MusicRadar Verdict
The improvements leave little to nit-pick about, with the smoother reverb and overdrive sounds and the improved clean volume taper. And it certainly looks a treat, too, in its black western vinyl. The slightly quirky choices of the external jack-socket furniture mounted on the top control panel can easily be overlooked for the overall benefits that this amp packs.
Pros
- +
Will suit a great many styles and environments.
- +
Improved volume control.
- +
The drive-tone and reverb have a smoother sound over previous incarnations.
Cons
- -
Effects-loop and footswitch jacks placement on the top panel are slightly more untidy than a rear-panel position.
- -
Leather handle is a little hard on the hand for a combo of this weight.
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What is it?
The Hot Rod Deluxe was forged in the musically chaotic post-grunge era of the mid-90s when electronica and alternative rock were vying for pole position and bands such as Radiohead – to name just one example – featured edgier, brasher guitar sounds from valve amps.
With 40 watts of valve power, dual channels and two footswitchable levels of boost, the Deluxe seemed a great fit for the times. And indeed, the enduring success of this guitar amp speaks to the wisdom of Fender’s design.
Through the years we’ve seen a number of models and variations of the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, with a range of different speakers deployed including the Eminence Legend (1996 to 2010), Celestion G12P-80 (HRDx III, 2010) and Celestion A-Type (HRDx IV, 2018); however, this 30th Anniversary edition sticks with the Celestion G12M-65 Creamback choice with its ample 65-watt power rating.
The overdrive circuit, with its two stages of boost, has been massaged over the years to refine its saturated character. Another important improvement over the early models is that the clean channel volume control now has a more gradual operation, rather than the rapid ascent to full volume that could be reached with the knob turned up to 2! Final tweaks were made to achieve a smoother reverb sound from the onboard spring reverb tank.
The styling is in line with the 30th Anniversary Blues Junior amp cosmetics, including the ‘western’-styled tooled leather-look commemorative covering, a brown-and-gold Bassman-style grille cloth and the smart chrome top panel complete with those distinctive black ‘chickenhead’ knobs.
Unboxing the amp from its carton, its fancy looks are worth appreciating for a moment. If you’re not familiar with this model, it’s perhaps somewhat large for a 1x12 combo amp due to chassis-sharing with the 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille. The weight is kept down by virtue of its pine cabinet, another improvement from the particle board of previous incarnations.
The chromed control plate has a premium look, printed with helpful player-facing control lettering in white. Channel 1, the clean channel, employs a single volume control alongside a Bright switch before moving on to Channel 2 with its overdrive functions. Two preset levels of drive can be selected in addition to Drive and Master knobs.
The three-band shared EQ – ordered Treble, Bass, and then Middle – precedes the Master, Reverb and Presence controls.
Unusually, the top panel also houses the effects loop in and out jacks and the footswitch jack, which might normally be placed on the back of the amp. But this quirky positioning has obviously not hindered its popularity in any way.
Specs
- Price: $1,299 | £1,269 | €1,489
- Origin: Mexico
- Type: All-valve combo
- Valves: 3x ECC83, 2x 6L6
- Output: 40W
- Dimension: 61.6 (w) x 27.3 (d) x 53.3mm (h)
- Weight (kg/lb): 25.28/55.75
- Cabinet: Pine
- Loudspeaker: 12” Celestion G12M-65 Creamback
- Channels: 2
- Controls: Volume, Bright Switch, Volume, More Drive, Drive, Treble, Bass, Middle, Master, Reverb, Presence
- Footswitch: 2-button switch included
- Additional Features: Effects loop
- Options: None
- Range Options: Hot Rod Deluxe (non-anniversary) is £1,049. 60W 212 Hot Rod DeVille 2x12 is £1,369
- Contact: Fender
Usability and sounds
Going in with the Telecaster on Channel 1, with the EQ controls at half mast, I can assess the range on the clean volume. I would say it comes to life a little more progressively now than on previous iterations, and the amp is pretty much at full clean headroom around 3 to 4.
At this price point we may not achieve highly sweetened boutique-style tone, this amp is aimed at players in bands, rather than YouTube cork-sniffing aficionados
The cleans sparkle with the help of the Bright switch for the classic smile-EQ sound where the full body and the sparkle take precedence over midrange grunt.
It’s the essence of the Fender clean sound and feel beneath the strings, and while at this price point we may not achieve highly sweetened boutique-style tone, this amp is aimed at players in bands, rather than YouTube cork-sniffing aficionados.
Continuing upwards volume-wise from there, it starts to deliver a thicker response with some bloom from the 6L6s. Indeed, switching over to a Les Paul you can get thick slabs of classic rock overdrive with the volume towards the higher numbers alongside a little push from the Bright switch.
It is actually possible to create a makeshift master volume for this channel by placing a pedal with a volume control in the loop if you wish to get a little more bloom at lower volumes. If this floats your boat, you will find devices on the market made for this specific purpose, comprising two jacks and a volume control in a simple moulded plastic unit.
Over to the second channel with its dual levels of diode-induced saturation. The first level of drive brings that US-style overdrive reminiscent of Money For Nothing-era Dire Straits. It’s overdrive, for sure, but with a gritty tough edge when digging into the strings. This sound really does evoke those recognisable 90s angular overdrive sounds on guitar hits from the era.
Pushing on the More Drive switch ups the gain stakes just a smidge, nothing particularly earth-shattering but it would certainly provide a little confidence boost for solos. A decent ZZ Top-style raspy drive comes naturally with a little reduction in bass level and a push in the mids.
Working further with the EQ, its powerful range helps achieve some interesting tones such as a fluid fusion sound reminiscent of the late great Allan Holdsworth, by using the More Drive function and a lower treble setting.
The reverb does indeed now have a smoother sound than the early Hot Rod models due to some specific circuit tweaks.
However, it’s fair to say it doesn’t have the magic, splashy presentation that one might expect from a valve-recovered circuit of the type that made Fender’s name. Conversely, it does sit in the background well giving us a deep and rich halo.
Verdict
Verdict: ★★★★½
The improvements leave little to nit-pick about, with the smoother reverb and overdrive sounds and the improved clean volume taper
This updated classic is the very essence of the Fender aesthetic: that of a solid and reliable workman-like tool, commonplace everywhere from showrooms to rehearsal rooms and stages of all sizes.
It reigns supreme for its no-nonsense approach to a dual-channel, giggable package.
MusicRadar verdict: The improvements leave little to nit-pick about, with the smoother reverb and overdrive sounds and the improved clean volume taper. And it certainly looks a treat, too, in its black western vinyl. The slightly quirky choices of the external jack-socket furniture mounted on the top control panel can easily be overlooked for the overall benefits that this amp packs.
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- This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.