Best amp for Sho-bud??

Tyler Macy · Post by **Tyler Macy** » 12 Dec 2000 4:10 am

I have a pro III, which I have been playing through a fender blues deluxe as a practice amp. (tube, 40 watts, I already had it for guitar) I am a fresh beginner, but I am starting to think about an amp for steel that can cut it for gigging. I have heard that twins suit sho-buds well, but I am looking for some opinions. I will be playing mostly would many would call alt-country, so I will need a tone that will cut. I like the smooth clipping I get from the tubes in my current fender when i push it- is that what a twin sounds like with steel (but at much louder volumes)? I really like the lloyd green tone. BTW, i have a digitech effects processor, so effects are not an issue.

How would a twin vs. peavy vs. evans, suit my guitar and a band with some distorted guitar. I like the idea being able to use the twin for 6-string as well.

Thanks for the opinions

Ty

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Dec 2000 5:03 am

I don't think there is a "best amp" for any brand of steel. It's personal choice and what sound you want out of one and what application it's going to be used with.

You'll get all kinds of answers but there's no "best answer".

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 12 Dec 2000 9:28 am

Well, Lloyd Green used a Twin with a ShoBud on most of those classic recordings, and some people think his tone was ok

.

Lloyd told me his favorite sounding twin had 2 12" JBLs, and I'm not going to argue with Lloyd about tone.

Seriously, that is a great combination! One suggestion that I have never heard, but makes a lot of sense to me is if you decide to replace speakers, rather than go to the trouble of replacing the 2X12" fender speakers with a single JBL 15" (and replace the baffle, and try to find a 4 ohm JBL), replace a single 12" fender speaker with a 12" JBL, and leave the other fender speaker. I have a cabinet with a single 12" JBL E-120 and 2X10" Celestion speakers, and it is the best speaker I have ever heard for clean pedal steel.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 12 Dec 2000 10:14 am

The alternative to finding a 4 ohm JBL D130 to match the impedence of the Twin Reverb output transformer is to replace the original 4 ohm output transformer with a Single Showman transformer that looks for 8 ohms. My suggestion sounds like a lot to do to your amp, but it took me a long time to find a 4 ohm grayback JBL.
Chris

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 12 Dec 2000 11:39 am

An 8ohm 15" speaker in a Twin works just fine. I use it all the time and a half a notch on the Volume knob is the extent of the difference for me. But I would not suggest doing the wrong Ohm load for a solid state amp.
Ricky

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 12 Dec 2000 9:14 pm

Tyler, if you have the chance, try a Peavey Session 400 with your Pro III. These amps have a passive EQ, a lot of watts, good headroom, and a big tone with virtually any of the older steels (and most of the new ones as well). Many pros prefer them over the more modern amps, and you can purchase one without going into hock. I don't own a Session 400 myself but have sure heard plenty of them being used in live settings by top name players (including the great Lloyd Green) and they cook to say the least. The tone can be adjusted to cut thru anything, but if you must have clipping you may have to add that in yourself. Session 400's play pretty clean.

Tim R.