how do guitars sound through steel amps?

Aaron Shively · Post by **Aaron Shively** » 9 Jul 2011 10:57 am

i want to buy an amp specifically for steel, but i also don't want to lug one amp for steel and another for guitar around for shows. so, how do guitars sound through steel amps like NV 400's and steel kings? is the guitar tone through those amps decent enough to gig with?

Duane Brown · Post by **Duane Brown** » 9 Jul 2011 11:04 am

I have played guitar and steel through a Session500, LTD400 and Nashville 112. I use an old MXR graphic equalizer to set the guitar tone and run steel nd guitar through a switch to turn one on and the other off. I have always been happy with the tone.

Buzz Evans in Las Vegas uses the same amp and he just unplugs one instrument and plugs into the other. He always gets great tone.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 9 Jul 2011 11:54 am

One of the best sounding Amps IMHO in the early Fender years was the four speaker "Bassman" which was primarily designed for Electric Bass. At one time I beleive Curly Chalker used two of them. Probably any Amp with signeifacant power and a good range of Bass and Treble settings, and reverb, can produce good sounds for the Steel Guitar. One should try out defferen't Amps to see which one pleases one's "Ear".

Joseph Carlson · Post by **Joseph Carlson** » 9 Jul 2011 12:30 pm

I've been down this road and tried a TON of different setups and the best I've come across is a Fender Twin. Two channels so you can EQ one for steel and one for guitar, plenty of clean headroom, takes pedals well and tube tone.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 9 Jul 2011 12:40 pm

Duane's got the right idea.If you're using a steel-dedicated amp like a big Peavey or a Steel King you only have one channel and only one EQ section.It's been my experience that the EQ requirements of six-string and PSG are so different it's almost impossible to get one setup that works for both instruments.So if you put a separate graphic EQ immediately after your six-string in your signal path you can EQ the amp for steel and compensate the six-string with the graphic.You'll also want an A/B box before the volume pedal for six-string and steel so you can switch between,although that leaves the VP active for both instruments and almost forces you to play six-string sitting down(but you do have the pedal for swells and sustain-something that most six-stringers could benefit from IMO).I've gotten great tone on both instruments with a Peavey Session 500,but I have to sit behind the steel to play six-string.

If playing six-string sitting down isn't an option,a good alternative might be a '65 Twin Reverb RI,TR Custom 15,a '90s Vibrasonic or perhaps even a Music Man HD.Two channels,no waiting.
If I can only use one amp and have to stand to play six-string,my Music Man 212HD-150,sometimes with a small 2 12" Bassman cab is the one that goes to work.Not my favorite steel-or guitar-amp,but it's a workable compromise.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 9 Jul 2011 12:53 pm

I used to have a Peavey LTD 400, and although it was better for steel than my Music Man Twin, it was not as good for guitar.

One thing you can do is get a programmable pre-amp, (Maybe one of those POD floor models) and use it with a power amp or powered speaker, and change settings by stepping on a foot switch or pedal when you switch instruments.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Jul 2011 12:58 pm

Are you needing an amp to run both guitar and steel guitar through, at the same show, or are you wanting an amp that you can run a guitar through at one show and a steel guitar through at a different show?

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 9 Jul 2011 12:58 pm

Joseph Carlson wrote:I've been down this road and tried a TON of different setups and the best I've come across is a Fender Twin. Two channels so you can EQ one for steel and one for guitar, plenty of clean headroom, takes pedals well and tube tone.

That's the way I did it except I used one 15" black widow..Great sound for both..

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 9 Jul 2011 1:14 pm

This is a great amp for both guitar and steel (MusicMan HD-212 One Fifty) as you can EQ each channel separately. On the 1st channel for steel I like to have the bass all the way on ten and on the guitar channel it's about 3 so using a one channel amp wouldn't work for me. Also on the guitar channel I crank the treble and presence up to 10 and about half way back on the steel channel. The only problem I have with this amp is the weight of the damn thing. I have a Peavey Bandit 112 and an NV 112 and this MusicMan weighs more than both of them put together. It has a pair of 12" Electro Voice speakers in it........JH in Va.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 9 Jul 2011 2:31 pm

Bear in mind that a steel guitar pup is a lot hotter than a guitar pup.

Dennis Wireman · Post by **Dennis Wireman** » 9 Jul 2011 2:40 pm

the peavey vegas 400 was made one channel for steel and the other for guitar can go wrong with it. worth checking out

Bob Vantine · Post by **Bob Vantine** » 10 Jul 2011 3:01 am

I use my NV-112 on most of the jobs now and plug both steel & tele in at the same time . I used to exchange plugs , but liked the tone better keeping both hot . I run effects thru the loop and have a equalizer stomp box (for the steel) along with other effects .

