Playing direct into a PA amplifier question

Malcolm Leonard · Post by **Malcolm Leonard** » 28 Aug 2005 10:24 pm

I have a couple solid state PA amps that I bought cheap at yard sales.One outputs ten watts while the bigger,rack mount one claims about 50 watts RMS if memory serves.
Am I wasting my time experimenting with this kind of amp connected to Jensen and Jensen clone guitar (not specifically steel guitar)speakers?
I am thinking that a PA amp is not correctly voiced for lap steel...correct?
Malcolm

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 29 Aug 2005 12:47 am

Malcolm, I don't think experimentation is ever a waste; you never know what qualities a particular amp/speaker combo will have until you try it. Each setup you use will give you a better idea of what you want and don't want, IMHO, and you might get lucky and like it.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 29 Aug 2005 3:19 am

I know of at least 7 players that do it in Tx. In the early 60s I only carried my Bud and an elctroplex unit and plugged into the PA. Everyone said it sounded as good as an amp. I did not like being 10 or more feet away from the speakers and purchased a stage monitor which I didn't like either so after a couple of yrs I bought a amp. CC

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 29 Aug 2005 7:34 am

correction to my post (typing) above. I should have typed echoplex. CC

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 29 Aug 2005 7:46 am

i don't know if i would play straight thru a pa that everyone was singing through..but years ago, i came across a Peavey self powered 6 input PA Head..i connected it to an old Fender bottom, and had a dandy amp.

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 29 Aug 2005 5:16 pm

When I was playing hard-core Rock in 1973-'74 on the southeast club tour circuit, my only rig was a '58 LP Jr thru a cheap 100 watt metal-cabinet Bogen transistor PA amp (Challenger if I remember correctly) into a blue metalflake tuck'n-rolled Custom (brand) cabinet with Altec Lansing spkrs; preamp knob on #10. It was LOUD and nasty (albeit not as "latterally" dynamic as a tube amp set similarly, ...and much more suited to single coil pickups than humbuckers). The tones were like the nastier "T-Rex", "Bowie" and "mid-'70's Zep" etc tones; And were there intact at any master volume setting. Shortly after starting with that rig, many people would come up wanting to see what kind of amp it was putting out that tone. So, to add to the "secret weapon" mystique / hype, I built a locking plywood case with jacks and a slot to reach the knobs; Lotsa fun. After that rig I picked up an old metal cabinet Bogen tube PA amp that had been reworked similar to a fender's guts (provided the "missing" latteral high gain dynamics), ...and migrated back to more conventional tube guitar amps. I still have old 100, 50 and 35 watt transistor Bogen amps ('60s vintage) I've picked up over the years and packed away to piddle with someday.

Other than those PA amps, I've never found a transistor PA amp that came close to the tones I like in a guitar amp (and I've tried allot just to see); Although I surmise there must be some that would/could have decent (mabybe good) dynamic guitar tones I or someone else likes. Old tubed Bogen and McIntosh amps can be made into very good sounding guitar amps.

Aloha,
DT~
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 29 August 2005 at 06:21 PM.]</p></FONT>