Amp for Early Hawaiian Sound

Rick Stratton · Post by **Rick Stratton** » 18 Nov 2012 8:42 am

IMO one of these could be what you are looking for!

http://www.vintage47amps.com

12 watts. Octal tubes, like the originals. Great sound for vintage lapsteel! Don't look too bad, either!

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 18 Nov 2012 8:45 am

Rick Stratton wrote: Don't look too bad, either!

Congrats Rick, you get the Understatement of the Month Award!

S.M. Johnson · Post by **S.M. Johnson** » 18 Nov 2012 2:22 pm

My favorite amp has turned out to be a FENDER Pro-JUNIOR.......followed by an Epiphone Electar-1965, VOLU-TONE-150M (I believe it is), A Peavy LA-400 12 inch and several other vintage 8 inch speaker amps.

The smaller amps that are olde seem to blend well with the circuitry of my many Richenbachers. GREAT SOUND reproduction.

Rick Stratton · Post by **Rick Stratton** » 18 Nov 2012 2:44 pm

Hi Sebastian,

The model's called DOBRO TWEED TONE SUPREME STYLE,
although it's not necessarily for Dobro.
An earlier version had a Dobro plate attached to the front!

10" alnico speaker. No reverb, but David sells matching Van-Amps spring reverb units to match. That's the box sitting on top.

And yes, I do own it. I think they're great!
David Barnes is a wonderful guy and does superb work!

I guess you could find an original vintage amp and rebuild it, but why bother? These are brand new, yet built to original specs.

Highly recommended!

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 18 Nov 2012 2:46 pm

You might want to try the new YAMAHA THR10C which focuses it's great technology specifically on the old tubey sounds and the way they react, even moreso than the original THR10. Can be found for under $300 and is small.

Kekoa Blanchet · Post by **Kekoa Blanchet** » 18 Nov 2012 5:25 pm

Rick Stratton wrote:The model's called DOBRO TWEED TONE SUPREME STYLE,
although it's not necessarily for Dobro.
An earlier version had a Dobro plate attached to the front!
10" alnico speaker.

Rick,

Those are great looking amps. I might need to send a letter to Santa.

Trying to understand the Vintage 47 product line, it appears that they offer two different amp circuits (a Valco Supreme style 12 watt push pull, and a Valco Spectator style 5 watt single ended) with several different speaker options (10" or 12", alnico or ceramic) and a lot of cabinet options. Plus a few outliers like the Chicago Blues amps. Does that sum it up?

Did you pick the Supreme style circuit because you like the sound better, or because you wanted the extra power?

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 18 Nov 2012 10:49 pm

I have come to the conclusion that the value of tube amps is entirly subjective. Plus, I got tired of their inherent fragility. I am perfectly happy with cheap solid state amps and a good EQ. When one speaks of the Hawaiian sound we have to remember that we are referring to a recorded sound: certainly not a live sound.

Rob Fenton · Post by **Rob Fenton** » 19 Nov 2012 12:17 am

I hadn't ever heard of the Yamaha THR10C, so I went looking for some information, and I wound up finding what might be an outtake from Spinal Tap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU9qm5gTgso

Rick Stratton · Post by **Rick Stratton** » 19 Nov 2012 8:27 am

Kekoa:
I didn't have a chance to try before buying, but yes, I wanted more power. I've used it live (miked) with a full band with drums and it sounded great.
Our other guitarist uses his at rehearsal, unmiked, and it cuts through fine. Nice smokey, bluesy sound.
The 5 watt might be enough for lapsteel, I haven't tried one. I hear they are plenty loud and have an external speaker jack. Probably would be great for Hawaiian gigs & recording.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 19 Nov 2012 8:31 am

David, I absolutely get your practical and sensible reply. That said - beyond tone, which is as you say entirely subjective (I've heard a lot of cynical types say "just roll off the highs" whenever vintage tone is discussed), these amps are visually stunning and evoke a golden age of music for a lot of us.

What really blows me away is the prices! Even in a recession, they are well within reach even for a hobbyist like me.

Rob Fenton · Post by **Rob Fenton** » 19 Nov 2012 9:28 am

The Vintage 47 amps look great. I really like the black Ric-style with 12" speaker. I just don't think 12 watts will work for me on any stage. Probably be great for recording.

