Peavey Bandit RED Stripe - Ridiculous Bang for the Buck!!

I'm playing an early 2000s Peavey Bandit Transtube series II also known as "Red Stripe". This is an 80-100W solid state amp and it sounds just like so many of my favorite 1970s tones. I'm playing it using a 1969 Gibson SG Special (P90s), a 1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Humbuckers) and a 2021 Fender Telecaster 1960CS Relic (Single coils).
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[@crock2434]

Peavey the Ole Mississippi Marshall's

[@gergemall]

Mississippi Marshall

[@DMSProduktions]

@@gergemall Marshalls! (pl not pos)

[@BigTrouble324]

The Peavey Mace 320 is the "Mississippi Marshall" Also known as the Lynyrd Skynyrd amp. Very LOUD amp.

[@DMSProduktions]

These were some of the BEST SS amps ever made from any era really! Will catch the replay!

[@Aleksisguitar]

Sounds sick! I want to acknowledge your great guitar playing: you always have a great tone and solid timing/good pocket. I can tell you've spent countless hours playing with other people (actually in a same room) and had great time PLAYING SONGS. So underappreciated! Tack för den trevligt videon!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Aleksis! Great to hear that!

[@aleixlozzano]

All my friends (and myself) had this very amp when we began with our first bands, back in 96-99. That wast the best low-budget amp around for sure!! Good memories!!

[@jkf9167]

The sound of low-budget American music from the 70s through the 00s. Bandits are great, and you're making it sound great. The clean sounds of this generation of Bandits was a cut above.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks glad to hear it!

[@DMSProduktions]

The SOUND is not 'low budget' by any stretch!

[@chrisfit]

Silver with the Sheffield speaker is my favorite.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool!

[@davedoubleddykhuizen]

I leave old Peavey combos at my regular gigs, so I don't have to haul an amp to the same venue every week. One disappeared a few weeks back, and I found a replacement for $60 a day or two later. Sounds great, and its priceless watching guitar nerds jaws drop when they see what I'm playing through.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! Yeah compared to other costs even that turns out feasible.

[@dananthony6258]

I love rock n roll. The the best dude. Makes me want to jam . Love these videos

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Dan! Great to hear that!

[@rodrigoscandelari]

During all this time following your work, I got a conclusion: it’s not your amazing gear that sounds good, it’s you! You can play a shovel plugged into a shoe box and it will sound good. Thanks for your consistently great content!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend, that’s very kind of you!

[@gergemall]

Great point ❤

[@JP-jy7sk]

I agree. It’s Johan’s monster riffs that are the star of every single video!

[@stuartmacdonald5361]

@@JohanSegeborn Yeah, you can make any amp or guitar sound great. My talent is the opposite, I can make the most expensive gear in the world sound like crap.

[@torarinvik4920]

Love the Deuce riff, with what sounded like a massive plate reverb. There is something about plate reverb! That amp is indeed a massive bang for the buck.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! That was actually the hitsville UA reverb plug

[@RodneyWallaceDynamoC]

I never tried a Bandit but I own a Triumph 120 and oh boy, it's a beast!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool, yeah that one seems really interesting

[@davidcaro8217]

That transtube technology Peavey invented is probably the best thing to ever happen to a solid state amp in history!

[@jvin248]

I have three Bandits: Early 80s vintage, Red Stripe (Studio Pro 2x12), and 2000s 1x12. They are awesome. Johan, do a show on how to use the controls, like clean channel with transtube circuit. The channel "whips cheap guitars" does a great bandit review and it would be super interesting to see your playing and method to that. Also, it would be good if you did your "27 speakers" type of show but through a Bandit. I post your bandit and "15 amps for the price of one" videos on forums all the time. Keep going.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! So glad to hear that! I use the lead channel with the vintage setting. Pre gain 5 and under. Bass 3, mid 7, high 5, post gain 10, prescrnse 4, resonance tight, and 100% T dynamics. Cheers

