Blues Deluxe Mods: A Different Amp Than You Think
Real Fender Blues Deluxe schematic values for the tone stack, presence control and bias trim, and why this amp's actual mod list differs from the Hot Rod Deluxe's.
Tech pages · Mods & Builds
The Bench, Written Down
Long-form write-ups of real repair and design work — measured, not guessed. Every article stands on its own; most come with the math and the schematic.
Searches titles, topics and the full text of every article.
6 articles
What a Tone Stack Actually Does
How the passive Bass/Mid/Treble network in a guitar amp actually works, why Fender, Marshall and Vox sound so different from the same topology, and why turning Mid up turns it down.
Taming the Blues Junior: A Blackface‑Flavored Makeover
Blues Junior mods with real component values: the 10k input grid stopper, the 100 pF volume treble bleed, the Twin tone stack swap, and the 1500 pF cap that makes it nasal.
The Ultimate Hot Rod Deluxe Mod
Fix the Hot Rod Deluxe's PCB-cooking dropping resistors, then rework the power amp and preamp for a blackface-style feel and usable drive channels.
Pickup Coils in Parallel: Why Not?
Why humbuckers wired in parallel stay hum-cancelling and sound brighter than a coil split — and the two real reasons the industry never adopted the wiring.
Plexi Marshall Heresy: "The Grinder" Mod
How replacing a Marshall's cathode follower with a fourth gain stage produces a fatter, higher-gain amp — with the gain staging, attenuators and feedback maths behind it.
