Peavy Combo 300

[agedhorse]

No demand for this one; I've seen it endlessly for sale for about a year:

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However, looking at Reverb completed listings for the Mesa 400+, the lone "MINT" example sold for $3600, more than twice the amount of any other listing:

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Again...condition is key in valuation of any vintage amplifier. People will pay $$$ for a perfect example.

Then obviously with no sale, the price was too high. What's surprising about that?

The $3600 sale found the right buyer for his amp, nothing surprising about that either (especially if it had a new set of tubes and was recently serviced).

 

[moon-bass]

Who said anything about "investing" in Black Widows? What an inane, silly thought that no one but you thought of.

You apparently can't read emoji. It was meant to be silly. Of course, not quite as silly as buying a Peavey Combo 300 for $450.

I already posted that I would buy it if I were close by (or if it could be safely shipped).

So, not very difficult at all.

Given the all of the Combo 300's that haven't sold out there, plus the ones that sold for $100-$200, it's going to be a lot more difficult than you think. Also, this one is in great condition, but it's not "mint." Take a look at the bottom, it's very clearly been used and lugged around.

Since there are specifically NO other vintage aluminum dome'd unmolested 1502 Black Widows in the completed listings on eBay besides the one I posted that sold for $215.50 (whether shipping is included in the asking price or added on after is a moot point; the buyer still had to pay $212.50), one cannot say it is a "anomaly" since there is no other recent sales data for this exact BW model; again, a vintage mint unmolested aluminum-dome'd 1502 with the round back magnet.

Sigh. It's an anomaly by definition. That aside, you've been talking about the 1502-8 (which is the sale you posted) not the 1502-4, which is the speaker in the Combo 300. You're basing your premise on a single speaker sale on a single site, that isn't even the speaker in question. A 30 second Google search shows more than a few 1502-8's and 1502-4's for sale for well under $100 - some of which definitely have the aluminum cap. Given that this Combo 300 is used (regardless as the shape, it's still used), the speaker wouldn't qualify as "unmolested."

There are also more than a few 1502 completed sales on ebay, and a bunch for sale - none of which designate if they have the aluminum cap or not. You're cherry picking a single item to try and prove your point. And again, it's not even the speaker in the Combo 300.

Also, the shipping included is not a "moot point." The speaker sold for $165. Context and details are important.

 

[moon-bass]

That's why a truly mint museum quality Mesa 400+ would sell for thousands,

Weird. I had a truly mint 400+ for sale, and I didn't get thousands for it. Still had the hang tags on it. I agree that you're not gonna sell a beat 400+ for $1500, but I'm not sure how that is material.

It's almost like there might be other factors at play, that a single sale doesn't provide enough information, that the data is incomplete ... ;-)

You're pretty focused on individual sales that provide backup to your points, but ignore the instances that don't. Trends and data et al are important for discussions like this.

 

[moon-bass]

Yes, but in general there are a lot more buyers for Bass 400+'s than the Peavey combo 300 (in my experience). The Bass 400 was much more in demand even though it cost many times more when new. In short, it is much more desirable to many more players.

Indeed.

Just looking at the many anecdotes on here, plus looking at sales on reverb and ebay, the 400+ is very much more in demand. A single non-sale means nothing, especially without context.

 

[darev]

Meanwhile, OP stated that he's going to look at other amps three pages back.

 

[White Beard]

Back in the 90's, my high school music department had one of these. I used it in jazz band. I was able to get my upright bass with no preamp to sound pretty good. Better than I could ever get a first-gen GK Microbass combo to sound on upright.

