Was on break and saw how the stage lights were shining on my steel so I took a picture of it. My stage set up. No effects except reverb from my amp. Amp is a Fender Steel King loaded with a 2502 Black Widow speaker.
Last edited by Robert Jones on 27 Oct 2020 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Chris Willingham wrote:My messy setup at a casino show last night. First show with the Quilter TT12. Love it! Sound man couldn't believe how loud and low it got.
My rig is as simple as it can get; steel-guitar, volume-pedal, amplifier (Peavey Nashville 112 with Burr-Brown op-amps), with the second output of the volume-pedal to a Peterson strobo-Flip tuner. I also have a "Slyde-car" and "Pup" from Dale Hansen's Bessdang Gizmos.
I keep it as simple as I can because if it worked for all the greats back in the day then I should be able to make it work for me as well. If I don't play well, I can't blame the gear as there is very little of it.
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.
Steel goes direct to PA post FX, then to Fender Rumble 200 (1-15).
MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Stage Lead II 100W 1x12, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.
Here’s the rig that I use for a Soul/rock dance band that I play in. The second picture is my new EXCEL 11 string. I have onboard compressor, distortion and tremolo. I got those from Modboards and they sound great using a 9 V battery. Everything’s there right in front of me with the flick of my finger. I have a surface mount Lace pick up that covers strings 11 through 3 to get a beefier tone when I use the distortion. Also a small MOYO volume pedal with the Zoom Multi-stomp, which contains 50-60 delays,echo,reverbs,choruses,vibrato,Leslie,Rotovibe,phaser, etc etc. Many options you can scroll through but I keep it simple with 3-4 different preset echoes, chorus/vibrato speeds. The amp is a Quilter Toneblock 202 into a VHT cabinet with the TT 12 speaker. If I’m playing traditional stuff I usually use my Crossover and a little bit of echo maybe some tremolo. Sometimes nothing, not even reverb.
I’m glad Travis isn’t the only one crazy enough to carry 5 or 6 different instruments.
I now use a rolling “throne” between my keys and steel with dobro on the left. Works better if I have room. But I need roadies...
St. Blues 1984 "Holy Grail"
Take the time to introduce someone young to music... and play a few songs with someone old.
My GFI and Telonics are my most common set up. If I’m feeling saucy, I’ll bring out my Emmons. But, my GFI/Telonics set up is easy to carry and always delivers when I’m out and about.