Peavey Classic 30 or Peavey DeltaBlues

[TELEJACKER]

Oh man, I've got a bad case of G.A.S., or maybe it's called A.S.S. since we are talking about amps here, but here's the problem. I'm currently using a Super Reverb RE and I love it, especially clean, I don't think the clean tones can be beat with this amp. However, as most of you know it is a beast to haul to gigs, and overdriven, I've never been as happy with it.

So, I'm thinking about maybe getting a smaller, more portable EL-84 amp. I've had a couple in the past and liked them really well. And I'm not looking to break the bank here as I want to keep the SRRI, just want to downsize a little for the smaller gigs. The other guitar player in my band has a Peavey Classic 50 and it sounds good, but it's also a beast and sort of defeats the purpose of what I'm trying to do here.

So, any pickers out there who have played the Classic 30 and the DeltaBlues, what were the differences in tone, your likes and dislikes, differences in the 2-10" version of the deltablues vs. the 1-15" version, as opposed to the 1-12" in the classic 30.

Any and all opinions will be appreciated here fellas!!!
Thanks!!!

[Shnook]

I don't own either, but I've played both and I'd recommend the Delta Blues 1x15. The Classic 30 and the Delta Blues are basically the same amp but the Delta has Tremolo and Classic 30 has Reverb. As for the speaker choices, that's kind of up to you and your ear. I just happen to like the DB's 1x15 version best. If I were in the market for another amp, the DB's would be high on my list.

As noted, they're all the same basic amp, the DB just adds tremelo.

I have a BF'd SF Super Reverb that I love, and a Peavey Classic 30 that I also love. And I've been gigging with a guy who has a Peavey DB 1x15, which is also very nice. Anyway, I'm pretty familiar with the sound of both amps. The 4xEL84s won't give you quite as much clean headroom as the Super, of course – but they make up for with plenty of smooth, creamy overdrive.

If you like the way the 10s in the Super respond, you might want to go with the DB 2x10, which will also give you the greatest overall speaker area. I got the PC30 because I wanted a 1x12 combo, and it does work great for small to medium clubs. You can add a 1x12 extension cab to get a lot more bass out of it. Occasionally a matching 112E will show up on FleaBay or H-C, but Peavey still makes a 1x12 cab with a different exterior and model number.

Finally, lots of people love the sound of a single 15" for guitar. It certainly has a good "whomp" factor going for it. ;-) Best of luck, CS :-)

[TELEJACKER]

Thanks feller's for the info. Yeah Chris, I didn't figure I could go too wrong either way, these peavey classics are just such good amps for the money. I think I'm leaning torward a Classic 30 just for the simple reason that I like a little reverb and I guess the DeltaBlues doesn't have it (if I understand that correctly), and I hardly ever use the tremelo that's on my Super Reverb anyway. Just don't need another pedal in the chain just for a little reverb. Anyway, the Classic 30 with maybe an extension cab later on down the road is sounding pretty good to me. Thanks again for the info. And anyone else with 2 cents to throw in is welcome to.

It's just like the C30, reverb and everything, but it also has tremelo. Have fun hunting, CS :-)

[rcrecelius]

Let us know what you decide...Ive been thinking about getting a Peavey 30 or DB myself. I dont know why though, Id have a hard time leaving the "Z" at home!

Try to keep that "other" guitar player in line will ya?!

[TELEJACKER]

Well crud!!! I lost out on a mint DeltaBlues today on flea-bay, got sniped at the last second, man don't I hate those guys. This one had the 15" speaker, but I really can't decide between that or the 2-10's. Oh well, probably can't lose either way. Ronnie, I'll let you know how it comes out. Man, if I had a "Z", all would be right with the world, at least until I had a hankerin' for something else. By the way, that other guitar player in the band told me that you were having trouble getting loud enough to hear yourself with the Dr. Z on some of your outdoor gigs, I know how to cure that. Just inform Rodney that you will only be playing the indoor, cushy, air-conditioned gigs from now on. Believe me, your good enough that he will just say "Yes Sir"!!! LOL


There's no keeping that other guitar player in line, he's too busy trying to look pretty!!!

[Tom A.]

