Settings for 400

Steel guitar amplifiers, effects, etc.

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Post Reply
Bill Myrick
Posts: 2567
Joined: 21 Feb 1999 1:01 am
Location: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)
Contact:

Settings for 400

Post by Bill Myrick »

I realize amp settings are as varied as tastes but this Nashville 400 is new to me and I wondered if someone would share their settings with me as a starting place ?
Please cover it all from left to right--Inputs 1 or 2 ? - Pull Bright ? - Post - low - mid - shift - high - presence - reverb. Thanks very much !!
Also, as a passing point of interest, do you tend to run your amp volume higher with less pedal or visa versa ?
John Lacey
Posts: 2367
Joined: 6 Jan 1999 1:01 am
Location: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada

Post by John Lacey »

Bill, here are my settings also used my many others.
Bass-3 o'clock
Middle-9 o'clock
Treble-1 o'clock
Presence-2 o'clock
Paramid-800 hz.
I run my input volume between 3-5 and my output gain full up. Always plug into the top input and never use the bright switch.
I usually run the volume pedal at about 3/4 with some overhead for sustain. They're great amps but you have to tame the midrange. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by John Lacey on 16 December 2001 at 09:45 AM.]</p></FONT>
User avatar
Joey Ace
Posts: 9792
Joined: 11 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Post by Joey Ace »

Hi Bill,
I asked this question two years ago here http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum1/HTML/006619.html

I still like the amp, but perfer the reverb of an external unit (Boss RV3).

-j0ey-
Tim Rowley
Posts: 957
Joined: 23 Dec 1999 1:01 am
Location: Pinconning, MI, USA

Post by Tim Rowley »

Bill,

Amp settings depend to some degree on the type of pickup in your guitar. On the Nashville 400 it also makes a difference whether or not you use the volume pedal loop circuit. Your Nashville will sound bigger and more bassy if you use the circuit. I have a Lawrence 710 in my LeGrande II and use the circuit. Here are my settings:

Pre-gain, whatever, 2 to 5 by the number
Post-gain, full open
Bass, 3 to 4 o'clock
Middle, 9 to 11 o'clock
Treble, 9 o'clock
Presence, 1 to 2 o'clock
Paramid, 800 hz
Reverb, 4 to 6 by the numbers, to taste

Always plug into the top input and never pull out the bright switch, just like John Lacey said.

Vary your room volume with the pre-gain on your amp, NOT your volume pedal which is for expression purposes. Set your amp so that your maximum desired volume is at about 3/4 pedal, which leaves room to sustain a note or chord, just like John Lacey said.

Don't run your mids too high on the Nashville 400 or your tone will get muddy. Keep your bass hot. Depending on what pickup you have, you can get a world of tonal variation out of the treble and presence controls.

One more tip: If you have to play in a gymnasium, run more treble/presence and less mids. A real small room will require less treble.

Good luck with your Nashville 400, they are a great amp. Happy Holidays!

Tim R.
Jake Doell
Posts: 75
Joined: 26 Dec 1999 1:01 am
Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Post by Jake Doell »

Most of those settings look pretty familiar,
however,I had to modify them slightly after
installing the Peavey Mod.
Jake Doell
User avatar
Jack Stoner
Posts: 22087
Joined: 3 Dec 1999 1:01 am
Location: Kansas City, MO

Post by Jack Stoner »

My settings on a factory modified NV400, used with a Franklin D-10 with Lawrence 710 pickups:

Pregain, 4
Postgain, 6 (level depends on location)
Bass,+9
Mid,0 to -3 (depends on location and newness of strings)
Paramid,800Hz
Treble, +1
Presence, +1
Reverb, 4 (I also use a DD5 delay unit in the effects loop)
Mike Brown
Posts: 5027
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Meridian, Mississippi USA

Post by Mike Brown »

My preferred settings are basically the same as everyone elses. But, the room really plays a big part in my adjustment of the HIGH and PRESENCE controls.
Joseph Barcus
Posts: 2372
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Volga West Virginia

Post by Joseph Barcus »

bill,
wait until you get the profex you wont never worry about those settings again if you go into the back of the amp and let the profex do it all. Joe
Paul Graupp
Posts: 4922
Joined: 24 Jan 2001 1:01 am
Location: Macon Ga USA

Post by Paul Graupp »

When I had this option ie: going for a Pro-Fex, I asked myself why would I need two full/array amps when all I needed was a power amp. I chose to go with a DPC-750 and two individual speaker cabinets. It was less to carry and maintain than two full amps plus both Pro-Fex and DPC-750 were rack mountables which also consolidated my rig quite a bit.

I have always felt going into the back of a 400 was the waste of a really good steel amplifier and twice over if you used two of them that way. It has such a legacy of quality and vast acceptance by steel guitarists to earn my respect of it !! Better they were sold for use as they were designed for.

Regards, Paul
Joseph Barcus
Posts: 2372
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Volga West Virginia

Post by Joseph Barcus »

Paul,
I agrre with you on the fact about going into the rear but it was always a easy way for me not to have to worry about the tone it was always right didnt make any diference how big or little the room. ive sold my profex, and also the session i was going into now ill have to get used to a peavey 1000 with a little delay effects.
now once I had a webb amp wow the tone that thing had I should have been shot for selling that one.
Post Reply