NV-400 problems

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 16 May 2002 12:56 pm

A few months ago I had my amp into the shop...volume drop and some distortion.
The service center cleaned it up, resoldered some conections and pronounced it, "GOOD"
It still does the same thing...If I pull the cable from the steel and put it back in it works again for a little while.
I took it back to the shop and it seems to work OK....???
Help....Jack

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 16 May 2002 1:15 pm

Jack,

If you find an answer, let us all know. The forum has many items on the topic. I have the same problem off and on with my session 400 ltd...since it was new. Its been to shop and returned with a clean bill of health each time. I've tried all the advice/tricks/shops to fix this and to get the reverb to work properly to no avail.

My next trick will be as suggested here somewhere and send it of to Peavey for a check-up.

As far as the distortion/volume loss, it usually happens if I haven't played through the amp for a week or so. I turn it of and on until I can hear the reverb from my profex "ping". I turn the volume up on the amp while I do this with the volume pedal closed.

I put up with it because the amp sounds good and I no longer play-out nightly. It would be hard to put up with if that was still the case. I've used a "loaner" more than once chasing these glitches around.

Good luck,

Tom Jordan

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 16 May 2002 2:09 pm

Just a guess here, but it could be the OUT jack for the pre eq patch on the front of the amp. This jack has a shorting contact in it, and all the signal from the preamp passes thru it. The shorting contact routes the signal to the next stage in the amp when there isn't anything plugged into it. Try plugging your guitar into the IN jack just beside it, to see if the problem is still there. Also Peavey amps are full of those white plastic Molex connectors. These have a tendancy to oxidize over the years and cause intermittent problems.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 17 May 2002 5:25 am

A quick check for the IN, RETURN or PREAMP OUT switching jacks is to patch a cable between the IN and OUT, then the SEND and RETURN and then the PRE AMP OUT/POWER AMP IN loops. If you encounter the intermittent problem during a gig(hopefully you won't!), try "closing" the above loops to locate the defective jack, if the jack is the problem.

Hope that this helps, but if it doesn't, feel free to send your amp to the factory for repair. Our address is;
Peavey Service Center
Attention; Repair Department
Hwy. 80 East
Meridian, MS 39301

Be sure to include a note of symptoms and control settings so that we can attempt to duplicate the problem. Also include a daytime phone number so that we may reach you should we have questions.

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corporation<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Brown on 17 May 2002 at 06:37 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 17 May 2002 8:06 am

Thanx for the responses.
I took the amp back to a Peavey repair shop here in Mesa.
I will print out you suggestions and take them to him.
I'll post the results here when it's fixed.
Jack

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 17 May 2002 9:08 am

If you search the forum under this topic there are several "Known" issues that can be resolved in the comfort of your own garage or workshop.

Litterally clean all the 1/4 plugs including the eq in/out plugs and the pre in and power amp in plugs . Clean the reverb molex connector . Clean them all..maybe twice !!
tp

Jimmy Dale · Post by **Jimmy Dale** » 17 May 2002 12:22 pm

Just a thought. I had the exact same problem with my Vegas 400. It turned out to be the output jack from the volume pedal. I pinched the contacts a little. Problem solved. Jimmy I'D RATHER BE STEELIN'

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 17 May 2002 1:33 pm

I took your comments to the repair shop and after reading them he stated that all amps with effects loops can have these problem.
He asked how I set up my system and I told him that I plug my guitar into my volume pedal and run the volume pedal into the amps
#1 input.
He told me that my guitar should go to the amp and my volume pedal needed to have a cord running from the effects out into my volume pedal and back to the input in the effects loop.
He also stated that if I was to run a delay into the effects loop that it would close the loop and solve my problem if I still wanted to go from my volume pedal into the amp input.
I have used this amp the same way for 17 years and it seemed fine.
How should I set up my system?? 'preciate your comments.
Jack

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 17 May 2002 1:51 pm

Jack, this same situation came up last week on this forum and this was my response. Try it out and let me know if this takes care of your problem, because if it does, the amp needs to be serviced. You can send it to us here at Peavey and we will be glad to restore it to factory specifications. Mike Brown
Member
From: Meridian, Mississippi USA
posted 08 May 2002 12:54 PM profile send email edit
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The "pre eq patch" insert point was intended for patching your volume pedal into the circuit "before" the equalization controls, but after the first gain stage. What this accomplishes is no tonal change when you move your volume pedal and maximum signal from your pickup. It also helps in removing the loading effect when a volume pedal is moved forward and backward(up and down)and reduces loss of high frequency when patching it between the output of the guitar and the input of the amp.
This insert point has been incorporated into our steel amps since 1980. All that it takes to connect your volume pedal is one extra shielded cable. The patch procedure is to patch one cable from the output of your guitar directly into the input of the amp. Using the second cable, patch from the SEND/ FROM or OUT(depending on the amp model)jack in the pre eq patch insert point to the input of the volume pedal and with the third cable, patch from the output of your pedal back into the RETURN/TO or IN jack(depending on the amp model).

We have incorporated this "volume insert patch" point into the current Nashville 1000 amplifier. No other steel amp manufacturer has this feature. In some cases, this patching procedure will eliminate the high costs of optional impedence matching devices.

I've heard players comment that this "is too much" trouble, but they don't seem to mind hooking up the external devices that clamp onto the leg of the steel and the additional expense.

I recommend that you try this out if you haven't already. I think that you will appreciate its benefits.

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corporation

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 17 May 2002 2:29 pm

Mike, if I plugged the guitar into the #1 input of the NV400, and my volume pedal to Pre EQ patch in and out, how should I hook up a Boss delay stomp box? In the guitar circuit, or the pedal circuit? It doesn't work on the pre amp in and out on the back. Thanks!

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 17 May 2002 7:46 pm

I missed the topic that covered this last week....I don't come to this part of the forum everytime I log on.
I will try your suggestion Mike and let you know.
Thanx...Jack

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 18 May 2002 7:41 am

IT WORKED!!
It is amazing that It took me this long to properly set up my system. Thanx for the help.
Jack

Gary Goodman · Post by **Gary Goodman** » 18 May 2002 10:00 am

I just tried plugging my guitar
(GFI s-12) straight into my vegas 400
and the volume pedal and analog delay into the effects loop and it is the best that the GFI has ever sounded and the Vegas 400 too for that matter.

Thanks for the tip It is amazing that an old dog can still learn new tricks.