I've had my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for about a year but haven't played it much because I've been using my acoustic guitar. I gave it a blast with a band last night and I'm not happy at all with the amp's overdrive circuit. Its just horrible and muddy.(I'm using an old Washnurn with humbuckers by the way. It sounds like an SG) The clean channel will only break-up when its ridiculously loud so I'm looking for a pedal that'll give me just a bit of Keef-crunch (going through the clean channel) but won't end up in heavy metal territory.
Any suggestions?

Hi Phelge

I have a deluxe reverb reissue and use a HT Dual by Blackstar. Two channels one crunchy and the other filthy. You can also dial in a American or British tone. Great pedal.

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

Thanks for that.

Besides using a pedal, I would also look at getting a different amp, eg the deluxe reverb reissue mentioned above. I had the same problem, and even with my TubeScreamer, I couldn't get any decent sound out of it. I am now using a different amp, and couldn't be any happier.

Are you playing at home only or in a band?

Nobody is claiming the HRD to be the best amp in the world , but it can be improved an awfull lot without spending a fortune. Try using a couple of 5751 tubes in the preamp and a 12AT7 in the phase invertor. The difference in sound and feel is not subtle . The design has too much inherrent gain for many tastes and these tube substitutions address that issue.

You might also try a couple of TAD6L6WGC tubes in the ouput stage when you're due for a retube.

There is alaso very simple and easily reversible DIY mod to the tone stack which makes a nice difference if you're suitablt inclined and able.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-10-05 19:50 by Spud.

I probably can't be bothered with the mods! I really like the clean sound though. And I'm just hoping to get a decent pedal for some crunch. Yes, I'm playing in a band.

I had wanted a Fender amp forever. That was the ultimate. I had a vintage Reberb, then a Twin. But once I started playing in clubs, I hated the sound. Playing a Telecaster through a Fender amp, its too trebly and thin. Its fine for recording because you can do things, put it through things. My friend convinced me to bite the bullet and use a Marshall. I haven't gone back since.
Fender amps are cool, but limited in live settings.

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stupidguy2
I had wanted a Fender amp forever. That was the ultimate. I had a vintage Reberb, then a Twin. But once I started playing in clubs, I hated the sound. Playing a Telecaster through a Fender amp, its too trebly and thin. Its fine for recording because you can do things, put it through things. My friend convinced me to bite the bullet and use a Marshall. I haven't gone back since.
Fender amps are cool, but limited in live settings.

Keith would disagree

quite !

Keith is why I wanted a Fender, but Im no techie, equipment-wise, and could not get that full, thick sound.I don't know how the Stones did it, they must have been jacked to the skies, I never figured out a way to do it. Using a Marshal was like giving in, but they can be beautiful and they can be growly.

The trick with playing a Telecaster thru a Fender is actually very simple and works like a charm: turn the damn treble down. It works, I promise you. Been doing it for years.

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From4tilLate
The trick with playing a Telecaster thru a Fender is actually very simple and works like a charm: turn the damn treble down. It works, I promise you. Been doing it for years.

But I like the Tele as twangy as possible....and through a Marshall, you get the twang with the heavy bottom. It sounded great when I was in a room, but in a club, thin. ANd, sorry Keith, I like the crunch that I just never got with a twin or reverb. Maybe its a power thing.

Nice article about the differences of Fender tone stacks vs. Marshall tone stacks here:
[www.gmarts.org]

I've recently started using a Fulltone OCD pedal and I'm very impressed with the sounds I get through it. Been using it with a tele through a small valve amp. Haven't tried it through my Hot Rod Deluxe yet. Usually used a Les Paul Special style Gibson through it - P-90's - and got a much better sound using a Bad Monkey pedal than using the amp's own overdrive. The OCD is more versatile and I'm hopeful that it will perform even better than the Bad Monkey. Great for Keef - like crunch rhythms and juicy lead tones.

Has anyone tried the Seymour Duncan's Twin Tube Classic ???????????????????

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stupidguy2

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From4tilLate
The trick with playing a Telecaster thru a Fender is actually very simple and works like a charm: turn the damn treble down. It works, I promise you. Been doing it for years.

