Peavey Classic 30

[Pete Kimbrell]

I just got a new Les Paul Studio, so now my solid state amp isn't doing it for me anymore. I'm definately going all tube and I haven't heard too many people say anything bad about the Classic 30. I've played them before but I always had it cranked way up. I was wondering if anyone knows how they perform at "bedroom" volumes.

[Lordathestrings]

I haven't played that particular amp, but I can tell you that tube amps generally don't sound the same at lower volume. Good, but not the same.

If you love the sound of a simple guitar + cranked-amp rig, you won't get it a bedroom levels unless you find something with some special circuits that allow the output stage to be overdriven at low levels. This is not the old Master Volume type, but a more recent development based on the Power Scaling concept. Basically, it reduces the voltage available to the output tubes, so they clip at lower levels. This can sound pretty good, and allows you to adjust the volume to suit the room, but it does add cost. And despite marketing claims, it never sounds quite the same. Loud music of any kind simply feels different than the same music played at lower volume.

A 30 Watt amp is much, much too big for bedroom playing. Even 5 Watts, cranked, is likely to be too much for any kind of apartment.

You could use an attenuator to reduce the sound levels, but the cost involved is that you are still inflicting full-volume wear & tear on the tubes while playing 'quietly'.

[Pete Kimbrell]

Well, I'm currently playing an 80W Crate hybrid (preamp tubes only, no power tubes). It is loud but manageable. If I have the volume above 5 or so, my neighbors are complaining.

[JeffS65]

I just got a new Les Paul Studio, so now my solid state amp isn't doing it for me anymore. I'm definately going all tube and I haven't heard too many people say anything bad about the Classic 30. I've played them before but I always had it cranked way up. I was wondering if anyone knows how they perform at "bedroom" volumes.

I think it's definately attainable. Certainly, you won't get one of those chest rattling power chords but you can get a good tone with some beef to it and still not kill your neighbors nights.

As said before, it is a matter of being able to push the tube and a good bit of it is before you apply the master volume (ie - output). What can you put in the front end to really drive the pre-amp?

If I remember, the Studio's have the PAF-ish 490's. I good pick up to push an amp a little. This, I think, is where getting a good pedal to match your style is worth doing. It's nice when you can get a beefy tone naturally from an amp but can be a chore at lower volumes. Think about the number of artists that have relied on stomp boxes.

Worth a thought.

[Pete Kimbrell]

I am definately not opposed to using a stomp box such as a tube screamer or a Boss OD pedal. I know I am probably asking a little too much versatility in an amp. It's just that I am not currently in a band or anything, but I want something that sounds good jamming at the house, but has the umph to play small gigs with a drummer.

[JeffS65]

I am definately not opposed to using a stomp box such as a tube screamer or a Boss OD pedal. I know I am probably asking a little too much versatility in an amp. It's just that I am not currently in a band or anything, but I want something that sounds good jamming at the house, but has the umph to play small gigs with a drummer.

I was thinking last night, I have two amps (a Marshal Valvelstate and a Fender M80) and almost never use them for practicing now.

A few months ago I picked the IK Multimedia USB Stealth Plug (http://ikmultimedia.com/stealthplug/features/) and use that for all my practicing. It comes with X-GEAR which is pretty cool because you can mix and match 2 amp models in it. I'm very impressed with it considering I got it for $99. They give you the basic rigs and effects but that's really quite a lot already.

It's good for practicing because it has a stand alone application that allows you to open up as an independent program and play. It also has a 'Speed Trainer' section that allows you to open an audio file (song) to learn songs and has a feature that you can loop a section you want to focus on (although I've never used Speed Trainer for that...). It has a bunch of included other software but also has a free download of some groove loops (I chose a drum loop pack) that you load in to Speed Trainer and can use to play along. Very good to use for ideas or even getting used to playing 'in time'.

Also, since it's amp modeling, it integrates with just about any DAW out there including MAC's Garageband.

So, enough of my sales job. Thought I mention it because, since I live in a townhouse and my neighbors to the right are an older couple, silence is golden. Still, I need to rip it up once in a while and I put on the headphones and fire up X-GEAR.

Key is that I've been able to get really good tones from it and I am a classic tone seeker that is never pleased therefor hard to please.

[Pete Kimbrell]

I actually have a PODxt that is pretty good for playing through headphones and has tons of features. It never really sounds as good through an amp though. I have been looking at some lower wattage heads that have good reviews. The Orange Dual Terror and the Vox Night Train. The only problem is I dont know if I want to spend $500+ dollars for an amp and then still need to buy a cab. Thats sort of why I was looking at the Peavey Classic 30. I know its got good tone, its just probably too loud for what I would use it for 75% of the time.

[guitarplayer196]

I just got a new Les Paul Studio, so now my solid state amp isn't doing it for me anymore. I'm definately going all tube and I haven't heard too many people say anything bad about the Classic 30. I've played them before but I always had it cranked way up. I was wondering if anyone knows how they perform at "bedroom" volumes.

Up till now I have played SS as well as amp modelers and although they are okay, they are nothing like a good tube amp - I don't care what anybody says.

I just bought a Peavy Valveking 212 and although its 100W it sounds good at lower levels(Can be set for 40w with a knob(class A), after I added a $20 volume box - that goes in the effects loop(all over ebay). Its not the power soaks that other people are mentioning(Those are much more expensive and will void the warranty) but it does the trick. I almose bought a Peavy Classic 50(I bit bigger than the 30) but steered away from it as the clean is kind of funky and it didn't have enough gain for me personnally. The nice thing is the Valveking can get close to a Fender clean(like a twin reverb) and also get heavy distortion without added pedals - but if you want metal, people put a bad monkey pedal on it.

check out the valveking, its the best bang for you buck right now(there is a Valveking 112 that is pretty good too) -It is considered the most versitile amp if you play alot of different styles.

[Pete Kimbrell]

I just found a pretty sweet deal on a Crate Palomino V16. I know everyone likes to hate on Crate, but so far, the only amp I have ever owned has been a Crate and although it is way to loud for what I need, it sounds great. So I went ahead and bought the Palomino. I know it's pretty light on the features (1 channel, not a lot of gain) but it has some killer tone and I only paid $250 for it. I'm hoping in the future, Vox releases a 2 channel version of the Night Train.

[guitarplayer196]

I just found a pretty sweet deal on a Crate Palomino V16. I know everyone likes to hate on Crate, but so far, the only amp I have ever owned has been a Crate and although it is way to loud for what I need, it sounds great. So I went ahead and bought the Palomino. I know it's pretty light on the features (1 channel, not a lot of gain) but it has some killer tone and I only paid $250 for it. I'm hoping in the future, Vox releases a 2 channel version of the Night Train.


Actually it looks like that Crate amp rates pretty well on Harmony Central . You can always stick a distortion pedal on it (Like a $30 Bad Monkey) if you want Hi gain sound. For a Class A 15W Tube amp, I don't think you could find a better deal for $250. You might also be surprised how good your POD distortions will sound in front of it, if you keep the amp on low gain. Yeah it colors the sound running it that way, but It might sound good in a unique way.

I like my Peavey Valveking 212 but just like Crate, many people have a bad opinion of Peavey, but if it sounds good, who cares.

[Lordathestrings]

... but if it sounds good, who cares.

That should be the basis of any gear purchase! :cool: