That Blues Deluxe has been a staple for your channel for years! Like most people, I’ve never thought of a speaker change to an amp as far as enhancing the sound. I now see the benefits of trying a different speaker to get a desired result. If I find a Blues Deluxe at a good price, might have to try it out!! Thanks Shane! Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🎼🎵
"Staple" is how I'd describe these yes. A quick look at 2nd hand listings show many are beat to death and come in flight cases.. Pretty good indicator its worth a punt.
I routinely upgrade stock speakers. It seems odd to me that there is so much focus on different amps, pick-ups, and even tonewood. A speaker change is easy and has a great impact on tone.
I have a Blues Deluxe reissue . I put an Eminence CR in it the 2nd day. In fact, I bought the CR first, specifically to be driven by that amp. If you're interested in tone, pick the speaker 1st. IMO
I came across this video a few years ago, put an Eminence Cannabis Rex in my Blues Deluxe Reissue, and years later i still get compliments on my tone. Thank you for the inspiration and love your videos!
Sounds gorgeous! I went the opposite route; where The Swamp Thang is amazingly efficient, the Jensen p12q Reissue I put in mine is the least efficient option I could find- allows me to crank the amp a little more and the AlNiCo compression is very sweet- although Swamp Thang would be perfect for maximum headroom and volume! The Jensen made the amp seem more like a 22 watt Deluxe Reverb or something along those lines, whereas the Swamper probably makes it seem like a 60 watt amp! Crazy! Love the options!
I put a swamp thing in my deluxe based on your reviews. It sounds amazing!! Thanks for your insight. Love it! I never used the drive channel. Pedals into clean channel does it all!
I didn't like how this amp sounded - but then again, I've never been a fan of the Fender tweed sound. I'll stick to silverfaces! You managed to hit everything I would've wanted to see if I was interested in the amp. Keep up the great content! Gives us all something to do while we're trapped inside.
Thanks for watching! Let me know if you have any questions. 😎🎸 Time Codes: 0:00 - Intro Track 1:34 - About the amplifier 2:17 - Clean Tones 4:14 - Clean channel loud 5:09 - Clean channel cranked 6:27 - Humbucker Test 7:27 - The Drive Channel with Humbuckers 9:11 - Drive Channel with Single Coils 10:30 - Fender Blues Deluxe Review Check my amp out on Sweetwater: ►Blues Deluxe - imp.i114863.net/FenderBluesDeluxe ►Eminence Swamp Thang - imp.i114863.net/SwampThang (affiliate links)
Someone should study why electric guitar players trade or sell things that they regret selling 5 minutes after they sold it. It's kind of unique to us. Every time somebody mentions they sold something and they wish they hadn't I think about all my stuff. And I start crying.
I have no idea, but I know golfers who buy and sell golf clubs, always at a loss, trying to improve their game all the time. I think it's just a guy thing I think.
I just don't get rid of anything - There's stuff from 30 years ago still sitting in the shed! The couple of guitars I did get rid of earlier on, I wish I had of kept knowing more about guitars now than back then. I probably could have done something with them now, but back then parts were limited and so was money. I was only going through some old amp modules projects I came across the other day and really should resurrect and give them a whirl again.
Awesome video, as usual! I love this amp with the Swamp Thang, and so appreciate your videos turning me on to this amp. And I actually love the drive channel a lot. Your cranked drive channel sound was the best sound (to me) in the video. Makes me want to get a Gibson V! I set my own the same way and use an attentuator so that I don't get evicted...
Sounds killer! I love the idea of putting a different speaker in it. I've used a volume pedal in the effects loop for years and it allows me to attenuate the power of the amp in a way that I can really push the amp and keep the volume lower. Works for me and also sounds pretty dang good
OK! I ordered the Swamp Thang, got it, put it in yesterday. AMAZING! THANK YOU for the great advice! It is quite an improvement. I also put a Doc Watson Lion Tamer (attenuator) in the effects loop send/receive right on top of the amp (2" knob), which solves the volume pot issue.
I see it's been a while since you commented... I'm considering the Swamp Thag as well for a Blues Deluxe. Did the ST get rid of the sometimes harshness of the amp?
Hey Shane, great review. I once had a USA-made 1997 Hot Rod Deluxe that I modified with an Eminence Tonkerlite (neodymium magnet speaker so helped to cut the weight) as well as doing the Fromel mods. That was a beast of a clean pedal platform amp, but even then it was incredibly heavy. Switched a few amps ever since, and now I’m on the Fillmore 50 just because I personally think that the Fillmore has a much rounder tonality overall. Plus, there is no question the Fillmore’s drive modes are amazingly good. I wonder if the Blues Deluxe has any circuitry differences with the Hot Rod Deluxe. I would also recommend you check out the Hot Rod Deluxe IV, which has a pine cabinet, making it a lot lighter than the HRDx models before it.
