The Steel Guitar Forum

What is different about their design? Is something about the circuitry, components, etc? I am considering finding one to experiment….

Thanks for any insights.

Hey Marty, what’s up buddy? You playing any? I wanted to tell you that I once had a Steel King and to be honest, I hated it. I could never get the tone that I needed from it.
I’ve been building NV 400’s using Tommy Huff cabinets and Eminence TT 15 speakers. I also modify the tone chip set if necessary. Here’s what they look like.
This particular one is Beau Thomas’s amp, it has an EPS 15 C speaker.

Fender steel king is my favorite steel guitar amp. I hooked mine up to a PV black widow speaker and got sound identical to the PV Nashville 400. As far as I can tell most of the unique sound is in the steel king speaker and not in the amp at self although I do like how easy it is to adjust the amp controls.

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Black%20Wid ... Widow.html

Dale,
If we’re not traveling I’ll play if I’m called…lol. When time allows I’ll look at bringing you my NV400….take care!!

Greg,
Even after the speaker swap did you hear any audible difference that might justify my time on a trial? I heard that those amps might have some FET circuitry—-and Im partial to that. So I’m wondering if the SK is very close to a NV400, but adds the FETs and a Tilt Control. Any feedback is appreciated.

Best regards,

The amp is basically a 200W tranny Bassman head with a steel-specific EQ section. The Jazz Master is the same thing with a jazz-specific EQ section.

So its a clean 200W solid state amp. What not to like?

Hey, Marty! I've often wondered about the Fender Steel King maybe having FETs in the circuitry.

Using my 1985 Evans FET-500LV as a benchmark, I am able to dial in a very, very close sound on my Fender Steel King. I love it.

Sam Marshall, who was the Fender engineer (now retired) who designed the Fender Steel King (and maybe the Fender Jazz King?), is a member of the Forum.

You may want to reach out to him for more information.


https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/profile ... ile&u=1122

Thanks for the info folks!!

I had a steel king amp I didn’t keep it long I didn’t like the sound sounded cheap

Swapping in a new MOD reverb tank into the Steel King gets rid of the tinny metallic reverb sound and give the reverb a longer tail. Sounds more like a plush hall reverb!

I never could get the sound I wanted out of a SK . So I traded it in for one of those new Fender Twin Tone Master. It weighs 33 lbs. I put a PODXT in front of it and its better than the SK. Still not satisfied . I may swap the 2 12's for a 15 in speaker. Cowboy Eddie Long has a demo of one he bought. you can probably find it on youtube. His sounds great !!!!!!!!!

Hey Marty, I did hear one at the Dallas show with a 15” Black Widow in it and it sounded pretty damn good. as a matter of fact Joe Rogers was with me and he bought it and brought it back in my car! lol

Any updates, Marty?

~Lee

Lee,
We’ve been traveling, I started tinkering with a PP project, and I haven’t done anything on this. Maybe I’ll get around to it in a few months. Sure would like to have one to tinker with, but……

Take care!!

Marty, a friend has a Steel King for sale. Let me know if you’re interested.