Tried out a Quilter Steelaire...wasn't impressed!

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 20 Feb 2017 8:23 pm

Went into one of our local music stores last week for some strings & saw a brand new Quilter Steelaire on the floor. Have been hearing so much about them, and since I was on the way to a gig & had my D-10 LeGrande in the truck,I brought it in, set it up, and gave it a test run.
I must say I was a little disappointed. Had good headroom & power, but the amp broke up at not that loud volume. Sounded kinda harsh & screechy; not at all silky & smooth like I was expecting. I could not EQ it for a pleasing sound, and it was just, IMHO, too dirty for a steel amp. I WAS impressed with the reverb sound & the lightness,and Playing both channels at once offered slight improvement, but I just did not think it was worth the $1395 price tag. My $250 (used) PV Renown with 1-15" BW just blew it away in terms of sheer headroom, cleanliness & silkyness. Now in all fairness,rush hour traffic was starting to build & I had an early gig to be at, so I only had about a half hour test drive. But I remember the first time I played through a Webb amp; no matter how I EQed the amp, it always sounded phenominal. Seems like the Quilter shoulda delivered, but it didn't. In a way I'm kinda glad; I was gonna throw it on the ol' Mastercard if I liked it, but really did NOT have the budget for a new amp.Sometimes it just works out OK!

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 21 Feb 2017 3:05 am

If you need a clean sound, lower the gain settings and turn up the master volume.

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 21 Feb 2017 4:18 am

Been using my Quilter combo for over two years, and while it's not my favorite steel amp of all time, I can tell you that requardless how hot I have run the gain , I've never had a bit of distortion, and I've been in some situations where I played really loud. It sounds close to my Peavey Session 400, which is my benchmark, but Quilter, like all amps has it own voice. The weight factor puts it over the top as my go to for gigs. Also recently used the XLR out for a recording session and both myself and the engineer were pleasantly surprised with the results.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Feb 2017 4:46 am

Not every amp is for everyone. There are some popular amps that I'm not fond of but some pro's think are the ultimate amp. Nothing wrong with the amps but not for me.

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 21 Feb 2017 4:49 am

Love my Steelaire Rack head, used with Sica speaker cab, never had any distortion problems, I run it pretty much as the settings used byAlbert Svenddall on the YouTube video.Stacks of headroom and volume when needed.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 21 Feb 2017 6:08 am

Amps need to be fairly evaluated in a variety of situations in which they'll be used: indoors, outdoors, stages with hard floors, and ones with carpeting, e.g.

I tried my buddy's Milkman at an outdoor gig, and it did less than nothing for me, but that was an incomplete and unfair comparison. Similarly, I tried Perlowin's Steelaire in his studio and was pleasantly impressed, and I heard Dr. Jon Jaffe's Steelaire in a club setting and was impressed also. But that doesn't mean that I'd enjoy MY sound from the amp. The "street price" around here is around $1100 new.

I'm divesting myself of amps of late. Just sold my Webb, so I'm down to smaller/lighter amps. Those being a Telonics TCA-500, a NV112 w/Telonics Neo 12", and a Peavey LTD w/Telonics Neo 15.

The Telonics TCA with the small cabinet and 12" Neo is intriguing as well, so I may replace the NV112 and the LTD with one of those. I get treated so well by Dave and Sophie and family that they have my brand loyalty.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 21 Feb 2017 7:17 am

My Telonics TCA-500C combo amp has been delightful in all respects. I've sold my stock of Nashville 400's and Steel Kings since getting the Telonics.

I found the Quilter Steelaire Pro to be noisy (since improved by the manufacturer), low on gain to get dynamic sounds (had to out both channels in series to get full output), and lacking greatly on bass output. I've got a Walker System that I've yet to power on but hope to get to that soon.

Telonics customer service is tops!

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Telonics%20A ... 20Amp.html

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Quilter%20St ... 20Pro.html

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 21 Feb 2017 1:26 pm

I've owned mine over two years and played it at all volumes and never heard it break up once. Quilters have a limiter control and if you set it low you can hear some distortion. I set my limiter at 6 and I have never heard it break up at any volume level so my feeling is the limiter was set in the wrong position.

You should also set the master volume high like most any amp.

My master is at 9 and both channel volumes are at 5 and it that's loud enough for most any gig I've ever played.

Edit: Here's a video from a few months back. I was playing at a moderate volume.

https://youtu.be/Rv6T72PSxns?t=117

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 21 Feb 2017 8:13 pm

Dick; you're live sound is what I was hoping to get from the Quilter, but just couldn't find that smoothness.
I know a fair comparo woulda been to try the amp at a gig with my effects(I run a stereo delay setup, "ping-ponging" between 2 amps) etc, but the store would not rent it to me for a night (I asked).
I DID run the master wide open, but the biggest thing was a lack of bottom end. Maybe I'll try it again this weekend; gigging in the same area, so I'll have my steel in my work (day job) truck.

