Twiz Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hey guys, I have an opportunity to get a 50 Watt Peavey Classic head. It's from the mid-90's, made in the US. I've been looking for a 50 Watt tube head for a while. Does anybody have experience with these amps? Do they take pedals well? I guess I just have to go try the thing out, but I was checking if anybody had one also, and if they liked it or didn't like it. Thanks. -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 My main amp is a 1988 Classic VTX, 50 watt ( I guess) with 2-12s. I've had good luck with it and it sounds fine. I like the broad range of EQ the bass, mid, treble, and presence gives... it has a more broad range than the Twin I swapped for it. Not sure about what you're looking at 'spec-wise' but mine has 2 channels, one with gain/saturation and all that, which I never use... makes it sound too much like a squawking Bandit, which turned me right off Peaveys in the first place. The 'clean' channel (for lack of a better word) has a nice deep/bright transparent tone. The reverb is good, but I would have liked more control over it, like the newer reverb pedals. I don't use any effects but I think it has an effects loop. Mine has a flanger or some foolishness built in. Never use it. Good dependable amp. I've had mine since '97 and I've replaced the two 6L6s once, just because they were on sale. They seem to go cheap. High utility value and no snob appeal. Good for the consumer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hey guys, I have an opportunity to get a 50 Watt Peavey Classic head. It's from the mid-90's, made in the US. I've been looking for a 50 Watt tube head for a while. Does anybody have experience with these amps? Do they take pedals well? I guess I just have to go try the thing out, but I was checking if anybody had one also, and if they liked it or didn't like it. Thanks. -T I tried one once. They are killer! I think 50 watts is great and they shouldn't be too expensive either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Thanks for the info guys. That's really helpful, I appreciate it. The one that I'm checking out is a 2 channel, with reverb, I think that's about it. I'm pretty stoked. I'm going to go try it out this weekend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 for the money, probrably the best you can do. the peaveys, to me, sound far better than the fenders with the curcuit boards (blues deluxe, deville, reissues, ect) and also, i find that at lower volumes, sound better than using marshalls at lower volumes. and by lower volumes, i mean that there is very seldom a situation where 50 watts is required..an amp that is not cranked to get output tube distortion is said to be operating at "lower volumes". i have played those when they first came out and i loved them, and they actually sound good and work good with pedals. one of the only amps i can think of that actually does what it is supposed to do well for its intended purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sweet. I just found out it also comes with a matching 4x10. This is going to be a pretty sweet amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Tari Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Got to say except for my first Kalamazoo amp all except a couple heads. All my amps and PA gear has been Peavy since the mid 70's. These you see in these pictures is my gear right now. These after are my Peavy Musician new head and 4/12 Cab. I had a 65 Red Dot I was playing With at the time. Can't help it , I love Peavy gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have Classic 30 combo tweed and love it. The only thing I dont like are the exposed tubes. Mine is an 03 I think the newer models with the Peavey logo incorporated into the cabinet have a tube guard. The resale value on most Peavey amps are not great so there are deals to be found. I picked mine up for $250 at GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Purdy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I had a classoc 30, bought it new in December of 2009. Unfortunatley the C30 has a notorius reputation of tube rattle and mine was no different, so I sold it. However, the first channel was great. I tried out the C50 when I was looking, great tone, but too much wattage for my needs. I'm not sure if the C50 suffers from tube rattle as well. There's a guy who makes this gadget called a "Tom's Tube Tamer", precisely for the C30. They both take pedals really well. Don't get your expectations up to high for the 2nd channel. It's a bit of a downer. First channel is great though. Think first channel with pedals and you're good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I had a classoc 30, bought it new in December of 2009. Unfortunatley the C30 has a notorius reputation of tube rattle and mine was no different, so I sold it. However, the first channel was great. I tried out the C50 when I was looking, great tone, but too much wattage for my needs. I'm not sure if the C50 suffers from tube rattle as well. There's a guy who makes this gadget called a "Tom's Tube Tamer", precisely for the C30. They both take pedals really well. Don't get your expectations up to high for the 2nd channel. It's a bit of a downer. First channel is great though. Think first channel with pedals and you're good. Yep very true. I have a bit of a rattle but one of my tube retention spring is missing. I did contact Tom about his product $25+shipping not a bad price for a custom part. I think I will order a new clip from Peavy and see if it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I