Fender Deluxe VM Question?

[jefrobie]

Great amp.. Just got mine. Very impressed with package. One issue & wondering if anyone else has noticed this. The clean channel, although beautiful is freaking loud! I've played three different guitars through this and although I don't expect it to be a bedroom amp, I really can't get the volumn on channel one past one or its' rattlin windows. Anyone else find this? They give some suggested settings on the owners manual and I got to tell you if I put the clean volumn where it is suggested it would be absolutely painful and unusable for loud gigs... Anyone?

 

[MickeyJi]

This seems to be a recurring issue with a lot of Fender amps! I still find the volume level to be easier to handle on the VM than on, say a Blues Deluxe or a Hot Rod.

You could always go the volume-box-in-the-loop route if you really feel it's a problem. I also use the guitars' volume control a lot, I find this provides a few different sounding sweet spots while keeping volume levels reasonable.

It is a great amp though!

 

[jefrobie]

So you are saying a volume pedal? I wonder if there is a mod or something if it's a recurring issue with fender amps. I have a Genz Benz that is 30 watts and basically I have a lot, I mean a lot more control over clean volume. This thing is just unusable @ anything over 1. And thats' touchy. I've pushed it to 3 and used guitar volume knob and that helps. I'm not sure I'm getting the best one out of it that way....

 

[MstrBones]

>I really can't get the volumn on channel one past one


Hope you're liking that VM Deluxe - Fender is introducing some interesting amps here lately.

On the volume thing, the amp probably needs an audio taper volume control which would let you have a much more granular control from 0 to 5 on the dial.

The OD volume control, according to the Fender schematic is a 100k pot.

The clean volume control is a 50k pot.

 

[jefrobie]

So far I'm very impressed with VM. I have a Carr Mercury to compare it to right now. I'll say the Carr has the edge on the clean, but in a mix you'd not hear the nuances. Carr is just amazing.... But, I like the Fender drive tones much better. Surprised me a bit actually considering the price point difference. The Fender is just an all around great package. Awesome cleans, and very decent effects and the foot pedal is very quality construction. MIM but I cannot see anything at this point that is shoddy construction. Actually very light weight also. If I could just be a tad bit happier with the clean volume control? I know it has a celestion in it, wonder how that particular speaker is rated.

 

[oncebroken]

I have a few questions.....Does the clean channel take pedals well...like od's and gain...I know the super champ xd's clean channel sounded horrible w/ pedals like a crunch box or satchurator or most any higher gain pedal......and how bout the OD channel....doe sit compress horribly like the Super champ XD???? ON the XD if i palm muted a higher gain setting it would compress and choke out.....and no way could ya run an od into that channel as a boost YUCK
i am very interested in the VM IF it works.....if it is just a model on the od channel then I am not into it

 

[jefrobie]

I have not tried pedals through the clean, my guess is that it will do well. I say that because of the headroom available. As far as the drive channel, it is in a different league from the Super champ. I've had both and know what you mean on the compressed channel two on the Super Champ. Once I figured out that I needed to bump the mid's and keep the treble down on the drive channel, this thing screams. Very smooth, can get real warm, great sustain. Only thing is I wish you could clean it up just a tad more. Reverb is o.k. at best, delay I've been pleasantly surprised at.

 

[jefrobie]

BTT... Watch some basketball today and weigh in with your findings, settings and impressions of the new Fender Deluxe Vm...

 

[strat1953]

try 12au7,s for the preamp tubes/less gain and volume

 

[jlagrassa]

try 12au7,s for the preamp tubes/less gain and volume

I believe the Clean channel is Solid state and the dirt channel is tube, so there is not much you can do tube wise....maybe a 12AT7 for the PI tube but that still may not reduce the output that much!

 

[TS808]

I believe the Clean channel is Solid state and the dirt channel is tube, so there is not much you can do tube wise....maybe a 12AT7 for the PI tube but that still may not reduce the output that much!

The clean channel is definitely solid state but runs through the PI as stated.

I have the Bandmaster VM head and have the opposite problem...I've noticed a drop off in the volume of the clean channel, whereas the drive channel is still pretty loud. Mine has to take a trip to the service center for the volume issue. Before something malfunctioned though, my Bandmaster VM was the same on the clean channel...loud.

 

[rochestertom2000]

You might want to exchange your amp, if possible, as I have one of these and one of the things I've been impressed by is how linear the volume pots are. I can usually set the volume at 2 with my guitar (humbuckers) around mid-point, maybe a little less, and my wife just turns up the tv in the next room a little - certainly nowhere near window rattling levels at this setting. If I raise it up to 3, then I start to get some complaints, but still nothing like what you're describing. I also played through another one of these & it worked just like mine. I haven't seen this problem posted anywhere else, so I think your particular amp is atypical. Hope this helps!