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 21 Feb 2017 8:54 pm

The only way I can tell anything about an amp is playing it live with a band at a dance. I've been pleased with the new Evans SE300 with 15 inch speaker, that I recently bought.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 26 Feb 2017 3:19 pm

I bought the steelaire pro rack. I tool it to a hall jam session. I was running it into the blue marvel of my Nashville 112 as I don't yet have a cabinet. I was blown away. It sounded like I was playing a different guitar. I highly recommend buying the rack so you can try different speakers and configurations out. The combo is not for everyone I understand but I do know alot of people really like them alot.
Rich if you can get ahold of an extension cab, take it back to the shop and plug it in try it out.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 26 Feb 2017 4:20 pm

I'm only needing low volume, since all the gear is mic'ed, and there's plenty of volume in front (21" subs at times, etc.) My fender Princeton on 3-4 is loud and clean enough for the job, 40 people or 4000. Otherwise I'd look at higher horsepower amps, but for more stones from an amp, I have 30-50 watt amps that do the job. If I were getting a Quilter I would lean toward a head or rack design.

Quilter has other models -- maybe try those out. I would expect a learning curve with the Quilter EQ arrangement. Maybe the manual will help as a starting point. http://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/support/

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 26 Feb 2017 4:49 pm

Carl. The steelaire pro rack is magical. That's the best I can describe it.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 26 Feb 2017 5:08 pm

Quentin Hickey wrote:Carl. The steelaire pro rack is magical. That's the best I can describe it.

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 26 Feb 2017 5:32 pm

I got a good sound out of mine almost as soon as I plugged in. I tried an Altec 418 speaker, and it sounded even better.

Nothing wrong with the stock speaker, but the idea of a head and trying different speakers and cabs is one Im warming up to.

These heads are getting so light, which is part of the attraction. I really favor a throw and go, but a head I could keep in a seat ? It gets me considering the amp head concept.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Feb 2017 5:42 pm

I've been using a cabinet w/15" BW with my Quilter. It sounds really full. Maybe it's my imagination... but the reverb sounds like stereo reverb (with the cabinet). When I strike a chord the reverb decay seems to move from Quilter to cabinet. The owner's manual says nothing about that, so maybe it's just my imagination.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 26 Feb 2017 5:45 pm

Maybe there's a latency in the circuit.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 26 Feb 2017 5:46 pm

Steve- The old Altecs are great - I have a 425 in the Princeton.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 26 Feb 2017 5:52 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:I've been using a cabinet w/15" BW with my Quilter. It sounds really full. Maybe it's my imagination... but the reverb sounds like stereo reverb (with the cabinet). When I strike a chord the reverb decay seems to move from Quilter to cabinet. The owner's manual says nothing about that, so maybe it's just my imagination. ;-)

Anyone who moved to this amp and has that reverb pedal that they love so much can put it away. They won't be needing it after they hear the reverb in this amp. Really gives you lots of flexibility.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Feb 2017 5:58 pm

I agree. I quit using a reverb box when I got the Quilter. Now it's just grab and go. Plug in and play.

Mike Archer · Post by **Mike Archer** » 27 Feb 2017 11:10 am

a friend of mine brought his Quilter down and I played trough it I loved the amp
sounded great to me lush reverb good tones too
even on c6 it kicks butt

but I could never afford one....

so I'm still with the Nashville 112

mike

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 27 Feb 2017 11:13 am

Doug - do you still need to use the Black Box in the signal chain? If so, Quilter ought to do his homework

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Feb 2017 12:17 pm

Carl, no, it sounds good as is. I go directly from the steel into the amp, and I run the volume pedal through the VP loop in the amp. Sounds clean and full and the reverb is excellent. Sometimes I use the black box, but it's not necessary.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 27 Feb 2017 12:19 pm

Cool.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 1 Mar 2017 7:32 am

Just got to add my two cents. Keith Hilton is so right. The only successful way to test drive an amp is in a live playing situation. No telling how many amps I've tried in a music store or someone's home that I liked but take them out on a gig and twist knobs all night trying to get it to sound good. That happened to me with a Randall steel amp. Sounded great at guys house but took it out once and never played it again. Think I sold it for boat anchor.
Getting back to topic is that I've had nothing but compliments when I play my Quilter Steelaire and funny part is, it's an amp I really didn't like when I tried it at home. I wouldn't have bought one because of sticker price so I got mine in a trade deal. Personally, I still wouldn't buy one when you can get a nice used LTD or Nashville 400 for around $300 to $400 which are basically just as good. I tried a Webb and never found a sound I could live with but the Quilter Steelaire definitely rates on up there in the amp world to me.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Tried out a Quilter Steelaire...wasn't impressed!

Tried out a Quilter Steelaire...wasn't impressed!

i tried one