How many Steel Guitar amps do you bring to the gig?

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 6 Apr 2018 8:23 am

Do you bring one amp only or do you also bring a backup.
I only brought one for a long time until my new Quilter blew out the Mode switch and left me stranded. Now I bring a back-up.
How about you?
Only for Steel Guitar and not other instruments.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 6 Apr 2018 8:29 am

Only 1 for me. My 1984 Nashville 400. Has never hicupped once in all that time.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 6 Apr 2018 8:39 am

I only take 1. But if it died, I could hook into the P.A. system for an emergency.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 6 Apr 2018 8:48 am

Great question.

2 for me. My primary and a MB200 I throw into a briefcase. Just in case.

fwiw..My primary is a NV-112. It's never failed.

h

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 6 Apr 2018 8:59 am

1 for me, and ideally someone in the band brings one extra as a back up that stays in the car.

...and now that I'm thinking about it, that "someone" is now probably me, since I bought a Katana 50 a few weeks ago (and haven't had a gig since). That's probably our best option for a backup. (my main amp is a Peavey Session 400).

...so, I guess my answer actually is 2.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 6 Apr 2018 9:39 am

I always run two amps in stereo (mono reverb and stereo delay) on a gig. If one went down I always have one left over. Usually 2 Nashville 400's or one 400 and one twin reverb.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 6 Apr 2018 1:11 pm

I always bring a 2nd amp as a backup. Lately it has been my Quilter Pro Block 200. I leave it in the trunk of my car.

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 6 Apr 2018 3:20 pm

1 here. I am using a NV112. Same one since 2007. I thought the PA would be a good call if the NV112 went down. I had a brand new Peavey DPC 750 back in the 90's. A couple weeks after I bought it I seen a small cloud of smoke come from the top of the amp while I was playing. It did not quit. It blew 3 transistors that night and did not quit! What caused the problem was the PA system that I was going through. Something shorted out in the PA and blew the 3 transistors. I was lucky Peavey repaired it.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 6 Apr 2018 5:55 pm

I usually bring a Peavey Renown 1-15" & a Fender Sidekick because I run stereo delay. Lately just been bringing one 'cause gigs here don't pay enough for me to bust my hump.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Apr 2018 8:14 pm

Nope, one amp. I've never carried a spare amp or volume pedal, and can't recall ever needing either one in thousands and thousands of gigs. One time, my Twin blew out a speaker on the last (and loudest) song of the night. And once, a 6L6 shorted out, so I pulled two of 'em and finished the gig with 30 watts.

Call me "Mr. Lucky", I guess.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 6 Apr 2018 11:08 pm

No amp, all direct..I used to carry a spare Pod Xt but never needed it in 15 years, spare power pack though and never needed that either, I’ve got a good half dozen XT’s at home, my back and soundman loves em! Lol

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 6 Apr 2018 11:45 pm

I carry a spare amp but have only used it once in recent memory. It's a GK MB200, I carry it in my gig bag !

Stuart Constable · Post by **Stuart Constable** » 7 Apr 2018 4:25 am

Thanks all you good folk, I’ve just got something else to worry about now!
I will of course be taking out just my little Peavy as it’s the only amp (apart from a great big lump of a Marshall) I’ve got.
Out tomorrow for first ever gig on pedal steel so as well as big concernes about lack of experience on this wonderful instrument and relying on my old brain to retain the lessons I’ve learned, I’ve also got to hope the amp is well behaved.
A big plus is that the lovely people of Bridport U.K. will be very confused by the look of the steel let alone the strange wailing sounds coming from it, and if the worst comes to the worst and it all goes wrong, can blame the poor little amp...
All love
Stubie the Newbie xx

Alan Cannell · Post by **Alan Cannell** » 7 Apr 2018 5:45 am

G&K MB200 , and if the Bass Players Amp goes down it will help him out of a muddle . No need for a spare cab but make sure you have the leads and mains cable in the bag as well...belt and braces is always wise.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 7 Apr 2018 6:52 am

Two.I have a 6 space rack with a Steelaire and a Carvi n BX 500. I also have a Katana 100 head that stays home and is my practice amp.(has a built in 5" speaker) This can be plugged into my speaker cabinet, then I have a 2nd backup, should the need arise.

Interesting about the Steelaire blowing the switch. Same thing happened to mine after a year. Because of the 3 year warranty, repair was free. I wonder if these switches are prone to failure.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 7 Apr 2018 8:06 am

I have a Fender Harvard Reverb II (1x10", 20W Rivera Era Combo-Amp with treble/middle/bass/reverb, the size of a Champ Amp), that I often throw in the car... just in case

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 7 Apr 2018 8:23 am

Interesting about the Steelaire blowing the switch. Same thing happened to mine after a year. Because of the 3 year warranty, repair was free. I wonder if these switches are prone to failure.

Quilter told me they knew they had a problem with the Mode switches in the beginning. The thing that bothers me is that they chose not to inform their customers who possible had one and save them from a disaster on the gig. They sat back and waited for people to call when they failed. And then when I brought the amp in for repair they tried to sell me a spare.
If you own an early Steelaire, you'd better bring a spare!

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 7 Apr 2018 11:38 am

I bring only one and it is a Quilter Steelaire, for me it has been a great dependable amp with a pleasing sound, there's a lot of them out there. I bought mine new in 2014. If I ever did have a problem, I would just use the sound board to get me by for the gig.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 7 Apr 2018 12:03 pm

I always take one of my Cube 80XL amps to the gigs, as an emergency backup amp.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Apr 2018 3:26 am

Dr. Z Surgical Steel.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 12 Apr 2018 4:11 pm

I use Telonics gear exclusively so I have no need to carry any spare amps, or volume pedals -- I do carry a couple of spare power leads for the VP's though.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 13 Apr 2018 2:02 am

I used to use two amps like Greg, but for stereo and power rather than backup (although I obviously had that too). Now like Paddy I have a Telonics rig. If that ever fails then the universe as we know it is finished and the question of how to carry on is not valid.

W. C. Edgar · Post by **W. C. Edgar** » 14 Apr 2018 9:10 am

2
1977 LTD and a 87 Nashville with silver corners and NO mod

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 15 Apr 2018 8:52 pm

After having my Deluxe Reverb repaired last week, (a new cap and resistor for the normal channel along with new power and pre-amp tubes), it developed a cracking scratchy noise during a gig Sat. night. Luckily I had my Twin Reverb head as a backup just in case. Checked it out today and found a dirty power tube socket, cleaned it up and all is well. Next Sat. I’ll take my Pro-Reverb as a backup just in case.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 15 Apr 2018 10:21 pm

JUST THE ONE TWIN
. BUT I HAVE THE BEST TECH IN OHIO. I DO CARRY A FULL BOX OF TUBES THOUGH,

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