[@thecrue777]

@@JohanSegeborn I’m going to try these settings

[@JohnPrepuce]

I used to have that amp many years ago. It worked great. The sound cut through and you could push it. Even thought it was solid state, most people in the audience couldn't tell the difference.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah it can certainly hold its own in a band live mix

[@danielrichmond3155]

Johan, there's another very dynamic sound you can get from these amps: using the CLEAN channel volume up all the way and with T. Dynamics turned down to 40%-60%

[@vintagetone22]

Nice upload my friend.always the king johan.🌹⚘🙏🙏👍👍❤❤

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend

[@threecatclemmusic6560]

Great demo. Picked one of these up about 4 years ago. Truly a great amp… great sounding and plenty loud. Takes boxes well too. I suggest if you can… grab one. They are going to become a collectors and players favorite. Great playing Johan! Enjoy it greatly.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, really good to hear that!

[@marksguitars5617]

very nice amp. These were very popular as well as the older variations, I remember we sold many from when they first appeared in 1980. Very reliable. Great demo Johan, thanks for sharing, take care!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man, glad you like it!

[@eddieholmes3236]

Amazing! Seems to work with any guitar in any style. Your tone on the SG Special at the end was fantastic Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Eddie! I really liked the SG with it too

[@shovelrocker7102]

Love that little thing. Sounds as mean as you could wish for an rock 'n' roll amp.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@StuartKReilly]

I had one! I loved it! Had so many usable tones and costed me near nothing. Wish I still had it

[@tyremanguitars]

this is the amp we used to have in my music college when I was studying music full time around 20 years ago, they are great! very durable.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah and they were the usual equipment in community funded rehearsal spaces in Sweden. Has done a lot of good for many players

[@alvaro.remigio]

It sounds like a vintage Marshall with the greenback, really cool amp! Great video, thanks for sharing

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man! This video is the stick Sheffield speaker though

[@alvaro.remigio]

@@JohanSegeborn Is this version (red stripe) much different from the current bandit?

[@GySgt_USMC_Ret.]

Peavey Pacer 1x12 was my first amp. Bought in 1979 with my Peavey T-60 (traded in on a Wolfgang Standard in 1999), gave the amp to a budding musician. Best to all.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool! I really like the Pacer too. I played one here kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2asaHiuhpyUmZY

[@ironageamplification1791]

Nice job Johan! As a guy who loves working on tube amps, I definitely want to get into designing solid state and these amps sound great! I jammed with a guy who had one of these and he could hang with the EL34 5150III that I was going through.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks really good to hear that!

[@paultaylor2968]

Wow the SG sounds made my mouth water . Truly astounding

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Paul! Great to hear that!

[@jplew138]

Agreed 💯

[@FleshOnGear]

Hell yeah! I love my silver stripe Bandit. The Transtube circuitry really works to cop that overdriven power amp sound. Plus the Sheffield 1230 speaker is a real sleeper.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers!

[@toddneary]

+1 on the Sheffield 1230

[@rockandrollmd541]

I have a silver stripe with a Sheffield speaker that I use for gigging. It's built like a tank, with metal components instead of plastic. The red stripes came with either a Sheffield or Blue Marvel speaker. I can't find a comparison video here, but most people say that the Sheffield is better.

[@The2ndProtectsTheRest]

Yeah mine has a Sheffield and it's an incredible speaker to say the least

[@jonsheehan4715]

Thanks for the great video here: I have 2 Bandits. One I bought new in 87. Besides sounding great nether one has ever had the first problem. Not even a shorting jack cleaning. I built a pine cabinet for one. Between that and different(neo) speaker it’s a much lighter amp. The Scorpion sounded good though...I’m wanting a Transtube now of course....Thanks again...

[@ColeWheeler4Lyfe]

I play bass through a silver stripe sometimes. Love it.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool!

