Peavey Classic 30

[TS808]

I've seen that alot of folks have Classic 30's on this forum and was wondering what people thought of them? How is the tone given the small cabinet??

I've been thinking about getting another tube amp (once I get my bluesbreaker clone back) and am looking at the following:

Peavey Classic 30
Peavey Delta Blues 210
Crate V18
Crate Palomino V32

Or, if you have any other suggestions on tube amps that are 30 watts or less, feel free to recommend them! Hey, I'd love a Super Reverb or a Bassman, but I think my wife would have a fit...those have some serious volume (and a serious price tag).

[Robert]

I jammed with a drummer friend last week, using a Greg Bennett Avion and a Classic 30. I got some great rock tones!

The Peavey is a great amp. Big, fat tone and as loud as you'd ever need. I like it a lot. It sounds pretty big considering the small cabinet.

[Tone2TheBone]

The tone from my amp is BIG for being an open backed amp. I have a stock Blue Marvel speaker in there and it sounds really good. I replaced the stock Chinese tubes with an entire set of J&J Electronics preamp and power tubes. Made the amp sound beautifully warm and full. The clean channel is very Fendery despite being an EL84 design. You'll love the clean channel. The dirty channel has very good distortion capabilities and sounds great. The amp shines with pedal use of any kind. I am happy with the built in spring reverb as well. I have the "tweed" looking version and I can't say enough about it. Good looking amp and it sounds pretty damn good for being inexpensive. I give it a strong 10.

[duhvoodooman]

I have a Delta Blues 115, but it's basically the same amp with addition of tremolo and a 15" speaker. Great, great value, esp. if you can find a "clean" used one, which isn't hard. The gain channel is quite good, but I think it's the clean channel that really stands out; very Fendery, as Tone says. I pretty much leave it there and add pedals for "dirt", as needed. And it's louder than h*ll!! The volume knob goes from 1 to 12 and I rarely get past 2 in the back room where I do all my playing....

[sunvalleylaw]

The tone from my amp is BIG for being an open backed amp. I have a stock Blue Marvel speaker in there and it sounds really good. I replaced the stock Chinese tubes with an entire set of J&J Electronics preamp and power tubes. Made the amp sound beautifully warm and full. The clean channel is very Fendery despite being an EL84 design. You'll love the clean channel. The dirty channel has very good distortion capabilities and sounds great. The amp shines with pedal use of any kind. I am happy with the built in spring reverb as well. I have the "tweed" looking version and I can't say enough about it. Good looking amp and it sounds pretty damn good for being inexpensive. I give it a strong 10.

I can't add anything to that or what others have said, and they are all my betters in playing and experience anyway. Spudman and StingX are also good players who have them. There are at least two and maybe three Peavey Classic threads in the amph section that I think include clips.

(after search) yep, here are some links:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=1828&highlight=Peavey+classic+30

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=922&highlight=Peavey+classic+30

StingX posted some clips after a re-tube here: EDIT: THE BOX.NET LINK THERE IS NOW KAPUTT

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=2284&highlight=peavey+classic+30

[TS808]

I keep hearing alot of good things about the Classic 30, but I think I've always shyed away because of the small cabinet. Years ago, Peavey used to make an extension cab for the Classic 30, but I think that has since been discontinued.

[sunvalleylaw]

I keep hearing alot of good things about the Classic 30, but I think I've always shyed away because of the small cabinet. Years ago, Peavey used to make an extension cab for the Classic 30, but I think that has since been discontinued.


I don't know about Peavey's extension cab. I was thinking one could get a cool one from Abe that DVM has purchased from, but I don't know why I would need one. There is a speaker out for an extension cab.

Here is a link to StingX's clips on with various settings he posted 12/23/2006 on the In praise of . . . thread I linked above:
http://www.box.net/public/91d1lryz7s

[Spudman]

Like everybody says below. It's all good.

You can still find the extension cabinets for them but they are also being made by other folks. Ask Voodoo.

