The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey gang,

I have a Fender Mini-Twin, and, frankly, it sounds terrible when I play my steel through it. I need something to practice through that sounds somewhat pleasing, and since I just bought a new (to me) steel, I have no budget. I'm considering a Pignose, the standard old one, not one of the newer bigger models, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience playing a steel through one of these.

Thanks.

-Danny

Danny, I don't know what your budget is, but I would try one of these.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Bugera-V5-5-Wat ... 3827wt_802
I have played through a Pignose on a few occasions and it just never seemed to sound very good. I think the Roland cube may be better choice than a Pignose also.
I have a Bugera and use it from time to time.... not bad...and all tube.

If it's just for practice, I'd pick up any powered pedal such as a used POD. Then you can dial in a few decent sounds for your particular guitar. You can use it with headphones, or through any type of amplifier, including your stereo.

Danny, I believe that Alexa Gomez uses a Pignose. Hopefully, she will chime in here. Otherwise:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

HTH.

The first time I went to Hawaii, I borrowed Bobby Ingano's Pignose, the little one. I was not impressed. The little Roland Micro Cube blows it away without a doubt.

I owned a 50 watt Pignose for a short time ( a very short time) It was in distortion mode at all volume settings. A real POS in my opinion.

Can't beat a Micro Cube for the price, which is around 129 bucks I believe.

I tried playing through an original Pignose years ago and it sounded terrible. Not clean enough for my taste. In fact, not clean at all.

I agree about the Micro Cube. Amazing little amp for practice and the price cannot be beat.

I keep a cheap lap steel and an original Pignose in my work van, mainly in case I get stuck out of town overnight. (Once, last year, I was trapped in traffic near the Memphis/Arkansas bridge for over an hour while a wreck up ahead was cleared away. The steel helped me pass the time pleasantly.)
I use the Pignose just because I've had it for years. I don't like the distorted sound, but it does allow me to noodle around, and do a little practicing in a pinch.
I prefer an 8 string steel, also, but, once again, the 6 string lap steel is just one I've had for years, and don't have to worry too much about its being stolen.
If I were going to actually shop for a small practice rig, I would definitely look for something with a cleaner sound than the Pignose.

The Microcube sounds good, but I'd rather just save up the full price for the amp I want ($600-800).


Thanks for all the responses. I'll steel clear of the Pignose and just keep on with the mini-twin until I get a real amp.

Gobs of playing time on batteries, neat selection of sounds, super-portability, easy price on the wallet, tiny box takes up no space when traveling, good build quality... I'd get the Roland Microcube!

Also, the Vox DA-5 -- like the Roland, it's small, battery or AC and has lots of setting for different tones. I use it for practice and it sounds great.

I've only been learning for a couple of months to play steel. I fell into a really good deal for a Peavey ValveKing Royal 8 that is small, light, easy to move, sounds pretty good to me. I can plug in the head phones if my wife is home . . . they aren't a bad choice for a small affordable practice amp.

James

Yeah, the Pignose is pretty awful unless that is the sound you're after.

The Micro-Cube is another that I own and it is pretty good. If you've got about $300 to spend, though, I'd recommend getting a little silverface Fender Champ amp (all tube).

I had two Pignose amps and sold them....I bought them years ago before the micro cube existed.....some of the instructions on the pignose were pretty ridiculous....like if you want to get a wah wah sound effect, have somebody open and close the back rapidly while you're playing.....true story...

Some folks play on stage with Micro Cubes, miked into the PA system. I think Jeff Au Hoy used one in NY with the Hawiian troupe.

For practicing you might look into the Vox AmpPlug- it is a headphone amplifier that plugs into a guitar or steel. They make several models but the one that was recommended for a PSG seminar last year was the Bass model. There are several models for rock guitar with way too much distortion, although there is an Acoustic model that might work for steel.

For small amps I really like the Kustom Tube 12 which sells for around $100. It is basically a solid-state amp but it does have a 12AX7 in there for flavor. For regular guitar I took out the Celestion 8" driver and put in an Eminence Beta 8 PA speaker rated at 225 watts which gave a very full sound (I could take it to smaller gigs in dive bars). However for lap steel I put the original speaker back in since the Eminence Beta 8 didn't have the highs I was looking for. Take a look at the reviews- it is rated very highly for what it is (probably the best practice amp around- all analog, none of that digital modeling crap in there ).

http://www.kustom.com/product_detail.as ... ductID=108

Steve Ahola

I've owned a Pignose since I read about Frank Zappa playing through one. I have never liked it much, but never gotten rid of it either. It's a one trick pony - if you like the kind of distortion you get with it, then it's good, but if you're looking for a good practice amp, there are way too many better amps out there now.

Many of the smaller practice amps are designed for rock guitarists, so feature better distorted or overdriven sounds than clean sounds. However, there are some great little amps out there that will handle the demands of a lap steel quite well.

Give us more of an idea of what your budget is (less than $100? Less than $200?) so we can make better recommendations.

The thing is, I'm going to buy a tube amp in the $600-1000 price range later this year, and I really just wanted the cheapest thing I could get. I know that ANYTHING, even my old Peavey Rage 108, would sound better than my Fender Mini-Twin, and I was just hoping someone would recommend something unbelievably cheap.

I asked about the Pignose because one was up on eBay for $45 with free shipping, plus I've just always wanted one for standard guitar.

As for steel, I can play through Garageband and get a decent sound, but I have to wear headphones then, which is fine sometimes, but not always.

The Roland sounds like a good deal, but that's about 20% of what it'd cost to get the tube amp, so I don't feel like going that high. Plus, I'm not into COSM or any of that stuff. The Kustom that Steve mentioned sounds like the best choice.

Plenty to chew on, and I still have a bit of time before I can afford anything at all, so, once again, thanks to everyone for the input.

I will say this, I was right in thinking that half my problem was the Rogue steel itself. I bought a Magnatone Lyric T8 and the difference in sound, even through this terrible amp, is huge.

Having just heard Tony Locke singing through his Magnatone T8 this past weekend, I'd have to agree.

I sometimes use my Pignose 20 for practice or if I'm going camping or just sitting on the porch pickin. It's ok but doesn't have a lot of bottom. The cubes are interesting because of the effects, but still lack a lot of bottom because of the small speakers, IMHO.

Neither compares well to a larger amp (I have NV112, Bolt60 and a Genx-Benz Shendoah 300), but then you are going for portability here, not sound.

All in all I like my Pignose.

You mean this isn't really played through a Pignose?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITJJY1-M6fA

I have an old tape of Ry Cooder live in a studio where he uses a Pignose as a preamp into a Super Reverb. The only reason I know is because it malfunctions and he makes a comment about it.

The Micro Cube is very good. You can take it any place you go. I love mine.

I have no problem with my pignose. But I only use it for practice and/or camping, as someone else said above. There are certainly more versatile battery powered amps available. And better sounding ones, too. I got mine used and cheap.

Let's see, a steel guitar played through a pignose.Would that be called a swinette?