# Fender Deluxe VM Experience?



## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

I have inherited a "Vintage Modified" Fender Deluxe from a friend. He had issues with it almost from the day he bought it and finally gave up on getting it repaired, even after having it to an authorized Fender repair shop. Apparently the tech grimaced when he saw the amp!
The line of amps seems to have been short-lived and there's little info on the internet. The common problem seems to be the same as what is happening with this amp - volume dropping in and out. It acts like a bad connection but doing the chopstick test on boards and wiring doesn't seem to show anything. I've examined solder connections best I can without pulling boards, which is likely my next step.
At one point I thought I had it narrowed down to the standby switch (others on the internet have mentioned this).I moved wires to the unused side of the switch and problem still exists though that may not mean anything if the lugs on the switch share the same guts internally.
I'm wondering if any of the experienced repair folk on this forum have had these amps on their bench and if they've experienced this same issue?
Thanks!


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

If you suspect the standby switch, attach both wires together on the same lug of the switch so it's bypassed. See if it still cuts in and out.
Don't worry about hurting things without standby, it will be fine.
If there is still a problem, put a patch cord between the send and return jacks, play it like that and see if that helps.
The schematic shows a bunch of multi-pin connectors (8 in lower right of pg.1). If that's how it's built, I can see why the grimace from the tech. Those connectors can be problematic.
If it's lead-free solder (likely with modern stuff), bad joints are not always visible like they are with traditional leaded solder.


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

First of all , I have one of those amps and its fantastic....I have no idea why this type of amp from Fender didn't become a huge seller.
OK....enough of that stuff...
Here is my suggestion.
Unless you are a qualified amp repair tech....*stop messing around* and get the amp fixed by a qualified professional.
The amp is well worth fixing and then some.
Below is a pic of my amp.
G.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

GTmaker said:


> Here is my suggestion.
> Unless you are a qualified amp repair tech....*stop messing around* and get the amp fixed by a qualified professional.


Thank you for the concern and the sage advice. Wish you had told me that 40 years ago.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

ampaholic said:


> what is happening with this amp - volume dropping in and out


 Omg, had that issue with a VM head. It was a Kijiji buy. The issue started 2 days in. I took it to a very good amp tech who monitored it for 2 weeks with no issue. I was actually in my car on the way to pick it up when he called saying it happened again. Once I got the head back, I sold it pronto. I can't stand unreliable products like that.


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

DaddyDog said:


> Omg, had that issue with a VM head. It was a Kijiji buy. The issue started 2 days in. I took it to a very good amp tech who monitored it for 2 weeks with no issue. I was actually in my car on the way to pick it up when he called saying it happened again. Once I got the head back, I sold it pronto. I can't stand unreliable products like that.


I can understand if the amp tech had the amp for 2 weeks and didnt see anything wrong so there was nothing to fix.
But your saying the amp tech saw/heard the problem and did nothing !!!! Why didnt he fix it? Doesn't sound like a "very good" amp tech to me.
What your really should not stand for is unreliable amp techs. I hope he didnt charge you too much for doing nothing.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Update: I bypassed the standby switch and so far it seems to have solved the problem. Typically the issue would surface within seconds of turning the amp on and after taking the bypass switch out of the circuit I've run the amp for an hour without any problem.
The switch is physically smaller than most Fender switches stocked so I've placed an order for the proper switch. I won't hold my breath that it will get here quickly!


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## stratele52 (Oct 25, 2010)

GTmaker said:


> I can understand if the amp tech had the amp for 2 weeks and didnt see anything wrong so there was nothing to fix.
> But your saying the amp tech saw/heard the problem and did nothing !!!! Why didnt he fix it? Doesn't sound like a "very good" amp tech to me.
> What your really should not stand for is unreliable amp techs. I hope he didnt charge you too much for doing nothing.



Too many guys working as a amp tech are not qualified, they are "jack of all thread or handy man". A real amp tech fix the amp easily


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## hgem1031 (9 mo ago)

GTmaker said:


> First of all , I have one of those amps and its fantastic....I have no idea why this type of amp from Fender didn't become a huge seller.
> OK....enough of that stuff...
> Here is my suggestion.
> Unless you are a qualified amp repair tech....*stop messing around* and get the amp fixed by a qualified professional.
> ...


If you read his post it's already been to multiple fender authorized technicians and they couldn't do it just like mine nobody knows what it is and it's doing the exact same thing you can be in the middle of playing it and it sounds like you walk over and turn the volume down and it buzzing while it's doing it and then it buzzes as it starts to get louder the bus goes away the guitar comes back in to play and then sometimes it'll go out and stay out and not come on for days


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