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Thread: Hot Rod Deluxe

  1. #1
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Hot Rod Deluxe

    Due to a nagging shoulder/neck injury, I've been using the hosts Hot Rod Deluxe amp at our weekly Wednesday night jams. I like it a lot! I have a '66 Vibrolux Reverb but it's been a long time since I've used it with a band. I've been using some great amps- a great tweed Deluxe clone, a Dr. Z Cure, some Mesas, but I didn't realize how much I've been missing that Fender 6L6 with reverb sound!

    I'm carrying my guitar in one hand and my pedalboard in the other (I haven't tried the amp's dirty channel).

    I may have to find a beater, fix it up, and leave it at the jam space!

  2. #2
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    Due to a nagging shoulder/neck injury, I've been using the hosts Hot Rod Deluxe amp at our weekly Wednesday night jams. I like it a lot! I have a '66 Vibrolux Reverb but it's been a long time since I've used it with a band. I've been using some great amps- a great tweed Deluxe clone, a Dr. Z Cure, some Mesas, but I didn't realize how much I've been missing that Fender 6L6 with reverb sound!

    I'm carrying my guitar in one hand and my pedalboard in the other (I haven't tried the amp's dirty channel).

    I may have to find a beater, fix it up, and leave it at the jam space!
    Don, the Hot Rod series are notoriously unreliable. Between the design and build quality they are real problem children. They also have solid state reverbs that don't sound anything like the classic Fender reverb sound. If you dig the HR you might want to instead buy a Rivera. Better yet, and older Peavy Classic 30. The EL84's in the Peavy work very well at lower volumes.

    My $.02,

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  3. #3
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Like OSA said, they can be sketchy. If you find a good one, they're great, but a not-so-good one can be awful.
    Older ones are a bit better than new ones as far as reliability goes, but obviously they can have issues too.
    The biggest problem I have with them is the same with any 2 channel amp with one EQ section - what sounds good clean doesn't always sound good distorted.
    I have the same issue with my Boogie Rocket 44, another 2 channel (actually I consider both of these 2 and a half channel, including the boost function) amp. So it's a toss up, either set it so it sounds good clean, and use pedals, or make compromises with the eq.
    With any used amp a new set of tubes and maybe look at the speaker can make a big difference.
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  4. #4
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    I'm aware of the reliability issues with these amps- I've repaired and improved several Hot Rod Deluxes and Devilles for others. They can be made to be reliable, very inexpensively when you do the work yourself.
    Regarding the OD channel, I have no interest in using that in this amp.

    Don't worry- I don't jump into things like this- even a sub $200 beater- without a good amount of thought.

    In any case, the current plan is to continue using the host's amp. It's set up and warmed up when I arrive with a small glass of whiskey waiting for me on the table next to it. I plug in my pedalboard and guitar and play. It's a pretty awesome deal.
    Last edited by Don; 09-17-2022 at 07:27 AM.

  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    If you dig the HR you might want to instead buy a Rivera.
    There's a Rivera Thirty Twelve on CL not too far from me for about $500.

  6. #6
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    If you find a dependable specimen and eschew the hiss/more hiss mode, the HRD sounds pretty much like any clean Fender tube amp -- dynamic and pleasant. Upgrading from the stock OEM speaker will provide a significant sonic improvement.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  7. #7
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    I'm aware of the reliability issues with these amps- I've repaired and improved several Hot Rod Deluxes and Devilles for others. They can be made to be reliable, very inexpensively when you do the work yourself.
    Regarding the OD channel, I have no interest in using that in this amp.

    Don't worry- I don't jump into things like this- even a sub $200 beater- without a good amount of thought.

    In any case, the current plan is to continue using the host's amp. It's set up and warmed up when I arrive with a small glass of whiskey waiting for me on the table next to it. I plug in my pedalboard and guitar and play. It's a pretty awesome deal.
    I've watched Lyle at Psionic Audio service quite a few of the Hot Rod series amps. Tighten all jacks and pots, replace a few resistors that tend to burn the PCB and elevate them, upgrade some of the electrolytic caps, etc. If it's work you can do yourself, it might make a good amp if you can find one at the right price.
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  8. #8
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Although they’re technically unreliable, disposable or whatever, they’re pretty good workhorses.