I've tried using a Princeton Reverb, and there was no clean headroom at all, and that was supposed to be 18 watts, I believe. I wasn't getting the best of that amp though, as it's just not voiced for steel. I had the bass all the way up and the treble almost off. Probably made it break up a lot sooner.

I've never played a tube amp that was meant for steel. Perhaps I owe it to myself to get one...

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Nov 2012 10:18 am

Rob Fenton wrote:I hadn't ever heard of the Yamaha THR10C, so I went looking for some information, and I wound up finding what might be an outtake from Spinal Tap.

It's still new and I doubt you'll ever find somebody demoing it for steel, but I have the 10 and will be getting the C asap even if it doesn't suit me for steel. With the ability to tweek the sounds drastically with the USB software it too probably has tons of possibilities. Way cheaper than most new tubers, and lots less hassles, plus the headphone out allows you to go into the house system but nowhere near enuf by itself on stage.

Rick Stratton · Post by **Rick Stratton** » 19 Nov 2012 11:45 am

Mike "gets it".
The early "octal tube" amps were designed specifically for the lapsteel. The 1st amplified guitars.

Vintage 47 amp are built with the same circuitry that was used to record some of our favorite old Hawaiian tunes, which is what this thread was about.

That sound, & the look, are what some of us are looking for to go with our vintage lapsteels. We're trying to recreate the tone & atmosphere of a bygone era, and the music we love.

Did I mention they look cool, too?

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 19 Nov 2012 12:02 pm

Rick Stratton wrote:Mike "gets it".
The early "octal tube" amps were designed specificaly for the lapsteel. The 1st amplified guitars.

Vintage 47 amp are built with the same circuitry that was used to record some of our favorite old Hawaiian tunes, which is what this thread was about.

That sound, & the look, are what some of us are looking for to go with our vintage lapsteels. We're trying to recreate the tone & atmosphere of a bygone era, and the music we love.

Did I mention they look cool, too?

They do? Must have missed that.

Thanks Rick; they are right at the top of the must-haves list now. I think I need to hear my frypan through one as soon as I can get the nod from The Goddess Of The Pursestrings.

Rick Stratton · Post by **Rick Stratton** » 19 Nov 2012 1:53 pm

The Goddess Of The Pursestrings

Pele Anderson?

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 19 Nov 2012 3:02 pm

I am still laughing, both at your joke and at the fact that I first read that as PETE Anderson!

Let's put it this way: she's 5' 10" and a redhead. In my world, she might as well be Pele.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 19 Nov 2012 5:52 pm

These were a few of my old amps:

Rob Fenton · Post by **Rob Fenton** » 19 Nov 2012 6:19 pm

Mike Neer, did you sell all of your Electars?!

That's what I'm looking for, I think.
A 15" speaker, about 20 watts.

Don't know what else might come close to that sound and volume.
I'm tired of playing my Clinesmith through a Nashville 112, but I haven't been able to find the right thing.

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » 19 Nov 2012 9:58 pm

Mike Neer wrote:These were a few of my old amps:

Wow, these are great. If I could find one I'd rip out the electronics and turn them into minibars for my practice room.

Just kidding ... really ...ouch ... please SGF, don't throw that stone bar at me again ... ouch ...

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 20 Nov 2012 7:20 am

I no longer have these amps. At the time I did, I played my Rickenbacher Fry Pan and 1940 Emperor through them. They all sounded great together. Jeremy Wakefield uses one, too.

The one on the left was a little heavier, as I recall. Too bad I didn't photograph the backs, as well.

By the way, these amp were designed and built by Nat Daniel (of Danelectro fame). He had a shop (Daniel Electrical Laboratories) on Radio Row on Cortlandt St, right across the street from my office, near the WTC in lower Manhattan. He was contracted by Epiphone, and they were his first big account.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Nov 2012 7:48 am

You could try the Fender Blues Jr. amp.
That might fit your needs.
I have one and Rick Johnson built me an extension speaker cabinet to match it.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Amp for Early Hawaiian Sound

I've found the older amps to be ideal.....................