I swapped to a Cannibus Rex speaker, and it also changed this amp for me. The right speaker for you in this amp will make a LOT of difference. My problem was ice picky brittle treble which has something to do with my technique. The Cannibus Rex warmed that up for me in ways I didn't think possible. Finding the right speaker to match your needs is a real joy.
Love to hear your perspective on modding blues deluxe reissue changing tubes and the impact this has on the pre amp and power amp stages and gain, especially swapping in a 12AY7 love your channel
Tactics 72 I also did a speaker swap in my blues deluxe re-issue and of course it made a huge difference… The stock speaker just was not very good. The three preamp tubes in my opinion or just a generic set up by fender because they know most people are going to change them out for different values like they do guitar strings. Placing a 12aY7 in the V1 slot really improves the sweep of the volume dial. This will give you much more gradual increments in the volume rather than a sudden jump from volume two to volume three. Leaving the 12aX7 in the V2 slot is fine because thats your gain stage and 12aX7 is a 100% distorted tube which serves a good purpose there. The V3 slot is the phase inverter which transfers the powers to the large tubes and I change that out to a 12at7 which in my opinion really settled the jitters down in this amp for a more mellow creamier clean sound. Coincidentally, this is the preamp tube lineup that fender uses in they’re 59 baseman amp..12ay7 - 12ax7 - 12at7 👍
@@musicmatty67 Thanks for the reply - that's awesome info , do you have any ideas if a 5751 swap would also give some more grunt back that the 12aY7 takes out and if so , where would you place it V1 OR V2
I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue with a Celestion Vintage 30 installed. A really good amp for pop, funk, blues and light rock. I love the reverb and the 2 very useable channels. I have an alternate speaker in a 15" JBL D130 in a separate enclosure, gives it a different flavour. This is my favourite Fender amp. (My other amp is a Mesa Boogie Nomad 100).
Sounds great man! Speakers really make a huge difference. A long time ago I had an awesome Silvertone 1482 and with the original cab and speakers, it would break up like crazy and do that awesome garage rock sound. But then, if you hooked it up to a more modern 2x12 cab with higher powered speakers, the thing was like 5x louder and pretty clean until almost fully dimed.
Almost Stormy Monday at 5:45-ish? Awesome video, awesome playing, awesome attitude, keep it up bro! Thanks for doing what you do and best wishes from the land up-over, aka the U.S.
Sounds good. I'd keep this one. I've never really considered changing a speaker as an amp mod though. I consider it more like changing the strings or changing a tube. To me, modding involves solder, toxic fumes in an unventilated space, pin hole burns in your shirt, sliver splashes on the work surface and swearing...much swearing... In other words...FUN.
Always wanted to try a Texas Heat, chuck it in a 2x12" and see how it goes with a few amps. Seem pretty efficient too. I really need to get around to installing that Private Jack into my Marshall. Supposed to be like a greenback, only twice the power handling.
I have a Cannabis rex & a Fromel mod..( both made a huge difference) I bought one the first year they came out...& sold it a few years later..(after i found a Deluxe reverb)...Its nice having one again..& some great touring players have gone through it...(I rent it for backline)
Great video Shane. "Up to a point.." At that point the neighbors are calling the police. My wife is putting a pillow and blanket on the couch, where I will be sleeping.
Got a new mod for this amp Shane!!! Of course change the speaker and tubes. Now change the brite cap to 47pf. The cap going to the midrange wiper to 047 mfd. And finally connect the midrange wiper terminal to the midrange terminal back to the bass pot. Then you have finally changed it from a sad Marshall tone stack and midrange control back to an ACTUAL FENDER AMP. With the 47pf brite cap it now becomes usable. Compression and sparkle comes back big time. Use Crème Back !!
I think I might have finally cracked the secret of how to dial in the drive channel on these amps... Trying to find a good tone that worked for both my Strat and my Tele, I've settled on Drive at 8, Treble at 7, Bass at 5/6, Middle at 7, Master at 4, and Presence at 3.
An excellent pedal platform. For me, every amp is a pedal platform, including my DSL 20. I put the gain on about 4 or 5 and use a Boss DS-1 Waza Craft edition to boost it into glorious gain with a lot of clarity and cut. The thing about Fenders like the Blues Deluxe is they don't thin out with overdrive pedals. They retain a very special roundness to the notes. They're real workhorses and very, very loud. If a Fender amp says it's 15 watts, it's going to sound more like 50. It's more than enough volume. And nothing beats Fender cleans.
Nice demo. Lots of playing great licks with multiple pickups and only enough talking to let us know what we're listening to. They all should be done this well - thanks. P.S. I'm telling my wife it's your fault when mine shows up. :) Fantastic tone.
Funny you posted this now. I was thinking about buying a Swamp Thing for my Valco-made Custom Kraft 880 from the 1960s. I bought it on Ebay and it was supposed to come with a Jensen. Instead, when I unpacked it I found it had a Radio Shack speaker--ugh! Do you think the Swamp Thing can work its magic on a vintage amp?