I was really surprised that plugging in both , seemed to even out the tones .

$:\$ I had tried A/B boxes but wasn't thrilled. $:\$

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 10 Jul 2011 7:59 am

Wow! Another Fingerease user! We are a vanishing breed. A maple-neck Strat or Tele + Fingerease = hotlicks! And the Music Man rocks too...

FWIW, I'd dump the Electro-Voice speakers and get something else. Those things sound pretty cold in my experience. Weber Speakers makes some nice stuff and they are lighter...

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 10 Jul 2011 9:37 am

I always end up bringing a separate amp for guitar

Guitar sounds really clean and nice through my steel amp, but I don't like guitar to sound that way. If it's just for a few tunes, using a compressor and pedal for grit is fine. But my tweed deluxe sounds gorgeous and does not weigh much so I always bring it along.

It depends on how much steel vs guitar you play. If it's 50/50 you may want to go the extra mile and take two amps. If you're just playing steel or guitar on a few songs you can make one amp work.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 10 Jul 2011 10:49 am

Tim,I also prefer having 2 rigs,and have done that quite a bit on my current gig,but there are situations,like a too-small stage and/or a too-cheap gig,and/or a multi-band show,where it just isn't worth the trouble.Here are a couple of pics of when it IS worth the trouble:

OK,this is getting a little distant from Aaron's original query,but yes,you can use one amp for both instruments;there are a number of amps that will do the job,and there are a good many ways to set up your signal path and outboard effects that will give you good-enough-for-that-gig sound.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 10 Jul 2011 10:57 am

If you're bringing 2 amps, why not get a stereo chorus and run the steel through both?

When I had my Peavey,(LTD 400 with a Black Widow spaker) I'd run the steel through it and one one channel of my Music Man twin, and the guitar through the other. The combination of a single 15" speaker on one amp and two 12's in the other sounded wonderful.

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 10 Jul 2011 1:48 pm

Dave - my rig takes up the same space either way. I put my deluxe on the lid of my flight case and park the amp in front on the wheels. Guitar pedals sit to the right of my steel. I either push the seat in or move it out of the way to make room. For me, the difference in tone makes it worth a little extra work setting up.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 10 Jul 2011 1:54 pm

I use a big bass amp head - SWR SM500, 250 watts in stereo. It has the right midrange controls for steel, as do many other modern bass amps. For guitar I put a Digitech RP250 in front of it, and use the effects and EQ on it. Sometimes I'll use an amp model, but just changing the EQ around is usually enough for a decent rhythm sound. If you want the Eric Johnson lead tone, it gets more complicated - quickly.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 10 Jul 2011 6:36 pm

Ive been using my NV1000 for triple duty on pedal steel, guitar and mandolin.
Not my preferred amp for guitar, but I have enough to carry as it is.

Clete

Robert Brewer · Post by **Robert Brewer** » 10 Jul 2011 7:13 pm

a good steel amp and a pv pro-fex and switch settings in a second from steel to hot guitar.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 11 Jul 2011 8:46 am

Mike P,I bet that did sound good.How did you set up the signal path,and did you mic both amps for stereo separation out front?

Aaron Shively · Post by **Aaron Shively** » 11 Jul 2011 8:55 am

thanks for the replies, guys. i have a fender twin, so i'll try using the separate channels for each. i was just considering buying a pedal steel amp because i didnt like the breakup and shrillness that i got playing the steel through my twin.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 11 Jul 2011 9:27 am

Dave Hopping wrote:Mike P,I bet that did sound good.How did you set up the signal path,and did you mic both amps for stereo separation out front?

Dave, I ran the signal from the volume pedal to a stereo chorus that split the signal, and ran one of the lines out to an analog delay that was set 100% wet with just a single repeat, and then into each amp. When I turned on the delay, it formed a stereo slap back echo.

I always played in small clubs, and the amps (a Peavey LTD 400 with a black widow 15" speaker and a Music Man HD 212 with two 12s,) were never miked.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 11 Jul 2011 10:11 am

aaron..email me if you want...you can borrow my nashville 400 for a few gigs to see what they sound like.

Aaron Shively · Post by **Aaron Shively** » 11 Jul 2011 10:48 am

thanks chris! i will!

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how do guitars sound through steel amps?

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