Standel amp

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 4 Dec 2006 2:47 pm

Is a '60's Standel Imperial combo with a 15" speaker any good for steel?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 4 Dec 2006 10:29 pm

Yes, most definately!

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 5 Dec 2006 5:18 am

John, check out their web site at www.standelamps.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 5 Dec 2006 8:21 am

It's one of the best.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 5 Dec 2006 8:46 am

The 60's Standel was the first amp that sounded like it was designed specifically for a steel guitar. It had more "guts" (lows) than the Fender amps, but didn't have reverb, so, many players added the 60's tape driven Echo-Plex. The first Standels were tube amps and later solid state. Having owned both, I preferred the SS.

The first Standel that I remember seeing was used by Bob White with the Hank Thompson band.

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<img width=100 src=http://genejones.bizland.com/index.1.jpg>www.genejones.com

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 5 Dec 2006 10:13 am

Hmmm! They want $700 for it. It's very clean, and has an Altec Lansing 15 in it.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 5 Dec 2006 10:49 am

I share Gene's feeling re: tubes vs transistors in Standel amps.

I play through a wonderful pair of 1970 Standel Custom 15's.

I have played through a 1950s 25L15 owned by a jazz guitar player friend and it sounded great at low volume but didn't have the power I needed for gigs. My Customs are about 140W/RMS each and KICK BUTT. I paid about $600 each for them several years ago. My best find ever.

Ken Fox just went through both and gave them some TLC (and a few capacitors) and --- WHOOOOOOOA --- they just amaze me every time I plug them in. I'm doing a theatre gig -- VERY low volume and LOTS of rheostats and RF -- and last time I had problems with noise from the various sources of interference. NOT THIS TIME. Ken is a genius -- and a helluva guy.

That speaker is probably the Altec 418B that others (me included) have raved about.

Disclaimer:
I've never played through the Imperial so I can't comment on that particular amp, but Standel's early SS amps have both the power and the tone that make a great steel amp, IMHO. Many of the endorsers were steel players and jazz guitarists and a clean, warm, tubelike tone is a characteristic of their sound.

You should contact Ken Fox and/or Woody Woodell to get more info.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 5 Dec 2006 12:17 pm

This is the amp John is considering

After thinking about it I realized I'd played through an Imperial after all

It was John Sebastian's amp and I used it for several concerts where my band opened for the Lovin' Spoonful. Yes, I'm the handsome young giant in the striped pants, far right.

Never played steel through one, though.
FWIW

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 15 December 2006 at 08:19 AM.]

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 5 Dec 2006 12:31 pm

That looks the Super Imperial that I have. Danny McKinney from Standel told me that Pete Drake used to play through one. I haven't gigged with mine yet. It needs a little work and a grounded plug. Mine came with two 15" Trusonic SS-15's with the Standel logo on them. The SS-15s were custom made by Stephens in the late 1960's to compete with the D130s. I guess the story was that Bob Crooks didn't like the sound of the D130f that replaced the lower wattage D130.

DZ

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 5 Dec 2006 12:41 pm

Thank you Larry! BTW, Why did we ever think those striped pants were cool? I wore them in my Kent State band too.[This message was edited by John Billings on 05 December 2006 at 12:43 PM.]

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 5 Dec 2006 4:34 pm

Now I'm getting excited, I pick up an old Standel tube amp in the next week or two, that I bought. It is all tube and older than dirt. I don't know the model# yet, though. It's missing the original 15" speaker, got a junky speaker in it's place. But I ain't scared, as I have a pair of original Altec 418B's for it. I'll be anxious to run my 'bud through it, after I have it thoroughly checked out, of course.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 5 Dec 2006 8:46 pm

Why did we ever think those striped pants were cool?

Duh...'cause the chicks thought they were cool. I had some too. And you know what? They worked.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Dec 2006 10:28 am

James, I still have the original speaker from my Standel Custom. It's in a cabinet that I built, and that I use in my music room.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 14 Dec 2006 10:51 am

Hey Gene, It would be cool to hook it up and see how it sounds sometime. What IS that speaker you have?

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Dec 2006 10:58 am

James, it's a JBL 130...I'll bring it to the next meeting if you would like to try it.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 14 Dec 2006 11:34 am

One of the best steel tones that I've heard was an old Emmons amp(made by Standel for Emmons) with a JBL D130f and an old S-10 ShoBud.

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 31 Dec 2006 12:03 pm

Just birddoggin' this one for y'all:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

They go for over $4k - new w/the tube efects loop.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 31 Dec 2006 12:47 pm

Wow!!! That is a beauty.

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 31 Dec 2006 2:53 pm

Does anyone know anything about the Standel Studio amps?

It looks real similar to the Imperial...but perhaps larger. It's absolutely huge...perhaps 4ft or taller. Solidstate & I'm not sure what size of speakers are in it...I'm sure they'are 15s. I'm not sure on the output rating of it...it's a beast.

Does anyone have a pic of one so that we know what I'm talking about?

For one that funtions properly & is in decent cosmetic shape, what would a fair going price be???

Any info/help is much appreciated.

Casey

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 31 Dec 2006 7:12 pm

I know where there is a 50 L 15 Standel. Probably 1958-1963 years? It doesn't have the original speaker. What would this be worth? Good for steel?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 1 Jan 2007 1:29 am

The value would depend on the condition mainly, but if it is an all tube Standel it could be anything from 500-2000 bucks. Pristine condition, all tube, padded naugahyde covering and a JBL speaker, it usually draws top dollar. Good for steel, yes, especially for studio work. Most guys prefer more watts on stage, but these amps cut through better than your average guitar amps.

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 1 Jan 2007 7:31 pm

Any info on the Standel Studio amp??? Anyone???

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 3 Jan 2007 12:39 pm

A nice score on this cream-puff Standel for somebody @ $2176

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 7 Jan 2007 9:11 am

Anybody else with some good Standel info or stories???

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 7 Jan 2007 10:33 am

Well, check the Standel website; there's a good history section written by Deke Dickerson, along with the 25L15 original owner's list. Some pretty impressive names there I'd say.