I have got both the C30 and the DB's 210. As far as sound, I like the DB better with the 2 10" speakers but the C30 is a very close second. The C30 weights about
10 pounds lighter and is more compact but as someone said, you can't lose either way. The Peavey Classic Series is hard to beat for the money.

[rcrecelius]

Hehe...we have a new drummer now and low and behold I can hear myself now!
The other drummer was good but he was incredibly loud.

[TELEJACKER]

Well, I did it. Bought a Delta Blues 2-10" on Ebay last night. Thing looks mint. Can't wait to get it and fire that baby up. Seller says it's 6 weeks old with maybe 10 hours on it. Came with cover and a tube guard, all for $355 + shipping, which is a little more than I wanted to spend, but with the extras, don't think it was too bad a deal. Will let everyone know how it sounds. :D

[Jim L]

Got a good deal (I think) on a 6 month old, pristine Peavey Delta Blues 1x15 combo. Came with the cover. The owner had swapped out all the stock tubes. It's got NOS GE el84s and the rest are NOS types as well.

I can't believe how great the clean channel is. I've never owned a el84 powered amp that I've liked. Something different with this one. The 15" speaker really agrees with my tele. I actually don't think the drive channel is all that bad either. Maybe not BOOTIQUE tone, but for $350 how can I go wrong?! The reverb is decent (far better that what you find in something like a Blues Jr). It's compact and powerful.

Likely going to put my Pro Reverb in the closet for a while... simply because the DB has great clean tone and takes up far less room (and is much easier to lug around).

I'm going to buy one of those tube guards for is ASAP. Haven't tried it with my strat or hollowbody (old Kay with P-90s) yet, but I expect nice tone after hearing the tele through it.

Yahoo!

[JerryPro]

You guys may have read about my problem with DRRI. I'm seriously interested in either a Classic 30 or a Delta Blues. I'm not sure of the configuration that I want yet. Be sure and let us know all you can after you give it a whirl.

You too, Jim after you give it a spin with yer Strat, etc. :D

[Jim L]

I'm taking it to rehearsal tonight. Low medium volume (not gig volume) but it should be a good test. I'll try the strat through it.

I've never played an amp with 10" speakers that I've liked, but then again, those amps haven't been in the class of something like a Super Reverb or Vibrolux.

The 15" speaker, I think, helps tame my tele a bit. Certainly no ice-pick tone there. There seems to be a bit of a rattle noise that my be attributed to the power tubes being so close to the speaker. In addition to the tube guard I'm going to buy to protect all the exposed tubes, I've seen something called "Tom's Tube Tamer" specifically for these Peavey amps. The thin metal tube retainers that are stock seem to be a problem that this Tamer helps, eliminating the tube rattle (found on loud bass notes).

Will report in when I have more to tell...
Jim

[TELEJACKER]

Will certainly let you know how the 2-10" version works out. Sucks that I have to wait all week for it to get here. Have a gig Fri. night, so it will probably get here Saturday.

[Jim L]

Had a gig Friday night, and the 1x15 DB showed up on my doorstep Saturday afternoon.

Although, it doesn't have the tubeguard yet, so I probably wouldn't have dared take it even if I had it in time...

[TELEJACKER]

Oh man, I don't think there's any way I could resist taking a new toy to a gig, even untested. That's like giving a kid a brand new video game on Dec. 20th, letting him unwrap it, and telling him it has to stay in his room unused until Dec. 25th. Pure torture!!!

Course I have to admit that I would take a backup just in case, I mean, I'm not totally crazy.

I'm wondering if the 2-10" version will have the tube rattle that everyone else seems to have with the 15" and the classic 30.

Later!

[Jim L]

Had the DB 1x15 at practice last night with my MIM 60s Classic strat with Fat 50s. For some reason it didn't sound as good as I thought it sounded with my Tele at home the other day. (Tele is a mongrel, MIM tele special body and neck, old Ibanez mini-bucker in the neck and a Duncan Antiquity bridge pup)

I'm sure I need to play more with the EQ on this thing. Also, the Fat 50s, while not nearly as dark or overwound as Texas Specials, are a bit more mid-rangy than vintage style strat pups. This works really well with my SF (blackfaced) Pro Reverb, which like any BF amp is scooped in the mids. The Peavey doesn't appear to have that mid scoop, so the Fat 50's mids might be more apparent.

