Oh, man!!!

[duhvoodooman]

This thing is LOUD!!!! Holy ruptured eardrums, Batman! They aren't kidding when they say 30 tube watts is way louder than 30 SS watts! Yikes!!

Anyway, the Delta Blues amp arrived safely and works great. Tone seems very rich and clear, but I've only scratched the surface with it, so far. Lovin' that Tweed retro look! To borrow a phrase from Greg Koch, I'd say I definitley have a "tweed-skinned appliance of sonic reckoning" here! This is gonna be BIG FUN, I can tell! If I disappear from the forum for a couple of days, you guys'll know what I'm doin'.... :R :R :R

Coupla pics:

View attachment 139 View attachment 140 View attachment 141

Even the cat is interested!!

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yowza!! Nice looking amph voodoo! Got me droolin'

 

[Nelskie]

Voodoo - Man, that amp is clean! Minty mint! And what a killer deal, too! Have at it, my friend.

 

[duhvoodooman]

P.S. That Digitech RP-200A multi-effects pedal came, too, but I haven't had a chance to do much more than power it up to make sure it worked. Too busy makin' them 7 tubes glow in the Delta Blues!

 

[Tim]

VooDoo - Enjoy the new treasure. We will see you next millennium.

 

[ZoSo65]

VooDoo - Enjoy the new treasure. We will see you next millennium.

I concur,,good luck with it!

Zõ§õ

 

[SuperSwede]

Wow! Congrats Voodoo!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

You got a new amp? Thats killer. Nice knowing ya...come back when ya can. lol Seriously thats a sweet babe. Tell us how she's screaming.

 

[ZoSo65]

You got a new amp? Thats killer. Nice knowing ya...come back when ya can. lol Seriously thats a sweet babe. Tell us how she's screaming.

YEah DVM,,cause I'm looking into getting one,,maybe.
How is it at low volumes? And have you run the Digitech with it yet?

Thanks,

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

YEah DVM,,cause I'm looking into getting one,,maybe.
How is it at low volumes? And have you run the Digitech with it yet?

Thanks,

Robert mentions a 5 watt Epi Valve Junior on his Dolphin Street website. I'd really need an amp like that that could go into poer amp distortion at lower volumes.

 

[Robert]

Tot, Nelskie has written quite a bit about his Epi Valve Junior somehwere on this board. Great little amp.

Gotta say, with a great tube amp like that, don't use the Digitech RP stuff and ruin your tone man...

I've been interested in a Delta Blues for a long time, but never had a chance to try one.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Tot, Nelskie has written quite a bit about his Epi Valve Junior somehwere on this board. Great little amp.

Gotta say, with a great tube amp like that, don't use the Digitech RP stuff and ruin your tone man...

I've been interested in a Delta Blues for a long time, but never had a chance to try one.

I'll search for that thread. Anything you want to add Nelsk?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Anybody know anything about the valve standard vs the valve junior?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

The reviews that I read suggest that the valve junior head would be the way to go as they fixed the hum in the combo. Does anyone have a reccomendation for a good (cheap) cab?

 

[duhvoodooman]

Gotta say, with a great tube amp like that, don't use the Digitech RP stuff and ruin your tone man....

That's looking like pretty good advice from here. I've fooled around some with the RP-200A, and foresee it's use primarily as a recording tool. You can get some pretty amazing sounds & effects out of it, but it sucks the tube tone right down to the bottom of the glass! And you really can't do much with it "on the fly" as you play, because the settings all have to be programmed in. I'm sure some people love this kind of thing, but not my cup of tea. This puppy may be headed back up on eBay, so I can use the proceeds on some regular pedals....

I've been interested in a Delta Blues for a long time, but never had a chance to try one.

I'm very, very impressed thusfar, Robert. Gobs of tone and unbelievable volume for only 30W. The volume knobs go up to 12 (so Nigel really could play at "11"!), and I've been using it at 2! Great clean sounds, but switch over to the Lead channel and you can roll on the overdrive nicely with the PRE knob, while still keeping the volume reasonable with the POST dial. Very cool....

