Overdrive into SS Amp

[OldManAP]

Alright guys, I need some help figuring out what I can build that might solve a problem for me. I currently have a Lightspeed copy, an ODR-1 with a bass control, a Mostortion copy, and a modded Rat on my board. They work great with my guitars into a Blues Jr.

But I also play pedal steel, and I use the same pedalboard for that. Pedal steels usually have fairly high output humbuckers, and 90% of what I do requires a lot of REALLY clean headroom, so like most pedal steel guys, I play through a solid state amp. Currently it’s a Yamaha fifty112, although I’m hoping to upgrade to something even beefier such as a Peavey Session 400 or something similar.

My dilemma is that there are maybe 10-12 songs in the set where I’m essentially covering dirty lap steel parts. 90s Bruce Bouton lap steel parts where he most likely used a Klone or Zendrive into a 5e3 or small Supro, and similar stuff. Kinda subs for a slide guitar player. The Nobels and Mostortion KINDA get me there, but I still can’t quite dial out the solid state fizziness. I don’t want to have to take another amp, and my Blues Jr. won’t stay clean at all with the steel for the other songs.

Any ideas? Is there a JFET amp in a box circuit or something that might work well after my existing drive pedals to warm things up and take the edge off without getting too saturated? Or a dirt pedal that just works really well into solid state amps? Thanks!

 

[Coda]

I have a 1972 Acoustic Control Corp. 134, and it works especially well with my Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret. That may not be something you’d want, but an amp in a box would probably work very well for you, at the end of your chain. Think of the SS amp as the power amp (but with EQ) and the AITB as the pre-amp…

Edit: just thought of a good suggestion: the Superbolt!

 

[OldManAP]

I have a 1972 Acoustic Control Corp. 134, and it works especially well with my Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret. That may not be something you’d want, but an amp in a box would probably work very well for you, at the end of your chain. Think of the SS amp as the power amp (but with EQ) and the AITB as the pre-amp…

Edit: just thought of a good suggestion: the Superbolt!

Duh, don’t know why I didn’t think of the Superbolt. Great idea, thanks!

 

[HamishR]

Does the amp use a horn amongst the speakers? That can make distortion sound pretty bad!

What about an EQ pedal to roll off some of the nasties? Often it's the high frequencies which make your clean sound so sweet that make distortion sound so harsh and unnatural. Maybe a compressor with a good treble cut might help?

 

[OldManAP]

Does the amp use a horn amongst the speakers? That can make distortion sound pretty bad!

What about an EQ pedal to roll off some of the nasties? Often it's the high frequencies which make your clean sound so sweet that make distortion sound so harsh and unnatural. Maybe a compressor with a good treble cut might help?

No horn. Current amp has a single 12”, the amp I would like to upgrade to has a single 15” (preferred by most steel players). I might try playing with EQ a little more, but unfortunately I generally keep my EQ pedal set up as a dobro simulator, so I’d rather not have to monkey with the settings in the heat of the moment. I do run a Boss CS-3 always on with a bit of treble cut as it is.

Lots of good suggestions here, although I think I am gonna try the Superbolt circuit, and maybe something like a Formula No. 5 as well. Mostly, I want an excuse to build something. Guess I gotta start trying to chase down some authentic J201s.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I was an aiab nonbeliever until I built the son of ben, softii, rog ginger, etc. They make my Pyle battery powered practice amp that I keep behind my couch sound so much closer to something useable. It isn't working magic and making me think the pyle sounds like a chimera, svt, or b15 but it's doing a lot with very little.

 

[OldManAP]

The Benson was another one I considered. Also the ROG Peppermill. I know of at least one steel player that used a Sansamp Blonde after his dirt pedals for a long while, but I don’t know of a DIY implementation for that one yet.

 

[Alan W]

Not DIY, (or could be very DIY if you’re willing ), but carrying the AIAB idea to the next level, how about one with a tube or two, that you can saturate with a drive or boost, and then feed that into your SS amp? This works well for feed into FOH systems.