The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Peavey Session 500 Mark IV Series
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Peavey Session 500 Mark IV Series
Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 13 Jan 2022 9:38 pm    
Reply with quote

I have a chance to get Session 500 Mark IV for almost a give-away price. It's blowing fuses and has no speaker. In other words, a good candidate to make into a head unit. Should I take a risk?

Please share your experiences with this amp. Thanks!

Don
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Dave Hopping


From:
Aurora, Colorado
Post  Posted 13 Jan 2022 11:16 pm    
Reply with quote

I have one, from the late '70s.Brutally heavy,but sounds sublime.I vote yes.



Last edited by Dave Hopping on 15 Jan 2022 2:37 am; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Murray McDowall


From:
Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
Post  Posted 14 Jan 2022 1:01 am    
Reply with quote

Hi Don,
I have done the same with my 500. I used 3/8” ply for the head cab and it still weighed in at about 42 pounds (19kg).
Great amp though. Just too damn heavy!! Depending on your pickups, you may need to use input 2 (lower gain), to avoid overdriving the first stage of the amp. Mine sounded a bit harsh in input 1.
I’ve had mine for many years and only ever replaced an output driver transistor, and had my right shoulder repaired!!!

Good luck with your project.
_________________
'99 Zum D-10 9x8,
'64 L Series "P" Bass,
Peavey Session 500,
Telonics TCA-500C & FP-100D pedal.
Steelers Choice Sidekick & Backrest.
Steelers Choice Seat.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 14 Jan 2022 9:08 am     Session 500
Reply with quote

Thanks Dave and Murray!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 14 Jan 2022 1:05 pm    
Reply with quote

I had one of the original model Session 500's (smaller cabinet). To me, best Peavey steel amp I've had, if I disregard weight.

Considering age, I would suspect power supply caps. May be other problems too but check power supply first.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Poston

 

From:
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Post  Posted 14 Jan 2022 1:23 pm    
Reply with quote

Session 500 is the best solid state amp ever built for steel in ny opinion.

I had a strange thing once where I needed one of the chips replaced and there are no replacements anymore so a different chip had to be used and put on a little bread board with a couple other caps or resistors or something.

I dunno it was a long time ago but thankfully had someone knowledgable enough to handle it.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 14 Jan 2022 10:20 pm     Session 500
Reply with quote

Can anyone tell me if these amps ever came stock with a 1501 Black Widdow?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Murray McDowall


From:
Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2022 1:08 am    
Reply with quote

I got mine SH without a mark on it with a BW 1501-4 in it.
As far as I know it was standard.
_________________
'99 Zum D-10 9x8,
'64 L Series "P" Bass,
Peavey Session 500,
Telonics TCA-500C & FP-100D pedal.
Steelers Choice Sidekick & Backrest.
Steelers Choice Seat.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2022 3:15 am    
Reply with quote

The 1502-4 was the stock speaker. If a different speaker is installed it was user added. Peavey used the 1502-4 in early Nashville 400's too. Didn't start using the 1501-4 until 1989/1990 in Nashville 400.

There were two cabinet sizes, the original "small" cabinet and a later larger cabinet. Peavey was considering an 18" speaker, but that never materialized.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Larry Moore


From:
Hampton, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2022 6:11 pm     Emmons Hum-Bucker
Reply with quote

I have a Emmons Hum-Bucker pickup It looks like the Emmons 108 pickups, but don't have 108 on the bottom side.
It has Emmons M5189. Can anyone help me I. D. this Pickup?
see picture below:




Thanks in advance
Larry
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Larry Moore


From:
Hampton, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2022 7:14 pm    
Reply with quote

Don I'm sorry I clicked the wrong thing
MY Bad
I did not mean to do that.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2022 12:03 pm    
Reply with quote

No problem Larry...honest mistake
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2022 9:44 pm     String Effect and Phaser
Reply with quote

For those of you who have owned the Session 500, could you tell me HOW WELL the string effect and phaser actually worked?

Did the string effect sound close to the Boss Tone? Does a single string ride really sound like a violin(s)?

