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Post subject: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:51 am
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Why no discussion of the new Hot Rod IV series? TOS has been talking about these for some time. A couple of people have reported seeing these in Guitar Center already.

https://www.seattleguitarstore.com/prod ... 2231200000

Celestion A-Type speaker
Pine cab
Improved drive channel

I'm tempted. If I just didn't have so many amps already.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 6:00 am
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I guess I haven't been discussing the Hot Rod Deluxe IV for a few reasons.
1). Mostly because this is the first I'm hearing about them.
2). 40 watts is just too much for me, so I don't seek them out.
3). I'm like you...I've got plenty of amps...in fact I'm trying to get rid of a few at the moment.

I do love the looks of them (I've got the Blues Junior and Pro Junior)---in fact I just got the Pro Junior III, and I see on the link you provided that the Pro Junior IV is also coming out. LOL! It's almost getting like the damn cell phones and PC operating systems...once you think you have the most current model/version, here comes the next one. Over-kill.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 11:27 am
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News to me. The pine cab is a good idea. A celestion speaker will certainly change the overall voice.
I read about a modified preamp and I'm curious.
When you say its a drive channel mod, I'm thinking, give it up Fender, you've never produced a good tube OD, and should give up trying.
That is, their tube designs are always for maximum clean gain. This requires lots of volume and produces a sterile overdrive.
Others use unbalanced cathodes or clipping diodes to produce early, low volume distortion with some character to the OD.
Fender hasn't done that since the 1950s tweed Champ. I guess they never will


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 3:19 pm
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TimsAudio wrote:
When you say its a drive channel mod, I'm thinking, give it up Fender, you've never produced a good tube OD, and should give up trying. character to the OD.


I must digress, I once had a Rivera era Fender 30, http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-30/ the size of a Deluxe Reverb 30 watts 1-12 " speaker and it sounded great on it's overdrive channel. Plus it had a tube rectifier. I gave it to my kiddo when I bought my first Mesa Boogie, a Mark IIC+ and The Fender 30 combo disappeared over time, I sure miss that one. it rocked the house.

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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 6:42 pm
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I've been having a growing interest in a George Benson HRD, also with a pine cabinet.
Can anybody describe what a pine cabinet would sound like? How it would sound in a HRD.
Most comments would agree it's lighter.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 8:54 pm
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Well I'm glad someone found a Fender somewhere that will od. Figures it would be a Rivera. I'll take a closer look.
Fender isn't alone in the poor OD. Most amps have uninspiring drive channels.
Still, you traded it in on a Mesa......


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:12 am
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TimsAudio wrote:
When you say its a drive channel mod, I'm thinking, give it up Fender, you've never produced a good tube OD, and should give up trying.
Talking about the "Drive Channel" of Fender two channel amps; I'm not sure I can disagree...Drive and Over-Drive is MUCH better achieved via pedals on most of the Fender amps I've ever played around with.
But in my opinion...I'm not sure what Fender did right, but using the volume knob 'drive' setup Fender has on the Pro Junior III I can get phenomenal over-drive (to my ears) straight into the amp.

Explanation: Those not familiar with the Pro Junior III, it is a 1 channel 15 watt tube amp with a volume knob, tone knob, and on/off switch. To achieve drive/dirt/crunch (whatever your chosen vernacular), you turn the volume up on the amp...and use your guitar's volume to clean it up when needed. It works very well and sounds great in my opinion.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:33 am
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Not just your opinion, Whitedog, I think the ProJr is a great sounding amp too.
It hearkens back to the old tweed Deluxe. It is common to dime its volume control as well for power tube overdrive.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 11:45 am
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TimsAudio wrote:
Well I'm glad someone found a Fender somewhere that will od. Figures it would be a Rivera. I'll take a closer look.
Fender isn't alone in the poor OD. Most amps have uninspiring drive channels.
Still, you traded it in on a Mesa......


Not true, see above, I gave the Fender 30 to my kiddo. I never trade in anything, if I can't sell it outright, I keep it or give it away to family or Friends. I have had 5 Mesa amps over time, nice amps. And a myriad of Fender classic amps, as well as other makes. I still think that Fender 30 was a very nice amp. It had the classic Fender cleans and a boogie like overdrive (or boost or something because it was foot switchable from clean to a nice Santana like smooth overdrive. On a side note I gave my Mesa Boogie Mark II C+ to a friend of mine who did me a huge favor, at the time he had a store which sold high end recording equipment and he sold my used 16 track and half track Otari decks and a 24x16 Tac Scorpion board for top dollar, $26,500 worth. The $1,500 Boogie was chump change in comparison, so I gave that to him as a spiff.

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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:14 am
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Looking at the schematic, it does have a few nice features. The pull switches on the tone controls and the gain switch engage some very unFender circuits. I can see why you liked it.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:58 am
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TimsAudio wrote:
When you say its a drive channel mod, I'm thinking, give it up Fender, you've never produced a good tube OD, and should give up trying.


I'm very happy with the tube OD of the Zinky-designed Prosonic that Fender sold from 1996-2002. It can cover a lot of ground from subtle breakup to fire-breathing extreme gain. The selectable cathode and fixed bias modes and dual rectifiers provide further options.

I wouldn't knock the OD tones of the Super Sonic line either.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:46 am
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I just ordered one from MF. I guess I'll be the guinea pig.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 11:38 am
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please do update this thread when you get a chance to play around with it. It's supposed to be one of their best selling amps, I can't imagine they'd ruin that but you never know.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:53 pm
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ghost_of_strings wrote:
please do update this thread when you get a chance to play around with it. It's supposed to be one of their best selling amps, I can't imagine they'd ruin that but you never know.


UPS says it will be here today. Hopefully I'll post some info tomorrow.


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod IV
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:24 pm
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I got mine last night and played it today for a few hours. My overall impression is a good one. Its much more tame than my version 2 hrd. Its not quite as fendery bright as im used to. I assume the celestion speaker has a lot to do with that. The attack is softer. It has beautiful cleans and the drive channels are more usable as is the volume control. They are not lying about that.


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