I need a good SS amp! (But which...?)

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 27 May 2000 12:22 pm

For instant gratification, go for the Evans. You don't have to do much to get a good tone. The new Peavey 1000 sounds good too, and it is also the best sounding amp that I have for lead guitar, and I have several of all brands and sizes. I have Mesa Boogie, Crate, Fenders of all kinds, and Peavey Classic delta blues, polytones and Yamahas. The Evans I don't like very well for my Telecasters and Stratocasters, but it is very good for fiddles and Gibsons. If I could only have one amp, it would have to be the new Peavey 1000. I also have the Session 400, the Session 500, and have had the Nashville 400 and the Webb. For Sho-Buds, I would buy the Webb. If I were only going to play steel, I would buy the Evans FET 500. It is pretty light, small and great tone. The Nashville 400 I like the least of any of them. They are also heavier than the Evans. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, however, so the only way to know for sure is to try them on the job. That gets to be expensive though, as you can tell from what I own. I also have the new Session 2000 and it will sound good too, but it takes some work to program.

Doug Ferguson · Post by **Doug Ferguson** » 23 Jul 2004 12:59 pm

I bought a Session 500 15 or so years ago for $250. I'm still playing on it after all these years. We had a gig in San Jose CA about 5 years ago and Motorola flew us out there and rented us equipment for the gig. The Guitar Center in San Jose didn't have any Session 500s or Nashville series and they talked me into using a Fender twin reverb. Of course I brought my steel with me on the plane. (they let me put it in the coat closet in first class

cause I wasn't leaving the ground crew to take care of it) I agonized over this twin reverb the whole weekend, trying to tweek it to get a sound I liked, and actually blew the first one up the day before the gig and they had to come get the old one and brought me a bran new twin reverb to play through. It still drove me batty trying to get that sweet sound. I couldn't wait to get back to Austin and play the next gig with my Session 500. The rest of the band commented about how much better my Peavey sounds than that Fender. When my Session 500 gets tired and blows up (if it ever does--it was at least 5 years old when I got it, 15 years ago) I'll send it to Mike Brown and get it fixed, period.

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 25 Jul 2004 7:23 am

Wow, that's more than a 4 year jump between Fred's and Doug's respones to this thread. That may be a Forum record for a "ressurection".

And as it turns out I still have my old Roland JC50 amp. A number of steelers have said it sounds pretty good with steel. Plus I don't use it a lot so I haven't had much motivation to replace it.... But if that time comes, I'll need to revisit this thread, for sure. Lots of good discussion here.

This is a Roland JC50. Mine is in better shape, and doesn't have wheels.

http://www.musicpark.com.au/Graphics/MP2nd/RolJazzChorus50.jpg

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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 25 July 2004 at 08:29 AM.]

Doug Ferguson · Post by **Doug Ferguson** » 29 Jul 2004 12:17 pm

I think I might have done a search on 'session 500' and didn't realize I was reading such a historical thread. But, as usual, I put in my $.02 worth. I do that often even when I'm in the workshop by myself

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Fergy, MSA Classic D12

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 29 Jul 2004 1:14 pm

PEAVEY---the company that put Fender back in the steel amp business!!

Sorry, Mike

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 29 Jul 2004 1:45 pm

Wow, that's more than a 4 year jump between Fred's and Doug's respones to this thread.

Sadly, Fred passed away just about two years ago......hard to believe the time has flown by.

I believe that the Session 400 and 500 amps are the best pedal steel amps Peavey made.....and they are well worth the $200-$400 you can buy them for.

Joe

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 29 Jul 2004 4:51 pm

Bill

There is a session 400 w/ original BW right now in the buy and sell. $350/shipped. Best amp Peavey ever made cuz I say so

bob

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 29 Jul 2004 5:04 pm

Hi Bill,
If you're still interested in trying your steel through different amps, you're more than welcome to come over to my house, set up your steel and try it through 3 different amplifiers. They are a Nashville 400, 112, and an Evans. And yes, I'm sure it's all right with my wife Lorilee! We could even jam a little, and I have some videos and cds I think you might find entertaining. Just let me know.
-- Marc

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 29 Jul 2004 5:34 pm

Original Session 400 with the spider web Black Widow. Hard to beat!

Brad Sarno

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 30 Jul 2004 5:31 am

Yes, you could say that we forced Fender back into the steel amp business. But, does that mean that they have more experience in knowing what works for the multitude of steel guitarists? I don't think so. They've been shunning steel guitarists for years and all of a sudden.................

Peavey has supported the steel guitar market since 1974 with many, many new ideas and we will continue to do so with the steel community's support.

Yes, there will be players who will be curious about this amp, which will good for our business. It surprises me that they did not offer a tube amp first(which they did and it apparently was too heavy), which is what I've stated about tube amps all along.

How many folks have actually played through this amp yet? I wasn't aware that there were that many of these amps out in the marketplace yet, or are all of the comments about this model based on the company name or by actually playing through the amp? All of my Fender musician friends seek out the older Fender models, but never mention purchasing a new one. Wonder why? Just an observation.

See ya at the convention on Labor Day.

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corporation

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 30 Jul 2004 5:40 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>But, does that mean that they have more experience in knowing what works for the multitude of steel guitarists? I don't think so. They've been shunning steel guitarists for years and all of a sudden.................
Peavey has supported the steel guitar market since 1974 with many, many new ideas and we will continue to do so with the steel community's support.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mike, it is great that steel guitarists have a friend in Peavey....the amps are reliable, road-worthy, and innovative. Sound-wise, my preference lease to the old Session amps, but that's just me. I have not heard the Nashville 112, so that may not be a fair comment to make....

It surprises me that they did not offer a tube amp first

Up to this point, Fender's steel amps have been the Vibrosonic and Custom Twin 15" reissues, both tube amps, so they definitely did offer tube amps first.

Joe

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 30 Jul 2004 7:54 am

I'm with Mike here. I'm going to withold judgement on the new Fender until I play with one and peek inside to see the build quality. We all know that Fender today has very little to do with the Fender that made our favorite tube amps back in the '50s, '60's and '70s. The only thing that's the same is the logo. Peavey has been deep into steel amp refinement for 30 years. Fender has been totally disinterested until lately. They may have a decent idea here, but really it's probably going to take a few years for the design to get refined. Good amps evolve. Even the great Fenders of the '60s were the result of 15 years of evolution. Fender's build quality has been less than impressive lately. Steel puts some serious demands on an amp and only hard, live gigging will put this new amp thru its paces. I bet in about 6 months we'll have enough feedback to base some opinions.

My first reaction to the new Fender amp was "what, no tubes?"

Brad Sarno