Bias setting for 6L6GC power tubes in a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

Ruby 6L6GCMSTR Power Tubes

I recently fitted the power stage of my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a pair of Ruby 6L6GCMSTR tubes. I gave a full review of the Ruby tubes in an earlier blog post. What I want to discuss here is the bias setting for the power stage in a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe.

How to diagnose and fix tube rattle on a guitar amplifier

Ruby 6L6 valves in my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

My Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III recently developed a glassy rattle. It was only evident at certain frequencies – prevalent when I strummed low chords or struck low notes. At first the rattle was faint and only occurred occasionally. But over a number of weeks the rattle grew in prominence and occurred almost every time I played a low chord or note.

Cortez The Killer by Neil Young with Crazy Horse – simplicity and tone are everything

In recent weeks, I have become obsessed with Cortez The Killer from the 1975 album Zuma by Neil Young with Crazy Horse. So much so, that I’ve started pestering my son to jam it with me and have ordered multiple copies of the album from Amazon, so I can share the masterpiece with friends who I think will appreciate it.

Thank you, Jim Marshall

Jim Marshall OBE: 1923-2012

This evening I am lamenting the death and celebrating the life of Jim Marshall, with the aid of a few glasses of red wine.

3 Monkeys Amplifiers

3 Monkeys amplifier

One night, a few weeks ago, I was lounging on the sofa with a whisky in hand watching Jools Holland’s “Later” on TV when I spotted an amp I didn’t recognise. Ooooh! I sat up and took note. It was being used by Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and he was getting great tone from it.

I was happily married until I met a Matchless DC-30

Matchless DC-30 amplifier and SVL Supernatural guitar

I recently bought a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III and was perfectly happy with my fabulous new amplifier. Me, my amp and Daphne Blue Fender Stratocaster were enjoying a love triangle. We made wonderful music together.

Then one night at rehearsal in rocked Neil lugging something very heavy – a Matchless DC-30 amplifier. When I saw the Matchless I was speechless. Neil is a drummer that I play with occasionally. An incredibly good drummer. He says he doesn’t play guitar, but he owns some wonderful guitars and amps. I suspect he’s a bit of a collector. The DC-30  is generally regarded as one of the best amplifiers ever made and is as rare as rocking horse shit. As far as I know, only one dealer in the UK stocks Matchless, World Guitars in Gloucestershire.

Settings for Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and DeVille amplifiers

Settings for Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and DeVille

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The old manuals for the Fender Hot Rod series used to include recommended settings. But the new manuals don’t include this helpful information. Try the settings above on either your Hot Rod Deluxe or DeVille amplifier. The Deluxe and DeVille range have the same channel and switch arrangements.

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III

Hot Rod Deluxe III - front panel and top panel views

I recently bought a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III. This is the latest version of the single-speaker 40-Watt combo from Fender’s Hot Rod Range, which includes the:

• DeVillle 410 III (60-Watts with 4 x 10″ speakers)
• DeVille 212 III (60-Watts with 2 x 12″ speakers)
• Blues Junior III (15-Watt 1 x 12″ speaker)
• Pro Junior III (15-Watt 1 x 10″ speaker)
• Blues DeVille reissue (60-Watts with 4 x 10″ speakers)
• Blues Deluxe reissue (40-Watts with 1 x 12″ speakers).

Fender launches Eric Clapton Signature Amplifiers

Three versions of the Eric Clapton Signature Amplifier

Fender introduces its EC Series guitar amplifiers – the EC Twinolux^™ (40 Watts), EC Tremolux^™ (12 Watts) and EC Vibro-Champ^® (5 Watts). This is the first time that either Fender or Eric Clapton have been involved in the development of a signature guitar amp.

Dumble amplifiers – the voice of God

Talk to anyone who’s been lucky enough to play a Dumble amp and they’ll tell you that they are the voice of God.

Dumble amps are shrouded in more myth and mystery than the Unicorn, but this much is fact:

• they were hand-built by a sonic genius from Los Angeles, California – Alexander “Howard” Dumble
• there are fewer than 300 in existence
• you had to pay for the amp upfront and arrange your own shipping
• when you ordered, you signed an agreement never to let anyone open the amp and analyse the build and circuitry
• to protect his concepts and designs, Alexander Dumble covered the inside of his amplifier circuit boards with a compound to hide components and their values
• if you can find one, an old Dumble amp will cost you a small fortune – we are talking tens of thousands
• current details about Dumble’s whereabouts and activities are as rare as his amps.