Walker SS Sound System

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Hey how many of you guys out there are using the Walker SS System for your amplification and effects.. I love mine and would never ever play with out it.. I get a full rich sound out of it and I can really hear how my guitar sounds. Boy does it have power, will not have to worry about cutting through any mix... Easy to set up, portable and light weight, what a steeler is looking for.

Daryl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Count me in for 2 systems, I use BW 1501's.

Larry Behm
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'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.

Phone: 971-219-8533

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Wow Larry you have two systems of SS...Your Da Man !!!

Daryl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

Sidney Malone · From: Buna, TX

Another 2 here....I couldn't pass up a deal!! I traded a Nashville 400 +$200 for my second one Whoa!

Sometimes it just works out!!! I Love 'em!!
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MSA Millennium S-12U
Walker Stereo Steel
Hilton Pedal

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I bought mine used about 5 yrs ago and wouldn't play anywhere without it. I even use it on smaller venues. The sound is so perfect. I have JBL's in mine.

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

You can not count me in on the Walker (not yet, anyway). I have a comment though. Seems to me that opinions on amps are even more devoutly held than opinions on guitars. People seem to either love or hate the various amp choices. But I have yet to hear of anyone with a Walker SS rig who does not absolutely love it.

So, for you guys who play them, have you compared them to some of the popular tube amps for steel? If so, what puts the SS on top for you? The stereo capability? Massive power? Or you just prefer the tone to anything else? Anyone compared to a Steelaire yet? And, at the other end of the spectrum, any SS owners also have a GK MB200? Obviously, there is a big difference in capabilities, price, etc, but how do you thing they stack up tone-wise if you happen to own both?

And, of course, if there is anyone out there who tried the SS and decided it was just not their cup of tea, can you tell us why and what you went with instead? Not trying to get arguments of flame-outs - we all have different things we are looking for, but for those of us out in the hinterlands, reading details about WHY someone loves (or does not love) an amp can help narrow the field.

Thanks!
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Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Why I like the SS is it is made by a steeler with almost 40 years on the bench seat. For me if I wanted to buy a truck I would go ask the truck people. So if I wanted to buy a amplifier for a steel guitar I would ask a guy who builds them and is a steeler. What I like about the SS is that it starts off with a complete round sound. Not just a sound of the midrange which so many amps come with these days. That's just old school sound, midrange. Every one talks about most of the sound is midrange and that is not true what so ever. If an amp does not have big over head room for sound you miss so much of the bottom end. I play a 12 UNI and that baby has tone to the bone and the SS brings out all of the sound my guitar puts out. I think if most people started to play through a two cabinet system they would find out how really big the sound is. One speaker cabinet is so one dimensional in sound. Two cabinets make the sound field expand to any dimension you want it to be just space speakers accordingly. To fill a room with sound takes more than one cabinet with a speaker in it. Yes you can over power the room with one cabinet but then what kind of sound do you really have. Now take two cabinets and fill the room with sound. First off it happens at a lower volume and that goes with out saying it will sound better than one cabinet over powering the room. The preamp section to the SS has it all there to tweek the sound you want, get that sweet spot you are after. The SS is solid state, not tubes. I will not get into what sounds better tube or solid state, save that for another day. Every steeler wants to have a beautiful sounding system. For me the SS gives me that in spades. Do your self a favour play through one,but just remember after you have you will not want to go back to the old way of amplifying your sound. I know every one has there own tastes and likes as far as how they want their guitar to sound. In mm musical life I had had many many different amps from amp makers, boutique and big named brands. The big thing here is what sounds good on a amp for a 6 string does not translate into boy this amp sound good on a steel guitar also. Usually does not apply. A lot of people do it because this is what was available to them at the time and it was cheap. Remember you always get what you pay for. I can have an amp and can convenience myself this sounds just as good as an SS. But if I had a side by side comparison the SS would win hands down. I am also a 6 string player and just bought a Fender Strat with all the quack and cluck they are know for. I thought I will by a Fender Blackface Super Reverb Reissue to make this guitar sing. I once owned a real 1966 Black Face Super so I know how good these can make a Strat sound. I plugged my Strat into the SS and low and behold the SS was a way better amp for the Strat. It made the Black Face sound cheap. So here I have an amp that makes a steel guitar and a strat sound like nothing else....I rest my case.

Daryl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

Jack Dougherty · From: Spring Hill, Florida, USA

Ditto to all the above..
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There is no such thing as too many steels!!
Emmons P/P 8/7 Strings....whatever I have.....Picks..mixed...Bars...one of four..but I like the Bullet Bar
Walker Stereo Steel Amp

TC M1 XL
Peavey Vegas Fox Mod
Various sundries and toys..

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

Anyone running 12" speakers with these?

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I have listened carefully to all the amps at steel shows and at steel dealers. The Webb 6-14-E and the Walker SS stand out along with a rack based on an Evans pre-amp + Stewart world amp with dual 12" speakers. The Walker projects out into the audience a lot better than any single speaker setup I've heard including my favorite amps like the Webb and Steel King. It also sounds good in the near field and has a warm full bodied tone. As you move around the room the amp has great coverage even without it being mic'ed. Admittedly I've not tried the newer steel tube amps or any of the new class D amps. Adding an additional cabinet to any combo amp seems to help the projection and coverage a lot. The Walker is a great system!

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Greg:

Thank you for your unbiased views and for experimenting with every piece of steel gear that is available. The Walker system was a favorite setup but can't carry the rack and speakers any longer. I wish I would have tried it with 12" speakers just to see what vibe it had but never got the chance.

Pete Walthall · From: Arkansas, USA

s s steel amps wish you guys would post your settings just read off like clock dieal and what kind of prosser you are using or post a picture of the knobs. thanks pete////////////..

Freddie Wooton · From: London, ky

Been using a Walker SS for several years now. I really wouldn't consider useing anything else. I've used just about every amp that's been made for steel and liked most of them and don't have anything against them but the Walker kinda stands out above all the rest for what I want in a steel amp. I use a Peavey Bassfex with a peterson tuner in a four space rack with the Walker it weighs about 35 lbs. I have two cabs w/1501 BWs. Ea cab weighs 30 lbs. It don't take me too long to pack up with the set up I have. I have a D-10 Emmons LeGrande II that sounds great through all that. Now the best part, Gerry Walker is one of the best guys to deal with that you will ever find. He stands behind what he builds. Fred

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

If you want to hear a Boss RV-3 (or whatever effects rig you like) sound as good as it possibly can, use one in the parallel effects loop of the Walker SS with the Mix at, or near, 100%.
That Paralell effects loop is something every amp should have.
When you have a Walker Stereo Steel rig you basically... take no prisoners!
You play way better when your Steel surround sounds you with lushness and sounds so effortlessly great.
Other benefits I've found?... If a guitar player is too loud, I will point a speaker at him and blow him off the map Razz

.
Oh yeah they sound great, too.
Nice.

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Peter it really is not much good us posting what are settings are as every one likes there own sound has there own type of strings they pluck different and the picks are different, guitars are different and the pick ups are different. With all those variables my set up would sound not the same on your set up. When setting up an SS start with the knobs all at 12 o'clock and one by one move one at a time to where you like that knob to be, what sounds good to you. So at the end after all is set up you should like what you hear or are close to it. Just some fine tweeking to get you in the sweet spot is all that is needed. I like to be able to tweek the sound to what I like. I know some guys will say the more in your signal chain the sound is degraded. Have not heard a signal chain with very in its signal path I really like. They lack much. I like a certain sound. My Williams gives me that sound. My Alumintone sends it to the SS and sends it a way I want to hear just that. I want to hear the tone of the guitar. Every guitar is different. I had a SD-10 Rittenberry before the Williams and the SS was set up very differently. So I tweek the SS to the way I want it. There is nothing on the preamp that was not thought of and it can be used with every guitar out there even a six string. Its to bad most people can not hear what the Walker SS sound like. Many more would be out there on their set up. Hands down for me, it's about as good as it gets. That's my story and I am picking to it.
Daryl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

Rick Schacter · From: Portland, Or.

I have a Walker SS pre-amp set up in the rack in my music room.

FWIW, not only do I like it with my pedal steel, I think it makes my Ric 360 12 string sound pretty great too.

Ric 360-->Jangle Box --> Walker SS pre-amp

Rick

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

http://www.stereosteel.com/index.html`

(posted via MacBook for the 1st time!)

Lyle Bradford · From: Gilbert WV USA (deceased)

Put me down for 3 complete SS setups!

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Wow Lyle 3 complete systems. I want to order another Williams Uni 12 in a few months and not sure how I will do it but would like an SS for it also. I may sell my present Williams after I get the new one. So if I sell the one I have I will only need 1 SS system. Wow 3 systems....

Dayl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

From a long-time Webb amp player: the SS really brought out the low end of my Mullen pre-RP, extended E9 neck. Huge tone, especially when I invested in Telonics cabinets, one open-back with a Telonics-refurbed 15-inch JBL, the other a closed back with a BW 1501-4. Huge sound, best I've ever had.
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E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net

Lyle Bradford · From: Gilbert WV USA (deceased)

Daryl I have 2 amp heads and one preamp. I use a MPX1 in every one of them. I have used several different speakers and to be honest I like all of them.

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

Daryl, I own a Walker Stereo steel combo amp. I had one of the ones with the Digitech effects. When the Digitech died, I went with the Quadraverb. I was not impressed with the sound, I finally got a Peavey Pro-Fex, and I have got a GREAT sound. It came with the JBL 130's. I also use a Sarno Steel Guitar Black Box. I now have a professional sounding rig, something I have not had since I started playing many years ago. I had descent sound with the Digitech and the amp head. But now.WOW! Gerry makes a great product. There have been times I have need help with any minor issues I have had,. I just pick up the phone and he has walked me through them either by phone or e-mail. Gerry stands behind his product.

Daryl Thisdelle · From: New Brunswick, Canada

It seems every one that has the SS always says they never sounded better than what they do now. It's universal it seems. Yes I would have to admit Gerry is one hell of a guy. I started off talking with him almost a year ago about buying the SS. I bought the combo amp and T C Electronics XL M-One first then a couple of months later the two J B L's in tuned cabs. I got the 130 in one and 140 in the other. I have a lacquer guitar with wooden neck. Williams builds a really nice 12 sting Uni and that's what I am leaning on. The Uni has tone to the bone so I needed a pick up to deliver only what it hears and nothing else, I got the Alumitone, then it is sent to the SS System. I have such a round sound it is unbelievable. My lows are low and full of tone not mud. My highs are clear and not picky and the mids melt in your mouth...you get the idea....I had a system before the SS worth double what the complete SS Systetm is and did not come even close to the sound I get from the SS. To boot Gerry is one hell of a guy. It if was not for him I would not be playing the 12 String UNI...which I love so much. He has become a friend and guides me where I need to be as I am a newbie PSG player. Just a year under my belt.
Daryl
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Williams 700 Keyless SD 12 String Universal Lacguer Body Wood Neck Alumitone Pick Up GD Walker Stereo Steel Amp Preamp Combo With 2x15 inch JBL Speakers In Tuned Cabinets, Hilton Digital Sustain Pedal, Telonics Volume Pedal. Steel Seat With Back Rest And Swivel And Adjustable Legs. George L Cables. BJS Bar. Nookies Thumb Pick National Finger Picks. Jagwires Petterson Strobo Plus HD Tuner

Carl Kilmer · From: East Central, Illinois

I have 2 S/S. One is the Blackface with a Lexicon MX400,
and other is Goldface with Lexicon MX300. Love them. Very Happy

Speakers are 2 Peavey 12" B/W's and 2 Peavey 15" B/W's.
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aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

it's interesting...ss amps have been around since back in the bradshaw 'steel guitarist' mag days. a super amp designed specifically for steel. never heard a bad word about them. but i've never seen anyone using one and i've played all around the world since then. you would think every steel player would use one if they're that good. and cheaper than boutique tube amps.
back during the peavey profex days alot of people were playing those with a rack and 2 speaker cabinets....so they could dial in their favorite john hughey tone. they did sound good. so why not the ss?
in my case i guess i'm just lazy old school and prefer to just schlepp one amp that does the job. but i don't doubt the ss could sound better.

then again...your sound is 'so' compromised out on stage or in a club that the finer edge of tone is pretty much lost anyway.

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