Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with Les Paul

[johnt]

Hi,
I was gigging last night with the HRD and my Epi Les Paul with DiMarzios (PAF 36th Anni neck, Super Distortion bridge).

I've owned the HRD with stock Eminence speaker for a few years now and never had any problems, however I have always gigged it with my Strats and Teles - great sound!
I have a fairly extensive pedal board with analogue effects (timed effects go through the effects loop).

Last night however with the Les Paul (I didn't take the Fenders) , no matter what I did my clean sound was distorted, not in a pleasant way, rather in a raspy sound through the speaker, using the clean channel. The usual lovely pure cleans that I have come to expect just weren't there. Volume was around 3 (quite a big gig) and my amp was mic'd to the large PA system. The raspy sound was coming from the speaker, nothing to do with the PA. I was very disappointed and wondering why this was so different to the otherwise great sound I have with my Strats and Tele. I am thinking that maybe I need to get a Marshall to use the Les Paul with

It occurred to me this morning that I was using the DiMArzio loaded LP through input one of the amp and the manual says that input 2 is designed for high output or pre-amplified (active) instruments.

I'm now thinking should I have used input 2? Would this have solved the problem?

It's difficult to emulate this at home because as we all know HRDs are VERY LOUD even at low volume settings

Thanks for your thoughts.

JohnT

[slapshot]

i always used input 2
just plug it in and strum a chord and see?

[johnt]

Would an Epi Les Paul with DiMarzios' (13.4k Super Distortion) be classed as a 'high output instrument?'

JohnT

[dubcut]

I only recently became aware of this myself, my stock double cutaway is apparently a high output instrument, the cleans do exactly as you describe.

You can run an A/B box to swap you over Hi/Lo if you like the BIte on HI for driven sound....

[johnt]

Originally Posted by dubcut

I only recently became aware of this myself, my stock double cutaway is apparently a high output instrument, the cleans do exactly as you describe.

You can run an A/B box to swap you over Hi/Lo if you like the BIte on HI for driven sound....

Well this is reassuring since I thought: -
a) my speaker is damaged or
b) My HRD can't handle a Les Paul for cleans at gig volume;

'The bite on HI' is really not kind on the ear as it was sounding like a wasp in a bean can.

My band has a rehearsal in the week. I'll crank it a little to try emulating the racket I was hearing last night and then switch to input 2. So what exactly is the 'LO' input doing and would this be okay at any volume level?

Thanks for the help.

JohnT

[johnt]

Well I tried both inputs at rehearsal the other night. Not happy...

Now considering part-exchanging the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for a Blackstar Stage 60. This seems to work well with both single coil guitars as well as those with humbuckers.

What do you think?

JohnT

[Scooter2112]

Originally Posted by johnt

Would an Epi Les Paul with DiMarzios' (13.4k Super Distortion) be classed as a 'high output instrument?'

JohnT

Is this an honest question?? Seriously?

[Sukkoi19]

Super D always seems hotter than the numbers would indicate. I have never played one is a Paul only Strats and Super Strats but they always seem like they have a lot punch.

[Splattle101]

Yes, your guitar with Super Distortions is a high output instrument.

[johnt]

Originally Posted by Scooter2112

Is this an honest question?? Seriously?

Thanks , yes I was serious as I didn't know if this meant purely active guitars.

Thanks anyhow.

[Thunder Dump]

Did you have the volume pots dimed on the LP? Dial back to the 5-8 range and it should clean up a hot pickup very nicely.