Experience and impressions please

[Swampy]

I've been trying to decide which tube amp to get but I can't get any hands on so I'm a little nervous about pulling the trigger.

I think it's down to the Handsome Devil and the Classic 30, possibly the Little Giant.

It'll pretty much be a house amp but may occasionally venture out for a fun small social gathering once or twice a year.

Do you think they'll be too much amp to get good sound out of at home because I'll be running them too low? Or, do they sound good turned down low?

I would really appreciate your experienced opinions!

Thanks in advance.:

[Spudman***]

I voted for the C30. I use mine at home all the time but also take it to gigs. I use pedals in front of it so I don't have to turn it up. It will cost you more but it's really a lot more amp than the other two. These come up used in good shape all the time.

[markb]

I'd take the C30, but...

Even 5 watts can be too loud for home use. All valve amps sound better turned up. The classic sound of rock guitar is power amp distortion, not preamp gain so you've got to turn it up. If good tone at really low volume is what you need a modeler is the right amp.

[Robert****]

Classic 30, pal - all the way.

[sunvalleylaw]

Already did. (pick one) C-30. Suits me just fine.

[Jimi75]

I have voted C30. I think this amph covers al ot of musical ground plus it sounds great. A cool rocker that you can rely on.

[Blaze]

C 30 no doubt




http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-Classic-3...3%3A1|294%3A50

[TS808]

I have the Handsome Devil Head and a Delta Blues 210 (same pretty much as the Classic 30).

I like the Handsome Devil better for home use...on 7 watts you won't go deaf, and the presence knob really gives it a little more versatility in my opinion.

I don't think you could go wrong with either the Classic 30 or Handsome Devil, but I would recommend getting a good cab to go with the Handsome Devil. The Blackheart cabs are nice, but pretty bright sounding.

[marnold***]

I'm somewhat surprised at the overwhelming love the C-30 is getting. Anybody care to go into more detail as to why? From the clips I've heard it seems like the clean channel has very little headroom. I guess with as many 12AX7s that they put in there I shouldn't be surprised by that.

[piebaldpython***]

I guess one could change out the 12AX7's for 12AU7's and that would take care of one's headroom problem, right?

[duhvoodooman***]

More likely 5751's, AT7's or AY7's. AU7's are W-A-A-A-Y down there in gain--only ~20% of a 12AX7--and differ in other characteristics, as well.

BTW, while I wouldn't disagree that the C30 is the best overall amp of those three, it may not be the right amp for your needs. I had a Delta Blues for a while--basically a C30 with a tremolo and a different speaker, same 30W rating--and while I loved its tone, it was too much amp for my play-in-the-back-room needs. I have two great smaller tube amps now--a 15W Fender Blues Junior combo and a 20W Egnater Rebel head--that work far better for my particular circumstance. And I still have to use a Weber MicroMASS attenuator when I want to crank up the gain on them!

[sunvalleylaw]

I'm somewhat surprised at the overwhelming love the C-30 is getting. Anybody care to go into more detail as to why? From the clips I've heard it seems like the clean channel has very little headroom. I guess with as many 12AX7s that they put in there I shouldn't be surprised by that.

I dunno. I just love the sound of it. I have played really quiet in my house, using pedals to color the sound, I have played much louder in the house, I have played out. I just like the sound. I am not sure I could answer specifically the headroom question as I don't think that way. I just like the sound. I have played a BlackHeart Little Giant and really like it (at Spud's house). I have not played the Handsome Devil but I would think it was similar. But if I was buying one, I would get the C-30. Just more amph and I want one that can go out and play. If I was going to own only one amph, and use it for bedroom only, maybe I might change my mind. But that is not how I understood the question. Since Swampy is going to play out some, even if just a little, I still pick the C-30.

[Swampy]

Thanks all for the feedback. Landslide victory for the Classic 30. I thought there might be more of a Blackheart following but 90% of the votes go to the C30. $50 is all that separates the Handsome Devil combo and the C30 Combo and the C30 has reverb.

Thanks much for the input, I'll keep looking and monitoring!

[markb]

I'm somewhat surprised at the overwhelming love the C-30 is getting. Anybody care to go into more detail as to why? From the clips I've heard it seems like the clean channel has very little headroom. I guess with as many 12AX7s that they put in there I shouldn't be surprised by that.

But then blackface and silverface Fenders start to break up too if you get the volume beyond about 4. After that you need to use the guitar volume to clean things up. I set my Trademark 60's "clean" channel up like this too, a nice Fenderesque drive with the guitar wide open, clean when backed off about halfway. The only valve involved in the C30 clean channel's gain is V1. One triode per gain stage.

[tot_Ou_tard]

A new Classic 30 cost about what I paid for my used Gries 5.

For my needs--basement playing in a Townhouse--but maybe not Swampy's the Gries 5 is perfect.


PERFECT.

It can certainly go louder than I need it, but depending on what Swampy means by fun social gathering it may or may not hang there. I wouldn't know.

If you look about you can also sometimes find a Swart 6V6SE for a similar amount of money.

These two are known tone machines & are very well built.