[Harp-L] Re: Fender DeVille as a harp amp

[AV1901@xxxxxxx]

I owned (for @ 9 years) and used for harp for about 2 years a 1995  Fender 
Blues DeVille (tweed with 4 - 10 inch blue frame alnico speakers). I sold  it on 
EBay last year to - what else - help finance another amp purchase. As a  
guitar amp, it was one of the LOUDEST and most piercing Fender amps I've  ever 
heard. As a harp amp, I enjoyed it while I used it. I always wished I could  have 
put in a tube rectifier, though. It had reverb (which I don't like as well  
as delay for harp). It was the best version of the DeVille for harp, better 
than  the 2x12 of the same era, or later ones (tweed 4x10 with the gold/orange 
Fender  Jensen labeled speakers or the most recent Hot Rod Deville black tolex  
amps).  You can pick one up for $400 - 600.
 
Mine sounded best for harp with some pre-amp tube swaps ( 12AT7 rather than  
12AX7 in one or two positions) through the regular channel, although the 
master  volume channel was handy for low volume at home practice. I never had any 
of the  problems I've heard others warn about (broken input jack, potential 
Printed  Circuit board problems). In fact, mine survived the rigors of gig to gig 
 transports, and once was soaked with water during an outdoor block party and 
 played fine once I dried off in the sun in my back yard for a nice long 
sunny  summer afternoon (maybe I should advocate "amp soaking" as well as harp  
soaking?). 
 
Andy Vincent