The Steel Guitar Forum

This is a question for Sho-Bud owners more than anyone else...but all steelers can reply.I've watched the Buck Owens Ranch Show videos a little...ok..maybe about a 100 times...and really love the sound of Tom Brumley's ZB through a Fender Twin(I think)...and so my question is what Fender amp would sound good with a Professional...is there something else besides a Twin...something easier on the back but that sounds as good?

My Sho-Bud fingertip sounds heavenly through a Deluxe Reverb with the volume on 3-5...but it would have to be mic'd to play out with a drummer.

Mike: IMHO, the
twin Reverb or the Vibrosonic. The Vibrosonic was made for the steel. They had a 15" speaker. They are hard to find and bring a high dollar. Tom Brumley did play a Twin at St. Louis this year. I watched him roll it from the stage to his booth.--Eddie

Mike: I'm sorry. I misread your post. You already know about a Twin. Like you, I'd like to find something that sounded that good and was light. I could'nt count the different amps I've tried searching for a tone i liked and was light. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that if it sounds good, it's heavy.--------Eddie

More than likely!

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“Big John” {(<< Uh~
http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

Besides the tone, one good thing about a Twin Reverb is that you only have to get it from the car to the bandstand, and then back to the car -- it's not like you don't have to stand there and hold it all night long.

How about the Hot Rod Deluxe? I see them going on Ebay for about $400 + shipping...

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<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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....and the Hot Rod Deluxe has just enough space to install a 15 inch speaker.

I play both my guitar and steelguitar through a Hot Rod Deluxe. On guitar the amp is great but with steelguitar the lowest wound strings doesn't ring too loud. The lower strings doesn't seem to get enough body to the sound. It may be due to the old Sho Bud pickups or something else than the amp. When doin gigs it's very light and portable.

It never crossed my mind to change the speaker! What would be the effect to the sound if I changed a 15" speaker?

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Olli Rahkonen
Turku, Finland

I've been using the Cyber-Twin for two years and am very satisfied with it. Not as much weight as a Twin Reverb (also not as loud...) and very versatile indeed.

Olli, in my taste the 15" sound has a little fuller body, also I had the 15" speaker lying about, so I decided to install it in the HRDL. Anyway, I use the HRDL as a back up for my ' 76 Vibrosonic, just in case.
Walter

Sorry, it' s Ollir.

What these guys are talking about is a Fender Custom Vibrasonic, a newer (90's) amp w/ 4x 6L6s, reverb and a 15" speaker or a Fender Vibrosonic Reverb, a (70's amp), silverface front panel and also w/ 4x 6L6s and a 15" speaker, usually a JBL D-130. Both are good but I prefer the 70's version. There is also a early 60's Vibrasonic (no reverb, 2x 6L6s). Cool amp but the others mentioned, IMHO, are better for pedal steel.

A Twin Reverb with a 4 ohm 15" speaker is the same thing as these aforementioned steel amps. You'd have to cut a new baffleboard but Twin Reverbs are plentiful. Or with a 8 ohm, 15" speaker and a swapped out output transformer designed for an 8 ohm output, you have got the same thing again. These two solutions may be easier than finding a Vibrosonic Reverb.

Bob M.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Metzger on 17 September 2003 at 03:21 AM.]</p></FONT>

I am partial to a Vibrolux Reverb for a nice compromise twixt weight and power. With 2 x10" it may not give you the low end "oomph" for C6th but its dandy for E9... I worked with one for years.

But I LOVE my Twin with a 15" power in reserve...

Ollir..the Hot Rod Deluxe, although one of the greatest 40watt amps out there, does not have near enough headroom for the Steel.
I had used one as my main guitar amp for 5 or 6 years and did use it on small gigs for the Steel as well. I used different tubes and different speaker combinations but could not get any clarity on the mid to bottom end.

I also was having issues with neck pickup chords on the Telecaster at moderate volume. The HRD just could not handle them with any bass boost whatsoever.

Sadly..I sold it..and moved up to a Hot Rod Deville 2x12..I had owned the HRD from new...

Night and Day..no contest in the mid to bottom end sonic quality. The 60 watt rating and dual 12's of the HR Deville is hands down superior. This amp actually sounds very good with the Steel as well..nice clean mids and bottom end as long as you are not going for murdering the audience in the the first 2 or 3 rows !

TP<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 17 September 2003 at 04:56 AM.]</p></FONT>

I have an original Twin Reverb from about 1967. It is an early silver face. I ordered it new with JBL speakers in it. Now you talk about heavy!!! However, I put carrying handles on the sides and rollers on the bottom so I can cope with the poundage. I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Erv

Here's my recommendations for making a Hot Rod (or Blues) Deluxe more usable. I replaced the 6L6 tubes with Svetlana EL34s and rebiased. Then replaced the speaker with an EV12L (or Vintage 30). The EL34s have better detail and the other speakers have a more even response and are more efficient than the original speaker.

For years I used a Super Reverb with 4 10s and it was incredible with my MSA D-12 Classic, a lot of lows and great highs, wish I still had it.

I tried the HotRod Deluxe and I liked it a lot for pedal steel and I particularly appreciated the lack of clean headroom... sounded very Speedy West like with mu U-12, BUT the minute I switched on the reverb circuit.. the thrill was gone... Solid State and sounding just like it. I went back to the store. I have a 1966 original BF Twin now and besides my Sho-Bud X-Mas tree it is it.

... J-D.

A Fender Dual Showman Reverb head and a single "15 cabinet have saved my back but I've still got the goods.

Has anyone tried the Fender Pro Tube series with guitar or pedal steel? I've been looking for one to try out in a store..Haven't found one yet. Would the 100Ws model of the pro Tube series be the perfect amp when both guitar and steelguitar amplification were needed?

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Olli Rahkonen
Turku, Finland

Like Erv, my Twin-reverb is a vintage late 60's. Heavy as @#$% but gets the job done.
IMHO the twin is the finest steel amp ever made. Mine has the two 12" JBL's. also have the Showman enclosure with two 15" JBL's, a horn driver on a crossover network.
Mine is so old it needs to have a total transplant. 4 6L6's 12AX7,12AY7,and those darn noisy 7025 tubes.
Never use it anymore. I like the Evans 150, and especially the weight.

Carl West