Is the Fender Steel King...............

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 7 Dec 2004 5:54 am

......an adequate guitar amp. I'm a double duty guy most of the time, and it would be great to just lug around one amp instead of two. I am thinking about getting a steel king and was just wondering if any of you boys would know.

Thanks in advance,

------------------
Zum U-12 w/True Tone pickup
Peavey Session 500

Band Pics
http://community.webshots.com/album/176544894AuXSmi

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 7 Dec 2004 6:14 am

I tried one in the local store, and they didnt have a steel to play through it, si I grabbed a Tele and tried it out.
I can say that I've never played through a sweeter sounding Solid State amp.
I have lots of Fender amps, most of them are pre-cbs tube amps.
I have a Steel King on order.
It will be the only SS amp that I own.
-andy-

Eric Stumpf · Post by **Eric Stumpf** » 7 Dec 2004 6:21 am

I see that Elderly has the Steel King in their most recent catalog. Does Musician's Friend have these now? I like their free shipping policy.

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 7 Dec 2004 6:57 am

I've played one of my old Strats, and even
a Les Paul thru the Steel-King. They both
sound great. Of course, the only thing you'll
miss is any overdrive that you'd get from
a Fender tube amp. So add in one of your
favorite OD pedals (I used a Fulldrive 2),
and you're there!

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 7 Dec 2004 6:59 am

Eric - I saw the Steel King listed in either the American Musical Supply catalog or Musician's Friend catalog. I don't remember which. Both offer free shipping.

Lee, from South Texas

John Fabian · Post by **John Fabian** » 7 Dec 2004 8:19 am

We also have free freight on
Steel King Amplifiers.

------------------
John Fabian
Carter Steel Guitars

www.steelguitar.com
www.steelguitarinfo.com
www.carterstarter.com [This message was edited by John Fabian on 07 December 2004 at 08:20 AM.]

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 7 Dec 2004 8:22 am

John, I'll be coming to see you about this soon. Do you have any in stock?

------------------
Zum U-12 w/True Tone pickup
Peavey Session 500

Band Pics
http://community.webshots.com/album/176544894AuXSmi

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 7 Dec 2004 11:23 am

Something no one has mentioned is that acoustic instruments like flat top guitars,mandolins and dobros w/transducer type pickups also voice extremely well thru the Steel King.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 7 Dec 2004 2:07 pm

Wow Michale,
Thats good news indeed, my steel King shipped today!And I have several accoustic inst. with passive type transducer pickups.
It would sure be nice to only bring one amp,but with all the tweeking I might have to do, it still may be easier to haul Two.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 7 Dec 2004 3:13 pm

As far as playing an electric guitar , it will sound great , and have that great Fender tone ( very much like a tube tone ) if you are playing clean ....Like Jay said, the overdrive will not sound so good.....
Michael,
I haven't found an amp that I like yet for dobro, acoustic guitar, or fiddle, etc that doesn't have a little treble horn built into it ....You really want an amp with a smaller speaker, and a horn setup for those instruments to bring out their full potential
The Steel King will do a lot , but not acoustic guitar /fiddle/ dobro ...It is very nice on what it's made for though....Maybe if you put a little piezo horn in it ????...

Hope this helps.....Sincerely, Jim

Sam Marshall · Post by **Sam Marshall** » 8 Dec 2004 1:13 pm

I am enjoying your many positive SGF responses regarding the Steel-King, its tone, and its suitability for other instruments. I find it sounds great for jazz guitar.

We also had Danny Putman try it out and he liked it with his fiddle. He heard the "Johnny Gimble" tone in it while I twisted the knobs.

FYI - Bob Benedetto, a reknowned master archtop luthier, had one shipped to him for demonstration purposes recently.

Regards,
Sam Marshall

Grant Johnson · Post by **Grant Johnson** » 8 Dec 2004 1:30 pm

Sam-
Has there been any thought to adding the old "tilt back" legs on to these?
I use my tilt backs on my old fender tube amp all the time for both guitar and steel. I really enjoy the projection from the angled amp...
Thanks,
Grant Johnson

------------------
www.bigsmokey.com

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 8 Dec 2004 1:52 pm

Here's one guitar player who loves the Steel-King.....

<img src=http://home.hvc.rr.com/jsganz/Santa.gif>

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 9 Dec 2004 3:36 am

Santa be jammin"

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 9 Dec 2004 11:53 am

I guess the reason my mandolin sounds go good without a tweeter is that by nature of it's tone and range, a mandolin already be tweetin'. As far as tilt back legs - that's one of the first mods I put on there - that and a BW speaker. -MJ-

Sam Marshall · Post by **Sam Marshall** » 10 Dec 2004 4:23 pm

Fender is notplanning on adding tilt back legs to the Steel-King. FYI - You can angle it back to some degree by removing the rear casters.

Regards,
Sam

Gaylon Mathews · Post by **Gaylon Mathews** » 10 Dec 2004 6:32 pm

Sam,

Is there any reason that you know of why Fender wouldn't consider the tilt back legs if enough of us tell them we want it? I was talking with Steve Sturm with Travis Tritt and Troy Klontz with Brooks & Dunn the other day and we all agreed that this amp needed the tilt back legs. I was going to contact our Nashville reps and talk to them about perhaps adding these on the next generation Steel King. Inquiring minds want to know.

------------------
Gaylon's Homepage
www.geocities.com/nashville/1064

Gretchen Wilson
www.gretchenwilson.com

[This message was edited by Gaylon Mathews on 10 December 2004 at 06:33 PM.][This message was edited by Gaylon Mathews on 10 December 2004 at 06:34 PM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 10 Dec 2004 7:25 pm

Just curious, why is it that so many people want tilt-back legs on Fender amps, and only a few want them on other brands?

Gaylon Mathews · Post by **Gaylon Mathews** » 10 Dec 2004 10:54 pm

I can only speak for myself but I know that Fender has made amps with tilt backs in the past. I don't know of any other amp makers that do. I put them on my Nashville 400 myself. But, if Fender would consider this in the future, others might benefit from it. They would definately look and work better if the company done it instead of me having to.

------------------
Gaylon's Homepage
www.geocities.com/nashville/1064

Gretchen Wilson
www.gretchenwilson.com

[This message was edited by Gaylon Mathews on 10 December 2004 at 10:55 PM.]

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 11 Dec 2004 5:11 am

I went to guitar center this week and bought a tilt back amp stand. Basically does the same thing.