Hot Rod Deluxe - Help diagnosing problem would be much appreciated

[Molly]

Jack Darr's book is also here;

http://www.diyguitarist.com/Misc/J_Darr.htm

I also recommend the 'P1 Theory' document form the AX84 web site if you want to understand a little more about tube amps.

Thanks. So much to learn. I might take early retirement... :-)

I think I have it figured out.

Assemble the amps poorly & then design them that they are too expensive to take apart & repair.

It's a shame really. The amp sounds great. You'd think it'd maybe add a few dollars to the retail price to use better parts and assemble it so it lasts. I guess it's all about the least you can give and the most you can charge. Takes me back to my Harley owning days.

[Mick Bailey]

My Harley was (still is - but not in my ownership) a WLC45. I think in those days they did intend the bikes to last and there was no compromise. When I rebuilt the gearbox the rollers came in 0.0001" oversizes. I see modern Harleys and they look like they could be made in the Far East, but I guess that's what modern mass-market construction and materials brings about. The same with Fender and pretty much any other PCB-based amp nowadays - a circuit board made anywhere in the world ends up being the same construction and quality.

There used to be a good deal of difference between PCBs; Peavey were always good, with generous track widths, riveted standoffs for power resistors. Lead-free seems still to be a problem and Fender went early into this way before legislation forced them, so they made a few mistakes in techniques and alloy composition.

[nevetslab]

There used to be a good deal of difference between PCBs; Peavey were always good, with generous track widths, riveted standoffs for power resistors. Lead-free seems still to be a problem and Fender went early into this way before legislation forced them, so they made a few mistakes in techniques and alloy composition.

My pet peeves with the Hot Rod series is their poor PCB quality, where in spite of your best de-soldering techniques and lead separation from solder pads, is how easily those solder pads break free from the board material.....very poor adhesion, and too-thin solder track widths. And, I just love how they make the size of the board just ever so oversize with the pots and jacks, that extracting it from the chassis is a real challenge. Not to mention how easily the stiff ribbon cables break leads. Lead-free solder and the extra heat it takes to get a decent solder job done, complicated by poor foil adhesion on their boards doesn't help much either. But, we all do learn how to overcome the obstacles, and restore these to proper service.

Good to see this amp come back together and serve as a good instruction project for learning a bit about our craft.