Fender Hot Rod DeVille 4x10 Combo

This is a 1997 USA made Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410 tube combo-2 6L6 power tubes, 3 12AX7 preamp tubes. Stock this amp is a good blues, jazz, country, and maybe classic rock amp. It is essentially a 2 channel amp, Clean and Drive, with the drive channel having a boost into More Drive. It has Volume controls for both channels, a Presence control, and a Drive(Gain) control for the drive channel. Also has a shared EQ (Bass, Mid, Treb) and a Normal/Bright switch for the clean channel. It has an FX loop, ext cab out, and footswitch for switching between Clean/Drive. I play mainly at church, both for main worship service (a close mic set up) and for youth (no mics, must use the amp's power to be heard over LOUD drums). 60w is more than enough for both settings. I wish this had tremelo and a footswitch for the Reverb.

I play a 2005 Honey Burst Gibson Les Paul Standard with original PAF humbuckers in it. I use a Dime Bag Cry Baby from Hell Wah > GNX3000 > Hardwire Delay/Looper > amp.

Clean Channel: The clean is typical bright Fender and very responsive and punchy with 410's. The problem is when the volume is turned up and the amp starts pushing into break up. It starts to sound brittle and congested, very abrupt transition into distortion. The amp is fairly touch sensitive, but could be less brittle. The amp also seems to be overly bassy, which also affects the mid-range eq on the amp.

Drive Channel: The drive channel on this amp is awful. It's very buzzy and loose. It resemble either a bee in a tin can, or a big distorted marshmallow. The presence control on this amp does not do a lot and Fender(in all their marketing wisdom) chose to use a linear taper volume pot in the master volume so it is EXTREMELY touchy. Step on the MORE DRIVE button and the bee (or marshmallow) simply gets bigger, more noisey, and squeals at higher volumes. The reason I WAS (more on this later) using a GNX3000 for my distortion is the drive in this amp is so terrible. I would have given this category a 3, but the clean channel saved some of the rating.

With all that said, I would STILL BUY THIS AMP USED because you can send your chasis to a man name JIM PRICE at OMEGA AMPS (www.omegaamps.com) and he will WORK WONDERS ON THIS AMP. For $250.00 he will take the clean channel to a vintage blackface fender (think '65 Deluxe Reverb) the drive channel to a Two Rock (think John Mayer Blues) and the more drive to a Dumble/Vintage Marshall (think Eric Johnson). The sound on this amp will be LIGHT YEARS BETTER than its stock form. You can also have him add footswitchable preamp and mid boosts for additional costs. I would highly recommend his work to turn this amp into what Fender should have made.

I have only had this amp a few months and it's been out at lease once a week and been fine. It is a '97, and from what I can tell has never had any repairs made, so I would say it is reliable.

I've been playing guitar for about 5 years and I own a vintage Kustom Challenger (circa '72) that is one of the first solid state amps made. I bought this amp because I wanted to get into a tube amp and not break the bank. With 60w and 4x10 combo, this amp has good potential, after all it is a Fender. It just needs a little help to really bring out its mojo. I'll say it again, if you own, or are thinking of buying this amp, send it to Jim at Omega Amps. You'll have an amp that will keep up with or smoke a lot of botique amps, and chances are you'll have less than $1100 in your amp (as opposed to $4k or more for a Two Rock).

Not sure what year this is, made in Mexico. 3 channels, clean, drive and more drive. 60 watts. You probably know all that if you're reading this. Has everything I need.

I mostly play a stock mid 90's Japanese made Fender Jazzmaster guitar. the music I play is very loud, noisy and dreamy -Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Explosions in the Sky. This amp suits me really well. Everyone complains about the drive channels saying that they suck. I actually like them. I don't put the gain past 5, it goes to 12. It doesn't get razorblade metal distortion, it's drive ya know? The higher you go on the gain the worse it sounds, so I keep it lower and turn up the volume which improves the tone, to my ears anyway. I've never had an amp with 10" inch speakers and it sounds really crisp and clear. A Boss DS-1 sounds really muddy and ****** compared to the stock drive channels. The reverb isn't great, you can't get that really wet, Dick Dale sound but if you add a short delay with the reverb its sounds wonderful. I run a '78 Big Muff through the clean channel and it sounds big, thick and nasty just like it should. You won't get modern rock or metal sounds from it so don't bother unless you've got a Boss Metal Zone. The other guy in my band has a silverface 100 watt Twin Reverb and this thing can over power it. LOUD. My buddy has a blackface 50 watt Bandmaster head that sounds amazing and he even said this amp sounds great. If you want great tone with enough power to deafen people, this is it.

I've only had the amp for a month and I've gigged a few times with it. No backup. I got this on ebay from a studio, never seen a stage before I got it. No problems, except the footswitch didn't work properly a couple times, may need to be replaced.

Never dealt with Fender.

I've been playing about 14 years and this is the nicest amp I've owned aside from '73 Deluxe reverb. I think I've finally found the one. In this price range, you can't ask for more. Came with a road case, so I'm set. I wish the reverb sounded better and had footswitch too, but you can't have everything, I guess. The 4 10's just sound right to me. I played my friend's 40 watt deluxe and it sounded great but I went for the Deville because I like it loud. If something happened to it I'd get another, for sure.

I bought this Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10 new March 22, 2009 after trying out a LOT of different amps at the Guitar Center in Toledo, Ohio. This amp offers an extraordinary clean channel (with 'Normal' and 'Bright' settings via a push button switch) and two awesome drive channels. Channel selection from Clean to Drive is done via the included footswitch and you can select 'Drive' or 'More Drive' via the footswitch as well. This amp has plenty of power for me (60w) and will be used for a main practice amp and gig amp for smaller club gigs. My only complaint is the weight of the amp (~50 lbs) but it is no deal (or back) breaker. An upcoming set of casters will take care of that.

This particular amp - most likely due to the 4x10's - has the absolute best tube clean sound I've ever heard and I've owned/played a lot of amps in the 40+ years of guitar playing/gigging I have done. On top of that, the Drive channels suit me perfectly. The tone adjustments plus the different channels offer every sound I want and/or need.

