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What should I do with my old Peavey Combo 300

#22
I too have a couple of ancient Combo 300's

I was using a BA115 for gigging, but it needed repair, so I got out the Combo 300---it's quirky, but I think it sounds better than the Ampeg---

Been using it to gig (maybe 3-4 times a month) ever since

Need to fix up the second one for a backup
 
#23
Balkan said:
Thanks- I've read through the manual, and it says nothing about doing this, but would be cool if it did.
Click to expand...

Lots of amp manuals omit this fact but I've never found a effects loop return that wouldn't work this way yet. The return jacks pretty much all connect directly to the power amp section (although some are pre-eq)

The return jacks internal switching contacts serve the same exact function as patching a guitar cord between the amps fx send and return jacks. (the send jack comes directly from the heads internal preamp and the return jack simply goes to the power section. When your not using the loop, these switching contacts simply connect the heads internal pre and poweramp)

As you insert a plug into an fx return, these switching contacts automatically disconect the heads internal preamp allowing you to replace it with whatever preamp signal you prefer. (thats just not the kind of thing many amp manufacturers go out of their way to advertise...)


Balkan said:
RE: the VT pedal, I have you tried using it with your B100R (eg. to get an SVT sound)? Does that sound nice or is just modeling overload? My understanding is that the B100R does not let you bypass the preamp, and it has own modeling to emulate the sound of the B-15.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried the VT with my B100R yet but I did with a couple of my Mesa's, a Sunn, a S/S poweramp and my SVT.

You can use most any VT type pedal/preamp through any amps normal inputs too, (by lowering the external pedal or preamps output level knob) but this ends up being a blend and stacking both preamps in-line. Sometimes that sounds and works really good with some gear pairings and sometimes not with others.
 
#24
The Combo 300 does have a pre and post EQ effects loop. The pre is called Patch. This will allow you to further EQ your input signal by using the EQ on the amp. The post EQ is the more traditional pre amp out/power amp in. You can set you EQ and then use your effects unit. Both of these ways you will be using the Combo 300's EQ section. To bypass the EQ and just use the amp's power amp section, do what lindseyp suggested, and plug your effects unit straight into the power amp in. The only problem with this method is that your volume will be limited by the output strength of your effects unit.

I just tried it with my 1988 Combo 300, and the EQ and volume sections were defeated by plugging directly to the power amp in.
 
#25
Cool - thanks so much. I also posted on the Peavey forum about this, was told to use "in" but not "return" - not quite sure what that means (and that's not how the jacks are labeled) but I'm guessing it means I plug the bass into the SansAmp, which then goes into the effects loop in jack, rather then plugging my bass into the regular amp input, and using the full effects loop to plug into the Sansamp before I send the signal back to the amp. Sound right?

anderbass said:
Lots of amp manuals omit this fact but I've never found a effects loop return that wouldn't work this way yet. The return jacks pretty much all connect directly to the power amp section (although some are pre-eq)

The return jacks internal switching contacts serve the same exact function as patching a guitar cord between the amps fx send and return jacks. (the send jack comes directly from the heads internal preamp and the return jack simply goes to the power section. When your not using the loop, these switching contacts simply connect the heads internal pre and poweramp)

As you insert a plug into an fx return, these switching contacts automatically disconect the heads internal preamp allowing you to replace it with whatever preamp signal you prefer. (thats just not the kind of thing many amp manufacturers go out of their way to advertise...)




I haven't tried the VT with my B100R yet but I did with a couple of my Mesa's, a Sunn, a S/S poweramp and my SVT.

You can use most any VT type pedal/preamp through any amps normal inputs too, (by lowering the external pedal or preamps output level knob) but this ends up being a blend and stacking both preamps in-line. Sometimes that sounds and works really good with some gear pairings and sometimes not with others.
Click to expand...
 
#26
Balkan,

To use the SansAmp pre-EQ use Patch and use a patch cord to run from the Patch Out to the input of your SansAmp and then from the out on the SansAmp to the Patch In.

To run post-EQ, use a patch cord to run from the pre amp out on the amp to the input on the SansAmp and then from the out on the SansAmp to the Power Amp in.

Your bass on both of these will be plugged into the Inputs section. Just like you would plug into any amp.

To run no EQ and just the SansAmp, plug your bass to the SansAmp input and run the SansAmp output directly to the Power Amp In on the Combo 300.
 
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#27
I also used to put a Sansamp -- not the VT, but a regular Bass Driver DI -- in front of my old Peavey combo, and it worked great. I do it now with an old Ampeg B2 combo to the same effect. The VT would probably be even better, though I haven't tried one myself.

I never use the Sansamp with my B100R, though: I think it is overkill. Besides, if it already sounds like a B-15, geez, why would you want to mess with it?!
 

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