[TS808]

I don't know about Peavey's extension cab. I was thinking one could get a cool one from Abe that DVM has purchased from, but I don't know why I would need one. There is a speaker out for an extension cab.

Here is a link to StingX's clips on with various settings he posted 12/23/2006 on the In praise of . . . thread I linked above:
http://www.box.net/public/91d1lryz7s

The soundclips are awesome. I agree, a pretty good, full sound from a small cabinet. No extension cab needed perhaps.

[Spudman]

The soundclips are awesome. I agree, a pretty good, full sound from a small cabinet. No extension cab needed perhaps.

If you are going to gig then the extra cab really helps with you being content with the stage sound. Otherwise, with a mic on it and a little low boost from the mixing board you'll have a great big sounding little amph.

[Bloozcat]

I used to own a Peavey Classic 50 - 2X12, the Classic 30's "big brother". It was a solid amp that could do a lot of things well. I re-tubed it with JJ's and it sounded much better than with the stock Sovteks that were in it. Still, I ended up selling it to a co-worker who's son now plays it. He loves it...

I ended up going with a Crate Vintage Club 30 as a replacement. To my ears, it delivers a little more grind in rock applications (a little more Marshally sounding?). I also like its tone better for blues. Granted, I have re-tubed it with some very nice NOS offerings, and the stock Crate speaker is an Eminence GB12 with a Crate label - but I can't find any fault with any of the Classic 30's I've ever played either. It was more a matter of preference for me, and not anything about quality or lack of tone.

There wouldn't be all those companies out there making amps if we all liked the same one...;)

[Spudman]

I used to own a Peavey Classic 50 - 2X12, the Classic 30's "big brother". It was a solid amp that could do a lot of things well. I re-tubed it with JJ's and it sounded much better than with the stock Sovteks that were in it. Still, I ended up selling it to a co-worker who's son now plays it. He loves it...

I ended up going with a Crate Vintage Club 30 as a replacement. To my ears, it delivers a little more grind in rock applications (a little more Marshally sounding?). I also like its tone better for blues. Granted, I have re-tubed it with some very nice NOS offerings, and the stock Crate speaker is an Eminence GB12 with a Crate label - but I can't find any fault with any of the Classic 30's I've ever played either. It was more a matter of preference for me, and not anything about quality or lack of tone.

There wouldn't be all those companies out there making amps if we all liked the same one...;)

I have to agree. I still have my Crate Vintage Club 50. It is like a Marshall on the dirty channel and almost Fenderish on the clean channel. Great amp.
I still love my Classic 30 though. It's much easier to carry.:D

[Chito]

I too have a Classic 30 and like most have said, it is one good solid amp. When I initially got it, I wasn't too keen on it as I find it too bright for my taste. First I changed the tubes with Tungsol 12ax7s and JJ el84s. That helped a bit but I wasn't satisfied. So eventually, I ordered a Weber Blue Dog Ceramic and that made a whole difference. Gone are the ice-picky highs.

BTW, if you want to add a cab to it, look for the ext cabs for the Bandits which is the 112SX. I found a used unloaded one for $75.00 and then proceeded to put in the Blue Marvel I took out of the C30 and voila, now it's gotten even better! What a huge sound. Those blue marvels work well with closed back cabs.

[LagrangeCalvert]

I own and Gig with a delta blues 1x15 and its great once the speaker(s) are broke in. The 15" covers a HUGE area and is very dynamic.....if thats not enough...they now make a classic 4x10 "bassman" style classic 30.

I cannot say enough good things about this amp...works well with buckers and single coils..and adopts pedals very well.

As far as an ext. cab goes....I have ran everything from 2 eight inch celestions with the 15 (great brit rock sound that way) to another 15 inch (Eminence Big Ben) ext. speaker and with the other 15 you talk about a enormous sound....its insanely warm/robust with more girth/punch than a 4x12 closed back cab.

Just my .02 cents!

[LagrangeCalvert]

Correction....its a CLASSIC 50 with the FOUR TEN INCH SPEAKERS

Hope this helps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/plaidburybunny/classic50410.jpg