Running My Fender Hotrod Deluxe without powertubes?????

[Brad166]

Any harm in running My Fender Hotrod Deluxe without powertubes?????

What I want to do is Im recording a song. But being in a family enviornment the noise can get to be a problem so I was recording direct using the preamp output. But when doing that the amp still plays out loud too. So would it hurt to pull the powertubes since Im just using the preamp. Iv never heard of any damage being done by running a tube amp without the tubes installed but just wanted to dubble check. Thanks everyone!!!!

[oldhousescott]

Stick a shorted plug into the power amp in jack and that should kill the sound.

[Brad166]

Thanks oldhousescott, That worked out great. Dose this just open the circuit so no signal is making it to the power tubes?

Thanks again!!!

[oldhousescott]

Exactly!

[Zippy]

Huh?

Doesn't inserting a shorted plug provide a short to ground?

An open jack would open the circuit providing that the amp uses a switching jack.

Eh, if it works...

[selloutrr]

both ways would work it's just creating a break in circuit by opening the shunt on the tip of the panel jack. As long as the circuit is open and the signal path is broken it wont put signal into the power section. = no noise.

[Brad166]

Actualy an open jack didnt work. I tried before i went through the trouble to short it just to see. Strangly enough it had no effect.....so I shorted it....

[Zippy]

Did you check to see what the schematic shows?

What kind of jacks are installed?

Is it possible that your switching jack isn't working properly?

[Zippy]

Here's your schematic:

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/fen ... deluxe.pdf

[Structo]

If you don't have power tubes in the amp, can't you just unplug the speaker?

[tubeswell]

Pulling the output tubes out shouldn't hurt the amp al all. It'll just make the pre-amp voltages run higher (because there will be less of a load on the B+). Provided that the preamp tube plate voltages don't creep above about 350 or so, it should be fine.

[Zippy]

both ways would work it's just creating a break in circuit by opening the shunt on the tip of the panel jack. As long as the circuit is open and the signal path is broken it wont put signal into the power section. = no noise.

That's what I thought too. Looking at the schematic, it seems that Fender didn't want to do it that simply.