View Full Version : Played a Hot Rod Deville again and I still...
LeonC
05-03-2006, 03:12 PM
...love that freekin amp! One of the best cleans I've ever heard. An HRD and a couple pedals for different flavors of OD and I could do any gig (well, any gig that I'd consider doing w/any amp, which rules out a lot of screaming and headbanging stuff, heheh). What a tremendous value!! I see one (or something in the same ballpark) in my future...
wpanic
05-03-2006, 03:26 PM
I agree Leon - A buddy of mine - one of the better players I know swears by his. He laughs at all of the gear I go through. He has a 1993 strat his deville, a wah, delay, and tube screamer.
Bill
...love that freekin amp! One of the best cleans I've ever heard. An HRD and a couple pedals for different flavors of OD and I could do any gig (well, any gig that I'd consider doing w/any amp, which rules out a lot of screaming and headbanging stuff, heheh). What a tremendous value!! I see one (or something in the same ballpark) in my future...
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD VERY GOOD VERY GOOD!!!!
I will say it again.... to my incredibly accurate, well trained virgin ears, the HR Devilles cleans can hang with any amp, at any price, including my Brunos. It SMOKED 3 Dumbles and a Trainwreck in direct A/B testing. :dude: :dude: :dude:
aleclee
05-03-2006, 03:36 PM
In my GASsier days I would've already snagged one.
The only "problem" I have now is that I can't think of an application that suits it where I don't already have an appropriate rig. There I go, letting practicality interfere with buying shtuff. :rolleyes:
For clean tones the Fender HRD's are awesome!
BadJaxx
05-03-2006, 03:44 PM
used ones are always available and at some very good prices...
the original Blues Deville can be found used as well....and they've reissued them in 4x10...
i have a Blues Deluxe that i bought 10 years ago and still love it....
Ben C.
05-03-2006, 06:41 PM
I absolutely love my 2x12 HRD...
I thought I was crazy and spent a year buying boutique amps... only to sell them all off and keep the HRD. Finally I decided to convert her to a head and cab... and love her even MORE. A Honey Bee, an Okko Diablo, and a ReezaFRATzitz for dirt and it's just a wonderful rig.
Just be sure to check the bias when you pick up yours, and I found fiddling with tubes (switching them to JJ's) was a good thing for me. Great amp regardless of the price.
-Ben
Yup. With the quality of overdrive pedals out today, it makes the Hot Rod series (I have a Deluxe) a great package. Killer cleans and some great gain tones with the right pedals. Some world class tones for not much scratch.
Evan.
fuzzbox
05-03-2006, 11:51 PM
that amp has to be the most used one for the last decade or so...almost every tv show seem to rent them, or the band does. Conan, Leno, SNL etc always use them and most shows I played that supply a backline has them. Used to own one way back but didn't like the balance of highs/lows in the clean. I do recall feeling the same when I first got it, amazing clean, the best I had heard but for some reason it wore off after a few months and sold it but everytime I plug into one again I kinda like it...but not buying it again tho...maybe :D
Mrgearguy
05-04-2006, 05:59 AM
Always loved the little things but never owned one myself. Are there any particular years or "versions" to avoid?
Gearguy
I owned both the 2/12 and 4/10 for a little while. For those who have not tried the 4/10, it is fantastic. I slightly favored the 2/12 for distorted tones, but the 4/10 just has extra depth and that magical punch that only 4/10s have in the cleans. I kept the 4/10, because cleans are more important for me. Try both if you can. The 2/12 took a little of the sizzle off the top when overdriving hard, which is cool too.
LeonC
05-04-2006, 08:47 AM
Yeah, I agree...I prefer the 4x10. There's something particularly cool about the clean voicing of that combo.
I've played two of them; one was about 6 or 7 years old, and one was brand new. From what I recall, they sounded the same.
I've heard clips of a few modded HRDs at this point. If I get one, I'll probably just leave it alone and find the right pedals. Bet the Crunch Box'll sound pretty damn good through it.
mavrick10_2000
05-04-2006, 11:28 AM
Right there with you Leon! I love mine! I do play through my other amps occasionally, but this one is my number 1 now.