Have not owned this amp but for a couple of days but I have full confidence in Fender's product. I have owned numerous Fender amps over the years and have NEVER had any issue with reliabilty.

No need to use it at this point for this particular amp but previous experience over the years has been great. Plus, my dealer was awesome to work with - absolutely no complaints there at all.

I've been playing guitar for well over 40 years, playing mostly rock, classic rock, alternative, a few metal songs, and a few country. I have always played Gibson Les Pauls as my primary guitar but have owned and used Fender American Strats and a Paul Reed Smith Singlecut as well. I always come back to Gibson's Les Pauls and currently own an L/P Classic Gold Top.

I love everything about this amp. It has an 'old school' look to it but the controls are layed out perfectly. If it were stolen, I would buy another one just like it.

The main competitor for this amp when I was shopping was a Line 6 Spider III valve amp. I chose the Fender for its simplicity and did not like all the electronics (and potential problems) with the Line 6.

The only thing I wish it had was more selectivity from the foot switch - such as to actuate the 'Bright' feature on the clean tone. Also, it would be nice to be able to switch to EL34's if desired but I was told that was not a possibility for this amp. Doesn't matter - I love the 6L6's too.

For the money, this all tube amp can not be beat.

2008 made in Mexico model. has that super glassy clean that Fender is famous for. Two drive channels, drive and more drive. The first drive is a little weak for humbuckers, but good for for my Telecaster. More drive suits my Les paul and 335. I've seen earlier models that had metal jacks but the ones on mine are plastic, so take care and they should last awhile. All your usual stuff, master, drive, three band eq, reverb and presence. The reverb is long spring Accutronics and is op amp driven not tube driven, so while good, not as deep and lush as a Twin Reverb. Very bouncy and springy with the 4x10s over the 2x12 model, might even say it has a nice "bloom" when pushed. Very loud for 60 watts. Fender has fixed the two cement resistor problem, they were 330 ohm. Fender has upgraded them with 470 ohm five watters. There was a bulletin. It was causing overheating and breakdowns. I have had mine for two weeks and have given it a good break- in. Don't see a need to retube, the stocks are fine for now, but be aware, Fender has purchased Groove Tubes. Although some years back, GT made premium tubes, they are now Chinese and Russian tubes rebranded with the GT logo, as the case with my Blues Jr.. It came with Sovtek EL84s rebranded with GT's logo. You are going to see alot of this these days. Good enough for gigging. Get a case for it and your Tolex will last the life of the amp. Great Blues, Rock amp, and can do some very good Country twang making it fairly versatile, except for Metal, but when is the last time you thought about purchasing a Fender combo for Metal? It's a keeper and will see much action, that will be the true test.

I play a mix of Blues, Blues/Rock and Classic Rock. This amp fits the bill, with my trusty '98 Blackface Twin Amp and small rackmount with Furman power conditioner and POD XT rounding it out. the POD keeps me from having to lug a bunch of pedals about, with good quality effects, you can pull off some amazing tones, to slight bluesy Mike Campbell breakup, to Gary Moore scorching blues. the Drive and more drive are good, but could be tighter, more defined, but are quite useable. Get a noise gate if you use the more drive at higher volumes, it can get noisy

Two weeks into ownership. filled out Fender 5 year warranty paperwork and bought the performance guaranty from GC, so I think I'm covered. So far no problems, but I've never had any problems with my Fender amps, and I own a '67 Bassman head and a '66 Blackface Twin. still going strong, with the usual maintenance, as their getting long in tooth.

Dealt with Fender for years, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. My warranty center is nearby, but Charley's in dallas takes care of things for my vintage gear. A little expensive but well worth it.

I play a USA Les Paul Studio Apline white, a USA Les Paul Custom Classic, a '98 Korean made Les Paul goldtop with Seymour Duncan P-90s, a 2001 Korean made Les Paul Custom with Gibson 57s in it. The Korean made Les Pauls are of a much higher quality than the Chinese models. That Korean custom is 10.2 pounds, all Mahogany, body and cap, The Goldtop, a two piece bookmatched Mahogany body instead of the cheap three piece body with veneer to hide joinery on the cheaper Chinese models. A 2005 MIM telecaster setup Bluesboy style and a 2000 USA Gibson 335. If lost or stolen, I'd get another. It's a goodie.

Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12- Bought it in Aug 2008.

This is very versatile for all sorts of styles, well if you use pedals that is.

If you live in a apartment I don't recommend you getting this amp.
Unfortunetely I haven't had a chance to use this amp with volume over 1 because I live in a apartment and it makes alot of noise. The old granny below me knocked on my door twice this week complaining about the noise and that her bedroom vibrates from the amp, imagine the volume is only on 1! Old fart...

Overall the features has everything you need including the 2 overdrive channels.

The clean sounds really great but you will need to have a place where you can play at loud volumes to hear the best of its sound.
It's true that the od's suck but they aren't that bad unless you're into heavy riff ****. The od 1 helped me get a sort of tube sound on low levels so I was quite happy with that, although it doesn't sound great. If you have money unlike me, you could get a nice overdrive pedal and you could use it on the clean channel which would sound great. The reverb sounds nice, I would like to compare it to the twin reverb to hear the difference though but if you have played through a solid state your whole life you'll love the reverb on this!

Before I bought this amp I used to read reviews about these amps breaking down on people but I always said to myself, as if the amp will break down on me, I take good care of my equipment. Welllll what can I say...this amp broke down on me yesterday. I took so much care with this amp, always putting the gig bag after using it at my house, I never took it out for gigs or anything like that. I bought this amp Aug 2008 and it broke down on me Jan 2009. I'm pissed off but luckily I have warranty so I don't know what will happen now but I have a feeling that the amp will keep having problems if they fix it. So yeh, even though I love the amp, i'll have to give it a 1 for reliability.

will take it tomorrow...see what happens.

