Although it’s not technically a pedal (it has no footswitch, but you don’t really need one in this case), the Seymour Duncan Powerstage 170 is a powerful mini amp head pushing 170w of power with a clean preamp section, and it’s made to fit on your board.
It has a big Master volume knob that can be adjusted with your foot (careful, though, things can get really loud real quick!), and a 3-band EQ for tone sculpting. It can drive any 4-8ohm speaker cab with up to 170 watts.
About one-tenth the size of most amp heads this powerful, the Powerstage is a great and rather affordable option (at $399) for players with quality cabs who appreciate volume and headroom. Attention, though, if your cab is above 8-ohm this unit is not for you. Those interested in more power and features should take a look at its bigger bro Powerstage 200.
We added the Seymour Duncan Powerstage 170 to our comprehensive article about the best power amp pedals.
Seymour Duncan Powerstage 170, Builder’s Notes
The PowerStage™ 170 is a game-changing product for guitar players that have dreamed of the day their entire rig can live on their pedal board. Maybe you love your tube amp but don’t want to lug it around. Or perhaps you use a modeler that has a ton of functionality but doesn’t sound as good when plugged in to your amp. Do you dread fly dates or gigs because you’re never sure what your backline will be? This is a 170-watt power amp with a beautiful clean preamp section and 3-band global EQ, making it the perfect complement to pedalboards and digital modeling devices. It is small enough to fit directly on a pedalboard or in any gig bag, lightweight enough for fly dates, and attractive enough to look great at a church or coffeehouse gig, as well as in a home office or dorm room.
The PowerStage 170 will give you reliable, musical power on every gig, eliminating the uncertainty that backline amps can bring. Simply bring your guitar and your pedalboard and get your tone through whatever cab is provided. The 170’s intuitive 3-band analog EQ allows for quickly fine-tuning your sound for any cabinet and any venue—no need to wrestle with the cumbersome and ineffective EQs on digital gear or modify your stompbox settings. Everything you need is right there. You can even adjust the big Master Volume knob with your foot, boosting solos and controlling dynamics in real time. And when you bypass your overdrive and distortion boxes, it will function as your clean channel, with the sweet, warm sound that we associate with great amps. Not every power amp can do that.
Imagine the freedom of showing up at a gig with a streamlined, lightweight rig that you can get up and running in under five minutes, with the confidence that comes from knowing that you will have your sound, no matter what. Forget about cartage, forget about complicated setups, forget about backline issues, and think about the PowerStage 170.Like our award-winning pedals, the PowerStage 170 is designed and assembled at our Santa Barbara, California, factory by the same team responsible for our legendary pickups.
Features
- 170 Watts
- 3 band EQ
- 1 speaker output
- Internal power supply
