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My first all-tube! (VB-2)

#23
joconnorwi said:
I was really intrigued by this head for a bit, eyed one at GC, fired it up.....booooring....I couldn't get it to overdrive at all! (clean channel anyway)....and the distortion was a bit fuzzy. but different strokes I reckon. I'll stick with my Mesas, tube grind all day!

Happy playing all!
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yessir! i love my mesa grind! i will say the mesa OD is better than the peavey, but i definetly love the sound of driven tubes on the clean channel!!

my mesa won't see a lack of use, i promise. i love that head wayyy to much.

The peavey sounds great at home. I'm waiting to have practice to see how it fits in the mix with my band. i'll get back to you on that.


and i also played that same Markbass head where i went..i also found it kinda boring :/

i did like the Lakland DJ i played it with though ! :hyper:
 
#24
what preamp tubes are you using JJ teslas?

those are pretty clean tubes...im guessing that when your up at 6, thats probably the point where the tubes distort.

like mentioned before, the amp is 225W and not 300, so at 6, it probably is going to distort.

You mentioned something aboat Ruby Tubes...and I believe that Rubys are a rather early distortion bird themselves
 
#26
EASonBass said:
Went to pick one up today. Fired it up in the store. Had tone for about 10 seconds before a blue flash rendered it dead. Needless to say it didn't come home with me.

Another insanely great deal at the same GC - $399 for a Markbass R500. Didn't snag it though.
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I saw the same deal here in Phoenix, I DID snag this one. Wonder why they are selling them sooo cheap. Haven't these amps only been out for a year?
 
#27
I've also snagged a VB-2 a few months ago, mine was also a floor model but it was $530. It looked in good condition so i couldn't resist. I've found out that I wish it wouldn't break up so early, I really dig those deep smooth sounds, but at band paractice volume tends to get out of hand. I haven't really messed with the overdrive channel too much, like i mentioned before i like my sound deep and clear. I'll have to look for a tube swap maybe, but overall im very happy with it, its my first time owning a tube amp, and now im really curious about a mesa. I think a club would be pretty cool as well.
 
#28
I own a VB-2 and an SVT-CL and there is NO WAY the VB-2 is louder. Any way you slice it (clean or dirty), the SVT-CL has more power. I've A/B 'd them thru the same cabs, same basses in the same room. No question, SVT-CL louder and more powerful. They're different amps. The SVT is a 6550 based amp and the VB-2 is an EL34. The VB-2 is more like a HIWATT.
However, the VB-2 is a GREAT, GREAT amp with PLENTY of power - plenty of clean power. I don't use the distortion channel. I get a great tube grind thru the clean channel.
It's an INCREDIBLE amp at about any price and an INSANE value for the price. $399? That's ROBBERY! This amp is easily worth more than a grand new. Dudes, any of you guys sitting on the fence wondering if you should snap one up for $399 at GC are CRAZY.
I love mine, I gig with it all the time, it rocks.
iplaybasstexas said:
WOOOAH!!!!!

I just went and picked up my NEW IN BOX Peavey VB-2 head today!

It was in Dallas, so i made a little bit of a drive, but it was worth it!

As i said, it was still in the box! i opened it in store, and test drove it with my GC employee. He was a bass player, and actually very helpful. We cranked the amp and it took it smoothly!

Honestly, i love this amp. IMO, different than any CL.
DEFINETLY louder than any SVTCL.

The only problem i have is it starts breaking up, or getting distorted a little earlier than i like(around 5/6)
Anybody done anything to change this? or is it my EQ setting?

as many owners have said, i prefer driving the clean channel versus the overdrive channel.

Stock JJ's are actually very nice. BobblyBld said somewhere that Ruby's and a hotter bias will give more watts...i'm interested.except is says to only use the stock tubes in the manual...help?


this is a USA made amp...even more reason to buy!

and yes, i got her for $399.99 before tax!

obligatory pics:

I just can't wait to fire this up with my 810 and NV610 !!!:hyper:
Click to expand...
 
#29
Now that there will be many of these new heads floating about, has anyone given a thought to road-casing it? Does anybody know of a ABS case like Gator that makes a clamshell box that would fit?

I was going to make a wooden analogue at work, and take that to one of the music stores in the city where they sell Gator cases. But...if someone knows of something that would work, I'm all ears :-)
 

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