Didn't you do a speaker shootout with Deluxes and the winner was a ceramic Jensen 12? Can't remember what Jensen it was. Was it a C12Q? I think it was.
I hardly ever use pedals , too distracting for me usually, where I end up twiddling knobs for an hour & play for 10 minutes lol . I really like this amp clean & dirty. 👍
Loved the video and just love your channel in general mate. Just a question about volumes: doesn't it get too loud to use at home past 1 on the clean channel knob?
The amp is great in general. I still have the old one and i have replaced the speaker with a Warehouse G12C..It was quite an improvement especially when played louder.
If you dig the Swamp Thang but don't want all the extra decibels check out the Eminence 1218. Its pretty much identical EQ but comes out 3db quieter. Great if you want the same vibe but at a lower stage volume.
I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue, and to me it sounds fine stock. I'd need to try different speakers at gig volumes to find out if there's anything to be gained by fitting a different one.
I recommend upgrading the output transformer. Really tightens up the flappy bass. I installed a BillMAudio output transformer on my princeton (I think it’s the same transformer as a blues deluxe but not sure).
From Leo: You are right, speakers make a huge difference. The only Amp that I have that still has stock speakers is the old Twin Reverb. I did not love the Peavey Valve King 50 until I put in an Eminence Cannabis Rex Speaker. Speakers can take an "OK" amp and make it great. A bad amp is still a bad amp. I have tried a great speaker in a crappy amp, and really did not gain anything.
I put a swamp thing in my deluxe based on your reviews. It sounds amazing!! Thanks for your insight. Love it! I never used the drive channel. Pedals into clean channel does it all!
Thanks Shane! I bought an Artist TC59 after watching your review and I love it. Then as you would have it I got a greal deal on a Fender blues delux reissue with the intention of using my helix LT through the clean ch and goggled it and who comes up.? this awesome video! I am looking at purchasing the eminnecs Swamp thang and I might have missed it but you used the 12inch speaker right?
These amps are pretty hard to beat for the price. Spending more really just gets you a lower noise floor and a more controllable tone stack - but in a gigging situation good luck trying to tell the difference.
DAMN THAT SOUNDS GOOD AT 7!!!! 🤯 I WANT ONE! 😁 Sorry for the caps, lol. Cranked my computer's stereo system for that! 😉😅 Caught that bit of Aussie band AC/DC for a sec there on the humbuckers! 😎👍
For most gigs, a fender pro jr, all the way up. I do t use pedals, just an LP and an LP special plugged in. And my volume knob. I don’t know if this is for me. If I can’t cook the tubes.
I also have the DSL 40C (swapped speaker to a Celestion Greenback). I'm actually looking into the blues deluxe or Peavey C50 2x12. Wanting a nice clean tone with built-in spring reverb. But also wanting to run in stereo with my dsl. Love ACDC and use the dsl for the Angus higher gain and then either blues or C50 for the milder Malcolm crunch. Maybe drive the blues clean channel with a MIAB. Any thoughts? Also...love your channel as always. Keep up the great work Shane!
What is the gizmo plugged into the input on your amp? Wireless?? I have an original hot rod deluxe I bought in 1998, but I only play at home nowadays. I get pretty similar tones as you do with the Tele. I never use the drive channel, just a old Joyo green box od. It's enough for me cuz I like clean tones more. Good video.
Kind of late, but would you say you get a nice SRV “lenny” tone from the Texas Heat? Seems to have that extra bit of “twang” to it vs the swamp thang while clean, although I suppose w dif amp settings the ST could have that break up too. Thinking about buying one or the other!
Got ‘93 example bought second hand & rather scruffy. Cleaned & Recapped it and replaced the dropper resistors. It had already had the vol pots changed so no sudden increase at 2. Sounds OK to me, but my hearing’s not the best, having worked in the woodworking industry. My first real tube amp.
That is killer! Great sounding amp. Have you tried the "tube" swap trick to help w/ volume control? Torn between getting a Blues Junior and a Deluxe. I have the Bassbreaker 30r and love it but I am going to be doing some blues jams and am looking for more of that tweed sound. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Great amps for the money if you like that sound and need that wattage. The 40 watt config is way more than I need, and I can’t really open this amp up properly even on stage. DRRI at 22 watts is all I need and would reasonably use on my loudest, biggest gigs which have PA support. Would love to have one though. Great review.
Hey man nice video! I would like to ask if you crank the volume up, the clean sound will turn into like distorted kinda sound without turning the gain up?
Nice amp. Never played one, but from listening to this vid I think it sounds much clearer little less midsey then a hotrod deluxe. Allmost blackface like. Do you agree?
Yeah buy those amps can be improved alot more. It needs good caps, a 1 meg pot in the volume hole and there are tweeks in the tone stack that make it alot better.
