koula901 Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 Hey Folks, Took my H 137 with the new Lindy Fralin noisless P 90s to my weekly jam last Monday and plugged into the house Hot Rod Deluxe, (I hate these amps) set it to high gain (but not real loud), expecting that I could just turn down the volume pots on my guitar for the sound to clean up when I was playing rhythm, and then I could just increase the volume for my crunch/and distortion sounds. Well, no matter what I did with the volume pots, the volume didn't decrease, and the distortion never cleaned up! I thought something was wrong with my guitar, that maybe the pots weren't wired right when my guitar tech dropped them in. But last night I played with my amp at home, the 5 watt Epi Jr, put the volume at about 2 o'clock, turned down the volume pots, had the Wampler Super Plextortion on. The sound cleaned up beautifully by turning down the volume pots on my guitar, it worked beautifully with both pickups. Nothing wrong with the wiring of my pots, nothing wrong with the noiselss Frailn P90s (which sound great, by the way!). It was that dam Hot Rod Deluxe! So, I guess the question is: will most amps clean up when you turn down your volume pots on your guitar, after you've set the amp to distort? The only difference during what I did at the jam Monday night, and last night, was, at the jam, I set the hot rod to over drive. At home, I was using a pedal. I don't know if that makes any difference, I would guess not. What are your experiences?
NoNameBand Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 Hey Folks, Took my H 137 with the new Lindy Fralin noisless P 90s to my weekly jam last Monday and plugged into the house Hot Rod Deluxe, (I hate these amps) set it to high gain (but not real loud), expecting that I could just turn down the volume pots on my guitar for the sound to clean up when I was playing rhythm, and then I could just increase the volume for my crunch/and distortion sounds. Well, no matter what I did with the volume pots, the volume didn't decrease, and the distortion never cleaned up! I thought something was wrong with my guitar, that maybe the pots weren't wired right when my guitar tech dropped them in. But last night I played with my amp at home, the 5 watt Epi Jr, put the volume at about 2 o'clock, turned down the volume pots, had the Wampler Super Plextortion on. The sound cleaned up beautifully by turning down the volume pots on my guitar, it worked beautifully with both pickups. Nothing wrong with the wiring of my pots, nothing wrong with the noiselss Frailn P90s (which sound great, by the way!). It was that dam Hot Rod Deluxe! So, I guess the question is: will most amps clean up when you turn down your volume pots on your guitar, after you've set the amp to distort? The only difference during what I did at the jam Monday night, and last night, was, at the jam, I set the hot rod to over drive. At home, I was using a pedal. I don't know if that makes any difference, I would guess not. What are your experiences? Once you have saturated the signal ie; "Hi-Gain" from any amp, it is difficult to clean it up. This is much different when you turn the volume up to 2 o'clock on an amp with no Master Volume or drive channel and can now clean up the signal. It's just like using a pedal, once you turn on the distortion, you can't turn it down with the guitar, it will distort at a lower volume. The same with the Hot Rod Deluxe or any multi-channel amp with the overdrive on. In essence, you have multiple devices overdriving the signal, the guitar and the overdrive channel on the amp, turning one down doesn't eliminate the overdrive. You should choose One device to create the overdrive and control it from that device.
kbp810 Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 Once you have saturated the signal ie; "Hi-Gain" from any amp, it is difficult to clean it up. This is much different when you turn the volume up to 2 o'clock on an amp with no Master Volume or drive channel and can now clean up the signal. It's just like using a pedal, once you turn on the distortion, you can't turn it down with the guitar, it will distort at a lower volume. The same with the Hot Rod Deluxe or any multi-channel amp with the overdrive on. In essence, you have multiple devices overdriving the signal, the guitar and the overdrive channel on the amp, turning one down doesn't eliminate the overdrive. You should choose One device to create the overdrive and control it from that device. Yep Turning down the volume on the guitar might make it slightly quiter, but it ain't gonna clean it up any.
koula901 Posted April 22, 2011 Author Posted April 22, 2011 okay, so if I understand you correctly, its much easier to clean up the signal, using the volume pot on my guitar, if I'm using a single-channel amp? I can tell you, the signal defintely cleans up nicely with my single-channel Epi Valve, and using the Wampler Distortion, up high, in fact.
