Decisions, decisions, decisions

[cman471]

I have been saving up for a while now, and I have $950 to spend on a new amp. I want a tube combo amp, and size does not matter (as long as its above 10 watts).

I am looking at the following amps. (*'s mean that it is higher on my list)

Peavey Classic 50/410 ***
Peavey Classic 50/212 **
Fender Hot Rod Deville 410 *
Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue

I was also wondering if anybody had any experience with any of these amps, and what styles they would be good for. I play mostly classic rock and blues. I did my research, and other people say all of these are good for the genres I play.

Also, what is the difference between the Classic 50 4x10 and 2x12 (aside from the obvious - one has 4 ten inch speakers and one has 2 twelve inchers) Are there any tonal differences, or any other kind of differences? (actually tone would be the only thing as they are wired exactly the same, with same tubing, etc.)

I have also heard that 4x10's are very beamy, Example: if you are standing in front of it it will be loud and blow your head off compared to standing three feet to the left of it (extreme exaggeration) . Is this true? And to what extent?

Thank you very much in advance,

Cole

[kcjewel]

Sorry, I don't have any experiance with your list of amps. I use a Marshall with 8 12's and I'm still looking for my head since the last time I stood in front of it. ;D
John and the crew

[cman471]

Haha, thats why I don't have a stack, John ;D

Do you have any experience with any model of a same amp but different speaker combinations as pointed out above?

And if you or anybody else has any recommendations on amps good for classic rock, blues, and newer rock stuff don't be afraid to shout it out!

[acrowder]

I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Its the 1x12 version of the DeVille. I really, really, really like it. It has plenty of power for me, and has a great clean sound. I don't bother with the "Drive" or "More-Drive" channels, I just use pedals when I need some grit. I'm assuming the Blues Deluxe would be similar, maybe a little more mellow?

[shattered]

The best amp I've ever owned, hands down, was an ART 830 Rulesbreaker combo. They don't make them anymore, but it had a ton of onboard effects that let me dial in any sound I wanted. Sold it when I got married, and I miss it a lot. I think it was 30 watts, and had to weigh in upward of 80 pounds. Probably not much use in recommending something that's been out of production for years, but if you see one on Ebay or elsewhere, it's a great amp.

I also owned a Crate Vintage Club 30 watt combo before that one. Another excellent amp, all tube, and pretty durable. Another one where I could pretty much summon up any sound I wanted. Those may be easier to find than the ART.

[debeneto]

its funny you should mention the peavey 212 because i was in guitarcenter the other day dreaming a bit (playing on stuff i can't afford when i was just in there to buy a set of strings) and i was playing on some tube amps and trying out a gibson custom shop sg and i saw a peavey 212 and i was like hmmm peavey makes some good amps so i plugged in the sg and started playing on it and i was surprised at the tone and quality coming out of it. the funny thing is that i tried some mexican made fenders on it and it still sounded good. if it was me id get the peavey. try them before you buy them for sure.


good luck
frank

[GuitarAttack Forum]

I've been looking for a new combo amp, and I keep coming back to the Peavey ValveKing. It is a great sounding amp, and it is pretty easy to get a good tone from it. And, of course, you can't beat the price.

I personally like the 2x12 version. It has a lot of "oomph." Sorry...I don't think that is a scientific term!

Good luck,
John

[cman471]

John, about those ValveKing's. . .

In my own humble opinion, they are good for a guitarist on a budget, who knows tube is better than solid state, and wants something relatively large.

Other than that, they are not worth the hype. I suggest you google it for reviews, and don't even bother with the ones that rate it 10, those are just kids trying to back up their decision, look for the ones that are like "ive been playing blah blah blah years" and the ones that give it less than 10. The only good feature (IMO) about this amp is the sweepable "texture control" that goes from class AB to a simulated class A power. You can get better amps in that price range, such as the Classic 30 (classic 50's lil bro) or even something used off ebay or craigslist. I personally do not think the drive channels are anything at all, and certainly not good for any type of metal.

I could go on all day, but, long story short, unless you are literally turned on by that amp(if you know what I mean), do not get it because there are so many other choices that are sensible.

I don't know if you've played it or not, but I suggest going to your local store and playing amps in that price range (with the same EQ settings) and comparing tones.

