NAD Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

[Despot]

For all my amp swapping and changing (I think I've been through more amps than guitars over the years), the one amp that I had the longest was an old US made HRD from about 1996 or so. It was my main gigging amp (back when I actually gigged) and it never once let me down - it was always 100% consistent and worked every time.

And you know what - it sounded pretty good. I moved on to other things because I had chances to try other things, no other reason.

Congratulations on the amp OP - for what it's worth I think it looks pretty awesome in white.

[Racing]

I would like to voice some caution with telling someone to instantly change this or that in an amp they have just aquired.
Soggy Mittens has bought a new (new to her) amp... I suspect that she isn't wanting to immediately go and rip the guts out of the amp and re-build it.

Horses for courses ... please.

While the HRD isn't the amp I would go for now (since I have been designing/building my own), I still have one and occasionally I get it out when we want a slightly different OD sound. And it is LOUD !

I mentioned the input jack plastic thread "pealing away" because that is what can happen, so knowing about it may extend the life of the input jack. (thread)
Let her play it first and see if there are any issues ...
Many here quite like the HRD stock standard
If there are issues (I am not assuming there will be) we can then give any and all advice.

Nah.
What i present above isn´t an opinion. It is bare facts. Mark,again,please that what i put forth here will not affect sound in any manner. What is presented is known,factory,issues with these amps. Presented by anyone that works on tubers for a living. Nor does it come down to "ripping its guts out". Very very far from it. The pointer presented can be handled by anyone familiar with tubeamps and a soldering iron. It isn´t complicated to do and nor is it expensive to have done. Return will be a WAY WAY WAY more reliable amp. Period.
So.
No. No it´s not a matter of just "playing along". Pointed out are known issues with the HRD,and similar amps of the same era/series,that not only can but WILL fail given time. Fact.

If OTOH the OP wishes to follow the advice put forth is a whole different matter.

[soggy mittens]

So far I plan to change the tubes and jack inputs so far as I DO want a amp that will hopefully not konk out on me during a gig any time soon or in this current project at least.

Today the speaker panel was vibrating so took it apart when I got home, pretty much every screw and bolt was loose x)



looks pretty clean for a ten year old amp

[Racing]

Agreed.

Looks like the jacks has been replaced? The ones that are supposed to be in there are the ones for the loop,throughout.

The resistors we´re talking about is the larger,white,ceramic one dead center in the pic. These are of 470 Ohms a piece and should be replaced with the same rating. 5 watts does it. Only difference is that when installing the new one space them out approx approx 10mm from the board when soldering them in place. Yeeeees...provided you have a soldering pen that is a job you can do yourself.

The capacitors we´re talking of are the larger ones of the pack. One black one,marked 47µF/500V and then three grey ones marked 22µF/500V. Replace these with reputable others of the same rating. F&T for instance is a good brand. Yeeeees...that is ALSO a job you can do yourself.

To make sure the amp is emptied of voltage/current what you do,as it´s working,is turn it on and play the thing. Yank the mains wire from the wall and continue playing the thing until the sound dies out. When it does keep on playing for 30secs. Do NOT use the switches to turn the amp off.

Now the residual voltage/current is at a level where it can´t hurt you anymore. Undo all the knobs and unbolt the various jacks from the faceplate. Then there´s a number of philips headed screw holding the board to the chassis. Undo these to. You do NOT have to take them out entirely,just unbolt until they let go of the steel chassis.
Now pry the board downwards,vs the tubes,and "fold" the PCB outwards. This grants you access to the rear of the PCB and thereby the solderjoints. Mark which joints you need to heat up.
Do so,and use a solderwick to get the solder off of there. With the caps reinstall these with a dab of non hardening glue. It MIGHT be that they´re glued in there already as is. In that case use a razorblade to cut them free.

Resistors in turn...as stated per above. The exact distance is of lesser importance,what IS important is that you get them spaced out from the PCB. 10mm does it,and this will also let the resistors cool by their entire circumferance.

Bolt it back together in reverse of how you took the thing apart. Even for someone inexperienced this is a 1hr job at MAX. That done your HRD should run happily ever after.

[soggy mittens]

Oh I never noticed that, the jacks, that would be cool if they dont need replacing. As far as anything else goes, I'm definitely not doing it myself, I mean I can solder a bit but I'd rather just take it to a shop than stress about mucking it up. But I'll be sure to put a list together of what I would like done then they might suggest other things as well.
Got a gig tonight, can't wait to see how it goes, hope I don't get asked to turn down