You might be a cork sniffer if..

So my brother finds this old Peavey amp in a flea market. Its a series 100 "classic". 50 watts, 2 6L6's, huge reverb tank, tremolo with 4 10" Eminence speakers, all stock. It's in great shape and he think he's found a vintage point-to-point tube amp.

I take a look at his purchase and we plug it in. Sounds pretty decent. The reverb is not that great. Either its too low or too much. The tremolo isn't that great either.

Crank the input volume and roll back on the master to push it to distortion and it sounds like crap. Throw a Boss Super Distortion on it and it screams. Sounds great. It cleans up nice and when you can get the reverb set, it's articulate and punchy. No ice pick even with the Tele. It sounds good, lots of clean headroom.

But looking the amp over I only see the two 6l6's. The 'verb and trem should have a few tubes and at least 1 or preamp tubes so I'm looking for a long row of 12AX7, but there are none.

The 410 stack sounds great, OEM Emi's in there. Digging around the interweb I find that it's a US made, SS preamp with 6l6's.

After I find this out, I'm somehow disappointed. Then it occurs to me, I'm a cork sniffer or in this case, a tube sniffer. I've lost respect for the good sound of this amp because I know there's sold state in there robbing mojo.

I also try to use my ears not my eyes when assessing tone. But I caught myself in a lie..

I think mostly what I like is the 410 concept over cabs like my 112 or even 212 that I have for my MB 50 cal +.

While this old amp has it's shortcomings, it still sounds pretty darn good.

Anyone else have on of these old beasties? How about 410 cabs?

Bb

How much did it cost him?

Got it for a $170.

Peavey made a lot of models that were Pre Amp SS and Tube Output and there is not a darn thing wrong with them I would grab any I could find if reasonable enough just to have. They make several that are Bandit size and 4 6l6s for a 130 watts. Sweet amps in my opinion.

They are good amps--there's one that's been floating around on CL the last few months here at 250 asking. I bet it sounds pretty good really.

Peavey made a lot of models that were Pre Amp SS and Tube Output and there is not a darn thing wrong with them I would grab any I could find if reasonable enough just to have. They make several that are Bandit size and 4 6l6s for a 130 watts. Sweet amps in my opinion.

What he said. I had a 2x12 version Classic VTX back in the mid 80s. Great cleans, good tremolo and reverb but only two power tubes. I used a distortion pedal with mine iirc.

So my brother finds this old Peavey amp in a flea market. Its a series 100 "classic". 50 watts, 2 6L6's, huge reverb tank, tremolo with 4 10" Eminence speakers, all stock. It's in great shape and he think he's found a vintage point-to-point tube amp.

I take a look at his purchase and we plug it in. Sounds pretty decent. The reverb is not that great. Either its too low or too much. The tremolo isn't that great either.

Crank the input volume and roll back on the master to push it to distortion and it sounds like crap. Throw a Boss Super Distortion on it and it screams. Sounds great. It cleans up nice and when you can get the reverb set, it's articulate and punchy. No ice pick even with the Tele. It sounds good, lots of clean headroom.

But looking the amp over I only see the two 6l6's. The 'verb and trem should have a few tubes and at least 1 or preamp tubes so I'm looking for a long row of 12AX7, but there are none.

The 410 stack sounds great, OEM Emi's in there. Digging around the interweb I find that it's a US made, SS preamp with 6l6's.

After I find this out, I'm somehow disappointed. Then it occurs to me, I'm a cork sniffer or in this case, a tube sniffer. I've lost respect for the good sound of this amp because I know there's sold state in there robbing mojo.

I also try to use my ears not my eyes when assessing tone. But I caught myself in a lie..

I think mostly what I like is the 410 concept over cabs like my 112 or even 212 that I have for my MB 50 cal +.

While this old amp has it's shortcomings, it still sounds pretty darn good.

Anyone else have on of these old beasties? How about 410 cabs?

Bb

You are never a sniffer if you can step back and see that it sounds great no matter how it gets there. There have been plenty of crappy sounding all tube amps through the years. It is pretty easy to get swept up in the all tube thing, even when the tubes advantages are not used. Take the source follower in the new Excelsior.

The one that kills me is when people insist the reverb must be tube driven. Like they can really tell.

I've lost respect for the good sound of this amp because I know there's sold state in there robbing mojo.


There's your trouble.

There is no such thing as "mojo". Hence, it cannot be "robbed".

JMHO.

Enjoy the amp.

Oh man no such thing as MOJO !
What next no Santa ? :lol:

If you didn't know anything about the amp other than the sound, would you like it?

If yes, then everything else is irrelevant. When you talk yourself out of a great sound and/or a great deal on a great sound because of something you read you were supposed to think, then you just opened up another great deal/opportunity for someone else.

Like me.

