Tame The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe! [Or Any Loud Clean Guitar Amp With An FX Loop]
Welcome to the show! Today’s video is about offering some solutions to a real-world issue faced by many people – taming volume in a loud clean amp, but retaining a little bit of feel and dynamics. We’re using the specific example of the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III – an extremely popular and great sounding amp… but a goodly number of people have struggled with the somewhat all-or-nothing volume control.
It should also be said, however, that these approaches will work with any loud clean amp that has an effects loop.
I just want to make it clear – Mick here – that nobody is saying the Hot Rod deluxe sounds ‘bad’ or that this is a universal ‘problem’. It is simply to offer some approaches to a different tone and feel if you’re either: a) struggling with that, or b) just fancy trying something a little different.
We also know that the HRD IV (latest version as of July 2023) addresses this issue somewhat. Nevertheless, it’s still bloomin’ loud and attacking for a lot of people.
Would we rather crank it? Yes. Do we think it sounds better much louder? Yes. But this is for the times when that isn’t possible…
Can you mod it? Yes. Are there other ways to do it? Yes. These are just some relatively easy ideas to try.
Finally, you might be confused about the volume you’re hearing in your headphones / monitors, because the quiet sounds are relatively loud too. Ie, you won’t perceive the GIANT volume differences that Dan and I are experiencing in the room. That’s because if we’d kept the recorded levels the same, the quiet sounds would just sound rubbish and relatively inaudible. So in the recording, I make the quiet bits louder so you can hear the tone clearly. If you want to understand the relative volume differences, look at the DB meter when it’s in shot. Hope that explains it!
Enjoy the show!
Pedals & stuff used in today’s episode
• Nobel ODR-1
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: https://bit.ly/3BoLto6
USA: https://bit.ly/3JX2Hz5
• Strymon El Capistan V1 – no longer made, links to newest version
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: https://bit.ly/44EuEnm
USA: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/bamo5k
• MXR 10 Band EQ
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: https://bit.ly/2Yx95Wz
USA: https://bit.ly/3EhAiPx
• Origin Effects Cali 76 Compact Deluxe
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: https://bit.ly/2rPSRWo
USA: https://bit.ly/323rheM
• Effectrode Blackbird
• TheGigRig Underliner
https://www.thegigrig.com/underliner
• Palmer PDI06 Attenuator
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Interesting bits & go-to sections
0:00 Intro playing
2:30 Today’s task
3:35 The problem explained
5:30 The problem demo’d
7:35 Transient response?
8:37 Limit with an overdrive pedal
11:20 Limit with an EQ pedal
14:30 EQ & compressor in FX loop explained
16:10 EQ & compressor in FX loop demo’d
24:45 Separate preamp in the FX loop explained
26:14 Separate preamp in the FX loop demo’d
30:47 TheGigRig Underliner explained
31:45 TheGigRig Underliner demo’d
40:22 Speaker attenuator explained
41:50 Speaker attenuator demo’d
45:17 Closing thoughts and roundup
Guitars used in this video
• Gibson Memphis 1958 ES-335 – Mick’s video here: https://youtu.be/Ha82vk1wLyA
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster – Dan’s video here: https://youtu.be/rnQ4OIJFTgY
Amps in this episode
• Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III – links to latest version
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
USA: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Qy6QG3
We hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to our channel.
You can buy TPS merch to support our efforts https://www.thatpedalshowstore.com
We are on Patreon – crowdfunding for creatives
https://www.patreon.com/ThatPedalShow
Please visit our preferred retailers!
UK & Europe: Andertons Music https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Zt
Australia: Pedal Empire http://bit.ly/2mWmJQf
#Tame #Fender #Hot #Rod #Deluxe #Loud #Clean #Guitar #Amp #Loop
Originally posted by UCnUXq8mGmoHt0e6ItuTs10w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF3qR2xPLII
Wow, Hot Rod Delux and hookups a plenty, thanks!
