Amp for lapsteel..............
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- Jerry Hayes
- Posts: 7489
- Joined: 3 Mar 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Virginia Beach, Va.
Amp for lapsteel..............
I just purchased a Peavey Classic 30 amp to play lead guitar with and thought I'd try it out with my lapsteel just for kicks. As it turns out the thing is a killer amp for a lapsteel. I have an old forties vintage Regal (Made in Chicago) six string and I'll have to say it was very easy to get the vintage steel sounds with this amp. They're only 30 watts, all tube, with a 12" Blue Marvel speaker. If you're looking for a nice lapsteel amp you might look into one of these, plus, they're very affordable........JH in Va.
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
You've struck gold!
I've been praising the 30s for a while now. The post gain knob (correction made, see below) is possibly the most important feature on these amps and if used right can allow Bakelite players a chance to get the stunning sounds Jerry Byrd did in the early day's when he was blowing minds, before becoming an A Team ace.
But that's only 1 part of the many 'secrets' of his trade.
But that's only 1 part of the many 'secrets' of his trade.
Last edited by Ron Whitfield on 2 Oct 2008 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 544
- Joined: 15 May 2007 1:31 pm
- Location: California, USA
presence?
I too picked up one of these recently to play the model 59 through. I don't have a presence knob though. Treble, middle, bass,reverb, post gain, pre gain, normal volume. Sounds really good using the send out to a stereo wet rig and the lap steel. Sounds amazing with six string strat. The previous owner installed JJ tubes and a jensen neo speaker to keep the weight down. I'm an Alnico guy though, so I'll probably switch out the neo for something else.
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 10 Sep 2008 4:14 pm
- Location: Calgary, Canada
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
Correction!
In checking things out, I'm in error here. It's NOT a presence knob, but rather the POST GAIN knob that is the particular function which is key. Turning this to 8 or 9 brings forth a very nice change to the usual tone from these amps. Experiment with it to find what you like best.
There is no presence function, sorry for the mis-info/confusion!
I was turned onto all this from a fellow forumite and very good friend/devotee of JB's, someone who has intimate knowledge of Jerry's old sound and one of the very few to ever replicate it at all. After getting his 30 and recording with it using a B6, he sent a tape to 2 other well known forum members and fellow JB devotee's whom immediately raved about it and needing to know 'how?'.
There is no presence function, sorry for the mis-info/confusion!
I was turned onto all this from a fellow forumite and very good friend/devotee of JB's, someone who has intimate knowledge of Jerry's old sound and one of the very few to ever replicate it at all. After getting his 30 and recording with it using a B6, he sent a tape to 2 other well known forum members and fellow JB devotee's whom immediately raved about it and needing to know 'how?'.
-
- Posts: 544
- Joined: 15 May 2007 1:31 pm
- Location: California, USA
Yes!!!
I tried it, I like it! This amp sounds so good, it's embarrassing how much I've paid for some other boutiques that have moved on.
- Delvin Morgan
- Posts: 614
- Joined: 19 Sep 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Lindstrom, Minnesota, USA
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
Delvin, I've been interested in these lil amps for a long time but felt they would break up to much & too soon, and not be suited for clean steel sounds, even at lower volumes, tho I love a touch of 'hair' at times.
What do you find possitive about this amp?
Sounds like you prefer a tad more distortion than I'd prefer with steel.
What do you find possitive about this amp?
Sounds like you prefer a tad more distortion than I'd prefer with steel.
- Delvin Morgan
- Posts: 614
- Joined: 19 Sep 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Lindstrom, Minnesota, USA
-
- Posts: 68
- Joined: 3 Jul 2006 12:01 am
- Location: Tennessee, USA
- Ray Montee
- Posts: 9506
- Joined: 7 Jul 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon (deceased)
- Contact:
Personally, here's what I believe......................
I'm aware when one gets to be my age, others much younger tend to look at your comments and choices with a jaundiced eye, however..........
