Thanks for the note. I have all 3 and the blues jr. In my opinion Pro Jr. sounds amazing stock, the others have a very narrow range where they can be dialed in. That changes once you make the conversion.
Do as the Man says, get a used Fender pcb combo and have it the guts removed and replaced with a proper handwired Fender circuit, if you want reverb go the extra and get a valve driven reverb, new 3 spring tray and a little reverb signal transforner. The Fender cabinets and transformers are very good. I had a 1x12" blues deluxe rebuilt with just vol/ treble/mid/bass and reverb and it was the best decision for an amp I ever made.
I had my HRD converted to a BF Bassman. Required keeping the Stock Speaker. It became an amp that day. Thanks to Jeff Andrews. But this entire genneration of Amps by fender was is a total disaster. the Conversion to the Bassman or Plexi is the correct fix. IMO that is. Cheers
thanks for the note, the HRD is a good starting point for many, but yes converting it either to tweed/plexi or BF is a good idea to really get the most out of it
Thanks for the video. I’m going to try this conversation. I want to use the same transformer. What about the rectifier? Can you touch on this please. Thanks
Yes, thanks for the note. You will need to "Upgrade" to a bridge rectifier since there is no CT, nor 5v secondary to power a typical rectifier tube. Please email me and I will send you lots of useful stuff that I have been supplying others with who have also followed my lead on this. my username@gmail.
I enjoyed your video. Great suggestions. Those large 5w 470R resistors are a common problem, but I think you may have accidentally called them the wrong name. They’re not screen grid resistors (also 470R). They are dropping resistors Fender uses to drop the 48v down to 16v (used in switching). It's like using a forklift to hammer a nail. When I need to pull the PCB, I will mount those 5w resistors on standoffs to allow heat dissipation without cooking the PCB. I’ve subscribed. :)
You are correct, thanks for catching that. I also am not a fan of the 1w screen resistors. Nonetheless, out of the box, the HRD series is a pretty good bang for the buck amp. As I'm sure you know, they will eventually have problems, and then I think it is a good time to think about converting into something else....
You are right mate, this R470 use to work with zener diode to clamped 48V down to 16V that a lo of voltage drop over this resistors , the correct way is lowering voltage drop to reduce heat dissipation (Current=(48-16)/470, then calculate to power=2.178watts , so if reduce 48V down we gonna get lower heating, the easiest way is change C100uF to 15uF this help lowering dc voltage on rectifier to supply to these R, no more cooking. Hope this help.
Great question. I generally have not been adding/retaining either the loop or reverb, but there is a way to do it, and I have a method that I can go over. On the horizon is a video showing how to set up the +/-16 v regulated voltages, so that the op-amps and relays can be utilized for these functions and channel switching. Feel free to email me (username at gmail) directly if you want a further explanation.
I've got a 212 Blues Deville that has had so many problems with the circuit board that it's unreliable. I'm thinking this conversion is just the ticket. I might email you for tips. Especially what to do about the rectifier tube for the 5f6-a
I'm currently converting a Hotrod Deluxe to a mojotone bassman 5f6-a after seeing this video. How did you wire the transformers leaving out the rectifier tube. i know you said you made a bridge rectifier, do you have schematic for that. Any help would be greatly appreciated,Thank you !
@@jloewenheim Thanks for the info I’ve been looking for this info since a friend gave me the amp part of a deville 2x12 with a burnt pcb!! will be emailing you when I start the project im interested in-the rectifier part of the build, nice job and cool mods👍🏾👌🏾
How much you think something like this costs in 2022 dollars? As a first project, you think I'm better off building a kit or modifying a 1st gen HRD? I have one I don't really care much about.
The mojotone 5f6a small parts kit is $185 US. www.mojotone.com/Tweed-Bassman-Style-Small-Parts-Kit?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmdGYBhDRARIsABmSEePuDjWy7v4kvK6eWUQfUp9U5b0xZ3Ikuttgijnu22jEvfI4-_J4ersaAqy5EALw_wcB And then depending on what you have tool-wise, probably another $50-100 is you are starting with nothing. This is a great amp to do this on because there is no real resale value on these amps, and you already have the most expensive parts: transformers and tubes. Feel free to reach out directly to me username @gmail.com, I can provide a lot of resources
@@jloewenheim hey man mind if I email you soon? I’m gonna order the parts kit for a 4x10 deville. I just picked up a broken one for cheap. I did fix the usually problems but honestly it doesn’t sound very good. I built a tweed champ and a single ended plexi from kits last year so I think I’m up for it ..
