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Post new topic Session 400 WOW.
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Author Topic:  Session 400 WOW.
Ian Sutton


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2013 11:06 am    
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Just picked up a Session 400 loaded with a 15" BW from fellow forumite Doug Paluch. Initially, I purchased this to be an amp to leave at the rehearsal space, and brought it out to a two-gig run last night and WOW.

Not only is the amp dead quiet, and has more than enough power to spare, but I received compliments on my tone at both gigs.

That said, the Nashville 112 is going the rehearsal space, and i'm going to have to do some long hard thinking about keeping my Silverface Twin.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 2 Aug 2013 8:08 pm    
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Yup. I think the 400 and 500 tie for the best steel amps Peavey ever made.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects


Last edited by Lane Gray on 3 Aug 2013 3:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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Cartwright Thompson


Post  Posted 3 Aug 2013 2:13 am    
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In case you haven't checked this out:
http://home.earthlink.net/~bradsarno/session_400page.html
The "mods"(more like upgrades) make a big difference.
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 4 Aug 2013 6:04 pm    
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I agree with Lane...I love both my 400 and 500...it seems like I've been able to dial the two of them into both sounding very close to each other...the 400 is a little noiser then the 500, but that's with nothing plugged in, but I'll track it down, both are awesome amps!!

Dale
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 5 Aug 2013 5:23 pm    
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gee...what a surprise! the first peavey amps designed for steel, and still one of the bestsounding and one of the cheapest.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 5 Aug 2013 5:46 pm    
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(Don't tell Hartley they peaked either in 74 or 80)
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Ian Sutton


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2013 7:52 am    
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Tonight I'll be pitting it against my SF Twin. I can't seem to dial the eq on that thing. Plus, with those monster transformers, the twin is pretty noisy.
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Ian Sutton


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2013 7:53 am    
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Even better news, is it has a sticker on it saying it was serviced by Peavey in 2005. It also looks like there is some residual dielectric grease on the caps of the transistors, so knock on wood it should be good to go for a while.
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Clyde Mattocks

 

From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2013 12:20 pm    
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I still use my NV112 primarily, but I recently bought another (I have three) Session 400 just because the price was right. I put it on the bandstand at a LOUD outdoor gig, and YEAH, I remember how great these amps are!
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro
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Bill Howard

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 8 Aug 2013 4:25 am     15" Speaker
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Personally I don't think a 12" speaker will outsound or sound as good as a 15" speaker.
I had a nice little 12" Jensen in a Behringer Amp as long as it didn't get loud in the Bar I played in it was fine great full tone but I had it in an American legion and there were 200 people plus about 100 kids and I finally went to the house and got my Session 400
Anyone with a lick of Club experience knows you need a lot of watts and a large speaker to cut thru the noise.
I ave a vintage metal knob session with the old black widow with spider on back 1501?.
I had a NV 400 for about 24 years with a JBL it killed me to carry it but things would move on those bar tables when I cranked it,I saw Salt and pepper shakers move one night true story:)..I had a Webb YAAAWN Sorry Didn't like it my NV 400 BLEW it AWAY. I think Webb Amps along with a lot of items get a big name and this reputation that originates from people stretching stories a little:).. I hears a man in Ohio playing thru an Old PA system with a great tone He had a fairly nice steel but PA SYSTEM??.
Then a certain steel guitar is the best?. I owned one of the most sought after steels ever a Franklin it was a quality instrument and stayed in tune well but I actually prefer the sound of my new guitar over it (Derby) may be a pick up difference of course franklin had a PF 2 in it now I have an E66 g l's. One of the best steel sounds I ever heard ? Wild Bill West (Dotties Ex) at Opryland He had a Junky and i mean JUNKY Sho Bud parts missing.. vice grip knee lever (really:),That man could play old twin Rev looked like it was ready to quit..
fact is skill is a major part of your sound folks knowing how to play this is why the old pro's get that tone..they use same stuff we do for the most part..But back to point Session 400 GREAT AMPS I LOVE MINE!!
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Pete Burak

 

From:
Portland, OR USA
Post  Posted 8 Aug 2013 7:39 am    
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I just got a 70's Session 400 and a 70's Peavey Pacer re-done with the components noted in Brad Sarno's Session 400 page (the Pacer takes different values but used similar types of a caps).
I didn't have any 4ohm 200W 15" speakers on hand, but I did have the two 15" 8ohm 200W cabs from my Stereo Steel rig.
So I had a un-mic'd (loud) outdoor gig last Sunday that I used the two 8ohm cabs.
The 400 has two 1/4" speaker outs so it was very easy to use the two 8ohm cabs in paralell for a 4ohm load... basically running dual-mono.
After the first song the band asked me to point one of the speakers at them (I was on the far left).
So I stacked one on top of the other, with one behind me pointing at me and the audience, and one on top of the other pointing at the band.
It sounded real good I thought!
I have since found a Weber Cali 15" that is only rated at 80W.
I stuck it in there so I can use the amp itself for lower volume gigs and rehearsals.
I guess I shouldn't run the master (Sensativity) greater than 50% with that speaker in order not to blow it.
It's not too heavy, but I may just go with no speaker and always use either one or two cabs.
I liked having the amp right next to me and the cab(s) behind me.
The speaker cords are 25-footers so I could run one speaker on either side of the stage I guess.
Nice. Smile
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