PEAVEY
SESSION
BY DIMITRI SIDERIADIS
Somehwere at a point where superhero paint-jobs, traditionally-inspired design,
and a heavy-rocking attitude meet, lives
the new Peavey Session. Developed with
the intent to make a player’s instrument
possessing exceptional versatility, this eye-grabbing electric brings both progressive
and classic features together. And it does so
at a sub-$500 price, which is particularly
impressive in light of the way the Session
follows through on its design intent.
In Session
At certain angles, the Session looks like a
descendent of both Fender and PRS lineages. The body lives in a zone between an
augmented Strat-style shape (which is also
echoed in Peavey’s successful Predator series)
and the classic PRS double cutaway. The
body itself is crafted from lightweight, chambered basswood and features a carved top and
scrape binding. The reflectivity of the gleaming, red-metallic paint enhances the three-dimensionality of the attractive top carve, and
the stripe of natural basswood along the top
edge of the body looks cool against the red
finish. A close look revealed a few spots where
the paint was just a little uneven, but that is
not entirely unusual for an affordably priced
instrument. On the other hand, the nut was
neatly slotted and the fretwork was excellent,
and I found the general quality to be quite
good where it counted.
Recessed push/pull Volume and
Tone knobs enable coil-tapping of the
Peavey-designed alnico humbuckers. The
Fender-inspired string-through body, bridge
with individually adjustable stainless steel
saddles, and in-line tuners are time-honored
and familiar features. But there’s plenty of
modern design touches like the sculpted heel,
a 9. 5" to 15" compound-radius fretboard,
graphite-composite nut, and dual-action truss
rod. The rosewood fretboard on our review
guitar had a complex grain pattern with
attractive light and dark tones—a rare bonus
for an instrument at this price point. And
the Canadian maple neck has a smooth satin
finish with a slim-to-medium C shape, which
feels comfortable right up to the neck joint.
Alnico-magnet humbuckers
Chambered basswood body
Recessed push/pull
Volume and Tone knobs
