What era or player exemplifies the TC Furlong Sesh 400?

[Jeff Rady]

Hi All,

I've been messing with a Sesh 400 TC Furlong and am trying to learn it and figure out what it's best at. I've always been a tube amp guy, but am realizing there must be a reason a lot of great steel players love the solid state aesthetic.

So far the tone sounds real mid-rangy and kind of boxy for lack or a better word, which is not to knock it, that's just what I'm getting.

I'm wondering what era or aesthetic of steel playing best exemplifies the Sesh 400, that way I could kind of model that to understand it's capabilities. Also, what settings do you like? Let me know your thoughts.

I'm playing it out of PF-350 12 inch with a Jay Ganz Straight Ahead Power Amp.

[Jerry Overstreet]

TC Furlong is the expert on these since it's his baby, so he might be the best to answer your questions.

I'll offer this. As I understand it the Sesh 400 is modeled after Peavey's Session 400 which came out in the mid 70s. These amps are still considered to be some of Peavey's best steel amps.

I owned an LTD at one time which is the same amp in a smaller cabinet. I was pretty green at the time, so I won't try to describe the sound, tone, whatever.

Peavey amps in general were known to have a honky mid range, boxy as you say. Most players found that setting the mid shift frequency around 800 Hz and using the other mid control to cut those mids until the honk was gone.

I don't know the pedal's graduations on the controls as I've not used one of those, but I bet some of the other players here do.

I would suggest playing with those 2 mid controls until you find a setting that is clean and clear without the boxy tone you describe. As a rule, the mid controls are where it's at for Peavey amps and I would expect the Sesh 400 to be the same or at least very similar since the model is th original.

[Rick Abbott]

Here's a conversation about the original Session 400 where Brad Sarno explains the mid controls.

https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/003822.html

[Tommy Irwin]

Hey guys, I had to jump in on this topic as I am a HUGE fan of the Session 400’s and the overall simplicity of getting a good tone and the reliability of those amps is still unsurpassed.
Granted I quit using combo amps over twenty years ago… I’m still haunted by the joy and satisfaction that my 400’s gave me hahahah. For those interested in the tone (raw no effect pedals) I did an Austin City Limits show in 1983 with David Allan Coe playing my SuperPro thru my trusty Peavy Session 400. It can be found on YouTube. Check “Willie Waylon and Me” although there is the whole show if want to hear more. The 400 is next to me in the vid. I’ve been in touch with TC Furlong and I’m about to order the Sesh 400. I look forward to pushing this pedal to its limits hahahah.
At 63 years of age it’s all about how lightweight can I make my gear and still achieve a “tone” I can smile with.

[Jeff Rady]

Nice playin' and ride Tommy! Here's that clip: https://youtu.be/R_zWbWTpvFA?si=HQt0CACc_F_0Vqgp

[Tommy Irwin]

Thanks Jeff… I always enjoyed playing that song. DAC always allowed the players to improvise and have fun with the material.
Thank you for posting that link.

[Douglas Schuch]

You may find this of interest - the original owner's manual for the Peavey Session 400:

https://assets.peavey.com/literature/ma ... ion400.pdf

[Len Amaral]

I have a Sesh 400 and it is quite a tone shaping preamp. I found the Sesh 400 responds to differently to my Sierra and Williams but they don’t have the same pickups. Here is my setup, I go from guitar to VP then effects to Sesh 400 to Jay Ganz Straight Ahead power amp to JBL K130 speaker in a Stereo Steel cab.

[Tommy Irwin]

That sounds like an ideal rig… I would imagine it’s sounds great.
I’m also in the market for a Ganz Straight Ahead
power amp but not sure about how to contact him to put in an order.
Right now I would be playing direct to FOH or direct to a Bose Pro 16.
I do have a new Laney powered cab if I need to play amped, but I would prefer to use the Ganz with a 15” Eminence in Tommy Huff cab.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Hot stuff on the video Tommy. A little stingy with the video footage on you though.

Concerning the Straight Ahead amp. Jay Ganz is a member here. You can search his name and contact here from the Members header top of the page and probably order the amp direct from him.

[Steve Hinson]

That sounds like an ideal rig… I would imagine it’s sounds great.
I’m also in the market for a Ganz Straight Ahead
power amp but not sure about how to contact him to put in an order.
Right now I would be playing direct to FOH or direct to a Bose Pro 16.
I do have a new Laney powered cab if I need to play amped, but I would prefer to use the Ganz with a 15” Eminence in Tommy Huff cab.

Tommy-Straight Ahead has a Facebook page-you can get ahold of Jay there…

[Steve Hinson]

That sounds like an ideal rig… I would imagine it’s sounds great.
I’m also in the market for a Ganz Straight Ahead
power amp but not sure about how to contact him to put in an order.
Right now I would be playing direct to FOH or direct to a Bose Pro 16.
I do have a new Laney powered cab if I need to play amped, but I would prefer to use the Ganz with a 15” Eminence in Tommy Huff cab.

Tommy-Straight Ahead has a Facebook page-you can get ahold of Jay there…

[Steve Hinson]

That sounds like an ideal rig… I would imagine it’s sounds great.
I’m also in the market for a Ganz Straight Ahead
power amp but not sure about how to contact him to put in an order.
Right now I would be playing direct to FOH or direct to a Bose Pro 16.
I do have a new Laney powered cab if I need to play amped, but I would prefer to use the Ganz with a 15” Eminence in Tommy Huff cab.

Tommy-Straight Ahead has a Facebook page-you can get ahold of Jay there…

[Paddy Long]

Im using mine into a Straight Ahead Ganz amp, which I have mounted in the bottom of a Telonics 15" cabinet ... sounds absolutely amazing and it's very lightweight ! for us more senior gentlemen!

Interestingly I had a "fly to" concert last weekend and borrowed a Session 400 amp to play the gig (originally my amp) ... that amp still sounds fantastic all these years later, I bought it in 1982 from Gruhns guitar shop in Nashville when I was there doing Jeff Newmans advanced class.

:-}

[Jeff Rady]

Thanks guys for all the input, super helpful!

[Tommy Irwin]

Thank you Jerry and Steve for providing some contact info for the Ganz amp.
Greatly appreciated! I plan on mounting that amp (if possible) in a HUFF cab loaded with a 15” Eminence neo. I have come to the conclusion that the 12” TT Eminence speakers are not for me. I plan on selling at least one of them on the forum along with several other items soon.