Fender Steel King users only

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 4 Apr 2007 1:31 pm

So who's using one or more of these amps and how do you like it? How long have you had it? Would you buy another if this one disappeared? I've read about a very few of them having input problems but what about you? Any problems long term or is a workhorse?

Patrick Hattic · Post by **Patrick Hattic** » 4 Apr 2007 3:44 pm

My Steel King has worked very well, never had any problems. I,ve had it 1 1/2 years. It,s my favorite amp right now.

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 4 Apr 2007 3:53 pm

I have had mine for about a year and it's been trouble free and sounds great.

John Lang · Post by **John Lang** » 4 Apr 2007 4:12 pm

Same story, had mine about a year, no problemo. I like the sound of it better miked into the PA rather than using the direct out jack. Just personal preference. Only complaint? Very heavy. I think it's a bass amp in disguise.

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 5 Apr 2007 5:26 am

Heavy? Cripes, I thought mine was a featherweight. Almost every other amp I own is heavier. 'Cept the Princeton. I had one for about a year, loved it, no problems.
Stopped playing pedal steel, and couldn't justify keeping it.
-andy z-

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 5 Apr 2007 6:09 am

I have had mine about a month or so and I am one happy customer. I replaced the stock speaker with a Peavey 1501. I have had no problems and I have the best sound I have ever had. I even sold my Black Box, which I thought I would never do. I prefer the sound of the amp without it. I have owned Peavey Session 500, Session 400 LTD, Nashville 400, Nashville 112, Webb, and an Evans FET 500, which the SK has replaced. The Evans is now my back up amp. Along with my old Emmons PP, the FSK is the sound that I want and have been searching for. Unbelievably clean and clear. I don't find the weight to be a big issue. My steel in it's case weighs more. It has wheels and you can always carry a dolly if the weight is a problem for you. I give it a solid 10 rating.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 5 Apr 2007 6:09 am

OOPS!!! Had the hiccups and posted twice. Sorry.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 5 Apr 2007 6:50 am

I like mine. I've had it for about 3 years and also have a BW speaker in it which gives it more headroom before "boo-wah crapout". I've had no problems so far. The only things I'd say would improve it would be to put a variable control on the compressor circuit and a dwell control on the reverb. As it is you can have more or less reverb but it's always the same length - long. It's the most rich and smooth spring reverb I've ever heard however.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 5 Apr 2007 7:28 am

I have owned a Steel King for about a year and played it side by side with a Peavey Nash 112 and a Webb 6-14-E. About a month after getting the King, I sold the other amps and kept the Steel King. Best steel amp I've ever owned. This thing has thunderous lows, easy to set tone controls and almost tube like warmth. With this amp I don't find myself fiddling with the controls all the time. Very smooth midrange with no peaks and it makes me smile every time I sit down and hear the tone.

Greg

Charlie Tryon · Post by **Charlie Tryon** » 5 Apr 2007 7:49 am

I have had one for about a year and ahalf no problems. I had an Evans se150 for a backup amp but I sold it about 6 months ago and bought another Steel King. I think they are great.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Apr 2007 9:01 am

I've had a Steel King for a year and a half, and I love it. This is the best sounding steel amp I've ever owned! Some of the musicians I have worked with in the past year have asked me "is that a tube amp?" ...and others have described the sound as "warm", and one said "it really growls". These kinds of comments from fellow musicians mean a lot! I've had no problems with the amp, and I've used it on over 100 gigs so far.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 5 Apr 2007 12:29 pm

I have owned mine for about a year and a half as well. I have gigged it pretty hard with NO problems what so ever. I'm sure like any brand, there are bound to be good and bad ones but,I love mine and yes, if something happened to it I would replace it with another Steelking!! The weight is about the same as a Nash 400 and thats why they invented wheels ( that are included) as well as a nice heavey duty cover.

Alan Rudd · Post by **Alan Rudd** » 5 Apr 2007 2:32 pm

I've owned my Steel King for almost a year now. I'm going to try the 1501 in it and compare it to a couple of Nashville 400's I just bought, one from the 80's and one from the 90's. Should it stand up as the best of the three amps, there will be two excellent NV 400's for sale on the forum. As for now, no issues. Great sounding amp!

