Update on Session 115

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 18 Apr 2016 7:58 am

The real problem I see is that the majority of the VFWs, bars, and honky tonks pay the same, or less, in 2016 than they did in 1983.

And there's the rub. With psg allegedly on the wane, selling this amp is going to be a rough go at this price point. I'm struggling with Peavey's logic on this one...

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 18 Apr 2016 9:12 am

I love a good Peavey as much as the next guy, but at $1800 I'll certainly never buy one of these.

Get real Peavey, it's an amplifier, not a vintage instrument. Peavey is a working man's tool, not a museum piece.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 18 Apr 2016 7:26 pm

Amend to you John Booth. My thoughts for sure. J.R. Rose

Glenn Demichele · Post by **Glenn Demichele** » 18 Apr 2016 7:53 pm

As an engineer, I sympathize with peavey. Cost of r&d, parts and assembly in the us, along with the (small) size of the market probably set the break-even price. Whether or not people will pay it is a different question.

Bob Grado · Post by **Bob Grado** » 19 Apr 2016 4:11 am

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 21 Apr 2016 5:43 am

Lee, the amp is simple and the control panel will look familiar, ie; easy to operate, sounds great! Not like some with numerous knobs and jacks. Stay tuned.

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 21 Apr 2016 9:43 am

With all due respect Mike, I have the highest respect for you and the work you have done for steel players over the years, but I believe the major issue is not "simplicity" it is price, and at the prices quoted take it into the "boutique " area , which is as I see it ( no matter what the manufacturer ) takes it out of the reach of the average player.It gets even worse for UK/European players, who usually end up paying about a third more tha those in US, that is assuming it would be issued over here.I have had numerous Peavey products over the years from PA to steel amps/effects, and always been pleased with them, and more to the point they were affordable, alas this seems to have gone by the wayside,Peavey's reasoning on this pricing puzzles me, and sorry that I will not be able to purchase them in future.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 21 Apr 2016 10:40 am

We appreciate your input and support through the years. It is still the working man's amplifier, but like everything else in the "world" prices do go up.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 21 Apr 2016 11:17 am

Exactly Mike.

Let's stop and think:
I paid 31,000 for my house in 1972. Today it is worth over $200,000
I paid $4000 for a Muscle Car in 1969. Today a Muscle Car (if you can find one new) would be around $60,000

In 1969 I was paying about 79 cents for a gallon of gas. Last year it was $4

About the only thing that has not gone up is fast food, but the portions are way smaller.

In the early 80's I paid $500 for a Nashville 400, all analog, made in the USA.

So let's look at things the way they really are.

Nope, I don't like the higher price tag any more than anyone else, but let's be realistic.

After the Nashville 112 ("practice amp") came out, everyone started screaming. Give us an amp with more power, a 15" speaker, onboard effects and LIGHTER weight, made in the USA. That is a tough shoe to fill, but that is exactly what Hartley Peavey is doing with this new amp.

Some say, just bring back Nashville 400. Reckon what that would cost in today's dollars. Probably more than the Session 115. And the analog days (much to my dismay) are almost gone.

So in 1993, I paid $2700 for my brand new Emmons D10. So what are new D10's going for today. Double that.

Look at the price of new volume pedals and accessories, through the roof.

I think it boils down to, do you want the new technology Peavey is incorporating into this amp or not. If so, go for it. Peavey does have to make a profit or they would never have built us a steel amp in the first place. Then where would the steel guitar community be?

There have been a couple of glitches in the single "Prototype" that has been built.
The engineers are working to make sure it is "RIGHT" before the first batch of 20 "prototypes" goes into production. Then they will all be checked out and cleared before final production begins.
Yep, this has caused a couple of delays, but so what. They are striving for the best possible amp for the $$ they can build.

I am actually going over to Meridian on Monday with my steel in hand, to test the modifications that have been made. I may not can pick, but Hartley has the confidence in me to say whether the tone is RIGHT on.

So my "kudo's" to Harley Peavey and the whole gang for sticking with us.

These words are IMHO

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 21 Apr 2016 11:42 am

Bill, with all due respect and not meaning to be rude, but what part of it is too expensive do you not understand.I believe there are many players who fall into the same bracket as myself, we do not have that amount of money.We have been used to what is described here as good quality working players amps at affordable prices from Peavey,and as pointed out elsewhere yes prices have risen, what has not risen is players wages, and amount of gigs available, many working for the same or less than they were twenty years ago. I make absolutely no criticism of the new amp on quality, tone etc as I have not heard it. I am nearing end of playing career and would have liked to get the new Peavey as my last amp but unless I put my self into a fair amount of debt that will not be possible.
If you and others can afford them good luck to you,but please do not portray us as being disloyal to a company that has served the steel community well.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Apr 2016 12:51 pm

There are those that are able (or will go in debt) to purchase amps in that price range. There are those like Malcolm and myself and many more that can't. We are not "disloyal" to Peavey or any other steel guitar product vendor.

