Comments on: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Amp Repair Video Part 2

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:09:51 +0000

Hi,

Sweet amp you got there. Please don’t let anyone hack on it…LOL
Basically what I would do is change anything that has looked at high voltage over the years, resistors, caps in the supply and output section. The 100k plate resistors on the preamps at least.
As for kits, I haven’t kept up with that but would imagine there are some that touch the bases I mentioned and then some.

Cheers!
Gary

By: Mark Cate

Mark Cate — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:32:58 +0000

Gary,

I have a 1994 Super 4×10 Combo, amp # PR 244 that has started making the “bacon frying” noices intermittantly. Is it due for all new capacitors and resistors? The tubes all check out good, pots have been cleaned, sockets are good. I’ve heard many Fender amps get this problem. Can you recommend a good cap/resistor replacement kit?

Thanks,
Mark Cate

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:42:32 +0000

Hi,

NO it’s not normal for a tube amp to do that. I would say it’s time the amp went to the shop, could be anything from bad jacks, speaker, component failure, a combination of two of these like the loud hum with the flap noise for example.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:04:30 +0000

A friend gave me a one year old HotRod Deluxe. With no guitar plugged in, if I select the drive channel and put the master and gain up around 10 there is a very loud roar. Is this normal for a tube amp? I’d like to use this for more blues oriented gigs, but I mostly use very clean solid state amps for my much more frequent jazz work. One one gig, however, even using the clean channel I heard a few sudden loud nasty “blap” sounding distortion events which tended not to happen if I avoided low notes/chords.

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:40:55 +0000

Hi,
Not sure what you mean by “lead”, I guess you’re saying cable? Anyway it’s hard to say. The easiest thing to do is run a guitar cable from the effects send to effects in and see if that is it.
Sometimes those jacks need cleaning. If not, could be something inside needs resoldering and it doesn’t separate until the amp is vibrating from playing.

Unless it’s something simple like a jack cleaning, probably time to take it to a shop. Shouldn’t be too bad, repairs like this are “usually” not that involved.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:52:03 +0000

Hi My Fender Ultimate Chorus amp crackles when i play, thought it was a lead problem but have bought a new one and it still does it. The sound is as if its the input jack on my guitar is faulty but that has been checked and is ok. I do use foot peddles , but have tryed it with just the fender foot switch and it still does it. It a bit inconsistant, as in the past it cracked but then stopped, however now it seems to be getting worse and is constantly crackling. Have you any ideas, hope iv explained it well enough.

By: Gary

Gary — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:44:17 +0000

Hi,
Well it could be a tube, a cap in that area, a switching FET, an active component. So it might be time to take it to a tech if you’re not up on repairs. Seems like some people are having some cap failure right in that area. What I ran into was FET switching failure most often. Make sure it’s not the tube other than that it’s not an easy amp to work on.

By: Jeron

Jeron — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:16:10 +0000

Hi Gary,

I just stumbled across your site and would like to pick your brain a little. It sounds like I am having the EXACT same problem with my Hot Rod Deluxe that “Gus” outlined here (beginning on post #17). I have barely played the amp since new since it doesn’t really fit my style, so I have decided to sell it. The clean channel sounds okay, but breaks up MUCH earlier than normal, but the gain channel is doing the same buzzing thing. The only thing that seems to affect it is the bass knob when it’s on the gain channel. I tried to watch his video that he posted but it has been removed. Did you ever come up with a solution? I can’t imagine it would be anything serious. Like I said, I have BARELY played it an when it wasn’t being used it was kept in my climate controlled studio unplugged. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Jeron

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:32:48 +0000

Hi,

Before taking a look at the amp. Does it exhibit this symptom at different locations? Sometimes amps will do this if too much equipment is going to the same power source.

If that’s not the case, as far as the power light dimming, something could really be sucking the current but not enough to blow the fuse but it seems like over time it would go ahead and breakdown. Make sure you have the correct rated fuse for this amp.

It could be something intermittent, if it’s not a location problem and you have limited repair chops I would take it to a good repairman and have him/her locate and fix the problem before it blows and really cost some bucks.

By: Travis

Travis — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:20:55 +0000

Hey hey!

Sorry if you’ve been asked this question before, but I barely made it through my audiotronics course and am a moron when it comes to amps and circuitry…

My 1×12 Hot Rod Deluxe combo has a mind of its own at times and the sound drops out (usually after about 1 hour of playing above 4 which is pretty loud–I’ve never played at 10) but does not completely go out. I see that the pilot light gets very dim, and brightens only enough to coincide with how hard I am strumming my guitar. This is all with me going straight plugged into the amp. I’m thinking I need to replace the tubes since I bought it used, but could this be an issue with the fuse instead? AND how often is it recommended you change tubes/fuses?

Usually just as a temporary fix, I unplug the amp and plug it back in which seems to give it some juice enough to keep playing full blast for a little while. Is that normal?

I’d appreciate any advice. I just hope I don’t have to solder anything, hahaha. Thanks a bunch!