peavey la 400 way cool craiglist find

[Matthew Jackson]

I just put in a set of Fox chips in this craiglist find and darn it. What an amp. I had never seen or heard of these before, I bought it since I have always loved the old PV special 130's and thought this would be the same amp, only more powerful, more head room, etc. Was I ever wrong! I think this sounds better than the NV 400 I had, the mids and highs have a rich tone the NV 400 did not, I really assumed I would hear a lack of lows due to a 12 inch instead of a 15. I think the 12 sounds very rich and less sterile than the NV400. I am not sure if it is the mods, 12 vs 15, dark beer, grey hair or just something else, but, if you stumble on one of these.... don't let the fact that they are dirt cheap fool you, you may just love it.
I may be a 15 to 12 convert.
I have have a BW 15 that I thought I would use, beliving you just have to use a 15, but, I am not changing anything on this la 400.
gonna sell the 15.......

[Jim Pitman]

I've finally concluded the worse thing about the Peavey amps for steel is the BW 15. A 12 does if for me too.

[Matthew Jackson]

I am pretty sure many would dis agree that a bw 15 is not a good speaker. in all fairness it seems 15s overwelminly are more used for psg. most if not many more qualified than me make that call. but to my ear the 12 in this just sounds rich and full and better than the nv400 I had. but the fact remains that the nv400 is the benchmarks Psg amp as I see it. I am loving the Roland cube 80 as well. the la400 for me is a keeper for sure. granted sound is subjective but to my ear I prefer both the la400 and the cube 80 tone over my old and sold nv400. I really like the sound of 12s these days of course I am a banjo player so my 2 cents is worth what you just payed for it lol

[chris ivey]

what a bummer. 30 years of concerts, steel conventions and recordings with a majority played through peavey BW15's and now they're the worst speaker for steel. if we had only known...

oh well, too late to do anything about the past.

[Matthew Jackson]

yea it is a turf one lol. really I can only comment on what I like but lets face the facts here. peavey bw 15s have more than a respectible track record.my guess is the 12 inch lover's like myself are a small.club. heck truth be known the only club with less members are the loyal fans at a banjo convention that are not married to a banjo player. lol. but sometimes looking out side the box is valid. personally since I play a gfi and not an emmons and love the sound I get from a cube it may be my passion for something different. but peavey 130 specials and now this la400 are the bomb even if they are a. cheap amp under 200 bucks. lol

[Mitch Adelman]

I put a jensen neo speaker in my LA 400. Lightened load considerably and sounds great!Ken Fox mods and chips as well!

[Len Amaral]

The peavey 1501-4 speaker is in my rotation and I do not care for a 12 inch 1203-4 with my u-12 guitars. Now for 6 string guitar the 1203-4 or 8 has a nice sound. To each his own.....

[Tom Cooper]

I am using a Special 130 with chip mod and emminence spkr and really dig it for pedal steel, console and rockabilly gtr. Clean, tough power. I think I like it better than my Nash 400. The Nash is great but something about the 130 that is just cool. Want to get better speaker one day, maybe one of the new lighter designs. Found mine through Guitar center for 2 bills, still had manual and looked like never giged with. 50lbs of pure power. Would like to try your vegas amp. the Nash seems like it needs something in front of it. the Special just has it. I gig a lot and dont want to mess with tube amps anymore. I play mostly clean and dont really need tube overdrive. Gtr player in classic country band I am in plays a Special 212 and it is amazing. They really made some great SS amps. And for great value. I respect those old amps a lot.