Playing direct/preamp?

Alan Rudd · From: Ardmore, Oklahoma

What is the best way to go direct and not have to carry an amp for the steel? I like using the xlr out on a NV112, but considering an option for not carrying an amp...possibility or not?

Dustin Kleingartner · From: Saint Paul MN, USA

My main concern going direct is monitors. Lately I've been playing places with just a couple monitors, so I always have my amp as my monitor.
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David Spires · From: Millersport, OH

My direct rigs are all based on the Line 6 HX Stomp now. It's 1/2 the processing power of the Helix, and it's tiny. I love it, and modeling technology has come so far over the last 15+ years.

Of course, running direct means you are relying on the monitoring situation in your band. That becomes critical for your happiness, and everyone else's too.

If I'm in a "throw and go" situation, or even something like playing in the honkytonks in downtown Nashville, I use a real amp. There is always a best tool for the job... Direct isn't for everyone, or every situation, but ---- I've never been happier with my tone on the road, and I've gone to using my direct rig at the Opry to avoid that darn Webb.... Ha!

Best of luck,

David Spires
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2021 MSA Legend XL 10&7; Asher Electro-Hawaiian Junior Lap Steel; '79 OMI Dobro 66 w/ Scheerhorn cone and setup; '64 Hand-wired Re-issue Fender Princeton Reverb

Michael Hartz · From: Decorah, Iowa, USA

Kemper profiler. You can use incredible sounding profiles such as Little Walter, Peavey Nashville 400, or Fender twin. You can run many different configurations of inputs and outputs on the Kemper also. I have mine going stereo monitor out into a wireless in ear monitor system but you could also run monitor out into a powered FRFR speaker cabinet. Your effects choices are endless as well.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I use a Milkman "the amp". I can go direct or use any handy powered speaker or unpowered and it always sounds great.
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Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I have two rigs for this....use for lap steel, Weissenborn, and tricone:

Clean, acoustic rig: Baggs Venue DI (with a reverb mini-pedal in the loop)...DI out where there are monitors, or carry a ZT lunchbox where I need a monitor - or even use it (100 watts!) as an amp.

More electric/tube tone: Small pedalboard with whatever (I have wah/OD/mini-univibe/boost/tuner) and a Milkman The Amp also on the board. DI where there are monitors, or carry a 10" Jupiter in Mojotone lite small cab for monitor or to use as whole amp.
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Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
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Keith Bolog · From: Wisconsin, USA

Dumb name, but hands down the best $350 (used) I ever spent on amplification. It makes every amp sound way better, and a great way to lighten up your rig, using any Class D amp and Neodymium speaker. I recorded direct with it and it sounded better than the amp. You will need an adapt-a-kit for DI.

It has 3@ 12 AX7 preamp tubes with two switchable channels (one has gain) in the form of a stomp pedal.

https://www.effectrode.com/products/effects-pedals/blackbird-vacuum-tube-preamp/
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Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I played direct with no amp in a church band for several years and used a Digitech 2112 preamp/effects unit. They haven't been made for a long time, but are still available in the used market. They have tube circuitry and sound great. Buddy Emmons and Hal Rugg both used them for a while.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I have a Telonics mini-rack and 15" speakers. On my regular gig I also send the modelled DI output to the PA which helps the people at the back, but I still need to be self-sufficient at the performing end of the room.
In a situation with a better PA setup I wonder what compact monitors I could use in place of the 15s. I say "monitors" plural because I do love to hear stereo reverb!
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Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Tom Dillon · From: La Mesa, California, USA

I've been going direct for the last year on all my gigs. I looked into several options and ended up with a Sarno Revelation with 2 pedals and a power supply inside a rack: Neunaber Reverberator (either the Wet or Spring setting) and Neunaber Iconoclast cabinet sim (JBL D130 setting). Sounds great. Sometimes I add a speaker for stage volume. I always use in ear monitors.

Here is what I tried first:
Sarno V8 - I had one, so was the first thing I tried as a steel DI. Compact, simple and sounds good. No FX loop, so you have to have external pedals going in the front in order to hear it on the DI output. With reverb, distortion and cab sim pedals it was a lot of wires to connect and not easy to rack mount. I eventually traded it for the Revelation.

Milkman Half and Half head - I was using this as my main amp. It has a DI with dedicated volume control, but no cab sim. With a Neunaber Iconoclast cab sim it sounds very good direct. It's pretty small and a little more than 10 lbs. Tube EQ and spring reverb. 300W SS amp if you need it. This would be overkill to just use as a DI, IMO.

Helix HX Stomp - I have this on my fiddle pedal board anyway, so I made a patch for steel using the Fender Twin amp model. Sounds ok but not great. I did have to spend a lot of time tweaking it to get a sound I liked and maybe more time could make it better. I used it for a month and decided to keep looking.

Here's what I looked into:
Milkman The Amp - Compact, light, 2 band tube EQ, gain/master vol, cab sim, headphone out, reverb and a 50W SS amp. Looks perfect for going direct with steel when you need a stage speaker sometimes. I haven't heard it in person but if it sounds like the Half and Half, it would work for me. There are some recent threads on this.

Quilter TB202 - Compact, versatile EQ, limiter, gain/master vol, cab sim. 200W SS amp. I've heard this in person one time and it sounded great. There are a few recent threads on it.

Strymon Iridium - Small, very simple amp modeler with a "room" reverb. The Deluxe Reverb model might sound good with steel. Probably needs a dedicated reverb pedal in front of it. Not cheap. I've never heard it in person.

Ethos Clean preamp

Two Notes Le Clean - tube preamp pedal

Neunaber Neuron - Not exactly a modeler, more like a digital preamp. Seems more aimed at high gain guitar players.

Tech 21 Fly Rig - Small. Seems like a good value. There's a thread or two on this you can search for.

I didn't consider Kemper and similar sized modelers. Expensive, too many menus and kinda big. A bunch of people on SGF like them a lot though.
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Tom Dillon
- MSA Legend, On-Trak, fiddles, mandos

Paul Stauskas · From: DFW, TX

I would get the Milkman the Amp. I have been running direct with the cab sim switch on and have had great results. I am building a Sarno v8 rig for comparison but have been completely satisfied with The Amp.
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Mike Bacciarini · From: Arizona

I use my Rumble 200 as my back line steel monitor and give FOH a DI send. In our band, all instruments except the drums are DI to the system. The bass guitar Rumble 500 and my amp are only used for on-stage monitoring. All vocals and acoustic guitars are in the wedges. I like my vocals and guitars in the wedge and my psg hitting me from behind..... just how I like it. Having run a sound company for many years, the fewer open mics on stage the cleaner the sound. This is just one way to do it...

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MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Stage Lead II 100W 1x12, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, SX-8 lap steel, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.

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