Keyboard amps - likes & dislikes

Which keyboard amps have you owned? Of those which have you loved and/or hated and why?

Since giving up Leslies I've owned a Peavey KBa300, A Toa, Roland KC500, a separate Peavey PA top with a Peavey 15" and then an 18" Bullfrog bass bin. Now I mostly run my keys straight thru the mains (Mackie 808s) or use a small Peavey Kba50.

I traded the Peavey for the Toa because I was then using Toa 380E 3-way PA speakers and wanted it to blend in. Bad move. I probably traded away my favorite amp for my worst. The Toa did not have the power or clarity to handle full keyboard and bass.

Cassp,

It sounds as if you ended up with all the stuff I got rid of as well. Liked the concept of the KB-300, but tipping the scales at nearly 100 pounds it was a hernia maker. Decided to go with the separate Peavey speakers and PA/Mixer, a pair of SP-5G's and a SFX-600 amp head--just as bad, took longer to hook-up, more trips to the van--bummer. Had several other systems as well, most were heavy, or just couldn't provide crisp, clean sounds, especially with the vocals.

Switched to a pair of Barbetta Sona 32-C's, much lighter, each is 450-watts biamped, 15-inch sub, 10-inch horn, built-in mixer. Much lighter (36.5-pounds), quick setup, plus having two provides a good back up if one happens to fail.

Since I rarely play for audiences of more than 125 anymore, the Barbettas spend most of their time in the music storage room and the Logitech Z-5500 system gets lots of use--love it. Lightweight, very compact, portable, inexpensive, and excellent sounds.

If I were 10 years younger, I would probably buy a pair of Bose PAS systems--they sound wonderful, relatively light, and from my perspective, outperforms everything available for OMB entertainers, especially those working the niteclub circuit.

Now, I'm thinking seriously about cutting back, might even buy a sailboat in the next couple weeks, and spend some time enjoying life more instead of working 7 days a week, 360 days a year (I get five days off). If the sail boat works out, I just might put up the main and spinaker and point the prow south to see what's over the horizon.

Cheers,

Gary

I did the same as Gary. I had two KB300's,but the weight and bulk was killing me. I now have one KB300,which I never use,and take my Z5500's everywhere. This is a much better sound with a fraction of the weight.
Bernie

Gary, if I was 10 years older..I would buy the Bose..

As for Keyboards amps..for those that I can remember with an off the cuff rating 0-100..
First the ones that I kept..
Roland Keyboard 100[still use them]...95[A]
Roland Keyboard 60[yep still have it]..88[B+]
Roland KB 100 [new style]............85[B]
Yorkville KB300 [Great stereo amp]...95
Gallien Kruger 200................75 [C]
Toa 1, 2 and 3....the 15"..80, the others..76

Now the ones I didn't keep very long..
Peavy KB 30 , 100, 300 ALL......75
Prime......68[C]

GARY,
I like your voice where its at now...
but how low was it before the hernia




FRAN
I'm not familiar with Yorkville KB300...
How big is it?
Would it make my PSR3000 sing nice?

Ed

For about 1/3 of my jobs, I use a Carvin full range unit with a acoustic/electric guitar in, a line in (keyboards) and an LXR.
It has a 12, on board dual effects and weighs about 35 lbs. I have two matching 12" cabinets. Carvin also has a unit with the same speaker and amp for $399.00 ($45.00 less) sold as a keyboard amp (three 1/4" inputs and an LXR, I think, and several larger keyboard amps.

The unit I have is great for jobs up to 150 people...convinient, since it is all one piece. Check out the Carvin site!

Russ

Russ,
Thats a size I would not mind carrying around... but I thought there were no effects on the Carvin, like reverb or chorus?

I'll have to take a closer look at them.

Ed

The model I have has two separate effects generators. It's not called a keyboard amp, but a full range system (instruments-bass keyboard-PA). Don't know the model, but it's covered in Green Vinyl...the only green one in the line.


Russ

GARY,
I like your voice where its at now...
but how low was it before the hernia?

