The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone have any experience playing a Magnum ProSelect through a Fender Steel King? The Magnum has single coil pickups so I am wondering what amp would work best, but I can't afford a Webb or an Evans.

Joe

Does anyone have any experience with the Steel King amp? Like, dislike? Comments?

Joe

My Magnum sounds very good thru the Nashville 112, Session 400, Vegas 400, Standel Custom 15, Webb 614E and the Sarno Revelation, Lexicon MPX1 system.
Jerry

Hello Joe,
Norwegian steeler calling
Your familyname sounds norwegian to me Am I right?
Try the SteelKing... great amp!
Lots of topics on the forum about this amp, and as far as I can tell.... lots of happy users.

Geir

I have played session 500's, older fender twins, and now the steel king. Pro's (IMHO): Very clean and quiet amp, lot's of headroom, very bright, clean reverb, very compact, and can be purchased at just a bit over 1/2 msrp. Has built-in "tune" mode that kills sound output while sending signal to a tuner for easy -and quiet- tuning touch up (This is done with a button on the 3-button footswitch). The second and third buttons on the footswitch are for reverb on/off (there is no remote adjustment of the reverb depth, only on/off) and effects loop switch in/out. The amp comes standard with a set of casters and an amp cover (nice touch, Fender). The only con's I have about this amp are that it might be a bit TOO bright with the factory speaker. Some guys are replacing the factory speaker (a special Eminence) with Peavey 1501's or JBL D130's to mellow the sound somewhat (and save some weight in the process). The amp with the factory speaker is suprisingly heavy for it's small size (you're gonna want to look to see if somebody left a lead weight in there somewhere!), and finally, the amp does not have provision for a remote, second speaker, nor does it have a jack to unplug the built-in speaker (so you can plug in a remote INSTEAD of the built-in) probably because - and notice I said "probably" - of experience with guys damaging their finals because of impedance mis-matches from add-on speakers. All-in-all, however, this is one fine piece of equipment. I liked mine so much I bought a second one. It reminds me mostly of the old Fender twins with Altec speakers, except it has more headroom, is quieter, brighter (transistor vs. tube) and heavier. Hope this personal opinion is of help to someone considering the purchase of these amps. (edited to correct typo's)

I prefer to play my Magnum SD10 through a late 70's SF ultralinear Twin (when I can get someone else to move it, that thing is HEAVY). I retubed the reverb preamp channel with a 12AT7 (not a great choice, but what I had) to pad the input, & am looking forward trying out a few other different pre tubes as well. The twin has more than enough clean headroom for any place I play, I've never cracked the volume past 5, & my ears were ringing the next day after that.

It's a lush full sound, but I wouldn't recommend the Twin to anyone with back problems

Thanks for the input fellas.

Geir Arne: My father was full-blood Norwegian. He was born in the US, but his older brother and sister were born in Norway before the family moved to the US. There is supposedly a small villiage named Drivdal somewhere near Stavanger.

Gil: I worry that the Steel King might be too bright. I am using a Nashville 1000 now and the Magnum is too bright through that so I don't want a brighter amp. I am thinking of replacing the stock pickups with a George-L 10-1 in the front and a E-66 in the back.

Joe

Joe, I've never played through a NV1000, but assume it's similar to the session 500 in output (right? wrong?) But if it is similar, and if the NV1000 is too bright for you, then I doubt the FSK is what you want (although with the 1501-4 speaker substitution it could be). Sounds like a SF Twin is the amp for you. Gil

Gil,

I had a Fessenden once and I really liked the tone quality. It had an E-66 pickup and sounded awsome through my Nashville 400 and the 1000. I sold it because it was a 12 string and I just couldn't get the hang of it. I am looking for that kind of sound again but I like the action of the new-age guitars like the GFI and Magnum but maybe I can't have my cake and eat it too.

I've never played through a Session 500 so I don't know if the 1000 sounds like that or not.

Joe

Billy Carr sells Magnum guitars I beleive and he owns 2 Steel Kings with Black Widow speakers. He's a great player and knows good tone. He'd be the one to ask about the paring of a Magnum and a FSK.

I have been a FSK owner for almost a year and I am completely happy with the amp since I installed a new Black Widow 1501-4 speaker. Only thing that would sound better is 2 Fender Steel Kings.

JW

Hey JW, MSP wants you! Thanks. I am a Magnum dealer and I recommend the 1501BW in the FSK along with a XR-16 or 10-1 p/u on the Magnum's. Great guitars. Add a DD-3 to that and you'll be surprised. See ya!

Joe Drivdahl wrote: There is supposedly a small villiage named Drivdal somewhere near Stavanger.

Joe

Hi I live close to Drivdal, Its not a village, more like a farm, heres a map:

http://www.gulesider.no/kart/map.c?ps=0 ... &scrollY=0

happy holidays

Arne

I am using a Nashville 1000 now and the Magnum is too bright through that...

I own both amps and numerous guitars with single coils and can say that if you feel the Magnum is too bright through the 1000, it will be an order of magnitude brighter through the FSK, no matter the speaker.

Installing a BW will mitigate that somewhat, as will careful use of the Treble and Tilt controls. It's still going to be a brighter amp.