1. Weight – It has to be light weight...I know it can’t be a microcube, but my Peavy Nash 400 never leaves it’s resting place because it’s so heavy. I would like something with comfortable portability.

2. Maintenance – I don’t know much about electronics, so would like something durable, and as maintenance free as possible. This is the only thing that keeps me from considering a vintage tube amp. I’d probably have to get one shipped too, as the local music stores only carry new stuff. If an old one is damaged in transit or needs work in general, I guess I could always find someone who can “fix it up.” Some of those vintage amps have such a cool look to them, but I don’t want to blow the speakers or tubes if I turn up the volume.

3. Cost – Don't want to break the pocketbook...I need the best bang for the buck!

There are a lot of good choices out there, but could I get something for $300 - $400?

I’m going to head up to my local music
store within the next couple of days just to see what’s out there. But if anyone had some good recommendations, I’d certainly appreciate it. There’s some old forum posts I’m going to sort through, but any updated advice would be most welcome.

For approximately the same price you can get a Peavey Nashville 112. Even though it's solid state I prefer it over the Valve King, mainly because it has a fatter sound.

Both amps have decent spring reverbs, and both amps are relatively light weight compared to the NV400.

Found it: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/009322.html

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Lynn Oliver

[This message was edited by Lynn Oliver on 01 November 2006 at 11:09 AM.]

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Lynn Oliver

Between those two Peaveys-is it the Valve King, ot the Nashville 112, and why?

It's had great reviews on Harmony Central and other places.
I've tried it with my guitars. Six and 8 string Lap Steels with humbucker and
TruetoneTT-8 and my Tele and HSS Ibanez.
So far it is the best sounding,reasonably priced, small amp I've heard.
It is a "class A" design which I haven't owned before (always had Fenders,vintage Twins and recently a 2x12 Deville) but definately am enjoying the tone.It has a nice open sound even at low volume and hangs in there when turned up. Weight is about 40 lbs.
The reverb is not as nice as a Fender but is passable.

Don't know how it would be with a PSG but handles the power of the TT-8 without breaking up.
I'd be interested to hear from others who have this amp and their experience with a PSG through it.

[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 01 November 2006 at 08:34 PM.]

I picked up a used Bandit 112 Transtube and it really sounds great. I've been using it for guitar and pedal steel. Bought it for guitar, but my steel sounds real nice through it as well. It has 'that' tube amp sound, plus adjustable power output - almost unbelievable how rich and fat it sounds for a small solid state amp. There are several models with Transtube. Might be worth a look.

I had one of the older Bandits in the 80's, it was ok, but there is no comparison to this one.

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Lynn Oliver

However, if you run up on about $1100- the Fender Deluxe is hard to beat for lap steel.
My MSA S.S. sounds great through it.

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John Drury
NTSGA #3

[This message was edited by John Drury on 01 November 2006 at 07:32 PM.]

P.S. I've read in a couple of other threads about plugging pre-amps and running the amps together and with other amps, etc...honestly, that's getting to complex for me... ...I need simplicity!

[This message was edited by Jeff Strouse on 02 November 2006 at 05:33 AM.]

I have the 60. I have two gigs this upcoming weekend where I will put it through it's paces - a bar gig on Friday - a dance gig on Saturday. I'll report back.

Although... I recorded my most recent steel tune 'Home' with the 60. I was impressed with the quietness of the amp while recording. I just placed a mic in front of it. No hiss, no 60 cycle hum.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

Personally, we do several tunes where I really want the old-time distortion sound of a small (5-watt) tube amp. Think 30's era Dick McIntire Hula Paha Ka Kou or Ai Ka Kou. That's my favorite lap tone. There's a creaminess to the tone that just sounds soooo gooood.

But, there are other times I want that cleaner, more 50's type of tone, and those little tube amps just won't get there from here. That's where an amp like the Cube 30 or 60 is handy to have. Nope, not near as vibey as a vintage amp, but gets the job done nicely.

If you prefer the cleaner tones, the Cubes or one of the Peaveys mentioned should work very well, IMO. I also played through one of those TransTubes with a Tele about 5 years ago, and I have to admit, I was very impressed with what it could do, considering the cost and light weight of the thing.

