Played a gig Saturday night using my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, my Zum S12U guitar and my Strat. Worked better than I expected. The HR Deluxe has a sweet tone which (and I know this sounds trite) inspires my playing to a higher level.
Why did I use that amp? First, I needed to be able to play guitar as well as steel. I've never found a steel amp that had the tone I liked for guitar. Next the setup pretty easy since the amp is fairly light weight. Add to that the reverb is outstanding--old-fashioned Fender reverb in a long tank. I've tried other 1x12 amps for steel and this has the best bass response, maybe due to the cabinet which is fairly wide and very sturdy. Of course, for guitar the tone is superb but it worked well for steel too.
One factor which made a big difference was the Boss GE7 equalizer stompbox I use. I run the bass all the way up on the amp and boost it up pretty high on the EQ, scoop the mids and raise the highs somewhat. That pedal adds gain. I set the volume on the amp at about half (12:00 o'clock).
I don't claim that this will work for everybody. If you're playing Curly Chalker-style jazz, it probably won't. I do get into bass territory with my S12U, however and no breakup. Also, this was a fairly low volume band--four pieces consisting of acoustic guitar, bass and drums. If you're onstage with the Garth Brooks show or some large, loud act, stick with your standard PSG-approved amplifier. It's just nice to know that this little 40 watt tube amp will definitely cut it in certain circumstances.
--JR
Small Amps Rock!
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John Russell
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Earl Foote
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Hey John,
I like that whole Hot-Rod series of amps. How did you switch from steel to guitar? Did you use an A-B switch? Did you have to adjust EQ when you changed? Which 6-string were you using?
I'm using a Deluxe Reverb Re-issue for 6-string, and a NV400 for steel. I'd like to find one amp that does both applications well. I have a feeling that the Twin re-issue would work but I haven't tried one out yet.
Later,
Earl
I like that whole Hot-Rod series of amps. How did you switch from steel to guitar? Did you use an A-B switch? Did you have to adjust EQ when you changed? Which 6-string were you using?
I'm using a Deluxe Reverb Re-issue for 6-string, and a NV400 for steel. I'd like to find one amp that does both applications well. I have a feeling that the Twin re-issue would work but I haven't tried one out yet.
Later,
Earl
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Bobby Lee
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I use a little Mesa/Boogie Maverick for small gigs. Forty watts and a 12" EVM. It works great!
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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)
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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)
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John Russell
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Hi Earl.
I should have used an A/B box but I just unplugged the steel and plugged in the Strat. And I did change the EQ on the Boss GE7, not on the amp. I basically just flattened out the curve, brought up the mids, brought down the lows, boosted the highs just slightly. I have a mental picture of the two different EQ settings, so I can switch pretty easily.
The Strat is one I built from Stewart McDonald parts but includes a Tele lead pickup 'cause I'm a big fan of the "Nashville Tele" sound and, with this amp, I've got it.
My "real" steel amp is a rack rig with separate rack box and speaker. I use the same Boss EQ for that rig and all my FX are in the rack box, so it's pretty simple too. Just more stuff to carry and plug in. It's great for steel, but at low volumes, I don't think it's all that superior to the HR Deluxe. And guitar just doesn't have the presence with that amp as with the HR. On certain gigs, I'll carry both. When I play big outdoor stages with my other band, Texas Fever, I'll carry both. That is a lot of gear to haul and set up. I'm just happy to discover that one amp can cover both duties, depending on the situation.
--JR
I should have used an A/B box but I just unplugged the steel and plugged in the Strat. And I did change the EQ on the Boss GE7, not on the amp. I basically just flattened out the curve, brought up the mids, brought down the lows, boosted the highs just slightly. I have a mental picture of the two different EQ settings, so I can switch pretty easily.
The Strat is one I built from Stewart McDonald parts but includes a Tele lead pickup 'cause I'm a big fan of the "Nashville Tele" sound and, with this amp, I've got it.
My "real" steel amp is a rack rig with separate rack box and speaker. I use the same Boss EQ for that rig and all my FX are in the rack box, so it's pretty simple too. Just more stuff to carry and plug in. It's great for steel, but at low volumes, I don't think it's all that superior to the HR Deluxe. And guitar just doesn't have the presence with that amp as with the HR. On certain gigs, I'll carry both. When I play big outdoor stages with my other band, Texas Fever, I'll carry both. That is a lot of gear to haul and set up. I'm just happy to discover that one amp can cover both duties, depending on the situation.
--JR
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John Russell
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Earl, I'm sure that Twin re-issue would work quite well. I used to play thru a Fender Vibrosonic Reverb but we all know the down side of those amps. Two words: maintenance and weight. If you don't mind feeding tubes to the large Fender amps and are healthy and strong, go ahead and use one. (Forgive me if I sound sarcastic 
) My HR Deluxe weighs 48 lbs.
No doubt there are other cool, mid-sized amps that work as well. I'm sure Bobby's Mesa-Boogie Maverick fills the bill. Those larger Boogies can be quite heavy, too. I'm amazed the mine is rated at only forty watts. Those are forty "in-your-face" watts! I had plenty of head room with the volume at half, I don't think I ever floored the volume pedal. I did get complaints that I wasn't loud enough till I placed the amp up on a chair, no problems after that.
--JR
) My HR Deluxe weighs 48 lbs.No doubt there are other cool, mid-sized amps that work as well. I'm sure Bobby's Mesa-Boogie Maverick fills the bill. Those larger Boogies can be quite heavy, too. I'm amazed the mine is rated at only forty watts. Those are forty "in-your-face" watts! I had plenty of head room with the volume at half, I don't think I ever floored the volume pedal. I did get complaints that I wasn't loud enough till I placed the amp up on a chair, no problems after that.
--JR
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Michael Brebes
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I use a Blues Deluxe, which is basically the same as the Hot Rod Deluxe but with just one overdrive setting. I have used it sometimes for pedal steel and it sounds great. The one thing I did was replace the stock 12" with an EV12L, which has a much smoother sound and works well with guitar and pedal steel. Unfortunately it does add a few pounds to the weight of the amp.