Toggle sidebar

Guitar Amp Question

D

DJHall4prez

3rd Team
Oct 4, 2005
245
0
0
49
T-town, Alabama
I have a buddy who has a Fender HotRod Delux for sell. It's 40 watts with one 12" speaker and 3 channels. It's used, but he said he would take it to the shop and get the kinks worked out. It has a significant buzz even when nothing is plugged in and he's said it's blown a couple of fuses lately. We haven't discussed money.

I don't know much about tube amps other than they sound great. The only one I've ever played is my Dad's '65 Vibrolux but he doesn't let anyone touch it for too long. Are they durable for gigs? How long do the tubes last? Seems like my dad has replaced his every 4 or 5 years. They retail for about $600.00 so what is a fair used price? Should I but it? Is there a better option out there? I don't really want to drop a ton of money on an amp (I have a crate) but I'd like a tube amp.

Thanks in advance for any info and advice.
 
DJHall4prez said:
I have a buddy who has a Fender HotRod Delux for sell. It's 40 watts with one 12" speaker and 3 channels. It's used, but he said he would take it to the shop and get the kinks worked out. It has a significant buzz even when nothing is plugged in and he's said it's blown a couple of fuses lately. We haven't discussed money.

I don't know much about tube amps other than they sound great. The only one I've ever played is my Dad's '65 Vibrolux but he doesn't let anyone touch it for too long. Are they durable for gigs? How long do the tubes last? Seems like my dad has replaced his every 4 or 5 years. They retail for about $600.00 so what is a fair used price? Should I but it? Is there a better option out there? I don't really want to drop a ton of money on an amp (I have a crate) but I'd like a tube amp.

Thanks in advance for any info and advice.
Click to expand...

I have owned several Fender Tube amps, Bassman, Showman, Twin Reverb, Delux Reverb, Hot Rod Deville, Champs and VibroChamps. I have built several amps from Fender schematics and for the most part they all do well. The buzz could be just a ground issue, blowing fuses could be any of several issues some quite expensive.

Durability, Fender amps are built to travel well. The Hot Rod Delux probably came with a matched set of 6L6 Groove Tubes. If you want less power you can retube with 6V6 power tubes which will put out half the power of a 6L6, you might have to change the bias resister from 67K to 100K but a good amp tech can do this for $10. These amps have knobs that go to 12 so they are loud.

New amps sell for around $600 US so if it has the footswitch and is in good clean condition I would offer between $250 - 300 after all it isn't a vintage amp yet. It would definitely be an upgrade from a Crate.
 
Last edited:
Look at a pawn shop . I'm thinking about $200-$250 should serve you very well and you'll get some sort of 30/60/90 day guarantee .

1st 12" I bought was from a pawn shop for $75 . That was like 12 years or so back and since the PS was one from my TV sponsors , he gave me an excellent deal . Unfortunately , I'm having a brain lapse at the moment as to what brand it was . At least I do know it wasn't a Peavy .:eek2:

Look around and I bet you'll be surprised . Some of these pawn shops are way off on the value of some of the units . Your friends sounds like a huge gamble to me . JOMHO . Best of luck .
 
bayoutider said:
I have owned several Fender Tube amps, Bassman, Showman, Twin Reverb, Delux Reverb, Hot Rod Deville, Champs and VibroChamps. I have built several amps from Fender schematics and for the most part they all do well. The buzz could be just a ground issue, blowing fuses could be any of several issues some quite expensive.

Durability, Fender amps are built to travel well. The Hot Rod Delux probably came with a matched set of 6L6 Groove Tubes. If you want less power you can retube with 6V6 power tubes which will put out half the power of a 6L6, you might have to change the bias resister from 67K to 100K but a good amp tech can do this for $10. These amps have knobs that go to 12 so they are loud.

New amps sell for around $600 US so if it has the footswitch and is in good clean condition I would offer between $250 - 300 after all it isn't a vintage amp yet. It would definitely be an upgrade from a Crate.
Click to expand...

Thanks. It has the footswitch. The amp has been used...it's not clean but it's not worn too bad. You can tell it's been in a couple of bars though. I'm more worried about the buzz and the fuse problem. A few scratches won't kill me.

Since he's willing to take it to the shop and get the problems fixed and tubes tested I think it may be a pretty safe bet. $250 -300 is cheaper than I'd have guessed.

