> From: gaust~ediaone.net > Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 00:06:39 -0800 > Subject: 1965 Fender Deluxe - can't get great tone
> > Hi all you amp experts. I've got a '65 Fender Deluxe amp, not a Deluxe > Reverb, but just the Deluxe. I've never been able to get real great > tone out of it. I would think the answer is one of three, either it > can't be set to sound good for harp, or it can and I just don't know the > settings, or it can and I don't have the right tubes for it. > > Does anybody out there have any suggestions how to set (via the knobs) > it up to sound fat, or which tubes I may need to use to fatten it up? I > want to use this amp because it looks as if it should sound great...but > alas, I haven't found that magic potion. > > As always, thanks in advance for all the great information I'm > anticipating getting from this question. > > Robert Gaustad > Venice, CA
Robert, I have a Deluxe Reverb I use and I may be able to give you some insight on how to maximize your non-reverb Deluxeb for harp. First the the non-reverb Deluxes and Princetons differ from their reverb cousins by having one less gain stage, the cause of them being a bit thinner sounding than the reverb amps. Also the reason the Princeton and Deluxe Reverbs are much more highly prized than the non-reverb models. But there is a way to fatten the sound that you can do on non-reverb blackface Fenders. Bridge the two channels, that is simply plug into the normal channel with your mike cord. Then use a short shielded patch or guitar cord and patch from the other input of the normal channel into the input of the vibrato channel. First adjust the tone and volume controls of the normal channel (with the volume turned down on the vibrato channel) until you get the amp sounding the way you like. Remember where you have the volume set on the normal channel and then turn it all the way down. Now go and set the tone and volume controls on the vibrato channel and get that sounding good. Bring the volume control back up on the normal channel. You can fiddle with all the knobs if you like and find different combos that sound good. I would first start with the bass controls all the way up and treble all the way down and slowly bring up the treble control to where you like it. On the Deluxe, the vibrato channel is voiced a bit "brighter" than on the normal channel, so you'll find that keeping the treble and volume down a bit on that channel will help cut feed back. Please note that channel bridging will have the opposite effect if it is done on reverb amps, due to the two channels being out of phase to one another. Tube swaps: Try 12AY7's in the first gain stage of each channel. Looking from the back of the amp the tube all the way to the right is the normal channel tube and the tube to the left of it is the vibrato channel tube. Swap these two with 12AY7's, it will cut the gain and warm up the response of the amp a bit helping to reduce feedback. Power tubes, try some US manufactured NOS 6V6's. When it comes to 6V6's there really isn't any currently manufactured that is worthwhile. My Deluxe use to eat Sovtek 6V6's on a weekly basis, only NOS stuff can take the high plate voltages that are generated in Deluxes. Rectifier tube, I'm currently using a 5Y3 rectifier tube in my Deluxe. This swap should be done under the advice of a knowledgeable amp tech. The current draw of a 5Y3 is different than that of the stock GZ34, you may risk over heating the power transformer of your amp. Have a tech try it and monitor the amp to see if there may be a problem. I have not had any problems with mine when using a 5Y3. The 5Y3 will lower the output of the amp a bit, but the amp will compress more and sound "crunchier." Also a bias adjust would be a good idea. If the power tubes are biased cold, it will sound thinner. Speaker swap: What kind of speaker do you have in there? Most likely it's an Oxford. I would look into one of the Jensen Alnico replicas. I have a Mojo MP12R in my Deluxe and it really improved the sound of my amp. More expensive would be the Weber VST P12Q. The Mojo has a more midrangy sound and a bit more breakup, the Weber P12Q will have a better bass response. An even hipper speaker mod would be, removing the current baffleboard and have a new one made to fit a pair of 8 inch speakers. I haven't done it, but the idea of a pair of Weber P8Q's in a Deluxe sounds like it would be a killer harp rig. You could use either a pair of 16 ohms wired in parallel or a pair of 4 ohm wired in series. Finding a pair of 4 ohm, 8" Champ replacement speakers would probably be the easiest. If you do try that, one remember to save the original baffleboard and speaker assembly, a 65 Deluxe is a collectors piece, you wouldn't want to ruin the value of the amp. Mike: What kind of mike are you using? I find that Green Bullets tend to sound better with blackface Fenders IMHO. I like Astatics in tweed amps. Sometimes finding the right mike can make an amp sound a whole lot better. Good luck with the Deluxe and let me know how you make out,
Don D.
P.S. a 65 blackface Deluxe is a great amp and with a little work it can sound great for harp.
For details on Harp-L use and unsubscribing see the SPAH, Inc. website at http://members.aol.com/harmonica/harp-l.html
