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Post subject: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:38 am
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Hi folks,
I bought a brand new Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III a year ago and recently I have noticed the whole sound becoming rather flat, damp and lifeless. It has no soul. I have a 1982 USA Strat and a brand new Schecter Keith Merrow 7 string yet both guitars despite brand new strings sound lifeless and dead on this amp. There is no more presence or sparkle or depth any more, just a kind of one dimensional flat dull tone whatever pickup I use and however I tweak the amps controls.

I don't remember it being like this when I bought it. I have replaced the preamp valves but that did not help. I have never gigged this amp and it has never left my living room or the volume been past 2.

What could have happened for it's life and sparkle to die? This amp is meant to have one of the best tone of any amp but sadly mine is not living up to that title.

Any suggestions please?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:58 am
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Chrism wrote:
Hi folks,

. I have replaced the preamp valves but that did not help.

Any suggestions please?



What about new Output tubes with bias ? One tube could be dead


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:18 am
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Can the output tubes dies or fail in just a year with minimal use on a new amp?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:29 am
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Chrism wrote:
Can the output tubes dies or fail in just a year with minimal use on a new amp?


Most of the time they last few years .They work hard and we never know , everything may happend.
It could be also a power supply issue or.....

12XX7 last 10 times than your 6L6's


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:41 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Chrism wrote:
Can the output tubes dies or fail in just a year with minimal use on a new amp?


Most of the time they last few years .They work hard and we never know , everything may happen.
It could be also a power supply issue or.....

12XX7 last 10 times than your 6L6's


I already had to replace the 12xx7s a month ago. :(

I used solid state amps for 16 years without a single issue and dragged and gigged them across 9 countries and blasted them in 16 hour long jazz sessions day in and day out.. My very first valve has not even survived sitting still in my living room at human voice levels before requiring regular and frequent heart translants. Hmm..


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:38 pm
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Generaly speaking;

Yes transistor stuff are tougher than tubes stuff.

But if you want a tube tone with is unique breakup , you must use a tube amp .

For gigs you don't need the best tone but you need light and more reliable gear , transistor amp is a good choice .

To work I will use transistor amp , to have fun I'll go with my vintage tubes amps


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:17 pm
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Chrism wrote:
My very first valve has not even survived sitting still in my living room at human voice levels before requiring regular and frequent heart translants. Hmm..


Tube amps designed and built by Leo Fender are tough sumbitches -- which is why so many of them are still around, still earning their keep, and commanding ever-higher prices with each passing year.

Contemporary land-fill fodder cannot be compared to real Fender amps. Not what anyone wants to believe perhaps but that's the unvarnished truth. If you're a serious player, get yourself a serious amp.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:41 pm
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I would replace the tubes. Short life? I guess. They do wear out. Have a tech do it. It can be re biased and if it is something else they'll fix it. Worth it tube amps sound great


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 7:14 am
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Tube amps designed and built by Leo Fender are tough sumbitches -- which is why so many of them are still around, still earning their keep, and commanding ever-higher prices with each passing year.

That's what I see and hear all the time with the older Fender amps. But the newer Hot Rod Deluxe III might not have that same build quality and longevity as those classic work horses.

I'll replace the power tubes then with something better quality (suggestions welcome) and see how I get on and also look to getting myself a nice solid state combo as well.

Thank you for the replies. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 9:13 am
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Chrism wrote:
I'll replace the power tubes then with something better quality (suggestions welcome) and see how I get on and also look to getting myself a nice solid state combo as well.


For a durable yet inexpensive power tube that sounds pretty good, you might give the Electro-Harmonics 6L6EX a try. A matched pair runs about thirty bucks. Be sure to have the bias checked and (if necessary) adjusted for optimum tone and tube life.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:58 pm
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I use JJ tubes from Eurotubes, they also have video's on how to BIAS the HRD power tubes it is super simple to do if you have a multi meter, and to buy one is pretty cheap, way cheaper than an amp tech.

http://www.eurotubes.com/store/pc/hotro ... 0video.htm

You can call them on the phone and they will give you all kinds of free advice, especially if you buy your tubes from them.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:26 pm
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My experience with power tubes is that they are hit or miss ..sometimes they last a few weeks and other times They can last over a year with regular use. Tubes these days are definitely not durable or reliable as a solid-state amp is by itself...again, this has been my experience over the last 35 yrs. I now make it a practice to keep a couple extra set of power tubes on hand for both of my 2tube amps just in case they are needed :cry:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:37 pm
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Chrism wrote:
... I don't remember it being like this when I bought it. I have replaced the preamp valves but that did not help. I have never gigged this amp and it has never left my living room or the volume been past 2. ...

Hi Chrism. Swapping power tubes, as suggested may solve the issue for you but just for grins and giggles - and because it doesn't cost anything to try - may I suggest you crank up the volume to 4 or 5 and see what effect this has on the tone. I have a HRD and to my ears the tone is very different when the volume is at 2 and when it is at 5.

Just my 2-cents worth.

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:30 pm
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musicmatty wrote:
My experience with power tubes is that they are hit or miss ..sometimes they last a few weeks and other times They can last over a year with regular use. Tubes these days are definitely not durable or reliable as a solid-state amp is by itself...again, this has been my experience over the last 35 yrs. I now make it a practice to keep a couple extra set of power tubes on hand for both of my 2tube amps just in case they are needed :cry:


Do you have the amp rebiased each time you buy a new set of output tubes?

Thanks! :)


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Post subject: Re: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe sounding cold and flat..
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 7:23 am
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The power tubes are a matched set and I have the bias dial just set at a quarter turn off of dead cold. Plenty a room left on that dial to heat up those tubes if need be, the tube & the plates never glow ..never even close. Nonetheless one of the power tubes will become microphonic in there for the whole set will need changed. I now pull the tubes out of the box in the store and give them the ping test with my finger ..you would be surprised how many tubes or microphonic right out of the box. The tubes should have more of a rubber band popping sound rather than a ping when tapped with the finger nail.

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