Feedback from "Stereo Steel" owners

Skeeter Klott · Post by **Skeeter Klott** » 2 Dec 2000 12:29 pm

Hey fellow forumites...

Seriously considering going over to G.D. Walker's rack rig, and want any and all feedback, good AND bad. Gonna put my Session 400 and 500 on the market in January, as I'll be on at least a couple months break and will have the time to fool around and "tweak" everything.
You guys that have these rigs, what processor do you use with it? I've got a TubeFex, and I'd be VERY hesitant to give that up prior to knowing how the DigiTech units that he supplies work. Do you get that "warm and fuzzy" feeling when you play thru it?? Didn't mean fuzzy as in Death Metal...You know what I'm talking about.

Thanks guys, and let me know. The amps are gonna go cheap, too...If anybody might want an early bird special before I post them on buy and sell for real, please let me know.

b0b, sorry if I broke any etiquette rules with putting that little blurb in about selling the amps. Feel free to edit if need be.

Thanks...
Skeet

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 2 Dec 2000 12:47 pm

I bought the complete Stereo Steel rig from GD two years ago at the Dallas show. After visiting with him and hearing the rave reviews from Jerry Fessenden and others I was almost convinced. Then I heard Hal Rugg and Maurice Anderson using them on stage and was sold.

It has the most power with the least weight of any rack unit I know of, and it's easy to get any tone I want. The XLR outs, stereo headphone jack, and the RCA auxilliary CD/tape in jacks are neat little extras too.

One of the bands I play with uses the ear plug monitors and I don't even take my speakers, just plug into the XLR plugs and play!

I bought the rig with the Digitech processor even though I already had a Boss GX-700. After playing with the Digitech for a while I decided I liked the GX better, simply personal preference. Gerry let me return the Digitech with no questions asked.

You can buy as much or as little of his rig as you want which makes it even more of a custom setup.

I'm very pleased and would buy again if something happened to this one.

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Jim Smith jimsmith94@home.com
-=Dekley D-12 10&12=-
-=Fessenden Ext. E9/U-12 (soon to be U-13) 8&5 (so far)=-

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 2 Dec 2000 5:25 pm

I bought the second one that Gerry made a number of years ago. Even tho he shudders when I bring it up in a conversation (old design, he says)- I still love the tone and features~ especially since he complied with my request to make the volume go to 11 instead of 10

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Sidney Malone · Post by **Sidney Malone** » 3 Dec 2000 6:25 am

I bought a used Stereo Steel amp about 4 years ago and it too was one of the early models. I combined it with an Alesis Midiverb 4 processor and built my own speaker cabinets w/15" Black Widows. I couldn't have been happier with the sound when I got everething set. Everytime I turn this amp on and start to play I think, man that amp sounds good!!

I also sold a Sessions 500 and a Nashville 400 after getting this amp. I can remember adjusting tone controls on those amps about as much as I was picking strings. The only time I adjust tone now is if the enviroment has changed and there is very little adjustment then.

I would suggest using your processor with the Combo amp and I'm sure you'll be very satisfied. Plus Gerry is one of the nicest guys you'll ever run across!!

Jeff Hogsten · Post by **Jeff Hogsten** » 3 Dec 2000 10:48 pm

Im using one and love it. I settled on it after tring a tube works and a messa boogie it is by far the best I use mine with a stewert amp and a korg a3 and marrs cabinets ith JBL e 130s I would highly recomend it

RANDALL COX · Post by **RANDALL COX** » 3 Dec 2000 10:55 pm

I have had the Walker amp for about 4 years. I love it. I have the complete rig with the JBLs and i am very happy.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 4 Dec 2000 5:27 am

Ditto to all the positive things said above...my unit has the ART processor that Gerry used before the digitecs but it works for me...I also have the JBL's. My Session 500 and two other amps are also gathering dust in my garage since I bought the Stereo-Steel rig.

Jim West · Post by **Jim West** » 4 Dec 2000 1:14 pm

I have been using the GD Walker preamp for a while now coupled with a QSC power amp. I haven't really like the sound of the QSC (plus it's really heavy) so I'm trading in my preamp for the GD amp/preamp combo. One thing (besides the incredible tone) I like about the GD Walker system is the power-to-weight ratio. It's SO light for the power output.

I use mine with the Lexicon MPX1 and the sound is the best. I use the GD Walker 15" JBL cabs which reproduce the amps output perfectly.

If your looking for a quality amplification system for your steel, you needn't look any further the GD Walker setup. You won't be dissappointed. Besides Gerry being a nice guy that backs everything he sells, he's one hell of a steeler.

Jim West
Zum S-12, Carter S-10, MSA D-12 and, of course, GD Walker amplification<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim West on 06 December 2000 at 11:21 AM.]</p></FONT>

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 13 Feb 2003 12:47 pm

I use the S.S.Pre-Amp section with an Alesis QuadraVerb. I bought the pre-amp new in '94, and it's still working great! I'd say there built to last! I use the Pwr-Amp sections of my two Nashville 1000's. "Big John"

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"Big John" Bechtel http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels