Fender 1x12 Hot Rod Deluxe Questions

Bacchus2b · #1 07-29-2005, 05:37 PM

I’m looking for another tube amp and I was considering the Fender 1x12 HotRod Deluxe. I have seen a lot of them for sale on ebay, and a few here and there have been modified or had speakers replaced. They also have a limited edition ever now and then with an upgrraded speaker and hardwood cabinet. Any opinions?

Thanks! David

oldpepsiguy · #2 07-29-2005, 07:49 PM

Hi David, I too am looking at tube amps. I tried out The Fender Hotrod Deluxe and a Crate V3112, in my opinion the Crate had a much better tone, you might check one out. I am 99% sure that the Crate V3112 is the amp for me. Any way that's my 2 cents worth, enjoy the hunt for the new one. Jim <><

http://www.crateamps.com/html/product.cfm?pid=106#

Livingston · #3 07-29-2005, 10:53 PM

I have a Fender Hotrod Deluxe and like it a lot. It's pretty loud and I'm considering getting an attenuator (sp?) but I don't feel like spending the money right. No amp fits everyone's expectations, but I personally really liked the sound of the Hotrod when I demo'd it with an American Standard Stratocaster. Made that strat sound like what I thought a strat should sound like.

Bob Womack · #4 07-30-2005, 07:03 AM

Of course, you must develop you own sound, so use your ears, but here is some info for you: The Hot Rod Deluxe is the highest-selling amp of all time, so it must have gotten something right. Like just about all amps (and many British cars) it has some quirks, the biggest of which is that Fender used a linear-taper pot for the master volume control. As a result, it doesn't give you much control at low level such as practice situations. To deal with that, many people buy a power attenuator and leave it in-line or replace that one pot. By the way, apparently Fender did that so that the amp would appear louder than the other's around it at the store(!)

There is an extensive site with loads of information about modifying, maintaining, and repairing Hot Rod Deluxes. It also has full info on the special editions and quirks. The site is called the Unofficial Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Owner's Guide .

Without springing three or four times this amount for a boutique or classic amp, the HRD is probably the best way to get "that classic Fender sound" with modern features and a warranty.

Bob

Livingston · #5 07-30-2005, 10:49 AM

Wow, the UFHRDOG is great!!! Thanks for the link.

oldpepsiguy · #6 07-30-2005, 09:33 PM

Hi again, I said that I was 99% sure the Crate V3112 was the amp for me.........welllllllllllllll! I went to check out the amps again. I tried all the tube amps I found under $600.00, Peavy, Crate, and Fender. Well I was sold on the Fender after playing them all and comparing them to each other. So I guess I 'm never sure til, I'm really sure...haha. I bought the Fender Hotrod Deluxe.....very nice amp.

Jim <><

Tahitijack · #7 07-31-2005, 08:45 AM

You won't be disappointed. I love my HRDlx. I have been fortunate and could paid just about any price for an amp but the Fender vibe got me. Its loud and I later added a Blues Jr. for practice. I loaned to my guitar coach who gigs several nights a week and occasionally tours and does studio work and he liked it a lot, although not enought to trade his Matchless.

ELK · #8 08-01-2005, 06:52 AM

Hot Rod deluxe is a great amp if you don't wan't massive overdrive. 40 watts of tube power and 1X12 configuration is a highly usable, portable package. I love 1X12 amps.

It won't, however, give you the "unlimited" overdrive that Fender advertises. It will give you the classic fender sound, which runs from crystal clear to a nice warm moderate overdrive. It does not have "unlimited" gain. It favors the clean side, as Fenders traditionally do. That's great if you play jazz or blues, or even country.

If you want a rock sound, however, I think one of the best 1X12 combos available is the Marshall DSL 401.

If you want it all in one package, and you're not married to the idea of real tubes, check out the Fender Cyber Deluxe. It's a solid state 60 watt 1X12 modelling amp and the sounds are excellent. I rarely use my Marshall 401, even for rock, anymore because the Cyber Deluxe sounds just as good and has more bass end response.

Bacchus2b · #9 08-02-2005, 07:01 PM

Thanks for the link and all of the advice. I was a little surprised at the number of problems posted at Harmony Central around the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe in particular the input jack being attached to the circuit board and breaking easily.

I know that there is not a perfect combo out there, but I would like something more versatile than my Mesa Boogie. Maybe I should just buy a Line 6 PODxt and be done with tubes, but there is something special about the warmth you get when your tube combo has been running at full steam for 30 minutes and the tone is glorious.......

Have a great evening! David

Bob Womack · #10 08-02-2005, 07:36 PM

FYI: The linked site has fixes for just about all the problems on the HRD. BTW, I'm using the POD 2.3 myself and loving it. Of course, I do play it through a tube amp...

Bob

Schmigan · #11 08-15-2005, 02:44 PM

Hey,
I bought a Hot Rod Deluxe about 6 months ago and it is a very nice amp, absolutely beautiful tone. It's got a great clean sound, the dirty channel isn't too bad (If you're looking for a spectacular high gain tone, go with a Marshall), and the natural overdrive sounds GREAT. My only complaint is that it doesn't have a master volume knob, so in order to overdrive the amp, you have to have it playing LOUD. It will easily be loud enough to be heard over a drummer, and you'll be able to play most medium sized gigs fairly easily without needing to mic it. There's a bright switch on the clean channel, along with a second slightly darker sounding input, which is good for creating some variations in tone, the EQ is responsive enough, and the Reverb sounds great, as with all Fenders. Bob Womack is right about the linear-taper-pot volume control, it can be tricky to get your volume right on lower volumes as the knob is VERY touchy. But I like it that way - once you get it above 4 or so the amp doesn't really go any louder, it just increases the overdrive. I don't like the More Drive button very much, but that's probably because I usually play clean or with my tubescreamer anyways when I want some distortion, and I don't usually use too much. Email me if you have any question or want a recording or something.

Ryan

~j~ · #12 08-15-2005, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmigan

Hey,
I bought a Hot Rod Deluxe about 6 months ago and it is a very nice amp, absolutely beautiful tone. It's got a great clean sound, the dirty channel isn't too bad (If you're looking for a spectacular high gain tone, go with a Marshall), and the natural overdrive sounds GREAT. My only complaint is that it doesn't have a master volume knob, so in order to overdrive the amp, you have to have it playing LOUD. It will easily be loud enough to be heard over a drummer, and you'll be able to play most medium sized gigs fairly easily without needing to mic it. There's a bright switch on the clean channel, along with a second slightly darker sounding input, which is good for creating some variations in tone, the EQ is responsive enough, and the Reverb sounds great, as with all Fenders. Bob Womack is right about the linear-taper-pot volume control, it can be tricky to get your volume right on lower volumes as the knob is VERY touchy. But I like it that way - once you get it above 4 or so the amp doesn't really go any louder, it just increases the overdrive. I don't like the More Drive button very much, but that's probably because I usually play clean or with my tubescreamer anyways when I want some distortion, and I don't usually use too much. Email me if you have any question or want a recording or something.

Ryan

my deville sounds quite nice with the regular overdrive channel *plus* a tube-screamer. Smooth! =)

jeffg · #13 08-15-2005, 11:35 PM

Check out the Traynor YCV40 series or the newer YCV50 model. I bought the YCV40WR over the HRD as the drive channel on the HRD sounds horrible (to me and lots of other posters on HC). The Traynor has a way better drive channel and almost as good a clean channel. The reverb is not so great on the traynor though - the HRD is way better in that dept.

jwg.

JohnZ · #14 08-16-2005, 08:19 AM

It does the job for me. Sold the '67 Super cause it wasn't being used.

bing4sons · #15 08-16-2005, 09:15 AM

I have a HRD. I replaced the stock speaker with a Weber, which improved the tone. I also had several of the mods, on the HRD site Bob referenced, done on it. The main purpose of the mods was to try and get improved tone at lower volumes. In addition, I use a Weber Mass (i.e. attenuator) with it.

I just don't need anything that loud (I mic my amp in a band situation) so I ended up getting a Reverend Goblin. It's a 15/5w switchable amp, with a schizo switch to get Vox/Fender/or vintage type tones. I absolutely love it. BTW, Reverend is getting out of the amp business, so if you're interested in a new Reverend, you'll need to act quick www.reverendguitars.com. It's also much easier to cart around, at 22lbs. I find that it cuts through the mix much better than the HRD and is much earier to overdrive at less than ear splitting volume.

I'm hanging onto the HRD for my 18yr old son. He plays primarily acoustic right now, but in case he delves into electric, he'll have an amp.