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Mike Shefrin
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 7:22 am |
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Last edited by Mike Shefrin on 21 Jun 2007 10:10 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 7:38 am
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Having played originals, if they did a decent job with duplicating it the amp should work great for steel IF you sub the suggested 12AY7's for less gain. These guys don't have a ton of headroom, but the tone is delicious. It may only be 40 watts, but all of the 40-50 watt Fenders can be set up as good steel amps with enough headroom for almost any playing situation.
The '57 Twin has such a simple ciurcuit that none of the harmonic content gets lost in the shuffle of extra gain stages, EQ systems, loops, etc etc etc. Just simple good tone.
I'd stick a Fender tube reverb unit on front of it, myself - but even the EH Holy Grail would work well.
Should be a winner - and looks great as well!
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Mike Shefrin
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 7:40 am
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Last edited by Mike Shefrin on 21 Jun 2007 10:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 10:15 am
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| The guitar player in one of my bands got one. He wanted something louder than his Tweed Deluxe; but the '57 RI Twin was too loud for him. I tried it for pedal steel, with a separate Fender reverb unit. I didn't do any tube switching. With the stock tubes I thought it was too bright sounding for my tastes. That was a very loud playing rockabilly and alt-country group. I was used to playing through a silver-face Dual Showman Reverb, or even a Super Twin head, and two 15" JBLs. The '57 RI didn't have enough headroom to keep up. But for someone who wants a bright tone and a medium powered amp, it might work. It might also be a good lap steel amp. One problem is the price. |
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Mike Shefrin
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 10:43 am
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Last edited by Mike Shefrin on 21 Jun 2007 10:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Mar 2007 9:38 pm
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Mike, think you might have pulled the "return" lever too quickly.
ALL Fender amps are too bright when new. The speakers are not beroken in yet, and you need at LEAST 20-50 hours playing at decent volume to get an idea of what they'll sound like fully broken in. New, they are tight...REAL tight.
Also, you played an amp out of the box - did you play it with stock tubes? DId you change the bias? USe a lower-gain preamp tube?
These are all things that are just part of buying a tube amp. They rarely sound just the way you want them off-the-shelf. That's WHY there are so many tubes available, and so many sites dedicated to setup and tweaking of tube amps.
Same goes for David's comments; if it's too bright, wait until the speakers break in...THEN if it's bright change power tubes, preamps tubes, rebias, rework things in the tone stack - and as far as headroom, that's 1) changing the preamp tube to a lower-gain tube, 2) rebiasing the amp for more headroom (1 and 2 take 5 minutes tops), 3) possible power tube change to a warmer sounding tube (the usual Fender/Groove tubes are not exactly the tube amp tech's dream tonal setup) and 4) a possible change of speakers to a pair of high-headroom speakers like Weber Californias or Eminence Neos.
The whole point is that an amp like this isn't a "plug 'n play" proposition. IF you want that, you buy a cheap SS steel amp. Tube amps (especially vintage designs) require some work/setup/time, but the benefits far outweigh effort expended IMO.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 26 Mar 2007 1:23 pm
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Well, I've played through an original blond Twin, as well as the old "narrow panel" model, but the tonal latitude just wasn't there for pedal steel. I think it'd be great for lead or lap steel, but the lack of a mid or mid-shift control makes it a no-go, for me anyway. They are surprisingly loud for their wattage, but the bottom end I'm used to just wasn't there.
Very "sweet" mid-range, though!  |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2007 3:29 pm
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One issue I just recalled about the reissues is that they ship with 12AX7 tubes instead of 12AY7's - for more preamp gain, but it will also make the amp quite a bit brighter. The first thing I would have done is change preamp tubes; the second adjust the bias for the amount of headroom I want...then let the speakers break in.
You can't tell what it sounds like in one day.
As far as tonal spectrum, between guitar tone controls (whoops - most steels don't have them, silly me...although they SHOULD...) , bass, treble, presence and interactive channel controls ( an often neglectied tool on tweeds) There's a ton of tonal variation available before you even get to tubes and speakers (the GT6L6's would be gone right away if I had one in favor of the more round-sounding JJ's).
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2007 1:28 pm
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I played lap steel through one of these and I thought it sounded great, not too bright at all.
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www.tyack.com
Capetown girls sing this wrong: "da doo, da doo" |
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