NoNameBand Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 okay, so if I understand you correctly, its much easier to clean up the signal, using the volume pot on my guitar, if I'm using a single-channel amp? I can tell you, the signal defintely cleans up nicely with my single-channel Epi Valve, and using the Wampler Distortion, up high, in fact. You're close. Its not the amps 1 vs another. It all comes down to this Katy, where do you want your distortion to come from? You've heard me say that I don't use effects pedals, in my opinion, they complicate things and take away some of the control. When you turn a "switch" on, it's on. If that switch is distortion, thats what you get and turning the guitar volume up/down will not matter much. If you want to control the amount of distortion from your guitar volume, you must put the amp volume at the point you like the sound at full volume of the guitar, then back off the guitar volume until it cleans up. Then you have both. It doesn't matter if it is a Hot Rod Deluxe or anything else, it means you can't have Two sources for distortion and control them both from the guitar. In your example of the Hot Rod Deluxe, you first used the Foot-switch to engage the distortion, there was the problem. I have a Hot Rod Deluxe and love it for the clean sounds, but occasionally, I will use the first stage of overdrive. However, when it is switched ON, you will have little control from the guitar.
DetroitBlues Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 Once you have saturated the signal ie; "Hi-Gain" from any amp, it is difficult to clean it up. This is much different when you turn the volume up to 2 o'clock on an amp with no Master Volume or drive channel and can now clean up the signal. It's just like using a pedal, once you turn on the distortion, you can't turn it down with the guitar, it will distort at a lower volume. The same with the Hot Rod Deluxe or any multi-channel amp with the overdrive on. In essence, you have multiple devices overdriving the signal, the guitar and the overdrive channel on the amp, turning one down doesn't eliminate the overdrive. You should choose One device to create the overdrive and control it from that device. I was going to say just about the same thing. Bring a pedal or two you can switch off for the high gain. To get a HRD amp to clean up, you'll end up dropping the volume on the guitar to almost off....
koula901 Posted April 22, 2011 Author Posted April 22, 2011 I was going to say just about the same thing. Bring a pedal or two you can switch off for the high gain. To get a HRD amp to clean up, you'll end up dropping the volume on the guitar to almost off.... Detroit - that's the point - the volumes don't work at all, on the guitar, when the HRD is set to the high gain channel. I didn't have a distortion pedal with me that day, so I had to try this. We also had no footswitch for the HRD - this is a business, where lots of young punks use and abuse the amps, and now we have no footswitch,so I was using the buttons at the top of the amp.
DetroitBlues Posted April 22, 2011 Posted April 22, 2011 Detroit - that's the point - the volumes don't work at all, on the guitar, when the HRD is set to the high gain channel. I didn't have a distortion pedal with me that day, so I had to try this. We also had no footswitch for the HRD - this is a business, where lots of young punks use and abuse the amps, and now we have no footswitch,so I was using the buttons at the top of the amp. You were definately stuck between a rock and a hard place. I do the volume thing too, but only when I have a crunch tone. This is why I always carry a pocket pod just in case. I can clip it to my belt and run my cable out to the amp, or just put it on the amp. Fits right in my case, so its verstile multi-effects just for occasions like yours.
koula901 Posted April 22, 2011 Author Posted April 22, 2011 that's a cool idea. how much did the pocket pod cost?
SteveKrell Posted April 24, 2011 Posted April 24, 2011 Hello, Detroit. I too am a huge fan of the Pod ( red Kidney Bean Box) never go to record without it.....Steve
jazzrat Posted April 24, 2011 Posted April 24, 2011 I've been using a HRDlx for years. Great amp for clean tones but I've never liked the gain channel. Tried various preamp tubes and just decided to use pedals if I want dirt.
yoslate Posted April 25, 2011 Posted April 25, 2011 I've been using a HRDlx for years. Great amp for clean tones but I've never liked the gain channel. Tried various preamp tubes and just decided to use pedals if I want dirt. jazzrat, did you try pulling the 12ax7's and replacing them with 12ay7's. I had an HRD...for a while...and that tube swap softened it a bit. Yeah, swell cleans, but the gain channel gave me razor burn...everywhere.
DetroitBlues Posted April 25, 2011 Posted April 25, 2011 that's a cool idea. how much did the pocket pod cost? got my pocket pod for $60.
barrymclark Posted April 26, 2011 Posted April 26, 2011 Hey Folks, Took my H 137 with the new Lindy Fralin noisless P 90s to my weekly jam last Monday and plugged into the house Hot Rod Deluxe, (I hate these amps) set it to high gain (but not real loud), expecting that I could just turn down the volume pots on my guitar for the sound to clean up when I was playing rhythm, and then I could just increase the volume for my crunch/and distortion sounds. Well, no matter what I did with the volume pots, the volume didn't decrease, and the distortion never cleaned up! I thought something was wrong with my guitar, that maybe the pots weren't wired right when my guitar tech dropped them in. But last night I played with my amp at home, the 5 watt Epi Jr, put the volume at about 2 o'clock, turned down the volume pots, had the Wampler Super Plextortion on. The sound cleaned up beautifully by turning down the volume pots on my guitar, it worked beautifully with both pickups. Nothing wrong with the wiring of my pots, nothing wrong with the noiselss Frailn P90s (which sound great, by the way!). It was that dam Hot Rod Deluxe! So, I guess the question is: will most amps clean up when you turn down your volume pots on your guitar, after you've set the amp to distort? The only difference during what I did at the jam Monday night, and last night, was, at the jam, I set the hot rod to over drive. At home, I was using a pedal. I don't know if that makes any difference, I would guess not. What are your experiences? Wow. I actually owned one of these amps (well, it was the deville 410) and used my volume knobs all the time for the softening sound. But... I also didn't use much in the way of gain and rarely left the clean channel. I actually thought it was a great amp it just wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
DetroitBlues Posted April 27, 2011 Posted April 27, 2011 I watched a video of the HRD compared to a Blackstar. The Blackstar killed it!
