Guest HRB853370 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 When I first took up this instrument, late in life, I bought an 89 Fender Strat at a guitar show. I then marched down to my local dealer and bought a Peavey Express 112, transtube, and to this day, makes a fantastic little practice amp. The tones I get in the clean channel are crystal clear, the dirty channel has plenty of crunch, and the transtube circuit provides a little of that breakup that we all love from our tube amps. Cost me about $225 brand new in 1996.
pushover Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 The Peavey Bravo is always gonna be my vote. It sounds good at bedroom volumes, but is also just about loud enough to play with a band. It can do lots of different tones, and these days you can often find them for sale in the $175-$250 range. Because the tubes are enclosed in a compartment, many people don't realize its actually tube amp, but it also means it travels really well with nothing to rattle or get bumped. I got mine, put some new jj's in it, and with the help of from friendly advice from this site put a new speaker in it, and it rocks.. Here's a random video of what they look/sound like (not me.. just someone who did a demo on ewww-toob).
tulk1 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Cheapest amp I've ever bought that was worth a darn was a PV Delta Blues 115. Bought it from my bass player for $300. Used it quite a bit. I did have an original TransTube 112 that sounded pretty dandy. But it's long gone!
schundog Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Ha, I'll keep the Peavey-Train rollin'. Best cheap used tube amp; Peavey Classic (old 212, 6L6 tube model), $75 in a pawn shop, only had 1 power tube. Put $50 more into it for a pair of good 6L6s, and it was good to go! Of course, it got traded off somewhere down the line... Solid State, it's really hard to beat the reliability and nice cleans on a Peavey Bandit. I've had 2, the old, blue-piping lined one with the old Peavey logo, and the 2nd Generation with the updated Peavey logo and red piping. A good workhorse I just left at church, mic-ed up to the PA system. I never worried if someone else played it and left if on, or if it got stolen. Again, it's gone, as my tube snobbery moved me on to other stuff, but great bang for the buck. I think I paid $175 used for the more expensive Bandit. Heck, the latest generation is supposed to be even better, and only goes for $299 on MF!
High Flying Bird Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I have to say that the best little amp I have owned is the Behringer AC108. It is a "15 watter" with a tube in the preamp. I paid less than $100.00 for it at a local Mom & Pop. I like it so much I got the girls a bass amp like it for about the same price. When we play with a digital drum kit in low noise situations this is a great lil' amp.
lilkuku Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I have to say the Peavey Classic 30 was the best all around amp. The price and ease of transporting makes it great. Also, it's one of those amps that you can sell today and when your wanting another, can find one on craig's list in no time.
schundog Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I have to say the Peavey Classic 30 was the best all around amp. The price and ease of transporting makes it great. Also, it's one of those amps that you can sell today and when your wanting another, can find one on craig's list in no time. Haha, I just read THIS post after telling you in another post to go get a Classic 30 for your Blues Jam amp. I think it's a Sign....
MuDBoNe Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I bought a Traynor YBA-2 head with a15" cab for $50.00. One of the best sounding amps I own
GuitArtMan Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I have to say the Peavey Classic 30 was the best all around amp. The price and ease of transporting makes it great. Also, it's one of those amps that you can sell today and when your wanting another, can find one on craig's list in no time. I was gonna say the same thing. The Peavey Classic series to my ears was almost as good clean as the comparable Fender Blues series (maybe about 95% there) but absolutely cleaned the Fenders clock when overdriven. The Fenders weren't even close.
hubberjub Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I found my Soldano Astroverb on Craigslist for $400. That made for a pretty good and cheap amp.
rjsanders Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 a '90's Blues Jr. w/Celestion greenback. served me well for a couple yrs
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Ha, I'll keep the Peavey-Train rollin'. Best cheap used tube amp; Peavey Classic (old 212, 6L6 tube model), $75 in a pawn shop, only had 1 power tube. Put $50 more into it for a pair of good 6L6s, and it was good to go! Of course, it got traded off somewhere down the line... Solid State, it's really hard to beat the reliability and nice cleans on a Peavey Bandit. I've had 2, the old, blue-piping lined one with the old Peavey logo, and the 2nd Generation with the updated Peavey logo and red piping. A good workhorse I just left at church, mic-ed up to the PA system. I never worried if someone else played it and left if on, or if it got stolen. Again, it's gone, as my tube snobbery moved me on to other stuff, but great bang for the buck. I think I paid $175 used for the more expensive Bandit. Heck, the latest generation is supposed to be even better, and only goes for $299 on MF! I currently have 2 bandits in my arsenal, and I keep them in separate locations for other musicians to use when they forget their tube amp or just don't feel like lugging it. My Express 112 is like the little brother to the Bandit. I bit lighter, not quite as loud, but has the same features and functions. I am not so sure however, of the latest generation of Bandits which I believe are made in China. My three SS Peavey's are all made proudly in Meridian, MS! Same for my Classic 30 and 50.