 

[warren0728]

sounds like a sweet amp...might have to check that one out....i plan on getting another tube amp (15 - 30 watts) this year.

can you post some clips....either mic'd or direct?

ww

 

[Nelskie]

tot - Here is the link to my Valve Jr. thread. It's a fairly comprehensive review, with a lot of information:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=74

Myself, I have not had the chance to play a Valve Standard or Valve Special, so I cannot compare them. My assumption is that they are pretty similar tone-wise, only that the two larger amps have built-in effects, and larger speakers. The largest amp (the Standard, I believe) is rated at 15W, the Special and the Jr. are 5W.

Another point: don't get too hung up on the "noise thing". I know a lot of reviews mention it, but it's really not that bad. Like I've mentioned in my thread, hum is a naturally-occurring by-product of that particular circuit design. As you move up the feeder chain price-wise, into the boutique neighborhood, some of these amps have employed some fixes to counteract the hum that is typical of Class "A" amps. Like a wise man once said, "If it don't hum, there ain't any magic in it." Personally, I think that little bit of hum is very charming.

I know that the *new* Valve Jr. heads are out, and at $99, they're a spanking good deal. However, that leaves you to find a cabinet, and digging into your wallet once again. At $120, the Valve Jr. combo sounds awesome right out of the box. With a few tweaks, like tubes & a different speaker, things really start to come alive. Plus, it has a speaker out jack in back, so if you did want to run it to an ext. cab, you could. Occasionally, I run my amp through my 112E ext. cab (which has a 12" Eminence Swamp Thang speaker), and that rig really pounds! You'd never believe it was only rated at 5W.

As for the combo vs. the head issue - hmmm . . . . I would have to say that it all depends on how you plan on using it. I record with my Epi, hum and all, and it sounds killer with everything I play through it. I've mic'ed it live, and used it by itself. The tone is always good. I'm sure the head would be no different tone-wise, and if they've addressed the hum issue, which again isn't a big thing in my book, it may just be the amp for you.

 

[Nelskie]

Gobs of tone and unbelievable volume for only 30W. Great clean sounds, but switch over to the Lead channel and you can roll on the overdrive nicely with the PRE knob, while still keeping the volume reasonable with the POST dial. Very cool....

The Peavey Classic & Delta series tube amps won't be a "secret" much longer, I'm afraid. Like the Vox ADxxVT series amps, they offer huge tone for a very reasonable price. If you've got the "tube jones", and it cannot be quelled, you can find these amps in plentiful supply on Ebay, as well as at your local shop. The already killer tone in these amps can be further modified to your personal liking with a simple tube and / or speaker change out. And if you absolutely can't live without them, standard-type effects pedals also work well with these either of these rigs (digital modelers do, indeed, suck tone, and with these amps, that's definitely not what you want.)

I've had my Classic 30 for (11) years now, and have played through all kinds of vintage and re-issue gear. I've always been happy with the way the Classic 30 sounds, and even more so since I dropped in the new J & J tubes & Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. Bottom line: these amps would still be worth it at double their cost.

My hat goes off to Peavey for a fine, American-made product that doesn't cost an arm & a leg to own. Fender USA, Gibson USA, are you guys listening?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

tot - Here is the link to my Valve Jr. thread. It's a fairly comprehensive review, with a lot of information:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=74

Myself, I have not had the chance to play a Valve Standard or Valve Special, so I cannot compare them. My assumption is that they are pretty similar tone-wise, only that the two larger amps have built-in effects, and larger speakers. The largest amp (the Standard, I believe) is rated at 15W, the Special and the Jr. are 5W.

Another point: don't get too hung up on the "noise thing". I know a lot of reviews mention it, but it's really not that bad. Like I've mentioned in my thread, hum is a naturally-occurring by-product of that particular circuit design. As you move up the feeder chain price-wise, into the boutique neighborhood, some of these amps have employed some fixes to counteract the hum that is typical of Class "A" amps. Like a wise man once said, "If it don't hum, there ain't any magic in it." Personally, I think that little bit of hum is very charming.

