I saw one of those Classic 400 / 8x10 stacks in tweed a number of years ago, and I thought it looked ( and sounded sweet ). Another amp that should've never been discontinued.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What are the best amps Peavey ever made?
- Thread starter bongomania
- Start date
The whole TNT line of combo amps.. Rugged, dependable, affordable, easy to repair, easy to maintain.. and plenty of warm, clean tone all day long. I know I love mine.
I heard a guy playing guitar through a Peavey Classic 30 combo a while back, and it was the sweetest, crunchiest (yet somehow smooth) guitar tone I've heard in quite a while. I went up to the stage specifically to hear what the heck I was hearing that sounded so good, and I was amazed when I saw what it was.
I would add the Combo 300 to this class... another monster combo weighing in at about 100 lbs..but super loud...
Either the Classic 400 or the BAM.
Dollar for dollar, it's tough to beat the Bam. You can pick them up for less than $500 used, which is a crying shame for those of us that bought them new at ~$1,000. I truly believe they're a thousand dollar amp and at $450 or so they're a steal. Even if you ignore all of the amp modeling and effects, it's a killer sounding amp. 500 watts @ 2ohms is nothing to sneeze at... the weight is the only bummer.
Dollar for dollar, it's tough to beat the Bam. You can pick them up for less than $500 used, which is a crying shame for those of us that bought them new at ~$1,000. I truly believe they're a thousand dollar amp and at $450 or so they're a steal. Even if you ignore all of the amp modeling and effects, it's a killer sounding amp. 500 watts @ 2ohms is nothing to sneeze at... the weight is the only bummer.
I shared a Peavey TNT 1x15(no tweeter) combo with another bass player in high school. I had a big rig & we would trade off as our gigs warranted. It had a loud clear & deep piano tone that I have never heard since then. I actually started slapping becuase it's punch was so good (& this was during the metal years when slapping was a big no-no if that's what you were playing). I've never heard any Peavey sound that good since. The only drawback was that it was extremely heavey -120lbs or so.
I had a TNT from the 80s ...killer tone and bullet proof.Wish I still had it.
My old school system had a couple Ampegs for the middle school jazz band and a couple of Peaveys at the high school. I always preferred the sound of the old Peaveys they had (maybe because they can withstand a school environment better?), but I've always liked their guitar amps, too. For a while I actually played bass through a Rage 128 guitar amp, and it sounded pretty good (probably better than the Crate BX-15 I replaced it with).
There's a bassist in the Worcester area who plays in our pit for our spring show and also at shows that our chorus director does. He's either got an old TKO 65 or a Basic 50. It sounds great with both his jazz and his upright.
There's a bassist in the Worcester area who plays in our pit for our spring show and also at shows that our chorus director does. He's either got an old TKO 65 or a Basic 50. It sounds great with both his jazz and his upright.
I've had a bunch. All were as reliable as a brick. No failures-ever. Heavy for the features/power. Did I mention that they laugh at abuse? Certainly not a 'boutique' amp...I never could afford one of those, anyway.
Honestly, you may have to tweek to find your tone, but it's there. Peavey amps are as responsive to tonal tweeks as any amp I have ever played. In the early 70's, I played Ampeg. Got a Peavey practice amp and realized that the tonal variety was more than my high dollar rig...and promptly went all Peavey for almost thirty years. Great amps/cabs for 'Everyman'.
Kim
Honestly, you may have to tweek to find your tone, but it's there. Peavey amps are as responsive to tonal tweeks as any amp I have ever played. In the early 70's, I played Ampeg. Got a Peavey practice amp and realized that the tonal variety was more than my high dollar rig...and promptly went all Peavey for almost thirty years. Great amps/cabs for 'Everyman'.
Kim
I owned a Megabass and a pair of early nineties 410's at one point and it was a fairly good rig. The cabs were not particularly efficient and the head was pretty bland sounding. The Megabass was a neat idea at the time but was lacking in the actual tone department.
I also had a markIV which was a real workhorse head from the early eighties.
I also had a markIV which was a real workhorse head from the early eighties.
I'll have to throw my vote to the Classic 400. I played one at a pawn shop in the mid 90's and still kick myself for not picking it up. They were selling it for the note which was $300.
don't forget the TKO line. i'm not sure what the difference between the 2 series is (TNT is better, correct?) but the TKO's are also "Rugged, dependable, affordable, easy to repair, easy to maintain.. and plenty of warm, clean tone all day long." (plenty of dirty tone too with my turbo rat
)
I'll have to throw my vote to the Classic 400. I played one at a pawn shop in the mid 90's and still kick myself for not picking it up. They were selling it for the note which was $300.
that's got to sting a little!
I have a love/hate relationship with this....
Right now - I hate it .............................. but I'm looking forward to loving it again.
Right now - I hate it .............................. but I'm looking forward to loving it again.
A Peavey CS400 Power Amp was my main rig for more years than I can remember, that coupled with a Ashley Preamp and a DBX Compressor Limiter and a JBL 140E stuffed EV cabnet.
+1
I currently own a Firebass and it's a great amp but I'd sell it in a heartbeat if I could find a Classic 400. I've also heard good things about the Alphabass tube head but I've never heard one firsthand.
Also gotta throw a bone to Peavey cabs. The Black Widow 15" speaker gets lots of love and deservedly so. I'm running a Peavey 1516 cab (1x15 and 2x8) and it's nice and punchy and holds up quite well to my low thumpy E's. Sounds good, cheap and serviceable. What's not to love?
