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Omega Amp Mod ($250) or Granger DIY mod kit ($40) ?


aug123

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So I own a limited edition Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with the Python tortex and the celestion vintage 30 in the back. I want to be able to use that amp for clean, overdrive, and distortion but it doesn't sound good at all.

What I like about it: loud when you need it, 3 channel set up, fx loop, nice reverb, light overdrive sounds alright enough, possible extension cab, celestion speaker vs stock, good clean below 3 for laying effects and dirt boxes on. What I don't like: the volume jump (pot sensitivity) between 1 and 2 = can't hear or TURN IT DOWN, the unpleasant breakup of the clean channel past 3, the extremely unmusical and brittle highs, the muddy muffled, crappy overdrive+ and 3rd channel distortion (which sounds like an added cheap digital overdrive box was stepped on for added gain), and the unresponsive non touch sensitive dynamics

I think the cure might be a modification by someone. Two companies stick out in my mind. One is the Omega amp mods. It's 250 plus return shipping of chassis and people rave about Jim Prices mod on harmomycentral. I read reviews, watched videos, and read and it sounds like a good investment but its pretty pricey. I watched a video of a Granger modded hot rod deluxe and it blew me away! Blew me away way more than the video of the Omega Modded amp. Curt Granger did the demo with Van Halen like riffs and it sounded awesome. It is the tone i want: good fender clean and marshall light overdrive all the way to heavy marshall hard rock tone. It says on the website that you can by a mod kit that requires basic sodering knowledge (which i dont have, so ill take it to the local music shop which will cost some $$ for service). If $40 + a lil more $$ will make my fender's distortion sound like it did in the video, with the good clean and great marshally distortion, ill take that but if $250 guarantees me a solid amp, ill take that.

Anyone with experience with either company, leave a comment or two. The SOUND i love is the marshall distortion. I have a lil older MD range Marshall thats 30 watts and sounds great to a certain point. If it only had the touch and warmth of a good tube amplifier, i wouldn't even have the fender amp right now. I love the fender clean for well, clean guitar and for adding effects and dirt boxes on. I think this is my last resort. If this mod thing doesnt work, I'll probably buy a DSL100 or something even better. I just don't want to purchase another nightmare, I'd rather try my best to make the fender i have now work.

 

HELP! NEED KICK-ASS MARSHALL DISTORTION OUT OF BOTH CHANNELS AND BETTER FENDER CLEAN OUT OF A HOT ROD DELUXE

 

Message was edited by: aug123 http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=granger+modded+hot+rot+deluxe&aq=f this is the URL for a page containing the two comparative vids i discuss in the thread

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well i wanna try this and if it doesn't work, i'm going to sell it and probably get a DSL 100. do you have any experience with either company? i mean check out the videos in my post, they both make this amp sound great

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well i wanna try this and if it doesn't work, i'm going to sell it and probably get a DSL 100. do you have any experience with either company? i mean check out the videos in my post, they both make this amp sound great

 

 

A mod won't make it sound like Marshall, the architecture is too different.

 

Plus you won't get your money back in the resale.

 

Sell it, get a used DSL50, they are plentiful and cheap

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A mod won't make it sound like Marshall, the architecture is too different.


Plus you won't get your money back in the resale.


Sell it, get a used DSL50, they are plentiful and cheap

 

 

Dude, click on that link in my post. The omega mod just sounds like an improved amp from a mod but check out the granger mod video, it sounds like van halen...i would love it if my hot rod deluxe could sound like that amp in the video

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Crunchbox is from MI audio. You'll be impressed when you hear it.

 

 

that pedal sounds really good. i might be interested in that...thanks man. you should check out Wamplerpedals.com if you don't already know about it. check out the pinnacle 2 - evh in a box

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  • 2 years later...
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Got my HotRod DeVille 4X10 back from Jim Price of Omega Amps a couple months ago.  LOVED it when I got it, gave it time to sink in, and LOVE it even MORE as time passes.  The whole experience was great.  Jim can do literally anything and he offers several different mods depending on what you are looking for.  Better yet is that he will take as much time as you need on the phone explaining all the options.  A couple minutes talking with Jim and it's obvious how much he loves what he does.  From first contact to getting the amp back I felt that I was the most important thing on his plate.  Turnaround was only about a week for me.  Payment method was secure and confirmed.  His fee is worth the mod-improvement many many times over.  He even e-mailed me when the amp was close to being done and about to ship back.  I had a few Q's after getting it back and he was still as interested in my amp as I was, -great guy.   With respect to sound, I opted for his "lead mod".  This mod is not meant to sound like a hard hitting Marshall (he can do that too though).  I got far more than I expected.  My dist channel went from unusable to the fattest, smoothest, richest, note-blooming, harmonic-singing, full-bodied tone I have ever owned.   The tone is so pleasing it causes me to slow down and hang on notes to work them longer.  I was hoping to get a charismatic lead sound that I just couldn't get out of my Bogner, Soldano, Marshall, or other amps and Jim gave me just that.   Clean channel remained similar - less boomy and a little thicker.  5-Stars for Jim and REALY glad I pulled the trigger on this mod!!

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