Question about Deluxe Reverb distortion . . .

[GulfportBound]

I have a 65 reissue Deluxe Reverb. I had to change a fuse on her three weeks ago, but after I did I noticed some ferocious distortion if the volume was higher than four. I don't like to play with distortion, but I wonder if there's any kind of problem in the tubing that needs to be fixed. Help, DR experts?

 

[Gnarlly]

You just ran out the 22 watts of clean headroom. From your sig, it looks like you are playing Les Pauls exclusively. For me, if I am using a guitar with humbuckers, my Deluxe Reverb will definitely distort when the volume is above 4. Check your power tube bias though, as you may be running them too hot (leading to earlier overdrive), or if too cold, the crossover distortion may not be as pleasant-sounding.

Personally, I think the Deluxe Reverb's distortion sounds fantastic. I like to crank mine up sometimes, and use my guitar's volume for cleans. It's a bit like a mini-Marshall when cranked; very raw and nice (just make sure to lower the bass when you crank it up). You can also remove the tube in V1 (first preamp tube to the right when looking at the back) to get even more gain

 

[GulfportBound]

You just ran out the 22 watts of clean headroom. From your sig, it looks like you are playing Les Pauls exclusively. For me, if I am using a guitar with humbuckers, my Deluxe Reverb will definitely distort when the volume is above 4. Check your power tube bias though, as you may be running them too hot (leading to earlier overdrive), or if too cold, the crossover distortion may not be as pleasant-sounding.

Personally, I think the Deluxe Reverb's distortion sounds fantastic. I like to crank mine up sometimes, and use my guitar's volume for cleans.

Hmmmmm . . . Yes, I do play Les Pauls exclusively. I have two with humbuckers and one with P90s. When I first had the DRRI, I had the amp volume between 6 and 7 and the guitars . . . well, to get the kind of chiming sound I like, I have the dials set thus:

On the guitars:
The humbuckers: Neck volume a step lower than the bridge volume (usually, neck on 4 and bridge on 5); neck tone rolled back to just below 8, bridge tone on 10.
The P90s: Neck volume a step higher than bridge volume (neck 5, bridge 4); tone set likewise.
On the amp:
Treble just under 9, bass just under 8. Volume between 6 and 7.

On those setting, the clean chime was as much to die for as when I play the guitars through my modded-to-'65-specs Twin Reverb. (On the Twin Reverb, I'm running treble just under 9, midrange just under 8, bass just over 8.)

I made a note of the power tube bias. When the guy who normally services my amps comes back to town (he's a Fender tech, as it happens; in fact, I got the Twin Reverb from him in a swap for my former Hot Rod DeVille 4x10), I'll take it to him, he does the best job fixing such problems. (I'm a mechanical and technical putz.)

It's a bit like a mini-Marshall when cranked; very raw and nice (just make sure to lower the bass when you crank it up). You can also remove the tube in V1 (first preamp tube to the right when looking at the back) to get even more gain

*chuckle* I'm not big on gain. I have something of a rep around the blues scene in my town for being maybe the only guy on the scene who plays a kind of clean-crying kind of blues. People are always asking me about how I get that kind of chiming tone. When the DRRI began distorting the other night in the kind of unpleasant-sounding thing you described, and I changed the dials to try compensating, something was lost. A bassist who likes to jam with my band and loves my sound noticed it at once: "I couldn't hear that ring of yours like normal, you got a problem going?"

Thanks for the tipoffs. I'll let you know what happens . . . though I'm always open for other possibilities to rectify it.

 

[Dashface]

Wait, what? You can take out one of the preamp tubes and it still works?


...More info, plz.

 

[Gnarlly]

Wait, what? You can take out one of the preamp tubes and it still works?


...More info, plz.

Read about V1 here: http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/fender-amp-preamp-tube-layout-and-recommendations

 

[GulfportBound]

Read about V1 here: http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/fender-amp-preamp-tube-layout-and-recommendations

If I'm reading those specs properly, it seems as though changing/replacing my V2 should restore the clean I had (I was using the second channel, the reverb channel, since I use a nice touch of amp reverb in my tone) before the distortions that followed after I changed the fuse. You seem a near-expert on this, what do you think?

 

[frank4001]

With Les Pauls try the second input. Its padded down and will distort less. That's kind of why it's there.. for hotter signals.

 

[ziehmrd]

I'm no DR expert but if you blew a fuse, and after replacing it the amp doesn't function the way it used to, I would definitely take it to your tech if changing tubes doesn't help. Any time a fuse blows, there's a reason.

 

[Gnarlly]

I agree that if you blew a fuse, then there is most likely some issue with the amp. But, 90+% of the time, the issue is tube-related, and an easy fix. Probably power tubes; maybe rectifier tube. If you are not experienced in tube-swapping (and adjusting the bias), taking it to a tech is advised.

However, you could try swapping in a good preamp tube in the preamp tube slots (12AX7 for everything except reverb driver and Phase inverter, which use 12AT7), and see if that corrects the issue. No need to adjust bias with preamp tubes; just plug and play. If all else, you may enjoy the tonal variations that different tubes can make.

 

[GulfportBound]

Thanks so much, guys. Looks like I'll be taking her to my regular tech when he comes back from out of town.

I made notes on those 12AX7 tubes you guys mentioned, but also on the 12AY7. They were mentioned in the link document as a good tube to cut the gain in channel two, the channel I prefer to use. If I can just get the amp back to where she was before the fuse blew, when she was just chiming like bells when I plugged in any of my Les Pauls, I'll be thrilled to death, because the Deluxe Reverb is perfect for most of the small places my blues band plays while I have the Twin Reverb for larger places.