@@petheato3291 Anytime, glad to help. I am actually converting one as we speak, was eventually going to post about the variations and some new upgrades that I like to add to the conversion.
There are a lot of directions that you could go. Do you mind emailing me so that we could discuss what you are really looking to do? username @ gmail.com
That tone from the original amp stock is sounding like it's from bad filter caps. Those IC brand are absolute trash and are known to be common failure points in those amps and that sound is what they sound like from that problem. There are several common failure points in those amps and it costs around $350 to have it taken care of if there hasn't been any damage to the PCB board or traces yet. Nearly all new Fender amps are not built well or worth what they charge for them. Some can be made better with a few upgrades but is not like the amps of old. That's progress for ya!
All valid points. The video was to demonstrate what one can do once these problems occur and how it is a good candidate to convert/build a tweed bassman in the existing cabinet and chassis. As you may have concluded, I am capable of repairing the typical issues mentioned and others, including those that are related to the dual power rail and comparator channel switching circuits (for all issues, it is likely closer to the list price for a new HRD). Nonetheless, thanks for watching an the feedback.
I dont know what the hell is going on in that HRD but mine sounds 100 times better then that and its a 2004 some thing is very wrong with it to begin with so its good you rebuilt it ..also this is one of the most used live gigging amps today and the ones i seen live always sounded good so i think this thing had a serious issue to begin with. The deville and HRD and george benson amp are basically the same they are not twins and though they are similar to the bassbreaker it is still its own thing and very versatile.just my opinion.
Your feedback is very much appreciated, as is your watching my video. I agree, it is a great amp, and has been around a long time. That being said, there are many out there looking to get a slightly different sound out of their HRD/BJr amps that is tone-wise a little closer to the 50's Tweed BM and the Plexi.
@@jloewenheim I agree that's why i was watching your vid, i was thinking if i start having problems maybe i'll go with a alternative, i didn't mean to come off so defencive, after rereading what i wrote i realize i might have been overreacting a bit..I really enjoy your videos keep up the good work
That’s kind of what I thought when I heard the before. I have a Blues Deluxe and it has a lot more clarity when you turn it up than that first sound sample. The bass does tend to get supper flubby at high volumes. Basically as I increase the volume I roll off the bass and it sounds great. I also own a Marshall DSL 40 and use the Blues Deluxe as a clean amp and the Marshall for distorted tones. When I can run Blues Deluxe at volumes that will distort it starts to sound a lot like the first two channels of the Marshall only not as tight. At that point though the volume is loud enough to peel the paint off the walls.
I have an early Hot Rod Deluxe like yours (mine's 1st of the MIM's approx 2002) Even with the particle board construction and my unpopular filters growing little titties, it's still pretty cool. 😎 I dig the warmth of the old Eminence 12" ...and thanx so much for your upgrade mod/vid... Cheerios (not the cereal though)
My hot deluxe doesn’t sound anything like that. Yours is farty as hell. Mines doesn’t distort until 7 and that’s if I play really hard. There must’ve been something wrong with yours.
We all have bought them because they do sound pretty good, in particular the clean channel. The question is when they need to be repaired, is it worth it. That being said, it's hard to argue that the sound of the 59 bassman or the plexi is anything short of amazing
Nice video. I like the presentation style. Much clearer than the crap I throw online. :D
I wish I could put up what you are consistently doing.
I have both the 60 watt 2x 12 Deville and the pro junior. Happy with the Pro Junior.
Thanks for the note. I have all 3 and the blues jr.
In my opinion Pro Jr. sounds amazing stock, the others have a very narrow range where they can be dialed in. That changes once you make the conversion.
Do as the Man says, get a used Fender pcb combo and have it the guts removed and replaced with a proper handwired Fender circuit, if you want reverb go the extra and get a valve driven reverb, new 3 spring tray and a little reverb signal transforner. The Fender cabinets and transformers are very good. I had a 1x12" blues deluxe rebuilt with just vol/ treble/mid/bass and reverb and it was the best decision for an amp I ever made.