It managed to cut through the mix well. We kept volume low for a change, which was great. I think this amp has enough volume for any of the bar gigs we might play.

The tremolo doesn't compare to the amp I just unloaded ('64 Ampeg Reverberocket), but I didn't expect it to. The reverb is OK... nothing like the Pro Reverb's, but better than comparable modern Fenders like the Blues Jr or the Hot Rod series.

Got my tube guard ordered, so I will be able to pack it into the car without freaking out about how exposed the tubes are...

[Tom A.]

[quote="J In addition to the tube guard I'm going to buy to protect all the exposed tubes, I've seen something called "Tom's Tube Tamer" specifically for these Peavey amps. The thin metal tube retainers that are stock seem to be a problem that this Tamer helps, eliminating the tube rattle (found on loud bass notes).

Will report in when I have more to tell...
Jim[/quote]



I believe I know where you can get a Tube Tamer for your Peavey :D :D

[TELEJACKER]

Well the guitar gods smiled on me last night. My Delta blues 2-10" arrived yesterday, and after a quick 10 minute tryout, I took it to our gig last night. Oh man, I'm in EL-84 heaven. This thing has a great clean channel which is what I use mostly, and when cranked up a bit to about 6 on the volume, I started getting a nice edge, especially when my attack got a little heavier. Maybe it was just that I had a new toy, but our first 2 sets sounded better than I've ever heard us sound. It has plenty of volume to cut through. The only time I had trouble hearing was when our steel player would cut loose, but that's no suprise with his amp aimed right at me. I really didn't notice any tube rattle like everyone else seems to have noticed, but then again, it was a larger size bar and we were pretty loud. Does seem a little brighter on the high notes with my tele than I expected from an el-84 amp, but that could be the 10" speakers. Has good mids, but not overpowering. Sounded really smooth with my Strat.

Didn't mean to write a novel here, but some guys were wondering how it would turn out, so there you go.

Originally Posted by TELEJACKER

My Delta blues 2-10" arrived yesterday, and after a quick 10 minute tryout, I took it to our gig last night. Oh man, I'm in EL-84 heaven. ... Maybe it was just that I had a new toy, but our first 2 sets sounded better than I've ever heard us sound.

Hey congrats, that's great. :-) They're really cool amps – I'm glad you enjoyed yours so much the first time out. (And just imagine how good they'd sound if they cost fives time as much. Everybody would want one! hehe.) ;-) Have fun, CS :-)

[Mark N]

I have been wanting to trade my Blues Deville for something smaller and easier to carry around. Been jonesing around for the Classic 30. Tubes, lighter weight and some pretty rave reviews. I knew they were a nice little amp based on what I read but I really found out when I got to plug my 52 ri straight in. NICE!! This one had the stock "blue marvel" speaker and the classic tweed look. I haven't gigged with it yet, that comes next weekend, I am looking really forward to it. It's got a nice warm tone, warmer than my Deville. I traded on the spot and I guess I have no regrets...yet anyway. I am sure I won't be disappointed. Now off to the music store for a cover and some other various goodies.

[rcrecelius]

Cool, glad you like youre new amp!
You can drop that ole Super off at my house since you wont be needing it anymore

[Jim L]

I don't think the 2x10 DB will give you the tube rattle like the 1x15 (which I have). For a 1x15 combo, the cabinet is pretty small, which places the tubes closer to the speaker than might be ideal. The increased Bass response due to the 15" speaker also contributes to the rattle more...

Gald to hear about the gig!

[Tom A.]

Originally Posted by Jim L

I don't think the 2x10 DB will give you the tube rattle like the 1x15 (which I have). For a 1x15 combo, the cabinet is pretty small, which places the tubes closer to the speaker than might be ideal. The increased Bass response due to the 15" speaker also contributes to the rattle more...

Gald to hear about the gig!

Hate to tell you but the 210 will rattle too, I have one.

[TELEJACKER]

Hey RC - Don't think I'm gonna throw that SR in the trash just yet!!! By the way, when you get a little time off, that "other" guitar player and I would love to get together with you and jam a little, I could use a couple of free lessons!! he he I'll even bring the liquid refreshments.

Thanks to all for all the good advice on these amps, was a great purchase!!!