SS preamp?

David Mansfield · Post by **David Mansfield** » 10 Jul 2013 6:03 am

Does anybody know of a solid state preamp with similar tone characteristics to the Peavey steel amps? I'd like to come up with a tube/ss hybrid setup for going direct (with Brad Sarno's black box and a Williams guitar). Any advice appreciated, other than gutting my Peavey!

David Mansfield

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 10 Jul 2013 6:23 am

StereoSteel.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Jul 2013 6:53 am

John Hughey used a preamp made by Evans, a HVRP or something like that.

David Mansfield · Post by **David Mansfield** » 10 Jul 2013 6:54 am

Same issue with HVRP (I'm looking for something in a smaller box, not a rack mountable unit).

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 10 Jul 2013 10:19 am

Ditto on the Walker Stereo Steel. If I'm not mistaken he designed the tone stack from an early Session 400. I love 'em.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 10 Jul 2013 4:12 pm

David if your looking for a non-rackmountable small Preamp you might want to look at the new Octal V8 that Brad Sarno has just released ... it is a tube Pre but is small and may be ideal for what you want.

David Mansfield · Post by **David Mansfield** » 10 Jul 2013 4:44 pm

Any steel guitar players using the Octal V8 yet? Wondering how the EQ is for steel.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 10 Jul 2013 7:28 pm

David I think Randy Beavers has been using it on his Lee Ann Womack gig for quite a while ...glowing reports by all accounts.

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 11 Jul 2013 7:29 am

If Brad makes it, it's gonna be top notch! Of course it's not SS though. For something really small to throw in your Pak-a-Seat,
you can't beat the Tech 21 Blonde preamp. I think Randy's got one of those too.

David Mansfield · Post by **David Mansfield** » 11 Jul 2013 8:20 am

I need something more than a Tech 21 simulator, good as they are. Probably the Octal V8 is the ticket; Brad is (by all reports) amazing. I just thought that it may be more of a guitar-style preamp compared to his rack-mount units which I've heard are perfect for steel guitar.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 11 Jul 2013 11:58 am

The SMS V8-G is most definitely, primarily a steel guitar preamp!

Brad

www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/V8G.html

David Mansfield · Post by **David Mansfield** » 12 Jul 2013 8:24 am

Thanks, Brad! Does the Octal V8 have a black box circuit built in like the Revelation does?

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 12 Jul 2013 8:07 pm

No, the V8 preamp is ULTRA minimal. No loops, no buffers, just gain, bass, and treble. The extreme in octal tube tone minimalism.

B