Amp Recommendations

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

Looking to buy my first pedal steel amp. I have been playing almost a year and have been playing through a couple of different bass amps as I am a bass player. I am hoping some guys can recommend an amp just for pedal steel. I am to the point where I am ready to get out and play with other folks and need something I can gig with if I get that far. My requirements are it has to be able to be hooked into a mixer which my computer is plugged into and the speaker has to be able to be silenced for at home headphone practice. Or a separate head/ speaker that will work through the mixer.
Lastly would like to stay under 1000 dollars and new or used does not matter.

I am considering the Tonemaster Twin Reverb or the Quilter Toneblock 202 but would like to hear what has worked well for you..

Would you guys be kind enough to steer me in the right direction?

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

>>>I am considering the Tonemaster Twin Reverb or the Quilter Toneblock 202 but would like to hear what has worked well for you.. <<<

I have both the Tone Master Twin and the Toneblock, but mine is the 201.
The Toneblock 201 is now relegated to a back-up amp (but a really good amp non-the-less).

The Fender Twin TM is the most versatile (and fun!) amp Iâ€™ve ever owned. Lapsteel, pedal steel, blues harp, guitarâ€”practice in a tiny room, or rattling the windows in an Idaho dive bar, itâ€™s â€œas advertisedâ€. I love it.
_________________
A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first.

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

To come in with your budget of $1000.00, on the low side a Boss Katana $300.00 plus range. On the high end, Fender Tone Master, published price of $995.00 but call around and negotiate. I had a Katana and I have a Tone Master. You can't go wrong with either one.

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

Peavey Nashville 112

Tried and proven for years. Most popular amp ever made. IMHO
_________________
AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

Can you mute the speaker with the line out Bill?

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

No. Only with the headphone out.
_________________
AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

Thanks for the replies so far, I had not considered the 112 because not aware it had headphone jack. The Tonemaster is high on my list but will look at everything anyone mentions.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

I have a Tonemaster because it's a dual purpose amp, guitar and steel. Otherwise I use a dedicated pedal steel amp, Peavey 112, Session 400, or the Nashville 1000. The Boss Katana 100 is my lightweight grab and go and it sounds good. I have other rigs but weight is a factor.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Try out one of your bass amp heads with an extension speaker cab. And maybe a reverb pedal. In my experience a great bass amp can sound better for steel than an okay steel amp. There is nothing really special or necessary about steel amps.
_________________
Bob

Barry Coker · From: Bagley Alabama, USA

I have never tried the new Tone Master but have owned several Fender amps have a Twin Reverb and Pro Reverb now have used a Nashville 112, Nashville 400 also have a Webb 614-E. All of these have been Good, Better, But my favorite
has to be my Evans I have Two an AH-200 with 2 8" speakers and an RE-200 with 1 10" speaker both sound great on steel and both have a speaker out to hook to an external speaker. New there out of your price range but if you check Reverb or Ebay you can find them in the 500- 1000 range the SE-200 with a light weight 15 is possibly the best I have heard.

Good Luck in your search
Barry
_________________
Zum-D-10, Webb 614-E, 65 Pro Reverb, Evans RE200, 69 Gibson Birdland, 89 Telecaster EAD Bad!!

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

I didn't mention Evans because they are over your budget. I used a Derrell Stephens built FET 500 as my main amp for 20 years. I just sold my rack system and Evans stereo pre-amp. I am now using an SE-200. Evans is top of the line in sound to my ears.

Here are the steel amps I've went through in 50 years of playing: 1968 Fender Twin, Webb, Messa Boogie, Carvin BX 500, Fender Steel King, and Stereo Steel. Now the Peavey's: Session 400, Session 400 LTD, Session 500, Single 12 Valve King, twin 12 Valve King, Nashvilie 1000, and two Nashville 112's. Except for the Valve Kings, I had no problem with liking any of them. None of them would give me what I was hearing in my head.

I now have the Evans SE 200 with a JBL D-130 speaker and the Fender Tone Master with the stock Jensen speakers. Both amps give me what I'm looking for. I have a Trace Elliott Elf in my gig bag and a speaker cabinet that stays in the van as my backup amp. It comes close to giving me what I want.

To cut to the chase, my recommendation as of today is the Tone Master. A relatively new amp. Sounds great. Has simple EQ controls, two channels. light weight, and good resale value, because it's relatively new to steel players and you can sell it to guitar players. Plus. it's a modeling amp of the 60's Twin tube amp. The sound is very close.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

I found a local music store that rented me a Tonemaster Twin for a month. If I buy it the rent goes toward the purchase and if I donâ€™t can take it back. The tone is a huge improvement over the Eleven Rack and Music Master Bass amp I have been using.

I plan to see what I think over the next little bit and also am considering a used Evans unless I run across a good buy on a 112.

I wAnt to thank everyone for all of the great advice. This forum is a really nice place to hang out.

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Crank the mid up to 8 or 10. Bass and treble to your taste.

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: