Session vs Nashville Amps

Tim Kowalski · From: Illinois, USA

I am in the market for a nice steel amp. I see that there are some good deals on used Peavey Sessions and Nashvilles out there. I am interested in opinions on specific models.
I'm especially interested in hearing from those who have played both.

Thanks
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The biggest difference is the EQ system. The Session 500/Nashville 400/1000/112 all have the Peavey "Parametric MID EQ" system. The Session 400's use several different EQ systems but not the Parametric type.

Mike Kowalik · From: San Antonio,Texas

I've always felt that the Nashville 400 was the best steel amp ever made by Peavey.....specifically the early models that hade the chrome hardware.

Casey Lowmiller · From: Kansas

I have a Session 500, a Session 400, & two LTD 400s. I love them all.

Of course, the 500 is massive, the Session 400 is lighter, the LTD 400 is even lighter & my other LTD 400 is getting turned into a head unit.

I love them all!!!

Casey

P.s. For a "stationary amp", you just can't beat the Session 500. It really is the cadillac of steel guitar amps!!!

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

I play through a Session 500 and like it.
It sounds good and it's very heavy.
I gig, rehearse and record with it, so it goes in and out of the car a couple of times a week.
I feel sorry for the car so i'm looking out for a deal on a Nashville 112, witch is much smaller and sounds at least as good.

Uffe

autry andress · From: Plano, Tx.

The Session 500 will come out a winner every time,
it's the heavyweight, once you get it dialed in. I had to over look the weight because of the tone it produced. I played a N-400 for several years, & now own a Ken Fox modded LTD-400. So for now the Peavey LTD is what works for me because of size & weight & tone, & because I'm alot older. Good luck with your search...life is full of choices isn't it?

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I used a Session 500 for a long time (until 96 when I bought a Nashville 400). I have always said that the Session 500 was the best amp Peavey built for steel (except maybe the Nashville 112).

I had the first Session 500 that the Peavey dealer in Kansas City (Mo) got in. It was the original (small cabinet) model.

I now use a Nashville 112. It was part of my "physical size/weight downsizing".

I had a reissued Session 400 that I bought in 1990 at Quigley Music in KC. It was going to be a "backup" amp for the Session 500 as I was playing quite a bit and needed a backup amp. But, I could never get a sound I liked out of it and I suspect it was mainly due to the EQ system in the Session 400 compared to the 500's Parametric mid EQ system.

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Some one please correct me if I'm wrong, but one difference between the Peaveys is that the earlier amp--the Session 400--has a ciruit with discrete transistors, whereas the later amps--like the Nashville 400--has IC's. Like Jack says, the EQ is different (is the EQ on the Nashville 400 active, and the EQ on the Session 400 passive?), but my old model Session 400 does have a parametric type sweepable mid. I've owned a couple of Nashville 400's, and I was never really satisfied with the tone I was getting: they sounded okay, and I've heard other players sound really good through Nashville 400's, but I never felt that connected to the sound of mine. I have owned a couple of the Session 400's, and they sound really different from the Nashville 400, much better to my ears. The EQ seems to work better for tone shaping for me, and they have a warmer, more musical sound. I figure the fact that it's discrete transitors instead of IC's makes a difference, but also the cabinet is larger on the Session 400 than the Nashville 400, and that makes a difference, too. I didn't keep the Nashville 400's for too long, but the first Session 400 I had along with an Evans FET500, which sounded great, and when I had to sell one these amps, I sold the Evans and kept the Session 400. I think they all work differently with different people and different guitars, and, fortunately, enough of these are bought and sold so we can find the one that works best. Many thanks to Peavey for their dedication to the steel guitar!

Bill Stroud · From: Dresden, Tennessee, USA * R.I.P.

I have two of the Sessions left and like them both they sound good to me, I use the session 400 with the effects unit, and an FET500 Evans amp dry and I've got a good sound.
I like the new Evan Amps, and I like the GD Walker Stereo Combo Amp.
Bill

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

I bought a new Nash 400 when they first came out (81/82)? as a backup to my WEBB and Twin w/15" JBl. I liked the size of the amp but could never get the sound I was looking for so I sold it. I had played the Sessions and LTD 400's and very much like the sound. I think with the Ken Fox mod available today, they ae now what they should have been back then.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The Key to the Peavey's with the Parametric EQ is knowing how to set it. They do not "tune" like a standard tone control and many do not understand that. I was in West Plains, Mo visiting a Steeler Friend on Oct 1st and he was playing a Nashville 400 (original model) and was complaining about the sound. I reset the Paramid EQ controls for him and he is not a "happy camper" with the amp.

Whatever mod you do to the Nashville 400 (or any Peavey with the Paramid EQ), unless you know how to set the Parmid mid EQ it will never have "the sound".

Joe Alterio · From: Irvington, Indiana

I've owned and played out a Nashville 400, Nashville 1000 and Session 400. The Session 400 remains. The other two were sold months after their purchase.

On lower Broad I have noticed that a lot of pickers use the old Session 400 and 500 amps, and some still use a Nashville 400. I don't believe I've yet to see anyone use a Nashville 1000.

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

There was no difference in the circuit design/speakers/cabinets between a Nashville that had chrome hardware vs. black hardware. Only in 1997 or so, did we incorporate our tone circuit modifications into the very successful Nashville 400.

Tim Kowalski · From: Illinois, USA

I have located a Session 500 and it is on it's way to me. It is an older model (I think) judging by the knobs.

I can't wait!
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