What effects can I use?

[William Parsons]

I just bought a new Peavey Nashville for my lap and pedal steels, and I can believe the difference in tone I get compared to my old amp. Now I want to add some effects pedals to alter some of the sounds. What has worked good for you fellas? I currently play outlaw country music, and some southern rock and would like to give my steel sound a little more oomph. Thanks in advance, Bill

[Mike Neer]

Bill, you can use any effects you want. I've used everything from Filters to Micro Synth to Vibrato and tremolo and every kind of gain pedal, including Octavia, imaginable. Some are more effective than others. I had very good success with a Sparkle Drive for an outlaw country kind of sound. That, coupled with a compressor in front and nice delay pedal at the end, worked great.

[Twayn Williams]

I just bought a new Peavey Nashville for my lap and pedal steels, and I can believe the difference in tone I get compared to my old amp.

Out of curiosity, what was your old amp?

For modulation/delay fx, the amp will make little difference, but when it comes to dirt boxes, it's very important. A dirt box that works well with one amp might sound like dog doo with another. Speakers can make a huge difference as well. Also, the difference in output levels between your different guitars will cause each box to behave differently, especially dirt boxes.

Dirt boxes will tend to fall into 3 main categories:

Overdrive - Tube Screamer types
Distortion - Rat/Boss DS1 types
Fuzz - Fuzz Face single transistor types and Big Muff 4 transistor types

There's hundreds of versions to choose from, but I'd probably start with the originals: a ProCo Rat, an Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer, an EXH Little Big Muff and maybe a Dunlop JH-1 fuzz.

The Sparkle Drive is a TS with a clean tone blend knob and can be a good choice for the TS style.

[William Parsons]

My old amp was a Peavey KB100 keyboard amp with a 15 inch speaker. I had to use a pedal reverb, as the one on the amp didn't function. I never was satisfied with the tone I got from the old one, and the new one fits the bill with both guitars.

I have a Rogue Blues distortion pedal that sounds great with my lap steel, but as you said...with the pedal just doesn't do what I want it to do. I would like a little grittier sound on a few songs that are pretty hard driving.

What can I expect a compressor to do for my sound overall, other than maybe add to the sustain?

[Twayn Williams]

My old amp was a Peavey KB100 keyboard amp with a 15 inch speaker.

Ah, that would explain it

I have a Rogue Blues distortion pedal that sounds great with my lap steel, but as you said...with the pedal just doesn't do what I want it to do. I would like a little grittier sound on a few songs that are pretty hard driving.

Try a Rat.

What can I expect a compressor to do for my sound overall, other than maybe add to the sustain?

Add noise Seriously, avoid compressors entirely for steel guitar. You can use a volume pedal to "add sustain" if you work it right.

[Mike Neer]

I never used a compressor for sustain, but used it to tame the dynamics a little, which can be very helpful if you're playing through a very responsive amp like a Twin Reverb. Actually with a compressor you can send more signal without it overloading or having big spikes. Admittedly, I never use cheap compressors--I go for the expensive stuff, like opto compressors. The Boss pedals don't cut it.

[Steve Lipsey]

Whoa!
As you guys know, I'm new to this....but a Keeley Compressor has been a big part of my slide guitar sound, and I figured it would eliminate the need for all thos volume pedal swells on lap steel....no?

[Barney Roach]

Something I have really been enjoying lately:

Lap Steel in Stereo-

( You need two amps for true stereo )

Lap Steel- to a nice mono echo / delay unit.

( I like the SIB Echo Drive- but not critical )

Echo out, into the older Boss TREM-PAN.
Two outputs- L & R. One to each amp. Tremolo, panning
in tremolo between the two amps.

Love it!

[Jason Hull]

A phaser is one of my steel guitar favorites. Compressor (a good one, like Mike said), phaser, and volume pedal, in that order.

[William Parsons]

I may just give some of those options a try. Has anyone ever tried any of those modulation shift devices that do the chorus in octave? I don't want to lay out any bucks without some points in the right direction. Thanks.

[Twayn Williams]

Whoa!
As you guys know, I'm new to this....but a Keeley Compressor has been a big part of my slide guitar sound, and I figured it would eliminate the need for all thos volume pedal swells on lap steel....no?

Compressors are the most misunderstood of guitar fx. When an fx newbie asks about compressors I automatically tell them to avoid. Few know how to use them well, but if you do they can add a certain "sheen" to the sound and can make the guitar "sit" in the mix better. Or you can use them as an actual effect, i.e. something that radically alters the sound.

A compressor does NOT do the same thing as a volume pedal, and the way to use a volume pedal to "create" sustain is completely different from how a compressor works. Both techniques WILL add to the noise floor, so I prefer to limit volume pedal use to volume swells only, NOT to "create" sustain which requires the amp to be turned way up (hence the greater S/N ratio.)

I also always advise newbie steel players to avoid volume pedals till they get control of the bar and right hand blocking.

[Steve Lipsey]

Twayn-
Thanks for the tips....I've been using volume pedal and compressor for many years, for swells and plain old level control, and for that "sheen" you talk about....

I PM'd you about maybe giving me some lessons, let me know....I'm sure you could show me some great stuff in person!

-Steve

[Twayn Williams]

Twayn-
Thanks for the tips....I've been using volume pedal and compressor for many years, for swells and plain old level control, and for that "sheen" you talk about....

I PM'd you about maybe giving me some lessons, let me know....I'm sure you could show me some great stuff in person!

-Steve

Email sent.

Sounds like you're someone who knows his way around fx! For compressors I like the Barber Tone Press, though it doesn't live on my board. Every time I look at putting it on my board I find myself putting another dirt box on instead

I'd like to extend an open invitation to everyone on the forum again to the Gypsy Jazz jam session every Saturday from 4-6pm at the Moon & Sixpence on 42nd just off Sandy Blvd in the Hollywood district in Portland. It's purely acoustic, so no amps allowed, but if you have a dobro or other acoustic steel, it's an open, friendly circle. I'm there every week and usually bring my dobro in addition to my gypsy guitar.

[chris ivey]

william..you might try something like this for experimental purposes. i have an old zoom 505 guitar processor..about $50 or less used...it has lots of effects to experiment with to see what you like.
comp..rev..delay..chorus..phase..dist..pitch..eg..etc.
i use it occassionally with my steel when i'm looking for tone options.

[William Parsons]

Thanks Chris...I'll check one out.

[Mitch Crane]

I have a 112 also and use these guys as my chain... which all sound good to my ear.

1. Barber Tone press (compressor w/ blend control)
2. Signa Super Drive (variable distortion)
3. Timmy (mild grit dist)
4. Delay of choice (tap tempo is good) for me it's the Hardwire DL-8
5. Reverb of choice - I use the Tri-Reverb RV-10

YMMV ...there's LOT's of choices so just experiment.