NAD : Peavey Transtube Studio Pro 112

[cebreez]

Okay so not new but definitely new to me. And It won't get here till next week but I'm already getting anxious for it. I've been playing through tube amps for a while now and have gotten nostalgic for the vintage Peavey SS amps. My band mate has an 80's Peavey Chorus 212 that just drips "Alabama" and "Clint Black". So wanting the option to switch over to a SS cousin of my Classic 30 I happened upon this Studio Pro "used" at Guitar Center for $124 and just couldn't pass it up. And after reading some rave reviews when it was new and even now I had to give it a try.

What do you think guys? Did I mess up? Found this picture of it on the net. Will take actual pics and give it a run down after it comes in.

[cebreez]

Just got off work and found it sitting the porch! Tired so I haven't had much time with it. Plugged it up and played through it for about 20 minutes. SWEET!! Thats all I can say. I love the transtube series. This is a totally quiet amp until you switch it to high gain at which point it will squeal and feedback just like the big amps. With its "Modern and Vintage" on the clean channel and "High Gain, Standard, and Vintage" on the Lead channel its very usable and versatile. I appreciate the quality of the tone on the lead channel but did find the tone of the clean channel a little lack luster. And I know why. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the "Blue Marvel" speaker, I for one am just not a fan. Maybe a little more time tweaking and I find a tone closer to what I like.
Problem is I've gotten really use the my Peavey Classic 30 so my tone ears are a little tainted. But I got this SS amp for a reason. So I will sit down later with the guitar I intend on using with it and dial it in. Worse comes to worse I will order a new speaker. I'm thinking either a Sheffield, a Greenback, or a Black Powder (or Copperhead). Hows that for 4 speakers with completely different tonal characteristics. I love to do a video but I still don't have the toys to make a decent video and my playing bites.

[Tig***]

Nice find!
HNAD

[cebreez]

Nice find!
HNAD

Thanks Tig! But how crazy is it that I already want the 212 version? Like BAD!

[markb]

I saw a teal stripe Peavey Stereo Chorus in a local shop a while back for 200GBP with 6 months warranty. I had to walk away quite fast.

[cebreez]

I saw a teal stripe Peavey Stereo Chorus in a local shop a while back for 200GBP with 6 months warranty. I had to walk away quite fast.

I have yet to play through any of the teal striped amps. Wonder if they are different from the vintage amps.

Turns out to be good and bad that I went ahead and bought this one. The tubes are going out in my Classic 30 so now I've got the Studio Pro as a backup because the tube set for the 30 is a little expensive. That being said; Had I not bought the Studio Pro I could have readily afforded the tube set. Wish I knew someone around here with a Peavey Transformer 112 or 212. I would really like to try one out.
Anyway, the biggest thing I've noticed so far is a real lack of power compared to my Classic 30 (duh..), what that means though that its not plug and play as a backup. Alot of my pedals act and sound different in front of it. I have to boost the input which results in a louder but much compressed signal. And very noticeable as well.
So its looking like more of a standalone secondary. The Lead/Distortion channel is phenomenal! Rich, meaty, but still articulate and easy to go from modern drive and crunch to vintage overdrive. The reverb not too shabby either but I've heard that for $20 there is a much nicer replacement tank.

And did I say I am having a blast playing through the Studio Pro?

[cebreez]

Oh and the pictures don't do this amp justice. Its a really cool looking amp!!

[markb]

I have yet to play through any of the teal striped amps. Wonder if they are different from the vintage amps

A lot of people say that the teal amps and the early Transtubes are pretty much identical for cleans. I've never played through a 1st series Transtube so can't say for sure. The Supersat (TM) circuit on the teals has its fans too. I've always been able to get decent tones out of them at jams and the like. I'd take a teal stripe over the current "big badge" versions for build quality, not to mention a real reverb tank.

[cebreez]

A lot of people say that the teal amps and the early Transtubes are pretty much identical for cleans. I've never played through a 1st series Transtube so can't say for sure. The Supersat (TM) circuit on the teals has its fans too. I've always been able to get decent tones out of them at jams and the like. I'd take a teal stripe over the current "big badge" versions for build quality, not to mention a real reverb tank.

That was the first thing that surprise me about the Studio 112 was an actual reverb tank. The lead channel in the Pro is slightly unwielding. It will go from slight crunch to feedbacking mayhem quick. But the tone is pretty darn good. I don't know how the sensitive overdrive/gain would respond during recording session though as its name implies. I'm having a little trouble keeping it from feeding back in my large studio room where we practice. Crank back on the volume and you start losing some of that good tone.
I have access to one of the vintage amps, black face, brushed aluminum knobs, and no stripes. But now I'm going to have to find a teal stripe one and compare. Should be able to find one at a music store around here somewhere.

[bigoldron]

Congrats on the amp Cebreez

[cebreez]

Congrats on the amp Cebreez

Thanks bigoldron!

[Duffy]

Congratulations on the Peavey.

What year, approximately, was that made?

I have a Peavey TNT 150 big, heavy, bass combo that I bought new around 1988. It is an awesome bass amp with a big speaker, a graphic EQ, and a lot of adjustability. It has some great sounds and is loud. I usually use my Fender Rumble 100 fifteen inch combo with the synchronized pulsing red light that shines thru the ports on the bottom front. You can switch the lights off, but, ironically, I dig them.

Anyway, that Peavey TNT is a remarkable bass combo. Is your Peavey from the same general era? Is it heavy?

Good luck with it. Is the feedback squeal caused by the reverb tank? Sometimes you can tape some foam directly to the metal housing on the reverb tank and it will eliminate a feedback squeal. Possibly try touching the reverb tank housing with your hand when you hear the amp feeding back and see if that cuts the squeal. It's an easy fix if that is the source of your feedback.

Cool looking SS amp. I have a mint Crate RFX 65, black tolex with gold trim, and three channels, that is a very cool sounding solid state amp.

[cebreez]

What year, approximately, was that made?

Good question. I'll have to check when I get home. Did a quick search on the internet but didn't come up with a year.

I have a Peavey TNT 150 big, heavy, bass combo that I bought new around 1988. It is an awesome bass amp with a big speaker, a graphic EQ, and a lot of adjustability.

Cool! I had the TNT 100 in the early 80's, may have even been very late 70's. I love it. Wasn't quite loud enough for the outdoor gigs we were doing and couldn't afford to mic the amps back then.

Good luck with it. Is the feedback squeal caused by the reverb tank? Sometimes you can tape some foam directly to the metal housing on the reverb tank and it will eliminate a feedback squeal. Possibly try touching the reverb tank housing with your hand when you hear the amp feeding back and see if that cuts the squeal. It's an easy fix if that is the source of your feedback.

Another good question. It doesn't sound like a squeal as much as a roar. But I will definitely try that too when I get home. It is very easy to reproduce it. Then I'm going to carry it outside in the cold and open it up and see if I can "riff" some of the ice off the trees. Ha!! I'll post what I find out. Thanks for the advice!

[markb]

Congratulations on the Peavey.

What year, approximately, was that made?

Maybe not 100% accurate but there's a Peavey Bandit history here. Studio Pros differ a bit as they went from a 40w with 10" speaker to 65w with 12" but the series dates are the same. Somewhere along the line the original Studio Pro layout got renamed "Envoy".
Note that red stripes were made in the USA and China.

[djxsplo]

I have a Peavey Duece that ive had since new in the early 80 i had the whole amp gone over you can find amps that good any more My son now plays it he just adds some punch boxes to it for the metal sound he needs

[cebreez]

I love the older Peavey Amps. First chance I get I'm picking up an old Classic Chorus 212, and a Transformer 212.