Peavey session 500 adjustments

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Hi friends, I've never been quite able to get the right sound out of this Peavey session 500 amp. I've printed the manual,But of course it doesn't give any suggestions about amp settings. It always sounds a little muddy. I like it clearer. If someone who owns one of these units could suggest some amp settings I'd certainly be grateful. Tennessee Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Try
Bass +9
Mid -4 or so
Shift a bit above 800
Treble between 0 and +3
Presence between +3 and +6
Always works for me
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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

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I used a Session 500 for about 14 years. My settings were similar to Lane's. Actually, over the years with Peavey amps with the Paramid EQ, I found I set all the amps about the same (even a Nashville 112).

My mid was 800Hz and generally -2 to -3. The High and Presence both were around Zero to Plus 1, depending on how new the strings were. This was with both a 71 PP Emmons D-10 with the stock single coil pickups and later with my D-10 Franklin with Lawrence 705 pickups and later Lawrence 710 pickups.

My personal opinion, and I've said this before, I think the Session 500 was the best pedal steel amp Peavey had.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Lee, if your tone is muddy, I'd try a Lil' Izzy. Cleans up amazingly well.
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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

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Mixing back the mids should clean the tone nicely. Believe that Buddy Emmon's referred to the mid range on Peavey steel amps as, "The goose" (as in honk, honk). I second Lane's suggestion, employing the 'Li'l Izzy' will do wonders for your overall tone.

John Limbach · From: Billings, Montana, USA

Got this from the forum sometime back. Interesting

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Lee, reading the gear list in your sig, unless you need that extra power of the 500, if your 65RI Twin has a 15, the best sound the 500 would give you is an an amp stand for the Twin. Or get a line out installed in the Twin, use the 500 as a powered extension cab for the Twin.
I'm half kidding, but only half.
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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

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

First thanks for the info and that list will be very helpful. I have to tell you the story behind the amp
When I got it I wanted someone that knew something
To check it out. An amp tech who didn't work on peavey's recommended this other amp tech, who was a peavey specialist. So he looked at it and told me someone had the wrong ohm resistors in it. when I got it back I was playing it with some of the guys
for two hours and all of a sudden no output. Back it goes to him. Their was a short in the IC's what ever they are. He says he's gonna yank em all out and solder directly to whatever. sounds OK to me. When I get it back The amp is playing great, But no Reverb. I call up He say's he's coming out to my house. Let me point out that it was about 45 miles between our homes. Turned out a wire had pulled out of the connector that goes in the pre-amp. He just resoldered it. Originally I never had a problem with the string sound, but since all this work has been done now it sounds like fuzz tone. I'm not upset because he did a lot of work for what he charged. $250.00 I paid for the amp. His repair
Bill $190.00. He didn't want anymore money for coming to my house. I am going to upload a picture of all the parts he changed for you amp guys. I wish I could open it up and show you his work but I don't want to get electrocuted. Tennessee Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I'm a former amp tech (in Nashville) and there has never an issue with the IC sockets. Very little problems with them. Taking them out and soldering the IC's directly really wasn't needed or a good move.

Resistors have "ohms", capacitors are rated in farads, micro farads, etc.

Its your amp and if you are happy with it, good. I would never "hack up" an amp like that.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Jack you are correct I met resistors. He told me
he wanted to make it bomb proof. in other words if the amp got knocked around. I don't think he hacked it up, it wouldn't be playing at all. I'm trying to remember what he said about those resistors. I thought he said they were supposed to be 0.3 and someone put in three ohm resistors or maybe it was the other way around. He said the amp would have blown eventually. T.L.

