Alternative Peavey Amps for Steel Guitar

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

I've been asked for several years if various non steel Peavey amps would sound good for steel guitar applications. Without having "tried them out" using a steel guitar, I am rather hesitant to recommend any amp other than a "bonified" Peavey steel for steel guitar, until I try it out myself.

I know that many players do not perform on a bandstand with a band, but rehearse using a CD or tape deck and a set of headphones. This past Saturday I took my steel guitar to what we call our demo room(actually,we call it "The Fishbowl" as it looks like a fishbowl storefront) here at Peavey that has just about every amplifier that we manufacture in it. Surprisingly, I found that there are a few low wattage Peavey amps that work very well for steel guitar at "less than stagelevel volumes". I have listed my preferences below. Feel free to check out the features of these amp on the Peavey website at "www.peavey.com"

Blazer 158-This amp surprised me as it had pretty good tone with a 8" speaker and all of the features(headphone out, CD/tape input, reverb) and 15 watts that steel players have been asking for. This one works well within reason. Here are the settings that I finally landed on for the clean channel;
Vol-5
Low-10
Mid-5
Hi-4
Rev-4

The distortion channel could be used for lap steel with no problem.

Transtube Envoy II-This amp is rated at 40 watts with a 10" speaker, external speaker jack, reverb and 3 band equalization.

Vol-5 1/2
Low-7 1/2
Mid-3
High-5
Rev-3
Note;Both MODERN and HIGH GAIN switches can be used for different EQ settings.

Same for the lead/distortion channel here; can be set for use with lap steel.

Transtube Studio Pro 112 II-I didn't like this one as much as the Envoy II, basically because of the voicing that I got from it, but it "worked", just not as good(in my opinion). Here are the settings that I came up with;
CLEAN CHANNEL
Switch at VINTAGE setting
Vol-6 at the maximum
Low-6
Mid-3
High-6

LEAD CHANNEL
Switch to MODERM setting appealed to me on this amp.
Vol-6 at the max
Pre Gain-6 1/2
Low-8 1/2
Mid-3
High-6
Post Gain-4

Note; High gain input distorted with these settings, use low gain input for steel guitar.

For tube enthusiasts, I tried the Prowler, which is a 45 watt, dual channel all tube amp. This amp has spring reverb, an external speaker jack and resonance control which helps control the floppiness of the low frequencies.

As I said, I was real excited about this "discovery" after I tried these amps out, and I don't mind recommending them for small rehearsal amps after I've tried them.

I know that this may come off sounding like as a "sales pitch", but it is not intended to be. I'm just trying to give players an idea of what amp will work for steel guitar. I have basically "blown off" this question in the past unless I had happened to try certain amps, but now I don't have a problem with this after verifying my suspiciousions.

Please understand that each steel guitar varies a bit in output level, so you may have to use the LOW GAIN input instead of the HIGH GAIN input in your situation.

I did try our KB series of keyboard amps(closed back) and a couple of our small bass amps(closed back) and they didn't appeal to me at all.

I hope that this helps players out.

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Do those Transtube amps have all the amp modeling capabilities of the Transformer amp that you had at Scotty's show in St Louis 3 months ago? I was impressed with the variety of sounds that I could get out of the Transformer 112.

Mark Tomeo · Posted 9 Dec 2000 1:21 pm

I've been using a LeMay mod Nashville 400 with a rack mount Roland SD 3000 digital delay for steel, and a Peavey Chorus (2-12) for slide and electric work, hauling it all around.
This summer I got lazy and started leaving the 400 and the delay at home. I got the Chorus tweaked so it sounds great with an Emmons LeGrande II. The secret seems to be dipping the mids to like -5 or -6.
I use a couple of the preset delays and occasionally mix in the chorus effect for some shimmer. It sounds especially good mic'd at low to medium volumes with the signal run back a touch through the monitors.

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

Hey Mike...Our guitar player (who usually uses a Fender Twin) came to practice the other night with a (rather old but in great shape)Special 130.When we took a break, I plugged my steel into it, and man was I surprised. It may not handle the low end of the C6th real well, but the E9th was clear, clean, and sounded great. We mike everything,I may try to talk him out of it!Never had a Peavey product that didn't do everything it's supposed to (and more most of the time). Thanks for a great product and you personnal attention to us steel junkies.
RC

Chris Dufrane · From: Constable, NY, USA

How's the Bandit? I've got a Bandit 65, in my room for my practice amp, since I'm only learning. This is a really good amp, but I find that I can't get the sound I'm looking for. It's great for the west coast sound, but I can't find the right adjustment for that mellow shimmering sound I like, ie. "lost in the feeling". All Peavey amps I've ever seen and tried were great amps. Great price and great sound. What else could a guy ask for.

mickd · From: london,england

I've got a Peavey Pacer (about 20 years old) that I have been using as a straight guitar combo. I've only just started on PSG but when I plug my Sierra Session into it I have to have the volume controls on the amp practically turned right off else its just too loud - doesnt seem to make any difference which of the 2 inputs I use.

Lindley · From: Statesville, NC...USA

Mike,
How does the Stereo Chorus 212 do with the LeMay mod?

[This message was edited by Lindley on 10 December 2000 at 07:13 AM.]

Jimmie Misenheimer · From: Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.

