The Steel Guitar Forum

I use a Milkman Mini for my current small amp and have a Half and Half on order so I can have a light amp that will cover most of my gigs. In the world I am in these days you better have a pretty freakin loud amp !

Dave Mudgett wrote: "If you really don't need a lot of volume, then I'd get a smaller 70s silverface Fender amp like a Deluxe Reverb or Vibrolux Reverb. Or even a Princeton Reverb if you really don't need a lot of volume."

My question would be, when DO you need a lot of volume? If I'm playing in a small environment with acoustic instruments, the challenge is always to play QUIET enough. Any other time, I use PA reinforcement for whatever horsepower I need.

Yeah, a mostly-acoustic gig in a small, quiet room is perfect for a small old Fender. They also often work for a full-band gig, for me at least. But not always.

Of course, there are jam sessions - you never know what you're gonna run into. But even on a regular gig, I still sometimes wind up in a situation where a small amp just won't cut it. Sometimes the monitors are, let's just say, less than stellar; or the sound guy has no clue how to get the instruments out in the house. It just depends on the situation. When I'm playing steel, I may plan to use a smaller amp but still have a bigger steel amp in the car just in case.

Actually, there aren't too many gigs (that I will get - I'm not exactly playing stadiums) where I can't cut it with that Little Walter rig. But that's a 50-watt amp - maybe not exactly a NV400, but hardly quiet either.

If you really enjoy your 400 why not consider just splitting it into a separate head and speaker cabinet. You might also try to find a black widow neo magnet (though I don't think they're still being made ) or get one of the other lightweight speakers (Telonics, Eminence). That would lighten things up a bit although you'd have the inconvenience of hauling two pieces of equipment.

Using MB200 built into cab with Sica Neo speaker, weighs in at 21lbs, with 200 watts power, real happy with sound, and particularly happy not to be lifting a heavy amp.

I still use my 20W Creamer 12" combo for 99% of gigs and 100% of my sessions

Plenty loud for northern california

Through a cruel twist of fate, all three of my bigger amps have been at their respective doctor's at the same time. As a result, I've covered my last three sessions with my recently acquired mid-70s Princeton. I can tell you that the producers and my lower back have never been any happier.

Would I use it on a club date? I'd have to know the sound system and FOH person pretty well. But, if I knew I could get a good sound out front and through the monitors - and that's a big 'if' of course - I wouldn't hesitate.

Carvin BX 500 bass head with a Wet Reverb stomp box in th effects loop. 5.8 LB 14"X 9" x 3" in size. 500 Watts of power and features out the ying yang. I have an MP 3 file if you want to hear what it sounds like. Just send me your "real world" e-mail address.

I carry it in a Harbor Freight aluminum tool box about the size of a brief case. I open the case up like a book into a V position and sit the amp on it. The case makes the perfect height stand for the amp. I sit it right beside me on my right side. Great amp and absolutely amazing that it can have all the features, power, and sound for the price they sell it. (cheap)

I like it so much, as soon as I can afford it, I am going to get a 2nd one for backup. I don't want to be without it.

Milkman Mini. 28 lbs.

I have heard a very good steel player use a solid state fender princeton 65 many times at his home while giving my son lessons and he gets a great sound with plenty of volume for a small gig. Granted, he gets really good sound because he is really good and has great touch and bar control. They can be had on the cheap also.

Anyone using the "Ashdown" bass amp heads or cabinets? They appear to be in the Gallien-Kruger and Carvin equipment class.

When "samall and light" is the order of the day, I use a Fender Stage 112SE, in which I've installed a Celestion G-12 Neo speaker, so it only weighs 30 pounds, now.

Milkman Half & Half for one gig so far. I'm impressed, and plan to do a review after next weekends gig.

I use a Walker Stereo Steel.

Just went from a Rev/World 1.2/LexiconMX300 (which sounded great but weighed about 45 lbs in a Gator case) to a Quilter Steelaire (head) in a soft case w/ a Wampler Faux Analog Delay pedal (20 lbs).Very happy thus far. The 6 switch leg clip-on remote is uber-convenient.

Took me a week or so to dial in the Quilter, but I finally figured out that backing down the low-mid knob was the key factor to get the tone I wanted. Now, I'm loving it.

Malcolm McMaster wrote:Using MB200 built into cab with Sica Neo speaker, weighs in at 21lbs, with 200 watts power, real happy with sound, and particularly happy not to be lifting a heavy amp.

21lbs?? can't beat that with a stick...

LOL...

LMAO Tony, Haven't seen one of those in years. For me it's the Quilter Steelaire.

For me, the secret sauce is an amp that's small but sounds big. And by big I don't mean loud. It's not a question of volume.

What I liked best about the old Evans FET 500 LV I used for years was its ability to produce big, cathedral-like sounds at very low volumes. The RE500 I've replaced it with, which is even smaller and lighter, has that very same quality.

My lightweight amp is the Telonics TCA500 Combo - I fly with it a lot too ...

500W, 15" Neo and total weight 17kg/37.5 lbs

Nash 400. Well, it IS light compared to my 500. But at 68 it is getting heavier. My N112 with neo and the latest chips ain't bad.

Little Evans !!

I found a Cube 60 locally on Craigslist at a very reasonable price. Run just a little heavy on delay for a good steel sound. A few months later another one came up for sale, bought it. I've not used my Vegas 400 since. Butch in NC

I bought a Crate GFX 120T from a friend for 50.00 just because the price was right. I found it was a quite worthy unit for small gigs. The onboard digital effects are O.K., but I am happier with a Holy Grail reverb in front of it.

Quilter Steelaire.