I had my HRD converted to a BF Bassman. Required keeping the Stock Speaker. It became an amp that day. Thanks to Jeff Andrews. But this entire genneration of Amps by fender was is a total disaster. the Conversion to the Bassman or Plexi is the correct fix. IMO that is. Cheers
thanks for the note, the HRD is a good starting point for many, but yes converting it either to tweed/plexi or BF is a good idea to really get the most out of it
Very nice amp upgrade and I really enjoyed the video. Thanks for the plugs
I think anyone interested in doing amp work or understanding how it works should get to your pages.
That burnt board is under the solid state +&- 16vdc supply not the screen grid resistors.
Thanks for the video. I’m going to try this conversation. I want to use the same transformer. What about the rectifier? Can you touch on this please. Thanks
Yes, thanks for the note. You will need to "Upgrade" to a bridge rectifier since there is no CT, nor 5v secondary to power a typical rectifier tube. Please email me and I will send you lots of useful stuff that I have been supplying others with who have also followed my lead on this. my username@gmail.
Awesome videos! thks a bunch for all the effort and work you put into this series! kudos!
I enjoyed your video. Great suggestions.
Those large 5w 470R resistors are a common problem, but I think you may have accidentally called them the wrong name. They’re not screen grid resistors (also 470R). They are dropping resistors Fender uses to drop the 48v down to 16v (used in switching). It's like using a forklift to hammer a nail. When I need to pull the PCB, I will mount those 5w resistors on standoffs to allow heat dissipation without cooking the PCB. I’ve subscribed. :)
You are correct, thanks for catching that. I also am not a fan of the 1w screen resistors. Nonetheless, out of the box, the HRD series is a pretty good bang for the buck amp. As I'm sure you know, they will eventually have problems, and then I think it is a good time to think about converting into something else....
@@jloewenheim I agree. Once you properly "set up" a HRD, they sound bloody awesome. I don't care for their sound out of the box.
You are right mate, this R470 use to work with zener diode to clamped 48V down to 16V that a lo of voltage drop over this resistors , the correct way is lowering voltage drop to reduce heat dissipation (Current=(48-16)/470, then calculate to power=2.178watts , so if reduce 48V down we gonna get lower heating, the easiest way is change C100uF to 15uF this help lowering dc voltage on rectifier to supply to these R, no more cooking. Hope this help.
We’re you able to keep the effects loop
Great question. I generally have not been adding/retaining either the loop or reverb, but there is a way to do it, and I have a method that I can go over.
On the horizon is a video showing how to set up the +/-16 v regulated voltages, so that the op-amps and relays can be utilized for these functions and channel switching.
Feel free to email me (username at gmail) directly if you want a further explanation.
Thank you so much....I will here.
I've got a 212 Blues Deville that has had so many problems with the circuit board that it's unreliable. I'm thinking this conversion is just the ticket. I might email you for tips. Especially what to do about the rectifier tube for the 5f6-a
Would be happy to assist, feel free to reach out. my username at gmail.com
I'm currently converting a Hotrod Deluxe to a mojotone bassman 5f6-a after seeing this video. How did you wire the transformers leaving out the rectifier tube. i know you said you made a bridge rectifier, do you have schematic for that. Any help would be greatly appreciated,Thank you !
do you mind emailing me, way easier to get you that kind of info and have a dialog in that format. my username at gmail.com
@@jloewenheim Thanks for the info I’ve been looking for this info since a friend gave me the amp part of a deville 2x12 with a burnt pcb!! will be emailing you when I start the project im interested in-the rectifier part of the build, nice job and cool mods👍🏾👌🏾
I am one of your subscribers that emailed you with the same questions.
Thanks so much.
How much you think something like this costs in 2022 dollars? As a first project, you think I'm better off building a kit or modifying a 1st gen HRD? I have one I don't really care much about.
The mojotone 5f6a small parts kit is $185 US. www.mojotone.com/Tweed-Bassman-Style-Small-Parts-Kit?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmdGYBhDRARIsABmSEePuDjWy7v4kvK6eWUQfUp9U5b0xZ3Ikuttgijnu22jEvfI4-_J4ersaAqy5EALw_wcB
And then depending on what you have tool-wise, probably another $50-100 is you are starting with nothing.
This is a great amp to do this on because there is no real resale value on these amps, and you already have the most expensive parts: transformers and tubes.
Feel free to reach out directly to me username @gmail.com, I can provide a lot of resources
@@jloewenheim hey man mind if I email you soon? I’m gonna order the parts kit for a 4x10 deville. I just picked up a broken one for cheap. I did fix the usually problems but honestly it doesn’t sound very good. I built a tweed champ and a single ended plexi from kits last year so I think I’m up for it ..