[@scotthutchens1556]

Great video, Johan! I got one used for $60. American made version. The stock Peavey speaker really sounds great, no need to upgrade. Very full sounding in the oversized cabinet. Does so much with the different options, best thing you can buy for the money.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Scott!

[@cavanray6742]

I upgraded anyway haha. Put a celestion redback in my redstripe bandit. Believe it or not it sounds much smoother in the top end and bigger sounding overall.

[@scotthutchens1556]

@@JohanSegeborn You’re welcome!

[@mitchellferre1652]

I love the video of Sweden. Beautiful country !

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi Mitchell! Great to hear from you! Glad you you like the landscapes

[@PoppaOn2]

I had a couple. Didn't really think much of them. I love the Marshall 5210 though

[@bluesrocker91]

I bought one of the newer Bandits second hand about 18 months ago... I just needed a basic amp to serve as a backup, orto take to jams or rehearsals. The thing is, I haven't touched my tube amps since I got it. I can get pretty much any tone I'd want from it, and it's bliss not having to worry about tubes wearing out or failing unexpectedly. It's already basically paid for itself in just what I've saved from not having to buy tubes. I only paid slightly more than what a pair of 6L6s are going for these days. While it might not stack up against more upmarket vintage reissues or boutique tube amps, in the Hot Rod Deluxe/DSL40 price range, the Trans-Tube era Bandits are a really good solid-state alternative, and they're an absolute steal on the used market.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi! I really think it holds up well to DSL40 and hot rod deluxe. That wound be an interesting shootout actually

[@thecrue777]

I’m the owner of an early 2000’s Red Stripe Bandit, love the thing! I run a Big Box Carl Martin Plexitone into the clean channel, and it is “the sound” of 70s and 80s hard rock. Probably only have $300 in the amp and pedal combined, buy one if you can!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Nice combination

[@medaner1974]

I have the peavey transtube 15w with the blue marvel speaker..20 years and still plays like the first day!!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool, is it the Rage amp?

[@medaner1974]

@JohanSegeborn no it is the transtube series...I think it is before the rage...

[@kalebaldwin5398]

I have a USA made red stripe. It’s great. I swapped out the Sheffield for an Eminence Tonespotter (which is more or less Eminence’s version of a G12-65), which I had in a Peavey Prowler. The Sheffield is a great speaker, just a bit “pokey” for my taste.

[@Lalairu]

I have an Audition 112 that sounds pretty good too. Man that P90 SG sounds killer!

[@FrostlordTheWizard]

I have the silver Bandit 112 with the Sheffield speaker and having played all versions, it is my favorite. They definitely were underappreciated even in their time. But I don't complain. It can do great vintage Marshall tones and even dialed to be kinda fender-ish clean if you want it to be that.

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! Missing you, missing for Bandit, rhat was my young years. For now it's just a great memory! Hope to see it a little more! S. I remember my Strat was just talking me out! The strat is still with me, 30 years old, but the amp... I should just to take it then away...

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend!

[@scottcampbell6839]

Nice I have a 1980 peavey duce my first amp was a 80's bandit 65

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@maxvockner]

Headed to marketplace with $200 to get one of these gems ❤

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers Max! ♥️

[@davidteissier5704]

Peavey 💖💖💖💖💖💖

[@The2ndProtectsTheRest]

I've had the same amp since 2000, but it's got the other Peavey logo that they transitioned too for a few years, but it's still in my lineup with all my other Tube amps!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah it really holds up to tube amps

[@The2ndProtectsTheRest]

Yeah I love that amp! Every time I've had a thought about selling it, something inside me just tells me not too, and I'm glad I've listened all these years!

[@gphone9619]

I picked my 95 silver stripe Bandit up off Freecycle not expecting much but has cleaned to near mint and is my most played amp over my 57 Deluxe, Super Reverb, Cornford and Fender Supersonic 60...

