The Steel Guitar Forum

Dear forum,

Can someone explain the difference in these two amps to me? There's a Session 500 for sale at a local music store, and I was wondering how it would compare to a Nashville 400.

Thanks,
Drew Howard

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Both are great amps and I happen to have both types. Mainly, the Session 500 is a LOT heavier, has a bigger cabinet, and is a bit louder. Also the Session 500 has built-in "string effect" (fuzz), phase shifter, bi-amp capability, a low-Z line out jack, and came with a remote switch which can be clamped on the leg of your steel to control the reverb and switch the fuzz in and out. For portability and quiet operation, I'll take the Nashville 400. For volume and lows (or to hide behind in case Russia has the bomb) the Session 500 has the edge.

Incidently, a number of great players including Jim Vest and Pee Wee Rodgers have toted the Session 500 on the road, but at 91 lbs. it can get tiresome to lug around and slide in and out of the lower compartment of a bus. And the 500 is an unwieldy thing to carry up and down stairs. I use the Nashville for one-nighters and traveling and the Session 500 for sit-down gigs.

Tim R.

I own three Session 500's and for steel guitar, in my opinion, these are by far the best sounding amps. They are very heavy and uncomfortable to carry around. I have a Nashville 400 and its a nice amp, but it does not have the sound of the 500. I tried a Session 2000 last year, but could not get a sound that I liked from the amp so it went. I have also heard the 1000's and I don't think I would like it either.By the way, the 500 is also an excellent standard guitar amplifier. Please understand these are only my opinions. Whatever works for you is the only answer.

There have been a couple of recent threads on this same subject.

I'll say what I say everytime this comes up.

I think the Session 500 was the best steel amp Peavey ever built. I had one of the original smaller cabinet models that I played for 15 years. The weight finally got to me and I bought a new Nashville 400 (with the factory tone mod). The Nashville 400 (with the tone mod) is close enough to the 500 that I don't really miss it. I set the EQ on my Nashville 400 about the same as I did on the Session 500 which again says they are very close.

I don't have a Nashville 400,but I do have a Vegas 400 and a Session 500.Apparently a Vegas 400 is the same as a Nashville minus the guitar channel (correct me if I,m wrong).To my ears the Session has a sweeter, richer tone and is quieter than the Vegas,but it weighs a tonne.My Vegas has the Lemay mod and it sounds better than it did, but now has a noisy reverb due to the increased gain in the circuit.If you play a lot a live gigs like I do, then go with whatever is the lightest.At 91 Lbs, nobody's Going to want to help you move your gear.Incidently I'm looking in to using a JBL EON powered monitor with my Line6 POD as a live rig for guitar and steel.

Where would you guys put the Session 400 Limited in that range. I'm guessing it's betweeen the weight and sound of the other two. I have one and it sound great to me but I'm just a beginner.
Would like your opinions.

Tony Orth

I had a Session 500 for years until some spics in Houston helped themselves to it. I was forced to buy a Nashville 400 and as far as I am concerned it cannot compare to the 500. I really miss it.

Folks,

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm going on what you guys say. Since I've never had a Session 500, I don't know what I'm missing!!
So it's either another Nashville 400 or a silverface Twin.

Quesney, sorry about your amp, but the slur was a little tacky.

Thanks,
Drew

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I had a Session 400LTD as a back up amp, which I had the Session 500 and the EQ system in the two amps are different. Suffice to say the Session 400 LTD never left my house, the Session 500 always went on a job.

I have yet to find an amp to equal the Session 500. The Vegas comes near and is useful to performers who play another instrument, but IMHO the Session 500 is king.

In MHO the Nash 400 is a fine amp, However, when you A-B it alongside the old Session 500. The 500 wins hands down.
Like a buddy of mine told me"you only carry it for 5 or 10 minutes but you play it for 4 hours"

I'll just keep on bitching about the weight and liking the sound..

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Chuck.. ."Every day's a Holiday and every night's a Party";)

B Cole, I also think that the Session 500 is one of the best steel guitar amps Peavey ever made, (pending you can handle the weight of course, which is the only draw-back.) However, a "Mod" kit for the Nashville 1000? You're joking, right?

Man... where does this end? I'm sorry, guys, but every time I read about these "mod" kits for Peavey amps, it makes me feel like many of you don't feel that Peavey amps are any good unless they've been "modified" in some way.

Think about that for a moment. Many of us have been using Peavey amps for literally decades, and we loved the sound we got from the Peavey steel amps. Unfortunately, it seems like we've all decided that just about all Peavey steel amps need to me modified to get the sound you want?

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not at all against new technology, or in finding ways to make something better if possible, and I'm sure Peavey Electronics isn't either. However, now we're even suggesting that the Nashville 1000 needs a "Mod" kit! No offense to anyone here, but I think that is absolutely absurd.

I'm not a pro and seldom play outside my home, but when I do, the weight of my 500 (which I otherwise love) was a formidable problem. So I had the pre and power amps and the reverb unit built into a wooden case and left the speaker in the original enclosure. Now I have 2 approx 40 pounders to carry when I do take my gear out. I'm glad I had it done, because, to my ears anyway, I haven't lost anything in the way of sound, tone, volume, etc. And I can place the electronics box beside me if I want to tweak tone, paramid, presence, etc, etc, and can place the speaker any resonable distance away from where I'm sitting. I love it.


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Don Walters
Carter D-10, 8p/6k
Session 500 with Lemay Mod

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Don Walters on 04 March 2001 at 08:09 PM.]</p></FONT>

Being the moderator in this section I read all the posts. It never ceases to amaze me how people want the vintage amps (Fender) but then there is a multitude of alterations that make it "sound good". If I were looking for the vintage Fender sound I would want an amp that is original. Also, I take the position I am a technician not a design engineer and as such I don't try to design circuits, which I was taught in electronics schools back in the early 60's.

I also see a lot of "mods" or questions about mods from non technical types. Some are funny such as the recent e-mail I got for the Session 500 Mod that removes the XLR impedence transformer and removes 10Lbs weight from the amp. That is obviously something someone who had no idea came up with as the XLR transformer is a very small transformer that at outside will weigh 8 oz and would be insignificant.

This is not to say that all mods are bad. The Nashville 400 mod is what Peavey should have originally engineered into the circuit. The amp couldn't have decent frequency response with the size of some of the coupling capacitors. But again, I leave the circuit analysis to the engineers such as my friend Blake Hawkins who is a degreed Electronics Engineer.

Personally, I am delighted that this discussion continues as it keeps interests up. In reality, the reason new automobiles are introduced every year is to excite sales of a product, but this is not the only reason. The other reason is that in the fast paced automotive market, new ideas, improved part specifications, and features pop up that benefit the end user. This happens in the musical instrument industry also. I can't recall a period of time in my musical life when there has been so many ideas surfacing. It's great! This is the reason why we are always striving for the ultimate sound, and we won't stop.

At any rate, I think that you Forumites have answered the majority of Drew's questions, but I will be glad to assist him also. My e-mail address is "mikebrown@peavey.com".