Beginner Amp Question: Solid State vs. Tube...Why SS?

[Ben Cartwright]

Greetings,

So I've been playing pedal for about six months and guitar for about 15 years. I have a 72 Twin Silverface that I've been using for my Fessenden S10 and was wondering what the difference in tone was between solid state amps like the Sessions 500 and Tube Amps. My fender is obviously super clean, but it has the original speakers in it and their are kicked - really flat (still sounds good, but presence is low) so instead of throwing $300 into it for new speakers, there's a sessions 500 for sale for $250 on Craigslist here in Portland. Anyway, never really read WHY pedal steel players play through solid state amps. I have an idea, but input from ya'll would be priceless.

Thanks!

[Johnny Thomasson]

You'll get a lot of opinions on this one. I have a '65 Twin with a 15" JBL and a Session 400 with a 15" BW. They're different, but I love both of them. I play a '72 Pro-II. The Twin gives me a more vintage sound, which is great. The Session 400 is maybe more ballsy, while the Twin is warmer.

It really comes down to personal preference. Either amp is killer for pedal steel. A Session 500 for that price is a deal. I don't see how you could be unhappy with either one, they're both great amps.

If it were me, I'd grab the 500 at that price, hang on to the Twin, and replace or recone the speakers down the road when I had the xtra cash. I'd love to add a Session 500 to my herd.

[Donny Hinson]

The Session 500 is a fine amp, but very heavy! It's also a few decades old, so it likely will require some service sooner than later.

Most steelers like clean tones from a solid state amps, as they have a volume pedal for sustaining their sounds. Straight guitar players usually like the distortion that comes with lower power tube amps, which they use for the added sustain it gives (they don't usually use a volume pedal).

[Clete Ritta]

Ive a Twin Reverb and a NV1000.
Theyre both really heavy, but having 300w, a 15" BW speaker, and shapeable mids makes the Peavey my choice for steel.

[Jeff Hyman]

Donny Hinson is on the money about the Session 500 being heavy. Anyone I've ever known that owned one, always complained about its weight. A Session 400 is a better pic IMHO.

I personally think a tube amp, and a solid state amp, both bring unique and different sounds to the table. Play using each separately, then maybe both together. It's your ears that need to be happy. I personally am happy with a combo of a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe tube amp, and a Webb 614E solid state in stereo. Webb has a JBL 15, and the Fender has a stock fender speaker.

[Marke Burgstahler]

Hey Jeff,

I have been looking at a really sweet Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with the laquered tweed covering LOVE the vintage look, but it's only 40 watts.

Do you feel it gives you enough headroom for steel? I'm not playing in a really loud band. I guess using it with the Webb helps.

[Dave Mudgett]

The Session 500 is indeed a good amp - lotsa' power, clean to the top, good controls. But it is mercilessly heavy.

Myself, I think the other Peavey solid-state steel amps make more sense. I particularly like my old LTD 400 from the 70s - this is the chassis from the old Session 400 in a smaller box, and the more modern Nashville 112 and 1000. Of course, the Session 400 is also a great amp. I use my NV 112 a lot - it's about the weight of a Deluxe Reverb and with a modeler in front, it even sounds good for guitar. I run the steel out of a Tubefex into the main input, and the guitar into a Pod and into the effects return, bypassing the amp's tone controls - basically a Power-Amp-In.

Of course, it's hard to beat a nice old Twin Reverb. I would think that's worth keeping tip-top no matter what else you do. These Peavey pedal steel amps are pretty inexpensive, I don't see why someone can't have one of each.

I basically agree with Donny's reasoning on how pedal steel players use solid-state amps. It's like anything else, one needs to learn how to make all that clean power work for you. Many guitar players also like clean tones, but the character of that clean tone varies. I really prefer the sound of a Fender tube amp for guitar, but I wouldn't call my typical guitar sound very distorted at all.

