The Steel Guitar Forum

What's the best steel amp ever made?

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I would almost give anything to play just a little like John Hughey !

IMHO. The Peavey Session 500. Jody.

Jody, I can understand that choice. I think Webb or old Fender.

Sho-Bud with a 15" JBL! There is nothing even close to that! But maybe I just have no taste!!!

There is no single best amp.
BUT there are some very fine choices that fit different players and situations.
Web, Evans, Standel, Peavey, Fender all come to mind for different places.
Plus a few more esoteric choices.

Theres a Session 500 in a local Pawn shop..they had $499 on it..I didn't bite..

I may have at $299 to $350 though..

It's certainly worth it's weight though ..gadzeeks !

I may go back next week and offer $300..ya never know..

then give the guy an extra $20 to put it in my van !

t

To me the best steel amp would be a Standel or an Evans. I could never go back to what I had before after using an Evans for a year. Also it weighs less than brand "X".

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1985 Emmons push-pull,S-10 Marlin,Evans SE200,Hilton pedal

For me, it's a toss up between the Evans and the Session 500. One day, one sounds better, the next day the other one does. I look upon the 500 as a 2nd amp. You leave it at home for your practice amp or you leave it at a sit down gig where you don't have to move it. Plus, if you gigging amp blows, the 500 is a great backup. With these thoughts in mind, I don't think the weight is a problem. I put 3" casters on mine to make it easy to move around.

After 30yrs of Session 400, a Genesis3 into a Classic 50/50.
DD

Silverface Fender 100 watt amps of various configurations. Twin,Showman,Vibrosonic,even the PA 100 head.. I like the silverface amps better for steel than blackface. The blackface amps sound great also,but tend to distort more easily than thier silverface counterparts. This is the exact opposite for lead guitarists... They like blackface amps better for thier more "bluesy" overdriven sound. Peavey steel amps are fine too, but just sound kind of "sterile" to my ears.. bob<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Carlucci on 04 April 2004 at 06:56 AM.]</p></FONT>

Why that's an easy question!! My '71 blackfaced S/F Twin Reverb with an EV 15L!! weighs less than the Session 500, too!

I recently put a Brad Sarno update in my old 1975 Session 400 Head and had it gone through to restore 30 years of loss power - Play it through a closed back cabinet with a 1501-4 shallow basket and - It's the best tone I have ever had.

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Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Michael Holland on 08 April 2004 at 02:46 AM.]</p></FONT>

Brad

Do you offer a cap kit for the Session 400's?

thx

bob

Sho-Bud "Christmas Tree", or tube Standel.

RE: Session 400 cap kit

Bob, I could probably whip one together for you. I think I've still got all the right parts here. Send me an email.

Brad

So what is it that makes the Session 500 so special above the rest ?

And..what is the street value of these beasts ?..as mentioned above I may take a more serious look at one this week.

The one I am looking at looks to be in pretty nice shape, nice cabinet, 15" BW..not bad for a 20 year old amp I'm thinking ...

thanks
t

For me it is the following:

1. Fender Twin reverb for my Bakelite Rick.

2. NV400 for my PSG's.

(Note: I have not seen or heard any newer Peavey models)

carl

i was expecting to find Webb mentioned here

The question is worded kind of silly, IMHO, though the concept of "favorite amp for steel" is valid. My $.02...

I've owned and played through ALL of them professionally in the last 40 years,... Fender (Twins w/JBL's, Vibrosonics, 4x10 Bassman), Standels, Sho~Bud (Xmas Trees and Single Channels), Peavey (Session 400, LTD 400's, Session 500, Vegas 400's), Evans (FET 500's, SC200, Parlor 120), and Webb.

I've had different favorites for different periods of time. Bear in mind, I play in large Texas dance halls where clarity, power and headroom are necessities.

Currently my two favorites... the ones I reach for on my way to a gig... is either a Webb 614 or an Evans SC200.

The best Peavey amp for steel is a Vegas 400 with Lemay mod.

All IMHO. Your mileage may vary.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

With all due respect I offer the following divergent opinion.

I have owned or currently own:
Twin Reverb
Bandmaster
Shobud with 15" jBL
Vibrolux
Evans FET 500
Nashville 400
PVY Jazz Classic with 15" JBL
PVY Classic 50-212
VHT 2/90/2

I have never played a steel through a standel or a webb. I have had a ton of other amps like Kendrick, Vox, Plush, Marshall that are just not voiced well for steel.

The setup I am currently using is the VHT 2/90/2 with either a profex II, tubefex, or evans preamp. This is like a twin on steroids. This goes into two pacific cabs with 15 inch BWs. There is no contest in my opinion. I can play any amp I want. I use a Evans FET 500 with a JBL in church but use my rack VHT rig for all live gigs.
We've been down this discussion before. I don't believe there is a combo amp made that can compare with a well made rack system. Of course, you are going to pay easily three or four times the cost for this type of quality.


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God Bless,
Steve Stallings

Well, I got to hear Tom Brumley's '59 Fender Bassman with reverb and a 15" JBL in it when I was in Dallas. I don't know if I've ever heard a better sounding steel amp. But I guess you can't call it the best because it's not really loud enough for most people. But sound-wise it was superb.


Brad Sarno

Darrell,

buy a Webb and you«ll never ask this question!

Horst Waisznor

Horst may be right about the Webb. It seems to fit most of the criteria of a "best" amp. (if there really could be such a thing)

Sweet sounding, all discrete FET based circuit.
Voiced like a Fender Twin.
Great tone control.
Good weight/size.
Best made cabinet in the business.
Super clean and loud as hell.
Extremely reliable.
Excellent reverb.
Has two, not one pilot lights on front.
Looks cool.
Design hasn't changed in 30 years.
Expensive so it must be good.
Jimmy Day used one...


Brad Sarno

After 30 years I've ran about every amp and rack system that has come along...I wish I could have kept almost all the amps but since '79, I've had and kept the Webb for the single amp unit. Brad describes the Webb perfectly why I love my Webb...

However, I should would like to have back my 'Walker Stereo Steel' system; my old Fender Vibrosonic with the 15" JBL; then there was the old Sho Bud amp; the super sounding Evans Fet 500; then my umteem Peavey's and what about my my old Standel amp that Larry Bell has etc, etc, etc...oh well, just dreaming about all those great sounding amps!!