Fender Hot Rod Deluxe - changing stock power tubes...

[gtds]

Hi

Is it possible to change the power amp valves in the Deluxe model from the factory ones (6L6's - "Groove Tubes") to EL84's?

1.) Is this safe for the amp?
2.) Will this warm up the sound of this amp at all?

If the above is not possible, are there any tricks to warm up the tone of this amp?

Thanks
gtds

[64Firebird]

I asked the same thing about a week ago. Tom Hicks gave me this link. Click Here.

[dragonworks]

Yes it is possible but not without rewiring some of the circuitry and changing bias etc. Not recommended for a non tech.

[PeteHalo]

Originally posted by dragonworks
Yes it is possible but not without rewiring some of the circuitry and changing bias etc. Not recommended for a non tech.

To EL34 maybe but not to EL84. AFAIK The EL84 uses different tube socket and lower B+ voltage than 6L6.

[dragonworks]

Change the tube sockets and rewire the circuitry to match the bias, anything is possible.

[Kelby]

I have a Hot Rod DeVille and just upgraded the stock tubes (mine were Sovtek; newer models use Groove Tubes). Very impressive difference. The best way to go if you want to upgrade is to visit The Tube Store at www.tubestore.com. Let them know what amp you have and what stock tubes you have in there now. They give very helpful advice, and have great prices on good tubes.

You may need to have the bias adjusted once the new tubes are in place; the Tube Store folks may be able to give you advice on whether that is necessary.

[gtds]

I checked out more info regarding changing the stock tubes in the Hot Rod Deluxe. I've come accross modifiers which allow you to change the current tubes with EL84's without the need to have the circuit tampered with.

THe product I'm referring to is the Yellow Jacket modifiers by THD. They are yellow socket convertors that are plugged into the sockets of you 6V6, 6L6,... tubes and allow EL84 type to be plugged in. They also cater for difference in power so no need to rebias the amp.

The only con (if you want to call it that) is that they will lower the power of your amp considerably, however, in my case that might be a bonus as I'm interested in the Hot Rod Deluxe for home and gigging and it is way too loud for home!

Has anyone out there used any of these? Are they any good?


gtds

[PeteHalo]

If a pair of 6L6's puts out typically about 50w and a pair of EL84 about 15w the difference in volume level is about 5dB. If the speaker efficency is about 97 to 100 dB/W@1m then 15w would produce about 110 dB which is IMHO way too loud for any household purposes. If I were you I'd consider a power attennuator like THD Hot plate. In fact I have one, a Koch LoadBox which I use with my Marshall plexi Super PA at home.

[gtds]

Sorry, I don't understand your reply. Would 15W be louder?! ...115db?

I read that a 40W amp would be lowered to about 15W using the THD Yellow Jacket. Surely that is a considerable reduction in power.

Can you explain in laymens terms pls.

gtds