Since we are talking Peavey Amps, let me share what I have found - at least to MY complete satisfaction. After 1 "Session 400", 2 "Session 400 Limiteds", ( one with a "mod kit" and one without), 4 "Session 500`s", 2 "Profex Twos",(one with a "mod kit" and one without), a couple of "Fenders", a "Standell", and an "Evans", I honestly believe the best "combo amp" that I've EVER heard is channel two of a "Renown". I let the first two of these I owned, I let get away from me, but I've still got the third one, and I ran across one a couple of weeks ago that became number four. They were all re-fitted with 15 inch B. W. speakers, and this last one now has a closed back, and is "ported" on both sides of the speaker baffle. I've used a rack with an "Ashley" preamp, which I MUCH prefer the E. Q. in, for three years now, so the 1 "Session 400" and 2 "Session 400 Limiteds" are just used as power-amp/speaker set-ups. This is as always just my opinion, but the only amp that I have owned that has ever completely satisfied MY EAR is a "RENOWN". Peace - Jimmie

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I'm moving this to the Electronics forum.

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

I'd like to try one of the older Artist tube models that came w/the 15". I saw one at a pawn shop in VERY GOOD condition for $125 and am still kicking myself! No,they didn't ahve a pedal steel to try it with. Were they good for steel?

Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

Mike,
I can't remember which amp you let me use at one of the shows (St. Louis, I think) in my booth, but it was one really fine amp. Ron Elliot as well as Buddy was most impressed with it and it just knocked my socks off.
Seems like it had two 12's in it.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Mike, you guys need to re-issue the Special 130. Absolutely. Great guitar amp, and the tone on the steel is amazing. Just not heavy duty enough for C6 maybe. I know a guy that uses 2 130 heads (stereo) and separate speakers. Mine got stolen off the trailer. I miss it.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Chuck Campbell of the Campbell Brothers (of Sacred Steel fame) uses an artist 130, I believe. He gets as good a steel tone as I have ever heard.

For blues I like the Classic 30 *a lot*. Not a lot of clean sounds there, but it kicks with my Franklin on R&B or blues gigs.

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www.tyacktunes.com

John Russell · From: Austin, Texas

I started to buy a Peavey Artist, brought it home to try out. It was about the size of a Nashville 400, had a JBL speaker and tubes for the power amp, I believe. The amp was too shrill sounding for steel, too bright. Of course, testing it out in your living room and onstage are quite different. It might have made a great guitar amp and with my Boss GE7 EQ box, may have worked for steel.

I still have my old Peavey Musician 400, Mark III. It's a two channel head with a 6 band EQ (and phase shifter!) built in. I had a LeMay kit made up for it and it sounds pretty good with steel, using a Black Widow 15" speaker in an open back cab. The output jacks are a bit strange: One is labeled "direct 2 ohm" and has ratings of 210W at 4 ohms, 300W at 2 ohms. The other jack is labeled "X-former 4 ohm" with ratings of 200W at 8 ohms and 250W at 4 ohm. I guess it would sound really fat with two BW 15s in series.

It's especially good for playing both guitar and steel since you have two channels with diffent EQ settings a la Fender Twin. Even better, the FX loop works with both. The downside is the the weight and inconvenience of lugging a speaker cab plus your FX. I guess rack mount players do this all the time. I was thinking of using it as a power amp with my XR-700 powered mixer. Any suggestions, Mike B?

John R.

Mike Taylor · From: Wetumpka, AL

Another Peavey product that I used for steel was a Renown. It had 2 12'Scorpions, 160 watts and two switchable channels. It was a very versatile amp covering both straight guitar and steel guitar very well. Would have been a great steel amp with a 15'BW..

Mike
Spokane

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

As always, the players and customers out in the marketplace can provide a lot of feedback concerning past and present "non" pedal steel Peavey products.

I'll try to answer some of the replies to my post to the best of my ability. The new Peavey Transformer Series of amps are modeling amps. If you are not familiar with a "modeling" amp, various companies have them in their product line and I've heard them all. Some are very good at emulating other brands of amps. The Peavey Transformer is our modeling amp that was recently shown at the St. Louis Int'l Steel Guitar Convention. It does have our patented Transtube circuitry that is the best(in my opinion)in duplicating tube characteristics. I know that some folks will doubt this, but we have been manufacturing tube amplifiers since the mid '70's, so we do have quite a bit of experience with tube technology. Give a listen at your nearest Peavey dealer. Transtube amps and the Transformer amp are basically different models.

I did try the Delta Blues for steel. Naturally, the 30 watts is not quite enough for live performing, but in a practice room setting it may be.

I've heard that the Special 130 works fairly well for steel, but I've seen it used by fiddle players more. I would guess that there wouldn't be enough low end for my preference. It's hard for me to put my hands on some of the older amps to try. The Bandit 65 was the same preamp and speaker as the Special 130, so you should get the same results, only less headroom.

I haven't tried a Stereo Chorus 212 so I can't comment on this. Thanks for your input though. I haven't tried an Artist either, so maybe some of the Forumites can assist with this question?

Bobby, the amp that I loaned to you at the Scotty show was the Ranger 212. I posted information on this amp for steel not too long ago. I tried it myself and it sounded good!

I tried to locate a Sessionbass here at the factory, but we have discontinued this model.

Lloyd Green told me that he had played through a Renown 115 and loved the tone of this amp. The "115" version was manufactured for a short period of time and again, was never intended for steel guitar use. But, like I've said before, we obtain a lot of feedback from consumers.

The Peavey Musician that John mentions would have plenty of power for steel and two separate channels of equalization. Speaker choice would make a big difference for steel though. I guess that players who have access to this amp could check it out for
themselves.

Thanks for the input!

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