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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

I was wondering, Looking at that List of players,
variable crossover is basically blank except for two musicians. Is it my understanding that most people
leave it off. I had it on 300. I'm going to try some of these settings through my MSA D-10. I'll leave variable crossover off. Let you know how it sounds.
T.L.
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The crossover only affects an external amp. e.g. bi-amping with two amps. If you are just using the Session 500, that control does nothing.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Thanks Jack,I found out that turning the paramid to minus 3, amongst other adjustments you suggested opened it up to a brighter sound I was after. Getting back to the amp tech. When he was at my house fixing the reverb. I pointed it out to him that the string sound was screwed up. When I turn the right button on with the level on Zero no output out of the speaker until I increase those knobs then I get a distorted sound. He said, man that's not right. Anyhow he said he was gonna get some things together and come back out and fix it. T.L.
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

If you have the level on 0 you'll get no output.
String is a distortion effect tweaked a bit to sound like crap for rock and roll. When played with string!like lines, it's not bad.
Level is the volume knob, it overrides the pre gain.
The other knob changes the amount of fuzz.
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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

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Lane, So what your saying is That's the way the string sound is supposed to be. Well when the amp tech was here and I was telling him it didn't sound like it use to. He must have thought I was nut's.
Maybe that's why he hasn't been answering his phone for the last 4 months. Hah. I could swear, but then again that's only me, but I thought I had a much cleaner sound on strings before he worked on it. T.L.
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I never liked the strings sound built into the Session 500. I would still use either a bosstone, or my favorite was a Univox fuzz box (the lavender colored one). I have a 45 here somewhere that I did a session where I used the cello type of string effect. Sounded pretty cool.

EDIT: Although I think the string effect in the 500 adjusted the tone controls to cut the highs and boost the bass. Been so long, I can't remember. I used an EQ pedal with the fuzz box so I didn't have to get up and go to my amp to adjust tone controls.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

To be honest with you Richard, Just using the reverb works for me. Other than that the amp is working fine. It's much more powerful than it previously was. Setting the pre and post gain at 2 and 4 respecttively Is as loud as I can go in my studio, Above that it's blasting.T.L.
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I've used just the fuzz on the fly at gigs. It sounds fairly decent without adjusting tone or reverb. It sits in the mix OK. But it's not quite as nice. I cured the problem years ago, by buying a small keyboard for string, organ and brass sounds.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Peavey sure had a great product back then. You know I've always played Fender amps, Twin Reverbs, Tremolux,Super reverb and of course the Showman. These were all mid 60's amps. Then when I bought a new Nashville 112, It was the worst sounding amp I ever played through. So I was kinda soured on That Amp and anything new from Peavey. It could have been a lemon though. T.L.
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

If you are a "tube guy" just about any solid state will not do. The NV112 is not a bad amp, or it wouldn't have sold as well as it did. Also, if you don't know how to properly adjust the Peavey "Para Mid" EQ it will sound bad.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I agree with Jack. If you're used to Fender tube tone, it can be hard to get nice sounds out of the Peavey. They manage the mids differently.
Try running the string effect with the volume around 4, and the other knob at about 6 or 7. The string IS a distortion, but not very rock-friendly.
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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

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Jack and Lane, Funny thing the guy I sold it to
said the 112 sounded okay. Now I had tried those amp settings that they give you in the book. To me, just
couldn't get it to sound right. I know plenty of people play the new Peavey amps and their happy
With them. I also appreciate the info T.Lee
_________________
2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

The 500 was a great amp. Just too heavy. Mine was a lemon and broke down too many times. Broke down maybe 6 times under warranty. When it was working, it sounded great. This is not typical of the 500. My 500 just had issues when playing outside in 100+ heat. The music store (Peavey dealer and repair station) got sick of seeing me bring it in. They ended up giving me a new Nashville 400 to replace it. All I had to do was pay the sales tax. That was 1984, and that NV400 is still going today. I went from a Twin Reverb with JBL's to a Session 400 with a JBL. That was the worst amp I ever played through. It finally got to the point of blowing out the power transistors. I haven't heard many people who played through the NV112 that have really impressed me with the sound, including a much loved pro on here. I think I just prefer the sound of a 15" speaker more than a 12".
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Richard; A local steel player who used to play professionally would come over and give me some pointers on playing. He said the best sounding amp I had for steel guitar was the showman amp and the worst was the Nashville 112. He also thought their was something wrong with it. Said you needed the 15 in. speakers for that fat sound. Just his opinion. Say did they ever tell you what some of the problems were with your 500 at that time? T. Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

They could never pinpoint it and got tired of looking. Peavey just gave them permission to take it back and give me the NV400. It probably made it's way back to Peavey.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

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