[Steve Norman]

I use tube amps for guitar, and ss for steel. Tube amps are too tinny and piercing to me when I play steel through them. I prefer the warm thick sound that the peaveys bring. I do not like the sound of the ss amps at all for guitar, they sound to muddy and dull for my tastes.

I hear people play through fenders with steel and like the tone they get, so it must be the way I pick.

[Mike Brown]

It's a matter of preference. But, tube amps generally weigh more and are less maintenance free. Dewitt Scott at Scotty's may have one or two new Nashville 1000's left and he can definitely sell you a Nashville 112. Great sounding amplifiers!

Check out this link;
http://www.peavey.com/media/pdf/steelguitar/31years.pdf

Mike Brown
Peavey USA

[Scott Alexander]

I have been using a Session 400 for 13 years. A very reliable but heavy amp. It is a chore to carry along with mu dbl. frame Bud U-12. I did just recently purchase a 1970 Standel Studio 24 that is really light in comparison to the Session. I placed 2 new reverend alltone speakers in it and it sounds fanatasic. It has casters too!!!!!!! I was surprised by how clean the Standel sounds. For my tele, I use a 1984 Evil Twin that is so heavy it makes the Session 400 feel lightweight. My good friend at Stedman Industries (The Stedman Screen for you signers) repaired a Gibson Crestline RVT25 for me and that is now my geetar amp. It is lighter and sounds great with a fresh pair of reconed 1960s 10" CTS speakers and all the pedal stuff.

The moral of the story is keep the tone and lighten the load as ya get older.

Steelin Scott

[Tim Whitlock]

Replace the speakers in your Twin. A pair of Weber Neo 12's should restore the sparkle. How are the tubes?

[Jeff Hyman]

Hey Jeff,

I have been looking at a really sweet Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with the laquered tweed covering 8) LOVE the vintage look, but it's only 40 watts.

Do you feel it gives you enough headroom for steel? I'm not playing in a really loud band. I guess using it with the Webb helps.

Marke,
The 40-watt Hot-Rod-Deluxe[HRD] has plenty of headroom, and I never turn the volume past 2. That sucker can get real loud real fast. Where I do find a problem is the HRD does not have enough bottom end to be a stand-a-lone PSG amp. The Webb on the other hand, has plenty of bottom, and enough to be a stand-a-lone amp... but I like stereo, and the HRD brings its own unique dimension to that stereo mix.

If I had to chose only one amp, it would absolutely be a Webb 614E.

[Gerry Simon]

I know some of us use the VHT and Fryette power amps but could someone comment on the viability of a hybrid setup with a tubed Revelation or Mesa Boogie preamp and a Crown or QSC high power solid state stereo amp? With the right speaker could something like that sound as good as the Furlong creations?

[Pit Lenz]

I use a Sarno TonicTube Preamp (similar to the Revelation) together with a Crate powerblock in mono bridge mode.
The Crate is buried inside a 12" vented cabinet I built, a bit similar to the Furlong SPLIT, whitch I cannot afford at the moment but it is on my wishlist.

The Tonic´s tone is beautiful! It´s warm and clear you can dial in everything you´re looking for. The tunable input impedance match is another great way of tweaking the guitar´s tone. It has a little built-in (digital) reverb, whith a well chosen rev time that does a good job.

The Crate´s class-D amp seems to be quite neutral, if you bypass the front input/EQ and the stoopid speaker simulation by plugging right into the line input on the back.
I use the bridge mode only in louder environments, where it gives fairly enough volume. In the rehearsal room or in small clubs the normal mode ( half the power) is well enough for me.
Sometimes I rehearse through my old Peavey N400 (no mods) and that´s the moment I appreciate (miss) the Tonic´s singing tuby tone the most! What a difference!
But I have to admit that the N400 (15") has more bottom than my 12" Neo cab (still have to work on that ).
I would LOVE to hear the original Sarno/SPLIT combination here in Europe some time...
Anyone plays it over here?

Pit