 

[ellenripley]

Toqué rock/punk y siempre pensé que sonaba como tenía que sonar. Al final se lo vendí a un chico que estaba empezando (hace más de 28 años)... bueno, porque todavía lo tiene y sigue funcionando como lo hacía. Recientemente compré un tko de 100 vatios por 50 €... Siento lo mismo con ese amplificador que con el tnt... Suena muy bien si sabes lo que estás comprando y muy fuerte, extrañamente fuerte. Además de estos amplificadores tengo un reidmar ebs y un markbass, de 750w y 500w y créanme que en sensación el volumen no se queda atrás

 

[DWBass]

Toqué rock/punk y siempre pensé que sonaba como tenía que sonar. Al final se lo vendí a un chico que estaba empezando (hace más de 28 años)... bueno, porque todavía lo tiene y sigue funcionando como lo hacía. Recientemente compré un tko de 100 vatios por 50 €... Siento lo mismo con ese amplificador que con el tnt... Suena muy bien si sabes lo que estás comprando y muy fuerte, extrañamente fuerte. Además de estos amplificadores tengo un reidmar ebs y un markbass, de 750w y 500w y créanme que en sensación el volumen no se queda atrás

Translated:

I played rock/punk and I always thought it sounded like it was supposed to sound. In the end I sold it to a guy who was just starting out (over 28 years ago)... well, because he still has it and it still works the way it did. I recently bought a 100 watt tko for €50... I feel the same about that amp as I do about the tnt... It sounds great if you know what you are buying and very loud, strangely loud. In addition to these amplifiers I have a Reidmar EBS and a Markbass, 750w and 500w and believe me, the volume is not far behind in terms of sensation.

 

[Artman]

Considering how good modern gear sounds, and how affordable it is, they would have to pay ME to take that amp.

 

[bgartist]

That was my first amp also. I think I paid $250 brand new. It was a great amp, built like a tank. I wouldn’t pay more than $200 today.

 

[DWBass]

That was my first amp also. I think I paid $250 brand new. It was a great amp, built like a tank. I wouldn’t pay more than $200 today.

I paid more than that for my TNT130 brand new around 1983ish. You had to have paid more unless you got a bargain/discount.

 

[gwangi]

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.

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If you decide to buy this and you get an offer to do a gig on a cruise line don't bring this amp, it will sink the ship!!!!

 

[moon-bass]

Considering how good modern gear sounds, and how affordable it is, they would have to pay ME to take that amp.

It's funny. Ppl say all the time that the Combo 300s are loud. Sure, it's easy to be loud when the amp lacks bass and is extremely mid heavy. Loud at the expense of sounding good, I guess.

 

[DWBass]

It's funny. Ppl say all the time that the Combo 300s are loud. Sure, it's easy to be loud when the amp lacks bass and is extremely mid heavy. Loud at the expense of sounding good, I guess.

Hmmmmm................I don't know but my 'lowly' TNT130 was pretty doggone loud for the stated wattage. Had plenty of bass for my needs and I played Funk and R&B music. No lack of low end. Mine didn't have the Black Widow though. Mine had the Scorpion speaker.

 

[moon-bass]

Hmmmmm................I don't know but my 'lowly' TNT130 was pretty doggone loud for the stated wattage. Had plenty of bass for my needs and I played Funk and R&B music. No lack of low end. Mine didn't have the Black Widow though. Mine had the Scorpion speaker.

I don't know about the TNT, but I noticed with a few Peavey amps the Combo 300 being one of them (some newer Peavey amps as well) have a noticeable bass drop off - the newer ones that I tried drop off around 120hz then seems to drop off more steeply around 90hz, and a heavier emphasis on the low-mids. Now, it's been about 40 years, but when I compared a few peavey amps, I noticed the drop off, although don't hold me to the numbers.

Plenty loud tho! I used that Combo 300 without PA support for most gigs, and we had a huge PA.

Nothing scientific, mind you, just some experimenting and A-B'ing amps.. When I had a 300, I was playing mostly metal and tbh it seemed like it had plenty of bass, and probably does. But, it's also mid-heavy, and I think that's where the loudness comes from.

It wasn't apparent to me until I did some comparisons, but now that I have heard it I can't unhear it, if you know what I mean.

 

[basscooker]

Roll off, mayyyybe... BUT

Consider the success, and TB praise, of outboard HPF units....

It's easy to "pick on" , as posted above, the Combo 300 and other PV designs of the Era for being a bit shy on low end oomph. Consider, though, the intent of design.