RhoadsScholar Posted April 27, 2011 Posted April 27, 2011 I have one of these amps. I find that the Clean sound is great. I use a pedal for Overdrive or distortion. The Drive/More drive channels should be labeled SUCK/SUCK EVEN MORE. I don't know what Fender was thinking. I find it very pedal friendly though and leave it as a clean sound. I may be harsh ,but so is this amp on the Drive / More drive settings. It does provide a good, fender clean sound and the reverb is pretty good.
koula901 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Posted May 13, 2011 I have one of these amps. I find that the Clean sound is great. I use a pedal for Overdrive or distortion. The Drive/More drive channels should be labeled SUCK/SUCK EVEN MORE. I don't know what Fender was thinking. I find it very pedal friendly though and leave it as a clean sound. I may be harsh ,but so is this amp on the Drive / More drive settings. It does provide a good, fender clean sound and the reverb is pretty good. I don't know how I missed this post -but agreed on the drive channels. I don't have access to the foot switch, so I find it complicated to figure out what channel I'm in, and it has 3 channels, there are buttons to press, they don't always light up - what a mess! I can't wait to get my own light weight amp that I plan to bring with me in the future so I don't have to put up with this b.s.
koula901 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Posted May 13, 2011 I watched a video of the HRD compared to a Blackstar. The Blackstar killed it! that's good news. I definitely have to check out the Blackstar someday.
NoNameBand Posted May 13, 2011 Posted May 13, 2011 that's good news. I definitely have to check out the Blackstar someday. I agree, the Blackstar is another good choice, It's gaining a lot of ground quickly with guitarists.
H Posted May 13, 2011 Posted May 13, 2011 I agree, the Blackstar is another good choice, It's gaining a lot of ground quickly with guitarists. Try the Series One 45 first. I think it has everything you're looking for, including the weight factor. It's an unbelievably good amp for the price.
koula901 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Posted May 13, 2011 H, Is the Series 45 made in Britain? Not that it matters a whole lot.
H Posted May 13, 2011 Posted May 13, 2011 H, Is the Series 45 made in Britain? Not that it matters a whole lot. No Katie, it's one of those 'Designed in Blah, made in OtherBlah'. In this case Blah = Dear Old Blighty and OtherBlah = Korea They go for around £900 in the UK and they are well worth it.
212Mavguy Posted May 15, 2011 Posted May 15, 2011 Hi Koula, The HRD is one of my least liked amps from Fender, FWIW. UGH! A buddy of mine has one and the same issues as yours. His had Sovtek 12ax7's in the preamp, and they sounded tinny and harsh. There was a need to get both clean and dirty channels an improvement in sound. Gain in the dirty channel was too high and compressed, no dynamics, and the basic tone was both flabby on the bottom, shrill on top, and lacking in both quantity and quality in the mids. What I did was to go to my vintage tube collection, I used 12at7's in the first two positions and a vintage 12ax7 for the Phase inverter. That helped things out greatly as far as basic tonality in both channels, and a warmer, smoother, fatter OD sound. DO look for a couple JAN Philips 12at7wc. They have a fantastic tone for very little money. I can't remember what kind of vintage 12ax7 tube I used in the PI spot, but might have been an RCA shortplate or GE longplate. The tone now is fatter in mids, sweeter, more harmonically rich, and the dirty and really dirty channel had a more usable range of gain, as well as a greatly improved tone. When he took it out to a blues jam he recieved quite a few compliments. But even after voicing his amp, I didn't covet it. Needs different speakers too.
koula901 Posted May 15, 2011 Author Posted May 15, 2011 212Mavguy thanks for the affirmation. You've described how I hear the HRD. The good news is that I don't own it - I'm just stuck using it every Monday night at my jam - see, we go to a business that rents rooms for jamming and the equipment is part of the deal - I just bring in my guitar and plug in. These amps get used and abused, and of course, the foot switch is gone and it's hard to know which channel (there's 3) I'm in, so it's a zoo. Kudos to you for making your buddy's HRD sound good!
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