I think anyone that is truly interested in getting the MOST out of their olde time lap steel......
not the ones interested only in the SCREAMING ABILITY of the g'tar.........
should definitely considering taking their g'tar down to the local old music store. They should forget the great BIG MUSCLE AMPS and head directly to the old guitar bins, in back and plug into some of that top o'the line equipment that was specifically designed for their guitars back in the hey-days of real steel guitar music.
Those old amps and these lap steels that are again surfacing today, were made for each other. The sound they put out is really quite invigorating. Those little 8-10 inch Rola speakers or others of similar design, might just surprise YOU! It costs nothing to look into the topic. If you need more power, mike it into the pa system.
I think anyone that is truly interested in getting the MOST out of their olde time lap steel......
not the ones interested only in the SCREAMING ABILITY of the g'tar.........
should definitely considering taking their g'tar down to the local old music store. They should forget the great BIG MUSCLE AMPS and head directly to the old guitar bins, in back and plug into some of that top o'the line equipment that was specifically designed for their guitars back in the hey-days of real steel guitar music.
Those old amps and these lap steels that are again surfacing today, were made for each other. The sound they put out is really quite invigorating. Those little 8-10 inch Rola speakers or others of similar design, might just surprise YOU! It costs nothing to look into the topic. If you need more power, mike it into the pa system.
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
That's a completely different animal, Janet, but you never know what 'magic' it can produce until you dig into it.
Here's a page for P-30 mods - www.blueshawk.info/pdfs/peavey%20classic30%20mods.pdf
Many say that a tube swap does wonders to improve the sound on these amps, as well as a speaker up-grade.
On Ebay, seller - mondojoey - has the 'suck knob' to allow retaining your favorite tone settings at lower volume levels. This is made specifically for the P-30.
Here's a page for P-30 mods - www.blueshawk.info/pdfs/peavey%20classic30%20mods.pdf
Many say that a tube swap does wonders to improve the sound on these amps, as well as a speaker up-grade.
On Ebay, seller - mondojoey - has the 'suck knob' to allow retaining your favorite tone settings at lower volume levels. This is made specifically for the P-30.
Last edited by Ron Whitfield on 3 Oct 2008 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Gary Stevenson
- Posts: 324
- Joined: 18 Sep 2006 12:01 am
- Location: Northern New York,USA
-
- Posts: 3740
- Joined: 29 Oct 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
If you have a variety, of say five different lap steels, and five different amps, you will find that certain guitars sound best with certain amps. Don't know why, but maybe pickup impedance matches the the amp input section (pre-amp)
Derrick Mau has tried all the combinations with the guitars and amps he has, and sez some combos just don't sound too good.
Derrick Mau has tried all the combinations with the guitars and amps he has, and sez some combos just don't sound too good.
-
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: 15 Nov 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
- Contact:
Absolutely, Bill
I've brought this matter up with Derrick a number of times over the years.
The whole 'magical' aspect of combining a player's style/approach/attack, with a guitar set up intimately/properly and then with an amp in top running order with tubes/electronics/speakers tailored exactly to match up with both is what it's all about. It also has to do with each individual's style of playing/approach/attack on the guitar. What might work perfectly for one person may not be the optimum set up for another. You have to take this combination and search for the componant that emphisizes it all together to the extreme and then it's up to the player to make it all work. When it does, that's 'magic'!
I've not heard many steelers talk about this without me bringing it up and don't know how many focus on it instead of just going for merely an 'acceptable' sound. It came into my mind long ago from hearing rockers like style/tone monsters such as Jimi & SRV mention the art of finding exactly the set up that worked best for them.
The whole 'magical' aspect of combining a player's style/approach/attack, with a guitar set up intimately/properly and then with an amp in top running order with tubes/electronics/speakers tailored exactly to match up with both is what it's all about. It also has to do with each individual's style of playing/approach/attack on the guitar. What might work perfectly for one person may not be the optimum set up for another. You have to take this combination and search for the componant that emphisizes it all together to the extreme and then it's up to the player to make it all work. When it does, that's 'magic'!
I've not heard many steelers talk about this without me bringing it up and don't know how many focus on it instead of just going for merely an 'acceptable' sound. It came into my mind long ago from hearing rockers like style/tone monsters such as Jimi & SRV mention the art of finding exactly the set up that worked best for them.