Yes it is a great channel - you can t go wrong with a fender amp. - Just one question. In another video you had hum problems with the reverb unit of your peavy 115 delta blues. Could you fix it? Or do the current version got rid of that problem? Btw. Where did you get all those great bluesmen posters/images from?
i wanted my Blues de Luxe to be as clean as it possible can be.I installed 2(two) 12AT7 in the pre-amp section(that is in the input and next to it) and voilà: greatest clean tone for jazz ,funk and whatever..Try this , if you happen to go for a clean tone, before trying to swap speakers. You`ll thank me later on.
Hi shane, i swapped mine for a creamback and i just rediscovered my FBD, what do you think about it? Thanks for your reviews i m addicted to your channel ;-) greatings from france
Awesome! My only complaint is you are a southpaw, and I can't steal your licks! I have 2 of these amps, and I think I will throw a Swamp Thang in one. I have an Eminence in one of them now. It killed the brittle tone of the amp and added some whomp to the low end.
That sounds really really good Shane. 👍 I had just recently got a Vox VX 15 GT. You wouldn't believe how lite it is. And this little practice amp sounds huge. Sounds much bigger than it is. It's my first ever Vox amp. The Fender blue's deluxe , I'd probably get one. But it would be cool to find a older one. Also , what do you think about Ormsby guitars...?
I have a rare question, And I hope somebody can help. Totally wright to change the stock speaker. I agree with everything here. But, sometimes I play it with the original extension cabinet. And it got a nice speaker original. With the stock speaker of the deluxe it was a HUGE improvement all the way in sound. But now, the swamp thang sound so good that playing with extension cabinet doesn’t make it better. Actually a little bit less. Does anyone have an experience with this? So, you can say, just leave it out, its loud enough. True, but the low end is better with 2 speakers and it carries a little bit more in distance witch is a good thing playing with a Bose system. Because the amp was too loud in front and they couldn’t hear it in the corners. That’s why I want to play 2 deluxe in stereo with cabinet to get more balance overall.
Very late to this, perhaps by design. How does this amp go now? Do you still have it? Have you had any issues with the channel switching / reverb switching?
I've still got it and I've had no issues with this amp. I never use the channel switching at all, the drive channel sort of sucks so I just use a pedal on the clean channel to get my tone. This amp has been bulletproof for me, it's worked so well.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
That Blues Deluxe has been a staple for your channel for years! Like most people, I’ve never thought of a speaker change to an amp as far as enhancing the sound. I now see the benefits of trying a different speaker to get a desired result. If I find a Blues Deluxe at a good price, might have to try it out!! Thanks Shane! Cheers!🎸🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🎼🎵
"Staple" is how I'd describe these yes. A quick look at 2nd hand listings show many are beat to death and come in flight cases..
Pretty good indicator its worth a punt.
what is a good price for that amp
I routinely upgrade stock speakers. It seems odd to me that there is so much focus on different amps, pick-ups, and even tonewood. A speaker change is easy and has a great impact on tone.
I have a Blues Deluxe reissue . I put an Eminence CR in it the 2nd day. In fact, I bought the CR first, specifically to be driven by that amp. If you're interested in tone, pick the speaker 1st. IMO
I came across this video a few years ago, put an Eminence Cannabis Rex in my Blues Deluxe Reissue, and years later i still get compliments on my tone. Thank you for the inspiration and love your videos!
I've had the Swamp Thang in my Blues Jr for years - absolutely love it. Love the channel, too - thanks!
David Carline
Hi and God bless!
It doesn’t matter that the blues junior has only 15 watts?
Sounds gorgeous! I went the opposite route; where The Swamp Thang is amazingly efficient, the Jensen p12q Reissue I put in mine is the least efficient option I could find- allows me to crank the amp a little more and the AlNiCo compression is very sweet- although Swamp Thang would be perfect for maximum headroom and volume! The Jensen made the amp seem more like a 22 watt Deluxe Reverb or something along those lines, whereas the Swamper probably makes it seem like a 60 watt amp! Crazy! Love the options!
I put a swamp thing in my deluxe based on your reviews. It sounds amazing!! Thanks for your insight. Love it! I never used the drive channel. Pedals into clean channel does it all!
I love my Blues Deluxe and it's been my Go To stage amp for years. Thanks so much for the review. I think that you sold me.
I didn't like how this amp sounded - but then again, I've never been a fan of the Fender tweed sound. I'll stick to silverfaces!
You managed to hit everything I would've wanted to see if I was interested in the amp. Keep up the great content! Gives us all something to do while we're trapped inside.
It just looks like a tweed. It isn't a tweed at all.
Russell E Simonetta what is it then?