It's no secret how so very many combos and speaker systems throughout the decades fall prey to "fart-out" symptoms. The Combo 300 BW referenced here is lean in low frequency response IN SPITE of this bass amplification reality.

Would I be overstepping to offer the possibility that it's "lack" of low end response is deliberate and offers the casual player carrying the house the opportunity to crank the unit up with minimal concern of said dreaded flatulence?


I used mine (modded into a head unit) to push the 2-18" BW's in a 3620 cab (bi amp hi output to a Crate B-150 pushing the 2x10s in the cab) for years. I had NO LACK of low end response when I had to carry the house with this rig.

The Combo 300 was no doubt the TOTL amp of the PV offerings of the day. Boat anchor heavy no question, but a real world contender of its time in "best of class" status.

 

[moon-bass]

If anyone is interested, there is one on Reverb right now in better condition for only $250. I've heard that you could get $200 for the speaker alone!!!

Edit: Older listing, my bad, but the sentiment is still the same. Here's the reverb price guide. You'll notice a distinct lack of any sales that come close to $450.

 

[moon-bass]

Roll off, mayyyybe... BUT

Consider the success, and TB praise, of outboard HPF units....

It's easy to "pick on" , as posted above, the Combo 300 and other PV designs of the Era for being a bit shy on low end oomph. Consider, though, the intent of design.

It's no secret how so very many combos and speaker systems throughout the decades fall prey to "fart-out" symptoms. The Combo 300 BW referenced here is lean in low frequency response IN SPITE of this bass amplification reality.

Would I be overstepping to offer the possibility that it's "lack" of low end response is deliberate and offers the casual player carrying the house the opportunity to crank the unit up with minimal concern of said dreaded flatulence?


I used mine (modded into a head unit) to push the 2-18" BW's in a 3620 cab (bi amp hi output to a Crate B-150 pushing the 2x10s in the cab) for years. I had NO LACK of low end response when I had to carry the house with this rig.

The Combo 300 was no doubt the TOTL amp of the PV offerings of the day. Boat anchor heavy no question, but a real world contender of its time in "best of class" status.

Hey, I'm not knocking the combo for what it was back in the day (even tho it kind of sounds like I was). I used all sorts of Peavey gear in my life, my main band had a Peavey PA system ... hell, our drummer even bought the Peavey E drums. If it wasn't for Peavey, my formative years would have been a lot different.

My comments are more towards what it's worth and how it performs/sounds as compared to modern amps. I agree one your "intent of design" comments, you're most likely spot on. I mean, it worked for me back in the day! I'd rather not have a baked in HPF tho, I'd rather use a variable. I don't think most bassists here would go for an always on HPF at a relatively high (IMO) frequency with a fairly steep roll off..

FWIW, IIUC there are other amps that have a roll off as well (TC Electronics comes to mind).

I used the TKO, the TNT, then the Combo, then upgraded to a Megabass then moved over to Trace Elliot next (the real TOTL IMO). I'm not bashing the 300 at all, but compared to the modern gear, and compared to what you can get for $450 used on the market, there just isn't a comparison.

 

[DWBass]

The Combo 300 was no doubt the TOTL amp of the PV offerings of the day. Boat anchor heavy no question, but a real world contender of its time in "best of class" status.

Maybe TOTL of the bass combo amps wattage wise. Definitely NOT a flagship nor a Corvette vs Chevelle comparison as referenced previously. Maybe a Sedan vs Truck would have been a better comparison. I used my TNT130 in pro situations and had plenty of power and loudness for my situations and in fact was asked to turn down many times. Outside of the weight, I enjoyed the amp for what it was. And it was reliable. Never ever had an issue!

 

[moon-bass]

Where's the link? Please provide it.

I guess it's to the point where you only speak memes lol.

I edited my post above, looks like it was already sold, so I went ahead and attached the price guide to show the past sales, none of which came close to $450. So yeah, I was wrong on the item being still for sale, but the sentiment was correct.

Do you see how someone can actually admit that they are wrong? Maybe you should take notice.