Peavey Bravo speaker and tube recommendations

Stuco · October 6th, 2009, 11:02 PM

I've just purchased a Peavey Bravo and talk about a "sleeper" amp! Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a speaker and/or tubes that could make the most of this amp?

Mike Eskimo · October 7th, 2009, 12:09 AM

Ah - you got that one.

Nice.

Any speaker but the one that's in it.

How bout a Weber ?

If I were you I'd put JJ's in there and swap out one (or more) of those 12ax7's for a lower gain tube.

More info :

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/155268-cl-score-peavey-bravo-$180-but-i-have-questions.html

I let mine go because I had too good of an offer on it but I will definitely buy another.

Great amps.

Stuco · October 7th, 2009, 01:49 PM

Well, I'd like something relatively inexpensive as far as the speaker goes. What's the most bang for the buck speaker that would really benefit this amp?

ce24 · October 7th, 2009, 07:02 PM

I put a Carvin V30 clone in mine and I really like it. I'd also suggest a 5751 in the preamp slot 1. Yes, they are often called a marshall stack in a box for a very good reason....enjoy your new toy and congrats....

Cheers
ce24

Stuco · October 7th, 2009, 07:08 PM

I was thinking that this amp would use and 8ohm but the factory speaker is 16ohms. Which should I go with?

Stuco · October 7th, 2009, 11:38 PM

Do you guys think a Weber Signature 12B would suit the bravo?

Stuco · October 8th, 2009, 06:54 PM

Alright guys, which tolex do you think would look the best on this amp? This will be my first tolex job and I'm going to document it here for reference. I may change the grill cloth eventually but it's in good shape so I'll probably keep it for now. The black hardware will stay black. Here's the choices:

Western:

Blue Sparkle:

Coco Levant:

Here's the amp again for reference:

Tdot · October 8th, 2009, 07:02 PM

That spaceman Logo is beggin' for the blue sparkle.

Stuco · October 8th, 2009, 07:15 PM

An idea of what they might look like:

Stuco · October 9th, 2009, 03:36 PM

Well, I decided to go with the Coco Levant tolex. I also purchased a mojotone greyhound speaker. It's supposed to be a mix between british and american tones.

Stuco · November 19th, 2009, 09:57 PM

New speaker, new tolex, new tubes, sounds great!

pchilson · November 19th, 2009, 10:48 PM

Hey, thats a nice job Stuco. Did you find applying the tolex easy or hard?
How do you like the Bravos sound? What is the output wattage of the Bravo?

Stuco · November 19th, 2009, 11:01 PM

The tolex job was easier than I thought. If you are any good with your hands, it shouldn't be too hard. I made some mistakes and I think if I did another I could make it look professional.

The amp is 25 watts I believe. It has a good clean tone and distortion that doesn't sound it's best until it is pretty heavy. It does 80s metal ala EVH pretty well. It can also do punk grind tone very well. The clean is not as nice as say a deluxe reverb (similar output) but still very nice, especially for the money. If you see one of these for a good price I would highly suggest you check it out. An overdrive pedal and the stock footswitch and you've got a pretty versatile amp. Peavey should have never stopped making these, except with updated cosmetics of course!

tazzboy · November 20th, 2009, 12:11 AM

Contact Emerlin can give you a lot of info and what not on the Bravo amps http://www.tdpri.com/forum/members/e-merlin.html

Jakedog · November 20th, 2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tazzboy

Contact Emerlin can give you a lot of info and what not on the Bravo amps http://www.tdpri.com/forum/members/e-merlin.html

I second this, I own one of Merlin's old Bravos. Bought it from him a while back. I liked the stock speaker alright, and as a matter of fact, it's still in there. I might eventually replace it, but for my purposes it suits fine. If I do replace it, I'll probably go with a Carvin V12. I've been using them in my 2X12 box, and I REALLY like them.

As far as tubes, I have #7 GT El84's in mine. It changed the tone dramatically. Much more useable all the way around now. I don't remember what I stuck in the pre section, I'd have to pull it apart and look, but I know they were GT's as well, and quite a bit more expensive than their standard offering. They REALLY woke up this little beast.

