Amplifier for home learning and practice

[John Patterson]

I am new to this forum and am trying to learn how to play the pedal steel guitar. I have no intention of playing on some gig, but just to play for my own enjoyment at home. Without getting too loud, what kind or type of amplifier would you recomend for this? My guitar is a DS 10 EMCI all white in color with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. Barcus pickup and has the welded corners. I would appreciate any help or sugestions any one has

John Patterson
Senoia, GA

[Darvin Willhoite]

I think you would be hard pressed to beat a Roland Cube 80XL. I've been playing a long time and I love mine. They are fairly inexpensive, not too heavy, compact in size, and have all of the effects built in that you would probably ever need. Oh, and they sound really good with a steel guitar.

[Bob Vantine]

I have a few PEAVEY EFX series amps {pre-Viper series}....
a 25w / 8" spkr / onboard effects / headphone jack / CD jack
.... and "2" of the 65w EFX with a 12" spkr. and all the effects onboard.
....... lite weight and they sound good.

[Larry Bressington]

I'd recommend a 'Steel guitar amp' even if it is for practice, a small peavey 112 they say are great and 'Voiced' for a steel....Regular guitar amps don't have the fullness. Do it right, right off the bat, otherwise you'll be crying that the tone sucks after a week, and then you'll be looking around to trade, and you'll most likely take a hit on a newly aquired amp that's only a week old. Most of us have make that mistake, and it depends on what you want out of it really, everybody is different...I'm just being blunt and honest brother, happy hunting!

P;S Cubes are killer amps as Darvin said.

[Dick Sexton]

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=228419

[Daniel Policarpo]

I really like my Fender Excelsior. It has a 15" speaker which is a big bonus for the pedal steel. For EQ options, there is only a bright and dark switch , as well as three inputs that have varying amounts of gain(Guitar, MIc, Accordian). It is a simple circuit and for home practice and recording it really sounds great. It has a pretty distinct sound, but if you have a chance try it out.

[Edgar Scudder]

Good question. My shopping list: "Tube" vs. "Solid State", speaker size, effects, and weight. Look to buy for the longer term. You don't have to necessarily spend alot but look for value and don't forget quality cables. Bigger is not always better.

[Jack Stoner]

I agree on the Nashville 112 amp. Get a "steel guitar" amp and be done with it. Whether you ever play out or not does not matter.

[Darvin Willhoite]

I had a Nashville 112 for several years and although it was a good amp, I think the Cube 80 is a close rival. It's lighter, more compact, and I think it sounds just as good. It has useable built-in effects, and it is considerably cheaper.

[Jan Viljoen]

Please help.

What is the difference between the Nashville 112 and the Bandit 112.

We dont have all the different models here in South Africa to compare.

How does the Roland Cube 80 compare to the Marshall 80? tube amp?

Thanks.

[Jack Stoner]

The differences, in general, are the NV112 has the Peavey Parametric EQ system (acutally the identical preamp as the Nashville 1000) and a speaker who's response is more in line with what is desired for for steel. The Bandit's electronic EQ is designed (Voiced as Peavey calls it) for a different EQ curve and the speaker the same way.

Actually a Bass amp makes a better steel guitar amplifier than a lead guitar amp many times. Case in point, the Gallien Krueger MB200 "bass" amp makes an excellent pedal steel guitar amp and is used by a lot of pedal steelers.

[Doug Earnest]

I have some real neat little amps that are great for practice. They have two 8" speakers, two channels, reverb, line out, and headphone jack. They probably weigh about 15 pounds and sound surprisingly good for steel. I get $125 plus shipping. Contact me if interested. doug@stageonesteelguitars.com

[Eugene Cole]

I am new to this forum and am trying to learn how to play the pedal steel guitar. I have no intention of playing on some gig, but just to play for my own enjoyment at home. Without getting too loud, what kind or type of amplifier would you recomend for this?..... I would appreciate any help or sugestions any one has

John Patterson
Senoia, GA

For learning and practice; an amp with a headphone jack and an adequate set of OPEN headphones is a great start. The ability to practice without annoying housemates and/or neighbors is a wonderful setup. I specify open headphones so that you can hear what is around you. Closed/wrap-around headphones that block out the music around yoy do not work as well.

