Nasville 1000 tone sterility

A. B. Traynor · Post by **A. B. Traynor** » 2 Aug 2004 11:21 pm

I think the Nashville 1000 sounds too sterile (I play through one) and lacks warmth. Anyone else having simillar frustrations, even after extensive setting adjustments?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 3 Aug 2004 1:22 am

Get a Brad Sarnu Black Box.

It will give you the tube hamonics and pick up tube interaction you are missing,
and still give you that light weight and big power from the N 1000.
By nature transisaters don't sound warm, but the do pack a clean precice punch, so the solution is add the warmth earlier on.

I have no vested interest in Brad's endeavour,
but think It will likely address your issue and please you.

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 3 Aug 2004 4:57 am

I felt the same way about the N1000 I had as well....way too sterile and the mids were too much, even when they were cut as much as possible.

Joe

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 3 Aug 2004 7:39 am

Try to find a Peavey "Tube Sweetener", that will take care of your problem.
Erv

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 3 Aug 2004 8:10 am

If there are many people, including professional steel players that use them without this complaint...then may be it is the equipment you use or something else?

Good Luck.

------------------
Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8p & 9k w/ BL-705s; Webb 6-14E Amplfier

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 3 Aug 2004 10:48 am

Would someone describe in specific terms what you mean when you say sterile? Please don't use cliche's if possible.

Thanks,

carl

Rex Thomas · Post by **Rex Thomas** » 3 Aug 2004 12:18 pm

Ok Carl, how's this:
Needs more SPARKLE.

Now that I'm done picking on Maestro Carl, I'm getting everything I need on my 1000. However, I occasionally long for being able to turn its presence control (+or- 15dB @ 10 kHz, shelving) beyond +9 without the added hiss. And I have owned an amp/processor or 2 in my past that can do that successfully.
Presently it's not an issue, but if it becomes one I'll deal with it.

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 3 Aug 2004 12:26 pm

Don't forget the "mojo"

!

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 4 Aug 2004 8:42 am

Go to the peavey website to support,then go to steelguitar info.There are several amp setting from Paul,Stu,Lloyd,Jonny,and a few others give this a try it may help.

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 4 Aug 2004 6:34 pm

Would someone describe in specific terms what you mean when you say sterile?

I guess I could better describe it as "lacking any warmth". The tone is just very.....flat. There's just no body to the sound it projects.

Completely different from the Sessions and N400, IMO.

Now, many guys like 'em.....but that tone, to me, is just lacking any life to it.

Joe

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 5 Aug 2004 5:37 am

I'm puzzled. If the Nashville 400 in question has a mod kit installed, the 1000 preamp and the speaker is identical. If anything, this model should sound more "alive" and much cleaner with the digital power amp.

Can you explain further? I can be reached toll free at 1-877-732-8391.

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 5 Aug 2004 7:56 am

Mike:

I remember back when I was looking for a new amp back in 2000....there was one place nearby that had a N1000 and another place about 50 miles away that had one of the very last N400s made (w/mod). Both brand new....I went with my steel to the stores and tried out both for a good hour each. I remember that the N1000 had a reverb that sounded very "digital" and that the tone was as described in my previous post. The N400 was much better with regard to the reverb and the tone "sterility", so I decided to buy it. Perhaps the difference between the two lies in the digital power amp....the sound is TOO clean, causing that lack of warmth?

When I was studying for my MBA, I didn't play for about a year and decided to sell the steel and the amp. Last year, when I started playing again, I decided to buy a new N1000 (without hearing it) as I knew it had the different reverb in it. The reverb WAS an improvement, no doubt....but the sterility was still there. But it wasn't so bad that it really bothered me.

