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Author
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Topic: Randall Steelman 500 Comparison
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Dennis Manuel
Member From: Wells, B.C., Canada
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posted 27 November 2006 06:42 AM
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Have any forum members had a chance to compare a Randall Steelman 500 amp against other brands such as Peavey, Webb or the new Fender Steel King?
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Jerry Hayes
Member From: Virginia Beach, Va.
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posted 27 November 2006 12:20 PM
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I have a Randall Steelman 500 amp as well as a Peavey Nashville 112. I had a Nashville 400 which was my main steel amp until I got the Randall. I believe the Randall is as good or better in some ways than the Peavey but mostly in it's ability to sound better on lead guitar. As far as steel guitar I think it might sound a little better than the 400 and you can tweak it better for other instruments if you double on them. As far as the Nashville 112, I prefer it's sound for steel better than the Randall and it's portability is another factor. The Randall Steelman 500 is without a doubt one of the hidden jewels of the steel guitar world. I think the reason you don't see many of them is the fact that they were almost twice the price of a comparable Peavey of the same era. I've been using mine for lead guitar lately and it actually sounds better (at least to me) for guitar than any of my tube amps........JH in Va.------------------
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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Stephen Silver
Member From: San Jose, California, USA
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posted 27 November 2006 02:27 PM
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JerryIf you recall, that's what I was using in the 70's when we played toggether. I did a lot of work with them when the were developing that amp and I had it until I bought an Evans in 1995. i sold the Evans andrecently bought a FSK which I happen to love!!! My friend Duncan Cameron from Sawyer Brown just bought an FSK from Bobbe last week and thinks it's a vast improvement over the Nashville 112. SS ------------------
Life is mostly attitude and timing |
Jerry Hayes
Member From: Virginia Beach, Va.
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posted 28 November 2006 06:25 AM
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Hey Steve, if you remember, at the time we were playing together I had a Randall Commander II amp with two 12" speakers. It was set up like a Twin reverb except it was solid state. It even had the 1st channel that no one uses. I took it to Gary Sunda at Randall and he wired it up so the reverb and tremolo worked in both channels so I could play guitar and steel through it at the same time. Do you remember selling me that 15" ElectroVoice speaker? After I installed it in the Randall, the amp really came alive. That was the amp that got stolen out of Shire's when someone broke into the club.....JH in Va.------------------
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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Bob Simmons
Member From: Trafford, Alabama, USA
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posted 30 November 2006 06:52 PM
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I got mine back when I was a Randall dealer and played it for over 15 years with the altec - was going to try a jbl but never got around to it |
Jory Simmons
Member From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA
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posted 02 December 2006 11:13 AM
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I had a Randall Steelman 500 about 4 years ago....I was gigging out of a Session 500 at the time, and it was no comparison. I used the randall for practice only. It had a JBL E130, and the reverb was horrible. I never took it to a gig..... The Peavey sounded way better. They are both gone now, and I have since bought a Nash 112 and nash 1000. I played out of the 112 for two years and no problems. I recently sold the 1000, and got a new FSK. Its the best. Jory------------------
Jory Simmons |
Jerry Hayes
Member From: Virginia Beach, Va.
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posted 03 December 2006 04:46 PM
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Jory, different strokes for different folks/amps I guess. I had a Session 500 at one point which was by far one of the worst amps I've ever owned. I've had great luck with other Peaveys though as in the Nashville 400 and 112, those both are great amps.........JH in Va.------------------
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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Dan Beller-McKenna
Member From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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posted 04 December 2006 04:35 PM
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I tried one of these today at a local music store and reached the conclusion that I am simply not a solid state kind of guy; need them tubes!That said: it was exceptionally clean sounding and had a wide variety of possible tone settings (maybe too many for my little brain). I can't say how it compares to the peavey steel amps, but it generally seemed to be good to me, just too sterile for my tubey taste. Has a JBL E-130-4, which I would have expected to sound boomier (bassier anyway) than it did for me. Someone in New England who likes that cleaner sound should jump on this though. It was at Daddy's Junky music in Portsmouth, NH. and they are only asking $250. Daddy's will transfer it to any of their stores (I had them transfer it to Portsmouth to try it). Certainly worth checking out for the price, I think. Now, if they would only be selling a silverface twin for $250...... *sigh* Dan
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Dan Beller-McKenna
Big Red
Blue TrainDurham, NH |
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