Peavy Combo 300

[Memphis Soul]

Anyone use or used one of these amps? There is one for sale locally and I’m still looking for an amp. It looks to be in very good shape. They are asking $450 for it. Is it worth this? I have heard they are very heavy. It has a Black Widow speaker. The photo is from the Craigslist ad.

 

[JSandbloom]

My first bass amp. Seems to be in great shape but not worth $450…at least to me. Only gets to the 300 watts if you plug in an extension cab and the tone is pretty vanilla.

The only good thing I can say about mine is that even though the wood was rotting around it, it would always turn on. So it’s for sure reliable.

 

[MIMike]

It does look in great shape, but for and amp that could be close to 40 years old, I think you could get lots more amp for your $450.00 than that one.
Now, if we’re $150, that might make it more interesting.

 

[ahbass2500]

It does look in great shape, but for and amp that could be close to 40 years old, I think you could get lots more amp for your $450.00 than that one.
Now, if we’re $150, that might make it more interesting.

^This

The old Peavey combos were solid, but not worth anywhere near what they used to be (and they were never worth all that much as Peavey tended to focus on delivering a quality product at a lower price than competitors). At the right price they can be decent amps. At $450 you can do significantly better elsewhere.

 

[brianrost]

$450 is crazy unless you live in some third world country. It’s pretty clean for a 40 year old amp. I'd say $250 is more like it, it’s not some super desirable vintage piece. Yes, it’s heavy…this thread says 90 pounds.

 

[J Wilson]

I had one of these (sitting on a matching 115BW extension) in it's day, and it was a great stack . . . in it's day. Oh yes, heavy.

Like most Peavey gear in that heyday, reliable as hell. Had all the tone of a box of Kellog's Corn Flakes, but you could throw it down a flight of stairs and it would always light off.

I'd have the same concern with it I'd have of everything that age (parts/service), and at this age it's a roll of the dice to gig with it. At home would ease my mind for less money than $450.

 

[ajkula66]

Good points: almost impossible to kill.

Not-so-good points: weight. Pretty meh-sounding. IMO, that is.

At $450 it's a hard pass regardless of condition.

My $0.02 only...

 

[basscooker]

Very versatile and powerful combo with EQ and connectivity options. The BW option is the one you'd want.

Price is not awesome, but depending on your needs only about $100 high.

This guy can do 2 ohms, so a daisy- chained pair of 8 ohm cabs is no sweat. There are pull-bright knobs, bi-amp options, and a whole host of eq knobs to fiddle with... pair that with a nearly indestructible BW 15 and you have a combo that (aside from its 3,000LBS weight and single top handle (?!) Kills.

Offer $200. See what happens...

 

[MaxCellExcelWon]

$150 to $250? In that condition?

Bollocks.

You could buy it and easily sell the Black Widow alone on eBay for $200.

Although that would be stupid to do.

 

[Memphis Soul]

I thought $450 sounded like a lot. I’m familiar with guitar amps. Still learning about bass amps. Thanks everyone.

 

[MaxCellExcelWon]

I thought $450 sounded like a lot. I’m familiar with guitar amps. Still learning about bass amps. Thanks everyone.

I wish it was close to me. I'd buy it in a minute.

There's just something about an old school on-the-verge-of-overdrive Peavey Combo 300 run at max output with the DDT compression almost constantly on through a 15" Black Widow. There is this signature thick blooming middy Peavey grind that no other amp can produce, almost like the amp is helping you play. It's bliss.

 

[DWBass]

$450 is reaching. I didn't own that model but I did own a TNT130 which I bought in the early 80's. Sold it for $125 in the early 2000's. Maybe $200 would be my limit on that amp. And yes, it's heavy!

 

[MaxCellExcelWon]

$450 is reaching. I didn't own that model but I did own a TNT130 which I bought in the early 80's. Sold it for $125 in the early 2000's. Maybe $200 would be my limit on that amp. And yes, it's heavy!

The Combo 300 was the TOTL Peavey combo at the time; it uses the exact same 400BH power amp module as the Mark III/IV heads.

I could see $150-$200 for the lowly TNT or mid TKO combo amp lines, but not the Combo 300.

Especially in near-mint museum-quality condition like this one appears to be.

 

[Memphis Soul]

$450 is reaching. I didn't own that model but I did own a TNT130 which I bought in the early 80's. Sold it for $125 in the early 2000's. Maybe $200 would be my limit on that amp. And yes, it's heavy!

How heavy are we talking here? My Fender 65 Twin Reverb reissue weighs 64lbs. Is it heavier than that? If so I know I don’t want it. If it’s around the same weight I can deal with it.

 

[DWBass]

How heavy are we talking here? My Fender 65 Twin Reverb reissue weighs 64lbs. Is it heavier than that? If so I know I don’t want it. If it’s around the same weight I can deal with it.

75-80+lbs. It was pretty heavy.

 

[DWBass]

The Combo 300 was the TOTL Peavey combo at the time; it uses the exact same 400BH power amp module as the Mark III/IV heads.

I could see $150-$200 for the lowly TNT or mid TKO combo amp lines, but not the Combo 300.

Especially in near-mint museum-quality condition like this one appears to be.

$450 though? I wouldn't. The TNT130 I owned and eventually sold was also in mint condition. Better, modern and way lighter amps can be had for that money.

 

[MaxCellExcelWon]

$450 though? I wouldn't. The TNT130 I owned and eventually sold was also in mint condition.

Yeah, but it was a lowly TNT130.

That's kinda like comparing a Chevy Chevette to a Chevy Corvette.

 

[DWBass]

Yeah, but it was a lowly TNT130.

That's kinda like comparing a Chevy Chevette to a Chevy Corvette.

View attachment 7131115

Was far from lowly. I gigged that thing all over NYC for years. Loud as heck for only 130w. Bought new and the price I paid for it wasn't lowly at all. Bought from Manny's on 48th St. Would you pay $450 for that amp? That's probably the new price back in the 80's!

Not cool putting down people's gear!

 

[Memphis Soul]

75-80lbs. It was pretty heavy.

Yeah that’s too much weight. I think I’ll pass

 

[Slevage]

Anyone use or used one of these amps? There is one for sale locally and I’m still looking for an amp. It looks to be in very good shape. They are asking $450 for it. Is it worth this? I have heard they are very heavy. It has a Black Widow speaker. The photo is from the Craigslist ad.

View attachment 7130964

I know someone who recently bought one for $50. Working condition, but not as pretty as this one. If I needed an amp to park in a practice room my top price would be $100.
I recently bought a EAW with a 15” EV for $25.
The old heavy gear is great if you don’t have to move it. Prices reflect that.