lilkuku Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I was gonna say the same thing. The Peavey Classic series to my ears was almost as good clean as the comparable Fender Blues series (maybe about 95% there) but absolutely cleaned the Fenders clock when overdriven. The Fenders weren't even close. +1 on that. That's exactly right. As I've gotten better and my playing styles have opened up a bit, I like playing clean as much as crunchy. I've had both and the Fender clean is awesome...very warm, but the crunch even with pedals, was nothing compared to the 30. Now I'm looking for a balance of both which is what most of us look for. If $ weren't in play the Egnater series seems to be a possibility.
DetroitBlues Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Fender Superchamp XD (Bought it for $200 when they were $400), Peavey Valveking VK112 (Bought it for $220, including 1 year warranty). Sold the Superchamp XD for the Valveking. SCXD was 15W, VK112 is 50W. Now I own neither because of a pending KBP810 RD amp!
DetroitBlues Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Its interesting how so many of us are Peavey fans. I'd kept my amp if I could of. Great gig amp. Not very big, but very loud....
Gitfiddler Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 80's Fender Concert in excellent condition. $425 Ebay deal I could not pass up.
erictheweasel Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Old Fender Champ. 100 bucks. Still playing it, 10 years later.
DetroitBlues Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I had a Fender Frontman 10G for years. Never had a issue with it... Great clean amp for using a multieffects pedal....
barrymclark Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Love the Cubes I have. Does about everything pretty believably.
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Love the Cubes I have. Does about everything pretty believably. I can't part with my 1990's PV Transtubes. Once you've had one, you'll know why.
barrymclark Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I can't part with my 1990's PV Transtubes. Once you've had one, you'll know why. Too much a solid state fan. Nah, I just bought with my ears, and this one made me happy. What can I say. It was the MicroCube that really made me look into the larger Cubes. For what I like to do, really happy.
pushover Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I have to say the Peavey Classic 30 was the best all around amp. The price and ease of transporting makes it great. Also, it's one of those amps that you can sell today and when your wanting another, can find one on craig's list in no time. I guess it all depends on the ear of the beer-holder. The guy I bought the Bravo from was selling it because he also had a Classic 30, so he let me A/B compare them side by side with the same guitar. I even got to play them both through the same external speaker cab, so it took one more variable out of the equation. My ears preferred the sound of the Bravo (though I would have been happy if it was a tie), and that was before putting in new tubes and a better speaker. I thought it was more versatile in the range of sounds it can make. He obviously preferred the Classic 30, though he said he needed to get a tube tamer for it to eliminate tube rattle, and this isn't a problem for the Bravo. I do think that if I didn't have the Bravo, and couldn't replace it in like, a Classic 30 would be what I would get instead. Both are really nice amps.. And Peavey builds 'em like tanks, so often if they survive 5 years they'll survive another 30.
mad dog Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Mid 60s Ampeg Gemini II. Low demand, so low price. But high quality regardless. MD
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 I guess it all depends on the ear of the beer-holder. The guy I bought the Bravo from was selling it because he also had a Classic 30, so he let me A/B compare them side by side with the same guitar. I even got to play them both through the same external speaker cab, so it took one more variable out of the equation. My ears preferred the sound of the Bravo (though I would have been happy if it was a tie), and that was before putting in new tubes and a better speaker. I thought it was more versatile in the range of sounds it can make. He obviously preferred the Classic 30, though he said he needed to get a tube tamer for it to eliminate tube rattle, and this isn't a problem for the Bravo. I do think that if I didn't have the Bravo, and couldn't replace it in like, a Classic 30 would be what I would get instead. Both are really nice amps.. And Peavey builds 'em like tanks, so often if they survive 5 years they'll survive another 30. I have a C30 and never had this "tube rattle". Is it even audible and if so, what does it sound like? Maybe I have it and I dont know it!!
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Mid 60s Ampeg Gemini II. Low demand, so low price. But high quality regardless. MD Oh man, my first amp that I bought new, for around $300 in Detroit. I miss it now that I play guitar. I bought it for accordion and the 15" Jenson was perfect for that. It was a great amp for that, but very clumsy and awkward to lug. And you are right, didnt hold its value as mine was mint and only commanded $700 back around 2002. You would think a mid 60's Ampeg in mint shape would go for a couple grand.
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