Trading up/over from Peavey Classic 30 - Suggestions

[taherbert]

Hey everyone, I am thinking about nixing my Peavey Classic 30 from my rig. It's been a dependable amp, but the honkiness in the midrange has always been a bit much to my taste. I would ideally want something 30W or less, $600-800 new or used. Clean tones are very important because I play mostly indie, classic, and pop-rock and a tubescreamer is about all the dirt I need. I gig small venues and record regularly, so something that sounds good at moderate volumes and has good noise floor is very important (i.e. no Blues DeVille). I run a stereo rig with a Mesa Studio .22+.

 

Suhr Custom Classic T/Fender Lonestar Strat -->

Crybaby Wah (TB and vocal Mods)

EHx Small Stone

TS-9 (home Keeley Mod)

Ross Distortion (TB Mod)

EHx Big Muff Pi

Boss OCT-2 --> signal split -->

EHx Deluxe Memory Man

MXR Carbon Copy

T.C. Electronics Nova Delay-1 -->

Channel 1 --> Peavey Classic 30 (Celestion V30 speaker, EHx preamp tubes, JJ power tubes), or '68 Vibrochamp

Channel 2 --> Mesa Studio .22+

 

 

I have my own ideas, such as a used Fender Deluxe reissue or Blues Jr. I read that the new Ampeg J-20 has kind of a {censored}ty noise floor, which is a turn off. Is there anything I'm overlooking?

[TheEsupremacy]

You didn't make this easy, that's for sure. Fender Deluxe Reverb maybe? Vox AC30?

[NinjaRaf]

what about a roland jc-120? does it have to be tube?

[TheEsupremacy]

 

what about a roland jc-120? does it have to be tube?

 

 

around 30 watts. 120 would be way over although it's a good suggestion because it sounds so good clean and takes pedals well.

[NinjaRaf]

around 30 watts. 120 would be way over although it's a good suggestion because it sounds so good clean and takes pedals well.

 

ahh yeah...forgot about that...however, itll be like 30 tubes watts :poke:

[NinjaRaf]

also....newholland just went from a mesa .22 to a dr. z carmen ghia and is super happy about it. I think that might be a bit over your budget though...

[murch33]

I went from a Valvetech VAC 2x10 down to a Classic 30, and then back to Valvetech. Got a 1x12 this time and I'm not going back.

[TheEsupremacy]

Looks like AC30 is the answer. Unless anyone else has got something.

[AXEL276]

I went from a Mesa F-50 (1 x 12) to a Tech21 Trademark 60 and said goodbye to honky mids forever! I also said goodbye to tube rattle, tube maintainence, and my back thanks me as well.

 

I switch off between the TM60, a 50 watt Marshall DSL (w/2x12 cab) and a Tech21 PSA1.1 (programmable preamp) rack system. Right now the TM60 is my "go to amp".

[NinjaRaf]

 

Looks like AC30 is the answer. Unless anyone else has got something.

 

 

I just came in here to say that.

[taherbert]

I guess 30W is a bit arbitrary, but I want something where I can turn it past one and still play a coffee shop. I just remember having a Blues Deville (40W)(tweed) that was way too freakin' loud. It was also about 75 pounds. The Mesa is just about perfect for what I have. Roland is an interesting choice, with a JC-120 I could get some classic Ali Farka Toure sounds. I generally prefer tube to SS, I like my cleans slightly tarnished with a little tube grain (another reason I dont want to buy a Twin and run it at

 

I'm seeing a lot of used gear, especially Fender, around here on craigslist, for example:

Fender Concert $650

1973 Fender Pro Reverb $700

Custom Vibrolux 60th Anniversary $850

'65 Princeton Reverb Reissue $650

Deluxe Reverb Reissue $600

Crate V15 $300

VOX AC15 Custom Classic $525

Orange Tiny Terror $400 (Won't really do cleans, I know)

 

Any thoughts on one Fender combo vs. the others. I'm pretty sure a Twin is going to be too much amp, I hate the sound of the Hot Rods (don't get me started), and beyond that I haven't played many of the classic Fenders. There's also those little low wattage heads cropping up like Blackheart, The Epiphone, that sound pretty nice to me, but I haven't really put them through more paces than a passing try at the music store.