If you like it and it sounds good, get it. If it doesn't, pass. Aside from the off-chance there may be 1 in 100 other guitar players in the house, 1 in 100 of them could tell the difference in a mix, and 1 in 100 of THEM would care one way or the other, you could always go for TRUE vintage and drop and Fender stand alone reverb/gain stage in front of it.

<G>

There is no such thing as "mojo". Hence, it cannot be "robbed".

Yes there is. Mojo="dirt and grime." I have seen far too many people claim guitars or amps had "mojo" and when I look at them the only distinguishing characteristic is that they are moldy, stinky, dirty or beat up (i.e.; have "mojo").

Think about it...you have a 50's tweed amp with cigarette burns, ripped tolex (which is quite dirty). Everyone claims it has "mojo" which presumably means it has a rich history. Take that amp, re-tolex it so it's brand spankin new looking and presto - the "mojo" is gone (even though the amp has the same rich history).

So mojo="dirt and grime."

Anyone else have on of these old beasties? How about 410 cabs?

I have a mid-seventies Peavey Vintage. Tweed cabinet w/ 2 12's, solid state preamp and 4 6L6's, rated at 110 watts. The distortion sucks, but I play it completely clean and run pedals in to it. Buttloads of headroom. It screams. I'll never get rid of it. Built like a tank. I've had it since the mid eighties, dad gave it to me. It is one of the main causes of my tinitus. :mrgreen:

You might be a goober if you keep buyin' cheap gear and makin' excuses for lackluster tone.

"Reverb isn't there or is too much".

So it has a tiny sweet spot? Exactly my experience with my vintage Peavey. Except there's no sweet spot.


Recipe for GAS:

Buy a cheap amp because it's cheap. Or buy on an arbitrary budget (read that as "cheap") because "that's all I can afford". Read that as "all I'm willing to spend".

Repeat over and over.

Count to ten.

Ten $170 amps cost as much as one $1700 amp except ten $170 amps still sound like crap and you have a room full of cheap amps.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls what I'm describing is addictive behavior.

Maybe you can stop any time or at just one but then you're stuck with that one amp and its shortcomings.



I'm insulted you don't share my commitment to my craft. :roll:


.

sounds like he got a gig-worthy 4x10 amp for $170!

That to me trumps all the other issues.

Peavey did make a VERY short run of amps that looked like that...had a 6C10 preamp tube, and sound like the little hand of God. Only saw two in my life, had one of em...and it had a VERY distinct sound. Somebody decided they wanted it more than I, and if I ever catch em (know who it was) I will set them on fire.

The one that kills me is when people insist the reverb must be tube driven. Like they can really tell.

This may be down to the 8ohm "valve" tank, solid state driven usually has a 200+ohm tank.

As an experiment I dropped the 8ohm tank from the Epi BC30 into the solid-state driven Laney L5T and it sounded great, but it was a load mismatch and so I had to return that original tank to it, which can sound cramped.

Yes I can tell valve from solid-state driven, but I have problems distinguishing valve spring from Boss RV-5 pedal. Go figure

I want to find a steal one one of these old Peavey's for me to keep at our rehearsal space. It's an old stand alone garage that isn't insulated, only the carpet and padding we've hung ourselves. It gets pretty hot in there in the summer.

I hate carrying my gear back and forth to practice and it would be great if I just had one sitting there to plug into.

There was a 2x12 Deuce on CL locally that I should have bought, guy was asking $125, said it worked fine.

Musicman did very well with the ss pre and tube power. Great find.

But too finish your original quote "You might be a cork sniffer if.." you sniff corks of course. Or drink the guitar gear kool-aid. Take your pick.

you sniff corks ?

A freind and I had a concept for a cover band where we'd use gear from the '80's. I even bought an Ibanez Artist guitar that I found in the display window of a local magazine and news stand. I was going to use a Cry Baby, an Ibanez SD-9 distortion pedal and a Boss Chorus though a Peavey amp like a Duece or other hybrid 2 x 12" combo. The bass player was going to find a Peavey Mark Bass head and a 2 x 15" cab. The drummer would have to have a Tama kit and the keyboard player a DX-7 and a Rhodes.

We never did it, but the whole idea was that it's not the gear it's how you use it. I'm still thinking of using the cheapest modeling pedal I can find and a solid state keyboard amp as a gig rig sometime. And, yes, I am a tube amp snob and cork sniffer. But I have a sense of humor about it.

You believe what you read on guitar forums instead of listening to your ears.

The one that kills me is when people insist the reverb must be tube driven. Like they can really tell.

