Amp of choice
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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Amp of choice
Just moved here to Nashville, I have vintage amps Session 500 and a Nashville 400 both have their issues. I’m looking for a new amp. I know that everyone has their own taste of what they like, if there was a poll taken, what amp would stand out. Let’s take weight into consideration because of the old gray mare thing.
Thanks people in advance.
Thanks people in advance.
Last edited by Paul Vassallo on 13 Sep 2023 3:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Brad Bechtel
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What's your budget? How loud do you need to be?
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
- Chris Harwood
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- Brooks Montgomery
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Absolutely.Jack Hanson wrote:Amps are like lap steels. You can't have just one.
I’ve got a somewhat odd collection of amps for guitar, harp, lap, and pedal steel, and I’m sure my collection is tiny compared to many here:
65 Blackface Princeton (tone monster)
Fender Musicmaster Bass 12-watt amp (badass little guitar and harp amp)
Quilter Toneblock 201 w/ 15” speaker (very portable).
70’s Gibson Twin SS amp (weird old clean heavy amp w/ tank reverb)
Pignose 40 watt
Fishman Loudbox mini (fantastic little coffee house acoustic amp w/ mic xlr channel)
Fender Hotrod Deluxe (meh)
DeArmond little old antique tube amp (screams like a dinosaur for harp)
Fender Twin Reverb Tonemaster. (Attenuator switch shape-shifter)
If I was told I could only keep one (picture a wife, hair in curlers, in bathrobe, cigarette in lips, holding a rolling pin in a threatening manner, pointing at all my amps) I would pick the Fender Twin Tonemaster. It is amazingly versatile because of being able to choose from 1 watt to 85 watts).
And 37 lbs.
A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first.
- Greg Cutshaw
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Fender Tonemaster Twin or something like this with a Tone Block in it:
https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Quilter%20L ... 20Amp.html
https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Quilter%20L ... 20Amp.html
- Doug Beaumier
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I've been in Nashville for 17 years and played the vast majority of my gigs through a Nashville 112. The only time I want for more power is on club gigs with no sound system (somewhat rare) or outdoors (also somewhat rare). I normally run a Little Walter these days.
I see a a fair number of Boss Katanas floating around town too.
To echo Donny, I'd sell the Session 500 (too heavy), fix the NV400 and use it for the gigs where you need some power, and get a Nashville 112, Quilter, Boss Katana, or something else lightweight to daily drive, especially if you are playing in town where parking might be less than optimal.
I see a a fair number of Boss Katanas floating around town too.
To echo Donny, I'd sell the Session 500 (too heavy), fix the NV400 and use it for the gigs where you need some power, and get a Nashville 112, Quilter, Boss Katana, or something else lightweight to daily drive, especially if you are playing in town where parking might be less than optimal.
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Nobody really needs more than one amp. I started playing in 1963, and only owned one amp for 19 years! Played 5 nights a week in a club, and even toured for about 9 months; one amp, one guitar, one volume pedal. I bought a second amp in 1982, and have (rather stupidly) bought another dozen or so since then.
What you want and what you need are opposite ends of the spectrum.
What you want and what you need are opposite ends of the spectrum.
I think it depends on what you are doing. If you are playing on lower Broadway, where you may not be parking or unloading close to the door....I would go for something that is portable and has the necessary headroom - Quilter Tone Block or Kemper. These gigs typically require you to travel light.
If you are playing out at a club where you are parking reasonably close to the load in door, then a NV112, NV400, Fender Tube Amp of your choice. A Neo speaker will also shave some weight off.
If you are playing out at a club where you are parking reasonably close to the load in door, then a NV112, NV400, Fender Tube Amp of your choice. A Neo speaker will also shave some weight off.
Tim Harr
Mullen G2 D-10 (9p/5k)
Retired, US Army Band (Steel/Dobro/Guitar)
Kemper Profiler / LW 89
Mullen G2 D-10 (9p/5k)
Retired, US Army Band (Steel/Dobro/Guitar)
Kemper Profiler / LW 89
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Amp
Jonathan Reynolds has a Telonics Amp listed here located in Nashville.