Will a volume box in Hotrod Deluxe iii fx loop murder it tonally ?

Telejester

The reason i returned a hrd iii was because you simply couldnt use the clean channel at home, sneeze beside amp and volume lifts the roof off. I didnt know about fx loop volume boxes, if you put one in loop does it lower the clean channel volume down to wife appeasing level and does it strangle the arse out of the tone ?

ICBM

It works perfectly and has no effect on  the tone.

Telejester

ICBM there are vids showing a common hrd fault being 2 resistors on the board that overheat, are there any premptive remedies that mean this fault cant occur in the first place ? also can a vol box be used in a loop that has fx running through it ?

ICBM

Telejester said:

ICBM there are vids showing a common hrd fault being 2 resistors on the board that overheat, are there any premptive remedies that mean this fault cant occur in the first place ?

Yes, don't buy a first-series US-made version . The later ones are fixed, along with several other faults.

It's also best to set the mains voltage for 240V rather than the 230V as they come supplied, which is just a case of swapping two push-connectors. This makes the whole amp run cooler, but those resistors in particular.

Telejester said:

also can a vol box be used in a loop that has fx running through it ?

Yes, just put the volume box at the end of the chain. It will actually work anywhere in the chain, but last gives the least background noise.

TheMarlin

I used a volume FX pot with a HRD for years.   Was essential to get breakup on the clean channel at lower volume.  Never did it any harm...

Spikeedog

Dr Z attenuator - either the big one or the Brakelite. £100 used. Perfectly effective

JD50

thecolourbox

It might have been placebo effect but I actually felt adding the volume box improved the sound for home volumes, both on clean channel and drive channel. But as I say that might have been me imagining it. I didn't find it that difficult to set the volume right anyway and I had a mark 1 version.

For what it's worth, it's my favourite amp I've ever had (and I've currently got a Princeton, though purely for size purposes) and I wouldn't hesitate to get another one or a deville if I had the space, definitely would get one anyway if I had to gig regularly

Corvus

I'm sure my Blue Deluxe is more punchy being run with one, still only on 3 for clean just shy of breaking up, but i feel its more responsive than 1-2 on the vol. And i can run the dirt side boosted without blowing out windows.