Question:
Alright, I've been looking into getting a Peavey Bravo for awhile now. They seem to be going for around $300 after shipping on ebay. This one was just posted the other day, and it's got a cheaper price, but it has some alterations that I don't know much about.
First, the tolex and speaker grill have been replaced. Should this be any problem in terms of longevity or sound?
The reverb has also been taken out, but is included with the amp. If I wanted to put it back in, would I be able to do this myself, or would I need to take it somewhere (and how much would that cost)?
Also, the original speaker was replaced with an Eminence Legend speaker. Do Eminence speakers have a good reputation? I'm assuming that this speaker is better than the original speaker.
And finally, it says that he "replaced the speaker baffle with a piece of solid birch vs. the particle board that most amps use." I don't even know what this is referring to... what does this affect and are there pros/cons I should be aware of regarding this?
I know this is a little extensive, but I'm not looking for in-depth answers (unless by chance my questions warrant in-depth answers). Anyway, thanks for any help.
Answer:
The baffle is the wood that covers part of the back of the cab. Eminence are good speakers, not vintage Celestions, but they're alright. The reverb is what has me worried. And the Tolex and grill are just cosmetic.
Answer:
tolex and grille cloth replacement is just cosmetic. As long as it was done well, it shouldn't affect longevity or sound.
Without seeing how the reverb is attached, I can't tell you how difficult it would be to put back it. It does look like the reverb is actualyl plugged it, so it shouldn't be difficult to reattach at all.
Eminence Legend vs. Peavey...probably a Blue Marvel. I don't know about the quality of this particular speaker, but Eminence has a decent reputation. It's not uncommon to see the stock speakers being replaced with a aftermarket speaker like this. The problem with saying it's an "Eminence Legend" is that there are several models in the Legend series of speakers. The $60 Eminence Legend is probably fairly mediocre, but the $90 one is probably pretty decent. Either way, I would venture to guess that it's at least on par with the original speaker.
The speaker baffle is the wood that the speaker itself is attached to. I would imagine that replacing a particle board baffle with a solid one would tighten up the cabinet response and the overall sound of the amp, however I would imagine that a piece of soli dbirch would be more susceptible to cracking than the birch plywood that it used on higher-end cabinets.
On the whole, I would think that if it works, it should work well. It looks solid and unique, and the price is pretty decent for a functional amp. The baffle is the wood that covers part of the back of the cab. Eminence are good speakers, not vintage Celestions, but they're alright. The reverb is what has me worried. And the Tolex and grill are just cosmetic. I'm pretty sure the baffle is the front piece that the speaker is physically attached to.
Answer:
If you like the original amp then I say go for it.
Answer:
If you are looking for a Bravo, I'd snatch it up at the buy-it-now before someone else does. Personally, I like the red tolex. I have 2 Bravos, one that I bought new way back when, and one I bought on ebay, I modded both of them fairly extensively.... I'm somewhat familiar with that amp.
Replacement baffle - I'm not sure if it makes an audible difference, but if anything it would probably be a good thing, as long as he did a decent job.
New tubes - that's a good thing, but $100. for a re-tube is exaggerated.
The stock speaker in those amps is absolutely horrid (at least for a 1x12 open back combo, for live use), very thin sounding with harsh highs. They are not designated with the "Blue Marvel" name. I've used several different ones with 'em, they are all a bit different sounding, but all were way better than the stock one. That Eminence is most likely an improvement. Speakers make a large contribution to the overall tonality of an amp. I guess most of the speakers Eminence makes are basically copies of classic speakers from Celestion, Jenson, etc., don't know how that"Legend" is voiced. For that amp, being a small 1x12, you want one that has some decent bottom. My favorite in that amp is a Weber Blue Dog.
The reverb just plugs in, but it will go in either way - the wrong way won't work. The side of the plug with the little black dot goes toward the back of the amp. All you have to do is screw the unit into the bottom of the cab. Its not the best sounding 'verb, but it beats a blank. The Bravo reverb circuit did have a bit of a design flaw, on the high gain channel when you turn it to like 4 or 5, it sometimes will oscillate - like its generating a tone; not real loud, but annoying. I don't think either of mine do that, but I did lower the gain with a 12AT7 tube in V2.
Answer:
You have to be very carful when buying anything that plugs into an outlet on ebay. I used to buy alot of stuff off ebay such as amps, ipods, palm piolts ect. and the last four times i didn't get what was described. So just make sure they don't misdescribe the item or esle you will be screwed. Other than that it should be ok. God bless