[Hardtail]

 

I went from a Mesa F-50 (1 x 12) to a Tech21 Trademark 60 and said goodbye to honky mids forever! I also said goodbye to tube rattle, tube maintainence, and my back thanks me as well. I switch off between the TM60, a 50 watt Marshall DSL (w/2x12 cab) and a Tech21 PSA1.1 (programmable preamp) rack system. Right now the TM60 is my "go to amp".

 

 

I'm in basically the same boat ... looking for a good 1-12" combo amp. DOes the Trademark 60 have at least as much gain as the Classic 30 ? I'm just looking for something that will cover classic rock without using many pedals. ALso wondering how it holds up at high volume compared to the tube amps (I suspect this is where the SS amp will suffer by comparison).

 

THX

[NinjaRaf]

 

I guess 30W is a bit arbitrary, but I want something where I can turn it past one and still play a coffee shop. I just remember having a Blues Deville (40W)(tweed) that was way too freakin' loud. It was also about 75 pounds. The Mesa is just about perfect for what I have. Roland is an interesting choice, with a JC-120 I could get some classic Ali Farka Toure sounds. I generally prefer tube to SS, I like my cleans slightly tarnished with a little tube grain (another reason I dont want to buy a Twin and run it at I'm seeing a lot of used gear, especially Fender, around here on craigslist, for example: Fender Concert $650 1973 Fender Pro Reverb $700 Custom Vibrolux 60th Anniversary $850 '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue $650 Deluxe Reverb Reissue $600 Crate V15 $300 VOX AC15 Custom Classic $525 Orange Tiny Terror $400 (Won't really do cleans, I know) Any thoughts on one Fender combo vs. the others. I'm pretty sure a Twin is going to be too much amp, I hate the sound of the Hot Rods (don't get me started), and beyond that I haven't played many of the classic Fenders. There's also those little low wattage heads cropping up like Blackheart, The Epiphone, that sound pretty nice to me, but I haven't really put them through more paces than a passing try at the music store.

 

 

The vox and the crate both could be decent choices in that list.

 

I like my cleans CLEAN, though I do like a touch of grit in there, I prefer them clean most of the time, so the jc-120 would be a great choice for me, but if you want a bit of grit, I think the ac15 or ac30 would be great choices.

[Firegoat]

Bugera V22

[ruppert240]

 

Hey everyone, I am thinking about nixing my Peavey Classic 30 from my rig. It's been a dependable amp, but the honkiness in the midrange has always been a bit much to my taste. I would ideally want something 30W or less, $600-800 new or used. Clean tones are very important because I play mostly indie, classic, and pop-rock and a tubescreamer is about all the dirt I need. I gig small venues and record regularly, so something that sounds good at moderate volumes and has good noise floor is very important (i.e. no Blues DeVille). I run a stereo rig with a Mesa Studio .22+. Suhr Custom Classic T/Fender Lonestar Strat --> Crybaby Wah (TB and vocal Mods) EHx Small Stone TS-9 (home Keeley Mod) Ross Distortion (TB Mod) EHx Big Muff Pi Boss OCT-2 --> signal split --> EHx Deluxe Memory Man MXR Carbon Copy T.C. Electronics Nova Delay-1 --> Channel 1 --> Peavey Classic 30 (Celestion V30 speaker, EHx preamp tubes, JJ power tubes), or '68 Vibrochamp Channel 2 --> Mesa Studio .22+ I have my own ideas, such as a used Fender Deluxe reissue or Blues Jr. I read that the new Ampeg J-20 has kind of a {censored}ty noise floor, which is a turn off. Is there anything I'm overlooking?