@@petheato3291 Anytime, glad to help. I am actually converting one as we speak, was eventually going to post about the variations and some new upgrades that I like to add to the conversion.
Any tips on how to make a 1995 blues deville ltd with 5881 tubes sound better,??
There are a lot of directions that you could go. Do you mind emailing me so that we could discuss what you are really looking to do? username @ gmail.com
That tone from the original amp stock is sounding like it's from bad filter caps. Those IC brand are absolute trash and are known to be common failure points in those amps and that sound is what they sound like from that problem. There are several common failure points in those amps and it costs around $350 to have it taken care of if there hasn't been any damage to the PCB board or traces yet. Nearly all new Fender amps are not built well or worth what they charge for them. Some can be made better with a few upgrades but is not like the amps of old. That's progress for ya!
All valid points. The video was to demonstrate what one can do once these problems occur and how it is a good candidate to convert/build a tweed bassman in the existing cabinet and chassis.
As you may have concluded, I am capable of repairing the typical issues mentioned and others, including those that are related to the dual power rail and comparator channel switching circuits (for all issues, it is likely closer to the list price for a new HRD).
Nonetheless, thanks for watching an the feedback.
I dont know what the hell is going on in that HRD but mine sounds 100 times better then that and its a 2004 some thing is very wrong with it to begin with so its good you rebuilt it ..also this is one of the most used live gigging amps today and the ones i seen live always sounded good so i think this thing had a serious issue to begin with. The deville and HRD and george benson amp are basically the same they are not twins and though they are similar to the bassbreaker it is still its own thing and very versatile.just my opinion.
Your feedback is very much appreciated, as is your watching my video. I agree, it is a great amp, and has been around a long time. That being said, there are many out there looking to get a slightly different sound out of their HRD/BJr amps that is tone-wise a little closer to the 50's Tweed BM and the Plexi.
@@jloewenheim I agree that's why i was watching your vid, i was thinking if i start having problems maybe i'll go with a alternative, i didn't mean to come off so defencive, after rereading what i wrote i realize i might have been overreacting a bit..I really enjoy your videos keep up the good work
Not to worry, love the dialogue, think you gave some great insight.
That’s kind of what I thought when I heard the before. I have a Blues Deluxe and it has a lot more clarity when you turn it up than that first sound sample. The bass does tend to get supper flubby at high volumes. Basically as I increase the volume I roll off the bass and it sounds great. I also own a Marshall DSL 40 and use the Blues Deluxe as a clean amp and the Marshall for distorted tones. When I can run Blues Deluxe at volumes that will distort it starts to sound a lot like the first two channels of the Marshall only not as tight. At that point though the volume is loud enough to peel the paint off the walls.
I have an early Hot Rod Deluxe like yours (mine's 1st of the MIM's approx 2002)
Even with the particle board construction and my unpopular filters growing
little titties, it's still pretty cool. 😎 I dig the warmth of the old Eminence 12"
...and thanx so much for your upgrade mod/vid... Cheerios (not the cereal though)
My hot deluxe doesn’t sound anything like that. Yours is farty as hell. Mines doesn’t distort until 7 and that’s if I play really hard. There must’ve been something wrong with yours.
All the more reason for me to do the upgrade, as mine was played out and tired
I heard some clear audio cut in when he played some sweet home Alabama chords, I think most of the fart was the camera mic.
That amp has problems to begin with. They sound great when working properly
Agree, that was why I decided to do the conversion. if in new condition, I likely would have left it alone until problems occurred.
Fender has a nerve cheaping out. I disagree that it doesn’t sound good… That’s just this guy’s opinion.
We all have bought them because they do sound pretty good, in particular the clean channel. The question is when they need to be repaired, is it worth it. That being said, it's hard to argue that the sound of the 59 bassman or the plexi is anything short of amazing
Being that the HRD is the biggest sellin Fender amp in history, there was probably no need for the long intro to it.
I hear you, but also I wanted to make sure to give Fender credit where it is due. Thanks for the comment.
@@jloewenheim hey I found it helpful . I have a deville 4x10 and I think I’m gonna do this. I built a tweed champ last year so I think I’m up for it
@@timevett6761 deville is a slightly different animal, please feel free to email me and we can discuss if necessary. username @ gmail.com