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Topic: I have a Marshall 50 watt half-stack |
David Fields
From:
South Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 7:30 am |
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I don't have a steel guitar yet, but will one sound good through my marshall half-stack? Just wondering.
Also, if the sound isn't that good was wondering if I could modify it? |
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Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 10:59 am
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It all depends on which Marshall 50 watt it is: Plexi, JCM800, JCM900, JCM2000, Valvestate, etc.?
You might have to change the part values in the tone stack to make it work.
_________________
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100 |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 12:18 pm
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You didn't say if it was pedal or non, or what type of music you are planning on using the steel for. The real answer is to try it and see. My guess is that you should be able to get something acceptable out of it to start with and don't need to jump into any mods just yet.
It sounds like you haven't played steel before. Pedal steel IMHO it is much different than 6 string slide and will impart its' own character into whatever you play it through anyway. As you learn more you will probably want a different amp set up, but for now use the Marshall and set it how you want. If you are playing lap steel you may want a somewhat distorted character anyway.
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Artie McEwan |
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Roman Sonnleitner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 1:04 pm
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I agree with Michael - depends on what model you have...
A JTM45 is one of the best sounding clean amplifiers ever (after all, it was just a British Bassman clone), Plexis also sound nice clean; with a JCM800 it might be quite a bit more difficult to get a good clean tone, and with those cheesy Valvestates and MGs you'd better trade it in for something better as fast as possible. |
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Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Posted 11 Feb 2007 6:18 am
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| It seems to me that most of the good sounding guitar amps will not work too well for steel because most modern steels have close to twice the pickup out put of even real hot guitar pickups so the type of overdrive that produces even at low volumes is not very pleasant even for someone that would want an overdrive sound. Don't have any hands on experience with Marshalls and when you get to higher power amps like twins most everyone had some time on those 'back in the day' and they could sound pretty good. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2007 2:58 am
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| Jay is right - modern steel pickups often put out 18k ohms or so, almost twice what a powerful humbucker will. This overdrives a lot of equipment made for standard guitars, like stompboxes and even the preamps on a lot of amplifiers. There are time I want to try steel through a signal chain I've devised for standard guitar, and a quick n' dirty solution is to attenuate the steel's output somewhat with another stompbox; I usually use either a DOD graphic equalizer set to simply cut some output, or a compressor set to do the same thing - not to compress, just as a anti-booster. Control over the mid frequencies is important to get a good steel sound (a good any sound, actually...) |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2007 6:14 am
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Actually, the US JCM800's with 6550 output tubes have unreal headroom when biased correctly. They don't sound like most Marshalls, so many have been converted to EL34's - which will have earlier breakup.
_________________
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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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2007 12:14 pm
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| I've got a bunch of amps for pedal steel, and for guitar, and for lap steel ....One of my favorites for pedal, and for lap steel, AND for electric guitar is the Marshall JTM45 running KT66 power tubes ...You can run it with or without a pedal depending on what kind of tone your looking for .... Running clean it's FAT and FULL with really nice harmonics ....Jim |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2007 12:53 pm
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I tried my JTM-45 on a shuffle album(at the producer's insistence)and didn't like it at all...too dirty!I managed to talk him into letting me use my blackface Twin...much better!It's great for slide,though...I use my SG straight in and turn it wide open...
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http://www.myspace.com/stevehinsonnashville |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2007 12:55 am
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| Quote: |
| and a quick n' dirty solution is to attenuate the steel's output somewhat with another stompbox; |
That's what the Matchbox and Steeldriver are for as well. I use a Steeldriver II and it solves the mismatch running into vintage stompboxes and older tube amps. Much better choice than an EQ (which just sucks tone to me) or a compressor (which sucks even MORE tone!).
_________________
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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