    I’ve been playing hot rods and blues Jrs for years and I must say I like the tone. I prefer the Blues Jr, especially the one with the Jensen C12N.

    Many people say that the reverb and the overdrive on them suck but I myself love them exactly for having classic Fender sounding reverb (solid state or not, it’s spring reverb and pleases me just fine) and getting overdriven fast at low volume. Never had an issue gigging with them.

    IMHO it’s pointless to mentally compare them to vintage Fender models, which they’re definitely not. Hot Rods are modern amps made to meet 90s and 2000s weekend warrior guitarists’ needs, for a low price. And some pros actually like them.

    JJ Cale did.
    Last edited by S. Cane; 09-18-2022 at 07:45 AM. Reason: Spelling

  9. #9
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    What a coincidence! After commenting on this thread yesterday, the first YT video that came up in my feed this morning was the servicing of a Hot Rod Deluxe by Psionic Audio.
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  10. #10
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    That guy knows his stuff. I had him do my little ClassV.

    Pretty awesome stuff for a lunch box.




  11. #11
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Maybe it's just the ones I played but I've always found them to be a bit boxy and mid-scooped. I guess "sterile" would be the word. Some nice harmonics if you're into the chimey thing though.

    It's a common amp I run into when you get the dreaded "backline provided" contracts. I can make HB's work OK with them but never really got what I wanted with SC's when presented with an HRD. They always remind me a little bit of an AC30 in how they feel and respond. If you're into that and can live with the suspect reliability go for it.

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  12. #12
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    I put a few mods into mine to make it better...







    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  13. #13
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    I'm still making the host's Hot Rod Deluxe work with my pedalboard. I got some great sounds at out last jam!

    In my search for an amp with a little more headroom, I've, at least temporarily, landed on a 1990s Rivera Thirty Twelve combo. I get a really good Fender blackface type of sound from channel 2 with the notch pulled and the Ninja Boost on (the only way I use channel 2). Channel 1 is pretty usable as well with the gain set pretty moderately (I'm not a high gain player).

    I haven't tried it with the band yet- no use in carrying a 40 pound amp when the one that's provided gets the job done.

  14. #14
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by renderit View Post
    That guy knows his stuff. I had him do my little ClassV.

    Pretty awesome stuff for a lunch box.



    That's an intriguing amp. Marshall missed the mark with these and he took it to the next level.

  15. #15
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by S. Cane View Post
    Although they’re technically unreliable, disposable or whatever, they’re pretty good workhorses.

    I’ve been playing hot rods and blues Jrs for years and I must say I like the tone. I prefer the Blues Jr, especially the one with the Jensen C12N.

    Many people say that the reverb and the overdrive on them suck but I myself love them exactly for having classic Fender sounding reverb (solid state or not, it’s spring reverb and pleases me just fine) and getting overdriven fast at low volume. Never had an issue gigging with them.

    IMHO it’s pointless to mentally compare them to vintage Fender models, which they’re definitely not. Hot Rods are modern amps made to meet 90s and 2000s weekend warrior guitarists’ needs, for a low price. And some pros actually like them.

    JJ Cale did.
    I actually like the clean channel on the Hot Rod Deluxe quite a bit! The reverb too! A cable on my pedalboard failed one night and I was forced to use the drive channel and it was fine.

  16. #16
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    I put a few mods into mine to make it better...







    This is awesome! I've considered building a tweed Super. Maybe one day. Is that what this is based on?

  17. #17
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    This is awesome! I've considered building a tweed Super. Maybe one day. Is that what this is based on?
    Yessir!
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  18. #18
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Hot Rod Deluxe

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    Yessir!
    I had a Dr. Z Nova that was based on a tweed Super. It was a fun amp!

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