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Topic: Valve Preamp on steel |
Damien Odell
From:
Springwood, New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 17 Jan 2007 5:05 pm |
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Has anyone ever had any good results using a valve preamp to warm up the steel tone? I am mainly using an old Peavey Deuce amp on stage. This amp has a lot of head-room which is good for the steel, but it's solid preamp so I don't get that real warm sound.
Would a valve preamp make a difference??
Thanks,
Damien |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2007 5:11 pm
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Most of the tube warmth comes from the power section, but you CAN warm them up a bit with a tube preamp if it's the right one with the right tube(s).
Most of the tube-based overdrive units use a 12AX7 tube...and very often, you can replace that with a 12AY7, dial down the gain, and get a warmer sound with decent headroom. No matter what, warming up your sound almost inevitable means a loss of some headroom - how much is dependant on the equipment and the pickup output.
It's almost impossible to recommend a particular model without knowing pickup/guitar details, types of venues played, volume level, style of music, other effects (if any) etc.
I would probably start with a basic Tbe Driver as a base of operations and go from there. you can get much more high-tech and esoteric stuff, but from a practical stage standpoint a simple system may do the trick, especially blended with a band.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 17 Jan 2007 5:12 pm
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| Damien do a search on the Revelation Preamp --- this is the best piece of kit you could possibly invest in - and Brad made me a 230volt job no problems. |
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Damien Odell
From:
Springwood, New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 17 Jan 2007 5:14 pm
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Thanks Jim and Paddy for those replies - I will look into those options.
Paddy - are you coming over here for the Tamworth festival next week? |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 17 Jan 2007 5:41 pm
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| Unfortunately not Damien - got some gigs with Noel Parlane here in Christchurch. I was over at the Brissie steel show in June though - stayed with Warren Neilsen, and had a ball. |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2007 6:25 am
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Here are two devices specifically designed for using tubes to warm up a steel guitar's tone. Another shameless self promotion.
www.steelguitarblackbox.com
_________________
Brad Sarno
'82 Emmons S-10 push/pull, Revelation Tube Preamp, Furlong SPLIT powered speaker cab, V8 Octal Tube Preamp, Ganz Straight Ahead power amp - JBL D130 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2007 7:36 am
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Although it has been discontinued, a few years ago Peavey came out with a rack unit called a "Tube Sweetener". This unit was designed to warm up the sound from a solid state setup. They are often available on e-bay at quite reasonable prices.
Erv |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Jan 2007 10:29 am
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It would be interesting to see what a tube pre would do for you. As I recall, the Deuce along with the Mace, Artist and several amps from that era were hybrids.
They used 6L6's in the back end with a SS pre.
When I owned an Artist, I used to run a Blue Tube 904 in front for guitar sometimes, but I don't think it made a huge difference. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2007 10:54 pm Real Tube or Mesa/Boogie
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I used a Real Tube preamp for a couple of years. You see them now and then for sale here on the forum. Some of them have a "steel mod" that cleans up the sound, but I always thought mine sounded fine without it.
Paul Franklin uses a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp. They are no longer being made, but if you can find one they sound real good for steel.
I usually play with a little combo amp these days, but my rack has a Mesa/Boogie V-Twin preamp in it. It's a real versatile two-channel preamp with a blend knob that gives you a smooth mix of the clean and dirty channels. Real nice when you just want a little bit of that ragged edge. I pair it with a Boogie 20/20 power amp into two Tone Tubby 12" speakers. It's a real sweet sounding rig!!
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