do the speakers compare? I'm very interested in the Big Ben. Your insight is very welcome. cheers Erik PS any pic's? 8)

May 8th, 2005, 07:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
shakedancer Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: north of Boston Posts: 1,639	Thanks Bob!!! Which of the 2 do you prefer @ why? MKG: 6V6's in yours? __________________ "If you don't like the Blues, you got to have a Hole in your Soul." Luther Allison JOE

May 11th, 2005, 04:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bob Arbogast Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA Age: 48 Posts: 558	Hot Fudge #2: Second Outing I took my 1x15, 6L6 Hot Fudge to the local blues jam again last night. I plugged my Guild Starfire IV straight in. Without a doubt the best tone I have ever had in 31 years of playing: rich, fat, articulate. And, yes, it sounds terrific with a Tele, too—the jam host played the first set with his Tele straight in to the Hot Fudge. Gotta love it. Bob

May 8th, 2005, 04:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
mkg Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 165	Bob, excellent review. I played my HF/nuts unmic'd last night outdoors at a Derby party in Louisville and it kept up fine in our five-piece band. Will play it again this weekend unmic'd in a local club. I'd sure like to hear your two amps together, I can only imagine how cool that sounds.

May 11th, 2005, 04:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
mkg Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 165	"...rich, fat, articulate." The amp Orson Welles would play if he weren't so dead.

May 11th, 2005, 04:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
TwinReverb Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 477	Very nice soldering Bob. Clean as a whistle 8) Beautiful pic's. Wow! cheers Erik

May 11th, 2005, 05:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
BB Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Pacific NW Age: 53 Posts: 3,188	Very nice work and reveiw Bob. The best blues and classic rock tones quote certainly got my attention! How much clean headroom is available before it starts to break up? Are you running any pedals or just straight into the amp using the guitars vol control to go from clean to mean? How long did it tale to put these two together? I bet running the two of them at once is pure nirvana. Thanks for the post. Great info.

May 13th, 2005, 06:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 63 Posts: 4,915	Real good scoop, Bob - thanx for sharing. Makes some good points for comparing the Winfield Rosco - I hope it'll be near as good as yer Fudgies!