Peavey has to do what it has to do in regards to the product and pricing. I have nothing against that, just its out of my price range. With what I'm making now, playing music (and I play once every week, sometimes twice), it would be several years of playing $$ just to buy the amp.

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 21 Apr 2016 6:44 pm

Part of what puzzles me about this conversation and others like it is that no one seems to acknowledge that an amp and speaker choice can affect your sound as much as your choice of guitar and pickup. (Mind you, they don't always but they certainly can.) Yet almost no one complains about the price of guitars or says, "I want a great-sounding, easy-playing steel but only if they bring the cost down to under $800."

If you have an amp that sounds exactly like you want it to, the price of someone else' amp shouldn't need to worry you. If you're looking for exactly the tone you want and in exactly the package you want, why would you expect to pay less - let alone waaaaaaay less - than you paid for your guitar. The R&D plus manufacturing costs of a new amp, and especially for a really small market like steel guitar where there's little or no savings for production quantity, are huge. The 115 price is still well below most boutique amps and for exactly the amp everyone seemed to be crying out for not all that long ago.

I have complete respect for anyone who says that a piece of gear is more than they can afford or that a piece of gear has features they really don't want or don't need. But to spend a few thousand dollars on a steel and then assume that a low cost amp will
make it sound exactly like you want it to seems odd to me.

Just to be clear, my point absolutely isn't that low cost amps can't sound great. Many of my favorite steel guitar tracks were cut on 'workingman's' amps and most of my favorite lap steel tracks were cut with cheap guitars on super cheap amps. Rather my point is that if there's a sound you're after, once you're paid so much for the guitar of your dreams, why would you expect the amp of your dreams would be so much less?

I applaud Peavey for jumping back into the steel guitar market and being so open to feedback and suggestions. Now that they're trying to give us what so many of us said we wanted, let's not talk like a quality amp isn't worth more than we've gotten so used to paying. Can't or don't want to afford it? Makes total sense. Assume it's over-priced for a quality, niche-market amp? I have some trouble with that.

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 22 Apr 2016 2:58 am

Chris, I played NV 400 for over twenty years , loved it but back problem meant it was too heavy, got the 112 and again liked it, but found it underpowered, so choice was use two 112's which defeated object of less weight or find something different.In the end I went to a lightweight GK MB 200, and found it worked pretty dammed well. I believe what many of us on here wanted from Peavey was something like the 112 but with the power of the 400, lightweight but no bells and whistles to take up price.
I have worked long and hard, scrimped and saved to get the good gear I have now, and am therefore very budget minded in what I buy within that budget, maybe if I tell you that assuming the 115 was available to us UK/Euro players it would cost around $2500 as opposed to the $1800,( a Telonics combo is $3300 over here) you will see why The 115 would not be an option.
At the end of the day if you can afford it go for it and good luck to you, but many like me on here cannot afford these prices.I came to conclusion a long time ago that tone wise the majority of our audience cannot tell the difference between any reasonable amp when placed in a band context, it is only ourselves and other steel players who notice it, best tone, live, I ever heard was Mike Johnson through a 112 and DD3, just amazing.
I have always had great service from Peavey, Mike in particular , but steel amp wise, I am extremely sorry to say they have now priced themselves out of my range.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 22 Apr 2016 4:01 am

Chris, you are right on. Exactly the point I was making.
No, maybe everyone can't afford the new Session 115, but remember Peavey will also crank up the Nashville 112 again soon at a MUCH lower price point.

I don't see why we should expect Peavey to build an amp to our specs and then sell it cheap. It is not their problem that musician's pay and job availability has not gone up over the years, (especially steel players)or that many of us now live on Social Security or maybe a pension.

IMHO, Peavey has done exactly what we asked for:
Lightweight
15" Neo Speaker
Hi Power
Onboard delay

Nuff said

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 22 Apr 2016 4:09 am

Bill, I take it you are going to be paying full price for yours.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 22 Apr 2016 7:09 am

Actually Malcolm, NO

The list price is $1799, however the street price that for the USA is $1399.

Most dealers will sell for the street price.

Hope this answers your question.

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 22 Apr 2016 7:17 am

Thanks Bill it does, unfortunately we don't have many dealers over here who give any discount on manufacturers MRP, so are stuck with higher prices.Buying one in US and bringing back as baggage presents it's own problems, also whether amp is made to use only 110, or it has 110-240 capability, but worth looking at.Thanks again that is useful info.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 22 Apr 2016 9:30 am

Looks like it could be a pretty nice amplifier.

Like so many of the other delicious-looking amps, guitars, and goodies we see on this Forum, it boils down to two things.

