headphones vrs amps ?

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 21 Oct 2002 8:20 am

There may be a really obvious answer to this
but it still leave me puzzled.
I have several steels that when played thru
a headset sound ok, but sound great thru an amp. I have one steel that sounds ok (about the same as the others) thru a headset but sounds awful thru virtually any amp I'ved tried, tube, s/s 12" spkers, 15" etc.

What does this mean? Any hope for this instrument?

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 21 Oct 2002 12:35 pm

Ron,

What model Emmo....naw, better not! Nyuk Nyuk ;0

Trouble maker Tom

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 22 Oct 2002 5:52 am

Wow, You guessed it Tom, its an Emmons... so
why does it sound good thru a headset & not thru an amp?

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 22 Oct 2002 6:57 am

Ron,
Are you sure the pickup is the proper distance from the strings? It's possible that the headphone amp is more forgiving. I'm not saying that it's impossible that the guitar just sounds bad, but all Emmons guitars I've ever played sounded acceptable (or better) through most any amp.
Let us know if you resolve this issue.

------------------
<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 22 Oct 2002 6:59 am

Ron,

I really was just kidding...those Emmons guys are so touchy about their guitars...as they should be.

Since I stuck my nose in, My lap steel that I take to work with me sounds great with the band or tracks and played through a RP-100 for light reverb. Now, when I play this same guitar at my hotel room through the RP-100 using headphones I get a really different "mix". I seems to mellow the sound and cut the highs...of course, the reverb is "way up there" with the headsets on.

I would guess you could make that Emmons talk to you with a little knob twisting on the amp unless there is something wrong with the pickup.

Speaking out of schooly,

Tom Jordan

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Oct 2002 8:04 am

I've never heard a modern pedal guitar that sounded "awful"! Try turning the amp "wide open", and using your foot pedal to control the volume. <u>Most</u> amps don't sound good until you get well above half-volume.

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 22 Oct 2002 9:18 am

OK- I was kidding too- It's not an Emmons
I'd rather not name a maker, & perhaps 'awful' is a bit too strong. Not very good, would be more appropriate. I swapped the PU
with a BLawrence, which improved it some, both headset & amp, but its still not very good w an amp. I tried many differing heights for the PU to string position and settled on the best which is a little closer than a quarter on the high side and a bit less than
2 quarters on the low side (Bill L suggested this measurement method).
I still can't understand why it would sound good thru a headset and completely sound tinny and bland- no depth of tone- thru an amp. I'm currently using a pv-1000, but
I've tried lots of different amps.