Charles Rodrigues · Post by **Charles Rodrigues** » 5 Apr 2007 2:46 pm

I have owned a Steel King for about a year and a half, which I favor over other amps that I have also. As mentioned by others, the tone is very WARM. I feed a Carter D10 (which has BCT) through a Hilton pedal. My Carter is very sharp sounding with the George L's E-66 pickup, but the Steel King mellows it out some.

As far as the weight is concerned, a fellow steel player re-packaged his Steel King into two separate cabinets, allowing for ease of handling and placement. The speaker cabinet is located in back of him and the amplifier head at his right side allowing for easy access to the amps controls.

Chuck

Randy Gilliam · Post by **Randy Gilliam** » 5 Apr 2007 2:53 pm

Frank I got one 3weeks ago I Played One job on it and it sounds great . My Problem is i have a 1500.00 Evans And hate to see it set there. I might take you LTD and some Cash for The STEELKING ? How is my Standel comeing along thanks Randy Gilliam. 210 862 8331

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 5 Apr 2007 3:36 pm

I'm loving mine. I've about decided I like it better than my old Evans FET-500...well, at least as much, if not better!

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 5 Apr 2007 3:40 pm

I've been using a N112 because of the weight, but last week I used the Steel King. Today my boss called and asked me to bring the Steel King this week, cause he said it sounded so good, and we'll be in a large room. If it would grow legs and carry it's self I'd use it all the time.(I'm old and puny)

Nigel Mullen · Post by **Nigel Mullen** » 5 Apr 2007 4:36 pm

I've had mine for about 2 years now and love it. I've had no problems with it. I have a little hand cart to move it around so the weight is'nt an issue. Great amplifier

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 6 Apr 2007 4:26 am

I've had my Steel King a couple
of years, great tone and power.
I don't use the reverb, I like
the RV-3 instead.

Rick

www.rickjohnsoncabs.com

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 6 Apr 2007 4:26 am

To add to this user base-----very satisfied with mine, no problems. Perfect? No. As I've said in other threads, I agree with Michael J about the reverb. I use very little because it is too deep (dwell) and muds up when overused.
This amp has a very large sweet spot. I was suspicious of it at first because, like a tennis racquet or golf club with a big sweet spot, it seemed too easy to get a particular sound that I find more difficult to dial in on other amps----seemed either unreal or like cheating. But unlike the racquet or club, it works real well with steel.
Not a lot of fun carrying up a couple of flights of stairs due to the cabinet depth.

I am very interested in Ken Fox's reports and rather concerned but I have had zero issues with the FSK.

Sam Lewis · Post by **Sam Lewis** » 6 Apr 2007 6:12 am

I have two of them, keep one in the studio and one for playing out. Occasionaly, I will use both but generally speaking, one is enough. They are great amps. I would rate mine as the best I've ever used and I would only replace it with a Standel (if I could afford one).

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 7 Apr 2007 6:54 am

I have not played one (nor even seen one around here - usual problem in L.A.), but I have heard one used live by several players and it sounded great - like someone mentioned earlier, it had a very tube-like sound; extremely warm, full and quite unlike most of the "normal" steel amps.

I checked the specs, and I guess weight is relative - at 66 pounds, to me (as one who lugged around guitar tube amps for years) it's pretty light!

Jim Walker · Post by **Jim Walker** » 8 Apr 2007 1:28 am

I love my FSK. Like others, I replaced the stock Eminence with a Peavey Black Widow 1501-4. At most gigs I set all the knobs at 12:00 except the reverb at 10:00. Nothing but Guitar, George L cables, Goodrich LDR and Amp. Only thing better would be two Fender Steel Kings!

*53Lbs with BW.

JW

Randy Gilliam · Post by **Randy Gilliam** » 8 Apr 2007 8:04 am

Gregg Jon Buddy E Anyone What are your Favorite settings . I Know Almost Every Week A new place to Play and Each The acoustics are different So you have to change um a little? Thanks For all the info. Randy.

George Macdonald · Post by **George Macdonald** » 9 Apr 2007 6:05 am

I've had my Steel King for about a year and a half now and love the sound. Over the past few months i've noticed that many owners have replaced the stock speaker with a Peavey 1501 Black Widow. Can someone describe in what way the Black Widow improves the sound? Thanks, George

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