L. T. E. - Seeking Great Solid State Tone

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 16 Feb 2006 8:46 pm

I have a special fondness for the warmth of those olde, old 8/10" Rolla speakers in a small five-7 tube configuration. For the old Rick it's just a match made in heaven.

HOWEVER, I was messing around one day with my Peavy LA-400, 12 inch B/W speaker, and inadvertantly twisted the "Saturation" knob instead of the volume. WHAT A SOUND!

Very tube like. I go not more than 2.5 to 4.0 depending on the situation. I don't want to hear ANY SATURATION.......but want to taste the WARMTH of the tube-like sound.

It works for me, BETTER THAN the twin Reverb Fender.

Just a tho't.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 17 Feb 2006 12:13 am

Hey Everybody,

Thanks so much for all of these replies. They are seriously helpful leads. Without them, I'd probably just blindly roam around guitar shops with my instrument and demo every amp that "looks good". I'm pretty sure I've seen these Peavey models around in stores so I'll check those out first. I'll report my findings back here. Dang, I know it's almost futile scraping for words to describe tone. But I'll try. Thanks again!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 17 Feb 2006 2:51 pm

Jeff, I'll be in town there April 26. Want me to bring my soldering iron? hehe

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 17 Feb 2006 2:57 pm

I'm getting a Tech 21 trademark 30, but not untill May. There are some sample sounds on their site. Of course the put the overdrive samples on there, but worth a listen. www.tech21nyc.com

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 17 Feb 2006 4:34 pm

Carvin started out making non pedal steel guitars in the 40' I believe. Their portable 1200 watt p.a. with the road case comes with powered monitor output. I think they sound great for medium size clubs. A lot of bands seem to be using them now a days, thats why I got the bass amp. I wonder why nobody seems to talk about using a bass amp for steel? Most guys turn the bass all the way up on their steel amps and the best amps seem to come with a 15" speaker? I'm talking about for playing out live.

"Been over at the electronics section getting my question answered".[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 21 February 2006 at 08:21 AM.]

Adam Davis · Post by **Adam Davis** » 19 Feb 2006 10:36 pm

If you can, try out the Tech 21 Trademark 60. I own one as a back-up. It's a combo that responds more like a tube amp than some tube amps I've owned. Tech 21 is the company that builds the Sansamp analog tube-simulation units, and they do a good job of building that into a light, S-12. [This message was edited by Adam Davis on 19 February 2006 at 10:41 PM.]

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 20 Feb 2006 1:36 pm

aloha Jeff,
sorry I've been MIA on the 'forum' - just busy...

I still use the Peavey Nashville 112. I plug the steel into the Brad Sarno "Black Box", then to the amp. That's it. Love the sound for pedal and lap. The Black Box is a simple tube preamp. http://www.steelguitarblackbox.com/

I've run my Stringmaster, Aielo 'dustpan' and my bakelites thru it - great tone to my ear. I got it for my pedal D-10, but it's an all around nice amp. I like the weight, and I like the XLR out - so do the sound hippies.

ttfn,
chris

p.s. - I do have a Boss graphic pedal in-line for those times when it's easier to go direct - then I can sort of handle tone/vol. problems if the sound guy is having a bad hair day. It comes after the Black Box, but before the amp, and is off 99.9% of the time. Just nice to have it there.

------------------
Chris Kennison
Colorado www.book-em-danno.com

[This message was edited by seldomfed on 20 February 2006 at 01:44 PM.]

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 20 Feb 2006 2:00 pm

Jeff,

Take a look at the Vox Tonelab. It is like the Podxt but uses an actual tube as part of the modeling sound so you get a much warmer sound.