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Author Topic:  Amp question??
Todd Weger


From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2000 7:09 am    
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Hey fellow non-peddlers -- I have a question about amplifiers for steel. I currently have been playing my little Fender Champ lap through my '74 Super Reverb that's been "blackfaced." It's a great amp for guitar, and it's been working with the steel, but since it's been BF'd to break up sooner, it runs out of headroom really fast.

Now to my question: I also am a bass player, and have a Hartke 1440 140 watt bass combo rig. The other day, just for kicks, I tried my steel through there, and I thought it sounded great! Punchy and loud, with plenty of headroom, and the compressor keeps things nice and even. For more EQ too, I have a 1/3 graphic that can pretty much give me the EQ I want. The downside is, no reverb.

Has anyone else used a bass rig for their steel, and if so, what type of reverb do you recommend? Should I invest in a tube reverb like a Reverberato (Victoria), which are hardwired, all tube and gorgeous sounding (but ain't cheap)? Or, would something as simple as an Alesis Microverb work OK? I really don't want to buy another amp, and I think this Hartke will work with the right reverb setup.

Anyone else use a bass rig for a steel amp? Thanks everyone!
TJW
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Mike Tatro

 

From:
Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2000 2:33 pm    
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Jeez TJ, just ow high do ya have that Super cranked??

Seriously, most of the guys here like (even prefer) SS amps, I do not. I don't like how they sound and don't like how they feel. Of course, most of the places I play, I just take my Clark tweed deluxe clone along to plug my MeloBar Supersteel into and mic it.

I can't believe you're not getting good LOUD tone out of that SFSR. Go figger!
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Curt Langston


Post  Posted 1 Aug 2000 2:48 pm    
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You gotta watch those tube pre-amps, with a hot steel pickup going in...Otherwise, you'll be takin' a one-way trip to Distortionville !!...
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Jim Mathis


From:
Overland Park, Kansas, USA
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2000 5:49 pm    
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There is a similar thread under "Bar Chatter." As for the Alesis Microverb, I have one and it works great. I use it for all kinds of things. I use it with my '64 Fender Band Master, for example, and it sounds good to me.
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Ian-Shaw

 

From:
Naperville, IL USA
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2000 9:14 pm    
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Regarding using the bass amp for your steel - I'd say if it sounds good to you, go for it. As far as reverb - I'd have much the same advice. I'd probably try out a couple of the less expensive reverb pedals before investing in a dedicated unit like the Victoria one. You should be able to get something that sounds fine and professional in a $100 range. Boss makes the RV-3 pedal (reverb and delay), which I've used and thought had a nice, crisp sound. Danelectro's DanEcho can do nice (to my ears) reverb. Danelectro is also making a line of real inexpensive mini-pedals, and I know they have a reverb one in there. Lots of stuff you can try.
Good luck.

Ian
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Todd Weger


From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2000 5:48 am    
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Hey Mike -- you said "Jeez TJ, just ow high do ya have that Super cranked??"

Well, not too loud, really, believe it or not! I had it on about 5 the other day at an outdoor gig at a Rod & Gun Club. With all the shooting going on, we we're up there, but not overly. The thing about my SuperReverb is that since I had a tech put it to mid-60's "blackface" era specs, it breaks up sooner and much nicer -- perfect for when I'm playing blues guitar. But, I didn't realize that steel pups (at least in my little Champ) are so hot!

Dont' get me wrong, it wasn't Jimi Hendrix tone or anything. Just running out of headroom faster than I wanted it to. I also have speakers in there that are designed to break up a little sooner. I'm thinking with more efficient speakers in it, I probably wouldn't have as much breakup.

Anyway, thanks for the tips, folks. I'll try some of those ideas. Also, I got my D8 Stringmaster yesterday, and wooooo hoooooo!! What fun now!

TJ
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Lew Collins

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2000 5:59 am    
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Lot's of things can be done to those old Supers to make 'em louder and cleaner. I'd start with tubes and a bias adjustment. Svetlanas are the best 6L6 currently being made. I'd search out NOS RCA or GE for the 12ax7 and 12at7...I don't like any current production preamp tubes.

If your pickup is to hot for the input, you can change the two 68K resistors on the input to a pair of 100K...that's what SRV did. Or what his tech did anyway.

When your amp was last serviced did your tech replace all the filter caps and cathode caps? Do that too if it needs it. I replace any that are more than 20 years old.

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John Borchard

 

From:
Athens, OH 45701
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2000 7:11 am    
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As far as bass amps go, I play a variety of steels - pedal and nonpedal - through my '59 Bassman and it sounds great. I only use it in the studio for PSG as the volume is considerably less than what I'd need for a live gig. But I like its crunch for nonpedal stuff, live and in the studio. Tom Brumley used one for years that Fender loaded with one 15" speaker and added a reverb unit to. It's hard to argue with his tone! If it works, it works!
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Bill Rowlett


From:
Russellville, AR, USA
Post  Posted 5 Aug 2000 9:19 am    
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Todd,

I currently use my steel rack rig for my bass jobs too. I just change the speakers. I would recommend either a Boss DD-3 delay pedal or a Lexicon MPX-100 rack mount as good cheap ways to get a fine steel sound out of your bass amp. You can get some really lush Pink Floyd bass sounds using those delays too.

Bill
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Steve B

 

From:
Garland Texas
Post  Posted 9 Aug 2000 9:17 pm    
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I have had pretty good results with the Danalectro "corned beef" reverb pedal. Be sure to use a battery, & not an adapter. The 300ma adapter seems to add a pretty bad hum to the signal. I have tried this with my Ampeg SVT (all tube) with some pretty good sounds, as well as my single 15 Rocket Bass, and the SVT 3 rack mount amp. This same pedal works pretty good with my bassman head too. The bassman just dosent get very loud, especially through the 16 ohm alnico 12 inch that I have it hooked up to.
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