Overall this is a great amp for all different types of tastes. What ever sort of music you're into, i'm sure you could get the sounds you're looking for with this but you will need pedals if you want to be serious about your sound. Tomorrow i'm going to take this mutha so see what happens. I'm really into good reverb, I realised that the od channels aren't that useful on the deville because you can get good pedals that sound REAL, so I think I will try the twin reverb and compare the clean sound and reverb. If i'm not happy with the twin i'll be more than happy playing this amp. I'm pissed how this brand new amp broke down on me but what can ya do?
Fu*k I wrote alot...I don't know if this made any sense cuz i'm on the piss but what ever bruddas!

Standard Mexican Hot Rod Deville with 4 10s (much better than the 12s)
3 Channels: Clean, 1st Drive, 2nd Drive
Effects loop
2 guitar inputs
Has the wonderful Fender spring reverb (wish it had a foot switch wired to it)
2 6L6 Groove Tubes and 3 12AX7 preamp tubes
External Speaker Jack.
Four 10" Eminence speakers.
Very vintage look. Top mounted controls with chicken head knobs.
Extremely responsive and touch sensitive.
Very classic amp, a lot like a 4x10 Bassman, except it's for guitar.
Pretty heavy, needs some casters for sure.
LOUD!

Graded a 9 because the reverb really needs a foot switch.

I use a Fender Jaguar and an Epiphone Epi-Dot, both with original pups. Screams with the single coils, and is plenty mellow with the hummers.

Great for Blues, Classic Rock, Indie, Punk, and Surf (with that great reverb). Not a metalhead's amp, this one's a bit more refined.

The clean channel is probably the cleanest I've ever heard through a tube amp in this kind of price range.
The first overdrive channel is a little weak, but sounds great for bluegrass pickin', I barely use it.
The second drive is very "rock and roll". Sounds awesome with single coils.

This amp can make just about any rock and roll sound you'd ever want. Probably the only genre this amp shouldn't touch is metal, but that's a good thing because it's a much more classic style. I also love distorting the clean at high volumes and utilizing the guitar's volume knob, the fact that the amp is so touch sensitive makes this an amazing attribute.

I bought mine from a guy that took very good care of it. I've had this amp for about half a year now. This amp is a tank, although I try to take very good care of it, I don't see any problems down the road. I gig with it all the time and it still looks brand new.

The box is extremely solid. The wiring checks out, even though it was assembled in Mexico. All the knobs are of quality. The Standby and Power switch are big and durable.

As with all tube amps you need to be very friendly with it and utilize the Standby switch when turning the amp on and off. If this is done, the tubes can last for years and years and years.

I'll probably never need another amp again, this baby will endure the test of time.

I've never had any reason to call Fender. Maybe it's because I usually don't buy cheap **** from them, or because I usually know how to fix anything that goes wrong.

Regardless, I've never had any problems with this amp, so no reason to call.

I've been playing for about 10 years now but could never afford a nice tube amp, although I have played several. The Hot Rod Deville happened to be in my price range so I gave it a shot. Definitely the best thing I've invested in music wise.

If someone ever stole this baby I'd be very upset and try to track them down (write down your serial numbers for all your equipment kiddies). Of course, if mine could never be found, I'd definitely buy another. This is my go to amp, the only way I'd play another amp is if I had the money for a Vintage Twin Reverb.

I love almost everything about this amp, except for the reverb not having a foot switch. It's such a great classic Fender Spring Reverb, but alas, not having a foot switch makes it almost inaccessible during a gig.

I've compared this one to the Deluxe, the Deville with 2 12s, and the reissue Bassman. The Deville 4x10 blows the Deluxe and smaller Deville out of the water. 4x10 set ups are really where it's at, you get a much warmer, cleaner, richer tone out of the 10s. As for the Bassman, it was close but the Deville's price tag sold it for me. The Bassman is a classic go to amp for many blues guitarists, but the Deville is pretty much the same amp but designed for guitar. If you play bass and guitar, then go for the Bassman, but if you're just looking for a guitar amp then the Deville is where it's at.

2007 mexican build, used as a back up for my cornford/orange rig to start with, now stands on its own 4 gratefully received castors! does clean, crunch, lead and just about anything else you want!

strat with seymours b/n original 70s in the centre and coil taps everywhere! 2006 l/p std
1968 l/p custom and a tele with custom shops fitted, sounds best with tele then les pauls, the strat sounds a little plastic but imho thats the only downside, but hey dont use the strat with it!!!

clean headroom is amazing and bell like only time i have a real noise problem is if i use my line6 delay and a mains adaptor, but thats not the amps fault I fear!!

soooo loud and the distortion is cool with no pedals!

starts in the morning regardless of the weather!!!

ALWAYS carry a backup!! mine is (this is really sad but space prevails) an orange crush 30r and a lead to the desk....try it u won't laugh!!

never had a problem, had a silverface twin for 15 years and it only had 1 valve change so NEVER used them!!

playing 30 years, run orange, cornford and marshall rigs fior the big stuff and the Fender for the little'uns!

would I buy again YES YES YES!!

Well, this amp is great. it has dropped off our tour trailer 3 times by intoxicated others, have had beer spills on it and I have replaced the tubes 3 times, yes three times. love the tone for blues rock. I did add some side handles to the box because the amp is heavy. but the sound is great once you dialed in.

06 i believe do to the 60th aniversary sticker on the back. very versatile for rock blues country punk. plenty of power. 2 channels, loop, x-spkr jack reverb, bright switch. 1 eq. less is more. ive never had trouble dialing in a good sound with a shared eq.

gibson lp is great with this. great clean. drive is very good too. i use it and love. drive channels are not muddy at all on mine. very biting drive and good sustain and clear. good for early sabbath stuff indy, emo & skynard, ramones with ease. a boss metal zone is amazing with this. speakers break in after a while of use then its very good indeed to me. you can crank the clean channel for some break up but it will be god awful loud so get ear plugs first. you can turn the drive way down to 3 or 4 and use the more drive for boost. add an O/D pedal along with drve channel and it sings! these are usually biased cold at factory so search for info on that subject. the 410 deville is an awsome amp. i see them all over TV with many styles played.

some are fine some arnt. luck of the draw it seems with anything nowadays, good luck. i like the amp and will fix it if needed. keep your reciept.

fender is good on their warrenty,keep your reciept. some fender service centers suck and some dont so ask around. some centers will only repair it under warrenty if you bought the amp there so dont assume any center will fix it free.

30 years on guitar. only 5 or so on electric but ive gained alot of knowledge on amps though. i use marshalls and fender amps only and have played a lot of them and i like this amp and would buy it again. already have. its heavy though, very heavy. buy a cart, i did.

The circiut board on my amp is dated 2002. The previous owner said he bought it in 2004. I play Christian Rock, Classic Rock, Blues, some Country -- with friends in my basement. It is plenty loud, but not too loud for the house.

Plenty of features. 2 Channels with an additional boost (more drive) on the dirty channel. No footswitch for the reverb. Effects loop. 2 jacks on the back enable an easy switch to external speakers.

So far, the various EQ settings have produced good sounds out of all guitars we have tried in it. But my MIJ Strat sounds especially sweet through it.

The clean channel is solid and rich, with plenty of EQ options and varieties of styles. In OD at lower settings it suits blues, in More Drive and the gain up, there is plenty of power, but the noise level is definitely increased.

In the forums there is a lot of chat about it being too loud. Mine is fine for practice levels as well as on stage. Maybe the 4-10's help the quality at lower levels?

I should mention that I changed the stock tubes with TAD 6L6-WGC's shortly after getting it. This may or may not have improved the overdrive channel, but the tubes were over 3 years old anyway.

My judgment is based upon amps I have tried in music stores. This is my first tube amp.

The original owner never had any trouble for 3 years. Still runs great for me after about a year.

I have been playing on and off for 40 years. I use a Strat, an Epi LP, Dean 12 String, PBass with 100 Rumble amp, as well as 2 acoustics with an added pickup. I am having much more fun since I got this amp. My Strat with its stock pickups sounded thin until I switched for solid state to this tube amp.

For versatility I haven't found a better deal. I would buy one again if the price was right, but would probably check out the current options.

Purchased brand new (still in box) on eBay in 2007. 4-10 speakers, tube, the standard Hot Rod Deville.

Sound is perfect for country and/or rock. Plenty loud. Rarely if ever have it up past 4. Distortion is fine although I prefer using a pedal as opposed to the built-in drive channel.

If you're going to gig on any sort of regular basis, get a road case! Even an eBay cheapie will do. This amp went straight from the box to a road case and doesn't have a nick on it. Believe me, it will give you peace of mind. This is my main and only amp at the moment and it's never broken down or had any problems. It spent below zero evenings in the bay below our tour bus and fired up fine the next day.

Manuals are on line, plenty of third-party sites and forums if you have issues.

My only real complaints are with the way the panel is laid out. Its somewhat confusing and doesn't need to be. Otherwise, a fine, fine amp.

This is the Deville that is made in Mexico. As an amp tech, It is made very well, dont let the Mexico thing make you affraid. It has the same features of any Deville. I use this amp for playing live and recording.

The sound quality is great. I play Rock songs.. Kings of Leon, Cars, Hendrix stuff. Rockabilly, and Dinosaur JR...The 4 10's are great. I've been playing 15 years. You will love this amp. I have owned a mesa 4x12 Dual Rectifier. Awsome amp as well, but if you cant afford one, this amp deleviers let me tell you. I never turn it up past 3 on the volume, it's plenty loud, so dont worry about it not being a loud amp. Cuts through the Drums and Bass no problem. I use the blue fender groove tubes, I put the red ones' in there and it seems a little to Clean on the distortion Channels, I use a strat with a single in the neck and a Duncan Double Hummbucker in the Bridge, It ROCKS!

Seems to be solid, never had any problems..

Never used Customer Support.

If you need a good rock amp get this one.. Good clean Channel, Great Reverb. You'll love it. If you got any questions email me, glad to help anyone thats a gear head looking for the good tone, I wish i would have had help buying gear over the years, I would have save lots of money!!!!!

My amp is about 6 or 7 years old. I've had it since new.

I play blues, jazz, and punk... It holds it's own through all of them, however, the louder it is the better. (up until about 6 on the master volume then it hits a wall)

3 channels, I may use 2 but usually just one and then switch pickups for clean/dirty.

This amp, to me, sounds great with the gain at about 4, reverb at 12, master volume at 4 and everything else moved about acording to what I'm playing.

The distortion is too brutal, and the clean is pretty clean even when loud.

I'm playing through a semi-hollowbody Gretsch with a P-90 at the bridge and a TV Jones Powertron at the neck. Through this amp it sounds awesome. It's just really warm and controlable.

I've had a few problems with it: the tolex tears off easily, odd cracks and buzzes here and there, the inputs are crap... I've replaced the tubes once, but that was after about 5 years of pretty constant use.

I've never dealt with customer service on this amp, but I've dealt with fender several times concerning other matters and have found there customer service to be prompt and generally informative, even if they can't do anything to help you...

If it were stolen or lost I might get another, but I would certainly look at some other stuff before jumping right back in and getting another. I would absolutely get another Fender though.

I love the reverb on this amp, and it's balls. It has great big balls.
I prefered the 4X10 over the 2X12, but I don't really remember what drew me to the 4X10.

Well, it has three channels but only one of them is useable...footswitches are cool. volume, M. volume, presence, bass mid, treble.

The funny thing about this amp is that is has a lot of features, yet none of them really change the sound that much.

I did not like this amp. It's very boxy sounding and has virtually no sustain. Notes decay really quick. The two overdrive channels are just terrible, really buzzy sounding. The most useable setup would be to use an overdrive in front of the clean channel.

Not very road worthy. A lot of plastic parts, like the input jacks....those will break real quick.

Should be good because there are a ton of these things out there....and they're still being made.

It's good if this is your first tube amp, or you are learning guitar.

It's basically decent if you don't know any better. but, there are tons of better amps out there!

Why buy a three channel amp if two of them are poor?

This is a follow up to my earlier posting, and it regards my new speaker set up.

