SeriesPeavey Classic (Discontinued)

Peavey is one of those companies that have really been a huge part of the modern rock world. They have build an integrated part of the new sound of rock music in that last 20 years. They specialize in high gain inexpensive amps for the basic consumer to be able to afford. They have been able to some how keep their prices low and build great amplifiers. This is the Vt series amp that was first introduced in the late 70's I believe. This used what was called hybrid technology. They would use a transistor preamp stage rather than having preamp tubes as you would see in most amps. The they would have power tubes in the power section. Which allowed them to lower costs but also build amps that would sound almost as close to a all tube amp. UTILIZATION This is basic EQ setup with these amps. There really isn't anything different then most other amps or even other Peavey amp. Like all Peavey's their amps are extremely easy to figure out. The only thing that I don't like is all the inputs in the front of the amp. There are four inputs and it get kind of messy in the front of the amp. You can have this amp up in running in no time. These are like most Peavey's a plug in and play amp. That means that you really don't need an instruction manual to figure out how to dial in a decent tone out of this thing. SOUNDS The tone of these amps are pretty decent. They certainly are brighter to y ears than a 5150 or a Rockmaster preamp. I find that the distortion is a little bit thinner in tone and robust. Not that, that is a bad thing but just a different taste or voicing within the amp. There just isn't that hug juicy kind of gain that I am so familiar with when it comes to Peavey amps. I like all Peavey amps with a good Gibson Les Paul or another guitar that has a humbucker installed. I find that the frequencies that make Peavey who they are comes out better when playing a guitar with a humbucker installed. I suggest letting this thing cool down for a while after playing since it will explode otherwise. These amps were notorious for over heating and to why they installed cooling fans in the later models. OVERALL OPINION These amps have long been discontinued and the used market is the only way to go. I have recently seen these amp for around $300+. That is a steady value for an amp this old and with this technology. So these amps hold a decent value to them and you will get pretty much your money back if you buy and do not like it. I would recommend picking one of these up if you can find it somewhere under $200 you need to jump on it. This is a nice jamming or practicing amp.

I've been using it since February with a C50 Head and I can say that it reproduces the bass sounds better than my 4x12 Marshall cab, oh, yes, I know it's hard to believe it, but it's true!!! I didn't try many other cabinets, besides a Harley Benton 2x12, a Marshall 1936 (very good as well) and a Marshall 4x12, but this Peavey is by far the best that I've had, at least with the C50, both in terms of sound reproduction and size and weight, compared to a 4x12. I was skeptical before I tried it, thinking that a 4x10 would have no lows and would provide a dry and rigid sound, without breadth, but don't be mistaken, it's excellent in these domains! I would like to test it with other heads... I won't be playing in a band anymore, that's why I'm selling mine, but if I ever need to get a cabinet, this will be it!

The Peavey Classic 50 2x12 combo is powered by 4 EL-84 power tubes that deliver 50 watts of warm tube tone. The amp has two inputs (Normal and Bright), an effects loop, and an external speaker out. The Classic 50 has two channels, clean and overdrive. The EQ and presence controls are shared for both channels, but each channel has its own level control. This amp has a footswitchable spring reverb with one global level knob. UTILIZATION This amp is simple to use and it is easy to get a good tone happening with minimal knob turning. Set the EQ knobs to 12 o’clock and go from there. Like with most other Peavey amplifiers the “pre” knob is pre-amp gain and the “post” knob is the level control. Once these controls are understood, dialing in the amp should be no problem. SOUNDS The main guitar I use with this amp is a Gibson Les Paul Custom with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and a ’59 in the neck. I run through a pedal board consisting of a MXR Micro Amp, a Bodenhamer modified Boss SD-1, a Line 6 MM4 and an ISP Decimator noise gate. The overdrive channel on its own sounds full and articulate and has a little more gain than a Marshall JCM800. I either boost this channel with the Micro Amp, the SD-1, or both to achieve more intense levels of gain with outstanding results. With the help of these pedals, the Classic 50 goes from “classic” tones to more modern levels of gain. The shared EQ has not posed a problem in obtaining good clean and overdriven tones. I believe the key to this amp is keeping the master volume set relatively high and controlling each channels volume with their independent controls. This opens the amp up sonically and makes it much more sensitive to playing dynamics. This is a LOUD combo! With the ability to connect an external speaker cab this amp has the potential to knock down walls. The EL-84’s may look small, but they pack a wallop! OVERALL OPINION My favorite thing about the Classic 50 is its portability. While it is a heavy 2x12 combo, it’s far easier to grab this than a head and a 2x12 cabinet. The tone and reliability of the amp also outweigh any lighter competitors. For the price the Classic 50 is hard to beat. In my mind this was going to be an inexpensive combo to hold me over until I could afford another head and cab after selling my last rig to cover some personal expenses. That was over 4 years ago. I ended up being VERY content with the amp and it has performed well beyond my expectations. Is it EXACTLY what I want/need? No, but it is an excellent amp for the money and deserves far more recognition than it receives.

