Amp Questionaire filled out. Comments Please

[kennesawbob]

Looking for my first tube amp. I have filled out the questionaire and am looking forward to your help. Thanks in advance......



Proposed Questionaire:

How much would you like to spend? $300 - 500

What's the absolutely most you will spend? $550

How many years have you played guitar? 15+

Do you seek tone quality or versatility? Both, but mostly tone

What is your primary guitar (include pup type and configuration)? Fender Strat (57/62 Fender pups), Fender Tele (SD Vintage) and Epi LP (SD 57's)

What style(s) of music do you primarily play? Stones, Police, U2, Clapton, Led Zep

What one guitarist do you wish to emulate? Can't pick one.

Do you prefer to plug straight in, or will you be using effects? Effects
* If you plug straight in, you will likely require 2 or more channels
* If you use effects, you may prefer an effects loop

What will be the primary use of the amp?
bedroom/living room
jam with friends (guitars, bass, drums, etc.)
gigs (small venues)

Do you prefer a combo or head/cabinet (and why)? Combo

What amplifier(s) do you have/had and why do you want a change? Mustang III. I want a tube...for tone!

Please list five amps (minimum) that you have researched (if you can't do this, you're not serious)

Bugera V22
Vox AC-15C1
Peavey Classic 30
Fender Blues Jr
Blackstar HT Series HT-5R

What did you like about them?

Bugera V22 - tone and price
Vox AC-15C1 - tone
Peavey Classic 30 - clean and crunchy
Fender Blues Jr - great clean sound
Blackstar HT Series HT-5R - tone


What did you not like about them?

Bugera V22 - Bad rap (Behringer is known as cheap)
Vox AC-15C1 (expensive new, hard to kind inexpensive used in great condition)
Peavey Classic 30 (Dont know much about Peavey except made in USA)
Fender Blues Jr - (Limited tone range)
Blackstar HT Series HT-5R - ($$$)

[Escher]

Have you read my "Ruminating" thread yet? hehehe...

You are entering a vast wilderness...

[Rhust]

of the 5 you listed, the classic 30 is nice, I like em.

not listed - silverface vintage fenders can be had in this price range.

the orange terror series is in this range as well... and that would be my personal favorite for that price range...

[shiplett77]

Used Fender Hot Rod Deluxe? Multiple channels, built in reverb, effects loop, quiet enough to play at home, and loud enough to gig with. Just make sure when you test it, you play it loud, and try out the footswitch.

I love mine. . so much I sold my egnater.

[rjwilson37]

Of the ones you have listed, I would definitely do the Classic 30, it has great cleans with a lot of headroom and does the Classic Rock crunch thing very well. You will have to use a pedal for Bedroom levels most likely to get a really nice crunch tone, but I use a pedal anyway a lot to be able to easily kick in and out of the crunch tone I want. I have the Blackheart Handsome Devil and it has a really nice tone that I liked a lot as well as the price.

[kennesawbob]

Found a Peavey Classic 30 on eBay last night with a starting bid of $250. I bid $250 with a max of $350. Found out a few hours ago I won it for $250. The photos show it was in good condition and the seller had a 100% rating.

I'm sure I'll replace the tubes and tinker with it. Thanks again for your help! Photos to come!

[rjwilson37]

Congrats, that was definitely an awesome score.

[Scooter2112]

Awesome! I think you'll be pleased with that. Plus you have a couple hundred left for a really nice dirt pedal for bedroom playing.

I was going to suggest any of these three you listed anyway:

Vox AC-15C1
Peavey Classic 30
Fender Blues Jr

- Maybe not necessarily the Blues Jr., but LOTS of options in the Fender line. Seems like any of those would pull off the sort of tone you're looking for, in regards to the artists you had listed.

Best of luck with the new amp!

[BigAl]

Originally Posted by kennesawbob

Found a Peavey Classic 30 on eBay last night with a starting bid of $250. I bid $250 with a max of $350. Found out a few hours ago I won it for $250. The photos show it was in good condition and the seller had a 100% rating.

I'm sure I'll replace the tubes and tinker with it. Thanks again for your help! Photos to come!

While you're at it replace the Blue Marvel speaker with a Celestion V-30 or G12T-75 and you'll have an absolutely golden sounding amp . I found the original Blue Marvel extremely harsh at higher volumes.


Oh, great score at $250 by the way .

[Thumpalumpacus]

Originally Posted by kennesawbob

Found a Peavey Classic 30 on eBay last night with a starting bid of $250. I bid $250 with a max of $350. Found out a few hours ago I won it for $250. The photos show it was in good condition and the seller had a 100% rating.

I'm sure I'll replace the tubes and tinker with it. Thanks again for your help! Photos to come!

That's a great score, HNAD. Looking forward to your pics.

I've owned four Peaveys over the years. Reliability has never been an issue in my experience, nor that of other guitarists I've known. As Al mentions, the speakers often leave a bit to be desired tonally, but play it and see. I know the older C30s without tube cages suffered from rattle, but that's an easy fix.

[Backstage]

Originally Posted by kennesawbob

What is your primary guitar (include pup type and configuration)? Fender Strat (57/62 Fender pups), Fender Tele (SD Vintage) and Epi LP (SD 57's)

What style(s) of music do you primarily play? Stones, Police, U2, Clapton, Led Zep

A Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or a Peavey Classic 30 would be nice for you IMHO.

[nauc]

you got a deal, thats all i can say

congrats!