Members Spike Li Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Im looking at buying a 2nd hand Peavey Bandit that Ive seen around, this model: Ive tried out the new ones and pretty much would have bought one if i didnt stumble across a JC-120 which I just had to have. Ironically, the reason I was looking for an amp to buy was that I wanted to start jamming/gigging and my cube 30x didnt cut it. Now I have the JC-120 - which I love - I find it too heavy and cumbersome, and now want something a little smaller Was planning on getting a Roland Cube Bass 100 (as Ive mentioned in another thread) but today when I tried one I couldnt get any tones I wanted out of it Anyway, long story short, Im considering buying this Bandit 112 (pictured above), but I dont know anything about them. I cant remember if ive read that Bandits/Peaveys are reliable or not, and whether or not older models of the Bandit sucked/were better than the new ones So basically, is this model Bandit worth buying?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Peavey is pretty much known for their reliability above anything else. I've not heard many complaints about the Bandit series. Don't know if it is powerful enough to jam with a band or not, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tkachuk07 Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 They are well known for being good solid state gig amps. Plenty loud & with some good tones. I think Red Stripe Bandits & newer are considered a little better, but I'm not 100% sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gypsyfireman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 you will have no problem being heard. they are stupidly loud. there are some great tones in those amps, too. nice and reliable, too. nice low-rent gigging amp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members runningmusic Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 They are definitely loud enough and also reliable. I bought mine new in '99 and have gigged and practiced with it since then with absolutely no issues. The tone doesn't compare to my '66 Bandmaster, but it works as a quality backup amp for me. If you like it and can get the tones you want I say go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Virgman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 It depends on how much you are paying for it. They are good amps. For $100-$150 buy it. They are loud as hell with excellent cleans. They take pedals well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I had one of those redline Peaveys...and it was LOUD! Sold it to a friend of mine...wish I still had it! Bandits are great amps. Nice size, plenty of power, and sound great, especially clean. If it's a good price, I'd snatch it up. The redline models are my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MahaloVision Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have a 112s that I bought about 10 years ago or so. Takes abuse well, decent cleans, loud, and portable. TransTube seems to work just about the way you think it would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Will Chen Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I've had a love affair with Bandits for many, many years starting with an old teal Stripe pre-Transtube which a buddy owned which we abused to death. I've played all versions of the Transtube series and much prefer the redstripe (pictured above) and current production models (which I recently reviewed for FG) to the silver stripe 1st generation Transtube. Now here's the caveat. Bandits are really meant to be live amps. While they can get very clean results at almost any volume to get the clean channel to really break up you have to crank these suckers up very loud. Of course the high gain channel has plenty of gain on tap but strangely doesn't do mild breakup very well at all. Of course they take pedals great and with the current production you can really control how hard the input compresses with the resonance switch and high/low gain input. The redstripe has a slightly more effective attenuator than the current line and a presence control. However the latest model as a footswitchable boost which comes in extremely handy in performance scenarios. Here's a clip of the high gain possibilities of the Bandit, and a vid of the clean capabilities: [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Man, that sounds great! Is that a stock SX Strat? What effects (if any) are you running in that video? Really does sound "tubish" coming through that Peavey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McSuckage Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have one and it's a decent little ss amp. It is true that it sounds better cranked, though... especially if you plan to use its own distortion channel. Naturally, the high gain settings are IMO unusable (and don't get me started on the mid scoop). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I ahve the studio pro red stripe, which is the same as the bandit except lower power and a bkue marvel speaker...65 watts...I replaced the speaker with an eminence red white and blues...it is plenty loud for jamming and stage work...the higher powered bandit has a better speaker and more power so it will be plenty of amp.