Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

D

drjones

New member
I've been trying to find out how to modify the volume pot on my Fender Hotrod amp. I really would like the option of being able to adjust the volume above 1. The amp is pretty good, but I just hate that touchy volume control.

What is the actual modification? is it just replacing the volume pot with an audio tapered pot? or is it a bit more involved? I would be grateful if anyone who has done the mod would reply and let me know their thoughts. I would also be grateful if someone could tell me how to perform the mod, or point me in the right direction.

Thanks
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

That's pretty much all there is to it. A guy names Justin Holton used to have a site that outlined the mods. That particular one was just a volume pot swap.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Does anyone know the value of the pot to be replaced?

I've been reading that swapping tubes in the V1 position can help also. Any idea on what tubes to replace with?
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

#1) This mod requires disassembling most or the amp, And Excellent soldering skills !! just be aware of this B4 you start.:cool2: I never use the channel switcher w/t my amp so I never bother. My magic tube combo is Tung sol RI 12AX7A in VI, 5751 NOS in V2 (helps smooth out the OD channel) JJ 12AX7A in V3. TAD short bottles 6L6GC. The amp has a Bias point,And is pretty easy to Bias if you have a DMM,alligator clips & the aptitude?
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Its easy. The first mod i did to an amp. Works great.
The volume pot is a linear taper (B) pot, i dont remember the value, but it does say what it is on the pot inside your amp. Get the same value pot from your local electronics store, except make sure it is an Audio taper (A) pot. Replace. Easy.
While you are at it - run a jumper across legs 2 and 3 of the mid pot, and you will get more versatility from your tone stack with no loss of what is already there.
Hot rods really benefit from both of these easy mods.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

I've noticed there are a few different types of mod-kits, including the volume pot one, on E-bay. I think they even have step-by-step instructions.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Does the Hot Rod Deluxe have an effects out/return? If it's a series effects out you can just cut a patch cable in half, wire a pot into the patch cable, and then plug into the effects out/return. Then use that pot to fine tune the volume. The benefit of doing this is that you can't screw your amp up, and you won't hurt the amps resale value in the future.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Oh yeah - you can also just swap v1 from a 12ax7, to a 12at7 or 12au7 to reduce preamp gain...
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

FretFire said:
I would just get one of these, pretty much what GuitarStv laid out. I used one when I had a Fender HRD and it worked perfectly.
Click to expand...

That's what I was gonna recommend. Not as cheap as a pot, but still cheap. I want an HRDx sometime and thats what i always planned to do to it.

I dunno if I'd ever change the preamp tube for a lower gain spec, though. I haven't got the chance yet to crank the normal channel on one of those but I've heard that the best sounds of the amp come from just running that normal channel loud as hell. Changing the preamp for lower gain would probably make it harder to hit that spot. It's a loud amp to begin with. My neighbors already hear me really clearly by the time my 15W amp starts to break up at around 1/2 the volume.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Hot Rod Deluxe Modification

C2: Change to Orange Drop .047uf
C10: Change to Orange Drop .047uf
Bass Control: R105 change to 100K (1/2 watt)
Less Bass Gain: C1 47uf to 22uf (electrolytic)
Master Coupling Cap /Cut Drive Highs: C11 390pf to 1n (Silver Mica)
Mid Pot Control: Jumper from Wipe to Bass Leg
Highs & Gain Boost: R9 220K to 100K (1/2 watt)
Tone Slope Resistor: R12 130K to 56K (1/2watt)
Harsh Drive & More Max Gain: C8 1uf to 22uf (electrolytic)
More Bass to Drive: C23 1.5nf to .012uf (Orange Drop)
Treble Tone Cap: C7 250pf (Silver Mica)
Bass Tone Cap: C5 .1uf to .047uf (Orange Drop)
Mid Tone Cap: C6 .022 to .047uf (Orange Drop)
Better Reverb: Remove R103 & C52
Presence Cap: C29 .1uf (Orange Drop)
Concrete Resistors: R78 & R79 470ohm to 360ohm / 5 watt
Master Volume Pot: B100k to Audio Taper 250k or 1 meg
Reverb Pot: B25k to B100k (use the Master Volume Pot)
Input Jacks: Replace with Switchcraft Shorting Tip Shunt
Reverb Cable: Replace with Shielded Cable to RCA Jacks on Chasis
(now you can run external reverb with high quality cables)
Reverb Tank: Mount the tank to a ½” slab of mahogany (better tone)
Speaker: Replace with Vintage 30, Greenback, Alnico Blue, etc.
Tubes: Replace stock tubes with JJ Electronics Tubes
Cabinet: Upgrade that PressBoard Cab with a JD Newell Cabinet (its worth the 250 bucks for high quality tolex and wood)

