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Author
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Topic: Whats the best steel amp ever made?
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Kevin Hatton
Member From: Amherst, N.Y.
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posted 19 April 2004 12:21 PM
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Smiley's IS the best. I heard it. Smiley for President! |
Gerald Menke
Member From: Brooklyn, NY, USA
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posted 20 April 2004 09:13 AM
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I am also a rack fiend, and agree with Steve Stallings, the VHT 2/90/2 is pretty much matchless for clean, rich power. The modular thing, as Susan so well put it, is great for flexibility. I love the sound of the old Fenders (I only use tube amps) but I play with a lot of different kinds of bands and and sometimes need reverbs and delays beyond what spring reverb in a twin or pro offer. I like the Boogie V-twin rack mount, but also use an old Alembic preamp, into a Lexicon MPX-550, which goes stereo into the VHT and stereo out to a Diezel 2X12 cabinet or two single 12 Bogners. I don't anticipate buying another amp for many years, as long as my back holds out!Gerald |
Terry Sneed
Member From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA
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posted 20 April 2004 11:06 AM
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will somebody tell me what a JBL is? I reckon it's got to be some kind of speaker 
how else am I suppose to learn if'n I don't ask. 
Oh, and how much is the Webb 614? thanks
Terry |
Lawrence Lupkin
Member From: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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posted 20 April 2004 12:07 PM
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Better a rack fiend than a crack fiend Gerald. |
Joe Henry
Member From: Ebersberg, Germany
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posted 24 April 2004 12:41 PM
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How come nobody mentioned a Fender Twin with the Healy mod. From what I´ve read on here (and heard from my favorite steel player  that would definitely be the best one for the sound that I have in mind. Remember, this is a very subjective topic. Now, if I only could find someone over here who knows what it is and could do it on my amp. Shipping it to the U.S. would be somewhat costly, not to mention the risk of damage.Regards, JH[This message was edited by Joe Henry on 24 April 2004 at 12:50 PM.] |
David Higginbotham
Member From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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posted 24 April 2004 02:33 PM
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Terry,
JBL= James B. Lansing (hope I spelled that correctly) Very good speaker! |
John Floyd
Member From: Somewhere between Camden County , NC and Saluda S.C.
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posted 25 April 2004 09:24 AM
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A rack system, in my opinion, is like a Component Stereo system. Its all realtive to what you put into it and how you assemble it. If you can buy cheap components, you get what you pay for.The big advantage is you can change if your taste changes or something better comes on the market. Proccessors are constantly changing, not always for the better, but sometimes the manufacturers fool you and actually make improvements. I have something that expands the stereo image called a Behringer "Edison", It a stereo image processor that can do a lot with the depth and clarity of Stereo Sound and it only Costs $189 online. I never use Standard Phone Jack type patch cables. I use all XLR type patch cables with the ground (pin 1) lifted at one end, usually the sending end. This is the way the real professionals do it and it does wonders in keeping the hum to a minimum. Very, Very important when you have single coil pickups. In short if you run out and buy a bunch of Junk, stick it in a rack with no planning on the type of cabling and routing, Thats what you have, JUNK, you are actually worse off than if you bought a good quality Combo amp.[This message was edited by John Floyd on 25 April 2004 at 09:29 AM.] |
Dan Tyack
Member From: Seattle, WA USA
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posted 25 April 2004 10:43 PM
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I've owned and enjoyed:Twins
Webbs
Session 400s
and have played through just about every sort of combo out there. I also went through a very long component stage, using combinations of the following: Custom Jim Kelly tube preamp
Rocktron Cameleon
Realtube pre
Bluetube pre
Lexicon MXP G2
various Boss/roland rack preamp/efx
Yamaha 1002 delay chorus Standell power amp
Stewart world 2.1 power amp
VHT 2/60 tube power amp
VHT 2/90 tube power amp
Tubeworks power amp (the big one) Jim Kelly 1X12" JBL cab
Tiel 12" EV cab
Peavey BW 15" cab
THD 2X12" cab (with JBL and Celestion)
THD 1X12" 2X10" cab (with JBL and Celestion)
By far my favorite component rig was the Lexicon mpx g2 (for efx) switching (using the mpx) either the Kern (for clean) or the THD Univalve (for everything else) as a preamp through the VHT 2/90/2 power amp, and two of the THD speaker cabs. THis thing has more low end bootie than a hip hop video. In particular, the VHT power amp is head and shoulders above anything else out there, in terms of getting a FAT sound at high volumn.
