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Post subject: hot rod vs blues
Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:17 am
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hey all,

i was just wondering what are the main differences sound wise between the hot rod and blues line.. i'm looking at the devilles btw.

cheers


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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:00 am
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Welcome to the forum. Have you gone to your music store to try them out ? That would be the best way to hear the differences.

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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:05 am
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You could always check youtube, I bet there are videos there that you can compare.

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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:42 am
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What I'd like to know is ...

1) Does the Blues suffer from the same PCB issues as the Hot Rod?

2) Does the Blues use a linear or audio pot for the volume?

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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:18 am
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Pretty much the whole Hot Rod Series has some reliability issues. Some folks have no problems at all, I can't trust my HRdlx to gig with anymore. Mine had to be repaired after just two gigs,then again and again.........
It's pretty bad when my 30+ year old Twin is more reliable.

I know many gigging musicians who gave up on them. For me anyway, they don't hold up well to professional use. I don't abuse them either. YMMV
They are still nice sounding amps. Mine is now a rehearsal only amp.


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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:09 pm
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Hallo, everyone. I registered here specifiically to ask about this question. I have owned and gigged with a Hot Rod Deville for, erm, maybe 8 years now. I bought it for several reasons, mainly the sound, which I still haven't fallen out of love with. I have never had any real problems with reliability, and gig with it all the time with no back up.

However, I'm thinking of going over to the reissued Blues Deluxe, as I'd find the weight reduction good for health reasons. I recall borrowing one of the 90's issues form a friend and liking the sound, this led me to the Hot ROd in the first place (as the Blues had just been discontinued). Now I hear nothing but bad news about the Blues Deluxe. Do they crap out as much as I hear? Are the tubes so bad? Please help! I don't want to trade in my lovely De Ville for something lighter but which is a real lemon. Anyone got any advice?


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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:40 am
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Tom De Ville wrote:
Hallo, everyone. I registered here specifiically to ask about this question. I have owned and gigged with a Hot Rod Deville for, erm, maybe 8 years now. I bought it for several reasons, mainly the sound, which I still haven't fallen out of love with. I have never had any real problems with reliability, and gig with it all the time with no back up.

However, I'm thinking of going over to the reissued Blues Deluxe, as I'd find the weight reduction good for health reasons. I recall borrowing one of the 90's issues form a friend and liking the sound, this led me to the Hot ROd in the first place (as the Blues had just been discontinued). Now I hear nothing but bad news about the Blues Deluxe. Do they crap out as much as I hear? Are the tubes so bad? Please help! I don't want to trade in my lovely De Ville for something lighter but which is a real lemon. Anyone got any advice?


Hmm, I found the opposite. I had always heard that the Hot Rod was unreliable. I guess it is luck of the draw sometimes. I play the Blues Deluxe for a while now and have never had any problems with it. The cleans are to die for and it takes pedals (what few I use) very well. I guess if I were you I would keep the DeVille because you know its good. Maybe you can have someone help you lug it around. Good luck.


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Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:38 am
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The HotRod deluxe/deville and Blues deluxe/deville are all using the same HotRod circuit and same PCB mounted components.

Major difference is the hotrod uses both sides of the V2 preamp tube giving it the more boost., The blues only uses one of the triodes in the V2 preamp tube.
The Blues seems to be voiced cleaner than the hotrod.

However they are all made in the same Mexican plant and suffer the same issues.
Of the two Blues Deluxe we have 1 lasted about a month before the V3 tube heater desoldered itself.
The other went about a year before it started making weird pinging sounds and had to go in for some surgery, (cap replacement I think)

Look to the Blackface or Silverface circuit amps with point to point wiring if you want road worthy reliability.

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Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:07 pm
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Hey Fellow Fenderheads-

I got my HR Deluxe back in 2000. I have had no problems with it EXCEPT the plastic input jack is a tad loose- I got lucky I guess.

I love the sound of it. Turn her to clean and she is like butter....giver some gas and she bites like Satan's $@!&#. My band mate got the Deville just a few months ago after suffering the failure of several solid state amps (Peavey and Line 6) To get the sound he wanted he added a Fender Twin Reverb Mod pedal to it and now he is loving it.

I like the Blues Deluxe a lot as well. Same buttery tone...just not as much drive under the hood.

From what I have heard, Fender has gotten better with their PCB Boards- The solder points are better and the Quality Control is finally doing their job.

Go try them both out with your guitar and see what you think. I would say that you no longer need to be so afraid of the quality control.

The Freeze

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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:02 am
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When did QC get better?
Our second Blues Deluxe was bought in October 2008 and failed in December 2008.
Same common issue solder joints on tube socket let go.

They do sound good, but are not reliable enough go out without bringing backup equipment with you.

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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:33 am
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I have had both amps (i presently have a blues deluxe ri) and have had no problems with reliability .I even bought the HR used.The main difference i see is the cleans on the BDRI are slightly warmer to my ear and the HR has a "more drive" channel ,but the Bdri has a switchable reverb.Also the BDRI breaks up a little sooner.There is also the tweed covering that alot of people like too.


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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:21 am
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Consider yourself lucky. Give it time though, especially if you gig on a regular basis.


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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:01 am
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I am borrowing my friend's old 90's Blues Deluxe for a while so will be able to play it and the Hot Rod side by side. Should be interesting. Also reasssuring that his old BDL is still going strong! As I have never found any use for the 'more drive' channel on the HR I'm hopeful that a drop in size (weight!) won't mean a drop in sound quality of any significance.


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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:17 am
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Good luck.The BD uses the same circuitry as the HR.Having owned both to my ears the BD appears to have a slight warmer sound and there is the absence of the more drive ,which i never found useful.Plus in the new Blues Deluxe Ressues the reverb is switchable which i really like.I also know the Blues Deluxe breaks up slightly sooner due to the fact it has blue power tubes insteadof the white ones.If that is a problem for you ,you can switch out the tubes easy enough.I have heard others talk about the reliability of these amps as not being good,but the general consensus is that they are pretty reliable. I have owned 2 blues jrs,a hotrod deluxe that i purchases off e-bay and a blues deluxe.I have gigged alot with all of these amps and have never had a problem.


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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:31 pm
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Some would have you believe that buying a Hot Rod series amp is like playing with fire and that if you don't get burned today it will happen tomorrow.

The Hot Rod Deluxe is the best selling guitar amplifier in the world and it comes with a five-year warranty, one of the very best in the business. If it wasn't reliable, Fender would go out of business making good on all those warranty claims.

I'm very happy with mine and it's been perfectly reliable, although I've only had it for a year.

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