Thanks for watching! Let me know if you have any questions. 😎🎸
Time Codes:
0:00 - Intro Track
1:34 - About the amplifier
2:17 - Clean Tones
4:14 - Clean channel loud
5:09 - Clean channel cranked
6:27 - Humbucker Test
7:27 - The Drive Channel with Humbuckers
9:11 - Drive Channel with Single Coils
10:30 - Fender Blues Deluxe Review
Check my amp out on Sweetwater:
►Blues Deluxe - imp.i114863.net/FenderBluesDeluxe
►Eminence Swamp Thang - imp.i114863.net/SwampThang
(affiliate links)
Someone should study why electric guitar players trade or sell things that they regret selling 5 minutes after they sold it. It's kind of unique to us. Every time somebody mentions they sold something and they wish they hadn't I think about all my stuff. And I start crying.
It's because of a lack of money to afford every piece of cool equipment on the market.
I have no idea, but I know golfers who buy and sell golf clubs, always at a loss, trying to improve their game all the time. I think it's just a guy thing I think.
That makes sense. LOL it's the equipment dammit it's not the ability.
You should sell tears, you’d be a rich man :)
I just don't get rid of anything - There's stuff from 30 years ago still sitting in the shed! The couple of guitars I did get rid of earlier on, I wish I had of kept knowing more about guitars now than back then. I probably could have done something with them now, but back then parts were limited and so was money.
I was only going through some old amp modules projects I came across the other day and really should resurrect and give them a whirl again.
Awesome video, as usual! I love this amp with the Swamp Thang, and so appreciate your videos turning me on to this amp. And I actually love the drive channel a lot. Your cranked drive channel sound was the best sound (to me) in the video. Makes me want to get a Gibson V! I set my own the same way and use an attentuator so that I don't get evicted...
Sounds killer! I love the idea of putting a different speaker in it. I've used a volume pedal in the effects loop for years and it allows me to attenuate the power of the amp in a way that I can really push the amp and keep the volume lower. Works for me and also sounds pretty dang good
OK! I ordered the Swamp Thang, got it, put it in yesterday. AMAZING! THANK YOU for the great advice! It is quite an improvement. I also put a Doc Watson Lion Tamer (attenuator) in the effects loop send/receive right on top of the amp (2" knob), which solves the volume pot issue.
I see it's been a while since you commented... I'm considering the Swamp Thag as well for a Blues Deluxe. Did the ST get rid of the sometimes harshness of the amp?
Love mine! Nodded with a Creamback speaker. Bought mine in 06 and never looked back!
Put one as well and so happy with it... ;-)
Just jumped to the Eminence Cannabis Rex in my HRD III. Changing up and having a new tone is so inspiring and fun :)
Texas Heat in mine too! Old Blues Player. Love this amp. It has done it all for me over the years.
Do you think the Texas Heat is better for earlier break up?
Hey Shane, great review. I once had a USA-made 1997 Hot Rod Deluxe that I modified with an Eminence Tonkerlite (neodymium magnet speaker so helped to cut the weight) as well as doing the Fromel mods. That was a beast of a clean pedal platform amp, but even then it was incredibly heavy. Switched a few amps ever since, and now I’m on the Fillmore 50 just because I personally think that the Fillmore has a much rounder tonality overall. Plus, there is no question the Fillmore’s drive modes are amazingly good. I wonder if the Blues Deluxe has any circuitry differences with the Hot Rod Deluxe. I would also recommend you check out the Hot Rod Deluxe IV, which has a pine cabinet, making it a lot lighter than the HRDx models before it.
I swapped to a Cannibus Rex speaker, and it also changed this amp for me. The right speaker for you in this amp will make a LOT of difference. My problem was ice picky brittle treble which has something to do with my technique. The Cannibus Rex warmed that up for me in ways I didn't think possible. Finding the right speaker to match your needs is a real joy.
Love to hear your perspective on modding blues deluxe reissue changing tubes and the impact this has on the pre amp and power amp stages and gain, especially swapping in a 12AY7 love your channel
Tactics 72 I also did a speaker swap in my blues deluxe re-issue and of course it made a huge difference… The stock speaker just was not very good. The three preamp tubes in my opinion or just a generic set up by fender because they know most people are going to change them out for different values like they do guitar strings. Placing a 12aY7 in the V1 slot really improves the sweep of the volume dial. This will give you much more gradual increments in the volume rather than a sudden jump from volume two to volume three. Leaving the 12aX7 in the V2 slot is fine because thats your gain stage and 12aX7 is a 100% distorted tube which serves a good purpose there. The V3 slot is the phase inverter which transfers the powers to the large tubes and I change that out to a 12at7 which in my opinion really settled the jitters down in this amp for a more mellow creamier clean sound. Coincidentally, this is the preamp tube lineup that fender uses in they’re 59 baseman amp..12ay7 - 12ax7 - 12at7 👍
@@musicmatty67 Thanks for the reply - that's awesome info , do you have any ideas if a 5751 swap would also give some more grunt back that the 12aY7 takes out and if so , where would you place it V1 OR V2
Tactics 72 v1 it’s a common mod. If you do a google will find a lot of info about all mod available for blues deluxe/hot rod deluxe.