My first guitar amp! I remember it fondly. I worked all summer to save up for my first big, loud mean guitar amp. Then...I broke my arm. My father took pity on me and offered to help me out. He took me to the music store and I picked up the biggest, loudest amp there was! 2 12 Shefield speakers, Reverb (actual tank not digital), Stereo Chorus and 2 channels (clean and dirty) I was in my local music shop. It was used. I bought it in 1997, I'm going to guess this amp is from the early 90s. I paid $100 for it. More power than anyone could ever use. The EQ was very tweakable. I cannot remember it off the top of my head as I don't have the amp anymore. I believe it had the standard 3 or 4 knob EQ for each channel and I believe there was a bright switch. Master Volume on the clean and I think a Pre and a Post for the dirty channel. Heavy, Heavy and more Heavy. Ever notice Peavey looks similar to the word heavy? This amp had to weight 100 pounds. When I was a young teen it probably weighed as much as I did! The distortion channel wasn't anything to right home about. I mean I loved it when I was 14 or so, but soon realized the amp wasn't going to get me to sound like my idol at the time Mr. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Built so tough that if a Mack truck traveling at 60 mph hit it, the truck would explode and I could still plug this thing in and fire it up. If you dropped it down your steps, your steps would break, not the amp! I loved the fact that I could count on the amp. Too made more companies don't build things with Peavey's quality control. Sure sign of the 80s. Loud, Heavy, Reverb and Chorus! Man I really wouldn't mind ripping through some Van Halen on that amp one last time. If you packed one of these away in a time capsule, in 100 years you could dig it up and I am certain this amp would still crank up! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought my Classic 20 on Ebay for $180 from a guy who said it was one of his favorites, but wasn't using it enough to justify keeping it. I was looking seriously at the Peavy Classic 30 at the local music store ($450.00 retail) but it was just too much amp to use on stage at my church. By the time I got the tubes heated up, there would be people running FROM the altar instead of TO it! The features I like are the clean tube sound and the size. It's a 15 watt amp that's easy to carry and more than loud enough for my purposes. I really wanted to stay with a tube amp, and the Classic 20 is all that. With the master knob up 3/4 of the way and the volume knob just barely at 2, I get a warm, MOSTLY clean sound, with just a hint of distortion. With the knob settings reversed, the crunch factor is ferocious, which is a good thing when my wife is out and I want to make some noise. There is no way to switch channels (clean and crunch). You have to turn the knobs to do that, so it's impractical in the middle of a song. The "boost" button makes the amp a little louder, but it doesn't have great tone on this setting, so I wouldn't ever use it. The Classic 30 does have a footswitch, so if you're leaning one way or the other, that could make all the difference in your choice. The construction is sturdy, with stainless steel corner guards. The grille and tweed fabric covering are pretty tightly woven and seem to be able to take some abuse. as ithers have mentioned, the tubes are exposed, and get mighty hot, so you have to be careful handling the amp while its warmed up. For me, this amp still beats the larger Classic 30 having the right amount of power and not too much. It's not as clean as the Fender Hot Rod Delux, but then, that amp has a lousy drive channel. If you use effects pedals for your distortion, this amp is all you need. But if you need a footswitch, go with the Classic 30. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I purchased this Peavey Classic 100 watt head from a local music shop. I play mostly Lynyrd Skynyrd material, and wanted that sound from the 1970's and 1980's era. I paid about $650.00 (new) about January 2000. I like everything about the Classic 100. The head is all tube driven. Peavey has added a cooling fan to the unit, which I feel extends the life of the tubes. The "clean" channel is prestinely clean, even when using a guitar with hot humbuckers! The "lead" channel gives everything from a lite "crunch" to heavy "growl", but does not go overboard. Nothing!!! The unit has great sound, especially when played through my Peavey 4x12 cabinet. The only guitarists that may not like this amp/head, are those into heavy metal. The distortion in this model is specifically designed for the 1970's and 1980's "southern" rock type music-and it puts it out very well!! The amp head appears to be made with about 3/4" tp 1" thick plywood (Birch?), but is covered in the calssic yellow tweed. The amp has chrome metal corners, and heavy duty rubber feet. Power cord is heavy duty, and the amp has a built-in bracket to neatly keep the cord out of the way when traveling. This is my first Peavey, and I bought it so that I could get closer to that Lynyrd Skynyrd sound. I would not hesitate to buy another Peavey product. The amp head is well built, has a great sound both on the clean and lead channels, has low and high gain inputs, and a built-in effects loop. Peavey spared nothing building this amp! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is a 50 watt two channel amp that is geared towards the old school rock and country tones. This is generally a clean amp with a mild overdrive for channel one. For channel two you get a little bit more gain on tap but the voicing has is limited to the sweat classic rock tones. Not really a high gain amp even though it does have some good distortion on channel two. This is going to be an amp that you couple with pedals and effects to compliment your playing style. This is basically the same amp as the 30 watt version only in a higher wattage. All the same features and tone are there. However, you will get a tighter low end from the speaker since in this amp they are using a 15 inch speaker instead of a 12 inch. So the low end will be better suited for Fender Strat players. UTILIZATION Details Type Tube Number of Channels 2 Power 50W Speakers 1 x 15 inch No Effects Reverb EQ Bass, Middle, Treble No Amp Modeling Preamp Tubes 3 x 12AX7 Power Tubes 4 x EL84 Inputs 1 x Instrument No Outputs Footswitch I/O Effects Loop Height 28" Width 27.75" Depth 14.87" Weight 61 lbs. SOUNDS You will get the same tone as the other version of this amp but the respoonse from the speaker will be slightly different. the tone will have more of a low end focus since the speaker is a 15 inch instead of the 12 standard speakers.The tone from this amp is not really my cup of tea. The is geared toward the classic rock player who needs a good Fender tweed style amp, but wants more versatility. The amp is versatile for that kid of player. Having the boost switch is stretching in terms of classic Fender style EQing. Also having another channel is going to be a bit much for some old guys who this amp is marketed towards. However, if you need that versatility and the price is an issue then this would be a good amp. The clean tone is a pretty decent clean tone. You can crank the volume up more and it will get a mild overdrive tone. When you engage channel two there you will get some good distortion much like a tubescreamer would get in front of an already overdriven Fender classic amp. OVERALL OPINION I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good two channel tweed amp and doesn't want to spend too much to get it. This is a good amp that will give you solid creamy rich classic rock tones all day long. For me this isn't my favorite amp from Peavey, but it is a decent amp. You will get a very usable clean tone and a solid distortion tone fit for classic rock, country, and pop music.

The Peavey classic is basically Peavey's take on an American classic amplifier. The best amp I can relate this one to is the Fender bassman. It is essentially a blues and mild rock amp. The tone is ok and not really promising. You really need a good distortion or overdrive pedal of some sort to get a decent tone out of it. I understand Peavey's need to do an amp like this to get into the Fender tweed market but in my opinion is that Peavey's excels as making high gain rock and roll metal amps and this is a bit of a let down. What was unique about this amp was not that is has a big cabinet for a simple blues amp but that it was sporting a 15 inch speaker inside. Usually 15 inch speakers are used by bass players to help round out there tone by combining it with there existing 10 inch speaker. You don't see it with guitar players too much as it can be very sub bassy. UTILIZATION - 30 watts into 16 or 8 ohms - All-tube (three 12AX7 and four EL84 tubes) - 2-channel preamp - One 15 inch Blue Marvel(r) speaker - Tremolo with speed and intensity - Pre- and post-gain controls on lead channel - Normal volume control on clean channel - 3-band passive EQ (bass, middle, treble) - Boost switch - Master reverb - Footswitch selectable channel switching and tremolo - Effects loop - Classic tweed covering - Chrome-plated chassis - External speaker jack - Weight Unpacked: 49.20 lb(22.317 kg) - Weight Packed: 56.00 lb(25.401 kg) - Width Packed: 14.5"(36.83 cm) - Height Packed: 25.5"(64.77 cm) - Depth Packed: 24"(60.96 cm) SOUNDS This amp is best for Fender Stratocatser guitars. These guitars while having a tone of soul and tone lack in the bottom end. This maybe the reason for the 15 inch speaker. This will help compensate for the lacking lows and the bigger speaker makes that difference up. This is more of a mild overdrive amp fit for country, rock, and pop and having that tweed look on the outside just makes you think the blues. Since the blues is best played on a Stratocatser then that is generally what I lean towards. I suggest using a good tubescreamer pedal if you want to get a good pop/rock tone. You can already get a smooth distortion breakup with the amp but this will allow you to take it a level and half to that singing sustain that you need for lead playing. OVERALL OPINION This particular model has been discontinued and replaced with an update model. You can find these amps if you look hard enough as they were made for that long. They are to be found but can be a challenge. I would recommend this amp to a fender Stratocaster player who needs more low en to his or her tone.

