Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe is a guitar amplifier manufactured and sold by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. It was introduced in 1996 as part of the "Hot Rod" line of guitar amplifiers and has been in continuous production since. This model, along with the Hot Rod Deville, were originally designated as F.A.T. ('Fender American Tube') amplifiers but this moniker was dropped in 2000 when production of this series of amps was moved from Corona, CA to Fender's Baja-Ensenada, Mexico manufacturing facility.

Specifications

The Hot Rod Deluxe is an all tube combo amp rated at 40 watts. It utilizes a single 12 inch speaker, typically a Special Design Eminence Legend 125 50 watt speaker. It features a "Clean", "Drive", and "More Drive" set of channels that are selectable via the "Channel Select" and "More Drive" buttons on either the control panel or footswitch (if plugged in). Other features include a Bass, Middle, and Treble EQ, Master Volume, Presence, Normal/Bright, effects loop (solid state), and spring reverb (solid state for both the driver and the recovery circuits). Footswitch and External Speaker jacks are also built in.

Electronics and Construction

As an all-tube combo guitar amplifier, the Hot Rod Deluxe features a pair of 6L6GC beam tetrodes for the power section and two 12AX7 dual triodes for the preamp section. One additional 12AX7 tube is utilized for the phase inverter of the power section. However, the rectifier, reverb driver and recovery, and effects loop circuits are solid state. The power section uses a "fixed bias" biasing scheme with an adjustable bias potentiometer installed from the factory. The factory bias is 60 mA total for both 6L6s.

The physical appearance of the Hot rod Series is based on the mid-to-late '50's "narrow panel" tweed amplifiers with accoutrement's such as a top mounted, chrome plated chassis and black "chicken head" pointer knobs.

Unlike "vintage" Fender tube amplifiers, the Hot Rod Deluxe uses a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) construction rather than Point-to-Point (PTP) construction. Internally, there are two sets of circuit boards. The main circuit board contains the majority of the electronic elements and provides the base onto which the potentiometers for the various controls, and the input and output jacks, are mounted. A secondary board provides the base onto which the tube sockets are mounted (although the pair of power tube sockets are mounted directly on the chassis with long leads connecting those to the secondary board).

Stock and Other Versions

At various times, Fender has released special versions or "Limited Editions" of this amplifier. The stock version of the Hot Rod Deluxe features a MDF cabinet upholstered in black tolex with silver "sparkle" speaker grille cloth, and is equipped with an Eminence Legend 125 50 watt (special design) speaker.

From 2003 to 2004 Fender released two limited edition models in polished maple hardwood (no tolex covering). One of these had a classic three color suburst finish, and the other was a stained natural finish (both with Jensen speakers). From late 2006 to March 2007, Fender offered the Hot Rod Deluxe "White Lightning" Limited Edition. Notable features include white tolex with white control knobs, dark black/silver grille cloth, white pilot light (instead of the stock red), and a 12" Celestion G12 Century Vintage 8 ohm, 60 watt Speaker.

Starting in early 2008, Fender offered the Hot Rod Deluxe in "Texas Red" Limited Edition. Some main differences is a 12" Celestion G12 Century Vintage 8 ohm, 60 watt Speaker, much like the "White Lightning" version. It also includes ivory chicken knobs.

Other variations have included Hot Rod Deluxes adorned in blonde tolex or tweed cloth (both with ox-blood grill). Alternate installed speakers have also included the Jensen P12N alnico or Jensen C12N ceramic speaker reissues.

References

* [http://www.fender.com/ Fender Official Site]
* [http://studentweb.eku.edu/justin_holton/ The Unofficial Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Owner's Guide]