I got a deal I couldn't pass up, a Made in USA model, not that it really matters, mint condition off of the bay for $450 made it even sweeter.
wordsonyou
05-04-2006, 01:01 PM
A bit OT, but yesterday I played the Bassman LTD next to the 57 handwired tweed twin custom shop thingy which was almost double as expensive...they sounded so close it was eery. The LTD sure came out smelling like roses after that ordeal...
mavrick10_2000
05-04-2006, 05:29 PM
A bit OT, but yesterday I played the Bassman LTD next to the 57 handwired tweed twin custom shop thingy which was almost double as expensive...they sounded so close it was eery. The LTD sure came out smelling like roses after that ordeal...
I want one of those as well! They do sound sweet with any strat or tele I've plugged into them. But as with all things, not for everyone. Is it me or does it seem that Fender priced them a little high? And the dealers I've been to haven't been willing to move down much on the price.
astainback
05-04-2006, 05:40 PM
I have a LE HD Deluxe (green tolex w/ Fender CyberTwin grill cloth and V30 celestion spk.)
I really like my amp as well but I HATE the volume knob. It is way too sensitive between 1 and 2 1/2. I need a certain volume level and it is hard to get it just right. Other than that, I really love my amp!!
Other than the volume problem, the only little thing that is funny about it is the plate on the front vibrates/shakes.
Long live fender amps.
haha
Gary Shetler
05-04-2006, 05:45 PM
I've got the Blues DeVille Reissue 4x10 and it's a keeper, for sure!
The "tone" has earned it a place in the herd with my Matchless, Top Hat, Tone King and Bruno ... (a couple of those costing 3 times as much!!).
And the Blues DeVille has foot switchable reverb, too :-)
World class tone regardless of the price!
astainback
05-04-2006, 06:00 PM
Man, I wish my deluxe has footswitchable reverb. I don't even use my footswitch. It only cuts on the overdrive, and the other switch does boost. I use a Jekyl and Hyde for overdrive/distortion.
hemlock
05-04-2006, 07:58 PM
I just spent a couple of hours last weekend A/B/C/D-ing a HRD with a Sewell Texaplex, VHT Pitbull 45 410, and Goodsell Super 17. The HRD hung in there pretty good. The drive tones are pretty bad but the cleans are a great platform. I found the HRD cleans to be have a bit more sparkle than the Sewell and more sweetness than the Pitbull but the Goodsell is in another class altogether as far as cleans. Sweeter, chimier, more complex, really inspiring. For the money, the HRD is a no-brainer. If I didn't already have access to one whenever I wanted, I'd snap one up in a sec.
OT- As for the Goodsell, I bought it just to spend some time with one and then move it on to the next renter. I think I'd better not plug it in again, though, or I'll end up not being able to let it go. If you haven't tried one, you should.
Tag, I'd be interested in hearing your take on the Goodsell. It reminded me a bunch of the UG30 but with maybe a bit more clarity/definition. I'd love to A/B them.
I just spent a couple of hours last weekend A/B/C/D-ing a HRD with a Sewell Texaplex, VHT Pitbull 45 410, and Goodsell Super 17. The HRD hung in there pretty good. The drive tones are pretty bad but the cleans are a great platform. I found the HRD cleans to be have a bit more sparkle than the Sewell and more sweetness than the Pitbull but the Goodsell is in another class altogether as far as cleans. Sweeter, chimier, more complex, really inspiring. For the money, the HRD is a no-brainer. If I didn't already have access to one whenever I wanted, I'd snap one up in a sec.
OT- As for the Goodsell, I bought it just to spend some time with one and then move it on to the next renter. I think I'd better not plug it in again, though, or I'll end up not being able to let it go. If you haven't tried one, you should.
Tag, I'd be interested in hearing your take on the Goodsell. It reminded me a bunch of the UG30 but with maybe a bit more clarity/definition. I'd love to A/B them.