I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue with a Celestion Vintage 30 installed. A really good amp for pop, funk, blues and light rock. I love the reverb and the 2 very useable channels. I have an alternate speaker in a 15" JBL D130 in a separate enclosure, gives it a different flavour. This is my favourite Fender amp. (My other amp is a Mesa Boogie Nomad 100).
I've had mine for a couple years and I love it. It does everything I want it too. Great warm tones. Likes pedals also.
Sounds great man! Speakers really make a huge difference. A long time ago I had an awesome Silvertone 1482 and with the original cab and speakers, it would break up like crazy and do that awesome garage rock sound. But then, if you hooked it up to a more modern 2x12 cab with higher powered speakers, the thing was like 5x louder and pretty clean until almost fully dimed.
Almost Stormy Monday at 5:45-ish?
Awesome video, awesome playing, awesome attitude, keep it up bro! Thanks for doing what you do and best wishes from the land up-over, aka the U.S.
Nice demo and thanks for the commitment to new content.
Sounds good. I'd keep this one.
I've never really considered changing a speaker as an amp mod though. I consider it more like changing the strings or changing a tube. To me, modding involves solder, toxic fumes in an unventilated space, pin hole burns in your shirt, sliver splashes on the work surface and swearing...much swearing... In other words...FUN.
The speaker swap will make a bigger change to the sound of an amp than ANY other mods.
Always wanted to try a Texas Heat, chuck it in a 2x12" and see how it goes with a few amps. Seem pretty efficient too. I really need to get around to installing that Private Jack into my Marshall. Supposed to be like a greenback, only twice the power handling.
Bought them both a year ago. Couldn't be happier.
I have a Cannabis rex & a Fromel mod..( both made a huge difference) I bought one the first year they came out...& sold it a few years later..(after i found a Deluxe reverb)...Its nice having one again..& some great touring players have gone through it...(I rent it for backline)
Great video Shane. "Up to a point.." At that point the neighbors are calling the police. My wife is putting a pillow and blanket on the couch, where I will be sleeping.
I swapped an Eminence Texas Heat in my 92’ blues deluxe. It rocks the house!
Got a new mod for this amp Shane!!! Of course change the speaker and tubes. Now change the brite cap to 47pf. The cap going to the midrange wiper to 047 mfd.
And finally connect the midrange wiper terminal to the midrange terminal back to the bass pot. Then you have finally changed it from a sad Marshall tone stack and
midrange control back to an ACTUAL FENDER AMP. With the 47pf brite cap it now becomes usable. Compression and sparkle comes back big time. Use Crème Back !!
I think I might have finally cracked the secret of how to dial in the drive channel on these amps... Trying to find a good tone that worked for both my Strat and my Tele, I've settled on Drive at 8, Treble at 7, Bass at 5/6, Middle at 7, Master at 4, and Presence at 3.
An excellent pedal platform. For me, every amp is a pedal platform, including my DSL 20. I put the gain on about 4 or 5 and use a Boss DS-1 Waza Craft edition to boost it into glorious gain with a lot of clarity and cut. The thing about Fenders like the Blues Deluxe is they don't thin out with overdrive pedals. They retain a very special roundness to the notes. They're real workhorses and very, very loud. If a Fender amp says it's 15 watts, it's going to sound more like 50. It's more than enough volume. And nothing beats Fender cleans.
Nice demo. Lots of playing great licks with multiple pickups and only enough talking to let us know what we're listening to. They all should be done this well - thanks. P.S. I'm telling my wife it's your fault when mine shows up. :) Fantastic tone.
Funny you posted this now. I was thinking about buying a Swamp Thing for my Valco-made Custom Kraft 880 from the 1960s. I bought it on Ebay and it was supposed to come with a Jensen. Instead, when I unpacked it I found it had a Radio Shack speaker--ugh! Do you think the Swamp Thing can work its magic on a vintage amp?
Sounds really nice, especially when cranked. I'm envious, living in an apartment, I never get the chance to play my amps loud. 😢
Didn't you do a speaker shootout with Deluxes and the winner was a ceramic Jensen 12? Can't remember what Jensen it was. Was it a C12Q? I think it was.
I hardly ever use pedals , too distracting for me usually, where I end up twiddling knobs for an hour & play for 10 minutes lol . I really like this amp clean & dirty. 👍
@Reid James I don't know if you're trying to be condescending but I have been playing since 1983. I think I know how to use pedals mate .
Loved the video and just love your channel in general mate. Just a question about volumes: doesn't it get too loud to use at home past 1 on the clean channel knob?
The amp is great in general. I still have the old one and i have replaced the speaker with a Warehouse G12C..It was quite an improvement especially when played louder.
Great review, great amp. BOTH chanels sound fantastic.
Sound so clean. How you make it sound clean like that in the video. Any special set up?
If you dig the Swamp Thang but don't want all the extra decibels check out the Eminence 1218. Its pretty much identical EQ but comes out 3db quieter. Great if you want the same vibe but at a lower stage volume.
