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Peavey TNT 115s question

billiam5billion

billiam5billion

May 18, 2009
1,963
1,277
Houston, TX
#1
So I was at band practice tonight, and playing on my guitarist's Peavey combo. I leave my Ampeg at home when we jam over there because it's super heavy and there's no room in his practice space for it. Anyway, I seriously don't like the tone of his TNT, it's very muddy and weak on the mids. I know it's a 115 so that's what they do, but my Ampeg 115 has way more definition and punch.

So my question is, have any of you got any tips on how to work these Peaveys to make them more defined in the mix? Or perhaps, if I can't get the amp to sound how I want, does anyone have more creative ways to maybe finagle my amp a spot in his practice space? Thanks TBers!

By the way, we play country and rock and I use a MIM Jazz 4 string, if that helps.
 
#4
billiam5billion said:
So my question is, have any of you got any tips on how to work these Peaveys to make them more defined in the mix?
Click to expand...

I owned a Peavey TNT 115 many years ago, and it was a great-sounding piece of gear for a small, inexpensive combo amp. A little boxy-sounding maybe, but the lows were good - and the mids were very good and very punchy for a 1x15. Try bumping up your low mids on the onboard EQ...

billiam5billion said:
Or perhaps, if I can't get the amp to sound how I want, does anyone have more creative ways to maybe finagle my amp a spot in his practice space?
Click to expand...

Dude, how are we supposed to recommend a solution when we can't even see the room? :rolleyes:

MM
 
#5
billiam5billion said:
... I seriously don't like the tone of his TNT, it's very muddy and weak on the mids. I know it's a 115 so that's what they do
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. There are muddy 10s and bright 15s.

So my question is, have any of you got any tips on how to work these Peaveys to make them more defined in the mix?
Click to expand...

Sure - play with the EQ. Start by disengaging the punch and contour switches, if you have them. Try boosting between 600 and 2000hz; first separately, then in combination. You should be able to find a tone good enough for practice.

Stacatto said:
Different speaker options made for very different sounding TNT amps:
-Scorpion;
-Sheffield;
-Black Widow (BW Equipped).
Click to expand...

Yup, plus Eminence. Definitely different tones, and weights. But since it's not the OP's amp, I assume speaker replacement is not an option.
 
#6
TECH21's VT or BDDI will do the trick quite nicely! I've even gotten good results with one of these BellRingers! It takes the muddiness out of the amp.

X8 :)
 

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#9
I have a Basic 112, sealed cab with Sheffield 112 ... with a passive Jazz with Chromes, I EQ it with the lows almost off, low mids about 2:00, high mids and highs about 1:00 ... fairly nice tight pop to it for a Peavey ...
 
#10
Years ago between 1995~1998 I also had almost the same Peavey 115 combo. More specifically mine was a "TNT 160" but they are almost identical in both sound, specs and power. Mine had equipped with Scorpion speaker.

My opinion about these amps are if you are really into genuine fat, warm, middy sounds like Ampeg there is not much you can do with those amps. In my opinion their response, sound is inherently very different than old-school warm sound. Even EQing low-mids wouldn't give you a plausible full sound. Always too boomy, harsh and metallic sound coming to my ears from those kinds of amps...
 
#11
Dude..... you are using your guitar players amp that he provides for you and you are complaining about the sound? I would think you would be thankful that you didn't have to haul your rig over for practice. Get to practice early and try different EQ settings on the amp. An old Peavey TNT is what it is. Maybe this is why I'm a member of the "Grumpy Old Farts Club".
 
#13
DiabolusInMusic said:
Apples and oranges. I personally don't think most Peavey amps can do great tones. (Commence flaming) They can do satisfactory ones. Ampeg has a fairly legendary tone (for a reason.)
Click to expand...
An old Peavey Combo 300 could get pretty good tone. It had a very good EQ. Add a second 15" cab and it was pretty decent. The only real draw back was the weight.
 
#14
Mud is the name of the game if you do any scooping with those old Peavey combos. More so if you engage any low boost. I think you can get where you need to be with a little alone time with the eq. No, it won't sound like your Ampeg, but IME the mud can be defeated with some effort. I would keep anything below about 100Hz at noon or lower, for starters.
 
#15
The best speakers those came with are the black widows IMO. Even they don't have any decent sub bass response. What they have are thick low mids and charming hi mids. If you aren't using mids they are just about worthless.
Definitely not HiFi but can be rather muscular.
I dig'em.
 
#16
tjh said:
I have a Basic 112, sealed cab with Sheffield 112 ... with a passive Jazz with Chromes, I EQ it with the lows almost off, low mids about 2:00, high mids and highs about 1:00 ... fairly nice tight pop to it for a Peavey ...
Click to expand...
I have the original basic 112, and I don't know what type speaker. Can't pull it right now; what would mark the speaker as Sheffield, etc? I agree that it has a nice low/high mid sound. Mine is fart city anything lower than a Bflat on the E string. I also use a passive J with flats. Would like to figure a way to get more tone out of it down low.
thanks,
fnord!
 
#18
I believe that none of the Peaveys discussed above had any interior padding to dampen internal reflections, giving them more volume but more mud at the same time. Adding some internal dampening foam would be an easy, reversible experiment to see if the tone improves. I improved the heck out of a Peavey 115s with some dampening foam, an Eminence Legend speaker and retuned ports--it was a night and day difference. But start with the foam--it's cheap and easy.
 
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#19
fnordlyone said:
I have the original basic 112, and I don't know what type speaker. Can't pull it right now; what would mark the speaker as Sheffield, etc? I agree that it has a nice low/high mid sound. Mine is fart city anything lower than a Bflat on the E string. I also use a passive J with flats. Would like to figure a way to get more tone out of it down low.
thanks,
fnord!
Click to expand...

the one I have is a '97, and as I mentioned is sealed, no porting ... I often favor playing up the neck when using it ... I also only use it for rehearsal volumes mostly and as a loaner for students, but it makes a big difference when I started EQ'ing the lows out (even completely sometimes) ... If yours is sealed, it is more than likely a Sheffield .. I opened it once, and as bobcruz mentioned, not a stitch of internal dampening ... I have not done anything with it, but sealed boxes should be stuffed, so I imagine that would help ...
 
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#20
bobcruz said:
I believe that none of the Peaveys discussed above had any interior padding to dampen internal reflections, giving them more volume but more mud at the same time. Adding some internal dampening foam would be an easy, reversible experiment to see if the tone improves. I improved the heck out of a Peavey 115s with some dampening foam, an Eminence Legend speaker and retuned ports--it was a night and day difference. But start with the foam--it's cheap and easy.
Click to expand...

I'll definitely try some foam in my Basic 112 this week. I've been so happy with my DCML 212 that I haven't touched it in a while. It's too heavy to ship anywhere and none of the crawfish want it; guess I'm stuck with it. I like the pre amp sound and would like an easy mover!

thanks,
fnord!
 

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