Getting a new amp...but what should I get?

[JakeK]

I found a Fender Deluxe at a local music shop for $600, and I have $650! I'm definately buying it, possibly sometime next week. I'm so excited to get it!

[sloop_john_b]

Deluxe Reverb?

[JakeK]

Yes, I believe.

[antipodean]

If it's in a1 working order, it's a sweet deal - go for it!

[JakeK]

Good news, I still have $650 for that Fender Amp, despite the fact I'm getting the 1997. I went to that local shop today, and tried the Deluxe reverb. I liked it, and thought it was a good deal, when I also saw a Blues Deluxe. I asked the store owner, "Which of the two can get me that Rolling Stones, Beatles, Tom Petty, Byrds, Who, etc sound?" "No question," said the store owner, "The Blues Deluxe." I grabbed a Highway One Tele and played a couple licks (The Last Time, Satifaction, I Can't Explain) through both and decided I'm buying the Blues Deluxe.

It's Tweed colored, and all tube. Have I made the right choice?

[lennon211]

Good news, I still have $650 for that Fender Amp, despite the fact I'm getting the 1997. I went to that local shop today, and tried the Deluxe reverb. I liked it, and thought it was a good deal, when I also saw a Blues Deluxe. I asked the store owner, "Which of the two can get me that Rolling Stones, Beatles, Tom Petty, Byrds, Who, etc sound?" "No question," said the store owner, "The Blues Deluxe." I grabbed a Highway One Tele and played a couple licks (The Last Time, Satifaction, I Can't Explain) through both and decided I'm buying the Blues Deluxe.

It's Tweed colored, and all tube. Have I made the right choice?

Jake, at this point, I think that you have to go with your gut. If that amp had the sound that you wanted, then you made the right choice. If the Deluxe Reverb had had the sound you wanted and you went with the Blues Deluxe, then you probably would have made the wrong choice.

[JakeK]

The Blues Deluxe had that sound I was looking for. Glad to know I made the right choice, then!

[longhouse]

Brother, my 1997 through my Fender (Supersonic) has THE tone and responsiveness for me.
I think you made the right choice!

[JakeK]

I had a Geometry project I had to do in order to get it...I'm happy to say I've got that done and dusted and tomorrow, it's coming!

[JakeK]

Picked it up today. What an amazing amp! It beats my old practice amps by a longshot!

So, I've finally made a commitment to something, and bought it. Yes, I'm happy, too. This is a great amp, and I wouldn't trade it for anything (except MAYBE a RM1993 original or reissue)

[antipodean]

Picked it up today. What an amazing amp! It beats my old practice amps by a longshot!

So, I've finally made a commitment to something, and bought it. Yes, I'm happy, too. This is a great amp, and I wouldn't trade it for anything (except MAYBE a RM1993 original or reissue)

And the crowd goes wild!

Congratulations Jake!

[lennon211]

Picked it up today. What an amazing amp! It beats my old practice amps by a longshot!

So, I've finally made a commitment to something, and bought it. Yes, I'm happy, too. This is a great amp, and I wouldn't trade it for anything (except MAYBE a RM1993 original or reissue)

Did you get the one that you told me you were getting?

[BlueAngel]

The Blues Deluxe (and the equivalent 60W Deville and the Hot-Rod version of both models) are extremely under-rated amps. It's certainly true that they have a few little issues, but the big deal that a lot of amp snobs make out of these is totally out of proportion to the scale of the problems!

Yes, they did have some reliability issues especially in the early days of the series. But Fender stuck with the design and it's been progressively upgraded over the years - it's now one of the longest production runs of any tube amp, old or new - and most of the problems have been eliminated. The three most common ones were broken jacks (the original brittle plastic type have been changed for more robust ones), overheated low-voltage-supply resistors (which were increased in value and power rating) and failed phase inverter plate resistors (not sure if this one has been corrected or not, but it's the least common of the Big Three). And given the numbers that Fender have made - the Hotrod Deluxe is the most numerous single tube amp model ever made - the failure rate really isn't that bad at all... certainly not at the price point.

Yes, they are "PCB built" - as opposed to "hand wired", which a lot of snobs will tell you is "best". Guess what - it makes no real difference, the quality and tone of an amp is in the detail of how it's built not the construction method, and all REALLY critical electronics (avionics, military, medical etc) use PCBs because it's BETTER... really. They are perhaps slightly harder to service than a 'hand wired' amp, but with a bit of experience it's not a problem at all. (And easier than with some other brands I can think of - I'm a professional amp tech by the way.)

Yes, the volume, MV and reverb controls are a bit 'touchy' - this seems to be by design so the amps sound impressively loud and deep even at very low settings, and really they don't get much (usefully) louder beyond 3 or 4 on the knobs... and it can make it a bit tricky to dial in great sounds at lower volume, especially on the Drive channel. But it certainly can be done if you just turn the knobs CAREFULLY while listening to the sound, and I don't have any trouble dialing in good tones at ANY volume level (right down to night-time practice) in any mode, including the much-maligned 'More Drive' on the Hot-Rods. You certainly don't need any of the often recommended 'fixes' such as attenuators or 'volume boxes' in the FX loop, although these can be useful too.

The only things I think aren't quite as good as they could be are the tubes - no surprise, since no modern large-scale amp manufacturer uses anything other than cheap modern-production ones now, and easy to change (you can also use other varieties of preamp tubes, eg 12AT7s, for less gain and clearer tones) - and the speaker, which seems to be voiced for volume rather than tone and is a bit 'shouty'... but is also easy to change.

So don't let anyone put you down for your 'mass produced', 'PCB', 'channel switching' Blues Deluxe! If they can't get a good tone out of one, the problem isn't in the amp . Many very serious (up to rock star level) bands use either these or the Devilles on tour too, and there is a good reason for that.

[deaconblues]

Interesting info! Didn't know the HRD is the most-produced tube amp, I guess that stands to reason.

I love the tone I get from my Hot Rod Deluxe. It's my #1 amp for gigging but I don't use it at home enough - my Crate 15-watt is decent-sounding enough. I got it in blond because I really wanted a tweed Deluxe-style amp.

Then a few weeks later they come out with the Blues Deluxe in real tweed...

Anyway, +1 to all above, and highly recommended. Does anybody know if there's a difference between the Blues Deluxe and the Hot Rod Deluxe other than finish?

[paologregorio]

My fellow SFD guitarist Jayme and I both played out of the 60 watt versions- Hot Rod Deville 212s during our recent trip to Chicago. I'm normally an AC30 player, and Jayme usually plays out of a Mesa Boogie Nomad 50 watt 2x12, but we were both quite happy with the sounds we were able to get out of our backline amps in Chicago. We stayed with strictly the clean channels and used stomp boxes for OD/Distortion (we both used tube screamers, and I used a Danelectro Daddy-O as well).

I think you've made a great choice for an amp. Glad you're happy with it!