That said, what I bring to gigs or sessions these days is my THD Bivalve (about 30 watts), my THD 2X12 cab, and my Adrenalynn efx unit. Oh yeah, and my Roland V-wah pedal. I usually don't have to play both loud and clean. If I did, I would probably add another THD cab and bring either of the VHT power amps. I'm glad I don't have to play that loud (or that clean). I reallly prefer the pure sound of a great sounding amp with few effects (I hardly ever use reverb live). |
Bill Moran
Member From: Marion, Virginia, USA
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posted 28 April 2004 11:35 AM
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Anyone ever use a Peavey Vegas 400 ? I know it should be the same as the Nashville 400 but with 2 chanels. It is a much better sounding amp, to me, than anything Peavey ever made. I have owned 2 over the years and let them get away. If I ever find another good one I will nail it to the floor. 
Bill Moran
Marion, Va |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 28 April 2004 02:46 PM
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Bill asked:"Anyone ever use a Peavey Vegas 400 ?" I think there was this steel player named Buzzy Edmonds or something like that who used one quite a bit. Electronically the Vegas is pretty much the same as the Nashville 400 (on the steel channel). The cabinet size makes the big difference between the two. Brad Sarno |
Jeff Hogsten
Member From: Flatwoods Ky USA
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posted 28 April 2004 07:35 PM
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wow Ive been in the market for a new amp now I know just what to buy a pevanwebfenstanstereo with two 12s and 2 15s |
Bob I. Williams
Member From: Sun City West, Arizona, USA
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posted 30 April 2004 07:31 PM
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BRAD: YOU MAY BE THINKING OF BUZZ EVANS I HEARD HE IS LIVING IN LAS VEGAS. DON'T KNOW WHAT AMP OR SET=UP HE USES. BOB |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 01 May 2004 12:04 AM
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I was funnin. I meant the Big-E. I believe he used a Vegas for while. Brad Sarno
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George Kimery
Member From: Limestone, TN, USA
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posted 01 May 2004 04:18 AM
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Right after I bought the Nashville 400 when they first came out, I was in Herb Remmington's shop in Texas. I commented that I wasnt' overly excited about the 400, especiallly the lows. He said I should have bought the Vegas, that it was his opinion that it was a better sounding amp primarily because of the larger cabinet. I never did buy one, so I can't make a comparison. |
Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 01 May 2004 01:32 PM
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Cabinet size is everything when it comes to the low frequencies. I had my Webb next to my old Session 400. The Webb just wouldn't create those punchy bass notes. They sounded good but just not as fat. I ran the Webb into the Session 400 cabinet and wow, it was huge. The Nashville 400 cabinet was never designed for a 15" speaker. It grew out of the LTD400 which grew out of the Peavey Pacer.
http://home.earthlink.net/~bradsarno/pacerpage.html You can get better bass response from a 12" speaker in a NV400 sized cabinet than with a 15". It's laws of acoustical physics. The Fender Twin, Sho-Bud single channel, Session 400, 400 Limited, Vegas 400, Nashville 1000, Session 500, and maybe a few others have the "right" sized cabinet for a 15" speaker. The Webb, Evans, NV400 cabinets are inefficient at creating the full bass response. I think it's no biggie for E9, but for fat C6, it takes the larger cab. I'm not knockin the smaller cabinets because it's not always desirable to have the steel making bass guitar-like lows. The smaller cabinets may actually help tame the fatness of the steel's low notes so they mix better. Brad Sarno[This message was edited by Brad Sarno on 01 May 2004 at 01:34 PM.] |
Jennings Ward
Member From: Edgewater, Florida, USA
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posted 01 May 2004 09:54 PM
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What Smiley Roberts Said, and to that I will only add.... the best you can afford, and you will be able to get a better one if you cut out the missus' booze........ sinc ,,,,, jennings, nocaps |
Dan Tyack
Member From: Seattle, WA USA
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posted 02 May 2004 08:55 AM
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Brad is right on the money here. You really need some room in these guitar cabinets. The best 1X12 cab I have heard is my Jim Kelly cabinet, which is almost session 400/twin sized in dimensions. Of course you can have a small cab, and put a standard port in it, but then you really change the sound. I had a Thiele cabinet with an EV, and really didn't like the sound versus the same speaker in my Kelly. It had plenty of lows and highs, but just sounded dead, and 'hi fi'.My favorite cab is the THD 2X12" cabinet, which combines the best of open back and ported cabinets. It is ported, but the port is the opening in the back (looks just like an open back, because, well, it is open back). The port was also designed to accentuate frequencies that are friendly to guitars/steels, rather than for a flat response. I like a 2X12" because it gives me much more bass response than a single 15", and also allows me to use two different sounding speakers. I love the sound of two different types of speakers, it gives a more 'three dimensional' sound. I use a JBL and a Celestion. ------------------
www.tyack.com
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David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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posted 03 May 2004 08:38 AM
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Two 12"s can move plenty of air for sure,
but also the travel is faster because the cones are smaller and lighter.
