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Post subject: HRDLx Reverb Tank Upgrade?
Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 11:18 am
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Happy New Year everyone! It has been a while since I have posted, but I have always received great advice/information from the members of this forum, so I am going to the well again. I was wondering if anyone has any experience/suggestions for upgrading the reverb tank on a Hot Rod deluxe?

I have a 1996 HRDLx, I run JJ tubes, an Emminence Cannibas Rex speaker, and will be shipping it to Omega Amps this week for a tone circuit mod/upgrade and to have a mid boost installed. I figure that while I am changing everything on this amp I might as well look in to upgrading the reverb tank. My stock Accutronics reverb tank isn't broken, but I would love to get a more lush/wet reverb then the current reverb.

On a different note, I know a lot of folks around here don't like these amps and have had reliabiliy issues, but mine is 13 years old, was gigged hard early on, and has been used recreationally on a regular basis except for a few years in storage a while back, and has never had one issue. I know this because I know the two previous owners. I agree that the drive channels stink. That is primarily what has driven me down this path of modifications. However, I have always really liked the clean tones on this amp. The tube and speaker upgrades really improved the tone on both channels, and I expect to have boutique quality tone when I get it back from Jim at Omega amps.

Also, before anyone asks why I don't just buy a reissue rather than put the money in to a HRDLx, I will have less than $600.00 invested in this amp when all is said and done and I expect to have tone every bit as good as a DRRI, etc... I bought the amp for $200.00, the speaker was $79.95, and the mod is $295.00. Last time I checked you can't touch a reissue for $574.95.


Thanks for your input, and sorry for the long post! :D

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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:37 pm
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I'm not sure changing the tank itself would alter the reverb sound too much.
I suspect the reverb driver circuit would need to be altered somehow to really affect how it sounds.

You are liking the Rex ? :D What type of music do you prefer to play?
I'm asking because the Rex was one of my main 2 choices (the other being the Swamp Thang) for an in cab replacement.
We are using Celeston Vintage 30 as the driver in an extension cab.

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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:20 pm
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It probably won't help. I would look for an outboard reverb unit. The reverb on my HRDlx was horrible.


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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 6:35 pm
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I really like the C Rex. I play mostly classic rock, southern rock, some blues, and some country. The c rex is great for these genres, I don't know why Eminence markets this speaker the way they do. They market the new canis major, which is the same speaker with an alnico magnet for three times the price, as a lead guitar speaker ideal for rock, but they try to pass the c rex off as a jazz/classical speaker. I think that the user reviews on harmony central, etc... speak for themselves when it comes to the c rex. It's a great American/Jensenish speaker that doesn't color the amps tone, but provides plenty of punch. I am curious about the canis major, but I can't think of another speaker I would trade my c rex for.

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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 6:41 pm
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Sounds like changing the tank isn't going to do a lot, my wife will be happy about that, one less thing for me to spend oney on. :twisted: Since I am making the circuit change, I will report back on the reverb if there is any difference.

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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:06 am
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Boss has a Fender digital reverb pedal that's supposed to be based on the 63 spring reverb. I never tried it though.


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Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:28 pm
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The reverb tank in the HRDx is just fine, the problem is that the circuit driving the tank has too much low end filtered out before it reaches the tank. The fix is simple: clip resistor R103. Immediately you are rewarded with classic, rich Fender reverb like most of the other Fender amps.

Caution, if you don't know your way around the inside of a high voltage amp like the HRDx, take it to a tech- it's not worth dying over!


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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:58 am
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I just had to find out so I reached in and snipped one side of R103 in my BD :)
The reverb is more reverbier (is that a word ?) so that is an improvement, but still nothing like a dedicated tank.

Heed well the warning about High Voltage R103 is inches away from the big power caps.

gtrman100 wrote:
the problem is that the circuit driving the tank has too much low end filtered out before it reaches the tank. The fix is simple: clip resistor R103. Immediately you are rewarded with classic, rich Fender reverb like most of the other Fender amps.

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