Peavey Classic 30 [2005-2012]

30 watts (RMS) into 16 or 8 ohms
Four EL84s and three 12AX7s
12" Blue Marvel speaker
2-channel preamp
Pre- and post-gain controls on lead channel
Normal volume control on clean channel
3-band passive EQ (bass, middle, treble)
Boost switch
Reverb level control
Effects loop
Footswitch selectable channel switching and reverb
External speaker capability
Chrome-plated chassis
Made in the USA



UTILIZATION

I think the first thing that needs to be noted about the build of this amp is the fact that it's made in the USA. The fact that you can pick this up for around $450 if you look around is a real testament to how great a deal it is. That said, there is a bit of learning curve to this amp. While the controls are fairly simple, you kind of have to learn what it likes and doesn't like.

SOUNDS

I'll start with the clean channel. It's probably the best channel on the amp. The Classic 30 is good to think of as a Vox AC30 with a little bit of plexi mixed in. It's not as vibrant and harmonic as the AC30, but is has the mids of a marshall. It's not quite as angry as either of those amps...it's more versatile than that. It has a pretty neutral voice. The clean channel is very balanced and has that EL84 vibe going on pretty heavy. It takes pedals extremely well. You can get this amp to sound about like anything with the right pedals. I think the neutrality of the clean channel is what makes it so useful for pedals. It basically becomes what ever you feed it. It's very warm.

The lead channel is something I don't too often use. It's not high gain. More like plexi to jcm800ish levels of gain. It's not as aggressive as an EL34 amp. It's just sort of flatly voiced. If you want high gain, you should probably just use a distortion pedal on the clean channel rather than use an overdrive for this channel. I use the lead channel for my mid gain sounds usually. The clean channel + pedals can do everything else.

OVERALL OPINION

The speaker is about the only thing about the Classic 30 I don't like. But that's no problem. A lot of people like to put a Vintage 30 in these but in my opinion there's a bit of a mid spike. I have tried a number of speakers in mine and I'm pretty impressed with Greenbacks for the most part. They seem to warm up the amp. Other than that there's really no gripes about this amp at all. It has some of the best all around tone I've ever heard. Extremely versatile amp...and probably would be part of my desert island rig.

The Peavey Classic 30 is a 30 watt tube combo that is made to sound and feel much like a Fender. Many players enjoy this amp for its low powered tone that is useful for small gigs. It is a single channel amp with a switchable boost that acts a lot like a second channel of sorts. It has a basic EQ, an effects loop and an onboard reverb as well. It's loaded with a single Blue Marvel speaker in this version which works fairly well. It's not the most complex amp in the world, but Peavey was going for a simple yet effective design which has proven effective for many years.

UTILIZATION

This amplifier is pretty easy to dial in for sure. Being that it's only a single channel there is not a whole lot of tweaking needed to get tones happening. This amp does not really do the high gain vibe like certain other Peavey amps, but it does do a whole variety of lower gain tones that work well in a variety of different contexts. The controls react well to adjustment and the interface is very user friendly. The only issue I really have is a bit of a sudden volume spike as the amp's volume is turned up. Otherwise it's a pretty easy rig to dial in.

SOUNDS

The Peavey Classic 30 is a more classic sounding amp that responds better to single coils or vintage voiced humbuckers. It has a very loose American vibe that is like a modern tweed Fender. It's a pretty dynamic amp too, reacting well to volume roll off with the guitar. The tones range from a gritty US clean to some fiery mild drive tones. If hit with an overdrive as a boost, this amp really starts to display some raunch. It doesn't have the tight and dry quality for truly high gain applications but Peavey makes plenty of amps to get that sound too!

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think the Peavey Classic 30 is a great gigging workhorse that takes well to a variety of lower gain applications as well as with pedals too. At $650 new it's a pretty good deal for the musician who needs a great portable tube combo under a grand. Definitely worth trying!

The Peavey Classic 30 is a 30 watt tube combo that is made to sound and feel much like a Fender. Many players enjoy this amp for its low powered tone that is useful for small gigs. It is a single channel amp with a switchable boost that acts a lot like a second channel of sorts. It has a basic EQ, an effects loop and an onboard reverb as well. It's loaded with a single Blue Marvel speaker in this version which works fairly well. It's not the most complex amp in the world, but Peavey was going for a simple yet effective design which has proven effective for many years.

UTILIZATION

This amplifier is pretty easy to dial in for sure. Being that it's only a single channel there is not a whole lot of tweaking needed to get tones happening. This amp does not really do the high gain vibe like certain other Peavey amps, but it does do a whole variety of lower gain tones that work well in a variety of different contexts. The controls react well to adjustment and the interface is very user friendly. The only issue I really have is a bit of a sudden volume spike as the amp's volume is turned up. Otherwise it's a pretty easy rig to dial in.

SOUNDS

The Peavey Classic 30 is a more classic sounding amp that responds better to single coils or vintage voiced humbuckers. It has a very loose American vibe that is like a modern tweed Fender. It's a pretty dynamic amp too, reacting well to volume roll off with the guitar. The tones range from a gritty US clean to some fiery mild drive tones. If hit with an overdrive as a boost, this amp really starts to display some raunch. It doesn't have the tight and dry quality for truly high gain applications but Peavey makes plenty of amps to get that sound too!

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think the Peavey Classic 30 is a great gigging workhorse that takes well to a variety of lower gain applications as well as with pedals too. At $650 new it's a pretty good deal for the musician who needs a great portable tube combo under a grand. Definitely worth trying!

This isn't a spectacular amp but it does have a bit more versatility than a Fender tweed would have. This is essentially modeled after the Fender tweed deluxe amps from the olden days. It does have two channels which makes it more modenr and the second channel being for more of n overdriven tone.


Peavey Classic 30 1x12 Combo Amp Features:

* 30 watts (rms) into 16 or 8 ohms
* Four EL84s and three 12AX7s
* 12 inch Blue Marvel® speaker
* 2-channel preamp
* Pre- and post-gain controls on lead channel
* Normal volume control on clean channel
* 3-band passive EQ (bass, middle, treble)
* Boost switch
* Reverb level control
* Effects loop
* Footswitch selectable channel switching and reverb
* External speaker capability
* Chrome-plated chassis
* Classic tweed covering

UTILIZATION

Details
Type Tube
Number of Channels 2
Power 30W
Speakers 1 x 12" Blue Marvel
No Effects
Reverb Yes
EQ Bass, Middle, Treble
No Amp Modeling
Number of Tubes 7
Preamp Tubes 3 x 12AX7
Power Tubes 4 x EL84
Inputs 1 x Instrument
No Outputs
Footswitch I/O Yes
Effects Loop Yes

SOUNDS

This thing gets a decent tone for the money. The tone seems a bit on the thin side even with a a humbucker style guitar. The tone I know is not a high gain saturation like most of their amps are, but it does get a some thick chewy distortion when you wind up the gain on the amp.

This is a simple amp and there isn't too much to dialing in a decent tone for what is has to offer you. The controls are simple and the gain structures for post and pre amp will have you selecting a number of possible tones.

You will get a great tone at a great price for this amp. For the two channels you get and the price Peavey offers, you really can't complain.

OVERALL OPINION

This isn't an amp to write home about but it does good for the money. These amps have a great Fender like quality to them. At new they come in at around $650, which isn't a bad price for a two channel combo amp. Not only for the price but for the features as well. Not a bad amp to have and the value is remarkable.

I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good Fender tweed style amp with two channels under $700. This is a great value and a good enough tone to boot.