What I was disappointed with were the mids and the highs. Definitely not the same as the N400. The mids on the N1000 were just too strong. At -15/800 they still were overbearing...and when I started playing out on stages, it was noticeable to my bandmates and to one steel-playing friend of mine who was in the crowd. The highs are definitely trimmed down on the N1000 versus the N400....to get a "crispness" and the right amount of brightness, I would have to dial the treble and presence up to at least +12 each.....but then I would have the resulting problem of too much hiss. Again, maybe the difference between the N1000 and N400 in this regard is again a result of the cabinet or some other factor aside from the preamp.

I know in the past I did searches here on the Forum and did see other comments similar to mine....and similar settings for the mids/treble as well.

When I went to my friend's house to hear his Session 400 and Session 500. They blew me away! I then bought the first Session 400 that came my way and have been happy with it. I may get a Session 500 as well....if I can carry it up and down the stairs!

So, in summary....the N1000 just had a tone that didn't work for me. But they work for many others, and are powerful, dependable amps backed by the best customer support team in the business. Peavey is a company that keeps an open ear to the steel guitar community, designing innovative amps for a specialty market and going the extra step to ensure that customers are satisfied. Plus, the products are bullet-proof.....how many Sessions go though the Buy & Sell here that still work as perfect as they did 20+ years ago? A LOT! And that says it all!

Joe[This message was edited by Joe Alterio on 05 August 2004 at 08:58 AM.]

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 5 Aug 2004 8:12 am

If the NV1000 is new, perhaps you need to give it time for the speaker to break in. A new black widow vs. a 6 month used one is night and day. The paper is very stiff on a new cone and only music played thru it can warm it up. That goes for just about any speaker.

Brad Sarno

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 5 Aug 2004 8:48 am

Brad does have a good point. The BW speaker or any speaker will be stiff until it is broken in. You might want to give it a little time.

Thanks.

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 5 Aug 2004 10:15 am

That's a good point, Brad and Mike.

I hope my comments are of some help, Mike. I am defintely a very happy and satisfied Peavey user!!!

Joe

Ron Sodos · Post by **Ron Sodos** » 5 Aug 2004 2:30 pm

I had trouble with my Nashville 1000 until Mike Brown explained to me how to wire it up, regarding the volume pedal and effects. My tone was not right until I plugged everything correctly. Now I abolutely love the amp. My band noticed the beautiful tone as well. I am getting compliments evertime i play. Thanks Mike..............

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Aug 2004 3:09 pm

The paper is very stiff on a new cone and only music played thru it can warm it up.

For those who don't want to have to play a speaker for 6 months to break it in, go here...
http://www.unclespot.com/C10Q.html

(The way I used to do it was to put an unshielded piece of wire (several feet) on the input, crank up the vol, and just let 'er hum for a day or two!)

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 6 Aug 2004 1:57 am

I'm thinking this is pretty good stuff.

I too have felt ( still do) that my N1000 lacks something even though I have owned it for 2 years , I have never given it a real workout. For many gigs I used it for only a dozen tunes while using a Fender Tube amp for the Tele. Some gigs I only brought the Fender tube amp..but now I am using the N1000 full time and I do notice what this thread is talking about.

I am going to do the Acetone thing above, if ya think about it , it makes perfect sense to "soften" up the edges of the huge stiff paper/glue area at the basket.

t

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 6 Aug 2004 9:28 pm

Brad Sarno's Steel Guitar Black Box will give your input an analog/tube sound. Try it. Check Brad's website. I think he offers a money back guarantee. Nothing to lose.

The sounds we like, or don't like, are caused by many factors. The amp/speaker/EQ are only some of those factors. Strings, pickup, cords, VP, and the room one is playing in, are some of the factors in the sound. Which of these factors should one experiment with? And, how does one measure the quality of the sound? Experimenting with one factor at a time, and a vague measurement system is where we all are, unfortunately. IF we could describe a good sound with numbers, we would have a deep knowledge of the subject. We could design experiments that could show cause, effect, and interdependence. Until we can measure and quantify sounds we like and don't like, we are shooting in the dark.

Seek and you will find!
Ron