 

 

the c30 is a fun little amp. try changing the slope resistor, it will cut down on the honky mids

 

r19 - try 33k

[taherbert]

 

the c30 is a fun little amp. try changing the slope resistor, it will cut down on the honky mids r19 - try 33k

 

 

That's actually worth trying. Looking at the Blues Jr. schem, the Classic 30 is basically the same tone stack with a 100K at the R19 position and that boost switch (which I hate) gone.

 

Excuse my ignorance here, but if you lowered that slope resistor, wouldn't that raise mids and cut down on treble? Maybe I've got it backwards, or that .047uF Cap + 220K resistor to ground in the boost switch path alters things in a way I don't grasp?

 

Sorry for the geekiness everyone, but I recently started building effects and learning about amps, so I'm into this stuff.

[Unstrung]

Also consider swapping the speaker if the mids aren't to your liking.

[taherbert]

Ah, I see now:facepalm:, the boost switch recovers signal bled off at that .047uF Cap, but only if the treble is high relative to the 220K ground resistor, bypassing the midrange and bass siphons and causing that ugly midrange hump.

 

Yeah, shorting that further by lowering the slope should smooth out the mids. Also, taking out that boost switch altogether would work, wouldn't it?

 

I should have done E.E., not pathology.

[ruppert240]

That's actually worth trying. Looking at the Blues Jr. schem, the Classic 30 is basically the same tone stack with a 100K at the R19 position and that boost switch (which I hate) gone. Excuse my ignorance here, but if you lowered that slope resistor, wouldn't that raise mids and cut down on treble? Maybe I've got it backwards, or that .047uF Cap + 220K resistor to ground in the boost switch path alters things in a way I don't grasp? Sorry for the geekiness everyone, but I recently started building effects and learning about amps, so I'm into this stuff.

 

it will boost the lower mids and bass and decrease the treble. Those may or may not be things you want, but the point is that it will change the range of the mid pot, which could cut down on the honky mids. it all depends on what kind of tones your going for. that being said I love my ac30 and it could be a good option for you too.

[ruppert240]

 

Ah, I see now:facepalm:, the boost switch recovers signal bled off at that .047uF Cap, but only if the treble is high relative to the 220K ground resistor, bypassing the midrange and bass siphons and causing that ugly midrange hump. Yeah, shorting that further by lowering the slope should smooth out the mids. Also, taking out that boost switch altogether would work, wouldn't it? I should have done E.E., not pathology.

 

yes and yes.

 

you could also try a different value for the boost cap/resistor to change the boost more to your liking, possibly making it useful:lol:

 

I'd give it a shot and see how it sounds, pretty easy to put it back to stock. heck you could just add a resistor parallel to r19 to bring the value down.

[AXEL276]

 

I'm in basically the same boat ... looking for a good 1-12" combo amp. DOes the Trademark 60 have at least as much gain as the Classic 30 ? I'm just looking for something that will cover classic rock without using many pedals. ALso wondering how it holds up at high volume compared to the tube amps (I suspect this is where the SS amp will suffer by comparison). THX

 

 

The TM60 has more than enough gain and the beauty of it is it will deliver at ANY volume. No need to heat up the tubes for low volume work and it delivers at high volume. If I had one thing to say about the TM60 it's that it's consistant. When you plug in no matter where you are and what ever volume you'll be playing at you will know ahead of time what to expect. I rarely ever get that feeling when I leave home with my tube amps.

[Hardtail]

 

The TM60 has more than enough gain and the beauty of it is it will deliver at ANY volume. No need to heat up the tubes for low volume work and it delivers at high volume. If I had one thing to say about the TM60 it's that it's consistant. When you plug in no matter where you are and what ever volume you'll be playing at you will know ahead of time what to expect. I rarely ever get that feeling when I leave home with my tube amps.

 

 

Thanks mang ... really appreciate that.

 

HT