I love the combination of the Eminence Ragin Cajun and Copperheads. The blend of the two Patriots gives a distinctive American-speaker sound (full bottom, scooped lower-mids, jangly top-end, and non-aggressive), but the sound isn't hindered by its characteristics. These speakers provide a very balanced, warm tone and are very touch sensitive. The lows are tight, full and focused. The mids are warm and smoothe. As previously mentioned, the lower mids seem scoop a bit, which helps give the bass and upper-mids "space" and helps alleviate speaker-induced muddiness. The upper mids are definitely present, but they are subtle and not aggressive. The treble is chimey but subtle, so you don't get any ice-picking. Also, these Patriots are much less beamy than the stock speakers, so the sound disperses much better, and the speakers are less liking to get ice-picking when standing directly in front of them.

With 4 of them in my cabinet, the collective handling power is 300 watts, which is 5-times greater than the amp is rated. What this means the speakers do not breakup nearly as quickly (if at all) with the DeVille, and the bass frequencies come through more. Thanks to these speakers, I've been able to reduce the attenuation of my Hot Plate, which has allowed me to get a better tone, too (increased attenuation does tend to compress the amp's tone some), while maintain the same effectively volume levels. Speakers are highly subjective, but the RCs and CHs have been an excellent match for the DeVille, at least for me. By the way, these speakers handle both cleans and overdrive nicely and far better than the stock speakers.

One thing to note about installation. The DeVille's cabinet is not big. These speakers, especially the Ragin Cajuns, have HUGE magnets, which makes for a tight fit. I'm not sure 4 RCs would be able to fit - they might, but it would be tight because of the placement of the amp's transformer. I've installed the speakers in an 'X' pattern, with a Copperhead (which has a slightly smaller magnet) in the upper-left (when looking at the inside of the cab from the back) slot, and the chassis just fits back in the cab.

I understand Fender has to make decisions with the quality of some of its components. Afterall, Fender is a business. The Hot Rods are really good tube amps, and are amazing amps for their price-point. Stuffing the best tubes and the best speakers in the amp as original equipment would increase the cost and subsequently the price of the amps, and would make the DeVille too expensive to effectively compete. That said, Fender's obviously recognized that there's a market for the Hot Rods with upgraded parts, since they've released the ltd edition HR Deluxes. It would be nice if Fender also released Ltd Ed. DeVilles.

It's amazing what the right set of speakers and tubes will do for an amp. With my setup now, I would be extremely hard-pressed to part with my DeVille.

3 12AX7 tubes, 2 6L6GC type tubes (stock are Sovtek 5881WXT) and a solid-state rectifier. 2 channels (Normal and Overdrive), OD boost, master volume on OD channel, shared 4-band EQ and Reverb, bright switch for normal channel. Comes in a narrow panel cabinet with 4x10" Eminence made Fender 30w speakers. Speaker output and extension cabinet jacks (makes it easy to attach to an attenuator. However, the most overlooked feature is the amp's fixed bias adjustment pot, which is incredibly easy to use - all you need is a multimeter and a small flat head screwdriver, and you can adjust the bias for any 6L6GC tube on the market.

I love the way this amp sounds. As with any amp, the true test to good tone is how is sounds through its normal channel with the volumen turned up, at least in my opinion. The DeVille is definitely similar sounding to the tweed Bassmans. The tone is fat and articulate and crunches up very nicely as the volume's increased. With my Les Paul, it starts to get a thick break up around 5 (1-12 volume scale), and cleans up very nicely as the guitar's volume is rolled back, or picking is eased.

However, the stock arrangement of the amps is limiting to its potential. The easiest improvement you can make to the amp is to upgrade the tubes from the stock Sovteks. I am running a (new production) Tungsol 12AX7 in V1, a JJ 12AX7 in V2 and V3, and JJ 6L6CGs as the power tubes. This is the best combination of tubes (and I've tried several) I have come across for the DeVille, and they really help unlock the amp's tone potential. Warm, smoothe and fat sounding, without getting muddy.

Without question, the DeVille handles pedals very well, too. I'm primarily using a Keeley Tube Screamer and Keeley Blues Driver, and the amp reacts ideally and uniquely to each of these pedals.

The stock Fender/Emi speakers are OK. I have very recently replaced the speakers with 2 Emi Ragin Cajuns, and 2 Emi Copperheads, and thus far I am very happy with the results. I liked the stock speakers, but the bass can get abit farty with this amp (just like the tweeds), and the stock speakers didn't help it. Also, the stock speakers could get beamy and ice-picky at times. The new Emi speakers are certainly an upgrade, but the stock speakers are not bad.

As many reviews here have pointed out, the OD channel is of great controversy. I used to use it for my distortion tones religiously, but I have since been converted to turning up the volume of the normal channel, and letting my OD pedals push the amp into power-tube distortion. What I will say about the OD channel is it's not at all bad, but it is limited in capabilities. With my pre-amp tube set up, the OD channel is fat, warm, crunchy and harmonic. It's actually quite pleasing, but it's not a high-gain lead distortion. The More Gain boost functions like a treble booster and adds about 13dbs of gain to the OD. This really thickens up the tone and is good for soloing, but it at times can get way too trebly. Perhaps Fender should consider adding a toggle to control which frequency's the boost hits (treble or mids). It would make the boost friendlier. Again, this is not a high-gain distortion.

Finally, this amp can play any type of music due to its underlying tone quality and its acceptance of pedals. The amp is a star at Rock, Blues, & Country. However, this is not a Metal amp. For starters, it's based on tweed designs, which are known to get a little loose in the bass when pushed, and have an open airy distortion. These are not ideal Metal chacteristics. Also, the amp has a 410 open cab. Again, not ideal for Metal - there's a reason why Metal guys play, almost, exclusively through 4x12 closed-back cabs. But with the right pedal in front, the amp can pull off Metal.

I've owned the amp for 7 years and have had no real issues with it. Yes, it has PCB circuitry, but so what? I don't buy into PTP or hand wired being inherently better than PCB. It's all about the Quality Assurance department. As far as I can tell, my amp is just fine.

Never had to deal with Fender.

I've been playing for about 15 years and have had my Deville for 7. I love the amp, though I do wish it were lighter. Yes, it could be a little more flexible (refer to comments on more drive boost) with some of its features, but all-in-all it's a helluva amp, and priced VERY reasonably. I do check out other amps from time to time, but I do not seriously see myself selling or trading in my Deville. I only wish is was covered in Tweed with Oxblood, rather than the black tolex.

