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Post subject: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:09 pm
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Hello all,

I am about to change my power tubes on my fender hrd, and I was wondering if you guys can link me some power tubes i can replace it with without having to rebiase the amp.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... 001+357408

I'm not too sophisticated with the technical stuff regarding re-biasing, so I'd like to just swap out the power tubes as if it was a preamp tube.

Do you guys recommend a specific power tube?

I'm looking for something that'll give me good crisp sounds like a fender amp should! (I play a fender eric clapton strat for my single coil guitar and a prs custom 24 for my humbucker.) I definitely would like the amp to give me alot of clean headroom. I don't really push my amp for OD, i mainly use my pedals board for that, so I'm not sure if it'll the power tubes will make a huge difference?

Any help/suggestions would sincerely be appreciated!

Thanks guys!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:35 pm
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Are you changing out the 6L6 stock tubes? If so, what color is the printing on them? Replace with a matched set of the same color or the corresponding Groove Tubes numeric equivalent. Then you won't need to rebias according to Fender and Groove Tubes (I still would bias though to be on the safe side since bias can drift over time).

The Fender tube scale is
Blue = GT 1-3 range
White = GT 4-7 range
Red = GT 8-10 range

from: http://www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com/Rating.html

READ THIS ALSO: http://www.groovetubes.com/gtratingsystem.html

If you got this amp used and unsure if it has the stock tubes, then get it biased ASAP. Who knows what the previous owner did.

The problem of just sticking with Fender labelled tubes or Groove Tubes is that you won't get to experiment with different sounds. You say, "I'm looking for something that'll give me good crisp sounds like a fender amp should!". Well if you just put in the same rating of power tubes as the ones you are taking out, than you haven't changed the sound at all. Maybe the tubes in your amp are fine, but the amp just needs to be biased to sound its best.

Eurotubes has a how-to video for biasing a Hot Rod Deluxe. http://www.eurotubes.com/euro-video.htm
Looks easy as long as you DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING inside the amp.

Preamp tubes don't need biasing and are cheap. Maybe pop a 12AY7 or 5751 into V1 and see if that gives a cleaner sound.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:02 pm
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You should always check and if necessary, rebias the power tubes when you change them. There are several Hot Rod bias discussions going on right now so I won't waste space by repeating them, just do a quick search. As far as tubes go:

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... gory_id=32

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:51 pm
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Cool!

Thanks for the reply guys! Checked my stock power tubes and the font were white--which would mean I get the medium 4-7 ratings right? (Bought the amp new and the tubes still the fender logo on it)

The tubes indicates: GT6L6C

Quick question, would I need to re-bias if I replaced with these tubes? http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=219163

The link above is GT6L6 GE and not C, but does the ending matter?

I really oughta sit down and learn how to bias the amp myself, but I'm just scared I might do something wrong and blow out my amp permanently.. :T


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:25 pm
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You should always check and if necessary, adjust the bias any time you change tubes. Fender biases their amps very cold which is not the best for sound. With this and a $25 digital voltmeter, even a caveman could properly bias an amp:

http://www.amp-head.com/product_info.ph ... ucts_id=70

Here are other useful links:

http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53041

http://www.justinholton.com/hotrod/bias.html

http://www.webervst.com/tubes1/calcbias.htm

http://www.eurotubes.com/euro-Fender-HRDV.htm

Follow the safety precautions and you will have no problems.

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Last edited by bluesky636 on Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:45 pm
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Hi jchoi5,

The ending letters on the tube usually do matter, sometimes indicating a difference in rated watts, sometimes indicating other differences. In this case the tubes with the GE ending are just that, supposedly a reproduction/re-manufacture of the original US tubes made by GE. I believe that the GE tubes would be quite different than the stock tubes that are in your amp now. I agree with the others, whatever tubes that you use, you should set the bias for each particular set. Fender has many different models of amps that have the bias set improperly from the factory, so it is always a good idea to check it. There are a lot of good links provided for you, and if you check them out, you might find that it is easier than you think to set the bias on your amp. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:09 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
You should always check and if necessary, adjust the bias any time you change tubes. Fender biases their amps very cold which is not the best for sound. With this and a $25 digital voltmeter, even a caveman could properly bias an amp:

http://www.amp-head.com/product_info.ph ... ucts_id=70

Here are other useful links:

http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53041

http://www.justinholton.com/hotrod/bias.html

http://www.webervst.com/tubes1/calcbias.htm

http://www.eurotubes.com/euro-Fender-HRDV.htm

Follow the safety precautions and you will have no problems.


+1,000 Never trust anything when it comes to your power tubes. You tone and tube life can suffer.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:09 pm
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Thank you all for the wonderful links and helpful tips, I truly appreciate it. I read through all of them and I think I should be able to bias it myself. Maybe it was just a matter of me being lazy/stubborn I don't know hahah.

Anyways I went to radio shack today and picked up a multimeter, I'm gonna attempt to bias my fender HRD for the very first time :shock:

I'm sure it was set up a bit cold from the fender factory just as a safety precaution. I learned more about biasing in my 2 days than I did than the 2 years I owned the amp. Thank you all again for such awesome insight.

Will let u know how my biasing goes.. :X


Last edited by jchoi5 on Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:14 pm
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Wow just got done biasing and it was a piece of cake. All it took was 30 dollars (for the multimeter) and a screwdriver. I was initially nervous a bit cuz they kept saying u could die! :cry:

So I opened up my HRD and checked the bias straight of the factory... and found out it was set at 58 mv. I've been using this amp for 2 years this way!! And it still sounded pretty good!

I pushed the bias to about 68 mv and my amp just sounds so much nicer, fuller and more responsive! Didn't really get a chance to play long with the new bias setting, but I'll find better words to describe it when I practice on it. It does sound different tho.

I couldn't have figured this out without all the help and guidance from everyone here!! Seriously LOVE. YOU. ALL!! THANKS!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:46 pm
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I have this amp as well. I had to put in the pre-amp tube but had to change the drive to a lower out put tube they come with 12AX7 I think I placed a 12AU7 in its place, I play more blues though and wanted a more softer crunch. All in all Im satisfied. This Amp with out a doubt with be the amp our grand children will be looking for and paying high dollar for it. In line with the Twin reverb, bandmaster, and vibro-verb. (IMHO)


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:57 pm
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If you're happy with the headroom, leave it, for me it would still be a bit cold. I ran my JJ's around 85mv. What power tubes are you running?

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:22 pm
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63supro wrote:
If you're happy with the headroom, leave it, for me it would still be a bit cold. I ran my JJ's around 85mv. What power tubes are you running?


I think the OP still has the stock GT 6L6s. I wouldn't trust them past 70 mV. I run my JJs at 83 mV which works out to be about 36 mA plate current at 406 volts on the plate (using the Weber bias tables).

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:04 pm
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Yeah, good point guys, I think that the stock GTs (Sovteks) may be better for clean sound, best biased on the cool side, and use pedals for the drive. They may not do a driven sound as well when biased hot (debatable), but you won't hurt them biasing hot, they are about as tough as tubes come. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:17 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Yeah, good point guys, I think that the stock GTs (Sovteks) may be better for clean sound, best biased on the cool side, and use pedals for the drive. They may not do a driven sound as well when biased hot (debatable), but you won't hurt them biasing hot, they are about as tough as tubes come. :idea:


If the stock tubes are really relabled Sovtek 5881s (like the ones in my BDRI were) they are only rated at 25 watts vice 30 watts for a true 6L6GC. Mine sounded terrible above 70 mV. I pushed them to 75 mV (before switching to JJs) and it was awful. They sounded best at about 65mV. Mine were called "6L6R" and were Blue label.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Tubes
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:35 pm
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On a related note, after some experimenting, I just tried some preamp tubes that make the drive channel sound amazing in my HRDlx, the GT 12AX7-C. In thirteen years I have not liked the drive channel in my amp....until now, and I still have the stock GT output tubes (Sovtek 5881WXT). Check out my last post on this thread, something that might interest a BDlx or HRDlx owner. :)

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=50806&start=15&sid=9f25a21ebdbd5a782f104426918788d4

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