Bass and Pedal Steel amp???

Foster Haney · Post by **Foster Haney** » 13 Sep 2020 9:13 pm

Iâ€™m looking for a rig that can do both. A small amp head that can provide good tone for both a bass and a pedal steel guitar. Solid state or tube, 40 watts +, And a 12â€ or 15â€ speaker that could do both. Can it be done? Are my hopes to high?? Has anyone out there tried Quilter bass heads for steel? Or the other way around?

Thanks for always being there SGF.

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 13 Sep 2020 9:20 pm

Try out a Fender Rumble 200. Lightweight combo, single 15. Lotta bang for the buck.

Foster Haney · Post by **Foster Haney** » 13 Sep 2020 9:43 pm

Have you played a steel through it? If you have, did you like the sound?

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 13 Sep 2020 10:16 pm

I have the 100. With an outboard reverb, it sounds pretty good. The 200 has a 15, and double the power. I expect it to be pretty fine, but havenâ€™t tried it.

Barry Coker · Post by **Barry Coker** » 14 Sep 2020 3:41 am

Trace Elliot Elf it will fit in your back pocket 200 watts @ 4ohms great sound. I use a Wet reverb and delay for steel and single 4ohm 12" Telonic speaker my light weight rig.

Good luck Barry

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 14 Sep 2020 11:59 am

I don't know if this helps but I have a Roland 60XL that works for steel and bass. I use it for small gigs/rehearsals.

Foster Haney · Post by **Foster Haney** » 14 Sep 2020 1:39 pm

Thanks for all the responses. Seems like it can be done. I was thinking about getting the fender 100 for bass as it is. Once I get it Iâ€™ll test it for steel and post the results.

Foster Haney · Post by **Foster Haney** » 14 Sep 2020 1:50 pm

Found another thread on this topic. https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/004943.html

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 14 Sep 2020 2:31 pm

As a general rule, steel sounds good through a bass amp.
I have my own theory as to why this is.
And if like me you also play bass, it's a bonus.

Thomas Stone · Post by **Thomas Stone** » 14 Sep 2020 3:39 pm

For a flexible do-it-all rig, I'd be more inclined to look at a bass combo with a tweeter than a head.

Glenn Demichele · Post by **Glenn Demichele** » 14 Sep 2020 4:03 pm

I have a Rumble 100, but the Trace Elliot ELF into a BW-1501 OR a 10" PRV hifi speaker is my gigging rig. I have used them both at the same time too.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 14 Sep 2020 4:17 pm

I often use my bass amp, a little GK MB200 head, for steel with a 12" speaker cab instead of my bass cab. I put a Line6 POD XT in front of it for effects. It's a simple, compact setup that can handle just about anything.

Mike Bacciarini · Post by **Mike Bacciarini** » 15 Sep 2020 5:18 am

Another vote for a Rumble 200. Plenty of power, remarkably lightweight, 15 works great on steel and bass.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 18 Sep 2020 5:46 am

I 2nd the Trace Elliott Elf. It's a bass amp and sounds really good for steel. I carry one in my gig bag as my backup amp.

Jeremy Reeves · Post by **Jeremy Reeves** » 18 Sep 2020 6:12 am

I've got a fender rumble 200 I love for bass. Been trying it at home this week with my Emmons s-10 and liking how it sounds. The rumble 200 has a 15in speaker and a horn that can be switched on or off.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 18 Sep 2020 7:23 am

Most bass amps sound good for steel. The main problem is the lack of reverb. You have to carry an effects box of some sort if you're using a bass amp. Not a big deal for some folks.

Jeremy Reeves · Post by **Jeremy Reeves** » 18 Sep 2020 7:51 am

definitely agree the fender rumble needs reverb for steel. it has an effects loop that I've been using with a verbzilla

Derrick Unger · Post by **Derrick Unger** » 20 Sep 2020 2:00 pm

I've got all kinds of true steel amps..my vote would be a Fender Rumble 100 or 200..super light weight..but would have to be used with a good reverb/Delay pedal.

Christopher Blood · Post by **Christopher Blood** » 20 Sep 2020 3:50 pm

I also have the Fender Rumble 200 for my bass. Sounds great for lap steel with a reverb pedal. It has built in overdrive that sounds good with my lap steel. Beware it's LOUD! Might want to also consider the 100 watt 1-12 version.
That being said I usually use my Fender 200 for bass and a kantana 50 for lap steel because it's smaller and lighter to carry around.

Christopher Blood · Post by **Christopher Blood** » 20 Sep 2020 4:43 pm

Another amp you might check out is the Peavey VYPYR. It's supposed to be able to do both guitar and bass.
I've never played through one, just seen advertising but while you're out amp shopping....

Christopher Blood · Post by **Christopher Blood** » 20 Sep 2020 4:45 pm

Sorry about the double post.

Anthony Parish · Post by **Anthony Parish** » 22 Sep 2020 5:26 pm

I use an Ampeg PF 50T all tube head and I love it for bass and pedal steel. It has a vintage sound similar to the old flip top B-15 and SB-12 heads. Has a direct line out for recording too.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 23 Sep 2020 9:26 am

I had used a 1967 Fender Black Face Bassman for a while. I turned the second channel into an effects loop driver and receiver with send and return volume controls. I prefer my pickup to hit the volume pedal pot then the front end of the amp rather than n effects pedal or effects unit hence the effects loop later in the chain.
I also added a mid control.
A made a separate cabinet for it with BF aesthetics to house a JBL D130 speaker. The feet of the Bassman lock into a socket arrangement on top of the speaker cab.
It sounds quite good. I use it as a backup to my old Session 400 which is a little easier to carry and set up.
I did this back when I was younger and full of ambition/energy.

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » 24 Sep 2020 4:05 am

I play bass guitar and upright bass, lap and most recently pedal steel. I interchange amps all the time depending on the gig and size of the venue. Most venues I play are small coffee shop and wine bars so not really US sized places. However these amps all work well for bass and steel with varying degrees of performance:

- DV Mark Gallileo 15w tube head (no reverb) / neodym 12" - sounds great on steels and bass is also very warm through this amp. I doubt the open back cab could project a bass in a high volume room;
- DV Mark Little Jazz combo. Designed for clean guitar and is surprisingly loud for steel (I've had complaints from guitarists that I am too loud!) and very surprisingly, a good tone for bass but again, a compact 8" is only really suitable for small rooms for low frequencies;
- Phil Jones Double 4 - the most compact vs performance bass combo, sounds great for electric and upright bass, warm enough for steel. It has no reverb but you can stand on it on the bar!
- Mark Bass CMD 102P (no reverb) handles anything and is loud!

My main criteria for amps these days is to be lightweight, preferably carried in one hand! I often transport my gear by bicycle so I may be somewhat weird for American tastes!

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 25 Sep 2020 2:38 am

I just acquired a Gallien Krueger MB112 and it sounds great for pedal steel. I have a Boss RV3 Reverb/Delay pedal that I use with it and it sounds as good as any steel amp I've ever played through. I'm thinking about upgrading the reverb pedal to a TC Electronics Hall of Fame 2 and then just using the Delay on the RV3, but I'm not in any hurry to do so. I've played through the Fenders too and they also sound good, but I think the GK sounds a little better. It's really light too.

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Bass and Pedal Steel amp???

Bass and Pedal Steel amp???

Bass and pedal steel amp?