Since I favor single channel amps, this recent model 4x10 HRD has more features than I really need. However, with its channel switching capability and added ("more") boost, it can certainly cover a lot of bases, from beautiful classic Fender clean to brutal raging overdrive. My only complaint is the "vintage-style" placement of the controls on the top of the amp. I'll never understand why that layout is so popular. I much prefer having the controls facing forward (blackface style) where I can more easily see and adjust them on stage.

The clean channel is to die for, and IMO, worth the price by itself. I formally owned a reissue super reverb, and to me, it did not sound as good (despite costing a lot more). In stock form, however, I found the overdrive channel too hot, and the "more" boost simply unuseable, at least for classic rock and blues. Also, as many have pointed out, this amp is very loud - probably too loud for most small and medium size venues.

For those who like the features and 4x10 format, but find the amp too powerful, here is what to do: Replace the 6L6's with JJ 6v6's (and rebias to about 40mv). This will reduce output to about 30 watts and basically give you a DRRI that is more versatile and bigger sounding. This is a standard conversion offered and explained by Bob at Eurotubes, and it really does turn the HRD into the "perfect" club amp. In addition to the 6v6's, I went with Eurotubes' "Blues Option" which replaces the 12AX7 in V2 with a 12DW7. This significantly "tamed" the overdrive channel, and rendered it much more useable (even in "more" mode). The amp, which was always very good, now sounds incredible.

The amp, of course, is all PCB, but it appears neatly laid out, and I like the fact that you can make bias adjustments simply by removing the back panel -- no need to take out the entire chassis as with most amps. So far so good, but I never gig without a back up (Crate Powerblock).

I don't know about Fender customer support, but there sure is a lot of good online information available about the HR series of amps.

I've been playing for 30+ years and have owned all kinds of guitars and amps. My favorite tone is an LP played through a clean Fender amp on the verge of breakup. This amp, as modified with 6v6's and 12DW7 in V2, is IMO the ultimate club-sized amp. It sounds like a DRRI on steriods, pumped through a 4x10. How can you beat that?!

I bought this amplifier in mid-late 2006. I was running out of clean channel head room with my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, which is only 40 watts. So I figured the Deville's 4x10 speaker layout would do a better job not actually knowing at the time of purchase the Deville is a 60 watt rated
amplifier.

So I was very pleased to learn the Deville is pretty much the same
amplifier as the Deluxe with a rated 60 watts power output.

Going from a single/dual layout to the 4x10 combo is night and day
(for me) about getting the tone/sound out.

I really like the amplifier sound/tone... I'm using it as a gig/show
& tour Amplifier pretty much every week.

Other than a Marshall Overdrive sound (at full volume) there's not been
an amplifier with built in distorntion that I've thought was really
great. As a person who builds and repairs amplifiers I know how hard it
is to make good dirt that makes every player happy.

The clean channel is great... I'm not able to run the 60 watt Deville out of head room like I could with the 40 watt Deluxe.

The dirt - distortion channels are rated "OK" to pretty good for what they are. Park and use a TS-9 pedal in front of the amplifier and
use the amplifiers dirt channel for soaking the distortion when you
need it. Maybe a T-Bone Pedal if you want a cheap and easy Heavy
dirt. But for most covers and conventional dirt the TS-9 pedal
down front gives me enough choices to play everything on our set list.

Here's the bad part...

I toured quit a bit with my Hot Rod Deluxe when the channel switching section blew out at a show. I fixed myself... which wasn't hard but
not fast when you/I didn't have the original parts in stock (I do now).

So after I fixed and well tested my old Deluxe I traded it in on the
Deville 4x10 Combo. Nothing like a nice new amplifier to know where you stand right..? Not so in this case. About 8 months after I bought it the amplifier died at the start of a show.

Turns out the problem was a failed output tube and some bad connections on the output tube(s) circuit board where the parts
meet the board (called a fractured trace at a solder joint).

So I've fixed the amplifier while doing some pc board trace mods to
ensure the fractures won't again appear in the near future.

I blame the Fender Factory Supplied Groove Tubes for the failure
and the pc board trace work mostly future problem prevention.

If tube & tube socket and part vibration is going to be a source of pc board trace fractures then we'll surely see more reports of this type
of problem. I guess we'll see what happens over time...

Fender would probably have fixed the amplifier if I'd left it with
the shop and they sent it to a repair shop. But hey... I do that sort
of thing myself so I fixed it.

The tubes were reported to be covered for only 90 days. :-(

No thanks to Groove Tubes for blowing a lot of smoke up my backside
when I both emailed and called them to report this problem. They're
nice enough to talk to me after a bit of dance and sing but there was
no offer to replace the faulty tube... even thought I didn't really
ask for replacements. I thought they'd want to know about the
premature tube failure. I received more sales pitch about upgrading
to another tube type vs sincere concern for the original problem
(failed tube). But that's what happens when you fly high and the
ground is out of sight far below.

I've had mixed bag results with Sovtek sourced tubes... so out came
the original Fender Groove Tubes. And the story goes on....

Replacement Matched Set Fender Groove Tubes bought at the same
store were so hot they wouldn't even allow the proper tube bias to
be set. So I'll return them as crap and keep the generic (non Grrove Tube) Sovtek replacements on board. They have been unconditionally
stable since I put them in and that's nice to see.

Because of recent experiences I'm un-selling myself from using or
providing Groove Tubes in any future work. I just don't need the
extra work.

I love the Fender HR Deville Amplifier as one of the best over-all layouts ever made (and I own and have tried a lot of guitar amplifiers).

I'd buy another just like it if this one went away...

What I like is how the amplifier is/has almost everything you'd ever need to play regular shows/gigs/tours if you're not a person who hides
behind a lot of effect pedals.

The only bad thing I can really say about it is the weight... but I've
just put original casters on it... so that's made a nice difference in moving the amplifier around.

