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Topic: Session 500 as Bass |
Chris Langman
From:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 6:33 am |
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Help.. I have a session 500 which I don't take on gigs (Guess why? too heavy) I find the Fender valve amps work for me, as I have to double up on guitar!
Question is... my Bass player has blown up his amp, we have little money, and I would gladly let him use the Peavey, but not if a bass would do it damage. Seems to me that this is unlikely... am I right? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 7:03 am
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| If it has the original 1502 Black Widow in it, Peavey lists that as a "bass speaker". At "moderate" volume levels it would probably be OK (maybe even at higher levels). The C6th 10th string (low C) is in the bass range (usually raised to a D - the same as the open D string on a Bass and lowered to A - the same as the open A string on a Bass) and it doesn't hurt the amp but then it's not a constant on that bass string like it would be with a regular bass guitar. |
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Roger Kelly
From:
Bristol,Tennessee
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 7:06 am
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| If you value your speaker you will NOT let a Bass player play through it. It has an open back cabinet and not designed for Bass use.....period. This is not to say that a Bass player couldn't play through the 500 without damaging it but out in a live situation it would be easy for him to get carried away and blow your speaker...like he did his. |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 8:24 am
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In the early 80's I used my Session 500 for bass for three years with no damage at moderate volume.
But I went straight into the amp with no effects unit.
Also in the late 90's I used my NV400 for bass also.
Although I never played my bass at a loud volume only at MODERATE volumes.
If you play at loud R&R volume I'd be wary of any damage to the amp.
Don |
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J. R. McClung
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Steve Alonzo Walker
From:
Spartanburg,S.C. USA (deceased)
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Posted 15 Feb 2008 1:21 pm
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| You could blow the speaker in the 500. Unplug the internal speaker and plug his cabinet into the 500. That's what I do when I use it for bass. What a sound and plenty of power. |
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Johnny Thomasson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2008 2:51 pm
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Yeah, what Steve said. In the proper cabinet your 500's speaker would probably be OK, but a bass could blow it pretty easy in an open back cab. If your bass player blew his amp and not his speaker (you didn't say which), it would be fine to drive his cab with your 500. More than fine actually, it would probably sound great. I've done the same with my old 85 watt blackface Twin, and was really surprised at how good it sounded as a bass amp.
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Johnny Thomasson |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 9:43 am
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Though the original Fender Bassman WAS open back.
It also was the ONLY choice at the time
and was tube friendly, slow and easy distortion.
And PA systems were' so hot and no one dared get
too loud.
AND it had 4 drivers,
could move more air than 1, 15 can.
More face time as it were.
Transistors are not so friendly,
and bass EATS power like all get out.
I use 1000w RMS into 2-10's... BUT they are in
a really good Ported Cab. NOT open backed.
IF you can take the time to 'tune the placement of the amp'
and it's open back JUST SO in a corner
or near a wall,
to properly couple the front and back waves
a bit for MOST of your playing frequencies,
Well... it will really depend on the drummer.
He can make it work or kill you amp in an hour.
Bass speaker or not.
Open back is pretty darned rare for bass amps
for a reason.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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Mike Brown
From:
Meridian, Mississippi USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2008 9:02 am Session 500 As A Bass Amp
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| Bingo! An opened back cabinet is not a good design for bass guitar applications. The amp will work for any application though. |
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