I know that the *new* Valve Jr. heads are out, and at $99, they're a spanking good deal. However, that leaves you to find a cabinet, and digging into your wallet once again. At $120, the Valve Jr. combo sounds awesome right out of the box. With a few tweaks, like tubes & a different speaker, things really start to come alive. Plus, it has a speaker out jack in back, so if you did want to run it to an ext. cab, you could. Occasionally, I run my amp through my 112E ext. cab (which has a 12" Eminence Swamp Thang speaker), and that rig really pounds! You'd never believe it was only rated at 5W.

As for the combo vs. the head issue - hmmm . . . . I would have to say that it all depends on how you plan on using it. I record with my Epi, hum and all, and it sounds killer with everything I play through it. I've mic'ed it live, and used it by itself. The tone is always good. I'm sure the head would be no different tone-wise, and if they've addressed the hum issue, which again isn't a big thing in my book, it may just be the amp for you.

Thanks for all the info Nelsk!

 

[duhvoodooman]

The Peavey Classic & Delta series tube amps won't be a "secret" much longer, I'm afraid. Like the Vox ADxxVT series amps, they offer huge tone for a very reasonable price. If you've got the "tube jones", and it cannot be quelled, you can find these amps in plentiful supply on Ebay, as well as at your local shop.

I was amazed at how many of these Peavey amps--Classic 30's and the Delta Blues in both 1x15 and 2x10 versions--were available on eBay. There were literally eight to twelve of each up for auction at the time I looked. I checked the completed auctions and saw that, unless there were upgrades or other extras included, used examples in good to excellent condition typically sold in the $300 - $375 range. That borders on larceny, in my book!

My hat goes off to Peavey for a fine, American-made product that doesn't cost an arm & a leg to own. Fender USA, Gibson USA, are you guys listening?

Couldn't agree more! I went into my little "tube quest" with pretty low expectations, figuring I was going to be hard pressed to find something I'd be satisfied with for under $500, which was my budget limit. Man, I've never been happier about being wrong! :R

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

The Peavey Classic & Delta series tube amps won't be a "secret" much longer, I'm afraid. Like the Vox ADxxVT series amps, they offer huge tone for a very reasonable price. If you've got the "tube jones", and it cannot be quelled, you can find these amps in plentiful supply on Ebay, as well as at your local shop. The already killer tone in these amps can be further modified to your personal liking with a simple tube and / or speaker change out. And if you absolutely can't live without them, standard-type effects pedals also work well with these either of these rigs (digital modelers do, indeed, suck tone, and with these amps, that's definitely not what you want.)

I've had my Classic 30 for (11) years now, and have played through all kinds of vintage and re-issue gear. I've always been happy with the way the Classic 30 sounds, and even more so since I dropped in the new J & J tubes & Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. Bottom line: these amps would still be worth it at double their cost.

My hat goes off to Peavey for a fine, American-made product that doesn't cost an arm & a leg to own. Fender USA, Gibson USA, are you guys listening?

So Nelsk, how do the Valve Jr, the Delta 30 & the Classic 30 compare at lower volumes?

 

[Nelskie]

tot - I'd say very favorably. Remember that the voicing will be a bit different due to the differences in the cab design & larger speaker, as well as tube / drive section. My Epi has a unique tone and character with each of my guitars, as does my Classic 30. I think there's been some discussion on this forum regarding the loudness of tube amps vs. solid-state units, and while I can't tell you the exact science of it, it's totally true. Like Voodooman mentioned in a thread about his Delta, with the pre-gain control, you can have nice distorted sound at low volume. This control is the same on the Classic 30. However, the Epi reacts just as small Class "A" should, with the overdrive being achieved by using the volume level only (which is the amp's one and only adjustable control). As such, when you increase the volume, the distorted tonal features are attained. This starts happening between the 11 and 2 o'clock positions on the Valve Jr. Otherwise, the lower volumes are pretty clean, but have that wonderful Class "A" tone. With a good OD pedal, like a DigiTech Tone driver or Bad Monkey, you can push the OD at a lower volume level, if that's what you're after. As I said, though, you need volume to get OD with the Valve Jr. And even at 5W, that's pretty loud.