I wish it had tilt back legs like the twin so I bought some original
Fender Tilt Backs and plan to put them on as soon as I work out the
mounting locations. Once that's done the amplifier will be all I can
ask for.

If the now repaired amplifier holds up I'll be very happy. I need an
amplifier I can trust to make a show... so it will be a while before
I again go out without a spare (which I shouldn't do anyway) amp in
tow. I guess time will tell.

I bought this amp new about a year ago. I was looking for a three channel amp, since I want as simple of a pedal arrangement as possible. This amp fit the bill with three sound possibilites, (Cleans,drive, and more drive), although this is one channel that keeps boosting the signal. I use the effects loop with a chorus pedal velcroed in with the straps on the inside of the amp used normally for the cord. This keeps the pedal off the stage. I play rock n roll, more on the pop side, nothing on the metal side. I use this amp for live performances. We practice with small amps, no PA, etc.

I use this on stage, and it is more than loud enough, as a matter of fact, way too loud. By the time I get it turned down to where the sound man wants it, the tone is gone. Although I loved the clean sounds, and outright tube sounds from this amp, I found them rather uncontrolable. I like the clean very punchy at times, but by the time the volume was high enough, the amp would be distorting. Also, the master is only a master for the drive channel, and you cannot lower the clean sound without dramatically changing it. So... I made modifications. In the clean channel I use a 12AY7 tube, which makes a dramatic difference. The sound doesn't start to tear until you turn the gain up to 7 or beyond. I put a 12AT7 as the last in the preamp chain which greatly reduces the overall output of the amp. Now the major changes were having a true master volume installed where the pilot light was, and a micro-light placed next to it. I also had a "high-low" switch installed next to the output speaker jacks inside the amp. Although this does not cut the sound in half, it really reduces the blatantly overbearing loudness with the amp. With the tube arrangement, master, and hi-low switch, I can use this amp and always get the sound I want at the volume I want. This amp is and was a very clean amp, little or no noise.
I play a Samick Rl2 through this amp. The pickups in this guitar are a mystery, and not what was supposed to come in it. The guitar and model number are mismarked, so I'm not sure what was done to it at the factory. I have a Gibson SG and L6, but for some reason the Samick makes this lovely sound and gets along great with this amp. The SG is too hot, and the L6 is too bright.

I do depend on this amp. I've used this amp for a year, a few gigs a month with no issues. The footpedal broke last week. The left switch quit working. I thought that was ridiculous. I took it apart and the switches that are wired into the board seem cheap, and I couldn't match up a replacement part. I bought a new pedal since it was cheaper than having this one fixed.

I've had no reason to contact customer support. When the pedal broke, I bought another one. When thinking about this amp, which we (the other guitar player and I) each bought, we called Fender reps, and their california center with question and always received curteously and prompt replys.

I've been playing for 40 years. My previous amp that went on the road with me for years was a musicman 65-210. That was a super-cool amp, but a little too edgey for me as time went on. I wanted a cleaner sound. If this amp were to dissappear, I would look at everything out there again, but may get the same amp again. I love the look of the amp, the raw tube and edgeyness of the amp. I like 4-10 speakers, and the blonde covering. I wish it had a factory master switch, factory Hi-Low switch. I wish the foot pedal was made with better parts. They have upgraded in input jacks, and some of the electronic parts inside the amp over the years, the foot switch needs attention. Oh, and it was a great value. I found out that's because it's mainly computer built, and very little time by hand, which makes a great amp affordable, but expensive to have modified.

07 410 Deville 3 channels. clean drive and more drive. shared eq but so what, dont need 2 eq's. basic fx loop with no level control but so what, dont need it. 2 inputs. 1 is louder than #2, cool! EXT speaker jack for 8ohm cab, cool! not sure why they call the drive volume a master volume, it only sets the drive channel volume so far as i know. footswitchable reverb would be cool but so what. i use a reverb pedal if i need a sh1t load of reverb other wise i just use the built in reverb in moderation which is good! enough power to get a visit from the police in minutes! the most versatile amp ive played. the HRDX too! love it! Surf to extreeme hard rock by it self easily, ive done it! the biggest feature is tone on this! this is my third one. i sold my 2004, stupid! i have a 06 & 07 Deville 410, DSL100 full stack and a HRDX. these are my babies and love them the same. for real !

country,blues,surf,punk,classic rock,oldies,alternative,indie,screamo,garage. nails Black Sabbath to SRV alone IMO! Dissagree? buy a good guitar and learn how to play! not a $200 ibanez either! for everything else buy a BOSS METAL ZONE and you'll be done, no kidding. Gibson LP standard, Fender USA DLX Strat. you cant go wrong with this set up. very loud amp though, you'll never need more volume than 2 on the dial at a bar gig. if you do, your lucky, congrats! dont worry about what number its on. use your ears for volume and tone. runs quiet, at least mine do, some dont i hear. pedals through the front end works great!

always take a back up. cant afford one? buy a Marshall then. i have had good luck with Marshalls. i love the versatality of Fender amps and use them more but i have had problems in the past with Fender amps. every one ive owned.:( that doesnt stop me from using Fenders though.

very good!

30 years. i did again already. love it all, hate nothing but the weight of this but still lighter than a Twin.

Not high in features but very versatile amp indeed! Play any style!
Now the volume being touchy is not a gimick for kids to be trapped in buying at all folks. Real pro's use the volume knob on the guitar. Thats why its there people. Ive seen pro blues guys 60yo crank the clean up and use the volume knob on the guitar for the desired sound. turn down for clean sounds and up for blues grind. It works! Without a pedal. You have to practise using it that way, its not easy. But wow!

I compared this with a SF Twin Reverb at Guitar Center. No difference in tone to my ears. I dont work. I gig only. 5,6 days a week so I think I know a good tone. Hope so! Clean channel cant be touched! period! Drive channel is excellent! More drive was a brilliant idea and sounds freaking great! True Tube Tone! Dont expect a built in METAL ZONE PEDAL though. But what you get is enough drive to get you through a gig if your metal zone breaks. You may not think so, but through a PA the more drive will shine through clear as a bell and make you think again. I let a friend use my HRDX and I listened to the more drive with a 57 in front and I think different now. You'll see. Remember, if you suck, you suck. Period! Keep working on your skills.

