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Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:02 am
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63supro wrote:
I've never had a Blackface or Silverface Fender amp that hissed excessively. You really need to play more amps before making a statement like that. The HRDlx is a low end tube amp. I know I own one. I'll sell you mine if you love them that much. It also does not have anywhere near the clean of a Blackface. My 76 Twin has absolutely no hiss what so ever and is clean till deafening levels. I can't speak for the new amps though. I know the power supply caps are pretty cheap in them. That could cause some hiss. I'm glad I kept some of my "vintage amps".


I would guess long before you were born I was listening to the various Twins and the like...all I can comment on is the ones that I have heard and those ones hiss and are noisy...

Nope I don't need your amp I have mine and it is awesome in my opinion and of course you are entitled to your opinion...

It all depends on so many factors what kind of music you play...what do you value in the type of sound you are looking for...

Glad you found an amp that you enjoy...


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Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:19 pm
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Ive had my HotRod deluxe for five years now. I run it 3 hours once a week and sometimes more and thats just at the Gig ,not counting the practice time. Ive never had any problems with it. I just bought a new one before the price jump .I only paid 630.00 for the new one . It was a no brainer. I know that they get a bad rap on the net but I really like the sound of it.I did do some mods on the old one . I took the back off it and and put a plastic screen over the electronics. and let the tubes open to vent. And I Always keep a small fan blowing in the back of it. Trying to keep the thing cool. and so fare its worked well. I do think Fender could do a better jod of keeping it cool. I.E a fan and more ventilation. But It has become a big part of my sound. And the new one looks a little better workmanship than the old one . Fender did up grade the Input jacks and the footswitch jack. and the so called cheap PCB bourd looks better workmanship than the old one. I have had a Fender 100 watt twin . But it was a pain and was in the shop 3 times in five years , with you know it + Bad PCB brd and bad soldering. so all this leads me to beleave that the HTRD is a good amp for the money and a better amp that most Ive had. I do use ruby gc 6l6 tubes . I like the sound . I bias at 66v and sometimes use a digi [t in front of the amp. Would I pay 900.00 dollars for a new one. I might go with a Carvin Belair just to try something new . That just me.


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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:21 pm
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DizzyStrings wrote:
63supro wrote:
I've never had a Blackface or Silverface Fender amp that hissed excessively. You really need to play more amps before making a statement like that. The HRDlx is a low end tube amp. I know I own one. I'll sell you mine if you love them that much. It also does not have anywhere near the clean of a Blackface. My 76 Twin has absolutely no hiss what so ever and is clean till deafening levels. I can't speak for the new amps though. I know the power supply caps are pretty cheap in them. That could cause some hiss. I'm glad I kept some of my "vintage amps".


I would guess long before you were born I was listening to the various Twins and the like...all I can comment on is the ones that I have heard and those ones hiss and are noisy...

Nope I don't need your amp I have mine and it is awesome in my opinion and of course you are entitled to your opinion...

It all depends on so many factors what kind of music you play...what do you value in the type of sound you are looking for...

Glad you found an amp that you enjoy...


Long before I was born?? I've been playing for close to 45 years. I've had everything from Tweeds to Silverfaces. I've been at this a pretty long time. I was a studio musician for a good while too. I think I would know a noisy amp if I used one and so would the recording engineer. You too are entitled to your opinion too. I have a lot of amps that I enjoy. Just not my HRDlx.

Watchglow, Be careful, the back is on the amp for a couple of reasons, one being safety, there are lethal voltages lurking there. You're putting yourself and others in great danger doing that. The second is shielding. The silver stuff on the back of the access panel is shielding. Be careful blowing a fan too, sometimes you just blow all kinds of dirt in the amp. It won't go up in smoke by an occasional gig or a few hours of practice. Mine would usually run 4-6 hrs a day 3-6 days a week. I don't gig with it anymore. It's only a couple of years old. I just can't trust it.