Dr Watson attenuator and 12AY7 in v1, 12AX7 in v2 and 12AT7 in v3 as phaze inverter ???? did the trick….also for lower volume home use 12AY7 v1, 12AY7 v2 and 12Au7 in v3 with the Dr Watson attenuator ????
Great video. Thank you! I have an older HRD, old strat, morley pro II wah/distortion, DOD delay, Boss BF-3 flanger. All run into the front of the amp. I play Ac/dc ,Cars, Beck, Cream, Doors, Hendrix, Steeley Dan, The Who, Stones and Zepplin and everything in between. No issues, sounds amazing and people come up and tell me so and ask what I've done to the amp . Nothing has been done to the amp except replaced one tube and soldered some loose items. Mostly smaller venues and I still get great tones with amp on 4 with gain on 3 and work my volume knob on the strat. I have been accused of modifying the amp and playing a bit too loud (mea culpa). No mods. Maybe a bit loud but man, it sounds great. I can dial in pretty much any sound. Maybe because its a older amp its broken in better. Thanks again gents!
I have a version 3. I have changed critical components on the board (kits you can buy and if your handy soldering) , New WGS ET 65 (think creamback) , Tung-Sol 7581A Power Vacuum Tube (Matched), plug guitar into input 2 (lower level), 12AU7 ph inverter (not as gainy as 12AX7). The Tung Sol power tubes give more headroom, and have plate rating of 35 v as opposed to 30 for 6L6. Think more hi fi. Also, the taper of the volume pot was changed to linear although it may have already had it. It is not as "bitey" as stock now and better volume control.
You make me want to sell my amp and get a vibro champ
Thanks guys, GREAT video, this is just about exactly my live rig, and this has been an issue for me. Note: When you ask for “a little more top end” from a Nobels, you’re actually asking for a little more top AND bottom end. That’s why Nobels calls it “spectrum” instead of a “tone” knob. Thanks again, really helped me realize the value of getting an EQ pedal and using the FX loop. Problems abated. These are high value amps, and this video helps us all to get added bang to our bucks.
Why didn’t Fender just make the volume knob more linear? It’s like having an accelerator that starts at 50mph!
When I had my '93 American Standard Strat, the Sonic Stomp was my favorite pedal. I would like to see a show on that and how it made my Strat sound better.
I have a HR Deville. Probably worst amp I ever owned. Stupid preamp design, what were they thinking!. Every other amp I own is just miles more useful. Very difficult to polish that turd. That is why Landau had it changed. Landau version is actually useful.
Fantastic video. Based on it I purchased the 12AY7, 12AT7 and 12AU7. T7 had the best result for me as the other two decreases the power substantially so the drive gets too diminished. The combination that I liked the most was to put a Y7 in V1 and a U7 in V3.
Since the 90's I put a volume box in the loop. It is just a tiny box with an IN and OUT, a 250/500k Pot and use it as a Master. You can tame the amp with an EQ in the loop too, and tweak freq to taste, but I like the amp by itself, and their own EQ is enough to adjust what I need. The con of the volume box in the loop is placed in the preamp, so won't cause powertube saturation because you are lowering the preamp signal, and the power amps need a lot of preamp signal to get saturation. The pro is that you can ability to adjust the drive channel 2 to practice levels or small gigs
Yet another great video. I'm toying with buying a Blues Deluxe Reissue, so this is very interesting.
Is it possible just to put a volume Pedal in the effects loop?
Why did you not just place a £20 passive attenuation in the effects loop? There are many of these available for sale on eBay etc.
Very informative for us Hot Rod Deluxe players, always enjoy your in-depth discussions from "Jolly-Old England"
(P.S. I just watched your size guide video for ordering Pedal Show T-shirts….absolutely hilarious;)
So….. can i not just put an eq in the fx loop?