It went up a little since the surgery. When I was a lot younger and performed with a 50's rock band, I would do all the low parts such as the words "Mother In Law" in a song by the same name, many of the Statler Brother's low vocal segments, and Elvira's oom pappa oom pappa oom pappa moow moow is still a piece of cake.

Cheers,

Gary

it's a 12 inch acoustic gtr amp,3ins,dual fx and has both ch and graphic eq(has .
nice litte box. http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=AG100D&CID=GA


but sound quality wise it's OK(typical medium low grade eminence).
better choice will be a small mixer and eon 10G2 which is 24 lbs.

Started out with a would you believe a Magnatone. Used that first then went to a Fender Bandmaster when I was playing chord organ in a rock band in the '60's. Also used a Standel for awhile with my Wurlitzer electric piano.

Then I got a Hammond M3 along with the Leslie 122 I think was the popular one. Then I picked up a Fender Bassman 10 for the Hammond. It sounded great, was relatively small and lighweight and really kicked.

Then I started getting into portable keyboards in the late '90's, first a few cheap Yamaha'a then a Roland E35, Technics KN200 or 400, Yamaha organ ME50 to a Technics KN1000 to a Yamaha PSR2000 to a Tyros.

During the keyboard period I had a Peavey KB300. Ugh! Probably where I got my navel hernia. That sucker was one beast. Wasn't particulary pleased with the sound but lots of volume.

Once I got the PSR2000 I got a pair of JBL Eon 10G2's. I absolutely love them. 23 pounds each. 175 watts each of a very nice quality pure sound. I like to use the feature where I just lean them back. It makes it very easy for me to hear and the sound bounces off the ceiling to the audience.

A bit later I added the Logitech z5500's, but only use the sub along with the JBL's. the sub only weighs 34 pounds at 188 watts RMS and compliments my other equipment very nicely. This gives me a total of 538 watts which tends to be a lot more than I need.

Small, light and good sound is my motto.

Best
Scott Langholff
http://www.ScottLMusic.com

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 05-06-2005).]

Well, if we're going back to beginnings, with my Farfisa Cobo Compact dad bought me an Ampeg B-18, what a fantaastic amp. Later, after I married and sold all my original equipment I started back with a used Fender Deluxe Reverb I bought from a friend for $50 and a homemade 2x12 cabinet with two Jensens from a Sears amp. I kept the top and used that too for a while. Then I started getting into Peavey stuff and had 2 or 3 guitar and PA heads with that Peavey 115 cabinet.

I can't believe I ran a Farfisa with pedals and 3 mics thru that Fender. A Leslie 30 (?) with no horn and a foam rotor followed. Then came the Leslie 145 and better PA equip in the 80s.

Out of all the "Amps" out there for keyboards, the Fender SFX 200 is still my favorite for small gigs.
http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/SNAMM98/Fender/SFX-Amplifier-Technology.html

It has enough juice for medium venues, true stereo, nice effects, and is easy to move around on wheels.

The way the implemented the stereo is kind of quirky. If you look at the photo at the above site, you will see a 10 inch speaker angled at 90 degrees on the bottom and on the top you have a 12 inch with a Piezo high frequency speaker. This gives great stereo effects plus you can also use it for vocals and it has built in effects for vocals and Guitar.

I've had mine for 4 years now and it still pleases me.

Al

I've always been a firm believer of "If something works...don't fix it". Which probably explains why I still gig with a T3.

As for what amp I use:
Rickenbacker TR35B

[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 05-09-2005).]

Have any of you ever heard of the Walter Woods Amps? I've been using one for about 20 years. Walter is in S.Calif. and he makes them by hand. I bought mine from a friend about 20 years ago, used I paid $600.00 then. The one I have weighs about 7lbs, it's mono, 2 channel, 150W per channel. He now sells two different models. One for $2000.00 and one for $2300.00. You read it right!
As far as a speaker, I've been using a Sound Tech, with a 15" and a horn which is about 8" wide, for about 20 years too. Sounds great.
I've never had an amp that could compare to "Walter" and I've had quiet a few like many of you.
I use this set up when I'm playing with a trio and I play left hand bass, and when I'm doing a OMB in a small room.
For larger rooms I use a different set-up for my OMB.

