Tubes or Solid State?

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 29 Apr 2005 2:53 am

If you could purchase a new amp with a spending limit of $1500, what would your choice be? I'm leaning toward an old (1966)Fender Twin Reverb, but I can be swayed from that idea if someone has a better suggestion. I play six string lap steel and I seldom crank the amp over 7.

Thanks

George

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 29 Apr 2005 3:14 am

Are you playing overdriven or clean?

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 29 Apr 2005 4:51 am

Do you really need to spend $1500? I doubt it. Think twice about the Twin reverb. The thing weighs a ton (65 lbs. I think) and really doesn't achieve it's true fat sound unless you crank up the volume. How loud will you be 90% of your playing time? Do you primarily play at home or do you gig frequently in a big room. Do you need or want all that volume.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 29 April 2005 at 05:52 AM.]

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 29 Apr 2005 11:41 am

From one George to another. I play the lap and like the warm sound of toobie jobs, and just recently bought a Yorkville Traynor 40 watt. I'm quite happy with it.
http://yorkville.com/

George in Peach Picking country, Niagara. http://thepeachpickers.com/

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 29 Apr 2005 11:47 am

I should have included the Yorkville Model which is YCV40.
George

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 29 Apr 2005 11:53 am

I use a Fender Hot Rod Deville 4x10. If you want a little less weight and less bite you can get the 2x12. Plenty of power. Tubes. Definitely tubes.Cheaper lighter and less fussy than an old amp. Doesn't have the "cool factor", though.

Gibson Hartwell · Post by **Gibson Hartwell** » 29 Apr 2005 12:10 pm

George,

What Gerald said....

Volume is everything. Twins can be LOUD - if you are playing at lower volumes you might want something with less power to bring out out more tube character.

I like tubes myself. Recently I've been playing at low volume through a Trace Elliot Vellocette (15Watts of A Class tube!). Sounds great - but no good for clubs. Tube amps are heavy but worth the lugging to my ears.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 29 Apr 2005 12:17 pm

tubes are the answer. what amp is subjective.
I have a fender Vibrolux Custom...two 10" vintage Jensens in now.
this amp is great. nice and sensitive to pick attack.
however, it really begins to perform at 5 and above. it gets LOUD.

there are some nice low watt high output amps now. some are classified boutique.

15amps and a large speaker all tube.

like the above poster mentioned. great for rooms, practice, but might not be enough for larger clubs.
what I like about the smaller amps is that they give you some nice dirt right off at full or almost full volume.

Fender Blues Jr. has good reports.

hey, check out harmony central on the web.
there is a review for all kinds of gear every day. and by using the search function you can get reviews from real players.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 29 Apr 2005 12:26 pm

Folks, this belongs in Electronics, not No Peddlers. I'm moving it over there.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 29 Apr 2005 3:45 pm

Like I said, I can be swayed away for the 65 pound Fender. I happen to like that funky reverb from that era. My other amp is a '61 Gibson Falcon reverb which needs to be put out of its misery.
If the is a 15 or 20 watt monster that I should try, speak up.

George

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 29 Apr 2005 6:21 pm

GM, since you first stated an interest in 2x12s, forget about a twin and get a Crate 6212/Vintage Club 60 (out of production and w/reverb) for $300 or less, and probably in great shape. It'll make a twin sound silly. They are notorious for quality inconsistentcy in the wireing, but deal with that properly and you'll have an amp that will cover more than your needs in any genre except the nastiest metal, but put a pedal in front and it's King again.
Roughly 50 lbs.

It's the only amp I've found that'll give me the great old sound I want out of my later '40s B8 Bakelite.

And if you really want bottom, this thing 'can' deliver so much, you'll wish you didn't.

For any thing that requires lesser volumes, just get a Micro Cube, which is slaveable, or mic it. Those 2 amps will cover everything most players will ever need.[This message was edited by Ron Whitfield on 29 April 2005 at 07:23 PM.]

