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Fender has produced two: A Hot Rod Deluxe and a Twin Reverb.
Has anyone played or does anyone own one of these?
I'm looking for another amp and these have caught my eye. They are lighter (pine cab) and have more headroom.
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12-24-2017 06:58 AM
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I am very happy with the HRD version I own. I even use the overdrive channel and like it (master volume is useful). It also works as a nice power amp for acoustic guitars/preamps when you plug into the effect return. Very loud and mine has a low noise floor. The speaker and cab change create a big difference from the non-GB HRD.
Originally Posted by teleman3726
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They both sound great. The HRD is made with the cheapest components on the planet. The Twin is of much higher quality component wise but with extra weight to shlep and of course more pricey.
Nothing beats a Twin for the best jazz tone on the planet. Way better Reverb also.
Depends on your wattage needs also. A little Princeton is a great jazz amp and built with better components than the HRD series amps. A Princeton with a Eminence Lil Buddy speaker is a great jazz amp and nice and light too.
Kenny Burrell always played through a Twin. A couple years ago I saw him playing through a HRD GB.
I guess budget, wattage, and weight factors need to be considered.
You want the best ? .......Twin.
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Then there's this from Corey Christiansen:
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
I've had a Princeton for years and it's terrific. Breaks up easily, though.
I'll look at some regular Twins in any case.
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My Twin sounds delicious and the only way you know it is on is by the jewel light. Of course I re-tubed it with spec’d out tubes and biased it for optimum jazz tone. Never a lick of trouble ever. Yes the ones made in Mexico are a dice roll but the limited addition FSR models are made in Corona Ca. with much higher QC standards.
Fender amp QC has vastly improved in the last 3 years IMO. I still say do not buy any Mexico made Fender amp including Mexican made Twins.
I just bought a 59 Reissue Bassman. Everything on it says Made in USA. Even the tubes are branded USA.
Unbelievable tone and quality. Dead quiet on. First amp I never had to do a single tweek on.
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A better transformer and the LiL Buddy speaker will give you tons of headroom on a Princeton. Simple mods.
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Originally Posted by jzucker
Then there's this from Corey Christiansen:
haha..pretty harsh for two of the most popular/long running/best selling amps of all time!!
of course they are not for everyone..but they do loud clean mighty well...
and either one of them, that's been well cared for, can sing....but of course if you are playing through what a club backline rental has waiting for you, all bets are off!!! hah..sounds like thats the case for cc
cheers
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I have not played one of these amps. If I were in the market for a reasonably priced, high quality amp for jazz I'd read everything I could about them...as well as the competition. There are tons of great amps from a number of makers out there these days...at all price points. Great news for players at all income levels.
If you buy new, Fender offers a 5 year warranty, one of the best in the business. Their quality unfortunately, has not been consistent, except for their expensive 'hand wired' boutique-fighting lineup.
Check out these reviews of actual users of the two amps you are interested in.
GB HRD:
Fender GB George Benson Hot Rod Deluxe 40-watt 1x12" Tube Combo Amp Reviews | Sweetwater
GB TR:
Fender GB George Benson Twin Reverb 85-watt 2x12" Tube Combo Amp | Sweetwater
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remember one thing about tube amps
when the original "modern" classic tube amps were designed in the 50's, they were using military spec electronic parts..including tubes
these days the race is towards smaller and cheaper solid state components....with untested longevity
so not to say a new fender amp is not a great sounding design, but the quality of the components used can vary...so a more even quality control is harder to maintain
the use of the circuitboard is also a potential point of trouble...as solder connection issues often occur...and they are often more difficult to fix...if a power tube went bad on an old fender..it would take out/burn a "safety" resisitor...on circuitboard design amp, that same burn can do some major damage!
cheers
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Which is why I own a boutique Twin variant. I'll never buy another amp. It's already way more than I'll ever need. But then again, it never leaves the home! Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Indeed there are some USA companies that do Fender'ish tone with yesteryear quality: Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
Victoria, Carr, Rivera, Headstrong, Vintage Sound, to name a few.
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and those are the "semi-big" current map makers!! Originally Posted by helios
there are guys out there, that will clone an original 50's-60's circuit down to the bone, with improvements!...and for relatively cheap $$$ compared to any of the bigger/brand names
cheers
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Funny!!! Lucy and the football, I LOVED that one!!! Originally Posted by jzucker
Then there's this from Corey Christiansen:
But maybe that applies to some later twins but those that I have and have had are marvelous, the older ones have an enviable track record.
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I have a GB - HRD. No complaints beyond the reverb going out (which was a cheap fix).
I've also bought a Rivera Jazz amp recently, and it's just great. Both are fine for recordings, although I can't speak for gigs.
Cheers.
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Hi Vinny, Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
Which tubes are you using in your Twin? I have GB Twin and it has original tubes and there is a humming noise when its on. My plan is to take it to good tech for a retub and setup.
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I have the GB HRD, and like it so much I bought the matching extension cab for use with it or my Quilter 101 Reverb.
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I mostly use NOS tubes but they cost a lot. For power tubes I think TAD Premium or JJ are the best. Make sure your phase inverter tube 12AT7 has balanced triodes and your power tubes are all matched. The best place to buy tubes IMO is The Tube Depot or Amplified Parts. Spend the little extra for the low noise option that The Tube Depot offers or the Premium select that Amplified Parts offers. I like a 5751 in V2 instead of a 12AX7. Originally Posted by Jhui
l leave the 12AX7 in V1 because I never use the non Reverb channel. The 5751 Jan NOS tube really sounds sweet in a Twin. TAD makes a pretty good 5751. If you use channel 1 put one in V1 too.
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The TAD 7025 high grade premiums are a nice replacement for 12AX7's. Very quiet as preamp tubes go.
7025-WA - Tube Amp Doctor, High-Grade, Premium Selected | Amplified Parts
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I agree 100% Greg. Great tube. I like to knock down the high power a bit on a Twin though. I use the 7025 in my smaller amps. Great tube for my Tone King Imperial. The TAD 7025 is probably the best replacement for a new type 12AX7. Like you said dead quiet and very warm sounding.. Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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I play out of2 Fender Deluxe Reverb Amps a 65 & 68
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I also retubed my twin with TAD tubes and loved it even more ever since.
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Didn’t Corey shell out for a Dumble a while back? Could there be some psychological factors in his post. Fwiw, I really dig Corey’s playing.
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I think Corey's got a Dumble clone. Considering his level of musicianship and the sound he gets, I'm inclined to trust his judgment about amps.
However, backline amps go through hell and there's no telling how they've been maintained. Also, well maintained newer Fender amps can sound good, but they really aren't up to the standards of the old ones.
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The GB HRD III is a great amp for a good price. Medium output, medium weight. Good tubes make em sing. I’m running the stock speaker and it sounds great. Can’t imagine how much better it might sound with a nice Weber in it. Totally worth it in my book.
Roli
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