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Topic: Amp for steel ? |
Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Gil Berry
From:
Westminster, CA, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2010 3:54 pm |
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| Well, I don't see Mr. Fox or another guru of amps and electronics jumping in here, so until such time as they do, you should know this: First, the steel guitar requires a lot of head room (translate: a lot of available power) to sound really good, especially on the bottom strings. Second, and most importantly, you need good amplification at all audio frequencies from less than 60 hz all the way up to about 20 khz to really get all the sound your pickup is delivering. All amps have frequency bands within their range of amplification that amplify less - or more - than adjacent bands. Ideally response would be completely flat: the same amplification at all signal frequencies - but there is no amplifier that does that - it's not the nature of the beast. And finally, the electronic signal, after being processed by your amp, must be translated into sound by the speaker(s)...and no two speakers - even the same make and model - are completely identical. For example, speaker A might be a good sounding reproducer for amplifer A, but not for amplifier B. And so it goes. So the best advice is: It might work - it might not. It might sound incredible and might sound completely awful - and you'll never know until you try it - especially since the manufacturers neglected to provide frequency response curves for their amps. My opinion is if you can try for free do so. Otherwise stick with what's been proven. |
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Richard Tipple
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2010 6:28 pm
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| Thanks for the Info Gil,, I think I will take your advise & try to find somthing like a Stewart or MosValve rack mount. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2010 10:11 pm
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Some of the best sounds I've gotten out of my GFI Ultra is through big Bass rigs - like and Alembic Preamp and Crown, Crest or QSC (depending on budget) power amp, and a couple of Acme low-B cabinets. Headroom galore, earth-shattering lows and (because of the modern voicing of bass amps) plenty of top end.
I've used my Baby Blue 2x8 150 watt combo a couple of times! Bass amps are made for headroom, and the better rack-mount component systems are hard to beat for clean steel.
A subwoofer panel, though, would (IMO) be voiced with far too little top end.
_________________
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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