I say ........... aren't all reverbs tube driven? :confused:

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1773/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1773R-3330.jpg

ok, im new to this guitar stuff. and im disabled so my budget is what it is i know. i make do. with that being said, right now im building a new cab for my micro cube using a mod 8" speaker. cant wait to hear how much better it will sound. right now low notes it farts out, that's the whole reason for this little project.. other than maybe some experience building a tube amp down the road or whatever. so with all this said which is really useless but figured better than just asking what gas stood for, laughs. what dose GAS stand for. guitar ?
chris.

GAS....guitar acquisition syndrome or gear acquisition syndrome....addiction fed obsession in other words.

Wireline, I have a customer around here with one of those old all-tube Peaveys that runs the 6C10 tube. He can't keep it going......keeps hooking up odd impedances to it with odd power tubes in it and blasting away. IT is the oldest PEavey amp I have ever seen. Someday it may give up the shoip entirely...but maybe not.
To the OP.......point to point???? IN a PEavey....never in production, ime. IN a Fender...not since 1949 has FEnder built a point to point amp.

And...it is no crime to 'sniff the cork'. IT is only a mistake if one is sniffing but doesn't know 1)what to sniff for and 2)doesn't recognize the various aromas in the cork. In that case, it is simply an exercise in futility.

You are never a sniffer if you can step back and see that it sounds great no matter how it gets there. There have been plenty of crappy sounding all tube amps through the years. It is pretty easy to get swept up in the all tube thing, even when the tubes advantages are not used.

+1

I worked with a guitarist that used his Peavey Classic VTX 2 x 12 on some big stages. This was back around late 70's, early 80's. However he had it set up, it sounded great. Sparkly cleans and sweet tone for leads. I wouldn't hesitate to use one in good shape for live shows. Peavey Dueces and Maces sound great too when used properly. They may not look like anything special, but they sound damned good.

Better a cork sniffer than a cork sacker. :twisted:

You believe what you read on guitar forums instead of listening to your ears.

Yes or more to the point: You WANT OTHERS to believe what you read on guitar forums instead of listening to your ears.

ok, im new to this guitar stuff. and im disabled so my budget is what it is i know. i make do. with that being said, right now im building a new cab for my micro cube using a mod 8" speaker. cant wait to hear how much better it will sound. right now low notes it farts out, that's the whole reason for this little project.. other than maybe some experience building a tube amp down the road or whatever. so with all this said which is really useless but figured better than just asking what gas stood for, laughs. what dose GAS stand for. guitar ?
chris.

I hate to say it but probably better and cheaper to get a Cube-X with an 8-in speaker.
They seem to cost less than building a cab and buying a speaker.

Side by side Microcube vs Cube-X is a whitewash win for the Cube.


GAS = Guitar Acquisition Syndrome
GPO = Guitar Prevention Officer (wife)

You might be a goober if you keep buyin' cheap gear and makin' excuses for lackluster tone.

"Reverb isn't there or is too much".

So it has a tiny sweet spot? Exactly my experience with my vintage Peavey. Except there's no sweet spot.


Recipe for GAS:

Buy a cheap amp because it's cheap. Or buy on an arbitrary budget (read that as "cheap") because "that's all I can afford". Read that as "all I'm willing to spend".

Repeat over and over.

Count to ten.

Ten $170 amps cost as much as one $1700 amp except ten $170 amps still sound like crap and you have a room full of cheap amps.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls what I'm describing is addictive behavior.

Maybe you can stop any time or at just one but then you're stuck with that one amp and its shortcomings.



I'm insulted you don't share my commitment to my craft. :roll:


.

I have to disagree. Expensive amp does not always equal good sound, just as a cheap amp does not always equal bad sound. Amps are like any other tool, different strengths and weaknesses and it all comes down to what works best for you.

I hate to say it but probably better and cheaper to get a Cube-X with an 8-in speaker.
They seem to cost less than building a cab and buying a speaker.

Side by side Microcube vs Cube-X is a whitewash win for the Cube.


GAS = Guitar Acquisition Syndrome
GPO = Guitar Prevention Officer (wife)


yeah, im always late to the club. when i got the cube i did not see the cube-x.
cant find the cube-x just the cube-xl but seems it has no battery's which i want. but im sure you are right.
im this far into the project no going back now.

win some lose some.
just hope i do a good job, on building the amp box ( my wood working experience is building longbows and recurs old school bows.. never cared for the compound bow when i use to hunt. so thats how i got into building custom bows. making wood bend.. way different than cabinet stuff. never done finger joints before, or dove. looking for a template now. so i can trace them onto the pine i have.

live and learn. but now i found this forum. def will ask questions before i make a another buy. i cant afford not too. i know it sure has help in me buy the needed tools to build my first guitar. still need a couple of things. but was getting bored of just buying tools and doing nothing. so i saw the cube in a new box/speaker on the owners club section and i had a cube so i was like hey i can do that this month. i had the pine, so far just had to buy the speaker, and whatever else as i go.

sucks being a noob sometimes. laughs
chris.