Steel Guitar Amps

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 30 Aug 2010 6:38 pm

There are two things I have a hard time with with Peavey amps:

Inconsistency: I had three NV400's, ALL three of them sounded drastically different. My buddy Kenneth had another one, and that one sounded marvelous. My least one sounded like the name... yep, that bad!
That logo

The best PSG sound I ever got, was out of Jerry Tillman's single channel ShoBud amp. The second best, out of the ShoBud X-mas three amp I subsequently acquired.

I also got an excellent tone out of Rob. Segal's Furlong amp, last year in NYC.

www.tcfurlongcustom.com

I get a pretty good tone out of my Peavey Delta Blues, but I need it softened a bit by a tech.

I have an original Fender BF Twin in excellent (show room) condition. It sounds huge with a Telecaster, but nasal, wimpy with a steel. I understand that a 15" speaker would do the magic.

I'd love to try a Fender Steel King, and also a Fox amp someday... but then, I also have to confess, that I am not much into Nashville sound anymore.

... J-D.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 30 Aug 2010 9:58 pm

GD walker makes an excellent amp if you want to go stereo. I have had mine for seven years,he makes a great product. I recomend him highly.
Tommy Shown
SMFTBL

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Aug 2010 8:35 am

As a player who started looking for steel amps in the 1950's that would perform without ear-piercing treble, and would have what we later called "bottom" (bass).

I have suffered through many (maybe most) of the amps on the market since that era, and Fender was the most unacceptable for a steel-guitar.

I apologize to my friend Jody Carver, a long time Fender representative. Fenders guitars were great, but the amps were made for guitars, not steel-guitars.

The first acceptable amp for a steel-guitar that I found was made by Standel, but, after all of the trials since, I have concluded that the G.D. Walker Stereo-Steel amp is currently the best amp for a steel-guitar.

Walker amps has adjustable parameters that can accomodate any sound that a steel-guitarist can want without accepting the settings of any particular guitarist. Gary Walker is a player who has refined the adjustable settings of a steel-guitar amplifier.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 31 Aug 2010 9:25 am

Fenders guitars were great, but the amps were made for guitars, not steel-guitars.

Yes. Guitar amps are "mid range-y" and, to my ear, steel amps are "scooped". I have a Twin 135 that was voiced for steel and it sounds great. Recently I bought a VHT Sig:X and it sounded mid range-y. I took it to Steven Fryette at the Fryette amp company (they used to be VHT) and he voiced it for steel. It now has the best sounding clean channel of everything that I have and it can do all of the overdrive stuff, when needed.

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 31 Aug 2010 9:32 am

The choice for amps are abundant out there. Ranging from inexpensive transistor amps to expensive solid state amps as well as tube amps. It should also be noted that the only three companies that offer a 15" combo amp for steel are Evans, Standel and Fox Vintage Amps. Webb, Fender and Peavey no longer offer a 1-15" combo amp.

Amps are like cars, we can all get from point "A" to point "B" in a VW or a Roll Royce. Lots of choices for us all out there.

It amazes me still how folks buy a $4,000-$5000.00 steel, spend $300-500 for a volume pedal, the $300 or more for a seat and balk at the price of a good hand built amp that has tone. The amps we are building can also be purchased at Victoria amps for a mere $3,300. Fender makes a similar low power reissue at $3,000. Tubes amps are expensive to build and very time consuming, an average of three days to get one ready. I would venture to say just the raw materails are in the order of 10 times more cost than most solid state amps.

It is a matter of choice for all of us for sure. Buy a less expensive solid state amp and get the job done or go for tone, serviceability and an amp that will last for years to come.

Keep in mind most of the great steel amp recordings we remember were not transistor amps. Most of the studio steel work today is being done with older tubes amps. This info I got from the the top session player in Nashville. Things are changing for sure. Look at the move toward Sarno's tube preamp and the Blackbox. Folks are looking for a warmer tone.

The work horse amps for steel guitar have been Peavey, no doubt. I have never seen a better built transistor amp than a Nashville 400, period. I have worked on them all! The tone of Peavey amps was designed to the sound out there to cut through the loud bands of the 70's and on. However most bands are not playing with on stage volumes like we had in the past. That's why a little N112 will do the trick for most gigs.

Just some of my scattered thoughts and I certainly do not mean to offend in any way. We all have our personal tastes and thoughts and I respect that to the utmost!

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 31 Aug 2010 11:50 am

Look at the move toward Sarno's tube preamp and the Blackbox. Folks are looking for a warmer tone.

I did a session yesterday with my Rev Pre and a Demeter Real Reverb, in the loop. No amp or speaker, we just "plugged it into the wall" and it sounded great.

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 31 Aug 2010 12:23 pm

Amen Ken Amen.. I am a toneaholic first and foremost and a lot of sessions I do are direct! I use an amp all and when I can. Again Ken's tube reverb unit is one fine sounding tube unit that can be used and is being used as a buffer to really warm up a signal even when the reverb rate & depth is not being used!!

Ive had more complements on tone since the first week I used Ken's amp than ive had in years. It was always there Ken's amp just let me hear it !!! Incredible !! I truly believe i've found the magic combo
Show Pro, Fox & Hilton, and my lil pedals.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 31 Aug 2010 2:39 pm

It amazes me still how folks buy a $4,000-$5000.00 steel, spend $300-500 for a volume pedal, the $300 or more for a seat and balk at the price of a good hand built amp that has tone.

