Fender Deville

[BeniRose]

Does anyone know if there's a difference between the Fender Blues Deville and the Fender Hot Rod Deville? Are they the same amp, or was the Blues discontinued?

[Tadpui]

It looks like the main difference is that the Hot Rod has 3 channels, whereas the Blues has 2 channels. Other than that, they're both 60W, 4x10" (although the Hot Rod is also available in a 2x12" configuration), they both use 3 12AX7s in the preamp and 2 6L6s in the power section. They're the same dimensions, weigh the same, and seem to be identical in every way other than the tolex/grille cloth and the 3rd channel on the Hot Rod.

They're both still for sale on MusiciansFriend.com, so I don't think that either has been discontinued.

[starbuck26]

Originally Posted by Tadpui

It looks like the main difference is that the Hot Rod has 3 channels, whereas the Blues has 2 channels. Other than that, they're both 60W, 4x10" (although the Hot Rod is also available in a 2x12" configuration), they both use 3 12AX7s in the preamp and 2 6L6s in the power section. They're the same dimensions, weigh the same, and seem to be identical in every way other than the tolex/grille cloth and the 3rd channel on the Hot Rod.

They're both still for sale on MusiciansFriend.com, so I don't think that either has been discontinued.

The Hot Rod DeVille is not quite 3 channels, it's a clean channel and a dirty channel, with a 'more drive' setting. I never use it and can't remember if it's a mid scoop or a mid boost.

I prefer the sound of the 2x12 deville. If you like the sound of the 4x10 version you might be better off with a bassman. Make sure you try them both.

[BeniRose]

Thanks guys, I'll have to find a shop that has them both. I was looking at the hot rod deluxe before but now I'm leaning towards a deville, but i've only played the hot rod.

[mikemorgan]

The Blues Devilles were built first, around '93 with a clean and drive channel. I have a tweed 212.
The Hot Rod was introduced around '96 and indeed has clean, drive, and more drive. I have a tweed 212 in this configuration as well.

What's particular about the Blues Deville is there is no bias adjustment on the board. This amp cannot be biased without adding bias pots and whatnot.

[starbuck26]

Originally Posted by mikemorgan

What's particular about the Blues Deville is there is no bias adjustment on the board. This amp cannot be biased without adding bias pots and whatnot.

Precisely right. From what I understand, though, this is an easy fix. You just essentially replace a fixed resistor with a variable resistor.

If you google "Hot Rod Unofficial Owner's Guide" you will find an awesome site with mods, instructions, amp care tips, etc. It is totally awesome.

[Supercreep]

Originally Posted by starbuck26

The Hot Rod DeVille is not quite 3 channels, it's a clean channel and a dirty channel, with a 'more drive' setting. I never use it and can't remember if it's a mid scoop or a mid boost.

It's a straight 12db boost.

[Supercreep]

I think the distortion on the amp sounds "fizzy" and muddy.

[Tadpui]

Originally Posted by Supercreep

I think the distortion on the amp sounds "fizzy" and muddy.

I'm just curious about your gain staging on the amp when you got this fizzy distortion. Was the master cranked or was it down pretty low? Was the preamp gain up pretty high or down pretty low?

I was kind of surprised to see that these 60-watt amps use only 2 6L6 power tubes. I wonder if that contributes to the distortion that so many people tend to dislike about these amps? Or I wonder if its due to the high power and apparently high-efficiency of the overall design for these amps? I hear so many people say that even the 40-watters in this series of Fender amps are some of the loudest they've ever heard. People are saying that they gig with the master of these amps on 2 or 3, otherwise they drown everything else out.

I play through an 80-watt 2x12 with 4 6L6 power tubes, and I have to admit that I really disliked it at first as well. But I was only turning the master up to 3 or 4. It wasn't until I heard my amp with the master volume at 5, 6, 7 or even 8 that I truly fell in love with my amp (which for my YCV80 is pushing it pretty hard...it doesn't deal with master volumes above that without doing what I only know to call "clipping") .

I have to wonder if people who think that the distortion is fizzy on these amps are really getting the power section cooking or not, and whether they're using preamp gain (which is fizzy by nature) to provide a good portion of the overall distortion. If they are cooking the power section and not relying on the preamp for the majority of their gain, then I have to wonder if the fizziness because it only uses 2 tubes in the power section. I don't really understand what the difference in tone is when you push 60 watts through 2 6L6s versus when you push 60 watts through 4 6L6s.

[Outlaws]

Originally Posted by Tadpui

I'm just curious about your gain staging on the amp when you got this fizzy distortion. Was the master cranked or was it down pretty low? Was the preamp gain up pretty high or down pretty low?

