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Topic: Pairing amps and Steels |
Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 11 Jan 2024 8:09 am |
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Didn't get any response in the electronics section, so moving this question to this section.
I have a Boss Katana 100 which sounds absolutely fantastic with my Superslide lap steels. Not so much with my Williams pedal steel.
I have quilter toneblock 202 which my lap steels don't sound great through but work really well with the pedal steel.
I'd love a discussion from you experts on how to pair a steel with the proper amp. Amps are still an area I feel I know nothing about and could use some advice on why this happens and what are the best amps to go with a Williams D10.
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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2024 8:42 am
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Sounds like you have it right.
Most folks get frustrated fiddling with the Boss Tone Studio for the Katana. It’s a jack of all trades amp, not plug in and play. It will do pedal steel and do it just fine. There are clean settings to be had in the “Sneaky Amps” Twin types. Sounds great with my Williams. I have also had good results with Boss GT-10 amp models and a Tech21 powered speaker.
I have a self-imposed limit on spending at this point in my life, so higher end stuff doesn’t show up on my radar. For what I do, I have everything I need. Except chops 🥴. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 11 Jan 2024 8:54 am Re: Pairing amps and Steels
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| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
I'd love a discussion from you experts on how to pair a steel with the proper amp. Amps are still an area I feel I know nothing about and could use some advice on why this happens and what are the best amps to go with a Williams D10. |
How? You try them out and take lots of time fooling with settings. I love my Quilters for ALL my steels, pedal and non :Fender, ShoBud, GFI, EXCEL.
I have an Evans, too - which I disliked until I learned that you don’t set the controls like you do a Fender, etc.
Some are married to tubes. I’m not. Peoples’ ears are different, as are their patience levels.
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2024 11:41 am
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| I agree on the certain amps work better on certain steels. I made that comment some time ago without much feedback. I try to get the best from any amp but there seems to be a magic component with some pairing options. I had to struggle a long time with the Katana 100 to satisfy my tastes and that only happened with the tone studio. You need that parametric eq to dial in your tone. And for me I'm finding it increasingly important on any amp so I use outboard gear to get that eq. |
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Nicholas Cox
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2024 10:29 am Amp and steel tone
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| A darker pickup might need a brighter amp and vice versa to get the tone you want. Personally I love both lap and pedal through the tone block. |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2024 1:46 pm
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I have heard the term "voicing the amplifier" used to describe the process of matching an amp's tone to a specific instrument (such as steel guitar versus 6-string electric guitar), but never knew how this was actually done.
This thread aroused my curiosity.
I just found this short (4-1/2 minute) video which explains this fascinating process very well: Yamaha A-S1100 "Behind the scenes"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zvibQAvUwo
It may help answer several of the questions posted here.
- Dave |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2024 5:36 pm
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| Well, Dave…I was pretty sure that’s how it’s done on that end of things. I also figure most pedal steelers know they are basically looking for an amp that can deliver clarity over a large frequency range with plenty of head room. Matching their own specifics of optimum sound to their own specific gear isn’t THAT much of a shot in the dark. It does involve a process of trial and error, but it doesn’t necessarily involve a soldering iron and a box of electronic components😎 |
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