Did the phaser sound like the Boss units (or whatever Waylon used)?

Thanks,

Don
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Poston

 

From:
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Post  Posted 25 Jan 2022 1:23 pm    
Reply with quote

The string effect is just a bad (IMO) solid state distortion and I'm not really sure what string groupings were supposed to be used or reverb or other settings were supposed to be so I never got it really working for anything in any meaningful fashion.

The phaser sound is peak late-70s vibe and I think it sounds great. Only pedal I've used is Phase 90 and that had a bit of an overdriven sound when I really layed into the steel whereas Session 500 onboard is very clean.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 25 Jan 2022 4:48 pm     Session 500
Reply with quote

Thanks John and Dave for the input on the string effect and phaser functions!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Patrick Huey


From:
Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jan 2022 4:58 am     Re: Session 500
Reply with quote

Don Mogle wrote:
Thanks John and Dave for the input on the string effect and phaser functions!

I don’t use the strings effect but the phaser is awesome. Don if you can make a head n cabinet out of it DO IT! It will make toting it way easier. Then you can have a nice speaker cabinet made….a nice Black Widow 4x15 maybe? 😂
_________________
Pre RP Mullen D10 8/7, Zum 3/4, Carter S-10 3/4, previous Cougar SD-10 3/4 & GFI S-10 3/4, Fender Steel King, 2 Peavey Session 500's, Peavey Nashville 400, Boss DD-3, Profex-II, Hilton Digital Sustain, '88 Les Paul Custom,Epiphone MBIBG J-45, Fender Strat & Tele's, Takamine acoustics, Marshall amps, Boss effects, Ibanez Tube Screamer, and it all started with an old cranky worn out Kay acoustic you could slide a Mack truck between the strings and fretboard on!!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Murray McDowall


From:
Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
Post  Posted 1 Feb 2022 9:40 pm    
Reply with quote

Hi again Don,
Another thing I remembered, after converting my Session 500 to a head unit, it had a hum that was very annoying. Turned out, the two chassis’ had to be insulated from one another. Probably an earth loop or something. Just a piece of gaffer tape does the trick.
All the best with your conversion.
_________________
'99 Zum D-10 9x8,
'64 L Series "P" Bass,
Peavey Session 500,
Telonics TCA-500C & FP-100D pedal.
Steelers Choice Sidekick & Backrest.
Steelers Choice Seat.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Don Mogle

 

From:
Round Rock, TX, USA
Post  Posted 1 Feb 2022 10:15 pm     S-500
Reply with quote

OK...thanks for the tip!

I've noticed that most of theses two-part chassis have about 1/8" gap to deal with this issue.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bobby Harris

 

From:
Kentucky, USA
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2022 2:59 am     Session 500
Reply with quote

I had a peavey session 500 for years they sound good
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Ronnie Sellers


From:
Seymour Tenn
Post  Posted 29 May 2023 12:50 pm     Speaker Grill Covering
Reply with quote

Where can I find the same speaker grill material for my session 500.
It doesn't feel like cloth, more like plastic.
Any help would be appreciated
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Patrick Huey


From:
Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 29 May 2023 1:55 pm     Re: Speaker Grill Covering
Reply with quote

Ronnie Sellers wrote:
Where can I find the same speaker grill material for my session 500.
It doesn't feel like cloth, more like plastic.
Any help would be appreciated

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325632906879?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=sqVNt6JWTMm&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=894gWNGQTD6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
_________________
Pre RP Mullen D10 8/7, Zum 3/4, Carter S-10 3/4, previous Cougar SD-10 3/4 & GFI S-10 3/4, Fender Steel King, 2 Peavey Session 500's, Peavey Nashville 400, Boss DD-3, Profex-II, Hilton Digital Sustain, '88 Les Paul Custom,Epiphone MBIBG J-45, Fender Strat & Tele's, Takamine acoustics, Marshall amps, Boss effects, Ibanez Tube Screamer, and it all started with an old cranky worn out Kay acoustic you could slide a Mack truck between the strings and fretboard on!!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP