The Steel Guitar Forum

I’m using a peavey sessions 400 an a sarno black box an I’m playing a MSA super stain with a Bill Lawerence pickup but can’t seem to get the full tube sound an I can’t afford a quilter amp I was hoping to get some amp setting variations etc also using a boss delay an tubefex so any suggestions Thanks 👍🙏

You might try that new Bloomer pedal from Goodrich.
Erv

The black box is a true tube preamp. Considering what you have or could add, the black box is as tube sounding as you are going to get. The Tubefex is outdated and won't give you as much tube as the black box.

Even with a Quilter, and I have a Travis Toy 12 that is about as "tube" as any solid state amp, if you want tube the only way is with a full tube amp (not partial tube but full tube).

The Session 400 should sound killer without a tube driven preamp. To me, The session 400 is the closest thing to a tube amp that isn't a tube amp.

Try these settings:

Volume: 3.5-5 (taste)
Presence: 3-7 (taste)
Treble: 3-5
Middle: 1-2
Shift: 6.5
Bass: 6-7
Reverb: 3-4
Sensitivity: 10 (this is more a master volume control)

The presence control in my experience effects how the highs behave. This is one of the most touchy aspects of the amp. Too much mids will also make the amp sound very steril and less warm like the tube sound you're looking for.

Over the years, there has been a lot of discussion on this subject but I've never seen anybody post this question: "Which tube amp will give me the best solid state sound?" LOL

Thanks guys for the input 👍🙏

Peavey made a unit some years ago called a "tube sweetener".
It was made to give a solid state amp the sound of a tube amp.

get a tube amp.

Bill Hatcher wrote:get a tube amp.

Yeah gotta go along with Bill.. Go get a Twin Reverb and be done with it.. I tried SO many SS amps that were "sweet sounding" over the years trying to get a tube sound.. Warmest and closest was my old Roland JC120.
Most were not that great.. I like Peavey SS amps, and have had several, but they won't get a true tube sound regardless of what you put in front of them.. I have even tried several tube amps that were not all that "tubey" sounding.. Peavey Classic. Music Man, Even the big old all tube Traynors.. Not all tube amps are warm and sweet.. Some are very clean and sterile... Get a 70's Fender... Prices are still right, and they simply sound great for steel.. There is a reason so many guys still use them,,,,, bob

I don't think a Quilter is going to get you any closer to a tube sound. If you truly know the tube sound that you are going for, then search out the tube type amp that has that sound.

With the gear you have, the Tubefex, Session, BB etc., I don't see any reason that you can't get a big fat tone. I think it's jus a matter of settings and string attack.

Some of those really old MSAs were said to have a muddy tone, so I don't know if that's what you are fighting.

I would spend some time reviewing other players' Session settings and twiddling the eq knobs yourself.

It's probably there, maybe you just haven't found it yet.

If you want a tube sound, get a tube amp like the others say, but I'm not sure that's what you need to get the kind of sound you are actually seeking.

It not difficult to find a decent silverface twin or vibrosonic. Ain’t nothing like the real thing baby...

Something to keep in mind if you choose a fully tube amp is the power of the amp.

If you like a “hot” tube distortion sound, even a 15 watt amp will blow the roof off. But if you’re going for the famous “Fender clean” at gigging volumes, you’ll probably want at least 60 watts, maybe even more.

The best tube sound I have gotten with a non-tube amp is the Roland JC-120. It's a big, heavy amp, and has two 12 inch speakers, but it sounds soooo good with a guitar or a pedal steel guitar. Plenty of volume, tone, reverb, and easy to dial in that tube sound.

Thanks. To all of you for your input now the decision is mid thanks so much 👍🙏

The other factor, not yet mentioned, is that there is not just one "tube sound". A low-power with 6V6 tubes and a vintage type speaker will sound completely different from an amp with EL84's and a modern style speaker.

Also, there are some really cool preamp pedals that are meant to work for going direct to PA or with a clean amp to get a vintage tube sound - most are not cheap. The Joyo American Sound, though is on the inexpensive side, and, at least in this guitar test, it sounds pretty durn close to a vintage Fender:

https://youtu.be/UwoTIRPkfhE

I've not tried it with pedal steel, but I use one with some other pedals (Memphis Mini Harp Boost, Delay) into a Quilter Interblock (45 watt pedal-sized amp) to get a good tone for harmonica that can drive a speaker and also feed into a PA. I've tried a number of different pedal combos, and personally preferred the Joyo AS to even a harp-specific Lone Wolf Harp Attack which has a "subminiature beam power tube" in it. Reports are it does a good job emulating both Tweed and Blackface era amps. I'd sure try that into whatever SS amp I had before I went and spent a bunch of money on a tube amp.

Douglas, I have tried the Joyo American with steel into a variety of amps. It's a good pedal but I didn't feel it added much for steel. Depending on what you want but I use it for guitar only. It will Give you more eq options which helps.

I would follow the above advice to just try out an old Fender amp at 50 watts or more. After lots of experimenting I got a 1970 Dual Showman head (100 watts, tube rectifier) with a separate 15" PS speaker and it was fantastic, although the amp is quite heavy. Then I finally got a 1966 Super Reverb and it's got to be tube heaven for pedal steel as well as guitar. The Supers have a slightly higher mid-range scoop than other '60s Fenders, and the four 10" speakers not only push more air but have a clarity to the low mids that's seems to be hard to get with a single 15" speaker. But then there's the weight of the beast at 68 lbs. - you lift it, your arm lengthens and you've raised it 2" off the floor. So I gig with a custom dolly....

I’m gonna suggest something crazy here.

Try a tube amp?

George Kimery wrote:Over the years, there has been a lot of discussion on this subject but I've never seen anybody post this question: "Which tube amp will give me the best solid state sound?" LOL

Brilliant