Ken Byng wrote:If it wasn't for the fact that I have 7 Peavey amp already, I would probably have bought the Session 400 15". The original Peavey Session amp is one of my favourite solid state amps for steel guitar. The original Session and LTD amps didn't have the mid range honk that their later amps had.
I grew up listening to and then playing through my dad's later "Limited" model. The honk on his is pretty controllable and it isn't as bad as people make out for being brittle. I'm probably biased or maybe my dad bought a good one. So much for being the ugly duckling of the Peavey amp world... The original Session 400 and LTD 400 are definitely a different level though. I have limited experience with Nashville 400/112s but I've heard a couple of really honky and brittle videos of Nashville 1000s at steel shows. In a way, that sound makes me smile for the nostalgia, but I'd definitely be a sound engineer's worst nightmare in 2025 if I tried it

.
That being said...my dad's amp is on its last legs and after being side tracked by tube amps and Quilters...I think I've made a decision to go back to my roots and get the new one. I certainly don't miss the weight of my dad's amp when gigging the Quilter but I do prefer the Peavey sound for steel. As great as my Quilter is.
It's really funny about all this stuff we can end up buying. I wasn't 10 percent of the player I've progressed into, but my favourite sound is from many years ago in my 6th form days...My dad's Sho-Bud Pro 1, Peavey Session 400 Limited, Boss RV3 and Goodrich Buffer...pure basics. Maybe it's rose tinted glasses.
Kind Regards, Steven Hicken Jr.
Steels - 2015 Show Pro SD10 - 2025 Resobird - Steven Hicken Sr's 1981 Sho Bud "The Pro-1"
Amps - Quilter 202 TT12, TC Furlong Sesh 400