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Topic: Pedal Steel Amps |
Paul Hefti
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 May 2024 11:17 am |
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Hi Folks; Sometime watcher, new member & 1st post - happy to be here.
Amateur pedal player for twenty years, plugged into whatever was handy. I know nothing about PSG amps - have seen praise for Milkman here, and that's as far as I've travelled. I have an Emmons SD10 on order, & need an amp & seat to go with it. I'm interested in easy carry amps, combo or two piece, low volume situations. However, I crave the beauty of the Pedal re-created in whatever size amp I can carry. It's the classic "I want light but refuse to sacrifice tone for size" request.
Any - ANY - stuff on great amps - bring it my way, please.
Thank you. Paul |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 21 May 2024 12:04 pm
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Take a look at the Quilter 202. It can be used with the Quilter “dock” or an aftermarket cabinet. Great sounding and very easy to move around.
I’ve owned or tried most of the typical pedal steel amps and it’s the best sounding solid state amp I’ve ever heard. For a tube amp, a Twin Reverb with JBL’s would be my first choice, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
Are you by any chance related to Neal Hefti?
Sorry, just had to ask… |
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Donn Lewis
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 21 May 2024 1:51 pm
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I have been using the Milkman half & half Pedal Steel 12" combo. Great tone, light weight and DI out for recording/PA. A great choice you will not regret.
_________________
Mullen Discovery 3x4
Milkman half and half 12" combo
Goodrich 120, Steeler's choice seat, Mud Stand, BJ's bar, Peterson Strobostomp HD |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 21 May 2024 2:33 pm
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And I have the Half & Half with a 15". Sounds at least as good as my Session 500 and split-cabs Twin Reverb (with JBLs), and at 30 pounds is textbook grab-and-go. Tube pre-amp, class D power. Pricey, but absolutely worth it. 
Last edited by Dave Hopping on 22 May 2024 9:04 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 21 May 2024 5:26 pm
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| Paul, as you are new and will get lots of suggestions on everyone's favorite amp here's my take. I own a variety of steel and guitar amps including the quilter 202. But having attended so many steel shows the most popular in use is the Peavey Nashville 112. I see more of these sounding great across the Midwest. Lots of the old style Peavey Nashville's, Telonics are also popular. Quilter is good with Travis Toys endorsement. I personally favour the tone of my Fender Mustang 3 V2. I also have the tube Twin Reverbs and a Tonemaster Twin. The Tonemaster is a lightweight easy carry. It sounds great too. |
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 22 May 2024 7:25 am
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Hey Paul.
Question #1 from a commenter might be, "What's your budget?"
What is your budget? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Eric Dahlhoff
From:
Point Arena, California
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Posted 25 May 2024 9:38 pm amp
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The Quilter amp heads are the best!
But you also need a speaker...
My new "favorite" combo amp for lower volume jamming is a Fender Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb. Great sound, light weight.
My Strat, lap steels and pedal steel are all very happy with it 
_________________
"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan) |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 26 May 2024 3:04 am
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| Do not overlook the importance of the speaker in your equation. One reason the $1500 Quilter TT12 and the older Peavey Nashville line-up are so successful is the matching of good amps with speakers that are useful for steel guitar, with low distortion, smooth response, and clean, clear highs. Lots of steelers have favorites and there are other threads on the topic here, but if you are looking at used gear the Peavey BW and JBL alnico speakers will almost always be a win. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 26 May 2024 4:33 am
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meh.. a good amp is a good amp... guys go crazy over the unbelievable tone they get out of their latest and greatest $5,000 hand built boutique amp.. I personally don't get it. For decades great steel players used off the shelf stuff and got classic sounds because they played well and had good ears.. There is NO "best" amp... If you buy a clean powerful amp such as a Fender Twin, or a Peavey Session whatever, and make sure a GOOD speaker is in it, then you have great steel amp... same goes for other brands.. I have sounded well on Roland amps if you want to go lighter or more modern.. Try a bunch of different amps and see what sounds good to YOU!
Always remember this- Most of the great pedal steel sounds from the 60's through about the 2010's were made on plain old well functioning, well maintained Fender or Peavey amps that may or may not have had speaker upgrades. yes, some guys used Evans/Sho Bud/Standel "pedal steel amps", but the majority used the same stuff that a local musician could buy in the neighborhood "mom and pop" music store.. Early on in the 60's some guys even used Fender bassman amps and got great sound, and they are not a pedal steel amp at all... Get what appeals to you of course, but a lot of money on boutique is not really necessary to sound great.. Practice IS! bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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John Sims
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Posted 27 May 2024 6:22 am
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Any Peavey steel amp should work fine unless you are doing studio work, even then they've ruled the roost for years...
_________________
Regards,
John
Steelin' is a way of life!
1997 Carter U-12 Double Body-Natural Birdseye Maple-8p/5k, Peavey Nashville 1000 Amp, Goodrich L10K Vol. Pedal, Boss DD-3 Delay, Boss CE-5 Chorus, Behringer UMC-204HD Audio Interface, AKAI MPK Mini MK3 Professional Midi Keyboard/Controller, Gretsch Bobtail Resonator, Fender Banjo, Rondo SX Lap Steel (C6), DIY Lap Steel (Open D), a few Mojo Hand Cigar Box Guitars (MojoHandGuitars.com). |
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 30 May 2024 5:46 am
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| What John just said. Even a Peavey Bandit with mid-range tweaked . . . and there are lots of those around. |
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Thornton Lewis
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2024 5:14 pm
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It's all about the budget and the load in. Big budget and strong? Fender twin or peavey Nashville 400.
Big budget kinda feeling it going up the stairs?
Quilter and a cab (Travis Toy 12, other quilter combos, Peavey Nashville 112.)
Less cash? For low volume gigs, I think Rolands are great and the built in effects are good enough. You can probably find one for less than $200. |
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