Peavey Classic 50: The Poor Man's Fender!

[@verkenoriuze]

Excelent piece of gear. So underrated. I own Peavey Classic 50 head for over 10 years. I play it with Orange 2x12 cabinet and my ancient telecaster tuned to C# standard. That tone is sweeeet. Greetings from Poland 🍻

[@IkesJamRoom]

I bet that is sweeeet! I love a good drop tuning like that too. It really opens up a whole new unique sound to any guitar. Thanks for watching and striking up a conversation!

[@markmartin3221]

I have this gem for three months now-Love it

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yep it is hard not to love!

[@rhondadickson4798]

...Bobby here, you had me at "roll that beautiful bean footage!"...viva Bush beans! Anyway, I'm considering this amp I found today. Thanks for the Peavey tutorial/history as well...subscribe button activated.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Haha I always hope other people like to have fun like I do! Thanks for watching and thanks for subscribing!

[@stingray4780]

I've had my peavey classic 50 4x10 since 1991, and it's been my favorite go-to amp by far! I never used distortion pedals with this amp because I never needed to. Great amp.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yea I can definitely believe that. The distortion on this amp is very deceiving. You just wouldn't know it would do what it does by looking at it with that classic tweed. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@jimmi3376]

dude I have 4 of these , 2x12 two heads and 4x10, ive been into these for decades! they are so extremely underrated

[@IkesJamRoom]

Oh yea they are awesome. I would honestly put it up against any other more popular brand amp with a blindfold and I would not even know the difference.

[@yeril9]

I have clásic 100 head. Put on cab 2x12 eminencia Spekers man of war. Realmente great amp.

[@jimmi3376]

@@yeril9 I use these in the studio from time to time and I have a bunch of incredibly great amps at my disposal.

[@kevindie]

*_Which one do you prefer more; the 212 or 410? What’s the difference tone wise?_*

[@jimmi3376]

@@kevindie 2x12 tighter sound

[@weinderdog1184]

This was my first real tube amp i got from my uncle in the early 2000's. The lead channel is so underrated, you can get some real good early british metal tones out of it. I regret selling it but ended up buying another one a couple years ago. Never let this amp go!

[@IkesJamRoom]

@@weinderdog1184 awesome! I am glad you got another. Yea every single time I plug into it I remember why I love it. It doesn't even matter what guitar it is. Thanks for watching!

[@ashleydillon7250]

Wow!! ❤ That was awesome! Smooth touch is what I was thinking too!

[@marktullo35]

I don't own a C50, but I have owned and used a Classic 30 1x12 combo amp since I bought one used for $310...it has always been my 'go to' amp. The only thing I changed was the speaker...replacing the Blue Marvel with a Vintage 30 about a year after I got the amp. I have had so many compliments over the years on the tone and power that this little amp has...perfect pedal platform...with an OD and/or Distortion in front you can get real close to most high gain amps. I have stacked both pedals most of the time, but can also get that fender clean out of it as well. Great demo...great amp!

[@IkesJamRoom]

Thanks for chiming in! I agree with you completely on all of this! I think alot of people keep on searching for some " holy grail" guitar tone (myself included) and don't just realize that maybe they need to practice more and just learn the gear they have. An awesome tube amp like this is capable of completely defining your sound. Thanks for watching!

[@geraldhartley]

Best sounding amp I ever acquired was a filthy completely beat up Peavey Classic 50 410. Huge sound with face-melting overdrive tone. It's the one that got away.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Ah man I believe it. I love this amp. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelgoyettemusic]

I played stadiums with one of those back in the 90s. Plenty of power…. I used it dirty with an overdrive pedal. I just plugged it in after years and I forgot what a nice chime it had. I didn’t think of it as based on fender back then though the look was kinda obvious.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Awesome! Yea I think that although they are kind of "Fenderish" they are definitely unique in their own way. The fact that you chose to use that specific amp over other amps says alot about it.

[@michaelgoyettemusic]

@@IkesJamRoom we had a 25% below wholesale deal with Mesa and I turned it down cause I thought it was a waste of money when my amp sounded great. I used a red box to get more bottom end a lot of the time btw.