By the way, if you ever get a chance to come down to the Tampa/St. Pete area, give me a holler, and we'll get together to play some steel.

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Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, A6, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Regal resonator (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); assorted ukuleles; upright bass

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Lynn Oliver

I've used my MIcro-cube at an outdoor concert with my Stringmaster (no kidding - line out to PA), and flown it all over the place, and toss it in the car for jams, etc., so the Cube 60 I'm sure will cut it. It's a rare gig where I don't line-out to a PA anymore. (just Joliet

I have a Nashville 112 and an Evans Se200, and now the Roland - all are capable amps for steel I think, given your situation.

aloha,
chris

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Chris Kennison
Colorado
www.book-em-danno.com

I really don't like the sound of the Deluxe/DeVille, but the same qualities that don't work for me with guitar (strat) might just work in the PSG's favor! I'm currently using a Vox AC30CC12 and while it sounds really good, it's a little heavier than I want to be moving up and down basement stairs to rehearsal. I think I'll hit the music store tomorrow with my steel and test it out.

Price range okay. The problem is maintenance. It is not well designed thermally, and when I used it for gigs in Singapore on more than one non-air-conditioned occasion, the printed circuit board got so hot that the solder got soft and then resulted in cold joints, resulting in crackling noises. The local Fender dealer had to re-solder every joint on the board. I have changed the output 6L6s twice in the four years I have had it. These come in three shades of brightness. I chose the middle with a "blues" tone.

But there may be a different story here in the US....

Brad

1. Friday - A bar gig. Long narrow club - seats about 125 people. Everyone seated at tables. No stage, they just move a few tables aside to create a "stage". Amp on the floor, no sound system. Played with a trio - me, a fiddler and another guitarist who doubled on harmonica. Mostly swing music.

2. Saturday - A dance in a meeting hall. Hardwood dance floor, a real stage. Amp on the floor of the stage. Line out of amp fed into the sound system. Mostly contra dance and couple dance (waltz, swing etc.).

I had both my Archtop Guitar and my Bakelite Rick fed into the single input of the 60 using an AB switch box. I had a pedal to switch between the clean (for rhythm work) and the lead channel (for lead, duh). Trio - me, same fiddler as the bar gig and a pianist.

First let me say - the bar gig was a total disaster. We had no sound system, actually we had a sound system but no power cord for it. The audience completely ignored us even though we played some pretty hot stuff. They did clap for Sleepwalk though. After the disastoruous bar gig I was ready to sell every piece of musical equipment I owned and go into used car sales. It was pretty depressing. Because of the bad night I will not even comment on the 60.

Next night at the dance the 60 performed beautifully. The clean-rhythm channel had a nice tight but fat sound and the lead channel really cut through when it was my turn to solo. I used the same EQ on the amp for both instruments and tweeked it using the tone controls on the instruments. I only had the volume up to around "2" on the amp and that was enough.

I'm keeping the amp.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

http://home.comcast.net/~machrone/bjr/bjtone.htm

Brad

[This message was edited by Garry Vanderlinde on 05 November 2006 at 08:47 PM.]

I also have a 1970-ish Fender Vibrolux Reverb (lots of mods and repairs over the years), which has a great smooth tone and plenty of amplitude.

Both amps sound great for lap steel with treble turned way-down, and bass most the way up (like 75% of max). I also have a bunch of effects also, but don't use much more than reverb and delay on the lap steel.

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Mark Tomlinson
mark@careytomlinson.org
www.careytomlinson.org

So today I opened up the little bugger and that's right - no tubes. But I did see that there are 2 vented holes in the front, probably for specific bass frequencies.

Still - that is a great sounding little amp and it packs a punch. It also weighs a lot less than the Vibrolux!

Thanks for the tip Roman!

[This message was edited by Mark Tomlinson on 07 November 2006 at 09:47 AM.]

I'm still going to get a new amp (I'm going to try the ones y'all have already recommended), but it would be cool to have a little vintage tube amp. I'm sure 5 watts would be plenty for just around the house. I also like how the tube sounds at the point of distortion, as heard in the old McIntire recordings. It would be interesting to experiment with it.