Hence better response and less distortion.In a correctly constructed cab they can get basicially the same practical range for steel.
I play bass guitar and contrebass though 12's too. Punchier sound. |
Willis Vanderberg
Member From: Bradenton, FL, USA
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posted 07 May 2004 07:28 PM
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For years I played both steel and lead guitar through Fender Showman amps. I bought the first one about 1960. It was the Showman with one fifteen inch speaker. As I recall it was about 1966 when I bought a dual showman with the JBL set up.This was all I used until 1990 when I bought a Peavey . I believe it was called a Session LTD. Atleast the LTD part is right. This was a great amp.I now use a Evans SE-200 with a 15" JBL D-130 in it. I also have a Session 500 for back up. Also have a Emmons Lashley Legrande 600. This is the heaviest amp I have ever owned.But it will blow the windows out if you crank it up.
I have never seen another one. Is there any out there ? |
John Fabian
Member From: Mesquite, Texas USA
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posted 08 May 2004 01:51 AM
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Gretsch Nashville made by GMS
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John Fabian
Carter Steel Guitars www.steelguitar.com
www.steelguitarinfo.com
www.carterstarter.com |
Richard Brandt
Member From: Waymart, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 08 May 2004 04:43 AM
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Steel players are all looking for something that doesn't exist and thats that impossible magic sound.If you want to see your real problem (Look in the mirror) |
Gary Preston
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 09 May 2004 01:17 PM
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I have heard many of these amps that is talked about . It would be very hard to pick either one . I have a Fender Vibrosonic that i bought new in 1976 with the 15 '' J.B.L. D-130 and ( 2 ) Nashville 400 amps and they both sound great . But the Vibrosonic has a very warm sound that the 400 's dont have . I would'nt want to be in the market for another amp because it would be very hard to do . The price of some of the afore mentioned amps vary very much . It almost gets down to how much can you afford to sound good ? I know this does'nt help the question out but who knows ? G.P. |
Henry Matthews
Member From: Texarkana, Texas, USA
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posted 10 May 2004 07:27 AM
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IMHO, the best amp that I have found for Steel Guitar is the new Nashville 112. Here are my reasons.
1. Light
2. Inexpensive
3. Has Headphone jack for Tuning or warming up where you can't use the amp
4. Has CD player input
5. Great on board reverb
6. Light (maybe I said that)
7. Has 2 effects send and returns
8. Has either balanced or 1/4 inch outputs to go to sound board
9. Very tough and road worthy
10. One other thing, it sounds fantastic, the cleanest highs and warm lowsAll of that (IMHO) Henry |
KENNY KRUPNICK
Member From: Grove City,Ohio
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posted 10 May 2004 09:52 AM
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Carvin SX100. Try it, you'll like it. |
Tom Hodgin
Member From: greensboro, n.c. u.s.a.
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posted 10 May 2004 03:09 PM
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Everyone has his or hers sound that they want to hear from an amp..that could cover many different amps...it's just the sound you like...tom |
Eric West
Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA
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posted 11 May 2004 07:03 PM
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Session 500 MKVI. All kinds of stuff. LowZ, Variable Crossover, Phase shifter. Best lows, Best Highs. Most wattage.Second, Nashville 400. Third at first blush is the Nvl12. I had a Gretch Nashville, and it was nice but low wattage, and it fried as they often did. I'd chose Peavey mainly because of the roadability, longevity, and reliability. Sound too I suppose. EJL |
W Franco
Member From: silverdale,WA. USA
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posted 12 May 2004 10:54 AM
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I really like the Walker Stereo Steel stock setup with the JBL's. Wow you talk about power yet it has to my ears a cool classic sound. Some may like a muddier bass response but I really enjoy the nice clear sound. The sealed cabinets got some getting use to but they are so predictable. I've played several rooms where my Evan's amp went crazy with echo. Couldn't even hear the individual notes. Just played a room with nothing but hard walls, no carpet and lots of windows. It would have killed my open back amp. The owner made a comment on how clear everything was in the lounge as well as the restaurant without being too loud. |
Buck Grantham
Member From: Denham Springs, LA. USA
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posted 12 May 2004 07:12 PM
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I'm using a DP2R sterio Evans pre amp, a profex 11 for delay only and I go into the power amp jack of FET 500 Evans and a Nashville 400 (no mod) and I'm pretty happy with that. |
Leon Eneboe
Member From: Sisseton, South Dakota, USA
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posted 18 May 2004 05:29 PM
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The best steel amp is the one being used by the picker who is practicing about an hour or two a day. |
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