[@borncrazy24]

Awesome man! Thank you so much for the tip on this bad bitch. I worked in a music store in the early 90’s, and I couldn’t remember if this was the amp I loved or not. I was always plugging into a Deville, and was kinda turned off by the tweed as a young Metalhead. But that Deville was sweet on the clean reverb channel, but just had no evil to it on the dirt channel. This has to be what I used to plug into and loved. (But if I remember right they were $8-$900… maybe list) was too much for me. I just saw one on marketplace, tweed is ripped up and very light surface rust on the hardware for $200 everything working as it should. Thats what had me looking. And no one else mentioned if it had a loop or not. 50 tube watts and I’ll need to throw a black box in the loop for everyday jamming. I’m gonna go make sure it works and snatch it up. Thanks again bro!!

[@IkesJamRoom]

Awesome man I am glad you found one! I have seen a few near me on Marketplace here lately as well. Yea an amp like this I wouldn't have even given a second look at when I was younger. It is definitely a hidden gem and capable of so many different genres. Thanks for watching!

[@Itsok202]

I just picked up the classic 50 its a 91 with no effects loop. The lead channel and my tele seems like a match made in heaven.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yep that is definitely an awesome duo there! You can't go wrong with a tele much less with these Peaveys. Thanks for watching.

[@justinhowell3527]

I've been playing my Peavey Classic 50 4/10 since I got it in the late 90s, I love a great clean amp that takes pedals well.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yep that is the ticket. You have the best of both worlds with a solid clean amp that can take pedals. You can cover as much ground as you want basicly depending on what pedals you use.

[@HeathWatts]

I had one in the mid-90s and upgraded to a Fender Blues DeVille. The Classic 50 is a great amp.

[@IkesJamRoom]

@@HeathWatts awesome man! Two great amps.

[@johnperiard9594]

How loud did it have to get to chug?

[@IkesJamRoom]

It can actually get really distorted even with low volumes because of how these different volume knobs work. I had it pretty cranked to get that thumpy "metal" sound in this video though.

[@kennethc2466]

First, great video. Second, classy playing, fine sir. It's a great amp, yet nothing like a Fender Blues Jr. The Peavey Classic 30 is pain to work on, just for the sake of not breaking the wires/solder joints on the "triple bend" PCB. I never thought they were a Fender Deluxe, nor Bassman (I own a 59 original), nor should anyone else. It's very much a J. Brown type 'chunk' amp, on the drive channel. Most people who brought them to me for repair (usually quite minor ones), called them 'Mississippi Marshalls, with a Leo Fender addiction'. Sounds kinda right. Also, it's the only quad EL84 amp that doesn't cook it's power tubes on the regular (like a Laney, Create Vintage, Blues Jr, etc does).

[@IkesJamRoom]

Thanks I am glad you enjoyed the video! Also thanks for giving me some info on the guts of these bad boys. I didn't know that stuff that only an actual amp technician would know I guess. Learn something new every day.

[@kennethc2466]

@@IkesJamRoom Thank you, and rock on. If I may, don't spend money on 'premium tubes' for it, as the circuit doesn't care. The best you can do is get a good quad of el84's, that match the most.

[@joeinterrante7873]

Do you guys think they sound more balanced than a typical Fender in that the lows in a Peavey are not as boomy and the highs not as ice picky?

[@IkesJamRoom]

That seems like a fairly accurate description. I think that the Peavey is overall smoother and the Fender is kinda more crisp and defined. I think they are extremely similar though. With some tweaking you can get them both in the same ballpark.

[@goldog2816]

Great review .........

[@IkesJamRoom]

@@goldog2816 thanks!

[@michaeld.mahoney9106]

Excellent amp, I had one for 30 years. These amps are built like tanks.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Cool! When you find the right gear that works you don't really have to worry about searching anymore.

[@ashleydillon7250]

Love your gutiar here and that amp is on point..I want one! I want to play just like that!! Teach me! Please. 😊

[@IkesJamRoom]

I am always looking on facebook marketplace for really killer deals on guitar gear. Sometimes you can find some good stuff. I am going to try and figure out some more tutorial style videos to do in the future. Thank you for commenting and watching!

[@ashleydillon7250]

Long live heavy metal and hard rock!

