Question:
I currently have a peavey classic 30 and am using it to power a 4x12 cab. It sounds great and powers the cab nicely but I'm going to be touring in the near future and portability is an issue. So I've been looking at peavey's tube heads in the $500-$600 range. The Valveking 100 looks pretty nice from what I've read about it. I've played through a valveking combo but never tried out the head. I just saw tonight that they now make a Classic 30 head, but I'm more drawn to the Valveking because of the higher wattage. I play alot of post-hardcore type stuff so I need crunch but also need to be able to be pretty. I'm in college so I really can't go above $500-$600 range.
I've been trying to get around a Valveking and Classic 30 head to try them out but Guitar Center doesn't carry Peavey and it's pretty hit or miss at local shops. So my question is has anyone had any experience with any of these amps? Is there another amp that would do the job for me better?
Answer:
I have a Classic 30 Head with the Classic 212 Cab. If you're using the amp's distortion, it likely won't have as much crunch as you want, but I love the tone and get plenty of volume out of it. I've never had to turn it up past 7 on clean and 6 on dirty for any shows I've played (the knobs go to 12). I love my Classic 30 and I'd recommend it to pretty much anyone.
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I love my Classic 30 as well but from what you're saying it sounds like that head's not gonna work out because I'm guessing my music is a bit louder than what you play. I was wondering if it would be any hotter in head version but I guess not. I can get a good crunch out of mine but I have to crank the lows and pre-gain and it's JUST barely enough.
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I listened to a song on your myspace... I'd say the VK would be perfect for what you want...
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well my band is basically starting over from scratch and changing up our sound...probably getting heavier. so the songs on there now would be an example of the lighter side of my music. I'm looking for a head that will give a little bit more crunch. does the vk have that? I don't want anything super crunchy, just a tight ballsy punch.
Answer:
if you're already getting the tone you want from the Classic 30-->4x12, then I'd look into the Classic series heads. In addition to the C30 head that's currently manufactured, Peavey has manufactured a Classic 100 and Classic 50 head. THe C100 looks like it goes for about $400 on eBay, I'd guess the C50 to go around $350-$400.
Something I'm curious of though...when you say that it's just barely enough, do you mean tonally or in terms of volume? If it's tonally barely enough, then I would advise to look into something different as the VK or the Peavey Ultra Plus. In my mind the Ultra Plus is one of the best "sleeper" heads on the market. This is probably because one of my favorite bands in high school was using them (the tracks "The Chase" and "New England Sunrise" were from their Peavey Ultra Plus era). Basically the Ultra Plus is the predecessor to the Triple XXX.
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I mean I'm just barely getting enough crunch out of my classic 30. I love the tone, I just need something that's a little bit tighter every now and then for some palm muting/breakdowns.
What do you mean by sleeper?
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Originally Posted by Adam_8287 What do you mean by sleeper? by "sleeper" i mean it's an amp that is sorta forgotten and that most folks don't think of right away. thus they're a bit underrated on the whole just because people don't really think, "oh i need a three channel amp...a Peavey Ultra Plus would be perfect!"
I'm really thinking that amp I linked to might be perfect for your needs. the BIN is $425 + about $80 to ship bringing it out at $500. It's not the best price I've ever seen one at, but it's still a good deal IMO. If you were patient you might be able to score one for as low as $400 on eBay.
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gotcha. It certaintly looks like it would work well for what I want.
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Peavey Triumph as well would be a good choice. It is the predecessor to the Ultra, designed by the same guy as the Ultra, XXX, JSX, and the rockmaster.
Since you are wanting to keep your back intact, I will neglect the obligatory rockmaster comments.
Triumphs are another Peavey sleeper, but the odd thing about them is... They have a very nice clean which is a real rarity for a peavey. Its 3 channel with tube driven spring reverb. If you find one without a footswitch, I have the triumphs schematic and easy plans to build them without the LED's. (I built mine) Footswitches are pricey for the ultra and the triumph but are fairly easy to make if an amp is short one.
Answer:
Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq Triumphs are another Peavey sleeper, but the odd thing about them is... They have a very nice clean which is a real rarity for a peavey. Its 3 channel with tube driven spring reverb. If you find one without a footswitch, I have the triumphs schematic and easy plans to build them without the LED's. (I built mine) Footswitches are pricey for the ultra and the triumph but are fairly easy to make if an amp is short one. I didn't realize the Ultra Plus used the same footswitch as the Ultra and Triumph. Thanks for pointing that out.
Answer:
Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq Peavey Triumph as well would be a good choice. It is the predecessor to the Ultra, designed by the same guy as the Ultra, XXX, JSX, and the rockmaster.
Since you are wanting to keep your back intact, I will neglect the obligatory rockmaster comments.
Triumphs are another Peavey sleeper, but the odd thing about them is... They have a very nice clean which is a real rarity for a peavey. Its 3 channel with tube driven spring reverb. If you find one without a footswitch, I have the triumphs schematic and easy plans to build them without the LED's. (I built mine) Footswitches are pricey for the ultra and the triumph but are fairly easy to make if an amp is short one.
thanks so much, I'll check all that out.
Answer:
If you want another smilar sleeper amp, you can look at the Yamaha T50 and T100. The Peavey Ultra Plus is a wonderful amp, though.
Answer:
Originally Posted by thesteve I didn't realize the Ultra Plus used the same footswitch as the Ultra and Triumph. Thanks for pointing that out.
Peavey Customer Service is how I found that out...
BTW, they will give out free schematics for these amps as well.