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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:18 pm
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Thanks for the concern. The Plastic covering is thick and hard with tiny holes in it. I dont think anyone could get inside it or I would not have left it that way.But the tubes get hot and thats why I keep an eye on it at the gig. You are right about the fan . I have seen some dust in it a few times and it must come in from the fan. I always cover my amps up when not in use. I just blow it out with some air. All in All its been good for me. I feel that 630.00 was a good price for the new amp. I dont ! think 1000.00 is a good price for the Deluxe. There are to many other makers, USA makers for less and If Fender Is going to ask that kind of money for the Deluxe , Theyve got some coming up to do. They need to fix the problems they know About. And I think they have on some stuff. I really think the heat is the big problem here. and that is a easy one for the smart Guys at fender. I work with electronics alot of the time and I can tell you, heat is not good for em. They could put a fan in . And they could put some vents in to let the heat out. Ive have a friend that has a old peavey classic 50 . It uses EL84 tubes and they get hot. It has a fan .never a problem with it. I dont think it sounds as good as the deluxe .but I never hear about any PCB problems with them. I look for the deluxe to drop off with the price hike. any way , when my old one dies and it will some day. I might send it off and have some point to point done on it if the price is rite. I do like the size of it. I have used the new one a couple time's. Sound's just like the old one did. My wife said I must like the sound of then to own two. And she is correct. I do. If i was to spend 2000.00 on a amp it would be some kind of point to point classic look. Thanks for the time . It is a good forum.


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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:48 pm
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Quote:
I think I would know a noisy amp if I used one and so would the recording engineer.


I never said at any time that your amps were noisy. All of the Twins and others of the like I have heard hiss and are noisy...

I had the money to buy a Twin or a Vibrolux or Super, I chose the HRDLX purely for the sound that I was looking for. The others did not come close to the sound of what I was looking for...


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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:37 am
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I didn't just hear the amps you mentioned, I OWNED many of the in the 60's and 70's and still own a few though I culled the herd quite a bit. I made a decent living with them. The only newer amps I have tried were noisy were the Custom Vibrolux and the Princeton Recording amp. The noise was a deal breaker. My 74 Champ is actually mush quieter than my HRDlx as is my 76 Twin.


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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:42 pm
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I love the sound of my amp...however I hope I don't have as much trouble as you have had with yours! The only other amp I have heard in my lifetime that is unsurpassed in my opinion is made by Bose...

I don't have 3 grand laying around for one of those though...!


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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:11 am
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I bought mine 2-19-09. I play it everyday. I have changed the power tubes to a higher breakup set for country. I have a 12au7 in V1 a Penta Labs 9th Gen in V2 and a Sovtek 12ax7 LPS long plate spiral in V3. The tone from this amp has changed drastically from the stock setup. I have also added a Avatar 112 Cabinet, Compressor/Sustainer, Fish N Chips EQ and MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay. Granted I haven't been gigging and haven't had it long enough to comment on reliability but I would put the sound and tone I get up against any amp. This amp has balls and tone. You have to take time with tube amps and know how to get the right tone for your application. Just like the right setup for your guitar. Today I played the amp without the 112 cabinet and it sounded great. The Eminence speaker has now been broken in and has great tone.

Some of the solder joint issues in manufacturing come about from the leadless solder being used. I read an artical about it and it was said use of non-lead solder was not justifiable for amps. Not a high risk factor with them. The new solder has high instance of fatigue from cold joints. Wish they would go back to lead solder for amps. They are not like cell phones and other throw away items.

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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:51 am
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My whole point is you shouldn't have to go through all that trouble. I have had very minor mods done to amps in the past but not re soldering joints, replacing speakers etc. Most of my older amps stock tubes were great. None were GT's. If I'm going to go through all that trouble, I'll build a clone kit.

DizzyStrings, I'm glad you like your amp. If Bose and the HRDlx is the best you've ever heard, you need to try a lot more amps. The Princeton is wonderful in the tone dept.


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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:09 pm
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63supro wrote:
My whole point is you shouldn't have to go through all that trouble. I have had very minor mods done to amps in the past but not re soldering joints, replacing speakers etc. Most of my older amps stock tubes were great. None were GT's. If I'm going to go through all that trouble, I'll build a clone kit.

DizzyStrings, I'm glad you like your amp. If Bose and the HRDlx is the best you've ever heard, you need to try a lot more amps. The Princeton is wonderful in the tone dept.

Bose? I never heard one. If you had my setup you might change your mind! I am aware there are better sounding amps. I love the Supersonic. If I had the money I would have bought one. For the money what I have is great tho.

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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:10 pm
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I'm glad I'm not the only one. My 76 Twin is the same way. 30 years before a cap job. I can't defend the HRDlx just because I own it. If you play it once a week for a couple of hours, sure you won't have a problem. Try gigging with it 3-5 nights a week though. I'm glad I have my other amps.


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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:15 pm
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I play my HR DLX every day. Semi retired and have lots of time.

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Fend SupSonic 60 2010
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:28 pm
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iconoclaster wrote:
My '78 still had all the Fender-branded Westinghouse tubes. I saved them of course "just because......".

Some of them actually still tested as "85-90%" good.

Try that with those one-trick ponies from China, Russia, etc.

Seriously


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