It's because we have nothing left over.

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 31 Aug 2010 3:13 pm

Good one, Barry!!!

Rick Anderson · Post by **Rick Anderson** » 1 Sep 2010 5:31 pm

Thanks for the replys from my post about amps brother steel players.. I made a couple of amps myself using the style of the Sho-Bud compacta 100, with stancor transformers and 7027A tubes. Wish I had those amps today!
Thanks Rick Anderson

Dan Murphy · Post by **Dan Murphy** » 1 Sep 2010 6:19 pm

I agree with Ken, I purchased a Revalation Tube preamp in 2008.Also a Crown XTI 2000 watt stereo amp . I have a rack system that is the BOMB!!!Warm tube tone and plenty of clean power. It wasnt cheap but it was worth every dollar I spent.I played thru a session 500 for 10yrs and it still is a great amp just too heavy to lug all the time.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 1 Sep 2010 7:33 pm

Can someone answer this question for me?

I've always heard that Peavey is one of the only companies that voices its amps for steel guitar. But if that's so, then why has it been routine for years for steel players to turn the mids way down or even 'off'? I would think that, with an amp "voiced for steel", players would average around 'straight up' on all the EQ controls.

What am I missing here?

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 2 Sep 2010 4:38 am

Jim,
You nailed my thoughts exactly. I always used to think the same thing when I used Peavey amps years ago.
I had to use the parametric EQ to dial in the right tone. I think it was to get some of the 800hz outta there.

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 7 Sep 2010 1:41 pm

Can someone answer this question for me?

I've always heard that Peavey is one of the only companies that voices its amps for steel guitar. But if that's so, then why has it been routine for years for steel players to turn the mids way down or even 'off'? I would think that, with an amp "voiced for steel", players would average around 'straight up' on all the EQ controls.

What am I missing here?

If you have a nashville 400, most people turn the MIDs back, but not off. Then you can set the frequency at 800Hz, so that you are cutting the 800Hz "honk" out of the amp.
This is a great way to get a really good sounding tone IMHO.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Sep 2010 1:44 pm

But Curt, my point is: why should an amp that's supposed to be 'voiced for steel guitar' have a 'honk' in it in the first place that everyone needs to try to get rid of? That's what doesn't make sense to me.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 7 Sep 2010 8:30 pm

I'm working with some guys in Austin on a small/light very loud tube amp for steel. Basicly its an old style princeton circuit with a beefy transformer and 2 KT88 power tubes with a neo 12" speaker. It should be ready in a month or so. I don't have any other info now. But if it works in battle conditions I'll post about it.

BTW: I still use my Nash 400 constantly. Its a great work horse of an amp. I trust Peavey gear.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 8 Sep 2010 3:37 am

Bob
When you are talking "old style Princeton" are you talking early 60's Brown , or mid 60's Black ? .....Thanks, Jim

PS...Great choice on the KT88's !!....

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 8 Sep 2010 4:41 am

Yeah, but to get the maximum power output from a couple of KT88's...you'd have to have some pretty decent size power & output transformers.
Doesn't that sort of go against the "lightweight" aspect?

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 8 Sep 2010 4:58 am

jay,
I guess it's like the old addage ...." compared to what ? " ....Jim

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 8 Sep 2010 4:58 am

jay,
I guess it's like the old addage ....lightweight ...." compared to what ? " ....Jim

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 9 Sep 2010 7:43 am

James,
Its looking to be just under 35 lbs and I guess its a blackface type circuit.

Jay, by beefy transformer I meant large. I should have been more clear.

This will not be available for sale. Its just a little personal project.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 9 Sep 2010 11:54 am

Bob, you're not working with Steve at Austin Vintage are you?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 9 Sep 2010 12:39 pm

Bill,
Yup ! Mostly I'm talking to Bill in the shop about putting it together.

Tom Cooper · Post by **Tom Cooper** » 9 Sep 2010 2:11 pm

To echo what J D said, not into the nashville sound anymore, I run a Frenzel 5e3 copy into my Nash 400 to get more the late 50's early 60's pedal steel sound. I am mostly a D8 console player anyway, only play pedal at church once in a while. For the D-8 I have the Peavey Delta Blues with an old 60's Jensen P15L honkin speaker. Night and day to the old one. It sounds fantastic. I also have a blonde blues jr with billm 6v6 mod. Really love playing that amp for smaller settings. Between the Delta blues and the Fender Bjr. 6v6 I am pretty happy, and didnt spend a fortune. Budget amps are almost always gonna need some speaker or tube upgrade to really make me happy.

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 9 Sep 2010 4:16 pm

I picked up one of the Frenzel 5e3 based amps used off of Ebay some time back mainly out of curiosity, and it's really a nice amp. Very quiet for a tube amp, and has both a Fender and Marshall style preamp built in. Pretty nice, plus it will handle 6V6, 6L6 and EL-34 output tubes. I run mine through a JBL D130F with EL-34s right now and it sounds great. 6L6s sounded great too.

Only down side is the lightweight aluminum chassis. I don't know that I'd use mine for a carry on the road amp because it's pretty easy to dent, but especially for what they cost (even new), they're awfully nice amps.

Dave

The Steel Guitar Forum

Steel Guitar Amps

Amps

Steel Amps

amp