I was kind of surprised to see that these 60-watt amps use only 2 6L6 power tubes. I wonder if that contributes to the distortion that so many people tend to dislike about these amps? Or I wonder if its due to the high power and apparently high-efficiency of the overall design for these amps? I hear so many people say that even the 40-watters in this series of Fender amps are some of the loudest they've ever heard. People are saying that they gig with the master of these amps on 2 or 3, otherwise they drown everything else out.

I play through an 80-watt 2x12 with 4 6L6 power tubes, and I have to admit that I really disliked it at first as well. But I was only turning the master up to 3 or 4. It wasn't until I heard my amp with the master volume at 5, 6, 7 or even 8 that I truly fell in love with my amp (which for my YCV80 is pushing it pretty hard...it doesn't deal with master volumes above that without doing what I only know to call "clipping") .

I have to wonder if people who think that the distortion is fizzy on these amps are really getting the power section cooking or not, and whether they're using preamp gain (which is fizzy by nature) to provide a good portion of the overall distortion. If they are cooking the power section and not relying on the preamp for the majority of their gain, then I have to wonder if the fizziness because it only uses 2 tubes in the power section. I don't really understand what the difference in tone is when you push 60 watts through 2 6L6s versus when you push 60 watts through 4 6L6s.

I had the Blues one (40w, 1 12"), and the clean channel was great when driven hard, but the 2nd channel was garbage as far as I am concerned. Way too noisy to be useful IMO.

[starbuck26]

Originally Posted by Supercreep

I think the distortion on the amp sounds "fizzy" and muddy.

Agreed. I never use it. Just overdrive the clean channel.

[Supercreep]

Originally Posted by Tadpui

I'm just curious about your gain staging on the amp when you got this fizzy distortion. Was the master cranked or was it down pretty low? Was the preamp gain up pretty high or down pretty low?

I was kind of surprised to see that these 60-watt amps use only 2 6L6 power tubes. I wonder if that contributes to the distortion that so many people tend to dislike about these amps? Or I wonder if its due to the high power and apparently high-efficiency of the overall design for these amps? I hear so many people say that even the 40-watters in this series of Fender amps are some of the loudest they've ever heard. People are saying that they gig with the master of these amps on 2 or 3, otherwise they drown everything else out.

I play through an 80-watt 2x12 with 4 6L6 power tubes, and I have to admit that I really disliked it at first as well. But I was only turning the master up to 3 or 4. It wasn't until I heard my amp with the master volume at 5, 6, 7 or even 8 that I truly fell in love with my amp (which for my YCV80 is pushing it pretty hard...it doesn't deal with master volumes above that without doing what I only know to call "clipping") .

I have to wonder if people who think that the distortion is fizzy on these amps are really getting the power section cooking or not, and whether they're using preamp gain (which is fizzy by nature) to provide a good portion of the overall distortion. If they are cooking the power section and not relying on the preamp for the majority of their gain, then I have to wonder if the fizziness because it only uses 2 tubes in the power section. I don't really understand what the difference in tone is when you push 60 watts through 2 6L6s versus when you push 60 watts through 4 6L6s.

I am fairly unsophisticated when it comes to the technical aspects of amp design. I really didn't appreciate how bad the distortion sounded until I had an opportunity to hear some other amps in my studio.

I have a Supersonic head and cab, and the difference in tone is stunning. In comparison, I think the HR Deville sounds cloudy, unfocused, and fizzy. I used to only have the Deville, and so had to rely on it for our entire range of sounds... So I've tried pretty much everything, including different tubes.

One thing, the amp is loud and can stay clean and loud. I imagine it takes pedals well. I used it for reamping rhodes and B3 VSTs and it worked well. I traded it for a Seagull 12-string and I'm happy.

[guitar zero]

Agree with above. I have the 212 Hot Rod DeVille, and only use the clean channel. The dirty channel sounds like crap. I use a pedal for good distortion.

[nevome]

Originally Posted by Tadpui

People are saying that they gig with the master of these amps on 2 or 3, otherwise they drown everything else out.

This was certainly the case for me. I have a blonde Blues Deluxe (bought used in '99, which I think is pre-RI, it may not matter as I don't know if the RI circuits are exactly the same). Part of this I think though is that the volume controls are linear pots instead of logarithmic pots which over simplified means the difference between 1-3 to our ears is greater than from 3-12 volume wise.

I'd agree with the above statements with regards to the drive channel, I tried using it for about 2 weeks, then got an SD-1 and a Big Muff and just hit the clean channel with them for gain.

Even if you're willing to open it up all the way, it's just a relatively unexciting drive channel. If you want to crank a Fender for some mojo, find a Deluxe Reverb instead.