It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:32 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Are Fender amps trash?
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:33 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:34 pm
Posts: 491
It seems every amp on this forum has major problems. I know, people with problems make the most noise, but really, is there a Hot rod deluxe owner out there who hasn't had some sort of issue yet. Not to pick on the HRDLX, every amp on here has a load of complaints. Do the powers that be at Fender read this stuff? Is anything being done?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:02 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
It seems like a lot of problems come from the cheesy Groove Tubes and other cheap components. Some people have no problems at all. They love the amp and get upset if you say anything negative about it. I don't see too many HRDlx amps that aren't landfill in 10 years or so. If you gig heavy with it, the lifespan seems to be shorter. YMMV


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Are Fender amps trash?
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:47 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:17 pm
Posts: 1986
pts295 wrote:
It seems every amp on this forum has major problems. I know, people with problems make the most noise, but really, is there a Hot rod deluxe owner out there who hasn't had some sort of issue yet. Not to pick on the HRDLX, every amp on here has a load of complaints. Do the powers that be at Fender read this stuff? Is anything being done?

Actually , i think its the hotrod series that is the only one that has the issues, and like Supro says, its not everyone.It seems to be the ones that gig heavily with them.I gig once a month or so and handle my own equipment. I have had a blues jr , a hotrod deluxe , and presently own a blues deluxe and a blonde blues jr.I have had no problems yet.However , my go to am right now is my 59 Bassman RI and if you take them apart you can see the difference in construction.I think its good to know what the problems are before you buy something.JMHO.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:05 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:41 pm
Posts: 1257
Just the Hot Rods. Fender makes lots of really nice amps, too.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:14 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:34 pm
Posts: 491
SlapChop wrote:
Just the Hot Rods. Fender makes lots of really nice amps, too.

I have a Blues Jr. NOS that has given me just as many problems as my Hot rod. I love the sound of both amps, but now every time I turn them on I'm waiting to see what new problem pops up. I'd love to have one of the hand wired amps, I think alot of the problems stem from the PCB's


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:32 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:41 pm
Posts: 1257
pts295 wrote:
SlapChop wrote:
Just the Hot Rods. Fender makes lots of really nice amps, too.

I have a Blues Jr. NOS that has given me just as many problems as my Hot rod. I love the sound of both amps, but now every time I turn them on I'm waiting to see what new problem pops up. I'd love to have one of the hand wired amps, I think alot of the problems stem from the PCB's


A Blues Jr. is considered a Hot Rod Series amp, I believe. I haven't heard of reliability issues with them, though: the biggest complaint is that they sound terrible.

The problem isn't PCB's, which work fine if they are designed properly for purpose. The DRRI has a PCB, and it runs trouble free for years. The Hot Rod amps are aptly named, as they are plagued by a series of heat problems that cause traces on the PCB to get scorched.

The HOt Rod Deluxe, for example is designed to sell 40 tube watts at a given price (no, I won't say "price point" because it doesn't mean the same thing as "price"), and to sound good enough and loud enough at store volumes that prospects will say, "Man, this thing is gonna kick $@! when I get it out to a gig?"

The DRRI is a far superior amp, in tone and construction, and plenty loud enough with 22 watts. But inexperienced buyers think they need more power, and the HRDlx delivers. Sort of.

The sorrow is how often you see this post on line: "I love the sound of my HRD, but I can't get the 'tone' at bedroom/apartment/reasonable volume... is there some kind of attenuator or something I can use to...?"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:49 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:17 pm
Posts: 1986
My Bassman RI has a nice volume pot .It doesnt make any sound until almost 3 and then its gradual.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:13 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:38 am
Posts: 209
Location: Bay Area
I would add, concerning inexperienced musicians thinking they need more volume, and then purchasing a 40 watt HtRdDlx, versus a DRRI, that many of us are trying amps out at large stores such as Guitar Center. And, I swear, there's always some kid at GC playing an unusual shaped guitar through a Marshall stack, running through the complete works of Slayer-- who are an excellent band, at a volume guaranteed to destroy your hearing. So, okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but I do think that many of us are trying amps out in rather noising, situations and misleading ourselves into believing that we need something much louder than we really do.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:36 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:49 am
Posts: 170
Location: North of Philly
I had a HRD for a few years, and never had a problem with it. I sold it because I didn't need 40 watts. If I had kept it, I would have changed out the stock speaker. I had my first Blues Junior for a few years too, and never had a problem with that amp. I should have kept it; my second Blues Junior (new) has crappy tube sockets.

