Hello Tony, here ya go!TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF "STAINLESS STEEL" PRODUCTION
Although Peavey has been manufacturing amps for over 35 years, it's hard to believe that it's been twenty-seven years since we began manufacturing steel guitar amplifiers. In the early seventies, the Peavey Session 400 amplifier was our introduction to this market. The Session 400 amplifier was rated at 200 watts of power and featured a 15" JBL speaker. I frequently receive calls and letters from steel guitarists who still own original Session 400's, and they say that they still work flawlessly. Steel guitarists and fiddlers seem to hang on to these amplifiers, as they recognize the Session 400 as being the amplifier by which all other steel guitar amplifiers are judged. It seems that a lot of folks remember "the good old sound," and this is what they pursue when buying new amplifiers and instruments that are introduced every year at various shows. There is definitely nothing wrong with this, as the vintage amplifiers were what formed the "sound" that is desired by many musicians today. But we also believe that the best is yet to come. Therefore, we strive to present new ideas and features in the new products that we frequently introduce. Through the years we have introduced such new features as pre-EQ patch loops, DDT compression to protect the speaker, preamp/power amp in effects loops, mid frequency/shift controls, and the string effect. Effects processors (such as the Peavey ProFex II, ProFex, TubeFex and TransTube Fex products), as well as other digital effects, have also been introduced and used by many steel guitarists.
When designing and developing a new amplifier, the most important qualities are that it sounds good and is voiced for the instrument that it will be designed for. We've always believed this at Peavey, and this is how we approach building amplifiers. If it doesn't sound good, there is no need to build it. We also want to design a product that the consumer can use on the road or in the studio. This formula has worked well for us. Below is a brief overview of the products that we have introduced and manufactured for the steel guitar since the early seventies. As mentioned earlier, our first steel guitar product, introduced in the mid seventies, was the Session 400 amplifier. The little brother to the Session 400 (little in size, not in power) was the LTD 400. This amplifier had the same circuitry as the Session 400 but was smaller in physical size. This particular amp is also sought today by many players.
The next version of a steel guitar amplifier that we manufactured was called the Session 500, which was the "Cadillac" of all steel guitar amplifiers at that period of time. This amp featured a 15" Peavey Black Widow speaker. It was rated at 300 watts at 2 ohms and 250 watts at 4 ohms. It also had such features as a phase shifter and a string effect that emulated a fiddle type of sound. This amp also had the pre-EQ pedal patch, which is a feature we continue to use today in the design of our newer steel guitar amplifiers. This pedal patch was a point in the circuit right after the first gain stage that would allow the player to plug in the volume pedal and maintain a reverb or effect tail when the volume pedal is closed or decreased. When the volume pedal is at its back position (OFF), the reverb would continue to ring out and would not shut off when the volume is turned off via the pedal. This is a feature that we still design into our steel guitar amplifiers today, and it has worked well for this application. We also included a variable crossover section, which would allow the player to use an additional power amp and cabinet so that the system could be bi-amped. The Session 500 had a very flexible patch panel on the back of the amplifier. There was even a transformer-balanced output on the back of the amplifier that you could connect to a mixing console or recorder input. The Session 500 was originally shipped with a hand controller, which could be clipped on the leg of the steel guitar for the defeat and activation of the reverb, phase shifter, or string effect. An optional foot switch for the same defeat functions was available at an additional cost. Although the Session 500 was originally in a short version cabinet, it was later changed to a tall cabinet, and the shelf area was redesigned on the back panel to accommodate a module style construction. This amplifier weighed more than any other steel guitar amplifier that we manufactured during that period of time, but owners of the Session 500 remain loyal to its massive size. This was the "Cadillac" of the steel guitar amplifiers as far as features.
In the early eighties, we introduced a new line of amplifiers called the City Series. In that series, we offered two steel amps which were called the Vegas 400 and the Nashville 400. These amplifiers were rated at 210 watts at 4 ohms. This would allow for the use of a steel guitar in one channel and a fiddle or guitar in the other channel. This was in much demand at the time and there have been several suggestions about this two-channel configuration in a future Peavey amp model.
The Nashville 400 was one of our most popular models ever and was in our steel guitar amplifier product line for over 16 years. By far, we probably sold more of these than any other steel guitar amplifier ever built, Peavey or non-Peavey, period. It was designed in a small style cabinet, which made it portable and carried a power rating of 210 watts at 4 ohms. Up until 1985 we used a 1502-4 ohm Black Widow speaker in this Nashville 400 version, which was later changed after 1985 to a 1501-4 ohm version. The Session 400 Limited is a very popular model with the steelers also. After much research, we decided to use the 1501-4ohm shallow paper cone basket in the Session 400 Limited, as well as the Nashville 400. The remainder of the Black Widow and Scorpion speakers used in other Peavey amps were designed with Kevlar impregnated cones, which can withstand the distortion characteristics that six string guitarists prefer. Understandably, we still continue to manufacture the Black Widow 1501-4 ohm paper cone shallow basket specifically for steel guitar and fiddle players.
As I mentioned earlier, we strive for improved features and sound in our amplifiers. Not too long ago, we improved the equalization circuit of the Nashville 400. Along with the improved Black Widow 1501 speaker, the "tone enhancement" smoothed out the complete frequency response of the amplifier. Soon afterwards, steel guitarists started returning their amp chassis to us at the factory for a permanent change in the circuit. For a fee of approximately $55.00 (plus shipping costs), your Nashville 400 tone circuit can include our tone enhancement. All Nashville 400 amps after serial number 00-08575482 included this tone enhancement at no extra charge.
During the 1980's, rack mount preamps and effects processors became popular among guitarists. These preamps also worked for steel guitar applications as well. Steelers were seeking smaller, yet lighter weight gear that would allow them to produce the "stereo" sound that six-string guitarists were enjoying. Thus, the Peavey ProFex was born. Digital processors were "the" way to go. These processors were no less than a mini computer in a single rack space chassis. This type of technology was improving and changing very rapidly, and it continues to do so today.
Continuing with our advancements in digital technology, we improved upon the ProFex and introduced the ProFex II. Many steelers either have a ProFex, ProFex II, TubeFex or TransTube Fex in their rack today. The TubeFex was introduced to accommodate those players who desired the "tube" characteristics. In our continuing research for a solid state circuit that could closely emulate tube characteristics, we introduced the patented Transtube technology line of amplifiers. At this time, it was sensible to include a TransTube Fex preamp. Steelers tried this product out also, and as they say, "the rest is history."
But, we couldn't stop here! What power amps and speakers would match these preamps for the steel guitarists? Well, at the time the digital revolution hit, Peavey was right on top of it and introduced the DECA (digital energy conversion amplifier) series of amps. As improvements and innovations were designed into these amps, they later became known as the DPC (digital power conversion) series of power amplifiers. Since power and clarity was needed to faithfully reproduce the voicing of the steel guitar, these amps were "the" choice of steel guitarists everywhere.
Peavey also saw the need for speakers that would truly reproduce the steel guitar. So, the Nashville 112E and the Nashville 115E steel guitar speaker enclosures soon followed, which brings us to the latest offerings for the steel guitarist.
In 1999, the Nashville 1000 began shipping to authorized Peavey dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The response to these amps has been nothing short of incredible! We combined our experience with digital technology and married it with our Black Widow 1501-4 ohm shallow basket speaker and "tone enhanced" Nashville 400 preamp. A balanced XLR output for direct recording and sound reinforcement was added as well as a post EQ effects loop for patching in your favorite effect.
Next, the Session 2000, RC2000 and PX300 system. This is the ultimate steel guitar system, which began shipping in the year 2000. The Session 2000 contains the best of the ProFex II, TubeFex and TransTube Fex units and is combined with a new digital power amp and the proven 1501-4 ohm Black Widow speaker. The RC2000 midi hand controller can be used with the ProFex II, TubeFex and TransTube Fex units as well as the Session 2000 amplifier. The PX300 powered enclosure is a match for the Session 2000 amp to achieve a stereo steel system. However, it will also work as a "slave" cabinet for any Peavey steel guitar amp that comes equipped with a PRE AMP OUTPUT jack. The Session 2000 system is the most advanced system and will make our competitors want to "hide their tools." It is the ultimate in steel guitar amplification.
As you can see, we have made vast improvements in steel guitar amplification since 1974. No other manufacturer can make that claim. We believe that we are on the right track, but should players have any particular features that they would like to see on a Peavey steel guitar amplifier, we invite them to send their suggestions to us here at the factory for consideration. You can reach Peavey in the U.S. by calling 1-877-732-8391 or e-mail Mike Brown at
mikebrown@peavey.com.