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah they certainly hold up to the classics

[@ianryan5727]

I just got a late version with the new logo. I was expecting it to do ok for light crunch to blues to indi brit pop and classic rock. I did not expect it to be any good for heavy rock-metal. I don't play metal so thats not a big deal. It did the classic tones well but I was surprised by the warm clean tones. a great lightweight small gigging amp for us old gits with buggered backs. It cost me £40 .... a little over 40 euros. Thanks for your great reviews.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks glad you like them!

[@Stonkan86]

Nice. Bought one with the block logo for 900 kr (100$) in Göteborg a couple of years ago. It’s great. Also takes pedals very well!

[@PXR5-PXR5]

That was a bargain. Have a redstripe in my home, got some problem with volyme since its to loud at minimum, so i train with other amps, got any solution idea for that problem? Any tips?

[@batman9592]

@@PXR5-PXR5 My friend has one and loves playing late at night. The secret is to use an Overdrive/ Distortion pedal TURNED DOWN as a 'master'. He pranked me good one time when i made the mistake of turning it off (the pedal) to hear the 'clean' sounds. Won't be making that mistake again...

[@PXR5-PXR5]

@@batman9592 😆 You scared yourself. Mmm that kinda make sence with the volume, thanx.

[@sneifert1968]

I have a 2008 I picked up used for $125. The go new for around $450 US. Love it. Not all of the voicings are good. But the ones that are…are. Mine has blue marvel speaker and I considered changing it but I usually just run a fender 2x12 or my marshall 4x12.

[@JohanSegeborn]

I ran it on the lead channel with vintage gain. Dimed post gain and pre gain at 5 here

[@jplew138]

I have the 2-12 Special version. FANTASTIC 😊

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool! I didn’t know they existed.

[@jplew138]

@@JohanSegeborn - yep. Puts out the same 100 watts, with an added Ultra channel and an overall master volume 😁

[@jasq99]

I've got one and it's great amp, bought it 10 years ago for £60!!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool, affordable already then

[@jasq99]

@@JohanSegeborn Yeah, very. Just recently took it to rehearsal and cranked it all the way to 10. It was like 115 dB and shook all the windows and walls. Such a cool amp, why they don't make them like that anymore?

[@christianjimbomb8204]

Dude, good old Peavey 1970's-80's gear is great. Some of the 1990's metal or higher gain stuff isn't bad either, and everyone knows that the 5150, is worth money now. 6505 is what some metal heads love. I don't I love old Vintage Fender tweed, black, brown,blonde,silverface and vintage 1987,2203,&2204 ❤❤❤❤ Marshalls. Pulsonic are a deadmans dream. I love vacuum tubes also. And tamed feral cats. ❤❤❤❤❤ women you have to pay for. Married or not.

[@PXR5-PXR5]

😂😂

[@loubydal7812]

The transtube series amps sound amazing, in a blind test compared to a tube amp it would be really hard to know each one what it is. I had a 2x12 previous generation with the teal stripe, and it was impressive and very versatile... and LOUD !!!! For the money you cannot ask for anything better, but the transtube amps sound virtually the same as a tube amp.

[@rockdanger]

Sure it does buddy...

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

If you like Peavey , find yourself a Peavey bravo combo ( circa 1992?) it’s a 18 W Marshall killer Amp of the year in guitar player magazine. The tubes are mounted horizontally inside the chassis some people look around the back and think it’s solid state!!! killer amp

[@FleshOnGear]

I have a slowly growing collection of SS amps, and my Bandit is the crown jewel. I also have a Marshall 5215, and an Ampeg SS70. I hope to add a Randall RG80-112SC sometime.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Those are nice amps!

