Need help with amp question

Clinton Zimmerman · From: Memphis,Mo

Can I get some opinions on weather to get a Fender steel king or replace the black widow in my nv 400? The sound is just not very clear, could try a lil izzy. Any thoughts???

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I'd get the Izzy. If clarity is the issue, a buffer is the best answer.
PS: Craig doesn't pay me for this. I've just believed in those little blue boxes since 1982
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Clinton Zimmerman · From: Memphis,Mo

Thanks for your help Lane I appreciate it. I think iwill try either the lil izzy or a Holy grail reverb. Saw on ebay there were different ones does it matter which one I get? As far as my inquiry about the fender steel king I thought maybe I would be better off with a different amp rather than chasing the sound of this one.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Where in Missouri are you? If you're near KC, I can loan you my Izzy next week.

I'm not sure changing amps will gain clarity, that's usually lost before the amp.

Changing amps is fun, but can get pricy (I own three Peaveys and three Fenders).

I don't think the electronics are different between the Holy Grail Nano and the big one. The board on the big one is REALLY small. The Grail I had til it died was the big one.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

You didn't mention what kind of guitar you have. That may or may not be relevant.

You just have to methodically go through everything one step at a time until you find what is killing your highs and clarity. Here, in order is the things that I would try, beginning with the one's that are the least expensive.

1. Run a cord directly out of the guitar to the amp, bypassing the volume pedal and all effects. Make sure you are not using a coiled cord or a long cord over 20 ft.

2. If you are not using George L cords, replace your cords with George L's.

3. Get a Lil Izzy from Craig Baker. If it doesn't work for you, then Craig will refund your money so you have nothing to lose.

4. Install the Ken Fox mod chips ($29.95)

5. Replace the BW speaker with a Telonics or Eminence EPS 15c. You can easily sell either of these speakers on the forum if they don't suit you.

6. If you are using a pot pedal and decide it is the problem, replace the pot with a different ohm pot or go to a Hilton or Telonics pedal.

7. If still no luck, maybe replace the pickup with a brighter sounding one.

8. If all this fails, then maybe it is the amp or the guitar. If you have friend that you could get with, preferably one with a 400 amp, experiment with that.

9. You might try a Black Box just to improve the sound overall, but the BB is best at taming highs, not creating them, although it does have a variable Z tone control on it. You could crank it up to get more highs.

Long range, you should consider a Wet Reverb pedal or at the very least, replace the Acutronics reverb pan with a Mod pan. ($19.95)

The Lil Izzy and the Holy Grail are two completely different things. The Izzy is a buffer that will convert your pickup output to low impedance, thus preventing the loss of high frequency signals through the cables. The Holy Grail is a reverb unit.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

Two other things could be causing your issue.
#1 - foam dust in the voice coil gap in the BW.
#2 - dirty contacts in the jacks for pre/post in/out.
Both are easy to fix.

JE:-)>
_________________
Emmons D10PP 8/4 -75'
Emmons S-10PP 3/4 - 79'
Emmons S-12PP 3/4 -78'
MSA Legend SD12 5/5 -06'
Mullen S-12 4/5 - 1986
Nashville 112 x2 W/Knob Guards - Don't leave home with out one!
Walker SS rack system - 12"BW's
Quilter Steelaire Combo

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

One minor quibble, George:
Although the Grail is a reverb, it has a buffer in it (like many.other effects ).
The buffer in the Grail sounds better than the Goodrich buffers, and of the buffers I've tried, only the Izzy sounds better (but I've not tried Brad's or Keith's).
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Tim Marcus · From: San Francisco, CA

the original Holy Grail (in the big box) is totally different than the Nano version.

They had a lot of complaints about how noisy the original was, and it had a silly proprietary power jack. The Nano has a standard center negative power inlet, runs much quieter, and sounds better. I would not recommend the original!
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Milkmansound.com

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

How does the buffer compare?
My Grail had a bit of hiss, but it wasn't bad.
Its main drawback was frailty. It died after a 4 foot drop. Laughing

_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Clinton Zimmerman · From: Memphis,Mo

Thanks for the offer LANE, but I live in the north east corner near Memphis MO and only get to KC occasionally in my truck. I would like to try a buffer so I might try a lil izzy or a holy grail and see what happens. THANKS for the tips guys I learned a lot here on the forum , sure is a friendly helpful place LOVE IT!!! Very Happy

Clinton Zimmerman · From: Memphis,Mo

George my guitar is a Mullen with A George L pickup in it, generic cords ,sho-bud vp . down by the serial # on my amplifier somebody wrote in magic marker MH 7176 mean anything??

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Clinton, go for the George L cords. They can make a big difference compared to some cords. The Sho-bud volume pedal raises a concern for me just because those are old pedals not made any more and who knows what kind of a pot is in it. A previous owner may have put who knows what in it. Like I said earlier, go straight from the guitar to the amp with a George L cord and see what the result is. Eliminate the volume pedal and cables as a problem first, then if a Lil Izzy doesn't clear it up, you might want to consider a different pickup. That Mullen guitar should have the sound in it.......you just need to figure out how to get it out.

Bill Moran · From: Virginia, USA

Mullen guitar, Evans amp or a Music man. Goodrich pedal and a Izzy.
If that ani't country I will kiss your Azz/.
All jokes aside, add a little Wet Reverb and play anywhere you want. The Herby Mullen works best but the G2 or RP are close behind. Ask Tommy.
I have owned most everything else except the early PP. If I could own a PP that played like a Mullen that would be the ticket.
Just my 2 cents. I.m sure someone will have there say.
Keep it simple. Good amp, guitar and reverb.
Delay is on it's way out. Wet Reverb will be the gauge for all others in time.
_________________
Bill

Clinton Zimmerman · From: Memphis,Mo

I think maybe a different reverb is what im looking for, going to change the strings and see if that wont clear up my lows and some time get a lil izzy can't spend to much right now just had surgery for appendicitis. THANKS for all the help guys will give me something to think about. Very Happy

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

One last thought: I am guessing that your pickup is a humbucker. To me a humbucker steals tone compared to a single coil. If you decide to try another pickup, maybe a Jerry Wallace True Tone? I had one in an Emmons PP and it was great. There are single coil pickups for sale on the forum from time to time.

My current guitar, a Zum D-10 has single coil pickups. I have never had any major problems with hum from florescent lights or dimmer switches. Maybe a slight hum, but it gets covered up when I pick. The worst problem I have ever had is in a band that I am currently playing in, I cannot sit the steel close to the PA head. So I set up on the other side of the stage, no problem.

Good luck with your pursuit.

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