Peter

[This message has been edited by peter dino (edited 05-07-2005).]

I bought a Roland KC300 but when I got it home and ran a full range signal with reasonable bottom end the cabinet made a fluttery buzzing sound. It wasn't coming from the speaker but from the ported cabinet itself. And this happened at under half volume. Thinking it may have just been that unit I exchanged it for another. Guess what, exactly the same problem. I wasn't about to try a third KC300 and just returned it for store credit.

QUOTE
Switched to a pair of Barbetta Sona 32-C's, much lighter, each is 450-watts biamped, 15-inch sub, 10-inch horn, built-in mixer. Much lighter (36.5-pounds), quick setup, plus having two provides a good back up if one happens to fail.

Please tell me something. The type of music I play is a little heavy on the bass. Is there a difference between the Barbetta with a 15 (32c) and the one with 2 8" speakers (31c) as afr as bass goes. Someone told me thta the 2 8" guys TOGETHER have more cone surface than the one 15" and therefore would be better for bass.

Any thoughts?

We have a couple of guys in Shreveport, LA that have concluded that these 2 units sound VERY similar, including bass. I'm sure DonM will chime in on this.

Glenn

I personally don't think two 8's have as much bass response...as a 15..

Old times two 10's were considered to throw a good tight bass..
For me , nothing beats a 15" speaker..

Right on, Fran. And may I add that an 18" full-sound enclosure is pretty sweet too. (not just a sub-woofer).

I traded the 31Cs for 32Cs. I can't tell that one set sounds better than the other. The 31s are easier to load and are smaller. The 32s have a longer throw.
I personally feel that we no longer have to have a 15 to get good bass. There are just too many examples that prove otherwise.
DonM

Don, I think the 15" projects more bass than a 8" speaker,,allowing for more coverage...and the frequency response is definately lower with a 15" speaker..that is not to say we can't get a good bass out of smaller speakers..My Yorkville 300k had a great bass with 2-10's..

I have 2 of the new Barbetta model SE-41's and dearly love them. They are a little heavier but I don't mind considering the quality of sound they produce from my 9000Pro.
I have played in front of audiences from 10 to 500 using these speakers and they perform flawlessly. I tried adding a sub-woofer but unless it is a high-powered, high quality unit the low frequency sounds did not improve over what the SE-41's were putting out.
I don't use them at home, only on the road.
Dick in Utah

I have a Carvin AG100D just like Russ mentions, but mine is the older model with one digital reverb. It's great for Retirement centers and coffee shop gigs. But it doesn't compare with my Mackie 808s head with two Peavey 15' speakers I use. Donny called the AG100D the "Lil Green Monster."

Folks, I realize the "little green monster" has limited uses, but the advantage to me is it's all one unit...no separate effects for guitar and piano..can handle a microphone...minimal cords, and I can set up and break down in 15 minutes. On week-ends, I finish my first job at 10:00 and start my second one at 11:00. They're 20 minutes apart. I couldn't make it with separate cabinets, heads, effects, etc. Maby not ideal, but works GREAT for me. These two jobs are 100 people, max in low volume dining rooms.

Great little "specialty" system. For larger, less time-sensitive I put together what's necessary, which can go as much as
two 1000 watt amps, up to 8 cabinets, puwered sub-woofers, full monitors with separate mixes, etc.

Whatever get's you over.

Russ

Man, haven't even thought of Magnatones for years, and Ampeg fliptops with an 18 were
great...they're still very popular in some upscale studios. In a moment of weakness, I traded mine years ago, and have been looking for one for a long time.

Sometimes, when I don't need an extension cabinet with the "little green monster", I use a hotspot monitor...just set it on top and point it towards me.

Boy, this business has really changed over the years.

Russ

Peter...you're right...hand-wired Wood amps are some of the best I've ever heard. Never owned one, but would like to..


Russ