I have a Blues Deluxe Reissue, and to me it sounds fine stock. I'd need to try different speakers at gig volumes to find out if there's anything to be gained by fitting a different one.
I recommend upgrading the output transformer. Really tightens up the flappy bass. I installed a BillMAudio output transformer on my princeton (I think it’s the same transformer as a blues deluxe but not sure).
From Leo: You are right, speakers make a huge difference. The only Amp that I have that still has stock speakers is the old Twin Reverb. I did not love the Peavey Valve King 50 until I put in an Eminence Cannabis Rex Speaker. Speakers can take an "OK" amp and make it great. A bad amp is still a bad amp. I have tried a great speaker in a crappy amp, and really did not gain anything.
I've always thought fender should do a single channel version of this amp just for pedals and call it the blues senior
They call it the blues jr
And I think Fender should stop shagging people who buy things from them.
That's a great idea. (I'd want mine at about 22 watts; like a deluxe reverb.. --- if they can that for me)
I put a swamp thing in my deluxe based on your reviews. It sounds amazing!! Thanks for your insight. Love it! I never used the drive channel. Pedals into clean channel does it all!
The Platinum Pearls how noticeable was the difference? This review would have been great with a before and after comparison.
Thanks Shane! I bought an Artist TC59 after watching your review and I love it. Then as you would have it I got a greal deal on a Fender blues delux reissue with the intention of using my helix LT through the clean ch and goggled it and who comes up.? this awesome video! I am looking at purchasing the eminnecs Swamp thang and I might have missed it but you used the 12inch speaker right?
These amps are pretty hard to beat for the price. Spending more really just gets you a lower noise floor and a more controllable tone stack - but in a gigging situation good luck trying to tell the difference.
DAMN THAT SOUNDS GOOD AT 7!!!! 🤯
I WANT ONE! 😁
Sorry for the caps, lol. Cranked my computer's stereo system for that! 😉😅
Caught that bit of Aussie band AC/DC for a sec there on the humbuckers! 😎👍
Swamp Thang Makes the Blues Deluxe sound much better, more like a good traditional fender sound, worth to change, in my ears!
For most gigs, a fender pro jr, all the way up. I do t use pedals, just an LP and an LP special plugged in. And my volume knob. I don’t know if this is for me. If I can’t cook the tubes.
I also have the DSL 40C (swapped speaker to a Celestion Greenback). I'm actually looking into the blues deluxe or Peavey C50 2x12. Wanting a nice clean tone with built-in spring reverb. But also wanting to run in stereo with my dsl. Love ACDC and use the dsl for the Angus higher gain and then either blues or C50 for the milder Malcolm crunch. Maybe drive the blues clean channel with a MIAB. Any thoughts? Also...love your channel as always. Keep up the great work Shane!
You need the Harley Benton power brake so you can crank the amp and keep the volume low enough to gig
What ells can I say it's a great amp I have had one since 1993
Hey Shane ..cool show ... what speaker was in it originally ... the 1x 12 "Special Design Eminence ?
I’m getting my deluxe hopefully have the enough money to have it next weekend! Going to buy an overdrive for it or a fuzz
What is the gizmo plugged into the input on your amp? Wireless?? I have an original hot rod deluxe I bought in 1998, but I only play at home nowadays. I get pretty similar tones as you do with the Tele. I never use the drive channel, just a old Joyo green box od. It's enough for me cuz I like clean tones more. Good video.
I'm not a pedal person so I really enjoyed this
Crank the amp and simply put a volume control in the fx loop. Problem solved. And eminence are fantastic. I've got a Texas heat in my amp.
Kind of late, but would you say you get a nice SRV “lenny” tone from the Texas Heat? Seems to have that extra bit of “twang” to it vs the swamp thang while clean, although I suppose w dif amp settings the ST could have that break up too. Thinking about buying one or the other!
What type of volume control would work?
Just bought one and I'll be changing out the stock 40 watt speaker with a Warehouse Guitar Speakers G12C, which I love in my Blues Jr.
I have the Wgs G12C in my BD. I'm not 100% convinced. I'm considering the Swamp Thang. Just so hard to really know by YT video's.
Got ‘93 example bought second hand & rather scruffy. Cleaned & Recapped it and replaced the dropper resistors. It had already had the vol pots changed so no sudden increase at 2. Sounds OK to me, but my hearing’s not the best, having worked in the woodworking industry. My first real tube amp.
Ah, this is the one you were talking about. Sounds stunning.
I put a celestion gold in mine. The improvement in sound is noticeable. Day and night I would say 🙂
Very polished sounding. I prefer the rude rough old school heavenly bluesed out tone of the original.
That is killer! Great sounding amp. Have you tried the "tube" swap trick to help w/ volume control? Torn between getting a Blues Junior and a Deluxe. I have the Bassbreaker 30r and love it but I am going to be doing some blues jams and am looking for more of that tweed sound. Any thoughts? Thanks!
