MikeRocker
What's Your Forum Nameologist?
I use a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue as my main gigging amp. I got it after I played through one at an open jam several years back, and to me it just had that classic Fender tone...that, plus I was tired of lugging around my super heavy, LOUD Hot Rod Deluxe 2x12. The Blues Deluxe is a nice amp (although it doesn't have enough gain on the lead channel to do a full gig without some pedal help), but there are some drawbacks - first, at 40 watts, it's still too loud for most gigs (to get that classic Fender sound, you need to crank the amp of course...you would be thrown out of any club gig or off the stage right away if you tried this!). I'd jump on a 15-watt Blues Junior in a heartbeat if they'd address a couple of concerns, like adding an effects loop (I have a decent-sized board with a Loooper set up for pre-amp and in the loop effects). Let this be a lesson to younger guys - go with a smaller wattage tube amp! You can crank it up to get the great tone, and if you happen to be playing a venue that's too big for the amp alone to cut it, they will definitely have a PA they can run you through! But I digress...
I use the Blues Deluxe clean channel, and get OD/Dist via pedals. I have never been able to get a straight answer as to whether the clean channel Volume pot is audio or linear taper (I've read that the clean channel is audio, and the OD channel is linear, but who knows?), but the upshot is that the volume goes from off to suddenly jerking on at about 2...and frankly, I play a lot of paying gigs where that is just too loud...and forget about getting the Fender tone going at that level. Plus, the volume is really touchy in that region, and a slight movement one way or the other will take it from the quietest level to silent or too loud. So I have done a ton of research into this, including checking out all of the attenuators. There're a lot of opinions on those, some say they're bad for the amp, some say they're fine...but bottom line, they're not super cheap, and it's more gear to lug and patch in. So, that brought me to Eminence FDM...and as the price has dropped since they came out, I went for it...
Installed it last night. First impressions (and it is nowhere near broken in, I haven't even played an hour on it yet): thumbs up! The amp sounds way more "Fender-y" (I totally realize that this is a very subjective description). And the FDM knob really works - turned all the way down, it doesn't seem to affect the feel of the amp, but I can turn it up and really start to hear that Fender pop, richness, and glassy sheen (glassy in a good way!). I had a literal job-dropping experience in the NAMM Eminence booth a few years ago (I had no clue speakers could sound so dramatically different), and have since come to the conclusion that on non-boutique or otherwise expensive amps, the stock speakers are kind of like spare tires or memory cards that come with digital cameras - they'll get the job done (sort of), but they are far and away from the best option (and the stock speaker in this amp was custom made for Fender by Eminence). Amp makers try to save $ wherever they can to keep prices down, including on stock speakers (and, probably, tubes). But, bottom line, this amp has always been WAY bright. As in, I routinely keep the Treble and Presence on 0 (I play homemade Fender style guitars, Teles and Strats, for most gigs). But with the Maverick, I can actually turn the Treble up without ice-pickiness (and even add some Presence!)...thrilling!!
Anyway, I definitely need to break the thing in, and I'm going to use it on a band gig this Sunday (always a revealing experience), so we'll see how it unfolds, but for now, I'm really excited...
I use the Blues Deluxe clean channel, and get OD/Dist via pedals. I have never been able to get a straight answer as to whether the clean channel Volume pot is audio or linear taper (I've read that the clean channel is audio, and the OD channel is linear, but who knows?), but the upshot is that the volume goes from off to suddenly jerking on at about 2...and frankly, I play a lot of paying gigs where that is just too loud...and forget about getting the Fender tone going at that level. Plus, the volume is really touchy in that region, and a slight movement one way or the other will take it from the quietest level to silent or too loud. So I have done a ton of research into this, including checking out all of the attenuators. There're a lot of opinions on those, some say they're bad for the amp, some say they're fine...but bottom line, they're not super cheap, and it's more gear to lug and patch in. So, that brought me to Eminence FDM...and as the price has dropped since they came out, I went for it...
Installed it last night. First impressions (and it is nowhere near broken in, I haven't even played an hour on it yet): thumbs up! The amp sounds way more "Fender-y" (I totally realize that this is a very subjective description). And the FDM knob really works - turned all the way down, it doesn't seem to affect the feel of the amp, but I can turn it up and really start to hear that Fender pop, richness, and glassy sheen (glassy in a good way!). I had a literal job-dropping experience in the NAMM Eminence booth a few years ago (I had no clue speakers could sound so dramatically different), and have since come to the conclusion that on non-boutique or otherwise expensive amps, the stock speakers are kind of like spare tires or memory cards that come with digital cameras - they'll get the job done (sort of), but they are far and away from the best option (and the stock speaker in this amp was custom made for Fender by Eminence). Amp makers try to save $ wherever they can to keep prices down, including on stock speakers (and, probably, tubes). But, bottom line, this amp has always been WAY bright. As in, I routinely keep the Treble and Presence on 0 (I play homemade Fender style guitars, Teles and Strats, for most gigs). But with the Maverick, I can actually turn the Treble up without ice-pickiness (and even add some Presence!)...thrilling!!
Anyway, I definitely need to break the thing in, and I'm going to use it on a band gig this Sunday (always a revealing experience), so we'll see how it unfolds, but for now, I'm really excited...