You can afford it.
You can't afford it.

Only you and your wallet know which it is.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 22 Apr 2016 10:06 am

I would not blame Hartley Peavey one bit if he were to read the threads on this new amp and decide to never build one more steel guitar amplifier.

As Mr. Ferguson pointed out, there was a thread a few years ago asking what we would like to see in a new amplifier. The new amp has exactly those features and more, yet here we are crying that we don't want to pay that much. Yes, the $1799 seems like a lot but we all knew that you could end up buying one for substantially less just like we always have. $1399 street price does seem a lot better.

I think this price is in line with the price of a new Quilter Steelaire combo, and the Peavey does have lots more features.

I don't have any plans to buy a new amp any time soon as I simply have no need for one, but if I were playing jobs and needed a new rig I would sure give this new amp a good test and serious consideration. It may be a bargain all things considered. Yes, it's more than two used Nashville 400's and some stomp boxes (not by much...) but that's a different story.

Thank you Peavey. Your products have always served me well, and I always found them to be the best value for the money especially considering their length of service. The last new one I bought ended up costing about five dollars a month over the length of time I had it. It was still going strong when I sold it to the next guy.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Apr 2016 10:26 am

Doug said:

I would not blame Hartley Peavey one bit if he were to read the threads on this new amp and decide to never build one more steel guitar amplifier.

I agree, and I'm sure he probably knows about this thread and probably has read it. I'm surprised he hasn't pulled the plug on this.

CAn I afford one? No way. And, I don't like amps with digital effect sections. But there are many that can afford, or are willing to go into debt for one. I applaud Hartley for hanging in with us.

Pete Nicholls · Post by **Pete Nicholls** » 22 Apr 2016 12:12 pm

Bill Ferguson wrote:Exactly Mike.

Let's stop and think:
I paid 31,000 for my house in 1972. Today it is worth over $200,000
I paid $4000 for a Muscle Car in 1969. Today a Muscle Car (if you can find one new) would be around $60,000

In 1969 I was paying about 79 cents for a gallon of gas. Last year it was $4

In the early 80's I paid $500 for a Nashville 400, all analog, made in the USA.

These words are IMHO

So Bill, guess our Nashville 400's should be worth at least $1,000 these days based on your logic. Contrary to what you are saying, electronics has gotten smaller in size, and price, over the years so I don't buy your (or Peavey's) logic. I paid $3500 for a laptop in 1996 that has only a small percentage of the power compared to the one I bought this year for $700.

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 22 Apr 2016 1:17 pm

It looks like the final " out the door " price will be roughly equal to the Quilter.
I think that amps been a success. Nobody's suggesting that Quilter will stop making steel amps,or that it's overpriced.

Is it overpriced ?

Only if you can't afford it. Last I heard, folks were still buying new Quilters, Milkman, Telonics, Luker, and Dr. Z. Somebody is still buying new steel amps, even if we find the prices prohibitive.

I'm wondering if it didn't say " Peavey" on it, would we judge it more like its current competition in terms of price? If it was the new "Acme" steel amp would we be objecting as strongly to the price ?

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 23 Apr 2016 5:10 am

Malcolm, Since you have to pay list price for equipment where you live and you say you have (or had) 2 Nashville 112's, I would say you spent about the same for those 2 (underpowered) amps as what this new amp will cost, if available where you are.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 23 Apr 2016 5:16 am

Pete,
I stand by my logic. Nothing costs what it did 30 years ago, except for computers, but just look at the way they are built now. Flimsy.

No, your Nashville 400's are not worth $1000. But if that same amp were built today, just imagine what it would cost. Probably more than the Session 115.

I really think that this thread is spreading away from my original "Update on Session 115"

I know it is going to be a great amp. And those that want it will find a way to afford one, just like all the other equipment they have bought over the years.

I am driving to Meridian tomorrow to meet with Hartley, Mike and Steve (engineer) to do another "test" drive of the Session 115. They tell me that the engineers feel they have corrected the things I mentioned to them from Dallas last month.
I am looking forward to doing this as I have the utmost respect and gratitude for Peavey and what they have done for us steelers over the years.
I don't know what 90% of the worlds steelers would have done without a Peavey amp.

Will post an update about the "prototype" next week. Stay tuned.

Bobby Snell · Post by **Bobby Snell** » 23 Apr 2016 6:10 am

Perhaps 'working man's' amplifier is a misnomer. More accurate is 'working musician's.' The guys loading their rigs under a bus, or into a van. $1400 for a new, powerful amp with a warranty and dependable tech support.

Professional sound companies supplying the back lines will stock them, so the 'working musician' can just write in Peavey Session 115 on the rider.

Kudos to Peavey for continuing their tradition of serving the steel community.

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