picked mine up for $250 at GC And the best part is, a ton of kids into metal buy those, then ***** about how it doesn't sound like a Marshall full stack I always see them up on CL for dirt cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I have a 100 watt 2x12 Peavey Classic VT Series. Nice amp. Takes to pedals very well. I use the Automix channel exclusively which lets me switch to clean, dirty or combines both channels for a nice tube crunch distortion. With my Classic Antique ('57 Classic pu's), I get a good distortion overdrive even with the clean channel. My attack on the strings can give me clean or dirty. When I switch to the Overdrive channel, I get a good "Rush" tone and I add chorus to get more modern "Rush" tones. My reverb hums a little, so I keep the level turned down, but I still get the effect. The built in phaser is not the best, but I have foot pedals for that. Overall, it is a great amp and If it ever goes out, I may be looking at repairing it rather than replacing it, but that's a whole different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitargreg1993 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Hey guys, I have an opportunity to get a 50 Watt Peavey Classic head. It's from the mid-90's, made in the US. I've been looking for a 50 Watt tube head for a while. Does anybody have experience with these amps? Do they take pedals well? I guess I just have to go try the thing out, but I was checking if anybody had one also, and if they liked it or didn't like it. Thanks. -T hey Twiz i have a Delta Blues 1x15... it's basically a Classic 50 but it's 30 watts and has tremolo. anyway, I absolutely LOVE my Delta Blues!!! The clean sound is absolutely incredible. IMO it even rivals the newer Fender D.R. Reissues.... Very nice, simple clean sound that sounds great and takes pedals really well. The dirty channel is alright, but it doesn't really have too much gain on it. I can get some decent 60's/70's classic rock tones, but nothing like super-insane-distortion or anything like that. I personally prefer to set the preamp volume around 6 or 7 and turn up the post volume louder to get the power tube distortion. I've also found that both my DS-1 and my Eternity Burst Overdrive don't sound too good with the dirty channel. So what I like to do is use the clean channel with my Eternity. So idk what type of sound you're looking for, but if youre looking for heavier stuff I'd recommend sticking with the clean channel with a nice dist. pedal. Overall, the Peavey classic series are great amps!! For that price range, they absolutely cannot be beat!!!! Plus they're made right here in the USA, which I love. Great simple amps, super loud, and a nice basic clean sound with a somewhat decent dirt channel. Also very reliable and built like a tank, so they should last forever. I know I won't be getting rid of my Delta Blues anytime soon, and I know a lot of other people who also swear by them. Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitargreg1993 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I have Classic 30 combo tweed and love it. The only thing I dont like are the exposed tubes. Mine is an 03 I think the newer models with the Peavey logo incorporated into the cabinet have a tube guard. The resale value on most Peavey amps are not great so there are deals to be found. I picked mine up for $250 at GC yea, mine is a newer one and it has a metal grille type thing that protects the tubes.... this is what you mean right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 hey Twiz i have a Delta Blues 1x15... it's basically a Classic 50 but it's 30 watts and has tremolo. anyway, I absolutely LOVE my Delta Blues!!! The clean sound is absolutely incredible. IMO it even rivals the newer Fender D.R. Reissues.... Good luck!! actually, if you were to compare an origional DR and the DRRI and that one, the peavey would be closer. the reason the peaveys sound so good at such a price point could be there is something they understand very well, and it may not be a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 I'm going to check it out tonight after work. I'm taking a Lester Special, and a couple different pedals for the test drive. I have wanted a 50 watt head for a while now. I mean, I love my 5150, but I'm mainly interested in the classic because they seem to work well with various distortion/overdrive pedals. -At least that's what I've read in reviews. Also, just about everyone I talk to says they have a great clean tone. Thanks for the info everyone. I'll post some photos if I get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chase1410 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I have one either from the late 80's or early 90's and its such a killer amp...it still has it's original tubes even after being DRENCHED in coffee, tubes, speaker, and all...I replaced the fuse a month later, and played like new again...still havent replaced the original tubes or speaker.....its that good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I had a Classic 30 and hated that amp. It is shrill even with JJ tubes in it, razor sharp cleans and an anemic overdrive channel, which is not a separate channel really. Tubes have a huge impact on the sound of these amps, I found that Tung Sols on the preamp sounded better. The tube rattle is a problem with the combos and the fact that EL84s are some of the most fragile tubes out there, basically the tubes rattle themselves to failure. These amps may look solid on the outside but they are not on the inside, the PCB is brittle, I