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Author Topic:  Session 400
rpetersen


From:
Iowa
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2016 3:08 pm    
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Chance to buy one - does anyone recall what speaker was used in a "76"
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Ron Petersen
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Mike Schwartzman

 

From:
Maryland, USA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2016 6:05 pm    
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I believe my Session 400 was made in 1977, and the stock speaker was a 4ohm Black Widow 15. It's the model that has the spider web design on the magnet.
I have read here on the forum that the earlier models had stock JBL speakers, but I don't know which year that the change to Black Widows was made.
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Ernie Renn


From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2016 6:27 pm    
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JBL or Black Widow would be my guess. I've had both...
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 6:49 am    
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I have a 76, and it has the BW with the Spider Web on the back....

BTW, I think it’s a great sounding amp... the 500 is my favorite, but this
400 to my ear is very close to it.
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rpetersen


From:
Iowa
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 12:02 pm    
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I just picked up the amp
it has the silver knobs and a JBL speaker
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Ernie Renn


From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 2:45 pm    
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Cool! I hope you like it! They're my favorite amp.
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rpetersen


From:
Iowa
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 5:51 pm    
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Yup Ernie - Just messed around with it - Forgot what a great amp sounded like!!!!!
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Fred Rushing

 

From:
Odin, IL, USA
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 7:12 pm     Session 400
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Anyone know what the true weight of the session 400 from that era?

Fred
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Wesley Medlen

 

From:
LaCygne,Ks
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 3:37 am    
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I had one with a JBL it weighed about 62 lbs. Wes
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Bill Terry


From:
Bastrop, TX
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 5:52 am    
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Watch that JBL, they can and do blow up in Session 400s at high volumes. That's why finding an early one with an intact JBL is somewhat more rare.
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rpetersen


From:
Iowa
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 6:43 am    
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Thanx Bill - I was the original owner - Bought it new - Gal in the band bought it when I switched to a Vegas 400 since I was playing 2 instruments - It has spent the last 20 years just setting in a warm house and only played on Christmas- So it hasn't been hurt and I don't play loud -- So cross my fingers, it sure sounds great!!
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Bill Terry


From:
Bastrop, TX
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 6:28 am    
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Wow, interesting.. I have to ask who made money on that deal?? LOL..

The problems we had (I was working at a Peavey dealer when they first came out) were usually guys that just played really loud, especially those who played a lot of C6. Not everybody blew them up, and those JBLs do sound good. Nobody I sold one to ever complained about that.

Sorry, I tend to gush about Session 400s; IMO one of the best bargains out there for steel guitar amps. I don't understand why they don't bring more. We had another thread about this I think, I suppose weight has something to do with it.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 7:00 am    
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NICE find !

The BW , we should all know this, was supposedly designed to emulate the JBL with the ability to handle the power. could handle the power. Evidently they did that and very well.

Early S-400, yes-siree bob, silver knobs and a JBL, really nice amp.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 7:10 am    
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Interesting, I just called one of the NC Guitar Centers that has one for sale , Silver knobs looks great in the photo, asking $325...I asked about it ...then this...

IT'S MISSING , not sold..literally missing...

It's not in the store, not in the back, not anywhere other than " GONE "...

Oh well , guess I will not be taking a ride this afternoon !

take a look...
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Peavey/Session-400-LTD-Guitar-Combo-Amp.gc
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 9:19 am    
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What is the difference between the Session 400 and the Session 400 LTD?
I see the one at Guitar Center is listed as a LTD.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 9:57 am    
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The Session 400 LTD is the Session 400 in a smaller cabinet.
The Session 400 Limited is a newer amp, that tried to emulate the original Session 400, but with IC op amps instead of discrete transistors. It came close.
If you search the Guitar Center site, you'll find two 400 Limiteds and an LTD.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 10:00 am    
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Lane,
I gather that the earlier Session 400 is the preferred amp?
Erv
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Bill Terry


From:
Bastrop, TX
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 10:17 am    
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Quote:
I gather that the earlier Session 400 is the preferred amp?


.. or the LTD 400, they're identical circuits, but some prefer the smaller cab. Most folks think the discrete circuits (no op-amps as Lane noted) sound more 'tubey'..

It's amazing (but understandable) how mixed up sellers and buyers get over these models.

This is wrong, it's just a 'Session 400'..
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Peavey/Session-400-LTD-Guitar-Combo-Amp.gc?country=us&currency=usd&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=CN-815fzgcsCFdgKgQoddz0LmA&kwid=productads-plaid^172966254282-sku^111665956@ADL4GC-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^66736785762

Here's the plain 'ol LTD 400 (no Session in the name), reverb.com got it right:
https://reverb.com/item/1675879-vintage-peavey-ltd-400-pedal-steel-amp-15-black-widow?_aid=pla&currency=USD&pla=1&gclid=CKS-2cXzgcsCFdcYgQodu3YIwA

Mike Brown from Peavey wrote an article that is really the definitive explanation IMO.
http://peavey.com/media/pdf/steelguitar/31years.pdf
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 10:20 am    
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Indeed. By most. Sinkler hated his. My personal ranking is 400,500, LTD (the smaller cab reduced the beefy), 400 Limited, Nashville 1000, N400, N112 and you couldn't give me a 2000
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Tim Whitlock


From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 11:49 am    
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This looks like a good deal: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Peavey/SESSION-400-LIMITED-Guitar-Combo-Amp.gc?pfm=sp
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 12:03 pm    
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Quite so. Unbeatable price.
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rpetersen


From:
Iowa
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 12:54 pm    
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Bill - as to your post earlier - I'm sure I paid more for it the second time then I did the first time!! Don't really recall what it was 40 years ago!!
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Ron Petersen
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Bill Terry


From:
Bastrop, TX
Post  Posted 18 Feb 2016 1:11 pm    
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Ron, that's all good if nobody remembers who paid what.. Smile

If I remember right, they were 599.00 retail in the early days, and we sold them routinely for 20-25% off list. I'm not 100% sure that's right, it's been a lot of years, but my point is they've held their value remarkably well over the years.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 19 Feb 2016 3:08 am    
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Erv Niehaus wrote:
What is the difference between the Session 400 and the Session 400 LTD?
I see the one at Guitar Center is listed as a LTD.
.
Erv, thats the one I called about, it is missing, gone, lost, maybe stolen...


The photo shows a very nice clean Session 400, the LTD is basically the same amp but in a smaller tighter cabinet.
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
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CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 19 Feb 2016 3:10 am    
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Tim Whitlock wrote:
This looks like a good deal: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Peavey/SESSION-400-LIMITED-Guitar-Combo-Amp.gc?pfm=sp



These are not to be confused with the session 400's, I owned one of these for a short time, I believe it to be a 90's built amp ( green trim) and it was nothing like a S400 or a N400. Not even close.
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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