Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 19 Jun 2010 7:52 am

I recently started using one of these amps for double duty gigs for Tele and my old Stringmaster and I have got to say I am more than pleased. Just wondered if anyone else out there did the same?

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 19 Jun 2010 9:38 am

Larry, I had one of those for a year or two and liked it a bunch until one fateful day when I was working with an Elvis impersonator and tribute band on the ocean front in Virginia Beach. Each year they have a "Viva Elvis" festival and we were on the main (24th st.) stage. The city contracts for sound companies and the one they hired this year didn't have enough monitors to go around!

I was on one side of the stage with the bass player and the only monitors available were being used by the drummer, backup singers, and "Elvis". I had my Blues Deluxe Reissue and we started the first song and although the amp was miked I couldn't hear it as this was a large outside stage setup. I kept cranking it up until it finally got loud enough where I could hear it but everything was distorted and distortion isn't what you want in Elvis music. We were scheduled to do two sets that day so during the intermission I went to my van and got my Randall Steelman 500 and brought it to the stage. I set the BDR on top of it and ran a line down to it and the Randall saved the day.

I swore that I'd never be caught with my pants down again with a low (40w) amp again so the following Monday I went to Guitar Center and traded the Fender straight across for an old MusicMan HD212 One Fifty which had plenty of power and can "stand alone" which the BDR can't. They're fine amps for small venues but when you need to fill a large area they just can't cut it without external help. I did however like the tones I could get with it and when it was miked properly at a larger gig it was fine, but unfortunately that doesn't always happen.....JH in Va.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 20 Jun 2010 10:50 am

...with the OEM Eminence speaker the BDR was much too fuzzy sounding for my taste but a while back I put a JBL K120 into it and it is now my preferred recording and practice amp. I still use my Randall SGA500 for stage use as the BDR is a bit underpowered, although adding the JBL increased the actual output of the BDR by nearly 10dB, which is nothing to laugh at!

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 20 Jun 2010 6:30 pm

The Blues Deluxe does a fine job with my six string electric geetar.
It does a good job on E9 pedal steel.
With C6 or exE9 it gets a little jumpy.

I agree, an outdoor gig with everybody else playing too darn loud, is more than this amp was meant to do.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 21 Jun 2010 3:10 pm

I agree,Ron. I love it for six string and I really like it with my Stringmaster. It does not seem to get "jumpy" with me on the C6 neck...maybe because of the bottom string is an "A"? I did mic it once or twice and it was fine. Bigger outdoor gigs....I use my twin.

Thanks all for your response

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 22 Jun 2010 1:37 am

Nice amps, this is the early version of the Hot Rod Deluxe, 40 watts. I too used one for a bit with both Steel and Telecaster, I tried a million times( well maybe not a million ) to clean up the front end and get some extra headroom for the Steel (C6th for sure ) to now avail,great guitar amp overall though. I ended up going to the next amp up, the HR Deville 60 watter for double duty. The Blues Deluxe and HR Deluxe are awesome amps though, great value for a small amp. Everyone should own at least one !

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 22 Jun 2010 10:04 pm

I've had one for 15 years or more. Fantastic amp. I use mine for PS in medium size pubs and small gigs. Its really quite gutsy for a 40 watter. Easy to keep clean with the right preamp tubes

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 23 Jun 2010 10:35 am

I play steel through mine regularly. I have had a loud stage gig or too when I wished I had more headroom. The bass is not as good say as my old session 400....but the midrange on the Blues Deluxe just kicks butt. I've noticed alot of its' great tone has to do with the fender special design ceramic speaker. I've tried the amp with different speakers and the special design speaker with other amps. That speaker seems just right tonally for my guitar.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 23 Jun 2010 10:40 am

Larry,

Mine is a 1993 model, one of the first. The writing on controls is backwards, that is, facing such that you would read it by standing behind the amp. I've heard this was changed to read from the front eventually.
What is yours like?

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 23 Jun 2010 2:54 pm

Jim, mine is a 05 and it reads the same as yours. You would read it properly if you were standing behind it. was a little confuseing at first

I have never really tried it for pedal steel. Mainly Tele and my Stringmaster....but I think I will try it as soon as I bring it home from the rehearsal hall.