This amp also sounds great with a Warehouse ET-65!!! Nice review✌️
i run WGS Veteran 30's in my Bandmaster (made into a 1-12 combo) and my 66 Deluxe Reverb....killer
Great amps for the money if you like that sound and need that wattage. The 40 watt config is way more than I need, and I can’t really open this amp up properly even on stage. DRRI at 22 watts is all I need and would reasonably use on my loudest, biggest gigs which have PA support. Would love to have one though. Great review.
Hey man nice video! I would like to ask if you crank the volume up, the clean sound will turn into like distorted kinda sound without turning the gain up?
Nice amp. Never played one, but from listening to this vid I think it sounds much clearer little less midsey then a hotrod deluxe. Allmost blackface like. Do you agree?
I love mine. I read that some minor changes were made in 2018 to the design. Is that true?
@intheblues Any suggestions on getting more mids out of your swamp thang?
Great video as always!!!
Yeah buy those amps can be improved alot more. It needs good caps, a 1 meg pot in the volume hole and there are tweeks in the tone stack that make it alot better.
Just want to say keep up the great content man.
Thanks mate!
Yes it is a great channel - you can t go wrong with a fender amp.
- Just one question. In another video you had hum problems with the reverb unit of your peavy 115 delta blues. Could you fix it? Or do the current version got rid of that problem?
Btw. Where did you get all those great bluesmen posters/images from?
You like those Swamp Thangs, gonna have to try one.
I put a Creamback in mine and it made a huge difference. Where do you typically set the EQ?
i wanted my Blues de Luxe to be as clean as it possible can be.I installed 2(two) 12AT7 in the pre-amp section(that is in the input and next to it) and voilà: greatest clean tone for jazz ,funk and whatever..Try this , if you happen to go for a clean tone, before trying to swap speakers. You`ll thank me later on.
Hi shane, i swapped mine for a creamback and i just rediscovered my FBD, what do you think about it? Thanks for your reviews i m addicted to your channel ;-) greatings from france
I put the whs G12C/S - 75 watts in my blues deluxe and it sounds great
Excellent playing! 👍
Great video I'm going to have to check one out. Stay safe Sir 👍
So how much break in time did the speaker have before you made the video ???
Sure sounds smooth !
Great! What speaker Will You install un a Hot Rod Deville?
How would this sound for hard rock / metal with a friedman BEOD pedal. A lot of forums say these dont take OD / dirt pedals that well?
Can’t decide if I want to buy this or a Twin Tonemaster. How could you compare the clean tones and head room?
Where is the little blues part you play at 4:20 from or what is it based on? Keep hearing it and it sounds really cool, especially the start of it.
It's a little-wing thing at the start then just playing over some chords. :)
@@intheblues Ah, so it is! No wonder it sounded familiar. Doh!
Sounds great man looking for one
Awesome! My only complaint is you are a southpaw, and I can't steal your licks! I have 2 of these amps, and I think I will throw a Swamp Thang in one. I have an Eminence in one of them now. It killed the brittle tone of the amp and added some whomp to the low end.
nice sounds your getting!!!
Sweet ... that V is just great
Have you reviewed the new Mustang amps yet?
I tried a swamp thing and it was awesome but then I tried a Canabis Rex and man it sounds even better...
Love it!
That sounds really really good Shane. 👍
I had just recently got a Vox VX 15 GT. You wouldn't believe how lite it is. And this little practice amp sounds huge. Sounds much bigger than it is. It's my first ever Vox amp.
The Fender blue's deluxe , I'd probably get one. But it would be cool to find a older one.
Also , what do you think about Ormsby guitars...?
I have a rare question, And I hope somebody can help. Totally wright to change the stock speaker. I agree with everything here. But, sometimes I play it with the original extension cabinet. And it got a nice speaker original. With the stock speaker of the deluxe it was a HUGE improvement all the way in sound. But now, the swamp thang sound so good that playing with extension cabinet doesn’t make it better. Actually a little bit less. Does anyone have an experience with this? So, you can say, just leave it out, its loud enough. True, but the low end is better with 2 speakers and it carries a little bit more in distance witch is a good thing playing with a Bose system. Because the amp was too loud in front and they couldn’t hear it in the corners. That’s why I want to play 2 deluxe in stereo with cabinet to get more balance overall.
Sounds good
Great amp!
Very late to this, perhaps by design. How does this amp go now? Do you still have it? Have you had any issues with the channel switching / reverb switching?
I've still got it and I've had no issues with this amp. I never use the channel switching at all, the drive channel sort of sucks so I just use a pedal on the clean channel to get my tone. This amp has been bulletproof for me, it's worked so well.
good move the stock speaker in the bdr is not that good muddy and not very clear.
Nice sounds.
As much as I hate to maintain tube amps, this thing is making me reconsider my options....😂
MrZero316 I have never had to do a thing to my tube/valve amps. My 69 Alamo is still running on original everything. Knock knock on wood!