[@liverpoolred2834]

Hi Johan. I had one of these but sold it. Superb amp for the money......didn't want to let it go 😞

[@JohanSegeborn]

Plenty of them out there! Cheers

[@liverpoolred2834]

@@JohanSegeborn True! Lol

[@CyberChrist]

I have one, too, and can confirm that's the second series (I also have two first series I bought for 100 € each, lol) ;) Some people say the Sheffield speakers are horrendous, while I don't find them half-bad, at least with these amps. Perhaps trying other speakers could be interesting, though ;) Thanks for the demo ;)

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! I actually really like the Sheffields

[@CyberChrist]

@@JohanSegeborn Hehe, the Bandit 112 was my first proper-sounding amp, so I suspect I'm not very objective, lol, but as others said, I'd be curious to hear a demo of several speakers, I'm sure you have some lying around ;)

[@jcoulter43]

I had a friend that played in our church Praise Band with one of these. His never sounded like this! He needs a hot dose of Johan to make his Bandit rock. Great tones Johan. God bless and rock on 👍😎🎸

[@JohanSegeborn]

Rock on my friend!

[@axel.o4512]

Indeed a killer amp! Didn't expect this. Thanks for the video Johan, really appreciated it as well as the side rolls. Also, does anyone know the song/riff at 8:55?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Glad you like it. I played some riffs from the Kiss track Firehouse

[@axel.o4512]

Thanks! I thought it sounded familiar, I have it on vinyl haha.

[@batman9592]

Never thought i'd say this, but the Tele wins. Makes it sound like a million bucks whereas the Gibbos become almost "cheap" sounding in comparison.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@michaelevans3852]

Truly a great amp.. I love my USA made red stripe. Some great sounds come out of this. Is that the original speaker ?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Michael! Yeah I think it’s an unbranded Sheffield

[@DMSProduktions]

The only thing that let some of these models down were the inconsistent speakers! I've had a few & some of them turned to mush after 10-15 mins of play & others stayed crisp & defined for hours! GO figure! \m/

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi DMS! Interesting, I think they had Scorpion, Sheffield and Blue marvels in them.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@JohanSegeborn I had a small 1 with an 8" Blue Marvel in it. It was RUBBISH!

[@Coolbeans1492]

The funniest part about this is that these were actually just a good circuit and a good speaker… thats all a good amp simply is 10/10 times solid state or tube. There is no such thing as a bad peavey bandit. But these older ones are a lot cheaper than a brand new one. New these are pretty much competing with a fender pro junior and a vox ac10. The pro junior to me is one of the best sounding small amps you can get at any price. But i dont believe it can be your only amp. You need to really push that volume up and its really not great at home. Great if youre playing in a garage, rehearsals, or gigs. And a great platform. But with a bandit you get situational versatility, a really great sound that is hard to beat even for tubes, and something that can do it all on its own or with pedals. If you could only have one amp the bandit is a no brainer. These sound a lot better than a katana and all the other digital amps. But the new ones arent cheap.. and for that money they should start putting Sheffields in them again and start pushing the marketing for them because the market for analog solid state is back.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, great feedback

[@timwhite5562]

I had an old Envoy from the mid 90s that had a great sounding Marshall tone. It was good enough that I'll still use the preamp section for recording once in a while. It also had a decent spring reverb built in. The only complaint is that the overdrive channel is about as far from "touch sensitive" as you can get. I'm constantly riding my volume and tone knobs on my guitars (probably more the tone control than volume), but when you roll back the guitar volume it just gets quieter, it doesn't clean up at all.

[@JohanSegeborn]

This one actually reacts well to guitar volume and cleans up, at least using the vintage gain setting and pre gain under 5

[@timwhite5562]

@@JohanSegeborn sure, I figured they would have improved by then, mine was built in 95.

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

The best peavey ss amp is the Transtube EFX 100 head w/ built in efffects very expensive new didn’t go over well, but if you could ever find one, just buy it it’s the best solid-state amp you’ll ever hear

[@PXR5-PXR5]

Got one, loud as...

[@philcorymusic]

Brilliant grunt in these amps. Can i ask if you have the Sunn Colosseum PA like Leslie West used on Mississippi Queen? Would love to hear that...

