Peavey Classic / Delta Blues Thread

[Nelskie]

Recently got word that another Fretter has joined our small, but enthusiastic brethren of Peavey tube amp players. I wish I could say I am surprised, but having been a Classic 30 player for nigh on (11) years, I know how fantastic these amps sound - esp. with a few mods, and running through various pedals. That, and the fact that about myself and about a billion other guitarists / bassists have owned a piece of Peavey gear at some point in their playing career.

When I initially bought the amp, I traded in a Yamaha 112II solid-state in on it, and was entering into relatively unchartered territory. I had played SS amps pretty much since the beginning ('83), and after reading several Guitar Player articles on vintage tube amps, decided that it was time to see how the other half lived. Even as a brand-spankin' new amp, the Classic 30 was pretty reasonably priced at $400 (back in '95). My Epi Les Paul sounded dynamite through it (and that was bone-stock), so it wasn't a very difficult choice. Money, at that time, was a factor in my world, so the Peavey option provided me with a great-sounding, all-tube amp, and enough money left over for food and rent. As well, it was about as close to a Fender-sounding amp (which is what I really wanted) as one could hope for at the price.

Now that I've had the amp for awhile, and my playing style and musical tastes have evolved even more, I've really come to appreciate it. Even in nstock form, the cleans are rich and musical, and the OD tones wide and crunchy. Add some hot-rod tubes (J & J's), and a different speaker (Celestion Vintage 30) - voila', even more fantastic tone. I was also lucky enough to score a matching Classic 112E extension cabinet about a year or so ago, which further enhanced the overall sound of the amp, not to mention its usefulness as a live rig. Adding a contrasting aftermarket speaker (12" Eminence Swamp Thang) has added a newfound complexity and character to the overall sound of the amp / cab combo.

About two weeks ago, I won a Tonebone Classic distortion pedal on an Ebay auction, and have once again been amazed at the tonal territory the Classic 30 can cover. Without a doubt, this amp will be with me for the full duration of my playing days.

I always see a lot of Classic 30's on Ebay, and for the $$, they're a fantastic option for players looking to get into a good tube amp without breaking the bank. The Delta Blues are basically the same amp, but with a couple of different twists (15" speaker vs the C30's 12"; built-in tremelo effect). The Delta's are not as common on Ebay, though they do pop up from time-to-time. Both of which get me to thinking that: 1.) these amps are finally getting the much-deserved credit that they are due; and 2.) that they aren't that much of a secret anymore.

Besides waving my flag for these great amps, I also thought it would be cool to have a place for other Peavey players to congregate, and share some info on mods, amp settings, pedals that sound good through them, etc.