Do you have any clips of it? If it is in another class, it should be clearly heard in a decent clip. I have A/Bd the HR Deville with almost everything, including the Pittbull. I thought the HR Devilles cleans were much better than the VHTs as well as all the Carrs,Tonekings, Trainwreck, Dumbles, DrZs, Matchless's, Badcats, Bogners,Mesas and everything at Ultrasound and Lark, except for the Brunos. Strictly for cleans, I have heard nothing that is in another class than the HR Deville.
LeonC
05-04-2006, 09:21 PM
...OT- As for the Goodsell, I bought it just to spend some time with one and then move it on to the next renter. I think I'd better not plug it in again, though, or I'll end up not being able to let it go. If you haven't tried one, you should...Hmmm. It's a 17W 2xEL84 amp with a couple three knobs and that's it (and for an additional 300 bux, reverb). Gotta think it's quite a bit different than the HRD; not the same kind of thing at all. Of course I totally understand how someone can prefer one amp over another. Happens all the time. But on the surface, it would seem like there's not much in common between these two amps.
I went to the Goodsell site and listened to the clips. Joe's playing is just freekin great, as always...so fun and musically perfect! The amp sound, however, didn't blow my skirt up much. It didn't seem like there was much really clean sound there. At least not in the clips. Where as, I think of the HRD as being one big fat LOUD clean tone. All that being said, I will admit (unlike tag ;) - sorry bud) that I don't think you can draw many meaningful conclusions about an amp based on a clip.
Unburst
05-04-2006, 10:54 PM
How well does the clean channel crunch up?
LeonC
05-04-2006, 11:06 PM
How well does the clean channel crunch up?You mean the HRD right? Well ... good question!
I honestly don't know. I could never turn up that loud (I played it at an unbelievably quiet jam and more recently, in a music store) and wouldn't really care, myself. I'd use it for its big fat cleans and then hit it with a pedal for crunch.
hemlock
05-05-2006, 07:55 AM
I realize that all the amps are different animals, 2 El84, 1EL34, and 1 6L6. All different flavors, all good in their own way.
The Goodsell doesn't have a lot of headroom but the cleans are great. The HRD certainly has a louder, more robust clean. And I realize amps are pretty idiosyncratic, too. I might have an especially good Goodsell and a mediocre HRD. I'll see about posting some clips soon.
And Joe's playing is great, isn't it? What a great sense of humor.
bluesdoc
05-05-2006, 09:16 AM
So Leon, is it a bit more 'mobile' that the Ampeg??? ;)
jon
LeonC
05-05-2006, 10:13 AM
So Leon, is it a bit more 'mobile' that the Ampeg??? ;)
jonHey Jon! Well...It's not light, certainly not by your standards ;) -- I think it's still kind of a "grab and grunt" situation, heheh. But @ 50 lbs, it will be notably more mobile than the VT-40, which is probably about 75/80 lbs.
LeonC
05-05-2006, 10:14 AM
And Joe's playing is great, isn't it? What a great sense of humor.Absolutely. I want to play like Joe when I grow up!!!
Man, all this HR talk.
Got a gig tomorrow where I am definitely going to use a combo. I was planning on using a Mesa Maverick, but based on all this, I think I will pull out the Hot Rod instead. Hmmmm, that doesn't sound quite right. :D
Evan.
hemlock
05-05-2006, 01:41 PM
How well does the clean channel crunch up?
I think the one I was playing crunches up pretty nice. It's a little brittle sounding. It does have to be fairly loud to get it to overdrive. I preferred pedals for any overdrive to the overdrive of the amp itself whether on clean or drive channels.
wsaraceni
05-05-2006, 01:42 PM
i used to own the 2x12 version. aside from having good cleans....i thought it had the absolute worst 2nd channel of any tube amp ive ever played.
i used to own the 2x12 version. aside from having good cleans....i thought it had the absolute worst 2nd channel of any tube amp ive ever played.
While I do not care for the amps drive channel either, I thought it blew my friends three JCM 800s off the face of the earth, as well as my TSL.
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