Peavey Classic or Valveking?

[Radioboy950]

Hey guys,

Which do you think is the better amph?
I've always liked the vintage vibe from the Classic 30, the tweed covering and the EL84 tubes.
The ValveKing 112 seems like a very good value, but it looks cheap and I wonder about the build quality.

Any experience with either...or both ??

[Brian Krashpad]

I've only had the li'l baby ValveKing Royal 8. It was kinda meh. The 2x12 I played in a store seemed better though.

That said, in general I think the Classic series has a better rep, and since they're older, should get more bang for buck buying used. If there were 2 comparable ones used locally, I'd tend to choose the Classic based on the info I've heard. I haven't played a Classic series though, although we used to gig with another band wherein the guitarist had the 2x12 Classic.

[ibanezjunkie]

in a shootout between the Classic seres and the VK, the Classic series definately made a clean shot right in the eye of the VK.

the VK amps are generally meh all round, the clean channel isnt really 'clean', its very boomy, and the distortion is crackly and lacks definition. If you want a good sound out of a VK, it needs to be modded in certain ways.

Peavey Classic amps are generally much better, and are imho the only peaveys with a good and usable clean channel (5150/6505 cleans suck, as do XXX and VK clean channels (imho)). I think alot of fretters use Peavey Classics, so im sure they can shed more light on this than i can, as ive only played one in the store.

so, incase you dont wanna read all that...

Classic series urinate on valvekings from a great height :)

[bigG]

The ValveKing is a nice tube amp for the money. The Classic 30 is a superb tube amp!

If the difference in price and features isn't a problem for you, I'd go w the Classic 30, hands down. (I own a Peavey Delta Blues 210, which is basically a Classic 30 jacked up on steroids - has reverb and trem. Right up there w the best of the best!)

[Algonquin]

I don't have any experience with the Valve King series, but I'm still hooked on the Classic 30 :AOK:
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=1828&highlight=praise+peavey

[Kazz]

I had a classic 30 for a couple of years...just wasnt the amp for me. The clean is very clean almost sterile....but if you turn it up a little you get a very nice overdriven clean tone. In my opinion the lead channel sucks.....The clean does take pedals very well tho.

Just my opinion.....keep in mind that all my heroes played Marshalls not Fender amps

[sunvalleylaw]

I love my C-30. No comparative experience with a VK, so cannot comment there. To me a good used C-30 is a huge value, because they can be had for way less than other comparable tube amphs.

[Duff49]

The Classic Thirty and the Delta Blues, like I have, are built in Mississipi.

The Valve King is built way cheaply in China and is not nearly a comparable amp. The VK design is probably disposable, whereas the USA made amphs will probably fixable for as long as we will be concerned. The VK probably has components in it that are not replaceable because they are not available. I would check into a lot more deeply before I bought a VK.

I played VK amphs and didn't care for them but love the Classic Thirty and Delta Blues.

I got a JSX Mini Colossal for 149 brand new and the Royal Eight VK didn't hold a candle to it. The place was closing out Peavey inventory. I got a Import "HP Signature BXP", tiger eye awesome guitar for 199 and a Zodiac bass, P J for 199. Awesome deals on brand new Peavey stuff. You can definitely find deals if you are patient and look around.

I would stay away from the VK's and focus on finding a USA Peavey Classic or Delta Blues. I like the tweed, but the black tolex ones look great as well. My Delta Blues sounds awesome and is really a great amp. Definitely can't say that about the VK's I played.

Hope this helps. I think the "made in the USA" aspect goes way deeper than some isolationist patriotic thing here; the quality control and knowledge of the Mississippi workers is way higher than that found at the China plants I would presume. The whole parts sourcing going into the amp design is way different at the USA plants and a lot of the parts are going to be available for a long time to come; whereas the China make VK parts sourcing draws from sources in that part of the world, naturally, and many of these parts are probably already not available as replacements and are often very difficult or impossible for amph technicians here in the US to make.

So from a reliability and longevity point of view the Classics and the Delta Blues are going to stand up, suppossedly, to the test of time much more strongly.

I'm not a master of manufacturing systems in our country and China, but my understanding of the situation includes the ideas above, some of which may not be exactly correct. I'm sure some other guys here can explain the differences better than me. I hope this my input is helpful.

Duffy
Winfield, Pa.

[ibanezjunkie]

other alternatives would be the mid price range Fender amps, like the Hot Rod Deluxe, The Deville, etc.

The bugera amps (the NEWER ones after 2008) are good reliable peavey clones, the 6262 is an awesome amp for the money.

[Jimi75]

Can you really compare both? Well, here's my opinion. The Classic 30 and 50 are among the best sounding Blues and rock amphs you can get in that price range. The Valveking is among the most shittiest sounding amphs I have heard in a long time. Plastic modeling wannabe sound. But that's only my opinion. I hve just rechecked Peaveys official demo video on you tube for the Valveking and I wonder how a huge company like Peavey has the balls to present such an official demo.