Peavey Bandit Club

[tubedude]

Cleaned out those jacks and everything is great. Just a little shot of my Wondermist and all is well. Thanks for the great advice!

That can of cleaner must be 80 years old.
It has the company street address on the bottom.

 

[Telecastoff1]

Just had an '87 Bandit 65 given to me last week. The speaker was missing, but the amp cosmetically is in perfect condition. I cleaned all the pots, jacks and connections. Then dropped an old EVM 12L Series II Black Label speaker into it. I turned it on and could hardly believe my ears.....the tone was beautiful, clean and very strong. I believe this one may be a keeper. I avoided these Bandit 65 amps for years, thinking they wouldn't be strong enough for effective gigging. I believe I was wrong!

 

[CJ DUBstang]

I've been out of music for 20 years and I go online to see what's hot ----- and everybody is rocking the amp I had in storage for 20 years.

Totally unbelievable how many people kept AND love this amp

 

[KidRob]

I don't own a bandit but I do own a Peavey Vypyr Pro.
I don't play it much and its in practically new condition.
I've gotten to where I mainly use a Boss Katana.

 

[LGOberean]

Just had an '87 Bandit 65 given to me last week. The speaker was missing, but the amp cosmetically is in perfect condition. I cleaned all the pots, jacks and connections. Then dropped an old EVM 12L Series II Black Label speaker into it. I turned it on and could hardly believe my ears.....the tone was beautiful, clean and very strong. I believe this one may be a keeper. I avoided these Bandit 65 amps for years, thinking they wouldn't be strong enough for effective gigging. I believe I was wrong!

I used to gig with a 1984 vintage Peavey Bandit 65. I'd probably still be using it for some outdoor gigs if it hadn't been stolen.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I used to gig with a 1984 vintage Peavey Bandit 65. I'd probably still be using it for some outdoor gigs if it hadn't been stolen.

Darn! That was part of the reason I bought mine. I figured no one would want to steal it!

Of course if it does get stolen I’m only out $80, and I will just grab another used one cheap.

 

[LGOberean]

Darn! That was part of the reason I bought mine. I figured no one would want to steal it!

Of course if it does get stolen I’m only out $80, and I will just grab another used one cheap.

If it helps any, it wasn't stolen by a player. I know that because the thief was a "friend," or more accurately, the brother of a friend.

He had been in jail, and was trying to get on his feet. He was living in his sister's garage, and working nights at a convenience store. He seemed like he wanted to better himself, and he had a knack for electronics. As a way I let him pick up some money, I let him take the amp to clean and service it.

I never saw it again. I called and texted him repeatedly, and he always had one excuse after another. After a while, I learned from his sister that he'd moved out, and he had absconded with more than just my amp. I don't know if she ever found out where he went or what he was into, but I never knew. He stopped taking calls or answering texts. This was 7-8 years ago, and I've let it go.

 

[Telecastoff1]

I used to gig with a 1984 vintage Peavey Bandit 65. I'd probably still be using it for some outdoor gigs if it hadn't been stolen.

That's really sad and maddening. That's exactly why I no longer loan out any of my musical stuff anymore. Since my last post, a Bandit 75 came into my life. It was a dusty closet queen that appears to have never left the carpeted floor it had been sitting on....not a scratch on it. It's a very nice amp and sounds every bit as good as my Bandit 65. So, within a week's time, I went from 0 bandits to two of them. Dang-it, I've been trying to downsize here, but I can't resist the allure of Peavey Solo Series amps.

 

[el cheapo]

I'm still liking my '82 Bandit that a friend gave me. Just recently I put an Eminence Lil' Texas speaker in there to reduce the weight and it sounds fine, but it's still heavy! I may look into getting a new cab built out of poplar or pine to lighten it up. I do kinda like the old school looks though. Not sure which way to go right now.

 

[LGOberean]

... Since my last post, a Bandit 75 came into my life. It was a dusty closet queen that appears to have never left the carpeted floor it had been sitting on....not a scratch on it. It's a very nice amp and sounds every bit as good as my Bandit 65. So, within a week's time, I went from 0 bandits to two of them. Dang-it, I've been trying to downsize here, but I can't resist the allure of Peavey Solo Series amps.

If you're trying to downsize and you've added two Peavey Bandits to your amp arsenal, well, you're doing "downsizing" wrong. On several levels. Not only is the number count going in the wrong direction, but a Peavey Bandit is not exactly a lightweight/small footprint amp.

But I get why you like 'em. I had two, the 1984 Bandit 65 I mentioned earlier, and a 1988 andit 75. In terms of my preferences, the 75 was a close second to my 65. When I had to downsize, I sold my 75, intending to always keep my 65, which I would have had it not been stolen.

 

[Telecastoff1]

If you're trying to downsize and you've added two Peavey Bandits to your amp arsenal, well, you're doing "downsizing" wrong. On several levels. Not only is the number count going in the wrong direction, but a Peavey Bandit is not exactly a lightweight/small footprint amp.

But I get why you like 'em. I had two, the 1984 Bandit 65 I mentioned earlier, and a 1988 andit 75. In terms of my preferences, the 75 was a close second to my 65. When I had to downsize, I sold my 75, intending to always keep my 65, which I would have had it not been stolen.