had to replace the diodes on mine because after tube failure the diodes went out instead of the fuse, when I opened the amp it was just evident that the PCB could melt on me if I did not get those diodes in just right. I sold this amp on CL and I was happy then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I have always liked Peavey amps. The only one I've had that I DIDN'T care for was a Windsor 20 watt combo. Even with a speaker upgrade it had no bottom end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinceS Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I ahve a Peavey Delta Blues 30w/115. I've been beating the snot out of it for years. IMHO it sounds as good as any Fender Bassman. Made in USA, hand wired, no PSB. Good solid amp that can be had used for a song. If the rest of Peavy's amps are built this good, you'll be happy with it. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitargreg1993 Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I had a Classic 30 and hated that amp. It is shrill even with JJ tubes in it, razor sharp cleans and an anemic overdrive channel, which is not a separate channel really. Tubes have a huge impact on the sound of these amps, I found that Tung Sols on the preamp sounded better. The tube rattle is a problem with the combos and the fact that EL84s are some of the most fragile tubes out there, basically the tubes rattle themselves to failure. These amps may look solid on the outside but they are not on the inside, the PCB is brittle, I had to replace the diodes on mine because after tube failure the diodes went out instead of the fuse, when I opened the amp it was just evident that the PCB could melt on me if I did not get those diodes in just right. I sold this amp on CL and I was happy then. maybe you got a dud?? you're the first person to say anything bad about these amps... everyone else I know that has tried them loves them.... how old was yours? maybe the older ones weren't as good as newer ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Nah, that was a Classic 30 alright. Not a dud, I tried several before I bought mine. My comments are not negative, they are objective. I researched the amp, 98% of people raved about them, I am in the other 2% Bought it used, played it, the amp broke down on me and fixed it myself. So I do have personal experience with them, - people perceive them as being good for the money, that's fine...for the money, especially if bought used. - everybody thinks they are built like a tank in the USA, I beg to differ having repaired mine and knowing that most parts are made in Mexico. I was planning to upgrade some caps and decided not to, I would have melted the PCB. - the EL84 tube problem is a very well known issue, and the Classic 30 cabinet design does not help for several reasons. - I experimented with tubes based on what I found on the Peavey forum, from Peavey lovers and they were right about the tube suggestions and they know these amps are very sensitive to different tubes. Go to the Peavey forums to make the best of your Peavey amps, when it comes to knowledge those guys know their stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Just be careful with them, they are a bit fragile..... Have a backup at gigs just in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I had a Peavey Duece and Classic both from the late 70s and besides replacing some tubes through the years never had a problem for the twenty years I owned em and yeah they were built like tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdntac Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I have a Classic 50 combo and one tube rattles (the tubes are about a year old now) though it can only be heard at lower volumes. It's more due to design as opposed to the tube. The bracket that screws in to hold the tubes in place has some foam on the bottom of it to hold the tubes and it presses up against the foam. On one of my tubes, the foam pushes up so much into the tubes that it very slightly, and I mean very, very slightly, pushes the entire green PCB board up. This makes that tube not sit as tight as it could and therefore rattles a bit. When I've taken the back off and pressed on the PCB board the rattling will stop. If there was some way I could get something to sit on the other side of the PCB board to provide a bit more resistance then the rattle would stop. But I'm a little leery of putting something in there in case it shorts out against a connection. However, typing this has made me think that if I remove a bit of the foam from elsewhere along the support piece, maybe not as much pressure would be put upon the tubes --- therefore not pushing them up as much (as subsequently the PCB board --- and maybe that will stop my small rattle. Hmmmm..... Nonetheless, I like the amp. It's certainly loud enough, that's for sure. I run my gain at either 12/12 or about 9/12 --- depending on whether or not I'm using a bit of distortion from a Bixonic Expandora. I find that different pickups react to the gain level. Now that I've put Seymour Duncan 59 pickups in both my PRS SC 245 and PRS Custom 22 I've discovered that I really don't need that extra oomph of the Bixonic. But I still like it when using my Byrdland and its 57n Classic pickups. I put the bass @ 12, mids @ 3, treble @ 7 and presence @ 7 and find the amp to be very boomy with lots of bass --- especially at the 12/12 bass setting. ;) I'm quite happy with the amp. It provides a great 70s rock sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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