Session 400

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 6 Jun 2003 6:33 am

Bought one, tried it, liked it. No effects boxes either.. just guitar, vol pedal and amp. Way different than the Nash/Vegas sound.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 6 Jun 2003 7:12 am

You wouldn't think that the first dedicated solid state steel guitar amp would be that well kept a secret. How quickly they forget. I'll never sell mine. It's the only Peavey that passed muster for me.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 6 Jun 2003 11:29 am

I have the narrower LTD 400 I bought new in 1980. Still a great sounding amp. I haven't tried a Nashville, I haven't had any reason to. I also have a Session 500 I bought new in 1981. Both of these amps are great.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

jim milewski · Post by **jim milewski** » 6 Jun 2003 7:15 pm

ditto ditto ditto....hey i picked up a session 400 today for $100

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 9 Jun 2003 10:17 am

Where do you guys get these great deals?????????

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 9 Jun 2003 10:20 am

There is one on e-bay for $250.00 right now.
JE:-)>

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 9 Jun 2003 12:22 pm

Yea ..but it has 5 days to go...I got one Saturday on eBay for $405.00.......

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 9 Jun 2003 3:01 pm

They do seem to be gaining in popularity. Maybe Peavey amps are finally becoming classics themselves! No amp better deserves such recognition than the Session 400.
I think it is also one heck of a guitar amp, too. I have several friends that play fingerstyle music who have acquired Session 400 amps in the last few years. They have discovered that it is one great jazz or all around guitar amp![This message was edited by Ken Fox on 09 June 2003 at 05:34 PM.]

jim milewski · Post by **jim milewski** » 10 Jun 2003 5:25 pm

Well Mike, the deal with my Session is when it wasn't being used a jack stand, i think it was used for hens to roost in, the thing had hay in it! Quite posibly it was put in a pick up and someone forgot to put the tail gate up before taking off, of all the beat up amps i've seen, I would never guess the thing would even turn on, but it did and may be the best sounding yet, remember I'm now using 1502 DT kevlar, these speakers are amazing! BTW thank you very much for the Classic schematic and parts placement diagram

George Macdonald · Post by **George Macdonald** » 11 Jun 2003 6:01 am

I have an LTD 400 that I bought new in 1977. It is a good amp for steel, but the Nashville 1000 that I bought last Aug. is far better. I recently tried 2 of the more popular "botique" amps against the 1000 with my new Carter S12U, and the Nash.1000 came out on top for my ear, [and others agreed].

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 11 Jun 2003 7:34 am

George,
The LTD is a much smaller cabinet and is not a fair comparison with the NV1000. I'll put my old Session4 up against it any time -- not as much for power but for a sweet, warm tone, the Session wins hands down. I couldn't get that tone out of any of the Nashville models, nor out of the Session 400LTD. Your mileage may vary, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Gino Iorfida · Post by **Gino Iorfida** » 11 Jun 2003 8:20 am

IMHO, the Nashville series etc are WONDERFUL amps for a more modern tone, and the more flexible EQ is needed to get a good tone out of the hundreds of new, modern steels out there, which all would have their own tonal variances. I couldn't imagine playing the old MSA I used to have through a session 400 and being able to get a GREAT tone, while a Nashville 400/100 on the other hand, there is enough on the EQ to get a good tone in there...
The Session 400 on the other hand is a great amp to compliment the tone of a steel that has a great tone (or should I say CLASSIC, PREDICTABLE tone)to begin with, such as an old Emmons or ShoBud. If you want the classic tones from the 70's 80's etc (when SOME would argue pedal steel was at it's peak for airplay etc), I don't think anything would beat the tone of the Session. Play an old push pull or 'bud thru a Session 400, and the tone is just there. NO matter how you tweak the knobs, you get a good tone. May not be the modern 'CMT Nashville' tone, but it's a tone that will make folks listen. Not to say I wont ever use anything other than a push pull thru the Session, for I may end up someday getting a more compact/lighter amp/other guitars etc, but I think these 2 pieces of gear will always be in my collection.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 11 Jun 2003 8:20 am

I'll go with Larry B. on this one. I've got a Nashville with the Peavey mod that I'd used for years. It's not bad, particularly in the 'bang for buck' and 'reliability' categories. I've gigged it a zillion times and never had a single problem and tone was always 'acceptable'. But the Session is TOTALLY different than the Vegas/Nashville voicing, way better IMO.

I read all the stuff Brad Sarno was posting about his Session, and acquired a case of GAS about the same time so out of curiosity I found and bought one....I wish I'd done it a long time ago.

In fact, when I was first trying to dial in a tone, it seems like no matter what I did to the EQ, it still sounded good. It was hard NOT to get a sound I liked. I may try to find another Session, I'd like to have a couple....

BTW, my Nashville is getting a good clean up, then it's on the block. I don't think I'd be happy with it again.

Amazing... Gino was posting at the same time I was about not needing to twiddle knobs to get a tone with a Session. I play a '67 P/P... [This message was edited by Bill Terry on 11 June 2003 at 09:25 AM.]

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 11 Jun 2003 9:16 am

The first time I heard a Session 400 was at the Sundance Saloon in Calabasa Ca on a Tue night in the early 70's, being played by none other than, "BE". In fact it was a prototype. The face plate was masking tape with some "magic marker" numbers & letters.
I was hot on the trail the next day and still have my 1976 Session 400 to this day.
JE:-)>

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Emmons D10 8/4 P/P -75'
Fessenden SD-10 3/5
76'Session 400
86'Nashville 400
Bandit 112

[This message was edited by Jim Eaton on 11 June 2003 at 10:17 AM.]

Gino Iorfida · Post by **Gino Iorfida** » 11 Jun 2003 9:33 am

never in my wildest dreams thought a solid state amp would be making it's way to legend status like some of the old classic tube amps have, but it appears that way... hmmm maybe the next line 6 pod will have a model of a Session 400..right beside the tweed bassman, marshall plexi and blackface twin

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 11 Jun 2003 12:29 pm

Don't hold your breath, Gino.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Robert Baringer · Post by **Robert Baringer** » 19 Jun 2003 6:06 pm

Used a Sessions 400 with an MSA classic for over 20 yrs.worked great, wood necks,lacquer, George L's- but it quit twice had it repaired but would not hold, set it aside and bought a sessions ltd that extended my fingers n arms every time I carried it, found another repair shop n repaired the ole' sessions..A great amp specially with a P/P thru it...Bob...

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 20 Jun 2003 2:59 pm

Picked one up on ebay recently and it arrived today.....I think it sounds really good...mine has a good strong reverb...my 'Bud sounds great with the amp and no effects.