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi! No but if I get the chance I’ll demo it

[@philcorymusic]

@@JohanSegeborn If anyone can nail it you can. Cheers! 👍

[@brentstewart59]

Any Bandit is a great amp. I loved the old teal stripe but any of them will get the job done for $200 and they're near indestructible

[@toddneary]

@JohanSegeborn - Johan, are you tinkering with the T. Dynamics and Resonance controls much here?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi Todd, I have it set to tight and very high all the time. Presence 4.5

[@toddneary]

​@@JohanSegeborn - Definitely plays a role in the tones you've got going on here. And like you said, pretty amazing for straight out of the box. Assuming most tones are with the switch on the 'vintage' setting, though sounds like at least one might be 'high gain'?

[@DanieleVTRome]

@johansegeborn what can you suggest me this or the Marshall Lead 20?

[@StuffnSuch]

I remember reading a long time ago that the Pixies used a Bandit to record their first record or two. Anyone know anything about this?

[@JohanSegeborn]

I know they have used Peaveys live at least.

[@PXR5-PXR5]

Crap! Missed it precisly, got to see 10 sec 😢 Well can see it anyway.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hi!

[@PXR5-PXR5]

​​@@JohanSegebornHello Johan. Nice demo as usuall, this one was also a bit longer, like that. You made it sound good with thight comp and gnarly solo. Dunno if its me but, sustain of the amp? Think it might "live" more whith even higher volume? No problem cutting through with this amp. Exellent demo and playing Johan Thanx 👍

[@kadeemward]

Hey Johan! Do you prefer amps with or without reverb? My reverb pedal's batteries died so I'm currently doing without it. Not a bad sound but now I have to play all of my notes correctly, haha! 😅

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! I almost exclusively play without reverb and add it in post on recordings

[@kadeemward]

@@JohanSegeborn Gotcha! I find that playing loud compensates for lack of reverb haha!!

[@kenmasuda7696]

John How are you getting that sound @ 3:07? (Amp settings) I can't seem to replicate it. thnx!

[@strangelet4588]

I have a teal stripe from the 90s. what speaker do you have in yours? I mean, you could make it sound good if it was made from plaster. But for us mere mortals, the details matter. :)

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, that’s kind of you! 😃I assume this is a Sheffield speaker but it’s not marked so I’m not 100%

[@strangelet4588]

@@JohanSegeborn ah, ok. Yeah. I had a Sheffield in mine and I swapped it out to a Hellitone I had lying around just to see. Really beefed it up. Would love to see a video of the Bandit with some of your favorite, vintage speakers in it. :)

[@caspiancoberly]

sir psycho sexy outro !!

[@JohanSegeborn]

I love that Frusciante riff!

[@caspiancoberly]

@@JohanSegeborn 1 of my all time favorites ! i interpolated it on a song i put out in 2022 called pegasus warning !

[@darwinsaye]

For a second, that looked to me like a Kemper digital amp in that top rack, 😂

[@JohanSegeborn]

😂 not guilty of that

[@chaoscultus]

id stick with a Vox

[@justinalexander5288]

If you love peavey you must try the mace best amp they have ever made

[@JohanSegeborn]

I’d love to try one of those. I think Lynyrd Skynyrd used those

[@justinalexander5288]

@@JohanSegeborn yes indeed they did I own 3 one is the 320t and the other 2 are the vt series I wish they would reissue them but I won’t hold my breath 😂

[@boogierandy7547]

sounds like...a peavey.

[@rockdanger]

$200 bucks sounds about right for this amp... I'd probably ask the guy if he could do $150 on it.

[@DMSProduktions]

Wow, even the tubes are 'trans' these days! ;oP

[@JohanSegeborn]

😉

[@skullheadwater9839]

I had a Peavey backstage in the 80's. Horrible sounding amp. Belongs in the dump.

[@JohanSegeborn]

I actually really like that one too. Did a video on it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ3aXmWvrpd9r6M