Quilter Steeliare Owner's Manual - page 6
4
TONE CONTROLS: “BASS, BODY, BARK, and BITE”
Four active EQ controls support a wide range of tone adjustments. The
amplifier has a naturally bright, clean sound with ”flat” EQ settings on “5”,
but you should freely use the controls to get the sound you desire.
BASS controls the “weight” of the sound (50-150Hz). Many steel guitar
players increase the bass somewhat to add fullness and compensate for
the treble pickups used in typical pedal steels. The Steelaire has the
headroom and speaker capacity to accept a substantial bass boost
without “bottoming out”.
LO-MID (“BODY”) controls the “chesty” register (500Hz). Many classic
amps “scooped out” this frequency range to reduce stress and “clutter”
while keeping bass and treble frequencies. The Steelaire speaker handles
these rich low-mid frequencies with clarity and definition.
HI-MID (“BARK”) controls the “presence” register (2kHz). Boosting these
frequencies may increase “cut-thru” to the point of pain; reductions can
temper an undesirably “forward” or clattery tone.
TREB (“BITE”) controls the “sparkle” frequencies (5kHz), adding chime
and sizzle, or taking the edge off when reduced.
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TIP: Experiment with the EQ controls while playing a full-range
chord, then play moving tones to confirm the effect.