Andrew Buhler · Post by **Andrew Buhler** » 30 Apr 2005 3:52 am

Read this post: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/006880.html

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 30 Apr 2005 4:42 am

Thanks
I read all the post as you suggested. I'm still a bit confused, but have a much better sense of what I'll be longing for this afternoon.

George

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 30 Apr 2005 4:47 am

I'm not at all clear what you are needing re: power, volume, dirt vs. clean, etc. so any suggestions are a shot in the dark but a Silverface Deluxe Reverb can be found for $600 or less and is a great sounding amp.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 30 Apr 2005 8:53 am

I agree with Jon Light; as the Silver Face Deluxe(heck even a blackface..ha.) is perfect for a Hawaiian Steel(non-pedal)without the weight; and has plenty of headroom for most small rooms. If ya gotta play a big hall or main stage; get two of them....ha
Ricky

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 30 Apr 2005 9:04 am

Anyone have any expierience with Carvin tube amps?

They have a 50W 1-12" Vintage that looks cool. (I prefer knobs on FRONT as to on top, myself).
http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=NOMAD&CID=GA
I'm thinking two of these would be nice!

Also two models of 2-12" 50W/100W amps, Vintage and Master Tube Series. http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=BELAIR&CID=GA http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=MTS3212&CID=GA

Their prices look pretty good for brand new gear.
As I recall, Bill Stafford (Mr.Smooth) uses all Carvin gear.
Anyone else?

I agree with the two Fender Deluxe protocol.
I used Brad's two Deluxes with an RV-3 and a touch of amp reverb, and it sounded fantastic.
[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 30 April 2005 at 10:14 AM.]

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 30 Apr 2005 12:22 pm

Their prices look pretty good for brand new gear

Pete, the first rule of the universe still applies - you get what you pay for, Carvin is flat-out the cheapest manufacturer in the business (save Behringer, with no R&D of their own) and they have to cut costs somewhere to do it, whether it is in the power supplies, speakers, capacitors, wires, jacks, assembly techniques, other materials, service and support or all of the above. Remember, with a mail-order product you have little recourse if you have need of repairs or advice.

Not to say that you won't find a Carvin amp that you like, I know of several folks who have Carvin products and are happy with them, but it is primarily because they have no unrealistic expectations of the gear. Of course, if you are going to change out the speaker for your favorite JBL or BW, add your own effects, etc. you may just come up with a cost-effective winner.[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 30 April 2005 at 01:32 PM.]

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 30 Apr 2005 1:37 pm

Dave,
Thanks, that was a pretty well rounded and to the point summation on the Carvin gear.
The service factor (ya mean they break?) always left me with a few "???'s" in mind.

I'd be happier with two Deluxe's, and hope to stumble upon them (locally?) one of these days.

Till then... I'm sport'n my SS steel amps at gigs.

My only tube jobby at the moment is a SF Fender Champ, which sounds pretty freakin' cool (and loud) when I fry the front end with a Seymor Duncan "Pickup Booster" (25db of "transparent" gain [their words, not mine]) and connect the speaker output to the 4-ohm 15" BW in my Session 400.

Not a real gigging option, but suprisingly loud for 6.5 Watts of Class A tube power.

Funn Stuff!
[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 30 April 2005 at 05:00 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 1 May 2005 2:09 pm

Find a 60 watt Mesa/Boogie Mark IIB. Sweet tube sound, plenty of volume.

Buck Dilly · Post by **Buck Dilly** » 1 May 2005 4:16 pm

Tubes work for me. Original Vibrosonic Reverb w/JBL. I have seen them available affordably on the FOrum and on Ebay. It is heavy so I separated the head from the Speaker cabinet. But as a forumite told me: "You only have to carry it for 5 minutes, but you get to listen to it for 3 hours."

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 1 May 2005 4:19 pm

Bobby,
That's just what I did. The amp is in very good condition with very low playing hours. Paid less than $800 and the guy threw in a
DOD Digital Reverb pedal, covers, angle stand, and a little tweed solid state Fender Bronco amp.
I tried the amp out this afternoon and there is plenty of headroom.

George