What is a good amp to get the Lee William's Singers tones??

[W2P4G]

Hello Everyone!!

I am new to playing gospel guitar and I need help trying to find my tone. I love the way the guitar sounds on the Lee Williams Singer albums and the Canton Spritual albums. Does anyone know a good amp to use?

Thanks and God Bless You!!

[JayP5150]

Hello and welcome.

I'm not sure about that specific artist, but you can't go wrong with a Peavey classic series (like a Classic 30, 50, etc.), or any of Fender's Hot Rod, Deville, Deluxe, etc. tube amps.

That's the key, if you want one, you gotta' have tubes (IMO).  I play a Peavey 5150--which I love--but it's very high-gain.  I really have to tweak it to fit in at church.  It doesn't even really have a clean channel--I just use my guitar volume to clean up--but I highly recommend that one as well.  I've had it for 6 years, and couldn't dream of getting rid of it.

Whatever you get, put Sovtek tubes in it--big difference in tone.

Good luck.

[W2P4G]

That's what I thought. I just purchased a Peavery Classic 30. What type of pedals if any, do you recommend(Compressors,Overdrive/Distortions, modulation, & etc.).  Where I set up at church, is near the 'More Mature Mothers of the Church. I don't want to blow them away. So I can't crank the Amp too Loud    But I want that hard hitting overdrive sound.

What would you say is the basic pedals to use?? I do have a wah and a DS1.

[JayP5150]

I'm just now getting into stompboxes (just started learning how to build 'em!).  I've never really used effects; just a wah, a talkbox, and I have a tremolo and a uni-vibe cheap-o clone (Dano Chicken Salad).

If you set your DS1 relatively low-gain, and use it as a booster, you will get a sweet natural overdrive out of your amp.  My dad has a Classic 30, and I put a clean booster in front of it and it was sweet!  The same way with my 5150, but it doesn't really need any more gain.

A chorus is always nice--I'm a huge univibe/rotovibe fan, but I don't own one--phasers are cool.  I would suggest just going to your local music store and playing with stuff all day!

Also, check out harmony central for reviews of pedals, and the like:

http://www.harmony-central.com

Play with the stuff you have, and you'll be suprised the tone you can get out of that little amp (oh yeah, my dad's has Sovtek tubes in it--get them cheap at www.partsexpress.com --just do a search for tubes.  It takes 3 12ax7 and 4 el84, I believe.  You may want to double check that).

God bless.

[W2P4G]

I will try that.

[D16gt]

If you pump your guitar direct into a PA system, then get a DigiTech RP 50 Modeling Guitar Processor as it has amp models programmed in it.  It will cost you 10 times less than an amp and you get several amps too!

[JayP5150]

If you pump your guitar direct into a PA system, then get a DigiTech RP 50 Modeling Guitar Processor as it has amp models programmed in it.  It will cost you 10 times less than an amp and you get several amps too!

In my opinion, that will "work" but it's not the same as being able to smell the tubes.

I'm kidding.  But, I do find that you just don't have to same touch responsiveness and flat-out TONE as a tube amp (I have an RP100--and I do not like it outside of the bedroom--it's good for recording direct, but that's about it).  I usuall end up using stuff like that for the modulation effects, an just use my amps distortion and stuff.  Actually, I don't even take that to church with me.

That's just my opinion, though.  I've had my 5150 for about 6 years, so I'm a bit spoiled. :wink:

Nice to have you D16.  God bless.

[W2P4G]

Thank You D16 and JP5150,

I purchased the PV Classic 30. I love the sound & smell of tubes as well

I had the RP200, it was ok but too digital sounding and feeling to me. I love the pure analog sound, feel and response. But Thank You for your suggestion.

I think I might need to get a Humbuckler guitar. Right now I'm playing a strat, and I just can't seem to dial it in for that fat gospel/blusey tone.

Let me know what you guy's think!!!

God Bless you guys!!!!

[JayP5150]

Since you have a Strat, just get a set of Lil' '59's (Seymour Duncan makes 'em).  They are single-coil sized humbuckers.  Also, you can tap them to still use them as a single coil.  They are VERY meaty.  I have one in my Tele, and it is the chunkiest guitar I have (chunkier than the Wolfgang's treble pickup!).

Rather than buying another guitar, you will have one guitar that will get about 9 different tones (if you replace 2 pickups, and tap them as well).

Let me know if you need any help with wiring, or anything.

[W2P4G]

Thank you,

I will look into that.

God Bless You!!

[Razzman]

The lil 59's is the way to go if you want to convert your strat. and keep the $$ to a min. but there is nothin like a the boink you get out of a les paul in the middle position. if you have an extra 400$ or so you can get a nice lespaul copy at www.dillionguitars.com   pure mohagany set neck with paf style pickups. I own 2, the other is the 56 gold top. dillion absolutly NAILED the gold top. Its not that sparkly gold stuff epiphone uses. also if you use 2 overdrives you can get some very nice tubey distortion out of your strat I love a strat ,clean and overdriven. one will have to be fairly transparent like a boss od3 or bd2 or a ds1 will work .  set to a crunchy rytheme and then push it with a tube screamer type pedal for heavier rythems or leads, I use a route 66 (ts808) by visual sound for that. they sound better than the ts9.   you can get them used, pretty cheap on ebay. also dillion's on ebay. also if you decide to go with seymour duncans, the jbjr will give you more crunch and clean up nice with you volume control.