I need info about Battery Powered amp for Hawaiian Steel
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
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I need info about Battery Powered amp for Hawaiian Steel
I am looking for a battery powered amp to use whenever I have a small gig featuring Hawaiian music. I play a Fender Console 1954 double neck. Anyone have any suggestions on the best amp to get? It can't be too small-as I've blown other small amps running steel through them. I thought I heard Alan Akaka talking about one in the past but can't remember the one he recommended. I've sent a Facebook message to him, but with the volume of messages he receives, it may take a while for a response. I thought I'd try the forum.
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I like my Roland Mobile Cube. Bobby Ingano uses one, and even takes it on stage and mic’s it when he’s playing Taj Mahal.
https://www.roland.com/ca/products/mobile_cube/
https://www.roland.com/ca/products/mobile_cube/
Last edited by Joe Burke on 18 Nov 2022 4:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Thanks for all the comments everyone. This sure helps. I have been attending a Hawaiian culture and music group in Spokane, Washington called the Pacific Islanders Association. Basically a 40 to 50 member group that meets every other month for a potluck and fellowship (talk story as they call it) and music. Most of the folks are really accomplished musicians. Mainly uke's, guitars and percussion instruments, but they play acoustic style, sitting around in a half circle. No real show, no mics or pa-just sit and play traditional Hawaiian music.
I've been taking my steel, with small Backstage Peavey amp. But sometimes the musicians move around from place to place within the building, and its hard to plug my amp in without someone tripping on the power cord/extension cord. Which is the reason why I want to get a battery powered amp. I also play other Hawaiian jams in parks-outdoor summer settings so I need an battery amp that would be powerful enough to cut through the ambient noise and the instruments. I don't have the option of a PA to mic an amp.
So I wonder if the small battery powered 30 watt stuff would work. I really liked the 100 watt Fender Acoustic Junior Go amp that Ricky mentioned above. I'd never use that much power with a Hawaiian gig, but the power is there if I need it. I'll look further into this first.
I've also considered taking my dobro as well, but I like the old 50s-60's electric steel sounds in Hawaiian music better than acoustic steel.
I've been taking my steel, with small Backstage Peavey amp. But sometimes the musicians move around from place to place within the building, and its hard to plug my amp in without someone tripping on the power cord/extension cord. Which is the reason why I want to get a battery powered amp. I also play other Hawaiian jams in parks-outdoor summer settings so I need an battery amp that would be powerful enough to cut through the ambient noise and the instruments. I don't have the option of a PA to mic an amp.
So I wonder if the small battery powered 30 watt stuff would work. I really liked the 100 watt Fender Acoustic Junior Go amp that Ricky mentioned above. I'd never use that much power with a Hawaiian gig, but the power is there if I need it. I'll look further into this first.
I've also considered taking my dobro as well, but I like the old 50s-60's electric steel sounds in Hawaiian music better than acoustic steel.
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I thought I'd mention that I did hear back from Alan Akaka about this battery power amp search that I'm on and he mentioned that he..."prefers the Yamaha THR models and the Roland Cube series." also that he mics the amp through a pa. Which in my case, may not work as my gigs are really jams, not concert settings and don't have pa gear.
- Nic Neufeld
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I was just talking with Alan about this last night. He mentioned Bobby I using the Roland...he has a 7 string, high G C13 so his lowest string is a Bb, and he says its voiced perfectly for that, for him. Alan (like me) plays 8 string most often, with a deeper bass string usually...the Yamaha THR has the edge, for that, I think...really nice full, smooth sound. The only trick...my version, a THR10II, at least, is not battery powered. I'm not sure if there is one that is? But it's very, very portable and sounds great with Hawaiian steel.
Yeah, just caveat emptor...I think the first batch of THR10 models had a battery slot...the normal v2 model (THR10II) does not, but the THR10 Wireless and the THR30 have a built in rechargeable battery. I'm really happy with the tone and portability though!
I'm sure the various Rolands are great too. I'll tell you, you don't see these guys hauling Twin Reverbs around to gigs anymore it seems! Probably good for their backs
Oh and yeah, Alan does mic his THR. Typically this is for playing on stage, where everyone else is mic'ed up or direct injected into the PA, too...the amp can get modestly loud, if the other folks are playing acoustic eg uke and slack key, it should be able to keep up. There's also the THR30 (which has battery power) that has more wattage if you really needed it.
That Kanikapila gathering sounds like a lot of fun! There's a Hawaiian civic club in my city that I visit, not nearly that well attended and not too many musicians...and the only ones that tend to know the old songs I know are the 80 year old aunties!
Yeah, just caveat emptor...I think the first batch of THR10 models had a battery slot...the normal v2 model (THR10II) does not, but the THR10 Wireless and the THR30 have a built in rechargeable battery. I'm really happy with the tone and portability though!
I'm sure the various Rolands are great too. I'll tell you, you don't see these guys hauling Twin Reverbs around to gigs anymore it seems! Probably good for their backs
Oh and yeah, Alan does mic his THR. Typically this is for playing on stage, where everyone else is mic'ed up or direct injected into the PA, too...the amp can get modestly loud, if the other folks are playing acoustic eg uke and slack key, it should be able to keep up. There's also the THR30 (which has battery power) that has more wattage if you really needed it.
That Kanikapila gathering sounds like a lot of fun! There's a Hawaiian civic club in my city that I visit, not nearly that well attended and not too many musicians...and the only ones that tend to know the old songs I know are the 80 year old aunties!
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me
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Well, I thought this through, and already having a number of amps, I decided that I liked the big amp sound and power, and just got a power supply so I can play any of them.
Lunchbox size Jackery 240 only uses about 10% of its power per hour...I can power other folks at the jam also...
Probably would be fine with the next lower supply.
And it is nice to have a power supply with a variety of outputs for beach, emergency power, etc.
So I have no compromise at all...
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable ... 07D29QNMJ/
I mostly use it with my ZT Lunchbox, a 100 watt amp...the amp and supply fit in a small backpack together...I got the AC-powered lunchbox version 1 used pretty cheap a while ago, makes a nice amp for band practice and many gigs (Nels Cline of Wilco seems to love them),...tone works well for lap steel and dobro...
something like this one, look around for a deal... (Reverb, EBay, etc.) https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/ZT/LB ... 8253294.gc
Lunchbox size Jackery 240 only uses about 10% of its power per hour...I can power other folks at the jam also...
Probably would be fine with the next lower supply.
And it is nice to have a power supply with a variety of outputs for beach, emergency power, etc.
So I have no compromise at all...
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable ... 07D29QNMJ/
I mostly use it with my ZT Lunchbox, a 100 watt amp...the amp and supply fit in a small backpack together...I got the AC-powered lunchbox version 1 used pretty cheap a while ago, makes a nice amp for band practice and many gigs (Nels Cline of Wilco seems to love them),...tone works well for lap steel and dobro...
something like this one, look around for a deal... (Reverb, EBay, etc.) https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/ZT/LB ... 8253294.gc
www.facebook.com/swingaliband & a few more....
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham "CooderNator" archtop parlor electric reso w/Fishman & Lollar string-through
Ben Bonham "ResoBorn" deep parlor acoustic reso with Weissenborn neck and Fishman
Ben Bonham Style 3 Tricone., 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor Squareneck
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham "CooderNator" archtop parlor electric reso w/Fishman & Lollar string-through
Ben Bonham "ResoBorn" deep parlor acoustic reso with Weissenborn neck and Fishman
Ben Bonham Style 3 Tricone., 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor Squareneck
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Yes but 240Wh might last for one hour, depending on what amp.Miles Lang wrote:Do you think that Jackery can power a smallish tube amp?
Sierra U12 4+5 / 1933 Dobro / homemade Tele B-bender
- Tony Oresteen
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Consider using a "FLY" rig.
If there is a PA with a free channel at you gigs, you could use a Line 6 Pocket Pod (or others) and a small direct box - basically playing direct into the PA. Just bring a long XLR cable to plug into the PA. I did this for a deployment to IRAQ where I played electric guitar in a church Praise group. There was a monitor nearby so hearing myself was not an issue.
Your steel guitar should sound fine and with the Line 6 PODs you can tweak a custom setting to your liking.
I have a small corner "studio" in my condo and I use the Pocket POD to record to my DAW.
If there is a PA with a free channel at you gigs, you could use a Line 6 Pocket Pod (or others) and a small direct box - basically playing direct into the PA. Just bring a long XLR cable to plug into the PA. I did this for a deployment to IRAQ where I played electric guitar in a church Praise group. There was a monitor nearby so hearing myself was not an issue.
Your steel guitar should sound fine and with the Line 6 PODs you can tweak a custom setting to your liking.
I have a small corner "studio" in my condo and I use the Pocket POD to record to my DAW.
Tony
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139 '71 Sho-Bud 6140
'82 Sho-Bud 6160 '73 Sho-Bud 6138
'71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster T8 black '70??? Fender Champ Lap Steel
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139 '71 Sho-Bud 6140
'82 Sho-Bud 6160 '73 Sho-Bud 6138
'71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster T8 black '70??? Fender Champ Lap Steel