Remember also that you're comparing a $300 and change rig to a $120 rig, so feature wise, the Peavey may be a bit cleaner, and certainly a LOT louder. But apples to apples, or tone to tone in this case, both have a fantastic tube vibe, which can be modified to your liking with tube / speaker upgrades.

If you're just looking to jump in the tube game, and get your feet wet, the Valve Junior is perhaps the greatest deal in small tube amp history, with loads of great tone, and snappy vintage aesthetics. But don't take my word for it, try one out for yourself. Most online retail sources have return policies that allow you to try something out. So, in the event that you get one, try it out, and don't like it, you can always return it for credit on something else, or return it altogether.

As for the Peavey Classic / Delta series amps - total no-brainers. If a tube amp w/ a single 12" / 15" speaker is what you want, you simply can't go wrong with either. Again, find a retail outlet in your area that carries them, and hear for yourself.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

As for the Peavey Classic / Delta series amps - total no-brainers. If a tube amp w/ a single 12" / 15" speaker is what you want, you simply can't go wrong with either. Again, find a retail outlet in your area that carries them, and hear for yourself.

That's just what I'll do. Sounds like fun.

 

[ZoSo65]

DVM, I just stumbled on this, something you might be interested in.
Factory Tube Sheild - This one used a cork strip(see pic) against the tubes, but you can use heat res. foam tape.
Here's some part numbers from Peavey.
Tube Shield:
Classic 30- Prt# 93203273, US Retail $17.43
Delta Blues- Prt# 93203274, US retail $20.40
The screw part number is 71500399. They cost .11 cents each (you need six).
Heat Res Foam Tape- Prt# 73200087, $5.92 per linear ft.

Oh yeah, here's some contact info:
To order replacement parts direct, please call us at 877-732-8391 (toll free in the U.S.) or 601-483-5365. The extension for either number is 1386.
We can take your order via credit card or ship COD to a place of business ONLY.

Our business hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday.
Hold times may be long during peak hours. If you have to wait on hold, feel free to leave a name and number and a service representative will contact you as soon as possible.

Here's something else I found too.
Toms Tube Tammer

 

[Tim]

I always wondered why most amps have the tubes upside down! Anybody know the answer?

 

[blogan]

I always wondered why most amps have the tubes upside down! Anybody know the answer?

If you wanted them right side up, the volume/tone knobs would have to be on the bottom of the amp.

 

[ZoSo65]

Darn, I thought DVM would kick in on this one

 

[Tim]

Interesting? Thanks Blogan.

 

[blogan]

Okay, so my answer about the tone knobs at the bottom of the amp was only slightly tongue in cheek. But consider how a tube amp or head is built. You have a U-shaped chassis with the resistors and capacitors inside the channel and the tubes and pots knobs on the outside.

For a head, you can have the chassis with the U upside down, the knobs on the front, and the tubes "right side up." If you put this in a combo, imagine where the knobs would be -- at least the height of the tubes from the top of the combo. And the speaker would have to be below that. That would be a tall combo. If you go to the THD Electronics website on their Univalve amp, you'll see this configuration described.

For a combo, the easiest arrangement is to have the chassis with the U open to the back, the knobs on the side facing up and the tubes "upside down" behind the speaker. This makes for a very compact combo.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I always wondered why most amps have the tubes upside down! Anybody know the answer?

Pretty much obvious to me! By hanging the tubes upside down, this allows any stray electrons within the tube to fall down into the glass end, where they sit around harmlessly until they evaporate or jump back up where they belong. If the tube was right-side up, they'd fall down into where all those wire and metal thingies are and short something out. This hurts the poor little electrons and causes them to scream, which as anyone knowledgeable in the field of electronics (like me!) can tell you is what causes tubes to become "microphonic". All pretty logical, huh?

Serious answer: I would guess that it saves some space and simplifies the layout and thus minimizes the cost. Also, since these things don't usually have fans for cooling, hanging the tubes down keeps them the closest to the cooler (and thus denser) air below the heat-generating electronics. I would think that would extend tube life.

Geez, I must have been asleep to miss these additional thread postings a couple of days ago....