I'm not a big fan of the clean, a little too Voxy for me. Although the new tubes did add more headroom and low end, it's still not my ideal clean sound. The dirt is off the charts good though. Very Marshall like, especially for recording. Live it sounds a little small and boxy compared to my Marshall ( that's to be expected with a small 1X12 combo) but mic'd up in the studio, it roars like nobody's business. I really dig it a lot. I think it's a shload of amp for the money they go for.

emisilly · November 20th, 2009, 06:22 PM

Best sleeper amp out there. I love mine. I put a Cannibus Rex in, as well as some JJ's. MUCH butter.

Good job on the tolex!

October 6th, 2009, 11:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	Peavey Bravo speaker and tube recommendations I've just purchased a Peavey Bravo and talk about a "sleeper" amp! Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a speaker and/or tubes that could make the most of this amp? __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 7th, 2009, 12:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mike Eskimo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Detroit Age: 45 Posts: 1,472	Ah - you got that one. Nice. Any speaker but the one that's in it. How bout a Weber ? If I were you I'd put JJ's in there and swap out one (or more) of those 12ax7's for a lower gain tube. More info : http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/155268-cl-score-peavey-bravo-$180-but-i-have-questions.html I let mine go because I had too good of an offer on it but I will definitely buy another. Great amps. __________________ Geeshie Wiley is my co-pilot

October 7th, 2009, 01:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	Well, I'd like something relatively inexpensive as far as the speaker goes. What's the most bang for the buck speaker that would really benefit this amp? __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 7th, 2009, 07:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
ce24 Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Idaho Age: 59 Posts: 847	I put a Carvin V30 clone in mine and I really like it. I'd also suggest a 5751 in the preamp slot 1. Yes, they are often called a marshall stack in a box for a very good reason....enjoy your new toy and congrats.... Cheers ce24 __________________ www.motagator.net/slackwater "you can be happy or you can be miserable..the amount of work is the same"

October 7th, 2009, 07:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	I was thinking that this amp would use and 8ohm but the factory speaker is 16ohms. Which should I go with? __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 7th, 2009, 11:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	Do you guys think a Weber Signature 12B would suit the bravo? __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 8th, 2009, 06:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	Alright guys, which tolex do you think would look the best on this amp? This will be my first tolex job and I'm going to document it here for reference. I may change the grill cloth eventually but it's in good shape so I'll probably keep it for now. The black hardware will stay black. Here's the choices: Western: Blue Sparkle: Coco Levant: Here's the amp again for reference: __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 8th, 2009, 07:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tdot Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Back of the Wasatch, UT Posts: 5,027 55 Photos	That spaceman Logo is beggin' for the blue sparkle. __________________ And now for some feedback: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

October 8th, 2009, 07:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	An idea of what they might look like: __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

October 9th, 2009, 03:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	Well, I decided to go with the Coco Levant tolex. I also purchased a mojotone greyhound speaker. It's supposed to be a mix between british and american tones. __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

November 19th, 2009, 09:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	New speaker, new tolex, new tubes, sounds great! __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

November 19th, 2009, 10:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
pchilson Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Loveland, Colorado Age: 51 Posts: 2,127	Hey, thats a nice job Stuco. Did you find applying the tolex easy or hard? How do you like the Bravos sound? What is the output wattage of the Bravo?

November 19th, 2009, 11:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
Stuco Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: GA Posts: 4,230	The tolex job was easier than I thought. If you are any good with your hands, it shouldn't be too hard. I made some mistakes and I think if I did another I could make it look professional. The amp is 25 watts I believe. It has a good clean tone and distortion that doesn't sound it's best until it is pretty heavy. It does 80s metal ala EVH pretty well. It can also do punk grind tone very well. The clean is not as nice as say a deluxe reverb (similar output) but still very nice, especially for the money. If you see one of these for a good price I would highly suggest you check it out. An overdrive pedal and the stock footswitch and you've got a pretty versatile amp. Peavey should have never stopped making these, except with updated cosmetics of course! __________________ -"You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do" J. Garcia

November 20th, 2009, 12:11 AM	#14 (permalink)
tazzboy Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Age: 32 Posts: 4,785 1 Photos	Contact Emerlin can give you a lot of info and what not on the Bravo amps http://www.tdpri.com/forum/members/e-merlin.html __________________

November 20th, 2009, 06:22 PM	#16 (permalink)
emisilly Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Virginia Beach Age: 41 Posts: 509	Best sleeper amp out there. I love mine. I put a Cannibus Rex in, as well as some JJ's. MUCH butter. Good job on the tolex!

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