Pedal steel amp opinions
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
Pedal steel amp opinions
Hey all,
I've been looking around for a good pedal steel amp. I have been using a Peavey Nashville 400 for quite a while now. Back in the day, I used a Fender Twin. Loved that sound, but the twin became too heavy and now I am thinking I would like something even lighter than the Peavey. I've tried my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, which sounds great for my guitar but not so much for the steel. Milkman has a 85 watt tube and also a Half & Half? Quilter Lab Travis Troy?
What are you guys using out there?
Thanks for any info.
Robert
I've been looking around for a good pedal steel amp. I have been using a Peavey Nashville 400 for quite a while now. Back in the day, I used a Fender Twin. Loved that sound, but the twin became too heavy and now I am thinking I would like something even lighter than the Peavey. I've tried my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, which sounds great for my guitar but not so much for the steel. Milkman has a 85 watt tube and also a Half & Half? Quilter Lab Travis Troy?
What are you guys using out there?
Thanks for any info.
Robert
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Amps
I use to play a Nashville 400 but have switched to theTravis Toy Quilter 12 amp. Light weight and sounds great. Own two of them. Never had any problems with them.
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I have been using two amps with an ABY box.
Amp number one is a Nashville 112. Heavy
Amp Number Two is a Tube hybrid JOYO using a Bugera 12" speaker and cab. 2 pound amp around 15 pound cabinet.
I use both amps in unison and I also switch between the two amps. The JOYO sounds absolutely Great with a 6 band MXR eq. I will probably end up using the JOYO full time and leave the NV at home.
Amp number one is a Nashville 112. Heavy
Amp Number Two is a Tube hybrid JOYO using a Bugera 12" speaker and cab. 2 pound amp around 15 pound cabinet.
I use both amps in unison and I also switch between the two amps. The JOYO sounds absolutely Great with a 6 band MXR eq. I will probably end up using the JOYO full time and leave the NV at home.
- Jack Hanson
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For what I play (Emmons guitars circa 1973), I've never heard anything that compares to the sound these things put out (with the possible exception of their big brothers, the Sessions):
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=370167
Not lightweights by any stretch, but a NEO mag on the Black Widow helps (albeit marginally).
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=370167
Not lightweights by any stretch, but a NEO mag on the Black Widow helps (albeit marginally).
I like Evans and Quilter. An older SE150 Evans is hard to beat.
Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Webb, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.
Steel amp
Thanks to all for the input. Gotta say, the forum is a great place to be a part of! Thank you b0b!!
I am checking out all of the suggestions. I like the Quilter 12, but the Evans is interesting too. The Joyo would be killer, I have extra speaker cabinets, but I guess you would have to add reverb??
In search of my next steel amp,
Robert
I am checking out all of the suggestions. I like the Quilter 12, but the Evans is interesting too. The Joyo would be killer, I have extra speaker cabinets, but I guess you would have to add reverb??
In search of my next steel amp,
Robert
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I have a half and half. More expensive but really light and sounds great.
Nickel and Steel. Sad Songs and Steel Guitar.
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Chicago Valley Railroad. Trainspotting and Bargain Hunting...
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https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com/
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- Anthony Parish
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I think you've heard my Milkman Half & Half, Rob. It's the best sounding steel amp I've ever played through. The tone control on the reverb circuit is real icing on the cake.
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- Jack Stoner
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I've had quite a few amps over the 41 years I've played pedal steel, including Evans and Peavey. Two amps stand out, Fender Twin Reverb and the Quilter Travis Toy 12. The end.
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings (all for sale as package)
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Steel guitar amp
My all-time favorite is the Quilter Steelaire, hands down.
Emmons LeGrande D-10
GFI Ultra D-10 keyless
Quilter SteelAire
GFI Ultra D-10 keyless
Quilter SteelAire
- Mike Perlowin
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Re: Steel guitar amp
I also use a Steelaire. I especially like the leg mounted switch box and the powered effects loop. I have a pedal that simulates a dobro hard wired into mine. One flip pf a switch and voila: instant ped-a-bro.GaryL wrote:My all-time favorite is the Quilter Steelaire, hands down.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
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- Bill Terry
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Yeah, I've been thinking about that exact thing.. seems like a great idea. I've actually got the schematic and parts to build that leg switch, parts are really cheap and the cable is just a plain old cat-5 ethernet. One of these days I'll put it together I guess...Mike wrote:I have a pedal that simulates a dobro hard wired into mine. One flip pf a switch and voila: instant ped-a-bro.
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- Mike Perlowin
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The pedal I use for the Dobro sound is a Dunlop Q-zone pedal. I thought they had been discontinued, but I was wrong. They are still available.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
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amps for steel
So many good options today.
I would like to add another that is not mentioned.
I bought the new Evans SE200-19 with 10" speaker from Scott Buffington.
He spent lots of time with me dialing in the sound that my ears like. Tons of clean power, no need for added toys plugged in, just a volume pedal, light weight at about 27 pounds. We set it for my pedal steels for both E9th and C6th. I only need to adjust the volume now and it sounds wonderful. Also without touching a thing other than volume my lap steels sound terrific through this amp as well.
Thankfully Scott is terrific at knowing how to set the amp up as I would still probably be fumbling around trying to get "that" sound.
I would like to add another that is not mentioned.
I bought the new Evans SE200-19 with 10" speaker from Scott Buffington.
He spent lots of time with me dialing in the sound that my ears like. Tons of clean power, no need for added toys plugged in, just a volume pedal, light weight at about 27 pounds. We set it for my pedal steels for both E9th and C6th. I only need to adjust the volume now and it sounds wonderful. Also without touching a thing other than volume my lap steels sound terrific through this amp as well.
Thankfully Scott is terrific at knowing how to set the amp up as I would still probably be fumbling around trying to get "that" sound.
It's been a while since I first made the inquiry of your favorite amps. I want to thank everyone for their input. It was a hard choice, but I finally made it. I am a guitar player as well as a steel player, so my pre-CBS Twin has always been my favorite amp, (2 separate channels). Sometimes I only play steel though, so no need for 2 channels. Long story longer, I purchased a blonde Fender Twin Tone Master, and for my gigs with just pedal steel, I have on order a vanilla Milkman Half & Half. I might have gone over the top, but why not!!!
Thanks again all,
Robert
Thanks again all,
Robert
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