About to buy a Peavy vb-3

zachreh · #1 12-26-2012, 05:35 PM

So after a year of saving, a lot of research and some help with christmas money I finally decided on purchasing a peavey vb-3, I was looking at an svt but apparently ampeg is having some big factory problems at the moment, making the vr's and cl's hard to come by, at least for me in south florida.
The vb-3 does seem like an outstanding and versatile amp, I wish I could find more audio demos on youtube but oh well. This will be my first tube amp and should be a huge upgrade from my ampeg pf 350. Currently I use the 350 with my mesa powerhouse 2x12 cab which I love. I also use a sansamp bddi which has helped my tone and live sound so much. I plan on driving the vb 3 with the sansamp as well.
I play hardcore/metalcore in drop C so I am very excited to finally have an all tube amp to play through, any experience with this amp? thanks

Edword · #2 12-26-2012, 07:24 PM

No experience with the amp, but congrats that your hard work and saving are about to pay off!

JimmyM · #3 12-26-2012, 07:38 PM

No experience with that Peavey amp, but Peavey makes nice stuff for sure. And yeah, other than the Heritage, new SVT's have been a little hard to come by recently. According to Musicians' Friend and Zzounds, new ones should be coming in by the middle of January.

pocketgroove · #4 12-26-2012, 07:46 PM

Congrats! I've got the VB-2, which is a step down, and I love it. To be fair, some folks have complained about flimsy sliders, but I think you'll be happy with it.

hdracer · #5 12-26-2012, 07:48 PM

The Peavey is a great amp, BUT,
It is not a SVT
It does not sound like a SVT or any other all tube amp.

If you want a great amp that isn't a SVT and has all the modern features of a amp designed in this millennium get a Fender Super Bassman

zachreh · #6 12-26-2012, 08:00 PM

good points so far thank you guys so much. Some vb-3 owners are saying it sounds very fast like a solid state amp but will it still give me an all tube tone? I only played an svt before so that's all I have to compare it to.

hdracer · #7 12-26-2012, 08:10 PM

I have heard hybrid amps that sound more like a full tube then the VB-3 and I am a Peavey guy.

I had a VB-2 for a long time. The EL34's just never gave me the tone I was looking for. The VB-3 has them too.
Great for guitar amps, not so good for bass.
You really want something with 6L6's or 6550's

JimmyM · #8 12-26-2012, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachreh

good points so far thank you guys so much. Some vb-3 owners are saying it sounds very fast like a solid state amp but will it still give me an all tube tone? I only played an svt before so that's all I have to compare it to.

No disrespect meant to anyone else who makes tube amps, but only an SVT sounds like an SVT. That's cool because different amp makers should have amps that sound different, but if it's the SVT sound you're looking for, you won't get it elsewhere that I've found.

rizzo9247 · #9 12-26-2012, 08:26 PM

I much preferred the VB-2 to the VB-3. Simple, straightforward tubey goodness. Different flavor than other all tube amps on the market, but i dug it. Great price for a US made tube amp, 5 yr warranty and great CS. Weight in the mid 50lbs IIRC.

Downunderwonder · #10 12-26-2012, 08:35 PM

There's a big writeup here Peavey VB3 seems Peavey are sloppy in not controlling gain in the EQ section but you can work around it with outboard gain control. Or someone doesn't know how to control their own graphic EQ?!

Downunderwonder · #11 12-26-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

No disrespect meant to anyone else who makes tube amps, but only an SVT sounds like an SVT. That's cool because different amp makers should have amps that sound different, but if it's the SVT sound you're looking for, you won't get it elsewhere that I've found.

LOL, for all I know it sounds more SVT than an SVT

OP, you'll have to play on it to know for sure if it does what you want. What's wrong with a used SVT? Even if you factor in an overhaul you're quids in compared to a new Peavey.

JimmyM · #12 12-26-2012, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

LOL, for all I know it sounds more SVT than an SVT

Would be real nice if it did since it weighs half as much. But with an SMPS instead of an iron power transformer, I have to doubt the VB-3's SVT-copping abilities. Again, no disrespect intended to an amp I've never played.

Downunderwonder · #13 12-26-2012, 09:01 PM

Why would it have power tubes and a SM output stage? No comprendez. Probably has a toroidal output transformer and the SMPS is for the input power?

JimmyM · #14 12-26-2012, 09:04 PM

Do they even make torroidial OT's? I thought it had a laminated OT and an SMPS for input power. I know it has the SMPS for sure. That's why it's so light.

zachreh · #15 12-26-2012, 09:14 PM

Well if some hybrids sound more "all tube" then the vb 3 then that's not too good. I saved a good amount of money for a solid all tube amp and I want to make sure I get the tone I'm looking for. I'm not exactly looking for an svt tone but just something that will give me so much more then my pf 350. Don't get me wrong i absolutely love the low end and grind of an svt but I'm not using an 8x10 yet just my Mesa 2x12 which is fine for now. My sans amp will obviously color the tone a lot too. The vb 3 also has the 5 year warranty so I feel confident about its reliability. I just want a bigger all tube sound with useful features and I think the vb 3 can do just that

pocketgroove · #16 12-26-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachreh

Well if some hybrids sound more "all tube" then the vb 3 then that's not too good. I saved a good amount of money for a solid all tube amp and I want to make sure I get the tone I'm looking for. I'm not exactly looking for an svt tone but just something that will give me so much more then my pf 350. Don't get me wrong i absolutely love the low end and grind of an svt but I'm not using an 8x10 yet just my Mesa 2x12 which is fine for now. My sans amp will obviously color the tone a lot too. The vb 3 also has the 5 year warranty so I feel confident about its reliability. I just want a bigger all tube sound with useful features and I think the vb 3 can do just that

Do you have an opportunity to try before buying? Don't be scared away; I still think you'll like it.

hdracer · #17 12-26-2012, 09:19 PM

Your PF 350 will sound more like a SVT then the VB-3.

Try a Fender!!

zachreh · #18 12-26-2012, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

Your PF 350 will sound more like a SVT then the VB-3.

Try a Fender!!

Really?? Seriously? I don't think so

hdracer · #19 12-26-2012, 09:22 PM

I had a Peavey!!

Just because it has tubes in it doesn't mean it will sound like you want.

Downunderwonder · #20 12-26-2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Do they even make torroidial OT's? I thought it had a laminated OT and an SMPS for input power. I know it has the SMPS for sure. That's why it's so light.

Peavey and Traynor have been using torroidal OT for years. I'm pretty sure they ain't using El34 as preamp tubes!