The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi all,
I'm looking for a small amp, maybe 10 or 12" to have around for practicing my 8-string lap steel. I have a $100 credit at my local music store and he's always getting used stuff in. He seems to know what I might need, but wanted to ask you all for some help, as well. What should I look for and what should I stay away from? Hopefully if I add $100 or $150 I could get something I could use on stage with my 'Bud if needed if miked up. I'm sure he'd order me something new, too, if I wanted. I'm looking for something up to 35ish pounds.
Thanks in advance.

Lynn, there's a great amp that Peavey makes-I used one as my first amp when I started playin' twelve years ago-it's called a Peavey Rage 108 and it can be plugged into any instrument. It's a good little practice amp.

Brett

I have one of these, and I really like it!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Musical-Instrum ... blazer+158

Fender Blues Junior

Tweed Champ ,

Get the above if you have the cash, but for $100 you can't get a better deal on a practice/small gig amp than this. Behold the 80's Roland Cube 40. 10" speaker, 40 watts, reverb, and gain control. I can get a real nice warm tone out of it too! Best $100 I ever spent!

For pedal steel I have a Peavey Studio 112 that works great, as well as a Fender Princeton Chorus 2-10. Both are pretty small and light, powerful enough for clean headroom for practice or even small gigs and have pretty good sound quality. The Chorus on the Princeton makes it possible to get a little better pedal steel tone without a delay pedal of some sort. Both amps have good sounding reverb.
For non-pedal steel, I prefer a tube amp.

Fender Mustang I, $99 new. I own both the I and the III (100 watts, 1X12) and I think the I sounds better. It has a lot of flavors of Fender clean plus plenty of effects with full control of parameters, USB recording capabilities that rival more expensive modelers and presets.

I'd second the recommendation for the Fender Mustang I. It's a great little amp.

I have a Mustang 1 and when I put it on twin tweed I was blown away and got the exact sound that I had been looking for and at $99 brand new you can not go wrong.

Thomas Temple wrote:I have a Mustang 1 and when I put it on twin tweed I was blown away and got the exact sound that I had been looking for and at $99 brand new you can not go wrong.

Twin Tweed? I'm aware of the Twin model and the Tweed Deluxe model(which I haven't explored much). To which are you referring. The Twin is outstanding.

Thanks so much fellas. I forgot to mention I like a real nice reverb. Lots of good ideas here. I'll talk to my friend at the store and see what he can get for me. Should be just about any of these, if they're new, right? I used to have a Twin, but I sold it many moons ago. I couldn't carry it anyway! (Can't carry my 'Bud either, but been invited to sit in with my 8-string lap by a couple of local hillbilly-rock bands. Maybe I'll plug in my old Boss-Tone and have some fun. )

That strapping gentelman beside you looks like he could definitely carry a shobud or twin

Hey Lynn,I'm gonna put myself on the chopping block here and say that I have gotten countless compliments on my tone, I use a Peavey Nashville 112,Reverb and all. I'm not sure the weight but the weight to tone ratio pays in dividens.
Another amp if the PV 112 is too heavey or $, is a little fender amp calles the bullet 150. It has a 10 inch speaker. It even has digital effects built right into it, you can use either spring or hall reverb along with delay. Good luck on youre search. (bye the 112 and and get the stud next to you to carry it )

Ha ha, guys. I really don't think the "stud's" wife would like him carryin' my stuff around. Besides, he's draggin' his own new Carter through airports quite often these days. That's my idol, J.D. Call (Pure Prarie League), who I was lucky enough to meet up with at one of their Penna. shows last year after not seeing him for 35 years. He's a super cool guy and said it was okay to use this pic for my avatar.

My Swiss friend, Ruth, has the PV 112 and loves it. Maybe a little too much $ for me right now, and also a little heavy. I've checked out all the amps suggested, and will now look at the bullet.

Thanks again to all.

Yup, and Ruth got's tone!
Bad joke about the 'stud', sorry .
As I said Lynn, the bullet 150 is a great little amp, they go up in size but this one should do you really fine. My son has one( among amny others) and I used it before I got my nashville 112. Give it a whirl, I think you will be impressed with the good quality reverb and tone.

Well, this thread has taken an entertaining turn for sure! I don't know what the big deal is though, I just have my wife carry my Derby for me (62 lbs in the case....that's the Derby, not the wife).

Anyway, I've been looking for a small amp as well, and just purchased a Fender Mustang I for $50 (Craigslist, used once, all paperwork intact).

So I'll report back after I've had a chance to break it in...

Not a bad joke at all, I'm still laughing. It was a fun night, though. He is a very gracious host, as any fan who gets to spend some time with him will tell you. I just happen to be his #1 fan!!!!

I definitely will see if there is a Bullet available out there somewhere. I noticed some of these amps suggested are discontinued and would have to buy used. I have $100 credit at the store, and the chances of one showing up there are slim. Guess I could buy a lot of strings with that credit though, huh?

John, loved your wife joke, also. Can I borrow her?

How loud is that Mustang 1? I bought a Roland Micro Cube and it isn't even loud enough for sitting in my living room.

www.ebay.com/itm/FENDER-BULLET-150-GUIT ... 415ea16b83

Peavey Special 130 or 150 are great little amps with lots of power and good tone

Bullets and Mustangs and Rage, oh my! After watching some YouTube vids on these amps, I can tell I'm not in Kansas anymore!

So I'm kind of liking the Mustang II. Still in my price and weight range, but I like the 12" speaker. Anyone have any experience with one of these? Seems like a whole lot of amp for the price, so I'm a little skeptical. Do these hold up well? I imagine if this were miked up, it would be fine for a small venue?

Thanks again for all you input.

I'm thinking about trying one of the Mustang I amps. Are we talking PSG and lapsteel?

Lynn Fargo wrote:
So I'm kind of liking the Mustang II. Still in my price and weight range, but I like the 12" speaker. Anyone have any experience with one of these? Seems like a whole lot of amp for the price, so I'm a little skeptical. Do these hold up well? I imagine if this were miked up, it would be fine for a small venue?

I'd be interested to hear how the II sounds. The III is also a 1X12 but has a Celestion speaker (marketed as an upgrade over the II), an LCD screen for easier editing and more power. I thought it would sound better but after having both the I and III for a couple of months, I can honestly say the I sounds signficantly better in my bedroom. I've tried to set the III to sound like the I but there's just something missing. Too trebly and hifi, maybe. It still sounds good, just not great.

I now own a special edition 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue with upgraded cabinet and speaker, a Peavey Nashville 112, a Vox DA5, and the Mustangs. If I was recording typical clean pedal steel in a studio, I'd use the cheapest Mustang without hesitation. For overdrive pedals and other effects, the Deluxe Reverb would win. I haven't found anything I like about the Peavey after several months of trying.

Brian Hunter wrote:How loud is that Mustang 1? I bought a Roland Micro Cube and it isn't even loud enough for sitting in my living room.

Hmmm, I'm not sure about the Micro-Cube, but I don't imagine the tiny Vox DA5 is much louder and I used one at my sister's outdoor wedding with the faint white noise of a rushing river in the distance. The Mustang I is louder than the DA5, for sure.