[toreski]

I'm thinking about purchasing a new amp, and i'm between these ones, so I just would like to know your opinion and what should I pay attention in the characteristics of these kind of amps.

Peavey Classic® 30/112

Features:

• 30 watts (rms) into 16 or 8 ohms
• Four EL84s and three 12AX7s
• 12 inch Blue Marvel® speaker
• 2-channel preamp
• Pre- and post-gain controls on lead channel
• Normal volume control on clean channel
• 3-band passive EQ (bass, middle, treble)
• Boost switch
• Reverb level control
• Effects loop
• Footswitch selectable channel switching and reverb
• External speaker capability
• Chrome-plated chassis
• Classic tweed covering

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe™

Features:

• 40 watts
• 1 x 12" 8 Ohm Fender Special Design Eminence speaker
• 18.75" H x 23.5" W x 10.5" D
• 45 lbs.
All Hot Rod Deluxe and Hot Rod Deville amps feature:
• Three selectable channels (Normal, Drive and More Drive)
• Gain and Master controls in Drive channel
• Bright switch in Normal channel
• FX loop
• Fender long spring Reverb
• Two 6L6 Groove Tube output tubes
• Three 12AX7 preamp tubes
• External speaker jack
• Two-button Three-function footswitch for Channel select, Drive/More Drive select
• Chrome panel with vintage pointer knobs
• Internal Variable Bias control
• Black textured vinyl with silver grille cloth
• Cover included

What do you think?

Thanks!

 

[DavejWeiner]

I haven't played either of those amps so I can't give an opinion on them. Outside (other than yours) opinions shouldn't matter anyway. YOU are the one who has to live with it and enjoy it.

I would take your guitar to the store and sit down with both amps for about 30 minutes each and see if you like them.

 

[damo7v]

What do you think?

firstly, i have to state that i am NOT dave weiner nor affiliated with him in any way other than his penchant for actresses who once appeared in press gang.

having said that, i will offer an opinion on the hot rod deluxe (owning a hot rod deville, myself).

cleans - bewtiful. it's what fender does well.

not cleans - a bit rank. nothing metal-y about them. but then it all depends on what you're into and after (which you didn't even hint at).

these amps have a really nice touch sensitivity about them. which, being a sensitive guy, i like.

 

[toreski]

Thank you damo7v & Dave

I was thinking about the Fender one, I have a small one and it really sounds pretty good (damo7v you are right about the cleans on fender), but now its time to go to the next level. I really like some metal/progressive stuff but when I pick up my guitar its not the kind of music I like to play.

Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.

I will take a look at the store

 

[DavejWeiner]

If I was going to choose between Peavey and Fender, I'd pretty much 9999/10000 choose Fender. I'm about to pick up a new Fender combo myself.

 

[Val]

I nearly bought a couple of Fender DeVille's for my set-up cause my lil' Fender 35 watt sounds killer. But as gorgeous as it sounds clean I really cant stand it's weak distortion.

 

[jimmylp]

I've played both of those amps, and they're both pretty good at what they do. The peavy has good cleans, and a really good overdrive tone. The Fender has marginaly better cleans and less gain on the overdrive channel. Overall either one is a good choice.

 

[rgr]

What about the Peavey ValveKing, the 1-12 combo is in the same price range and worth checking out. I haven't personally played one, but it might be a better compromise between clean and dirty.

<$0.02,
Roger

 

[elcid]

Having owned both I would go with the Peavey. Better distortion, cleans are close to the Fender, but the price is better on the peavey.

 

[marksound]

Don't know about the Peavey, but that Hot Rod Deluxe can use a tube change right out of the gate.

 

[Nordhauser]

95% of the time, I would go with Fender over Peavey (5150 being the exception). Peavey distortion and clean channels aren't as crisp as Fender from my experience. Although, I would pick a Peavey head over a Fender any day, I would have to stick with them over Peavey combo.

