Fender Hot Rod Deluxe making popping noise
Ah yes, the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. I have seen more of these in my shop than any other amplifier!! I have even sent recomendations for design changes to Fender about this amplifier.
Sadly, your amp tech may be correct: while the amp is within working specs, you can still have an issue with a bad socket. The cheapest thing to try is to replace the preamp tube(s) you think may be causing the problem. If the problem persists, it may need to be serviced on this issue (by a different 'certified Fender tech'). In defense of the last tech you had work on this amp, these amplifiers have a brittle design and do not gig or travel well (there are a minority of these amps made that do perform). Fender tried to do too much for the price on this model: best advice is to fix it, sell it and get your tone with a more stable model made by Fender (like the new vintage re-issues). Fender, like Marshall, has for years been having problems when they get too far from thier 'working reciepe' of what made them great companies.
You likely have a socket that needs re-tensioned, or a preamp tube not behaving. If it is not these, then a tech had to dive in the house of cards that is this circuit. Sorry for the bad news on this, but it is the truth. I only take on Hot Rods that 'appear' to be fixable. I am a development engineer, build amps from scratch and fix them for the local music shops, and my success rate is a dismal 60%-ish percent on these...
Thanks,-mike
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