IMO, the tone of these amps is decent, but a better speaker would be an improvement. I think that the main problem is that the tube sockets are attached directly to the PCB. Heat from the tubes MAY create problems with the PCB. (Maybe a small fan behind the amp pointed at the tubes would help?)

You get what you pay for when you buy a "budget" low-quality tube amp. I'll probably change the speaker in my Blues Junior, and have a tech add the cooler bias mod and better tube sockets. I'd prefer to have the PCB removed and have everything wired on a turret board with the sockets chassis-mounted, but that would cost too much. I don't mind spending a few bucks to fix it up a little bit, as it will only be for home use and the occasional jam session. Should I ever join a gigging band again, I'd rather have a higher-quality hand-wired amp. Even though it would cost more, it will be more reliable. For now, the Blues Junior is fine.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:39 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:41 pm
Posts: 1257
The point is not cost: the point is design.

It doesn't cost any more to build a well-thought out budget amplifier than it does to build a badly-conceived budget amplifier.

Nobody should expect these amps to sound like a Divided By 13. But you would at least expect them to not self-destruct due to design flaws.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:11 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
The problem is perspective, the Amps of old, you know the ones still working 40-50-60 years old were indeed very expensive in their time.

A 1940's princeton was $65.00 new and that was a ton of money back then.

What we have now are cheaply made inexpensive amps that are not up to par with the amps of old.

However !!!! Fender makes plenty of very well made, very sturdy amps, you just have to be able to pay for what your looking for.

The new 57 champ reissue being made today will be here and working for a very long time.

If your looking for an amp you can make a living at, be prepared to pay the cost, I don't care who the manufacture is.

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:56 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:38 am
Posts: 209
Location: Bay Area
blues bondsman wrote:
The problem is perspective, the Amps of old, you know the ones still working 40-50-60 years old were indeed very expensive in their time.

A 1940's princeton was $65.00 new and that was a ton of money back then.

What we have now are cheaply made inexpensive amps that are not up to par with the amps of old.

However !!!! Fender makes plenty of very well made, very sturdy amps, you just have to be able to pay for what your looking for.

The new 57 champ reissue being made today will be here and working for a very long time.

If your looking for an amp you can make a living at, be prepared to pay the cost, I don't care who the manufacture is.


That's a point well made. I'm afraid we've been convinced of the Walmart view of cheaper is better.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:59 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:17 pm
Posts: 1986
jeffo46 wrote:
I don't know about the Tube amps but the majority of the Solid stae amps that I've tried out haven't really impressed me as far as their distortion channels go. the cleans are great but seeing that I play a lot of Metal, I like to have distortion that has a really crunching tone to it and IMO, the Fender SS amps just don't have it.
Solid state amps are totally different animals in just about every way imaginable.


Last edited by budglo on Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:10 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:34 pm
Posts: 491
SlapChop wrote:
pts295 wrote:
SlapChop wrote:
Just the Hot Rods. Fender makes lots of really nice amps, too.

I have a Blues Jr. NOS that has given me just as many problems as my Hot rod. I love the sound of both amps, but now every time I turn them on I'm waiting to see what new problem pops up. I'd love to have one of the hand wired amps, I think alot of the problems stem from the PCB's


A Blues Jr. is considered a Hot Rod Series amp, I believe. I haven't heard of reliability issues with them, though: the biggest complaint is that they sound terrible.

The problem isn't PCB's, which work fine if they are designed properly for purpose. The DRRI has a PCB, and it runs trouble free for years. The Hot Rod amps are aptly named, as they are plagued by a series of heat problems that cause traces on the PCB to get scorched.

The HOt Rod Deluxe, for example is designed to sell 40 tube watts at a given price (no, I won't say "price point" because it doesn't mean the same thing as "price"), and to sound good enough and loud enough at store volumes that prospects will say, "Man, this thing is gonna kick $@! when I get it out to a gig?"

The DRRI is a far superior amp, in tone and construction, and plenty loud enough with 22 watts. But inexperienced buyers think they need more power, and the HRDlx delivers. Sort of.

The sorrow is how often you see this post on line: "I love the sound of my HRD, but I can't get the 'tone' at bedroom/apartment/reasonable volume... is there some kind of attenuator or something I can use to...?"
I don't know, maybe I'm cursed, I had a DRRI that was nothing but problems as well. I think the Blues Jr.NOS sounds great, no complaints there.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:13 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:34 pm
Posts: 491
SlapChop wrote:
The point is not cost: the point is design.

It doesn't cost any more to build a well-thought out budget amplifier than it does to build a badly-conceived budget amplifier.

Nobody should expect these amps to sound like a Divided By 13. But you would at least expect them to not self-destruct due to design flaws.

Amen Brother!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: