I had a Similar situation with a tube amp, I would say this case looked like bad handling , meaning the amp being treated roughly, probably wile being on or off and the tube went bad . I mistreated one during gigs and then started hearing some cracking noises when playing. Took it to a place. New tubes and a check did the job. I’m glad we have fixers like you sir !
I'm not a guitar amp surgeon, but the first thing a player always does is try new tubes. Though your methods are thorough, in this case, it would have taken 5 minutes to repair instead of hours and hours. I have four of these amps, one dating back to 1996 and have had them repaired several times. I play Gibson guitars w/'57 Classic pups and I love them over the traditional Fender Reverbs, Twins, & Super Sonics.
My type iv has raised ceramic resistors . Just looked at it for the first time but those diodes are flush mounted . Found a chaffed brown wire . Not broken through to the wire but I moved it a little and put some electrical tape around it . Tightened up everything but found it all tight including the speaker . Replaced the speaker wire with a 14ga. Wire new plug and speaker connects . Also replaced the remote switch wire from the crappy factory ones .
Oh, those Fender-branded Groove Tubes, lol. I remember that the Fender Groove Tube 6L6s that came in my 2008 HRD looked kind of wonky IMHO; the glass tube of one of them was a little bigger than the other one, made me wonder how "matched" they were, lol.
I bought a Fender HotRod Deville 2/12 new in 2010 to gig with. I had a beat up Crate g120 solid state that I always brought for a back-up and wouldn't you know it, the 2nd gig I used it [Fender] on I heard a pop/fizzle/smoke and then - nothing. Finished the gig with the Crate and came to find out that, sure enough, both 6L6GT Groove Tubes had burnt up. Luckily the mains fuse protected the rest of the amp, according to the amp tech. Who was cool enough to use the tubes I provided and not whine about it. The tubes? A USED set of matched TAD (Tube Amp Doctor) 6L6s that I got off Craigslist for $25! I just sold the amp this year with those tubes still chugging along!! LoL
The output tubes in my AC15 started to crap after two years of Friday night abuse. They were completely toast and after new tubes it took 15 minutes of playing for the amp to come back to life. Never took it to a proper tech, by that was four years ago and it sounds great from that day on. Wonder what that was all about
I'm just a few minutes into this video and had to stop to try to find a used panel wrench like yours since I didn't know they exist. Apparently Tonecraft makes one now. I have no idea if they're any good. For me it'll be better than nothing but I thought I'd mention it here in case yours ever needs replacing.
Hi, all your vids are great, very helpful!. I had an original F.A.T. USA and then a newer Tweed version(ver 2 or 3). All had nice deep reverb, easily entering Surf guitar territory. Now I have this same blond IV version and the reverb is lame. Your video reverb sounded a little better but hard to tell. Did they change the reverb circuit on the IV? It seems almost in parallel and not in the direct signal path. I love the lighter weight blond pine cab and the amp overall but I miss the deep reverb. Could it be one lame tank or a total redesigned? Thanks in advance!
I have seen a couple instances of bad solder connections inside the hollow pins of octal based output tubes, especially Chinese tubes. If this occurs at pin 5, the control grid, on a fixed bias amp, the tube will lose not only audio signal but also the negative bias voltage, and the tube will turn on hard with full conduction. You can resolder the tube pins if necessary. BTW, blue glow on the inside of the glass bulb is okay, the result of stray electrons striking the glass, but a blue glow in the center of the metal parts indicates a gassy tube or a contaminated grid that is emitting electrons instead of controlling the input signal..
I am used to seeing the blue glow in output valves. In one of my bias shift trem amps the blue lights dance around on the glass. I have never seen them flash so bright like that failing tube though. Just a slight blue on the inside of the envelopes with the high voltage applied. I had one bad valve where the inside of the structure lit up neon green though, and then bright gold sparkles! Tested fine on a valve tester strangely. But went straight in the bin.
Your videos are great, they make me appreciate my BF amps more and more. after watching you solve all those problems I would never buy one of these types of amps, they look good but the quality of the components is terrible. I suppose building a good tube amp gets too expensive. Have you made one for yourself¿
Yessir. Been a player (mostly Fender BF/SF/Brownface amps) for 61 years. Back in '94, I came across a brand new tweed Blues Deluxe, and it sounded so good, (especially the reverb) I had to buy it. Was SO disappointed when I discovered that it was just a computer inside that great tweed! However, I used it semi-professionally for five years, still have it and it has yet to let me down other than maybe a bad tube. The overdrive, with a Les Paul Deluxe running through it (NORMAL channel; overdrive is too bright) is killer!! Years ago, I changed out the speaker to a 90-watt Celestion Black Shadow and that amp just destroys.
Hello. in my HRD, after switching on in a moment, the power lamps become very red and at the same time, the Dzieiek on the cansle is clean brumi. what could be causing this? thanks for the informative videos
When power tubes are glowing that blue purple color that means that gas in the tube is not conducting the electrons from negative to positive? because the pick attack is changing how small and big the blue purple glow in the power tubes so it must have something to do with the conducting of the electrons. You mentioned there was "thermal expansion" going on inside the power tubes, but not sure what you mean by that.
I bought on of these in 2020, and it failed me in less then 6 months of very gentle use., it’s been in its amp cover ever since, in new condition., I’ve been hesitant to send the chassis and Tubes to a tech, but I would like to send it to you., but your website seems to be dormant, I’m in ct.
Some amps require the use of a bar clamp as a spreader. Gently spread the back open about 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch across the horizontal axis, and DO NOT GO NUTS WITH IT! Find an old Chinese or Indian bicycle tool kit those stamped wrenches in it. One of those wrenches can be bent and ground down to make that indicator lamp wrench. Those wrenches are worthless for working on bicycles. The tire spoons on the handles are the only useful part.
Needless to say, he doesn't like the HRD & with good reason. I own one of these, going on 20 yrs now & while my experience has been good, I now understand why. Cheapest parts & questionable design lead to problems. My conundrum is, do I keep it & improve it or get rid of it? What do you say?
20 years ago these amps were around $800-$900. That makes it $40-$45 p/year to own. Keep it. I have four of these, two needing repair. -surprise! an answer from two years ago..lol.
ONE of biggest failures these amps have is the Driver plate resistors, alwys UP the wattage to 1w...also, the pilot bulb connections have give ghost crackles as well.........that hi current low volt thing is crazy, as i have seen MANY come in UN-scathed, n many chargrilled..lolololo... the first run is one of my favs, they UN-bypassed the second stage n ran bright switch off a .1 in parallel....more old school sound......
Lyle thanks for the info. Hope this is allowed - I have a Hotrod Deluxe III that needs some TLC Can you, or some of the knowledgeable people here, recommend someone in the greater Los Angles area that does good work?
I only know the "big names" around LA but don't know if they would take in a HRD. Call LA Sound Design and ask for a recommendation. They'll know everyone good in that area.
Almost Hilarious, the HRD III just had a 330K vs 220K at V2A grid to ground, n a 560pf off V1A plate for the OD.. was IT,............. ive modded/repaired these since 1999... ..w/o EVEN looking im willin ta bet this isnt far from the original OR III....could be wrong, but i doubt it..The G Bensen n Landau were def different toplogies i blv....go fig Fender, the HRD III schematic SHOWS a 220K for R-19, but mine in shop most DEF had a 330k!
I wanna build a amp because I don't like cheap fender pcb boards but they make a delux reverb called the 64 custom hand wired is it any good ?? Would it potentially save me from building one?
@@PsionicAudio Thanx 'cause no matter how I clean the SOB it still dims a little sometimes... cheers (But it is a 20+ year old amp w/ no repairs (that I know of) It used to belong to the BEACH BOYS
I understand that they are building to a price point but why must that include poor board design? It seems a well designed board layout, made by the same manufacturer wouldn’t cost any more, would improve reliability and customer experience,
Why not just test all the capacitors first? Seems to me, though I know nothing, that it would save you a lot of time in the long run. Or, just toss that amp in the trash where it belongs . . .
