Which Fender amp for tasty distortion?

You're definitely looking into tweed territory with this search. I recommend starting with the tweed Deluxe model "5E3". You can search Youtube for numerous examples of that amp.

- Thom

 

Mary... I think it all depends on your pricepoint. On the lower end, the little Super Champ XD has some phenomenal sounds coming out of it, and I believe it runs a 6v6 tube. I like it better than the Blues Junior or Pro Junior for the dirt. For a little more money, the Hot Rod Deluxe is a great 40w gigging amp, and there are modders out there that can upgrade the dirt channel to make it more Marshall-like. Probably the most versatile non-modeling tube amp Fender makes. Once you get over the $1000 mark, I think you're looking at the Deluxe Reverb for some righteous Fender dirt. But these amps need to be cranked to get them cooking with tone, and some venues (like my bedroom) don't allow that.

For an alternative Fender-meets-Marshall sound, I would recommend a used Laney LC30-112 or Carvin Bel Air. Both are EL84 based, but have some fabulous sounds inside. I am currently playing a Bogner Duende which is a Fender meets Marshall meets Boogie amp. I would give that one a serious look ($1500 used) if you have that kind of money to spend. The Laney and Carvin can be had for less than $600.

 

Sounds to me like you need to have a listen to the Fender tweed deluxe amp. 5E3 circuit built from 1955 to 1960. There are a ton of sound clips on utube. I just finished building my own clone and was really happy with it's dirty growl. All natural tube distortion. One of the best for the sound you are looking for. An original is running in the $2000 and up range. I completed mine for much, much less. If you want to consider building your own or buying it assembled, I suggest having a look at Trinity amps here in Canada. An excellent product.

 

Call me a fan boy or whatever, but I've been playing 20+ years and 17 or more of those years have been with a Fender amp of some sort. The question Mary is whether you want the distortion/OD to actually come from the amp or if you want the amp to be a good platform to run a pedal or preamp to get the distortion. I have never tried a Fender tweed, but there's a lot of love here for them.

In today's Fender amp offering, they're not many models that will give you good sounding amp drive. In fact, only a couple come to mind in the $1K and below price level... the Super Sonic amps and the HRD III amps. The new SS (22 or 60) have good sounding drive channels, but some complain about the noise levels. The HRD III's have a useable drive channel, but requires a lot of tweaking and maybe a tube upgrade too.

FWIW... I played a Fender Deluxe Reverb RI and love it, but I use pedals for OD.

 

More gain, Hot Rod. less gain, tweeds, and bface.

 

How about an Egnater Renegade?

6L6's and EL34's with the ability to run either or, or combine the two.

Fender Cleans and Marshall overdrive with plenty of Egnater Mojo!!

truly the best of both worlds.

 

you need an older princeton or deluxe cranked up to 5 or 6 on the master , then add a tubescreamer and you're in biz...................

 

Brown Fender Deluxe 6G3. Listen to ZZ Top's Tres Hombres. That's the sound.

 

Yup. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers.

 

When I attenuate my Twin Reverb ii I get awesome distortion out of my "clean" channel at about 8. If I bypass the attenuation it is ungodly loud. I would think that most people cannot stand that amount of sound. Just traded some tubes for the tubejuice and it works very well.

 

Fender princetons can get pretty crazy believe it or not.

 

I have never heard a Hot Rod dirty channel that didn't sound very bad to my ears.

 

+1
The Hot Rod series is pretty lousy for anything but cleans, or as a pedal platform, without modifications.
Have you heard the dirty channel on the new Vintage Modern Fender Bandmaster? I was floored by how good it sounded.

 

The super sonic is also worth mentioning, although it's probably more budget friendly to just get an old deluxe or something and use pedals.

 

I will have to check it out soon.

 

You guys give the new III version a try yet? The drive channel is much more user friendly and can only sound better with the right tube swap.

 

Fender Deluxe -- tweed, brown or black. Each a sonic galaxy unto itself.