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Will Chen Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Man, that sounds great! Is that a stock SX Strat? What effects (if any) are you running in that video? Really does sound "tubish" coming through that Peavey. Thanks! That is a dead stock SX SST57 Stop Tail straight into a Peavey Bandit. Pretty sure I was using a First Act cable as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gypsyfireman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Thanks! That is a dead stock SX SST57 Stop Tail straight into a Peavey Bandit. Pretty sure I was using a First Act cable as well. you have made a convincing argument... well played, sir! sounds great. i've been a fan of the transtube stuff for a long time. i always thought it was very under-appreciated. nice to see it get some recognition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grape Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 When I saw the Meat Puppets in a local theatre, Curt was playing a surf green strat through a 112 bandit and it was loud enough to hurt everyone's ears. It sounded great too, although a lot of that is due to his playing. Inless you're playing Madison Square Garden I think it'll be loud enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lobsterbush Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have the studio pro red stripe, which is the same as the bandit except lower power and a blue marvel speaker...65 watts...I replaced the speaker with an eminence red white and blues...it is plenty loud for jamming and stage work...the higher powered bandit has a better speaker and more power so it will be plenty of amp.... Don't mean to hijack the thread but how much better did the eminence speaker make the studiopro sound? I have one and was thinking of replacing the speaker, just didn't know which one i should get. I can say that I have also never had a problem being heard with the less powerful studiopro 112. You won't be disappointed in the redline series transtube bandit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jairic Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I've got an old one and it still works, after many years of abuse. I'm actually considering buying another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Don't mean to hijack the thread but how much better did the eminence speaker make the studiopro sound? I have one and was thinking of replacing the speaker, just didn't know which one i should get. I can say that I have also never had a problem being heard with the less powerful studiopro 112. You won't be disappointed in the redline series transtube bandit. The blue marvel is just OK...there's no real life to it...the redwhiteandblues added a nice fender-ish body to it, increased the overall volume and boosted the over- and under-tones significantly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Virgman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have two of them. One has a short in the board somewhere that make the volume surge a little bit. The other one is fine. I could take the bad one to a Peavey dealer but it isn't worth fixing really. There it sits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lobsterbush Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 The blue marvel is just OK...there's no real life to it...the redwhiteandblues added a nice fender-ish body to it, increased the overall volume and boosted the over- and under-tones significantly... Thanks, I'll keep that one in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 Thanks, I'll keep that one in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hemroidius Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have a first generation Transtube Bandit (Sheffield panel) - and I like it pretty well for what it is. Purchase used at pawn for about $100. No issues so long as I spray clean the pots about twice per year. Clean channel is pretty impressive and it gives nice, modest, tube-like break-up with the controls set right. Reverb is not so great, but usable in small quantities (set high it's only useful if you have a tune that can use gobs of dark and murky reverb). Being that I've found the gain channel nearly useless, I've had to search for the right dirt box to use with the clean channel for usable overdrive/distortion sounds. After going through about 4 or 5 dirt pedals, I've had the best luck so far with a recently purchased (used) Boss Super Overdrive (SD-1) - the lowly Tawainese version. The Bandit will never replace a good tube amp, but if you're on a budget that can't afford regular tube amp maintenance, it's a better-than-average substitute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hemroidius Posted January 14, 2010 Members Share Posted January 14, 2010 BTW, I've had some other respectable solid state stuff; Roland JC-77 (the 2x10 version of the 120), Gallien & Krueger 250ML, and one of those old Yamaha SS amps (forget the model line, dark olive drab covering and a parametric EQ). All sounded good for SS amps but the TT Bandit probably has the most "vintage" sounding (somewhat Fendery) clean channel of them all. Some of the Vox SS (non-modeling) stuff doesn't sound bad at all, but pretty much all built to give classic Vox tone. I'd say you should pay $175 to 200 tops - for that model Bandit, if it's real clean and has a footswitch. Otherwise $100-150. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spike Li Posted January 15, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 15, 2010 Looks like its a goer so far, anyone got anything else to add? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bvr775 Posted January 15, 2010 Members Share Posted January 15, 2010 the bandit is good amp..never had a complaint with mine. it pretty well balanced for its size and great for recording. I dont have one anymore because it went under water. i have a frontman dsp for studio work now, but ild buy another bandit without a second thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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