Think I'll Keep It

I was complaining (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/112564-need-tone.html) about the so-so tone of my Peavey Windsor Studio on another thread. I swapped the Blue Marvel for the Blues Jr. speaker I was running in an old C30 cab with a BH5H (terrific combination, btw).

The Fender sounds great in the Peavey; really opened her up. Now there's some balance, more punch, and the highs are nicely rounded. Interestingly, the Blue Marvel with the Little Giant comes close to sounding like a C30. But only close. Something's definitely missing. It's much weaker and muddier than the Blue Marvels I've worked with in the past. It may need some more breaking in, but I really don't think that will make a lot of difference with it. It's like the specs for this speaker have been redesigned. I really liked the older Blue Marvels.

I've ordered a Screamin Eagle to put in the C30 cab -- mainly just to get that cool "Eminence Inside" plaque to attach to the cab. :wink: Oh yeah, and I like the Ralph Steadman lettering, too.

I sincerely believe that Hartley Peavey's idea of tone runs more toward the lines of Les Paul through Marshall and then a little Fender mixed in. That's what the Windsor Studio sounds like to me. I do like it, but I'm not surprised that a speaker swap changed the character of the combo.

I think that a good number of Peavey's amps are voiced that way. I've swapped a 12" Fender/Eminence speaker from the Blues/Hot Rod series amps into one of my Bravos and it gave the amp a really different sound, more open with more top end. I put a couple of them in my 5150 Combo and it was too brittle, probably because of the closed back. So I took one of 'em out and put in an Eminence Legend GB12. That seems to be a really good balance.

I'd really like to get into checking out speakers but that can be an expensive proposition. I'd hate to drop $400-500 on a pair of Celestion Blues only to find out that I didn't like 'em...

I sincerely believe that Hartley Peavey's idea of tone runs more toward the lines of Les Paul through Marshall and then a little Fender mixed in. That's what the Windsor Studio sounds like to me. I do like it, but I'm not surprised that a speaker swap changed the character of the combo....

I'd really like to get into checking out speakers but that can be an expensive proposition. I'd hate to drop $400-500 on a pair of Celestion Blues only to find out that I didn't like 'em...

Peavey's in general do seem to sound better with humbuckers, rather than SC's, although my strats and teles always sounded very good with my C30. I know what you're saying about playing around with different speakers. It can get very expensive in a hurry, esp. with things like the Celestion Blues -- which I'd dearly love to try, but balk at the price.

(btw, I haven't forgotten the C50 chassis.)