Well, the Bandits are really small compared to my Fender Twin and Renown 400....smaller foot-print and a bit less horsepower. HAHAHAH

 

[j0Nasty5150]

Count me in! I bought a Bandit 65 then acquired a Bandit (50 watts), then today a Bandit silver stripe arrived. The 50 and 65 are in really good shape. The silver stripe looks more weathered. I have a question- the 50 and 65 seem louder than the silver stripe on the clean channel. I was only going by ear, but it seemed that halfway up they were as loud as the SS. Maybe I'm hearing this wrong, but could there be reasons for the disparity? Like I said the SS seems in worse overall shape. Thanks!!!

 

[LGOberean]

@j0Nasty5150 interesting phenomenon. The differences between each of your Bandits is 15 watts RMS, from the 50 watt Bandit to the Bandit 65, then again from the 65 to the 80-watt 112 silver stripe. The difference you're hearing between the two older Bndits and the newer (by comparison) silver stripe could be the condition of the amp, like you're speculating. It could also be a difference in the speaker.

The speaker in your 50 watt Bandit could be an Eminence if it is a Gunsmoke, or Peavey's proprietary Scorpion if it's an early Solo Series 50 watt Bandit. The Bandit 65 also featured a Scorpion speaker. The silver stripe Bandit 112 came with Peavey's Sheffield 1230 speaker.

I did not have a silver stripe Bandit, but I did have a Bandit 65 with a Scorpion and a Studio Pro silver stripe with the Sheffield 1230. Both were rated 65 watts RMS, but the Bandit seemed louder with what I call a "beefier" clean channel. Was the difference perceived but not real? Due to the amp circuitry? The speaker? ¿Quién sabe?

 

[Telecastoff1]

My newly acquired Bandit 75 wasn't heavy enough. So, I installed an EVM 12L in it! WOW! It's definitely heavy enough now and the sound is huge, clean and crisp, with very well-fined lows, mids and highs. A very nice transparent speaker. Perfect for this amp. The stock Scorpion is very nice in this amp, but the EVM 12L is definitely nicer. And no, I don't care about the extra weight.....it's a fair trade-off for me. I'm going to gig with this amp tomorrow night and see how well it fits in.

 

[j0Nasty5150]

Count me in! I bought a Bandit 65 then acquired a Bandit (50 watts), then today a Bandit silver stripe arrived. The 50 and 65 are in really good shape. The silver stripe looks more weathered. I have a question- the 50 and 65 seem louder than the silver stripe on the clean channel. I was only going by ear, but it seemed that halfway up they were as loud as the SS. Maybe I'm hearing this wrong, but could there be reasons for the disparity? Like I said the SS seems in worse overall shape. Thanks!!!

I have another 50 Watter coming, so... four Bandits!

I also have a Special 130 and two early Special's (120), I think that's enough!

 

[stefcaunter]

howdy
since 88 pages is a lot to read… is it possible there’s a 1981 Bandit solo series 50 watt schematic that someone knows of?
just got a “not working” one cheap…

 

[Maguchi]

I think the Bandit deserves its own club. Whether yours is new, old, red stripe, teal stripe or whatever! Bandit owners unite!

I have the newest version made in China. Love it!

Dan

Bandit 65 here.Can I join?

It is circa 1986 model.

I've had a Bandit 65 since new in 1984. Lots of gigs with my Strat, SG, and Washburn acoustic, and never a moment's trouble.

I got a Bandit 65. Bought it new in 1987, might be a '86 model though. I been hauling it around to gigs for 35 years and it still delivers the goods.

 

[twochiptele]

howdy
since 88 pages is a lot to read… is it possible there’s a 1981 Bandit solo series 50 watt schematic that someone knows of?
just got a “not working” one cheap… View attachment 1036621

Loads to find on the internet. Google is your friend, but the kind people at Peavey's Customer Service will send the schematics you need on request!

 

[DocHelliday]

If it helps any, it wasn't stolen by a player. I know that because the thief was a "friend," or more accurately, the brother of a friend.

He had been in jail, and was trying to get on his feet. He was living in his sister's garage, and working nights at a convenience store. He seemed like he wanted to better himself, and he had a knack for electronics. As a way I let him pick up some money, I let him take the amp to clean and service it.

I never saw it again. I called and texted him repeatedly, and he always had one excuse after another. After a while, I learned from his sister that he'd moved out, and he had absconded with more than just my amp. I don't know if she ever found out where he went or what he was into, but I never knew. He stopped taking calls or answering texts. This was 7-8 years ago, and I've let it go.

That exact thing happened to a carburetor of mine.
Took my T-bucket outta commission for almost a year to find a replacement

 

[simond]

howdy
since 88 pages is a lot to read… is it possible there’s a 1981 Bandit solo series 50 watt schematic that someone knows of?
just got a “not working” one cheap… View attachment 1036621

Often all you have to do is get a patch cable and bridge the "pre amp out" "pwr amp in" loop. These are switching jacks which can corrode "open" if not used often. Clean them as well if you have some de-oxit to hand.