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Post subject: Replace tubes in my Hot Rod Deluxe
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:23 pm
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Hello Fender Lounge Forum Friends,

I have had my Hot Rod Deluxe for over 4 years and while playing shows of more than an hour I noticed that my tone starts to get muddy and the tone isn't all there after an hour of 2 of playing. I run pedals directly into the amp just using the clean tone.

My question is what tubes do I get? I noticed that there are 3 pre amp tubes (12Ax7) and 2 tubes (6L6B), but when I looked on a site to get tube there were quartets, duets and etc...

Can someone please help and guide me to which "specific" tubes i should get without having to have the amp "bias," (not sure what that means) or what tubes you recommend replacing the stock tubes with? Thank you everone for reading my post. Hopefully I don't sound to beginner.


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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:35 pm
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Any time you change the power tubes, it's best to have the amps biased checked. There's really no way around it. Welcome to tube amp land.
I use a set of JJ's from Eurotubes. I use their Blues Option #1. I like them a lot. Winged C's are nice too. I really don't care for the Groove Tubes at all. My amp sounded brittle and the Drive channels sounded like an icepick in the forehead. Now they sound great. I stopped using my pedals and just go directly into the amp.


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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:06 pm
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+1 on the JJ's from Eurotubes


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Post subject: Replacing tubes
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:15 am
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I have an HR Deluxe...I bought it used but it was supposedly just serviced with new tubes, etc. before I got it. Sounds great to me...but, I will eventually need to change the tubes, either out of necessity or curiosity. I understand biasing (although I am not sure I would attempt it myself). I was wondering...does it make sense to change all the tubes (including preamp) at once? I would think it would be easier, though perhaps not as cost efficient.

I like the idea of buying a set of tubes...someone mentioned JJ's. I was wondering what else people have used and might recommend...I play mostly alt-country to rock...Stones sound, kind of. Not a huge user of clean tones, nor a heavy distortion or effects user. Most of my sound comes from the amp. I always seem to be chasing a country-rock tone, almost like a pedal steel, which I can do with reverb, light distortion, string bends and occasionally some chorus. Anyone have any recommendations along those lines? Either tubes, or even amp settings or effects ideas.


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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:07 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Houston
Quote:
I was wondering...does it make sense to change all the tubes (including preamp) at once? I


It will probably sound better if V1 and V2 are a matched set, the same for V4 and V5. V3 can be done separately.

As for tones, just play with the controls and you can do most of it. Use the Master to control the volume and the "volume" or drive to control the sound. Most of the good sounding things you're describing come from the preamp tubes not the power tubes.


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Post subject: Re: Replace tubes in my Hot Rod Deluxe
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:45 pm
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alpahati wrote:
Hello Fender Lounge Forum Friends,

I have had my Hot Rod Deluxe for over 4 years and while playing shows of more than an hour I noticed that my tone starts to get muddy and the tone isn't all there after an hour of 2 of playing. I run pedals directly into the amp just using the clean tone.

My question is what tubes do I get? I noticed that there are 3 pre amp tubes (12Ax7) and 2 tubes (6L6B), but when I looked on a site to get tube there were quartets, duets and etc...

Can someone please help and guide me to which "specific" tubes i should get without having to have the amp "bias," (not sure what that means) or what tubes you recommend replacing the stock tubes with? Thank you everone for reading my post. Hopefully I don't sound to beginner.


Tubes pretty much degrade over time like strings, and you will not likely notice until they are pretty worn out until after they are changed (like strings). Being a Hot Rod Deluxe owner myself, I would replace the power tubes with some kind of NOS (New Old Stock) matched pair. I installed a matched pair of NOS Phillips in my amp and it really "opened" up the sound of my amp and made it even warmer. Regarding matched tubes, power tubes should always be matched and this is how you typically purchase them. For amps like your typical 40-60 watt Fender, you will buy a "matched pair" since there are two power tubes. For larger amps in the 100 watt range, you would buy a "matched quad" since there will likely be 4 tubes. For the preamp tubes, those are generally replaced as needed whether they turn microphonic and/or fail or you just want to alter the overall tone a bit. Preamp tubes can last the life of an amp. Hope this helps!


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:54 am
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I put a matched set of mesa boogie 6L6c's and 12ax7's in my HR. A hudge upgrade from the groove tubes that came with the amp. Torres engineering also has a great selection of tubes for this amp. Just type in torresengineering and the site will come up. They have really fast service. You really don't have to search out NOS tubes to get tone. Just make sure the tubes you buy are new. I would not trust online auctions.


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