Great tips. I've had my HRD for 15 years now and over time learned these things through trial and error. Had a tech replace the volume and master knobs (from linear to audio taper), and tried everything I heard about to tame the volume because every show, the sound person asked me to turn down. I tried different tubes, an attenuator, and everything else shown in this video. In my experience, the attenuator and lower-powered tubes really killed the base sound of the amp, so I'm now at a point where I have all my pedals going into the front of the amp with a volume pedal at the end of my chain, and also I put a simple passive volume box in the loop (I made mine, but you can buy one online, it's just like a volume knob on your guitar, but built into a pedal box). This way I can crank all of my drive pedals and pull the output down with the volume pedal before it even gets to the amp. And I can turn the amp volume knob as high as I want and pull that down with the volume box in the loop. I also always have on a boost for single coil guitars, which just helps put a sparkle into the pure clean tone. Also note that the amp's inputs 1 and 2 have a big difference in terms of sound (1 is hotter than 2, so in my experience it comes across brighter and louder) and are good to experiment with as well. One other thing not mentioned — people always complain about the drive channel on the amp, but the real problem is that the EQ is shared between the clean and the drive channels. It's really hard find one EQ setting that works equally well for both channels. Putting an EQ pedal in the loop is not only one option to tame the volume, but it also lets you dial in a whole different EQ for the drive channel. So you can set your clean tone via the amp EQ knobs, and then when you hit the channel switcher you can also hit your EQ pedal in the loop to affect the amp's drive channel — this makes it so you can set both channels to be awesome, it just takes a little setup and practice with hitting the switches. All in all, this is a really versatile amp when you use a few little tricks to sculpt your sound through the massive volume output it can have. If you only do one thing, put a passive volume knob or pedal in the loop, turn it down a little, and tweak your sound from there.
Potentiometer swap. Easy fix. Done.
Nice take on what can be done to make this amp “bedroom friendly” and customizable. Love the hot rod… it’s a fender standard on its own. It’s a sweet gigger for sure. Last thing always: find your sound that works for you and the band; have a blast!
Jhs little black amp box in the loop?
Peter from the chilean band "Kuervos del Sur" use that amp. Check it that sound, they are a very good rock band.
Late to the party, I’m planning to use the boss GE7 planted on my amp for volume control in my fx loop. I don’t need dual volumes. Will there any difference to this? I’m rocking a g2 and a cinco cinco so I support!!!!
Why won’t Fender just update the design of most ubiquitous Fender amplifier in the line, and fix all the things that are wrong with it? Spend a few dollars on better parts??
Im using a UA Dream 65 pedal into the effects loop of a hrd3 and a peavey delta blues alao effects loop. Thus by passing pre amp. I can control the out put of the. Pedal and be as loud or quiet quiet as i need to be. Great tones.
My dad is in his 80's and told me his amp stopped working, I brought it home figured I'd try some experiments, clean it etc. I plug in my Randall 4×12 Cab completely caught off guard, OMG the volume is tremendous. That Randall I own is a 120 Watt and made to Chug Metal and this little Fender with the Sovtek groove tubes blows it out of the water in sheer volume. My Dad doesn't have an amp problem he just pluged his speaker into the wrong jack, lol. Now I don't want to give back his Amp (I will but I don't want to), I could totally Gig with this amp and just bring my pedal board for the gain and tones I need.
good show, you guys always do a great job when the humor just happens organically but some of the little bits u keep going back to range from eye roll inducing to shitty at best. As with amps and pedals, a little tweak here and there can make all the difference . like the whole snapping your fingers bit was almost funny once …and that's being kind. so tweak it a little and once in a while you snap back and have each others clothes on…..or if one of you snapped back in the woods still holding your guitar….the possibilities are endless.
the fx loop return tip was a life saver! thanks!
i have the hotrod deville and same issue i dont really play in a band anymore its just out in my man cave and its hard to get it to work down low.Having said that its a great amp and i look forward to playing with friends and really reving it up a bit
Google, Glowbaby. Put it in the effects loop. ????