 

[toreski]

Thank you all for the inputs. That's the problem I see, as some of you loves fender sounds, some others see that peavey overdrive/distorsion could be better than fender's. And that is where i stand, now that i'm going to purchase a new amp i would like to find something that fits my tastes and the problem is that i love fender's clean but sometimes i would like to play heavy riffs. I need to take some time to go to the store and see the difference.

rgr: good point; as you said that one could be a better compromise between clean and dirty .....and price:

ValveKing™ 112 Combo

•50 watts (rms) into 16 ohms
•Two 6L6GC and three 12AX7 tubes
•Two independent footswitchable channels
•Separate EQ for each channel
•Footswitchable gain/volume boost on lead channel
•External speaker capability
•12 inch ValveKing speaker
•Reverb with level control
•Buffered effects loop
•Resonance switch for "tight or loose" cabinet response
•New TEXTURE™ variable Class A simulation control (patent pending)

I will keep digging ...

 

[DavejWeiner]

You could get the Fender for your cleans then get a Keeley modded- DS-1, TS-9, BF-2, etc.. for your dirty stuff.

 

[JonMatthews]

Hey Guys,

I own two Hot Rod Deluxes and they are far better than the two peavey amps I sold to get them.

Dave is right about the pedal thing, I use a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive and it complements these amps nicely. Keep it on a low gain setting for a bit of dirt or a boost when your using the amps drive channels.

Also the two main things that make a difference in the sound of this amp as far as common mods go are as follows:
1) Lower gain pre-amp tube in V2 slot to smooth out the drive channels.
2) Speaker change from the standard Eminence one that comes stock.

If you can get your hands on one of the Limited Edition ones like I did you wont be dissapointed, it sounds much better than my regular one. I have the one with the lacquered maple cabinet with the Jensen speaker in it, its so sweet!

 

[toreski]

I've phoned the store and I could try the amps there. But they told me that these kind of amps could not be suitable for playing at home (I would play there most of the times), just because I could not make the tubes work properly, i've never tried them, is this correct?

 

[webguy]

Well now, that depends on how much you like your neighbors!! Tube amps don't deliver their full potental at low volumes. This is not so much a problem on the clean channels but it is on the drive channels. At low volumes your not driving the tubes hard enough to get the clipping needed to produce that nice full sound you expect from a tube amp. I play Carvins and they are really bad at low volumes and they are extremely loud which makes it hard to turn them up much. That's why I use my Pod XT live or my Tonelab SE when I play at home. This gives me good sound without pissing off the neighbors. Of course this requires playing with headphones. Now if your not all warm and fuzzy about tubes, solid state amps don't have this problem and sound the same at any level. However they do not have the warmth and color you get from tube amps. And normally they don't respond to your picking like a tube amp will. But they have come along way. Some good solid state amps to look at would be Fender, Line 6, Carvins SX series, and Randell's RG series. I have a Randell RG 75 1x12 combo and it rocks! I also have a Fender 1x12 combo and it is a very well rounded amp. Hope that helps.

 

[toreski]

Ok Webguy thank you, I see that point of view, it's not a matter of neighbors but also about my girlfriend, you should have seen my g/f's face when I told her ".. I think I need a new amp" lol

I will check out those ones

 

[jaken777]

I haven't played either of those amps so I can't give an opinion on them. Outside (other than yours) opinions shouldn't matter anyway. YOU are the one who has to live with it and enjoy it.

I would take your guitar to the store and sit down with both amps for about 30 minutes each and see if you like them.

Well said DW! it deppends on your taste bro & what you want out of the amp's? do as DW said, both amps are very good so it's up to you on what you want or what you need?

 

[DavejWeiner]

I've phoned the store and I could try the amps there. But they told me that these kind of amps could not be suitable for playing at home (I would play there most of the times), just because I could not make the tubes work properly, i've never tried them, is this correct?

Many tube amps sound great at lower volumes. My VHT sounds just as amazing on 1 as it does on 12. Depends on the amp/tube setup. Many amps have attenuation swtiches to let you cut the power. The Fender combo I'm looking at switches from 100 watts to 25 watts. That may be useful if you're mostly a home player but occassionally jam/gig.

Again, go play them. Decide using your ears and own set of standards if you like them, not what a salesman tells you.