And yes, just about anything would be better than my Crate. It's a decent amp, but the clean sounds awful and it has a very bad spring reverb. But it's all I've got other than my practice amp.

Thanks again...I knew tidefans would have some good info.
 
If you have to re-tube the amp look to spend a few bucks. Different tubes have different sounds, some break up earlier and some stay clean longer. For the amp you are looking at the cheapest way out would be a matched pair of Groove Tube GT-6L6-R, Russian made probably by Sovtek, same as a 5881 power tube. These are the same tubes Fender installed in a new amp and cost should be around $40 + tax. The preamp tubes, just as or more important, are a trio of 12AX7 (ECC 83). You can spend $180 apiece for some fancy Telefunken, Mullard, Amperex, Brimar or NOS RCA tubes or pay $20 each for JJ Tesla or Sovtek. JAN GE, Sylvania or Phillips are a good buy at $50 or less. JAN stands for "Joint Army, Navy" and are built to military specs. I really like and use Mullard, Brimar, Amperex and Mazda (French made) tubes. It is not out of the question to spend over $500 on a set of tubes for this amp. Replace power tubes in matched sets of 2 not one at a time as they go out, same for the preamp tubes. There is a burn in time before a tube settles down. A newly re-tubed amp usually sounds like crap. After re-tubing plug something into the amp, turn the volume down and let it sit for several hours or overnight and it should be ok. Never leave a tube amp on with nothing plugged into the output.

Hope this helps, 95 out of 100 professional touring musicians use tube amps for guitar. Steel players and keyboard players seem to like transistor amps and bass players are as likely to play one as the other.
 
I have a Fender tube amp, sounds really good. The ones my friends have had have been good as well. For 300 bucks I don't see how you could go wrong if the thing works well.
 
stlimprov said:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AhVWJgIzftE

See from 1:20 to end of the clip
Click to expand...

beavisnbutthead.gif

I dig Spinal Tap. Fender must be louder than Marshall since they go to 12.
badger.gif
jammin.gif
 
Thanks guys. We're supposed to get together to jam on thursday. He's into playing bass now, so that's why he wants to unload the amp. I'll discuss it with him and tell him to take it to the amp guy to get it fixed. I guess will get to price and all that after he gets it checked. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

Thanks again.
 
bayoutider said:
If you have to re-tube the amp look to spend a few bucks. Different tubes have different sounds, some break up earlier and some stay clean longer. For the amp you are looking at the cheapest way out would be a matched pair of Groove Tube GT-6L6-R, Russian made probably by Sovtek, same as a 5881 power tube. These are the same tubes Fender installed in a new amp and cost should be around $40 + tax. The preamp tubes, just as or more important, are a trio of 12AX7 (ECC 83). You can spend $180 apiece for some fancy Telefunken, Mullard, Amperex, Brimar or NOS RCA tubes or pay $20 each for JJ Tesla or Sovtek. JAN GE, Sylvania or Phillips are a good buy at $50 or less. JAN stands for "Joint Army, Navy" and are built to military specs. I really like and use Mullard, Brimar, Amperex and Mazda (French made) tubes. It is not out of the question to spend over $500 on a set of tubes for this amp. Replace power tubes in matched sets of 2 not one at a time as they go out, same for the preamp tubes. There is a burn in time before a tube settles down. A newly re-tubed amp usually sounds like crap. After re-tubing plug something into the amp, turn the volume down and let it sit for several hours or overnight and it should be ok. Never leave a tube amp on with nothing plugged into the output.

Hope this helps, 95 out of 100 professional touring musicians use tube amps for guitar. Steel players and keyboard players seem to like transistor amps and bass players are as likely to play one as the other.
Click to expand...


Dude , you are all over it . Impressive .:cool2:
 
bayoutider said:
Just your normal, everyday genius.
curtsie.gif
Click to expand...

Have you ever tried or used any of the Pod cabs/stacks ?

Pod effects ? The effects are fairly killer . Especially if you're lazy(me:redface:) . Dial instantly from fake Fender to fake Marshall , etc. , etc. .
 
LCN said:
Have you ever tried or used any of the Pod cabs/stacks ?

Pod effects ? The effects are fairly killer . Especially if you're lazy(me:redface:) . Dial instantly from fake Fender to fake Marshall , etc. , etc. .
Click to expand...

You summed it up "Fake Fender to Fake Marshall". ;) I have used a pod and I think they are a useful studio tool. Some of the new modeling amps have some cool tones but it isn't the same as the real deal. Nothing sounds like a real 12AX7A being pushed till the plates are rattling and the glass is about to explode. Tubes die more gracefully than a transistor and the way they react under real stress is what makes some of the special amps so special. I actually own a 60s VOX AC30 top boost, 60s Fender Delux Reverb and a little 15 watt amp of my design which is half Fender Vibro Champ and half 18 Watt Marshall. The amp I built has a 10" Kendrick speaker and a 15" extension cabinet with a Webber Texas special speaker, think Stevie Ray Vaughn with less horsepower. I swap all kinds of power and preamp tubes in it and have a switch to select the right bias resistor for different set ups. The amp and extension cabinet are covered in Red Tolex with white piping and black grill. Chrome corner caps and black leather straps. Transformer is Kendrick, chassis is home made, circuit board hand built drilled epoxy fiberboard using both eyelets and turret posts and point to point wiring. Control panel was cut from a sheet of pickguard material in white pearl with black chicken head knobs. Numbers and lettering was done using decals made on a printer then sprayed with clear coat.

My effects are super simple. Chandler tube chorus pedal, Boss digital delay, Ibanez tube screamer distortion pedal and a Boss tuner. I also have a Fender Tube Reverb Clone that I built covered in red tolex, white piping and black grill but seldom use it.

Guitars - Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Rickenbacker 6/12, Ovation Celebrity and Martin D-18.

Bass equipment - Fender Precision, Spector Legend and Rickenbacker 4001. Amp is a new Ashdown Mag 300 head, 4X10 & 1X15 cabinets.
 
Last edited:
I have various Fenders and Gibson electrics, and Alvarez & Taylor acoustics, but the last ten years or so, my love for vintage Univox Hi-Flier's have been my poison. Classic cream/off white color, black and white, and red and white colors are my babies.
 
bayoutider said:
You summed it up "Fake Fender to Fake Marshall". ;) I have used a pod and I think they are a useful studio tool. Some of the new modeling amps have some cool tones but it isn't the same as the real deal.

My effects are super simple. Chandler tube chorus pedal, Boss digital delay, Ibanez tube screamer distortion pedal and a Boss tuner. I also have a Fender Tube Reverb Clone that I built covered in red tolex, white piping and black grill but seldom use it.

Guitars - Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Rickenbacker 6/12, Ovation Celebrity and Martin D-18.
Click to expand...


Just really convenient . IMO , a pretty good deal for the $'s . A definite step up from DOD .

Like the Boss products - a lot . Especially the "thickness" of the low-end growl you can get .

After owning an Ibanez guitar(briefly) , I refuse to allow myself to knowingly get near any of their products again - ever .

Finally , another Gibson guy . That's my next target , until I hit the lotto and nab a PRS .:cool2:

Many of those older Martin's are worth some big jack . Like the Ovation sound but , not really the play . My acoustic - don't laugh - is a Washburn/Oscar Schmidt . It's a classical acoustic/electric cut-away . Everybody loves it . Even my Uncle's Takamine grows dust when mine is around .:p_red:
 
LCN said:
Just really convenient . IMO , a pretty good deal for the $'s . A definite step up from DOD .

Like the Boss products - a lot . Especially the "thickness" of the low-end growl you can get .

After owning an Ibanez guitar(briefly) , I refuse to allow myself to knowingly get near any of their products again - ever .

Finally , another Gibson guy . That's my next target , until I hit the lotto and nab a PRS .:cool2:

Many of those older Martin's are worth some big jack . Like the Ovation sound but , not really the play . My acoustic - don't laugh - is a Washburn/Oscar Schmidt . It's a classical acoustic/electric cut-away . Everybody loves it . Even my Uncle's Takamine grows dust when mine is around .:p_red:
Click to expand...

I think you would like the Ibanez Tube Screamer, it's Eddie Van Halen's pedal of choice.
 
You a pro musician bayou? There are probably hall of fame guitarists who don't even know half this crap (ie Peter Buck who I just saw with Robyn Hitchcock last night, it was sweet :D ). Or are you just making this up out of boredom or insanity?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Posts

Advertisement

Trending content

Advertisement

Latest threads

Top Bottom
Back