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Post subject: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:33 am
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I am trying to find a way to get a nice, crisp, natural overdrive from my HRD III. I use a standard MIM fender strat with a TS9 and Tex Spec pickups. I'm assuming I would get more of a natural distortion by cranking the amp, but how far back should I roll the guitar volume back (approx.), and which channel would be more preffered for a bluesy, Dicky Bett's kind of sound, in order to get the distortion I'm looking for playing a small venue.


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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:16 am
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Ummm, have you read the owner's manual and understand the function of the various controls?

To get amp distortion from the clean channel, you will have to crank the clean channel volume pretty high and the HRD III is a LOUD amp. If you want amp distortion at a lower volume, you need to use Drive/More Drive and crank the Drive volume up while turning the Master volume down. This will give you preamp distortion, but the HRD preamp distorion is not universally loved. Or just run the TS9 into the clean channel with the clean volume set where you want it and control distortion with the pedal.

Turning the guitar volume down lets you clean up the sound. You will have to experiment with that on your own. There is no specific setting.

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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:26 am
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Lol I guess I sounded a bit naive in the original post. When I run the TS-9 on the clean channel, it usually is a bit too nasaly for my taste and I personally do not enjoy the pre-amp distortion at all. I am just trying to find out where the signal where cut off and start distorting naturally for either of the 3 channels, and will rolling the guitar volume back, help get that easier?


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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:27 am
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Hi PlayinSomeBluez,

You will have to play with the amp's knobs to get the sound that you want. It might take some experimenting to learn how the amp responds. Use the guitar volume as you like, your ears will guide you in that respect. More than likely, the bias is set quite cold from the factory and you might find that a simple bias adjust will give you a much better sound without having to change anything else.

This is a pretty good video showing how to adjust the bias, and it can be done easily with only a good volt meter reading the test point in millivolts (mV). Just read and scroll down and select "#1. Fender Hot Rod Deville / Deluxe Bias" for the video.
http://www.eurotubes.com/eurotubes-how-to-bias-video-probe-Pro-One.htm

Using input 2 will give you less volume and a little cleaner sound. On the clean channel, the amp will not get any power section distortion until past 4 on the volume knob. On the drive channels, select drive or more drive and adjust the drive knob for more or less gain, in conjunction with the master for volume level, and those two knobs don't function for the clean channel. I like my drive set at about 6 using either the drive or more drive channels, and "drive" will be a little more bluesy while "more drive" will be more modern and edgy, then adjust the master for desired volume level.

Many people find that using a distortion pedal on the clean channel gives better distortion than using the drive channels on the amp. I did this for a number of years and never really used the drive channels until I started experimenting with different preamp tubes. You always have the option of using some different preamp/PI tubes to alter the sound. One of my favorite preamp sets is a 5751 in V1, a 12AX7 in V2, and a 12AT7 in V3 (PI), and use input 2. This combination gives a warm, rich sound, with much smoother distortion for the gain channels.

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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:42 am
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Superb Help, shimmilou. I have been thinkining about doing a bias adjust, althought I think it would just be safer for me to take it to an amp tech. When speaking of tubes, I have another question, which should probably be in a completely different thread, but, What is your guy's opinion on replacing tubes? I have had the amp fir about 9 months (previously owned solid-states), play full band electric gigs about 1-2 times a month and practice on it about 2-3 times a week for about 30-mins. Will I be able to instantly tell when a tube replacement is needed and how often do you guys change your tubes?


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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:57 am
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PlayinSomeBluez wrote:
When I run the TS-9 on the clean channel, it usually is a bit too nasaly for my taste and I personally do not enjoy the pre-amp distortion at all.


Back the amp's treble control down, avoid using the bright switch, and dial in the presence control only sparingly. A speaker swap might prove beneficial as well (this amp responds well to a Celestion V30). As for tubes and their service longevity, I've got bottles in many of my amps that are likely older than you. But as far as contemporary glass, well-designed and well-constructed tubes should deliver at least five years of service or more if biased correctly.

I recommend you heed shimmilou's advice regarding any adjustment of the idle bias. Your amp will perform better and your tubes will last longer.

Likewise with bluesky's suggestions......when in doubt, whip it out (the instruction manual, that is).

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:10 am
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I used my original output tubes for over ten years, and aside from a couple of noisy preamp tubes being changed the sound was good. I only changed tubes to experiment with different sounds, and yes you can usually tell the loss of tone or other indications, like noise, that the tubes need to be changed. With a hotter bias, expect shorter tube life, a bit of a trade off between longest life and best sound, and for this particular amp somewhere around 70 mV to 80 mV at the test point is a great setting for long life and good sound. As Retroverbial pointed out, at least five years life can be expected for output tubes, and even more depending on which tubes that you have and how much the amp is used. Preamp tubes can last even longer, but in a combo all tubes will get a good pounding so just listen for tone loss, or rattling or other noise. I have been using tube damper rings as a preventative measure against vibration, and there is a little damping of tone (less ringing sound) but still good sound.

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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:29 am
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Wow. really enjoying this forum site so far. So much expience and wisdom being shown thus far lol. Thanks for the great tips guys!


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Post subject: Re: HRD III Distortion
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:38 am
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I kind of agree about the longevity of tubes. and, usually you KNOW when the mains are going out, they're good at communicating this... they usually either work, or they don't.

pramp tubes, a different story, but they are inexpensive and EASILY replaced. (plug and play)

I have a HR De-ville which is not quite the same as the HR Deluxe but I will say the gain channel is really under-rated, but you definitely need to use the "gain" knob sparingly.
I get more compliments on the sound of that amp than I can count but I know what I'm looking for out of it.

Also agree that a few good pedals in front of your amp could definitely bring you closer to your karma tone.

also, if you're relaly shooting for Dicky Betts tone ---- I hate to say it,, the only way I know of, is to play a Les Paul, but--- that said, You should be able to get "GOOD" tones out of that by just doing what the others have suggested.


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