[@johnperiard9594]

Lynyrd Skynyrd used Peavey. Great video!!

[@IkesJamRoom]

Skynyrd had some of the best guitar tones of all time too! Thanks for watching and I am glad you enjoyed it.

[@ashleydillon7250]

Gold guitar is nasty!!! ❤🔊

[@Bls-of1ld]

Peaveys make great amps

[@IkesJamRoom]

@@Bls-of1ld yep definitely!

[@jlmcgrot]

They aren’t Celestions unless they were replaced. Great amp though.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yea these are just the stock speakers. I must have just said Celestions not thinking about it. Thanks for checking out the video though!

[@cassavamellin]

Are they much cheaper?

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yes every time I come across these older used ones they are way cheaper. At least they are when you compare them to the Fender Deluxe Reverbs, Princeton's, Pro Reverbs ,57 Customs etc. etc.

[@sjhippie]

Man. I have a Classic 50 head sitting in my parents closet that I haven’t played in….25+yrs. I gotta dig it out. I remember it having an incredible sound but it was a “Peavy”….im mad I let it just sit.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yea that is sort of why I made this video. I just wanted to remind people (myself included) that everything doesn't have to be boutique or some exact replica of a rock god's gear to be awesome.

[@jerrywatt6813]

Is this the amp that people called the mississippi marshall ?

[@IkesJamRoom]

I actually never heard of that before. I just looked it up and the "Mississippi Marshall" is a 1978 Peavey Mace. Learn something new every day 🤣

[@abergreg]

They drive MUCH better than most Fenders.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yea this thing can get some really good overdrive/distortion tones. Fenders have that really really old school overdrive and this one seems to be more hot rodded like an 80's metal distortion even.

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

I have a ‘91 Classic 4x10 & it’s a warhorse!! I could afford a new amp, but don’t see any reason to. 🤷🏻‍♂️ It’s been retubed twice & it’s about time for new speakers, but it’s NEVER given me any problems and I’d put-it up against a Fender Super any day of the week.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Sweet! Sounds like you put some mileage on it!

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

@@IkesJamRoom My dad bought-it new in 1991 & used it almost every weekend until I bought-it from him in 2005. It’s played some big shows around here & spent 6-years in Hollywood with me recording. The pandemic made Hollywood unlivable for me, so last May I packed-it up in a mini-van with the rest of my gear & moved back to Illinois. I’ll start playing some shows again in September and it’ll be right behind me. Cool video … I subscribed.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Man that is really cool! Thanks for sharing and thanks for subscribing!

[@slantedandcrooked2]

91! Beefy

[@mrpaiute9013]

Poor man's fender? Why spend more money when the alternative meets the need?

[@IkesJamRoom]

Exactly! This amp can do what I need and that is all that really matters.

[@davidfischer7895]

I wrote off Peavey when I was a teenager because some magazine writer called it a poor man's tweed, it took me 20 years to realize that dude was high.

[@braappandroll8298]

I have the blackface version. I used to have the blonde one but sold it. Regret it now. Can you tell if ots autobiasing?

[@IkesJamRoom]

I am not real saavy with the technical end of tube amps so I am not sure about that. If I were to change the tubes in this amp I would probably just get a pro to do it. I think the guy who sold me the amp had switched tubes in it. I don't think he biased it. It does have a very high headroom though.

[@ashleydillon7250]

Love Van Halen...

[@sibariba]

Grunge é o final history of Rock “n”Roll!!!

[@Earlvis]

I hate EL-84 amps. I wish Peavey would have built these with 6V6’s.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Ah man alot of the experience I have with tube amps are EL-84s. What makes you prefer the 6v6's?

[@Earlvis]

@@IkesJamRoom The tone is just sweeter and 84’s don’t last very long. Most 84 amps have the tubes biased too hot and they saturate too early.

[@SoloSi2024]

Not very tech friendly though.

[@IkesJamRoom]

Yep I have been hearing that about these amps. I am not real knowledgeable on the tech side of things myself.

[@SoloSi2024]

@@IkesJamRoom Most techs know them though. One of those amps with both good clean and drive tones. I would love one of the heads, but they seem much rarer than the combos. There's also a 4x10!