This is a 50 watt two channel amp that is geared towards the old school rock and country tones. This is generally a clean amp with a mild overdrive for channel one. For channel two you get a little bit more gain on tap but the voicing has is limited to the sweat classic rock tones. Not really a high gain amp even though it does have some good distortion on channel two. This is going to be an amp that you couple with pedals and effects to compliment your playing style. This is basically the same amp as the 30 watt version only in a higher wattage. All the same features and tone are there. However, you will get a slightly different change in the headroom since there are 20 extra watts and three extra speakers. The low end will be a bit tighter since you have 10 inch speakers in the cabinet instead of 12 inch speaker or speakers. UTILIZATION This amp is easy to figure out. It has an easy front panel faceplate that is self explanatory. Te manual you get is very helpful as well. They has provided the user some diagrams of pissible settings for different types of music. This allows the user to get started with some easy rock, coutry, and metal settings. Then the player can take control of his own tone from minor tweaks to the manual's guide. Not that this amp is very difficult but having the pre setup in the manual is a great guide for people who may just be getting started in guitar amps. If you have bee playing the acoustic for a while and now just getting into the electric guitar something like this can help a lot of people. SOUNDS The tone from this amp is not that great and not really my thing. This amp is geared toward the classic rock player who needs a good Fender tweed style amp, but wants more versatility. The amp is versatile for that kid of player. However, if you need that versatility and the price is an issue then this would be a good amp. The clean tone is a pretty decent clean tone. You can crank the volume up more and it will get a mild overdrive tone. When you engage channel two there you will get some good distortion much like a tubescreamer would get in front of an already overdriven Fender classic amp. Having the boost switch is stretching in terms of classic Fender style EQing. Also having another channel is going to be a bit much for some old guys who this amp is marketed towards. So the TS9 helps those who want just a simply overdrive to the clean channel. OVERALL OPINION I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good two channel tweed amp and doesn't want to spend too much to get it. This is a good amp that will give you solid creamy rich classic rock tones all day long. These amps are no longer in production from Peavey at the moment. They could bring them back but who knows. I have seen them on the used market for around $300 which isn't a bad price for a tube head of 50 watts.

The Peavey classic is basically Peavey's take on an American classic amplifier. The best amp I can relate this one to is the Fender bassman. It is essentially a blues and mild rock amp. The tone is ok and not really promising. You really need a good distortion or overdrive pedal of some sort to get a decent tone out of it. I understand Peavey's need to do an amp like this to get into the Fender tweed market but in my opinion is that Peavey's excels as making high gain rock and roll metal amps and this is a bit of a let down. Peavey Classic 50 410 Features 50 watts (rms) into 16 or 8 ohms Four EL84s and three 12AX7s Normal and bright inputs 3-band passive EQ Presence control Normal and lead volume Lead pre- and post-gain Master volume Reverb control Effects loop Fan cooled Chrome-plated chassis Tweed covering Footswitch included UTILIZATION Peavey Classic 50 410 Specifications POWER AMPLIFIER SECTION Four 6BQ5/EL84’s with 12AX7 driver Rated Power & Load: 50 W RMS into 16 or 8 ohms Power @ Clipping (Typically): (5% THD, 1 kHz, 120 V AC line) 50 W RMS into 16 or 8 ohms (Bias must be reduced to measure) Frequency Response: +0, -2 dB, 50 Hz to 15 kHz, @ 40 W RMS into 16 ohms Hum & Noise: No greater than 80 dB below rated power Power Consumption: 200 watts, 50/60 Hz, 120 VAC (Domestic) PREAMP SECTION Two 12AX7’s The following specs are measured @ 1 kHz with the controls preset as follows: Pre & Post (lead) @ 0 Reverb Level @ 0 Bass & Treble EQ @ 12 Middle EQ @ 0 Master Volume @ 12 Presence @ 6 Nominal level is with Input Gain @ 6. Minimum level is with Input Gain @ 12. Preamp Normal Input: Impedance: Very high Z, 470 K ohms Lead Channel (Post Gain @ 10): Nominal Input Level: -40 dBV, 10 mV RMS Minimum Input Level: -70 dBV, 0.3 mV RMS Normal Channel: Nominal Input Level: -17 dBV, 140 mV RMS Minimum Input Level: -28 dBV, 40 mV RMS Maximum Input Level: 0 dBV, 1.0 V RMS Preamp Bright Input: Impedance: Very high Z, 470 K ohms +12 dB boost @ 2 kHz Equalization (Lead and Normal Channels): Custom bass, middle, and treble passive-type EQ Effects Send: Load Impedance: 1 K ohm or greater Nominal Output Level: -6 dBV, 0.5 V RMS Effects Return: Impedance: High Z, 2 MOhms Designed Input Level: -6 dBV, 0.5 V RMS (Switching jack provides Effects Send to Effects Return connection when not used.) External Footswitch Function: Reverb Defeat (when reverb control is raised) Normal/Lead Channel Select (when Lead activated) SOUNDS I suggest using a good tubescreamer pedal if you want to get a good pop/rock tone. You can already get a smooth distortion breakup with the amp but this will allow you to take it a level and half to that singing sustain that you need for lead playing. I playing this type of amp and this amp with a good Fender susperstrat or Stratocaster. If compliments the tone of this amp very nicely. This is more of a mild overdrive amp fit for country, rock, and pop and having that tweed look on the outside just makes you think the blues. Since the blues is best played on a Stratocatser then that is generally what I lean towards. OVERALL OPINION These amps have now been updated with a new look and other minor tweaks. This amp is a fun amp and you can get this thing to do a lot more than a Fender Bassman could with the added volume controls, effects loop, and further EQing controls. On the used market you can find these amps for right around $500. The newer ones are around $999 and Peavey doesn't really hold their value all that well so you might be able to find one cheaper than that. I would recommend his amp to anyone who wants what a Fender Bassman cannot do and do it at a much cheaper price. These are great for recording or gigging. Easy tone and easy to dial in for a good band mix.

This is a 50 watt two channel amp that is geared towards the old school rock and country tones. This is generally a clean amp with a mild overdrive for channel one. For channel two you get a little bit more gain on tap but the voicing has is limited to the sweat classic rock tones. Not really a high gain amp even though it does have some good distortion on channel two. This is going to be an amp that you couple with pedals and effects to compliment your playing style. You can get a decent crunch tone ala AC/DC or Led Zeppelin pretty easily with this amp. The amp has a great classic rock voicing for those interested in that style of guitar playing. The clean is ok, but not a Fender clean as you might think since this is a more subtle Peavey rock amp and most of them come in a tweed package. UTILIZATION The manual is pretty helpful like most Peavey manuals. They give you complete diagrams of settings to get you started on the amp tone. They have rock, metal and country settings so that you can get started quickly and easily. Then you have a good frame of reference to start your own tone with your guitars and rig setup. SOUNDS The tone from this amp is not really my cup of tea. The is geared toward the classic rock player who needs a good Fender tweed style amp, but wants more versatility. The amp is versatile for that kid of player. Having the boost switch is stretching in terms of classic Fender style EQing. Also having another channel is going to be a bit much for some old guys who this amp is marketed towards. However, if you need that versatility and the price is an issue then this would be a good amp. The clean tone is a pretty decent clean tone. You can crank the volume up more and it will get a mild overdrive tone. When you engage channel two there you will get some good distortion much like a tubescreamer would get in front of an already overdriven Fender classic amp. OVERALL OPINION For me this isn't my favorite amp from Peavey, but it is a decent amp. Peavey has since stopped making these amp heads and so the used market is the only way to go at this point. I have seen them in the classifieds and on evilbay for around $300+ or so. Not a bad price for two channel tweed Bassman style amp with a lot more than a bassman could do. You will get a very usable clean tone and a solid distortion tone fit for classic rock, country, and pop music. I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a good two channel tweed amp and doesn't want to spend too much to get it. This is a good amp that will give you solid creamy rich classic rock tones all day long.