The Peavey Session-LTD 400 Preamp Pedal is a preamp pedal from Peavey, built in a heavy-duty die cast enclosure with durable connectors, metal knobs and metal shaft pots with bushings1. It carries a footswitchable Hard Bypass switch with an anti-click circuit, and Peavey's own listing prices it at £152.00 GBP2.
Peavey's own listing gives the pedal's price as £152.00 GBP2. The pedal shares its basic construction with Peavey's other preamp pedals, including the VTM, which the maker also lists3.
Where it comes from
Peavey calls the pedal a faithful recreation of the original Session/LTD 400 preamp circuit from around 1974, miniaturized onto a pedalboard-friendly format2. The company says the miniaturization of the original discrete transistor circuitry allows for greatly improved hum and noise characteristics compared with the vintage original2. Steel players looking at Peavey's current steel-oriented lineup may also want to compare it with the Nashville 400 preamp pedal, which draws on Peavey's other well-known steel amp.
The controls
The pedal carries over the Session 400 Limited's straightforward clean-amp layout: a three-band Low, Mid and High EQ with Mid Shift1, plus an Input Volume control and a SENSITIVITY control2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Input Volume | Sets the input level to the preamp2 |
| Low, Mid, High | Three-band EQ for shaping the clean tone1 |
| Mid Shift | Shifts the center frequency of the mid band1 |
| SENSITIVITY | Output-level control with enough range to drive low sensitivity power amp inputs directly2 |
| Presence | Presence control for top-end lift2 |
gearnews, covering the launch, highlighted the midrange flexibility: "Peavey has added a shift control to fully dial in the mid-frequency you want to boost or cut and a Presence control"4.
Using it as a boost or amp driver
Peavey positions the pedal beyond steel guitar. In the company's words, "In addition to being a perfect clean preamp for pedal steel and other instruments, it is also useful for overdriving the input of tube amplifiers"2. Peavey adds that the output can be used as an alternate channel or frequency selective boost to drive any amplifier's input or effects return2. Players into Peavey's higher-gain heritage may also want to look at the Rock Master Guitar Tube Preamp, a different, tube-based take on the company's amp circuits.
Build and power
The pedal uses a heavy-duty die cast enclosure with durable connectors throughout, metal knobs and metal shaft pots with bushings2. The footswitch is a hard bypass switch with an anti-click circuit, and Peavey describes the bypass as click-free in operation2.
Peavey says the pedal can run from a standard 9V supply "for a limited time," and recommends Peavey's standard negative tip 9VDC outboard supply (Peavey #30908180) for noise-free operation2. Internally, the pedal generates a 25V supply from the 9V input, whether battery or adapter, which is what gives the discrete transistor circuitry its headroom2.
Videos
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Questions
Does the Peavey Session-LTD 400 run on a battery?
Yes. Peavey lists 9V battery operation, and the pedal can also run from a standard 9V supply, though Peavey notes that a standard supply works only for a limited time before recommending its own negative tip 9VDC outboard supply (Peavey #30908180) for noise-free operation. Inside, the pedal generates an internal 25V supply from the 9V input, whether battery or adapter.
Is the Peavey Session-LTD 400 true bypass?
Peavey describes the footswitch as a hard bypass switch with an anti-click circuit, and calls the bypass a footswitchable hard bypass circuit with click-free operation. The company does not use the phrase true bypass in its product description, so hard bypass is the term to go by.
What is the Session 400 Limited amplifier?
It is a steel guitar amplifier Peavey introduced in 1974, developed with input from steel players Curly Chalker and Buddy Emmons. Peavey describes it as designed to deliver a clear, clean tone that lets the nuances of steel guitar shine through, and the Session-LTD 400 pedal is a faithful recreation of that amplifier's preamp circuit.
Can the Session-LTD 400 drive a tube amp's input?
Yes. Peavey says that in addition to being a clean preamp for pedal steel and other instruments, the pedal is useful for overdriving the input of tube amplifiers. The SENSITIVITY control has enough range to drive low sensitivity power amp inputs directly, and the output can also serve as an alternate channel or frequency selective boost.
Is the Session-LTD 400 designed for pedal steel?
It grew out of a pedal steel amplifier and Peavey describes its tone as one that has captivated steel players for decades, so pedal steel is clearly the intended audience. That said, Peavey also positions it as a clean preamp for other instruments and as a boost or overdrive for tube amp inputs.
Sources (4)
- Session™‑LTD 400 Preamp Pedal, Peavey
- Session™‑LTD 400 Preamp Pedal, Peavey
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X
- Peavey Preamp Pedals: Bandit, Rock Master, Decade, Session, and VTM, gearnews.com, 2025-01-25