If you live alone and 100 yards or more from your nearest neighbor the above does not apply.

When I first started taking my PSG out to jams I used my Session 500 for a seat and played in to headphones so that I did not bring the qualiity of the jam down. This gave me the confidence to take more risks and improved my learning curve. The down side of using the Peavey for a seat is that the reverb tank had to be detached from the amp so that it did not go doing-clang eveery time I moved.

Some instrument/amp combinations work better than others. So whatever you get try it with your guitar before you buy it.

[Jan Viljoen]

Thanks Jack, Doug and all other sound advice on this thread.
Doug, I see your new axe is almost ready.

This was really informative. I would never have got all this info by myself.


Steel on!

[Lee Baucum]

Roland Cube 80XL

A wonderful sounding, extremely versatile amp.

[Jake L]

For practicing, I use a Tascam CD-GT2 guitar trainer. Very portable little headphone unit. You can put a CD in it and play along, slow down or speed up without changing the key, and loop a specific phrase or lick to play repeatedly. It is also filled with all kinds of effects, but I simply use reverb only. I would recommend this unit to anyone who had practicing to do!
Jake

[Lane Gray]

My home amp is a Session 500.
Too heavy to leave the house.



(Oops, I lied. I lifted it to passenger seat level so I can put it in my sleeper. I gig with it Saturday. Lifting it over my head is ROUGH)

[Steve Humes]

Get something big enough to gig with unless you want to start an amp collection.

[Billy Carr]

I use a NV-112, DD3 and Hilton Electronic volume pedal when playing out somewhere. In my office where I keep my guitar set up, I have an older model Peavey Classic with four 10" speakers, I use there. When I practice, which is usually everyday or night, the Peavey Classic serves the purpose. I work on speed and looking for different ways to play songs. I look at it as, saving the 112 for when it's really needed and also I keep the 112 covered(Sharp Covers Nashville) until it's time to use it.

[Lane Gray]

Good enough? As long as the Classic has enough power (I don't recall how much it has) and it can shape the mids to taste, it should sound terrific. Just somewhat less portable than the Session 500

[Kevin Mincke]

Cube 80XL! I sure when Roland designed this amp it wasn't for the steel guitar player, but man it seems to be voiced for it. Great generic "off the shelf" amp for pedal steel with all the effects you need built in

[Dennis Wood]

Yep,, Roland Cube 80. I was doubtful myself until i purchased mine. I have a nashville 400, evans fet500, 70,s twin reverb and the cube is now my amp of choice.
Get a cube80, you won;t regret it.

[Dennis Manuel]

Find a steel amp that sounds great to you and when practicing at home simply turn dowm the volume. A 200 watt amp will do anything you want but you can't use a ten watt amp to gig with. Somewhere down the road you will most likely play with a group, or, just out for fun at a jam. There is nothing like good clean undistorted sound when you need it.

[Stephen Cowell]

Get something big enough to gig with unless you want to start an amp collection.

Amps are like bars... one is not enough. I say get a *very* small amp to start your collection... amps sound better when cranked, so small amps sound better in quiet situations. Disclaimer... I'm an amp addict and own over a dozen.

While the Roland Cube 80XL is a great amp their smaller amps are no less great. I don't own an 80, but I have the 40XL which only lacks a presence control and fits in the passenger seat of my bike (Electra-Glide, lap-steeler here!). For practice I use the Roland Mobile Cube, it's smaller than a lunchbox and is built like a transistor radio (no wood), so very light. 5watts from six AA's, runs on a Roland 1A adapter... has tripod/mic stand mounting and sounds every bit as good as its big brothers. I've run it into PA systems and had very good results... I've had hall-of-famers come up and ask what I'm running through.

[Leif Lomeland]

Good enough? As long as the Classic has enough power (I don't recall how much it has) and it can shape the mids to taste, it should sound terrific. Just somewhat less portable than the Session 500