yostamplifier.com​
 
Last edited:
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Any pedal with a volume control on it will work the same as those volume boxes.

Obviously a dedicated volume pedal is best, and obviously pedals like an overdrive or a chorus won't work (unless you want overdrive or chorus on all the time :laughing: )

What I'm talking about is my looper pedal, a Digitech JamMan - it has a volume knob on it, and whether you're looping right now or not, that volume knob can act just like a volume pedal or a volume box like that.

Just a heads up for guys who have clean / no modulation pedals lying around already.
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

Yost Amplifier said:
Hot Rod Deluxe Modification

C2: Change to Orange Drop .047uf
C10: Change to Orange Drop .047uf
Bass Control: R105 change to 100K (1/2 watt)
Less Bass Gain: C1 47uf to 22uf (electrolytic)
Master Coupling Cap /Cut Drive Highs: C11 390pf to 1n (Silver Mica)
Mid Pot Control: Jumper from Wipe to Bass Leg
Highs & Gain Boost: R9 220K to 100K (1/2 watt)
Tone Slope Resistor: R12 130K to 56K (1/2watt)
Harsh Drive & More Max Gain: C8 1uf to 22uf (electrolytic)
More Bass to Drive: C23 1.5nf to .012uf (Orange Drop)
Treble Tone Cap: C7 250pf (Silver Mica)
Bass Tone Cap: C5 .1uf to .047uf (Orange Drop)
Mid Tone Cap: C6 .022 to .047uf (Orange Drop)
Better Reverb: Remove R103 & C52
Presence Cap: C29 .1uf (Orange Drop)
Concrete Resistors: R78 & R79 470ohm to 360ohm / 5 watt
Master Volume Pot: B100k to Audio Taper 250k or 1 meg
Reverb Pot: B25k to B100k (use the Master Volume Pot)
Input Jacks: Replace with Switchcraft Shorting Tip Shunt
Reverb Cable: Replace with Shielded Cable to RCA Jacks on Chasis
(now you can run external reverb with high quality cables)
Reverb Tank: Mount the tank to a ½” slab of mahogany (better tone)
Speaker: Replace with Vintage 30, Greenback, Alnico Blue, etc.
Tubes: Replace stock tubes with JJ Electronics Tubes
Cabinet: Upgrade that PressBoard Cab with a JD Newell Cabinet (its worth the 250 bucks for high quality tolex and wood)

yostamplifier.com​
Click to expand...

Big thanks for sharing that with us! :headbang:
 
Re: Hotrod Deluxe Volume Mod

GuitarStv said:
Does the Hot Rod Deluxe have an effects out/return? If it's a series effects out you can just cut a patch cable in half, wire a pot into the patch cable, and then plug into the effects out/return. Then use that pot to fine tune the volume. The benefit of doing this is that you can't screw your amp up, and you won't hurt the amps resale value in the future.
Click to expand...

FretFire said:
I would just get one of these, pretty much what GuitarStv laid out. I used one when I had a Fender HRD and it worked perfectly.
Click to expand...

I've done what GS suggests, and also use the Omnisonic now. If I hadn't been dependent on using the FX loop, the patch cable would be perfect. But the Omnisonic is great if you're using effects in the loop too. Great as a master control.
 
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