Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Make it loud here.
Post Reply
User avatar
simonhpieman
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 626
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:27 am

Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by simonhpieman » Wed Feb 22, 2017 7:03 am

Hopefully the helpful OSGers can help with this.

I've got an old early 90s 4x10 Blues DeVille (not hot rod). For years I've loved it's crunchy sound on the gain channel, the way you get that just breaking up sound. It doesn't do heavy distortion very well at all but that's not really why I bought.

I had it serviced 5 or 6 years ago and they replaced a few capcitors or resistors or something and sent me on my way. I rarely use it to be honest (literally a few times a year) but a few weeks ago I noticed that it was no longer possible to get that crunchy just breaking up anymore, the gain seems to have gone through the roof at even the lowest of settings.

I took the whole thing to a shop recently and they tested the valves for me one by one. It wasn't that. They guy even plugged into it and went as far as to say it sounded like a normal overdriven valve amp... I suppose that's because it is overdriving and I am of the opinion it shouldn' t be at such low gain settings! I'm certainly not convinced by that assessment unless it's been working wrong for years.

As I needed it the next day and their amp repairs are done off site I lugged it back home again (did I mention this thing is FRICKING HEAVY?) but definitely want it looked at. I've read online about problems with the solder joints for the valve-holders (showing my ignorance - I have no idea what those are called, sockets perhaps?) but I don't know if one of them crapping out would cause the gain problem I've had? It does look like some of the tubes are glowing brighter than others so could there be anything in that?

To be clear, the clean channel has remained unaffected by this and is as good as ever.

I'm at a complete loss and not very technical. I'm pretty resigned to the fact the answer will probably be "take it to a tech" but if I have to convince them that there's actually something wrong with it I'd definitely benefit from having a vague idea as to what it might be first! Thanks y'all!

User avatar
MechaBulletBill
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:16 am
Location: UK

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by MechaBulletBill » Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:27 am

My 93 blues deville liked to burn resistors a lot, I reckon that could mess up the sound as you've described.

User avatar
shoule79
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:57 am
Location: London....the one in Canada

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by shoule79 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 11:07 am

Has you guitar/pedal setup changed? Moving from pickups with higher to lower output would reduce the gain on tap.

User avatar
simonhpieman
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 626
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:27 am

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by simonhpieman » Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:33 pm

I've got loads of guitars, I've played through it with Les Paul for years and struggled to get as much gain as I've got now.

Hopefully Bill's right and I just need a few resistors dropped in...

Thanks, gents!

User avatar
Bad Monkey
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:07 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by Bad Monkey » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:42 pm

just for giggles, have you checked the bias?

User avatar
simonhpieman
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 626
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:27 am

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by simonhpieman » Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:10 am

Giggles?...

Bi-as...??

User avatar
Bad Monkey
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:07 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by Bad Monkey » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:17 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19IUadZJf-c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

though if you're not familiar with dealing with the gutty-works of a tube amp you may want to take it to a tech.

User avatar
MuscleDad420
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 257
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:19 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: Fender DeVille doesn't do crunch

Post by MuscleDad420 » Sat Feb 25, 2017 2:05 am

Assuming it's a later model after Fender added a board-mounted bias trimpot it's certainly possible that the shop you took it to also re-biased the amp hotter for better tone, which is a subjective opinion. These amps are shipped pretty cold to preserve tube life when Johnny Skater shreds on it on the floor of a guitar shop after school. The downside to doing that is the natural overdrive can be stiff and grainy.

The gain channel(s) on the Hot Rod series and Blues DeVille series is oft-derided for its over-the-top fizzy gain at pretty much every level. Aside from that it's one of those things. Maybe your memory of the amp as it sounded was with a different guitar that had lower output pickups, single coils, etc?

If you want to tame it somewhat from where it is now I would suggest putting a 5751 preamp tube in the V2 position.

Post Reply