The Steel Guitar Forum

Don't know if this has been done already but, since the steel poll is going I thought "why not amps" so here it is. J.C.

This is a question like 'what kind of gal do you like?', but my preference is a '61 Fender Deluxe I got from my father. It really brings out the tone on my '54 Fender T-8.

John,for my country gig I use a Peavey Session 400 Wedge.For my loud Blues thing I use a 1973 Fender Vibrosonic with a 15"JBL D-130 F.

For most gigs a '69 Pro Reverb, with a '64 Vibroverb Custom added when I need a LOT of air moved.

For smaller places, a Holland Little Jimi - not a lot of headroom but unbelievable tone.

For home a '72 Deluxe Reverb, '62 Princeton (best clean tone ever produced by any amp maker, ever), '55 Deluxe or any of another dozen or so medium-to-small tube amps.

Often at home I'll use a Fender GDec - it has a built-in MIDI backup track system that also plays MIDI tracks off any computer (with a MIDI interface cable - about $35) - great for practicing "out of the box", since there are 2 or 3 country tracks, a couple surf tracks, metal, ska, reggae, swamp rock, punk, 5/4 jazz...you name it. Playing along with styles totally foreign to you (and that you will never play live) is GREAT practice IMO.

Besides the GDec, a Pignose is the only solid-state amp I own. I have not found a single one that I care for tonewise, although my son's Line 6 Spider II is OK...not great, but usable.

My gear is in constant rotation, since I tinker more than I gig.
Last gig with fender pedal steel and telecaster I used the Nashville 1000, with the RealTube 902 in loop 2 to add high end for the tele. Bulletproof.

For practice, I've been using an older ss Fender Deluxe 90. It's light and loud enough. Terrible for pedal steel, but ok for lap.

For blues and where there are other guitar players where it's important to seem cool, I use a reproduction Bandmaster 3x10, made from a 1961 head. It gets a rougher less sweet sound.
Again, terrible for pedal steel, but great for lap and console.

My favorite all around amp is the Hot Rod Deville 4x10. Very inexpensive used (like $500), hugely loud, and the adjustable bias is really fun for tinkerers like me. I've been thinking about putting a 15" Weber cali in this one.

As I age, I've found there is a lot to be said for portability. I probably should have gotten a 112 instead of the 1000, but the local store had the 1000 cheap and I wanted instant gratification. I got rid of a brownface Yamaha G100 2x12 (another great amp) to make room for the 1000.

All I have is Peavey amps, I like my '79 LTD the best.

O.K., Here's the real deal. I'm thinking of getting a second amp, and wanted to see what you guys like the most. I problably should have posted this first. J.C.

Ok, what's your first amp, John?
Maybe you can get some suggestions that complement your first amp with more/different tone/capabilities.

John - Are you looking for an amp to run a pedal steel guitar through? If so, there are some Fender Steel Kings, along with a great vintage Evans FET-500, for sale here on the Forum.

Those are my two favorite steel guitar amps.

For clean steel, either a Music Man HD 130 . . .


or the ubiquitous NV112 . . .


for saturated lap steel there's a few I like, this 49 Pro really does the job . .


and this 53 Deluxe looks bad, but sounds good . .


I finally hooked up with an amp tech who really knows how to restore and repair vintage tube amps.

more amp pics here

For pedal steel for all around tone, if volume is no issue, and cost is no issue, I'd want a Tweed Pro. For more realistic clean headroom, I'd want a 135 watt Vibrosonic. For the ultimate clean headroom and two channel EQ versatility, I'd go with a Super Twin Reverb in a head cabinet, with two 15" JBLs or equivalent modern speakers.

John, I use a Fender Deluxe 112+ that they made for a short while. Excellent warm tone, and more than enough power for anything.

I "have" an old Sho-Bud single channel that's been at Woody's shop since last summer... I say "have" because I haven't had a chance to use it yet... but I think I'm really gonna dig it once he gets done with it.

My '77 Session 400 gives me all I need for great steel tone.

In my case, it depends on the steel that I am using. If I am playing my D8 Rickenback I prefer the Nashville 1000, if I am playing my Fender 400 I prefer the Evans SE200, if I am playing my D12 Carter I prefer my Evans FET 500. Just seems to get better sound and tonal qualities this way, or maybe it is all in one's head.

My vote goes to the Walker Stereo Steel. It works great for me everywhere I've ever used it and leaves me wanting nothing more in an amp. I've played through several popular steel amps but the SS is now the only one I own....except for the other SS I was able to work a great deal on

For Steel: Fender Steel King. For Guitar: blackface Fender Vibrolux Reverb

........just kidding! I don't have an extra $3500 right now

Is there an amp that is light and can handle both steel and guitar? After last nights gig, I think I might have to play both lead and steel. J.C.

For me it depends on the gig as to which amp(s) I use....

Most steel gigs I can handle with a Nashville 112, if we're miked I usually just use the XLR connection in the back of the amp.

On a larger gig if we're not miked I'll use either two NV 112 amps or one NV 112 and a Randall Steelman 500 or sometimes the Randall by itself...

On lead guitar gigs my main amp is an older Musicman HD-212 One Fifty which looks just like a Twin but sounds better....

My actual favorite amp for lead guitar (because of size) would have to be an old Peavey MX hybrid which has a 12" Black Widow speaker and killer sound with a lot of power. I have used this amp for steel at times and it works well for that too..

On some "retro" gigs I do on occasion, I have an old Kustom 250 piggy back rig which has two cabinets with four 12" speakers in each. It's also covered in the blue sparkle tuck and roll.

Lastly, for a nice rock or blues tone I have a Randall RG-80 which has a 12" ElectroVoice speaker in it. It's solid state but doesn't sound like it.........JH in Va.

Who'd ya hack off this time, Johnny?

Just kiddin'... but seriously, if you can find one of those Deluxe 112+'s, it'd be a good'un for both. Two channels, the second can be good and crunchy if need be...

I'm still in love with my '79 ultralinear SF Twin, with loads of clean headroom.

Michael, Its not a case of who I hacked off. But a case of too young a guitar player that doesn't know the intericate parts of the old standard songs. In other words, the lead player was useless. He did R&B real well but, couldn't get a feel for country.
Someone metioned a Deluxe 112. Who makes those?

Ive been searching for the perfect 6 string and steel amp for a long time. Ive been playing a fender 112 hot rod deluxe latley. It does a good job having a clean and dirty channel, but it lacks that killer reverb from a twin or a pro. It makes the amp a little harsh, trebley sounding.

Johnny, it's a Fender product; not sure it's still in production, though. It's a honking little amp, not big or heavy, but output for days. Might have to check around for it. It's the Deluxe 112 Plus model, it's called. It sounds like a tube amp, but it's not.