Cyber Twin for steel?

Ben Turner · Post by **Ben Turner** » 15 Apr 2009 12:13 am

Anyone using one of these amps for steel? I've been messing around with it and have gotten some down right delicious tone out of it for pedal steel. I haven't tried using it in a live application yet which I normally right now either use my Fender SK or NV112. Was wondering if anyone has used this amp live in a steel application. I think it would do the job as long as it's mic'd. Has 2 stereo balanced line outs with the speaker sim. might sound pretty decent running direct.

Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions/personal experience?

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 15 Apr 2009 5:28 am

I've had one for years and like it. You can probably search the electronics section for some old posts.

Jaclyn Jones · Post by **Jaclyn Jones** » 15 Apr 2009 6:08 am

I have a Cybertwin and have used it for regular guitar (Tele & Brian Moore). Have had it since they were introduced. I love the amp but could not get the clear tones for steel, so I use a Nashville 400. If you find the right settings I would love to try them.

Carl Morris · Post by **Carl Morris** » 15 Apr 2009 8:05 am

I'm a beginner steel player, but an experiences guitar sound nut who appreciates the sound of steel. I really like my cybertwin head, but need more bass than I'm currently getting from a pair of old twin reverb 12s in wedge monitor cabinets. I love the stereo tape delay in the amp, and the ease of switching to a distorted sound for playing some Pink Floyd.

Jim Kennedy · Post by **Jim Kennedy** » 15 Apr 2009 9:41 am

I have had my cyber twin for about 8 years now. It is great for guitar, and is adequate for steel. My biggest problem is that the sound tends to thin out when riding the volume pedal. I suspect that is because you go into the A/D converter. Lower volume, less signal to convert, thinner sound--Loss of bass, more trebeley sounding. The same is true when rolling off the volume of my tele. I have used the expression pedal as a volume control with my tele and that works pretty good. I have not tried it with my steel yet, but suspect that this would give me better results.

One word of warning. If it ever goes into the shop, expect it to cost $450 to $500. There's not to much that can be fixed on it. Fender's solution is to just replace what ever board is bad. When mine went into the shop the last time Fender would not honor the warranty. Their fix was to upgrade the bad board. The warranty doesn't cover upgrades. I argued with them for ever. They wouldn't budge. Other than that it's a good amp. It does everything except make coffee, and at about 50 pounds, it's not a back breaker.

Ben Turner · Post by **Ben Turner** » 15 Apr 2009 6:04 pm

Jaclyn Jones wrote:If you find the right settings I would love to try them.

Here's what I've come up with, fooling around with it.

I started with the "Super Reverb '66" patch.

Trim: 2
Gain: 2-1/2
Volume: 8-1/2
Treble: 4-1/2
Middle: 3-1/2
Bass: 9
Presence: 3
Reverb: set to taste
Master: set to taste

Blackface
Post Distortion
Dyna-Touch 1 (or BF1, Dyna for added volume w/o DIST)
Large Hall (set to taste)
Reverb Input 10
Reverb Tone 5.0
Reverb Time 5.5
Reverb Diffusion 10
Timbre - Full Body
Standard Polarity
Compressor - Low
(Make sure N. Gate is enabled for the following to work)
Noise Gate Depth 5.0
Noise Gate Thresh - Medium
NO FX (set to taste, I just use the reverb.)

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 16 Apr 2009 9:46 am

You might like this...
Here are the settings I used to get a basic sound (it's lots easier than it looks)
A21 VibroKing
Edit amp (press the "amp" button after each selection to go to the next, use the big knob to make the selection)
Tone Stack -Modern
Pre-Distortion
BlackFace Tube 1 (uses the tube preamp)
Fender Reverb
Rev. Dwell 9.0
Rev. Tone 10
Rev time 7.6
Rev Diffusion 10
Timbre - Full Body
Compressor - off
Noise Gate Depth - 5
Noise Gate Threshold - Low

And then I like the Stereo Tape Echo for Effects (Press the Efx edit button right below the amp edit button, use the big knob to select)
Stereo Tape Echo
Output 3.1
Time 380
Feedback 3.5
Wow and Flutter 1.0 (this is a very important control, lots of different sounds available depending on the setting )
Echo Brightness 7.3
Save
Save again
These are the basic tone settings ( the regular knobs) I like with my Zum --
Trim - 9 you want the red LED to light occasionally
Gain 3.75
Volume 5.5
Treble 7
Mid 4 Very important control !
Bass 8
Presence 3.75
Reverb 3 or 4
Master - at least 5, usually 7 - 10

Jaclyn Jones · Post by **Jaclyn Jones** » 16 Apr 2009 10:55 am

Thanks Guys
I will give them a try tonight.