New Breed Nashville 400

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 17 Sep 2009 11:41 pm

This is a project I've been thinking about doing for the past year....Building a new combo amp cabinet using a 12" speaker for my NV-400. Well, it's finally completed with the help of Rick Johnson, the ace cabinet maker.(www.rickjohnsoncabs.com) What inspired me to try this was the 12" speaker sound of the NV-112, Fender Twin Reverb, and T.C. Furlong's 12" cabinet. After all the A/Bing, I've discovered in my NV400 that the 12" speaker in contrast with the 15" has a warmer, smoother mid range without the honk, clearer highs without the harshness, better punch with more definition, and all the low end you'll ever need. In other words, it just sounds better! Anyway, here are the specs: The new cabinet size is Ht-18.5, Length-21.5, Width-10.75 at the bottom. The speaker is an Eminence Delta-Pro 12L. The awesome Ken Fox mod is installed. Thanks again to Rick for the great job he did on my cabinet. Hope this inspires other steelers to think beyond the box. Cheers....Wayne

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 17 Sep 2009 11:57 pm

Bob...Could you please move my New Breed Nashville 400 post to "Steel Players" index. Sorry, my bad

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 18 Sep 2009 2:31 am

Very cool Wayne !! Have you tried it on the gig ?
Hook

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 18 Sep 2009 4:49 am

I discussed this earlier with Tommy Butler after recently working on an old LTD400 with a 12" BW (once belonged to Emmons). I had heard about that particular amp for years. I built one like it some years ago from an LTD400 chassis that I got from a forum member (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). The amp blew me away and I never forgot that tone!

Tommy has now done a N-400 and is going to do an LTD-400 next. He is experiencing the same results that Wayne has stated.

The speaker I recommend was a Delta Pro 12A, which is the clone of the EVM12L speaker. Tommy is using a 1201 BW speaker and getting awesome results as well.

You guys are great innovators! Keep up the good work!!

Here is the amp I did a few years ago, with a 1203-4BW.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 18 Sep 2009 6:06 am

That is a neat amp stand also!

Chuck McGill · Post by **Chuck McGill** » 18 Sep 2009 6:24 am

Wayne I've been using a 410 on steel and it sounds
great to me. It's in stereo so that also is a bonus
in a small cab. I go back a forth about stereo rigs
but they sure sound big.The 400 is cool and easy to
move.I find 15s are a bit hollow in the middle.

Joe Rogers · Post by **Joe Rogers** » 18 Sep 2009 7:16 am

Wayne, just curious. What is the total weight of the modded amp? Thanks!!!

Joe Rogers

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 18 Sep 2009 7:33 am

Hook, It reads like I just completed the project, but it was actually finished close to 3 months ago. Since then, I've had the amp out on several gigs locally and the results are still the same...Excellent!
Ken, You played a major roll in toying with the idea of a 12" speaker months ago. Thanks for all your help along the way!
Doug, I built that amp stand about a week ago. It's make from solid pine and it works great. I stole the idea from a post on the internet! Dealing with these small, hollow band stages on lower broad way, it's helped eliminate unwanted low frequency's that happen particularly when the band get's loud...

Here are a few more pics...

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 18 Sep 2009 7:47 am

Hey Joe, The amp weighs 53 lbs., About the same weight as the standard NV400, I think.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 18 Sep 2009 3:49 pm

so...if this sounds really good, would it work pretty much the same with an ltd amp cut to be an amp top...with a 12 inch speaker cabinet underneath?

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 18 Sep 2009 4:12 pm

Chris, Yes., Having a LTD head along with the 12" speaker cabinet would work great. It depends on what your going for...light weight, simplicity, closed back cab, etc. Wayne

Tommy Allison · Post by **Tommy Allison** » 18 Sep 2009 7:01 pm

Wayne, Could I possibly steal (pun intended) the measurements for the amp stand from you. I'd really like to make a couple for myself. Tommy

Wayne Dahl · Post by **Wayne Dahl** » 18 Sep 2009 8:17 pm

Tommy; No problem. The front is 9.5" then it tapers down to 8.0" towards the back. Length is 17", Total height is 10.5" Hope that works for you. Wayne

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 18 Sep 2009 10:29 pm

Man I wasnt sure if we were supposed to let this outta the bag or not, but since its KEWL well......

I too Kinda Got This Idea From Ken. I was kinda over the boomy sounding 15's Wanted a tighter bottom end and KRISP highs.

I went a lil different route. I bought some Bandit 65's and put the Nashville 400 chassis in them.

I have two Ken Fox Modded Nashville 400's in Mint Bandit cabs. One has a 1201-4 that has been reconed so its kinda a JBL / Black Widow hybrid, The other has an Eminence Delta pro 12A.

I recently bought an LTD 400 . I was kinda disappointed after delivery cause the 15" speaker was bad. It needed service really bad, it even has a 12 volt car fuse in it ?? I sent the chassis to Ken for his mod and I had heard that Wayne had Rick build him a different sized cab. Well it kinda got me thinking.. HMMM since the LTD 400 has a re-movable baffle board why not replace it with a 12" speaker??

Rick was already working on recovering a cab for me so I had him build a 12" baffle for the LTD. The baffle came so I mounted it and the LTD 400 arrived like an hour before I had to be at a gig today so I threw the chassis in the cab and ran out to a gig...

Man these amp have got it...

Peavey sooooo often gets over looked as being THE BENCH mark for steel amps period !!! Some of the "BOUTIQUE" or "CUSTOM AMPS" I see go for $650 to $1000 used and alotta people think well I aint paying $400 for a Nashville 400..

Seriously these amps are worth what ever you have to pay to gettem.

A typical Nashville 400 is $350. add a new speaker, $100 add the Ken Fox mod and you easily have $700 in it... Its worth it. I havent played thru a better sounding amp EVER !!!

I carried one of the Nashvilles out and let some other guys play thru it and the just cant believe it !!! Period.

Heres a pic of the LTD with a 12" Baffle and grill by Rick Johnson, Modd by Ken fox

Heres a pic of the Nashville 400 in a Bandit 65 cab.

Best sounding amp by far I have ever played thru !!!! PERIOD

Oh the red amp was covered by Rick as well. Its an Encore 65 watt tube amp with 2 6l6's in it.. Another 12" speaker. Warm yes... For studio gigs yes. Tone YES !!!

.

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 18 Sep 2009 10:34 pm

Oh I meant to add the LTD 400 with a Neo magnet weighs less than a Nashville 112.. with alot more headroom...!
One wouldnt believe how these amps with 12" speakers will fill ANY ROOM and stand toe to toe with every fender twin I've sat up beside !!

Tommy Allison · Post by **Tommy Allison** » 19 Sep 2009 4:50 am

Thanx wayne.

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 19 Sep 2009 5:23 am

Thanks Wayne and Tommy, Great idea guys !!
Hook

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 19 Sep 2009 9:28 pm

Thanx Hook !!

I got several emails asking about the weight of the LTD 400 with a 12" speaker neo mag..

36 pounds... But the tone weighs 150#

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 22 Sep 2009 12:12 pm

why is hook always shouting?

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 22 Sep 2009 1:26 pm

chris ivey wrote:why is hook always shouting?

huh ?? What'd u say ??

LoL

.

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 22 Sep 2009 6:30 pm

Shouting is all caps. I speak clearly without that.
Hook

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 23 Sep 2009 10:57 am

Is the Eminence speaker 8ohm ? How does this match up to the amp, I believe the Blackwidow 15 is 4ohms, would this cause any problem?

Tommy R. Butler · Post by **Tommy R. Butler** » 23 Sep 2009 9:42 pm

The Eminence actually test out around 5.5 or 5.7 ohms so u wont really notice a difference. You may have to turn the gain up just a lil more than you normally would.

Keith Currie · Post by **Keith Currie** » 12 Jul 2013 6:47 am

How do you guys think the Nashville 400 with a 12" speaker would compare with a Nashville 112?
Any one have an opinion?