But I like the Tele as twangy as possible....and through a Marshall, you get the twang with the heavy bottom. It sounded great when I was in a room, but in a club, thin. ANd, sorry Keith, I like the crunch that I just never got with a twin or reverb. Maybe its a power thing.

Or knock a bit of volume off the guitar. The last notch or two of the guitar volume is often the best tone control of all. [so long as you don't have one of those silly treble bleed caps soldered in there ;^) ]

Somethin very simiar happens with my Carvin Nomad; excellent clean chanel, and a dirty chanel unsuitable

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KeithNacho
Has anyone tried the Seymour Duncan's Twin Tube Classic ???????????????????

That looks like a great pedal too.....Umm I've been thinking of adding one to my collection.

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

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stupidguy2
ANd, sorry Keith, I like the crunch that I just never got with a twin or reverb. Maybe its a power thing.

Twin Reverbs are known to be very clean, so you'll won't get any crunch, unless you turn it way up. On stange Keith uses Tweed TWins, which are different amps.

If you want amp-crunch, a smaller tube amp is the way to go.

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phelge
I probably can't be bothered with the mods! I really like the clean sound though. And I'm just hoping to get a decent pedal for some crunch. Yes, I'm playing in a band.

Hi Phelge

I've had a Hot Rod Deluxe for quite a few years and at first I was also a little flummoxed with the drive channel.

First off I invested in a Volume box which I bought here: [www.carlscustomguitars.com]

Only $20 and made a big difference as you can turn the amp volume way up giving you 'tube saturation' but not at a stupidly loud level. This alone helped brighten up the drive channel.

I was also however looking for a dirty sound other than through the drive channel, so I invested in a Boss Blues Driver pedal (You can get a mod version of this pedal through Robert Keeley which vastly improves the quiality of sounds you get through the pedal). This set up along with a Keeley compressor really transforms the amp.

I've used it live many times (with a Tele and a Gretsch) and it really nails that vintage drive sound.

So basically, you can improve the HRD drive to some extent but IMO using the clean channel as the foundation and adding the pedals I mentioned should get you the sound you want.

I have a Hot Rod. I've found that putting the gain for the distortion channel at hardly any at all sounds pretty good actually - it's still clean enough but has just a hint of distortion while still having tone.

If you're looking for that Fender sound without blowing your ears out with horrible insanely awful clean tone like a Twin (I HATE Twins) you really need to get a Champ. You can slave it to another amp if you need more volume.

Mesa Boogie solves the problem. Or do what Dave Davies of the Kinks did on You really got
Me: cut the speakers.

Amps and guitars are like women.You have to adjust here and there to get a great sound out of them.

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TheflyingDutchman
Amps and guitars are like women.You have to adjust here and there to get a great sound out of them.

Thats why your single

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Cooltoplady

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TheflyingDutchman
Amps and guitars are like women.You have to adjust here and there to get a great sound out of them.

Thats why your single

Nope, at the contrary. Just a good advice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-30 00:12 by TheflyingDutchman.

I used to own one. I had to adjust the eq for any volume change. The reverb tank went on it twice. Cheap Chinese diodes also. I finally got rid of it and picked a Deluxe Reverb. A much better amp by far

I know nothing about this particular amp, but, switching out tubes is a good way to go regarding tube amp sounds. I bought an original issue Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 off a guitar instructor. He said he hated the amp and the way it sounded. I researched tube amps and power tubes and acquired a few NOS (New Old Stock) tubes and newer ones. Sylvania and RCA are some of the NOS brands I acquired. Once I switched out tubes for what Fender had put in the amp it was a whole different thing sound wise. Do a search online for "NOS power tubes" along with a brand called Svetlana which may or may not be around anymore in terms of new product, but, dang, they are good power tubes. You may also want to find a good amp tech to talk with in regard to what you're looking for sound wise and what, if anything, can be done to give you the sound you want from the amp.

Here's a link to a place I used to get power tubes. If you have a tube amp you might wanna check them out.

[www.tubesandmore.com]

I've got a Fender Blues Junior (III), and it's a superb amp (12'' speaker), giving the sound I like and need for my Squire Telecaster.

Skip the Fender pedal. Use the clean channel. Use a Tube screamer for slightly crunchy sound. Use another overdrive pedal for solos.

This has worked best for my Deluxe.