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Topic: Alt.steel amp: Yamaha G100-112 |
Rick Batey
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Posted 20 Apr 2010 4:14 pm |
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After seeing some good words in the forum archives about the old Yamaha G100-112 MkII 100W solid-state guitar combo as a steel amp, I set about finding one, which wasn’t easy...they’re not as common in the UK as in the US and mainland Europe. Eventually one turned up on eBay, and I’m very pleased with it. It’s compact, about 53lbs with the standard speaker, has a very natural sound on Channel 1 that’s clean right to the top, a good reverb and, crucially, a parametric EQ. The Japanese build quality is high... real state of the art for the early 1980s, beautifully wired, and with a pine cabinet. Ken Fox recommended a 250W Eminence Deltalite 2512, which sounds great and brings the weight down to 45lbs. I haven’t tried it live, but the chances are that it’ll do a very decent job. Thanks to Mike Perlowin and Michael Johnstone, amongst others, for the tip.
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2010 2:17 am
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| In the slavish race to tube amps only, these and the Gibson Lab series got kinda bypassed as good loud clean reliable amps. Somehow or another the Roland Jazz Chorus amps retained some panache, but these are definitely sleepers. An amp that, ummm, amplifies well so that what you're playing sounds good is a good amp. I like tubes too, but jeez - totin' that old Mesa Boogie or Marshall was a lot of work, when you can get such similar effects nowadays with feeding preamps to a clean power amp. |
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LARRY COLE
From:
LANCASTER, OHIO, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2010 5:22 am
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| Looks just like my G50-112 only in better shape than mine. It sounds great with steel or guitar. The best inexpensive amp I've found. |
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Bobby Burns
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2010 8:06 am
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| I've had a few Yamaha g-100 amps of different eras and models. They were all great amps, and work good for steel with the right speaker. There are some expensive specialty amps that don't come close to the tone of these these in my opinion. They seem to be pretty dependable too. If you need less volume and weight, one of those g-50 amps can work pretty good too. |
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Rick Batey
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Posted 22 Apr 2010 9:12 am
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I'm very happy with it. Internet gossip says these were the choice of guitar players like Robben Ford and Mike Stern. One owner of a very valuable original Dumble amp even swears it comes closer than anything else... hm! The only extra thing I'd like would be an effects loop, but apart from that it's hard to fault.
I was lucky with the condition, but I spent quite some time sprucing it up. It hasn't been toured, for sure. The pots needed cleaning, and I had to relocate all the speaker mounting studs as the Deltalite's hole spacing is slightly different.
The affordability of these old Yamaha G-series amps is a big plus. It's a lot of fun to get a loud, well-equipped, pro-grade combo for the price of a cheap Chinese beginner’s amp. |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 22 Apr 2010 3:46 pm
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Stu Schulman and I both had these in LA.
It had the best overdrive of any transistor amp I've ever heard. It was great for that Larry Carlton/Mesa smooth overdrive sound. Not so much for doing the semi clean Fender sound, but the clean was quite nice.
I used this amp as my second amp (in a stereo setup) when I was with Asleep at the Wheel and it worked great. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 22 Apr 2010 4:15 pm
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I wish I still had that amp,as Dan said it has great smooth distortion,I was told that Paul Rivera designed that amp?They also made one with a 15" speaker. 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Rick Batey
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Posted 16 May 2010 5:49 am
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Incidentally, I have the original schematic for the G50 and G100 Series II as a PDF file.
If anyone would like it, just drop me a PM with an email address. |
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Ray Walker
From:
Smithfield, NC, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 16 May 2010 1:33 pm
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I have one and absolutely love it. Mine has the old Force 12 speaker in it and that makes it a little heavier than it was originally, but the sound is unmistakably great for steel. I have also had it set up with a 15"Black Widow and the sound just gets fuller and sweeter, and I recently tried it with the 15" BW NEO and it sounds great as well.
RW |
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Bill Bassett
From:
Papamoa New Zealand
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Posted 17 May 2010 5:03 am Can't Beat 'em With A Stick
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I have used the G100 for almost 20 years now. I was lucky to find another one here in Arizona about 5 years ago. Lucky because the first one konked out on me. Thanks to Rick, I now have the schematic. I'll go through it myself first to make sure I know what's what and if I have no luck it goes to a tech.
I used the good one just yesterday for both Tele and Steel. Just one complaint, the bass player kept getting between me and the amp. That's not the amps fault. (Bass players...grrr)
BDBassett
Rimrock AZ |
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Bill Howard
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 26 May 2010 6:55 am AMP Alternative
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I just sold a young man My Behringer Blue devil Amp.
It is 60 Watts and very under rated,they have a Jensen Speaker (12"). This is a true story.
I played for a long time Honky tonk bar entertainer
last year, my NV 400 fell backwards on pavement and busted my JBL speaker,I had no choice other than use the behringer while I was trying to find a BW widow or JBL,I took in the Behringer,Played it 2 week ends in a row,3rd week I played it friday night then saturday I got a B Widow for my NV,i went in early put the Peavey on the stage,it was in a sort of dark area,I put Behringer in my car,Played the first set.
Band leader is setting at Bar He said,"Bill WHAT happened to your sound tonight?,Your Amp sounds like ^%$#@ I had been using the behringer,these are KILLER Steel Amps lite weight,cheap and sound really good
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Bill Howard
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 26 May 2010 6:56 am Re: AMP Alternative
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| Bill Howard wrote: |
I just sold a young man My Behringer Blue devil Amp.
It is 60 Watts and very under rated,they have a Jensen Speaker (12"). This is a true story.
I played for a long time Honky tonk bar entertainer
last year, my NV 400 fell backwards on pavement and busted my JBL speaker,I had no choice other than use the behringer while I was trying to find a BW widow or JBL,I took in the Behringer,Played it 2 week ends in a row,3rd week I played it friday night then saturday I got a B Widow for my NV,i went in early put the Peavey on the stage,it was in a sort of dark area,I put Behringer in my car,Played the first set.
Band leader is setting at Bar He said,"Bill WHAT happened to your sound tonight?,Your Amp sounds like ^%$#@ I had been using the behringer,these are KILLER Steel Amps lite weight,cheap and sound really good
[img] I had 2 of them along with my nashville only need one:)http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix0912/9801_BrUewkwBGkKGrHqMHD8Eu0v5itBLzKon6H_35_2.jpg[/img] |
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