Well, take a chance if you want. I bring back up for every gig reguardless of what amp i use. Unless the gig is very close to home. You never know. This is my second Deville 410. I foolishly traded the first one for god knows what and Im sorry. But now I have another!

The Best!

Country to near Metal territory. This will do it all with FX pedals and come close without pedals. You could get by without pedals in an emergency. I did buy it again!

The amp was made in late 2004 or early 2005. It looks pretty cool with black tolex and a silver grille...kind of a vintage vibe...but all business. I dig it. There's one channel worth discussing and it has bass, mid, treble, presence and reverb. 4x10 combo, all tube with a solid state rectifier, which is perfect because I don't need Neil Young's tone and I don't need a loose bottom end to prove that I am sweet.

"The channel" is clean and sparkly. It is loud. It will not break up at any sort of useable volume. This is good news to me because I have a bunch of pedals that I put in front of the amp and they sound outstanding. I have a way too expensive homebrew overdrive, a way too expensive option five phaser and a carl martin red repeat. They all sound awesome through this amp. I play a g&l guitar that sounds awesome through this amp. A lot of my friends play through this amp with their pedals and their humbucker equipped guitars...they too sound fantastic. So at the end of the day, I treat this as a one channel amp for all all of my clean tones w/ a touch of reverb (classy), and it takes pedals very well. It has all the volume you need. Sweet clean tone...cannot emphasize this enough.

It's a tank. Major plus. I have considered going out and buying a budda, a marshall, a top hat, a vox...etc. These are all incredible amps. But then I play my fender and realize...
1) I never take care of it, it has no maintenance issues.
2) It's not that expensive and it won't bust.
3) It kills on the clean channel and let's me rock hard with pedals.
4) This amp is butter, it looks sweet and the reverb is very useable.

It's a tank, so I don't know.

If you need to have an amp that costs over a grand...go for it. I have expensive equipment that I enjoy playing too. That being said, my advice is to not blow cash on expensive amps unless you really want amp distortion. For some it's nice to have four channels and 15 knobs, but it's not worth it if you can kill a gig with one awesome tube channel and two or three decent pedals. I am so happy I bought this amp.

Oh yea...make sure to get the 4x10. It's candy.

Two Channel with boost, fx loop (why?) 60 watt, all tube signal path 4x10" Eminence speakers...Incredibly versatile amp, out of the box capable of everything from Alabama to Zappa, and back again.

The clean sound from this amp is untouchable...period. I've tried 'em all, and there's nothing out there that can play clean like a Fender, and this is one of their finest examples. Enough clean headroom to wake up Gerry Garcia.

The dirt ranges from a slight bluesy grind, to something not unlike an older JCM 800. There's enough grit here to easily pull off Priest/Maiden/ACDC, though not quite enough for say, Pantera or Megadeth.

The dirt has a tone of it's own and either you love it, or you won't, and I find that what I feed it has a large bearing on the sound. My main guitar is an old San Dimas Charvel Strat (SSS) with a Seymore Duncan JB jr in the bridge position. Sounds amazing for what I want out of it.

I turn it on, play, turn it off - repeat later.....never failed

Never broken a fender product (not for lack of trying). I've had a couple of their amps and a few guitars, all still serving me well.

No idea what their customer service is like.

Been playing guitar for years, bass for decades. Own piles of gear including Traynors,Garnets,even a Peavey or two (for the kids) All my amps are tube, 73 and 74 Fender Precisions, Ibanez Artist Hollowbody, Several other assorted guitars. For the money, you won't beat this amp, but like anything else, try before you buy, with your axe, and decide for yourself, it's not for everyone, but just right for me.

I bought this amp brand new from a music store in the UK. I have been playing over 30 years and now play in a 60s/70s gigging band. We cover blues , rock, country of that era and find the features excellent. The eq however is a little subdued. I find I have to turn the treble, bass and mid up to over 7 or 8 to get a huge noticablr difference in tone. This is 60watt valve amp which is very, very loud and has more than enough guts for any - and I mean any kind of gig

The sounds are typically US bluesy SRV/hendrix/BB King. In fact it is so versatile it can be used for rock and country. However as other reviewers have said - don't expect metal overdrive - not even on more drive. I can't understand how some people criticsize the gain channel. It is pure valve tone especially with the master on 5 and volume on 3 with the gain lights on the footpedal. Absolutely beautiful , just breaking up tone which sound fluidy and understated. The clean tone is superb. Te best I've heard on any amp. Beatles classics sound true and clear. You can add a little dirt by just flicking to drive and turning down the vol pot on the guitar. I only play my two strats through this amp. Never used gibsons or PRS etc. The single coils love this amp. You can get a real lift when you switch to bridge pickup on drive in a solo. I'm sure you cold hear me from across the pond if you listened hard enough. A gorgeous, pro sound.

Hope it never lets me down . If it did I would be truly disapointed.

Bought FROM an on line store in UK Yes I'm British. - Welsh actually! No problems encountered.

If it got lost or stolen I would have to have another. Perhaps I would spend a little more cash and get the Blues DeVille Deluxe rather than the Hotrod. But there is very, very little difference. The Hotrod sound is as good as it gets really. I stay away from effects. I only use a wah and a chorus/delay. I would never , ever use any kind of overdive or booster pedal with this amp. I think that would spoil the lovely natural overdrive on gain channel. I don't use more gain at all - but it's nice to know it's there. As a very experienced guitarist I can't understand the criticsism some give this amp for drive channel. I would ask them to check to see if their amp has a fault

needs another eq, well not really, because the other two channels are useless anyway

clean channel is awesome
one of the best i have heard
put an sd1 { or two } in the clean, and it's heaven!!

the dirty more dirty is so bad that its indescribable
the eq will not fix this, nor will a retube
this is a one channel amp

i would assume it's probably excellent

probably the same

outstanding clean channel - maybe the very best there is
worst dirty channel in the business
although the clean is incredible, i do not believe that any amp should ever have a channel in it that sounds as bad as this dirty channel
have to deduct points