The Steel Guitar Forum

A friend is trying to sell me a Peavy LTD for $300 that he bought as a package deal with an older Emmons.Is this a good steel amp or should I consider a Nashville or session 400 or an Evans?

------------------
Grady Dodson

If it's a Session 400 LTD, the price isn't too bad, but $300 would be max. I think Peavey made several "LTD" model amps. If it's not the Session 400 LTD, it's not a steel amp.

The only two "limited" steel amp models that we have designed and manufactured were the LTD 400 and Session 400 Limited. The LTD 400 was exactly the same circuit design as the original Session 400 back in the mid '70's. The Session 400 Limited was manufactured from the early '90's to the late '90's.

The LTD 400 is very much a steel amplifier. They sound very good. So, I would say that if it has the original speaker and is in good working order, it might be worth the price. By the way, that amp carried an MSRP of $679.50 in 1977. Hope that this helps.

Thanks a bunch.That info does help. It is a 400 LTD with original BW Spkr.It sounds real good.The only reason I'd consider it is the friend is trying to teach me how to play and I've got two steel's.One is a Sierra d-10 Session and the other is a Sierra Crown Single with pad.I've got a Peavy Tube fex and dpc 750 thru 2 Bw Spkrs so I don't think I need anything else except a lot of practice.Paul Putnam is giving me a lot of his time and knowledge and trying to motivate me to be a good picker.With this peavy 400 Ltd he could just bring his volume pedal and use one of my guitars to teach me.Anyway, thanks for the info.

------------------
Grady Dodson

thank you , mike, for making jack look like a stoner.

I decided to buy the Peavy LTD 400 for $250.Can't go wrong there.It has a small spot on the bottom of the case.Dos anyone know where I can get a patch for it?
Thanks
Grady

------------------
Grady Dodson

There may be enough vinyl wrapped to the inside to cut a piece from, especially inside where the amp head mounts.

Thanks Jim. I'll check and see.

------------------
Grady Dodson

BTW, Duco cement, available in a tube at most harware stores, is the best stuff I've ever found to glue small rips and tears in vinyl guitar case and amp coverings back together. Depending on how large a piece you'll be using, it might work well for your patch too. It kind of "melts" the edges just enough to make a smooth and virtually unnoticable seam.

I'll try that too Jim.
Thanks

I had no intention on making Jack look like a "Stoner", and he might not even mind that! He is very knowledgable and is of great assistance with info about Peavey amps. I just happen to have a couple of LTD 400 amps back from the Opry in our warehouse. I took one out and tried it without even having it checked out by one of our techs, and other than a scratchy pot, it sounded good! Worked great all night long. This amp had been at the Grand Ol' Opry and in use since the mid '70's!

i was just having fun with names, mike. actually, i think some people get mixed up between the newer session 400 LTD and the older LTD 400. i've had an old LTD 400 forever which i won't ever part with, as well as a nashville 400.....they're both great amps for me. and thanks to people willing to share their knowledge, like mike brown and jack stoner, i hopefully won't ever have to buy anything else.
now back to 'fun with names'.....could we refer to the forrest klott fellow on the forum as 'blood' without ****ing anyone off?

Chris, I kind of thought that you were "funnin'", but I couldn't see your facial expression! That's what I don't like about the Internet. I took it as a joke anyway. Call me if I can be of assistance.

Mike, I'm OK with it too, since we exchanged e-mails and found out it was in jest.

Mike,
Some of the LTD 400's had a speaker that says something to the effect, "Specially designed by James B. Lansing". How does that speaker compare with the BW's that also came in the LTD 400? I have a chance to buy a nice clean one but it has this speaker in it.

steve,
the jbl should sound great...the black widow is probably a little more midrangy. i've got a black widow in mine, but i'm always looking to pick up a jbl cheap, also....whatever, they're both adequate for pro application... you can get used to both.

Thank you Chris, question for Jack Stoner, or anyone else. I picked up the used LTD and other than being a little dirty, appears to be in really good shape. I don't think its been used for several years. Several of the pots appear to be scratchy. I suspect that with some use some may be ok. Does anyone have any pot cleaner that they recommend or is the recommended procedure to replace the pots?

Steve, you'll have to take the chassis out of the cabinet to get at the pots, but any "volume control" cleaner should work. You can buy DeOxit brand at some of the music stores or you can get control cleaner at Radio Shack, etc. Just make sure it is for pots (potentiometers), etc.

While your inside the amp, unplug any Molex connectors and spray cleaner on both the male and female pins and reconnect them. Sort of a Preventive Maintenance thing. Anytime I work on an amp with connectors that is one of the automatic things I do.

Hi Guys, let me in here for a second. I have two LTD 400s. The first one I got from Jim Webb's music in Antioch CA in 78 and it has a JBL D130 and the other I got from Tom Bradshaw in 85 and it has a Black Widow and they both look like new and I can't tell a bit of difference between them but I don't use them any more as I use my Session 500 and it screams and I just ordered a mod kit for it and may put the kits in the LTDs at a later date if I keep them but they are great steel amps, Thanks, Gary

Steve, I don't recall ever having the chance to "A/B" the older BW that was in the LTD and our latest, the 1501-4 BW shallow basket. So, I couldn't give you an honest answer on this. See, the post by Gary Walker. I believe his statements are about as unbiased as you can get. By the way, I don't know Gary.

I can tell you that the 1501-4 Black Widow "Shallow Basket" that we manufacture now was voiced after those older JBL's.

For Mike Brown: Is there a modification kit for the Session 500's now like for the Nashville 400's?

------------------
Gary Hunt from Corpus Christi, TX (at the edge of the Earth)

Yes, it will be available in a few days by phoning our Parts Department here at Peavey or through your local Peavey dealer. For more information, contact me toll free in the U.S. at 1-877-732-8391.

Thanks.

FWIW I Used STP brand son of a gun vinyl
protectant spray worked in with a soft brush,buffed with soft rag worked great, looks new,cleaned cup rings and dust off
real well.
Mike Brown>>this should be ok for the PV
cover,it is vinyl.right?
a friend said don't use armor all
Bill Ford

------------------

this reply is to Gary Walker...
would you be interested in selling either
or both of your LTD's?
Thanks Jim Johnson

Bill, there should be no problem with using a vinyl protectant spray. From my experience, that type of cleaner makes the amp "greasy" feeling. I just take a medium bristle brush with soap and water to clean my amps and it works fine.

Naturally, I caution you NOT to clean the amp with the power turned on or even plugged into an AC socket. Good luck.