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Topic: 70's Peavey Session 400 vs. 70's Garnet Session Man |
Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 3 Oct 2007 6:31 pm |
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I just had my new (old) Garnet Session Man w/2x12" re-tubed (EH 6AC7's) and the shop had a recently acquired Session 400 w/1x15" Black Widow on the floor. I had my Sho~Bud along so I played through both. While the Session 400 was pretty nice (good reverb, clean, clean tone) the Garnet cleaned it's clock. The Peavey has more tone controls, but I just couldn't get a tone any where as sweet as easily coaxed from the Garnet. I'm not especially surprised, as I've always favored tube amps, but I had never played my steel through a highly-regarded solid state steel amp. The Garnet also had a much bigger bottom end, even with it's bass control at 12 o'clock and the Peavey's dimed.
I did find it interesting that my Matchbox made the Session 400 pretty muddy, and sounded better without it. It did, however, make the Session Man just sing! |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 3 Oct 2007 7:48 pm
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Marc,
This is interesting because I've always wondered what a steel would sound like through a Garnet. There's a Garnet for sale here locally. Maybe I should go check it out.
I must add, though, that a Session 400 is capable of serving up some distasteful tone if you have the shift set way back and the mids up too high. It' a tricky amp, but the right settings really make a steel sound great.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Cliff Kane
From:
the late great golden state
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Posted 3 Oct 2007 9:39 pm
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| Is Garnet related to Traynor, or Pete Traynor? Aren't they similar to the early Traynor Bassmaster, or the early Traynor Marshall JTM45 clone? That's like apples and oranges. I love my '75 Session 400, but tubes trump transistors every time. Go Canada! |
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Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 4 Oct 2007 6:51 am
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Chris,
I should also mention that the tones I got out of the Session 400 were nothing to complain about. I was really just missing the harmonics inherent in a tube-based sound.
Definitely check out the Garnet! Gar's website is still up and pretty helpful.
Cliff,
I could be wrong, but I don't believe the two to be directly related. My Garnet is pretty Fender-ish, even though it runs on 6CA7's. Go Canada! |
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