Advice needed for a beginners Amplifier

Larry G. Allen · From: Near Nashville Tennessee, USA

I need some help with a purchase this weekend. I'm looking for a good little amp for lap steel. This will be 99% playing at home, 1 % playing out if I ever get good enuff. I'd like to find a new amp, maybe thru Musicians Friend, Sweetwater , etc. Hopefully I can find a small, somewhat lightweight amp, but able to have the headroom and sound quality to suit my lap steel. Is there one in the Fender , Roland or Peavey lineup that would suit my needs. I don't have an open checkbook on this , so please start your suggestions at the lower pricepoints and then move up if you have to. Right now all I have in the house is a Fender FR25R , It's okay, but I'd like to upgrade while I have some front pocket money. Thanks in advace for the help.
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A couple of Martin Armpit Gits , , a couple of my own custom S8 laps, and a Gold Tone JB Dobro

Jim Smerk · From: Ohio, USA

I got to play thru a Kustom KG112FX 20W 1x12 Guitar Combolast night & tonight and thought it was fine.

For $99 I could see owning this for sure... Cool

Don Poland · From: Hanover, PA.

Nashville 112. All the amp you will ever need for your pickin pleasure.

Thomas Temple · From: Florida, USA

Check out the Fender Mustang line... I use the Mustang 1 which I got for less than $100 0n Ebay but even brand new they aren't a lot more. Plenty of built in effects and output.

Todd Clinesmith · From: Lone Rock Free State Oregon

What kind of music are you looking to play?
For straight lap steel i would find a low price Tube Amp. A Nashville 112 will not give you authentic lap steel tone in my opinion. Nor do you need a amp with effects, besides maybe reverb.If you are playing overdriven steel sounds you may need an overdrive pedal or an effect box.
Really it depends on what sound you are going for. For a tube amp I would recommend a Fender Blues Jr. There's probably 5 of them between your local craigslist and you cities music stores for around $250 used.
Todd

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

While at the Texas Steel Guitar Show a few years back, I was invited to play up in the non=pedal room.
Having no personal equipment with me, for the first time I had to depend on others. I'd truthfully never before attempted to play anothers' instrument.

My good, good friend Michael Misetich of Dallas ran home and returned with his 8-string Rick, restrung to my familiar strings and all. A gentleman/Mr. Wade, next to the D2F Booth where I was working with another great friend named Tom Palmer.....was selling 'used' equipment and was kind enough to offer me the use of a small Fender amp.

I had never before played anything as small as this little amp, a FENDER Pro-Junior model. To this day, I can't tell you whether it was Rickenbacher Bakelite with several alterations, that I was playing for the first time, or the little amp, all by itself, that gave me the opportunity to discover the tone I'd been chasing all of my life.

Michael wouldn't sell me his Ric but my friend Tom managed to get the little tube amp for me and to this day, I've never heard such a fabulous SOUND!

Having several amps now, I have a lot to compare with. I truly believe the power and speaker size of this little used Fender Pro-Junior to be perfectly matched to the innards of that decades old Rick.
This little ten inch (?), used Fender has provided me with the full, rich sounds/tone that none of my 15/12 inch, Fender Bassman or Peavy's, Volu-Tone, Ohau, Harmony or Gibsons were able to deliver.

I strongly suggest you take your guitar to the store and attempt to match it with whatever amp you think you might like to acquire. For the older g'tars, an older tube amp seems like a good bet for providing you with the sound that I believe you'll want.

You can always pick up a Holy Grail or other brand of reverb if/when you feel you really need it.

Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

Larry,

I agree with both Todd and Ray. The Fender Blues Jr. and Pro Jr. are the way to go.I have a Fender Blues Jr. and think it is a great amp. For the money and availability it is hard to beat. Plus if you want, you can modify it to your hearts content. I chose the Blues Jr. over the Pro because the Blues has reverb. But of the two I think the Pro Junior is better sounding amp for lap steel.

Good luck,

Gary Meixner

Derrick Mau · From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Larry,

The Roland Micro Cube is my pick for small, portable, battery operated, and excellent tone amp.

Don't get the new GX version though. I bought one and compared to the older model. Broke in the speaker for 30 hours but the older one still sounded better (like night and day). I ended up giving the GX away.
You could find the older model for less than $150.00.

Here's a link to songs I've recorded, all using the Roland Micro Cube.

http://soundcloud.com/derrickmau/paauau-waltz-wav

I also use this amp for my gigs. Lightweight and easy on the back.

Larry G. Allen · From: Near Nashville Tennessee, USA

Thanks for all the help guys. I hit the pawn shops and the internet today. I didn't find any of the amps that you recommended used, but I did find a new Fender Champion 40 that looks good for under $200 .Its under 20 lbs, 40 watts, small foot print , looks good from here. I think I'll order one tonite !
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A couple of Martin Armpit Gits , , a couple of my own custom S8 laps, and a Gold Tone JB Dobro

Larry G. Allen · From: Near Nashville Tennessee, USA

Well, there's too many choices...LOL Changed my mind and bought a new Roland Cube 40XL .That should do me till the Opry calls. Thanks again for all the help.
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A couple of Martin Armpit Gits , , a couple of my own custom S8 laps, and a Gold Tone JB Dobro

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Dave Rodgers · From: United Kingdom

Like the others have said there's so much choice out there. If you can get a chance to try a Fender Champion 600 you won't be disapointed. For home use they are ideal and very compact too.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Moved to Electronics from Steel Without Pedals.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

On Nashville Craigslist:
Industry standard - Nashville 400:
http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/4329826360.html

Larry G. Allen · From: Near Nashville Tennessee, USA

Thanks Pete and all the others. Since I was looking for light weight and small footprint , I kinda passed on the NV 400 and the Fender. As stated above , search is over , I have a Roland Cube 40 inbound.
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A couple of Martin Armpit Gits , , a couple of my own custom S8 laps, and a Gold Tone JB Dobro

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I have a Cube 40XL that I really like, I think it sounds as good as the 80XL, just not as much power.
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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.

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