How to get the"cranked" steel sound

Pete Myers · Post by **Pete Myers** » 5 Nov 2002 8:49 am

I'm needing suggestions on how to fine
tune my rig to get that "cranked" tube-like
steel sound heard on many of today's records.
My gear consists of an Emmons E-9 into a
Goodrich Matchbox, into an old Peavey Pro-fex
then into a Nashville 1000. I feel that I'm
close using the "gentle jazz" preset but it
needs something else. I'm thinking maybe a
compressor? What are your thoughts? Appreciate any feedback !

I also have the Pro-fex II

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 5 Nov 2002 9:35 am

Leave the matchbox out, and get a tube-preamp!

JJ

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Click on the pic!

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 5 Nov 2002 10:14 am

Compressor.Not sure about a Profex but when I used a Tubefex or transtubefex I put it in front of my pre-amp. Actually everything try CM > as apposed to Cm + Pre-amp etc etc.The trick is dailing it in.--------bb

David Spires · Post by **David Spires** » 5 Nov 2002 11:32 am

Hi Pete,

I've tried using the OD (overdrive) effect in my Peavey TransTube Fex for some of those sounds. Again, it's all in how you tweak the settings in.

Right now, I'm messing with the POD XT, and I love the overdrive effect in it - along with the various amp models that lend themselves to those sounds.

I forget if the Profex has an overdrive effect, or only a distortion (DS) effect.

I don't know what Paul uses in the studio for those sounds, but live, he has been using a POD...

Good luck,

David Spires

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 5 Nov 2002 12:16 pm

Ok I'm on the wrong page here.

About the only overdriven steel sounds I'm hearing on todays radio are lap steel.I thought you where referring to pedal steel sounds with an edge.Give us an example.Thanks!-------bb[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 05 November 2002 at 06:25 PM.]

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 5 Nov 2002 6:50 pm

Get a small tube amp and use it as a preamp into your Peavey is one way to go. A pedal that sounds pretty good with a Peavey is the Fulltone FullDrive.

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www.tyack.com

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 6 Nov 2002 5:00 am

Pete using a compressor is a lot of fun, it makes you think more like a guitar player vs a steel player. Now add some distortion, fuzz, overdrive, crunch, grow your hair long and add black and white makeup to your face and you will be the hit of your garage.

Larry Behm

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 6 Nov 2002 7:55 am

A compressor does not like a signal that varies in amplitude (from the volume pedal). Try steel---matchbox---amp input. Use the pedal on the pedal loop and use the Profex in the preamp out---power amp in loop. It's just one of several ways to hook up. I was trying different combinations yesterday and this one seemed OK.
The problem with that hookup will be the absense of a tail on the reverb, as you back the pedal off. Try adding a little of the amps reverb to get that effect.
I would like to get some ideas from other players about this hookup and perhaps some fresh ideas on how others are doing their connections.[This message was edited by Ken Fox on 06 November 2002 at 11:11 AM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Nov 2002 8:37 am

Forget the "fine tuning" of what you have. All you need is single coil pickups, and a tube amp! Buying a solid-state amp, a solid state effects unit, matching devices, and using humbuckers to try to get a "single-coil, tube-amp" sound just doesn't make much sense, to me anyway.

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 6 Nov 2002 11:15 am

There's a lot to what Donny is saying there, too! I tried a 1970 Bandmaster Reverb head, an old 1962 Bassman cabinet loaded with two Eminece speakers (225 watt with 2 1/2" voice coils) and got the best tone on a gig I have had in years! I sold all that stuff on Ebay, but I have a 1962 Vibrasonic (2 each 6L6 tubes for power) on the way (D-130F speaker). I cannot wait to try it out!

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 6 Nov 2002 12:51 pm

If you have a great sounding tube amp then you won't need any sort of compression. If you are using a tube preamp or a stomp box for distortion a compressor might make your sound a little smoother. In terms of single coil versus humbuckers, some of the steel pickups (especially the Lawrence 705) sound very single coil like.

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www.tyack.com

Sam Minnitti · Post by **Sam Minnitti** » 6 Nov 2002 2:04 pm

I agree with the consensuses here, get some tube equipment into your chain.

I have a Tube Works Blue Tube preamp and their tube spring reverb going into the back of a solid state (Nash 400) and for me that seems to be an ideal situation. I also use an analog delay pedal (Arion) which in itself is a great sounding pedal.

Some would argue, but I like the sound of the tube pre-amp/sold state power amp combo.
[This message was edited by Sam Minnitti on 06 November 2002 at 03:53 PM.]

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 6 Nov 2002 6:01 pm

Pete;

It would help if you sort of gave us an example as to what tone you're shooting for.

You mention "the sound heard on many of todays records". Is that a steel sound or a guitar sound?

Also, you mention the "gentle jazz preset". I don't know what that is, but gentle jazz doesn't make me think of distortion.

I agree with all of the posts here if you're going after a distorted sound, but I'm not sure that you are after digesting the above data.

Pete Myers · Post by **Pete Myers** » 7 Nov 2002 7:08 am

Thanks to everyone for posting comments about
this topic...! To the gentleman from Oregon. Larry that was an amusing bit of sarcasm but my fellow bandmates have already
assured me that the Alice Cooper make-up
won't "go over" at the local Moose Lodges !!
What I'm really looking for is "twang factor"
not distortion...To this end, Donny Hinsons
comments make alot of sense.....I'll try
putting an ART TUBE PRE-AMP after the PRO-
FEX then into the power amp in. This way I
believe I'll be able to get that "cranked"
clean steel sound...I"ll let ya'll know
how it works... Thanks again...

Lick,kickin' n pickin'it,
Pete

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 11 Nov 2002 7:08 pm

Pete..by all means let us know about the ART pre-amp. I tried one once and noticed that it pre-amped single coil hum more than anything. I may not have had it in the right spot in the chain, but every where I tried it, HUM!

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 12 Nov 2002 7:46 am

If you are looking for that singing sustain type of sound, you need to play with the volume pedal on halfway, and have the amp really loud. Really milk the sustain by using the volume pedal. I think that will get you closer to the sound you are describing.

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 12 Nov 2002 8:12 pm

Horse-pucky........you want a 'cranked' sound?
Crank it up!! Volume is the best answer for the fullest sound. There really is tone in them thar hills......you need to move the speaker. It ain't all in the electronics....ask Beck, Clapton, Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray(I wish), and yes.....Buddy, Paul, Hughey.......If you see any of these guy live, and you're within 30 feet......duck! Bill Lawrence told me the story about Buddy bursting a drinking glass at 15 feet a few years ago. Man, that's impressive!!

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 12 Nov 2002 11:16 pm

Well, for what it might be worth to someone; I'm using a Walker S.S.Pre-Amp, an Alesis QuadraVerb, a Goodrich Model 6a Super Sustain Match Box, a Goodrich L–120 V.Pedal, into two Nashville 1000 Power Amps. with the best results I've ever had, soundwise! Different players = different results! "Big John" [Fanklin D–10 w/9+8 (L–710's) J.Pearse Strs.]

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 13 Nov 2002 1:34 pm

The "cranked sound" as I relate to it is the proper use of the foot volume control in addition to running enough volume on the amp to give you headroom needed to handle the desired "expression".

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kd...and the beat goes on...

[This message was edited by Kenny Dail on 13 November 2002 at 01:36 PM.]