Ultimate Amp for Apartment for Steel and 6 String

Donald Boyajian · Post by **Donald Boyajian** » 9 Jun 2012 8:10 am

Although I'm no city boy, I'm moving to Manhattan in September for work. I guess my days of blasting two AC30's in stereo are done. Having a bunch of large amps crowding up a small apartment might also be a problem as well.

My question is this (and I'm sorry if it's been discussed as well). If you needed one amp for PSG and six string that got a really good tone at apartment level? Not something passable.

My guess would be an older Deluxe Reverb? I've always liked them on six string. I'm not really interested in playing six string through a solid state amp, and honestly, I like the sound of PSG from earlier days as well- so, I'm thinking something like a Deluxe would fit the bill. Wasn't Mr. Green using a Deluxe for sessions before the Twin (granted he could sound awesome through a $10 amp). Thanks!

Best,
DOn

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 9 Jun 2012 8:23 am

DR is great, so is a Princeton. But, for practising, I like a good headphone circuit. The new Fender Mustang I is great for that and is very inexpensive.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 9 Jun 2012 1:38 pm

I hate turning tubes on and off several times each day... I'd rather use solid-state for daily and save the tubes for the stage, as long as I can get a tone I can live with. For steel guitar the Roland Cube series has what I need.

One interesting feature (on at least the 40XL up) is the Power Squeezer button... takes it way down to conversation level, but the preamp is still cranked, you really notice the difference.

Steve Humes · Post by **Steve Humes** » 9 Jun 2012 2:20 pm

+1 on the Roland Cube

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 9 Jun 2012 3:41 pm

Assuming by your comments that you want something old-school with tubes -

An old blackface or silverface Deluxe Reverb is great indeed, but may be a little loud for a city apartment, at least for guitar. I say Silverface Princeton with an external reverb unit or Princeton Reverb. If you look hard, you can still pick up a non-reverb SF Princeton in the $500-600 range or a SF Princeton Reverb in the $700-800 range. Blows away anything I know about, to my tastes. Of course, BF is great, but more than a little pricey.

If anything, I prefer the overall sound of the Princeton to the Deluxe, probably owing to the bias-modulation tremelo. Princetons aren't quite as hard on the 6V6 power tubes either. I have two PR's with a 10" JBL M-series speaker in one and a heavy-duty Weber in the other - they sound fantastic either alone or together. If you want to dirty it up a bit, put in an old Jensen or something comparable. I use 'em for recording either PSG or guitar, and they're great for low-volume gigs.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 9 Jun 2012 9:24 pm

This may be your 'ultimate' apartment amp http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=226138

Eric Henry · Post by **Eric Henry** » 11 Jun 2012 11:36 am

This may seem like an odd suggestion but I'm a big fan of the Vox Pathfinder 15R. Poke around the various forums and you'll find a lot of love for them.

They can stay pretty clean for courteous-neighbor-apartment-style picking. They don't have any modeling features. Just spring reverb (so-so but good at this price) and tremolo (good).

Some people clip out two LEDs from the board and it gives a bit more clean headroom. I did and noticed a slight improvement.

Has a speaker out jack so you can run it into a larger cab. I liked this so much that I just took the amplifier guts and put it in a home-made cab with a Weber 12-inch Alnico speaker. Have even played steel and tele with it at a really small venue with our ever-so-tasteful drummer.

They're under $120 new and around Craigslist for $50-$75.

I've also had the Mustang I and liked it. Have a Mustang III and have enjoyed it too.

Another fairly new inexpensive option if you want tubes is that new Fender Excelsior. 15" speaker, 13 watts. $300.

Atom Schmitt · Post by **Atom Schmitt** » 12 Jun 2012 9:17 am

For tubes, a Deluxe Reverb sounds incredible. But, that can still get pretty loud, even with the volume at <3. For solid state, I'll second the Mustang I suggestion. On the 65 Twin model, it sounded surprisingly good. I'd never gig with it, but for screwing around at the house, it was pretty much perfect.

I also have an Eleven Rack setup at my place that's good for playing guitars at low volume. No volume at all in fact, as it has no speakers - I use it for headphones. Granted, it's expensive, and it does a LOT more than that, as it's more of a recording interface. And a great live tool as well, since you can take whatever tones you create at home and recreate it exactly in a live setting. But if you're looking for something easy and consistent to gig with as well, I think it's worth a look - a full-blown rig (with Pro Tools 10, a MIDI controller, rack, etc.) would only cost ~$1000.

Lynn Fargo · Post by **Lynn Fargo** » 4 Jul 2012 3:42 pm

I just got a Fender Mustang II, and I love it on the Twin setting for my 'Bud. Only $200. I got the II because I wanted the 12" speaker. Check them out online. There are some videos on YouTube, also. Lots of different settings on them. More than I'll ever need.
I had asked a few months ago on the Forum about a good practice amp. That's how I found out about the Mustang. You could search for that thread to get some opinions.

I also picked up a used Crate just today for $25 to use with my lap steel. It has pretty good reverb and settings for dirty or clean. I think you can get one new for under $100.

Lynn

Steve Humes · Post by **Steve Humes** » 5 Jul 2012 12:22 am

I got a nice deal on a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe from a friend who moved to NYC. He is now using a Roland Cube 40. Volume and size were both factors.

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 5 Jul 2012 1:31 am

Carr Rambler

Josh Yenne · Post by **Josh Yenne** » 6 Jul 2012 10:49 am

Princeton Reverb... into the 2nd input if you want it a little quieter.

Dean Parks · Post by **Dean Parks** » 15 Jul 2012 4:53 pm

Try a Roland micro cube. Use blackface or acoustic for steel, same for clear electric, plus several cranked up models. Delay and reverb decent, as well as chorus. Fun amp, to me.

Jan Dunn · Post by **Jan Dunn** » 18 Jul 2012 7:19 am

http://www.mahaffayamps.com/little-lanilei-super-50.htm

Brian Hunter · Post by **Brian Hunter** » 18 Jul 2012 7:50 am

Jan Dunn wrote:http://www.mahaffayamps.com/little-lanilei-super-50.htm

That would be a great web site if they told you how much the amp was or where you could buy one.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 18 Jul 2012 8:13 am

Brian......http://www.mahaffayamps.com/little-lanilei-3350lt.htm

$499 and you buy directly from the US-based manufacturer out in California.

Extremely small, compact and light. Good rep too!

Jan Dunn · Post by **Jan Dunn** » 18 Jul 2012 8:16 am

His old web site had ordering info. wierd. I see the 350 is up to 499. The super 50 is 50 watts and much cleaner. This version of the amp is a lot less popular than the other versions. Makes a great lapsteel amp if you turn up the gain to get a little dirt-nothing like the 350 but still pretty good.

I think I paid 300 bucks for mine years ago.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Ultimate Amp for Apartment for Steel and 6 String

Ultimate Amp for Apartment for Steel and 6 String

At apt vols, do you really need tubes?

an opinion from a bedroom player who needs to play softly

Re: an opinion from a bedroom player who needs to play softl

Good point