You don't have to listen to me, and no harm meant, but the ValveKing series is like calling Tim Lincecum the next prodigy of baseball. Sure, he is only 5 foot 9 and 170 pounds (severely small in baseball pitching world) and can throw 97 mph (severely high in pitching world), his mechanics are geared for success, and his biomechanics are putting such stress on his ligaments that they will blow within a few years. I could go on all day, but this is all just my own humble opinion.

Cole

[302boss]

I always thought that the Peavey Classic 30 was an excellent little combo...Not sure if they make them any more. If you can find it, it's a great Amp.

Also, VHT makes some pretty good combos too.

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Jul 8, 2008 0:50:14 GMT -6 cman471 said:

John, about those ValveKing's. . .

In my own humble opinion, they are good for a guitarist on a budget, who knows tube is better than solid state, and wants something relatively large.

....You don't have to listen to me, and no harm meant ...

Cole

Cole -- Thanks for the honest review. I have played the ValveKings, albeit in a store, and I thought they sounded great for the money. I know the true acid test is when you crank it up and play in a band setting. I have a friend who is a Peavey dealer, and he offered to let me borrow one to check it out. I'll let you know how it works.

I use the reviews online to inform my decision, but the anonymous nature of many of them leave me cold. Harmony Central seems to be either "It's awesome" or "It's awful"!

Thanks again for the post...I'll continue my search, and increase my budget.

John

[cman471]

Thank you for not taking it the wrong way John, i was just a bit worried.

I guess all that I was trying to say that it is a great amp (don't get me wrong, I even own one), but that if you increase your budget just a tad you can do soooo much better. I didn't mean for it to go on so long, but I guess all is well.

Cole

[keef84]

+1 on the Hot Rod Deluxe. I was at the Guitar Center earlier this year looking for a new amp. The deluxe sounded the best to my ears of all the tube amps in my price range. Very nice warm Mayer/SRV sound with a strat. The drive channels are fine but I use pedals for dirt anyways. Not to heavy to lug around either. -Good luck

[dzguitar]

The only "knock" on any of the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe/Hot Rod Deville amps are the fact the electrical components are all mounted on printed circuit boards (PCB's) which with time WILL fail! The reason? The chassis is located very near "ground zero" with the speaker among other things!

Probably the only other thing is that Fender sets the bias on these amps cold... typically around 60mV... they sound best at around 80-85mV and with JJ tubes. Watch the biasing video on www.eurotubes.com. The amps come with Groove Tubes and quite frankly they suck!

Also the speaker in the HRDx or Deville is a decent Eminence speaker but replacing it with a Celestion Vintage 30 or Weber is most common. I have been through this because I own one!

However, recently I went a step further and sent the chassis off to a guy in Dallas, TX and had the PCB's ripped out and a P-T-P wiring job done. It's now got a Fender Deluxe style wiring but runs with 6L6's (can be biased to run 6V6's to for lower output) and has a tube rectifier! Its a very sweet sounding amp now and will get more than loud enough for gigs.

Another really good option is to buy yourself a 5E3 clone combo from Ceriatone. These amps are getting a really great reputation for the workmanship (P-T-P wiring!!!) and top quality components used and the prices are insanely low! Nik at Ceriatone is a great guy, will take care of you and will modify his existing designs to your needs and doesn't charge $$$$ to do it! He builds "boutique" amps on a musicians budget!!! I plan on purchasing a 18 watt Marshall clone head from him in the very near future. Go out to Youtube.com and search for Ceriatone amps... they're great!

[dzguitar]

I failed to mention that when I got my Fender HRDx it sounded great... right out of the store! Stock. I loved the cleans and after replacing the crappy Groove Tubes... re-biasing the amp to wake her up a bit... it really sounded sweet. With the adjustable bias and test point on the printed circuit board you can easily adjust the bias to suit your ears using only a multi-meter! BTW... a complete re-tube kit from www.eurotubes.com is only in the $70-80 range and they're JJ's a much better sounding tube!

I hope this clarifies a little bit on a great little amp! I have about what your budget is in mine after all the modifications but had I armed myself with a bit more knowledge instead of "impulse" buying at a "big box" store... I'd bought me a Ceriatone JTM 45 clone combo or a Fender Deluxe or Super Deluxe clone combo! Right in the same ballpark price-wise... maybe even a bit less.

Sorry for the additional "blog"... and good luck man!