Peavey Classic 50 Tube Comparison

[@lofideltaguitars8484]

“Different is not always better.” - Skip Simmons (Truth About Vintage Amps) I liked the warmth and compression of the old tubes.

[@philipatoz]

As far as cleaner-sounding amps go - this one is warmer than a Fender Twin, just not as sparkly. It sounds really bluesy, warm and fantastic, even at lower volumes, so great for playing at home without having to crank it. Sounds awesome with my single-coil Strat and my jazz archtop. But it also has great power and crunch if you want it. Mine is a 1991, non-effects loop model (first year made!). I also have a '67 blackface Fender Twin - which is WAY too loud for home use - one reason I love the Peavey. It takes pedals great. Built like a tank and of exceptional quality. In 45 years of playing, I've had a variety of amp types - and this one and my Twin will never leave me! Just like guitars, amps' popularity are majorly impacted by the marketing hype surrounding legacy and logos - it's a major reason why many people lust so much for certain brands - like Gibson, Marshall, Fender, etc. Least as far as amps go - Peavey is not a super-popular brand. But, believe me, their Classic 50 is an amazing amp that is worth FAR more than what they cost! It's all in its sound and versatility - which is what matters the most!

[@LRHutch]

I have a Peavey classic 30, it came with JJs and they are just fine. The classic is actually between a Vox and Fender because of the circurity along with the tube makes the bias correct. I like the chimey sound because I play mostly telecasters. The tone circuit in these amps is very powerful. Good video, have a good day.

[@aaronsg71]

Man did those new tubes make this Classic come to life!

[@rareform6747]

Same here control pots off reverb section gone . New tubes pots , reverb burnt at board . All fixed by me and Nick at South Austin Music . Love my no effects loop 1991 4x10 Classic 50 !

[@marshmallowtangent436]

Totally agree. The Classic amps are criminally underrated, especially considering you can get them for next to nothing and mod the s#*t out of them to make it sound just about any way you want

[@jessieplaysmusic8530]

This is the most underrated amp ever

[@marshmallowtangent436]

They’re kind of a secret weapon used by lots of bands in studio and on stage. Pearl Jam used them extensively for a while, not sure about anymore. But yes, criminally underrated amps for sure.

[@jessieplaysmusic8530]

@@marshmallowtangent436 loved your video to man!!! I put uk made vintage 30’s in mine. I’m thinking about switching to cremebacks tho. Maybe a new reverb tank as well

[@marshmallowtangent436]

Thanks! I’m sure the real deal Vintage 30s sound epic in the Classic. If you go with Creambacks, I’d be very interested to hear it.

[@crashdummy40]

They do sound gnarly

[@heyjarrod]

@@jessieplaysmusic8530 I just installed vintage 30s in my Peavey. Mine was still stock, early 90s, no effects loop. Just never had any reason, or even thought about changing speakers. Now that I have a little more time and money, I’ve been doing a deep dive into speakers and tubes. Strange, hearing a different tone from an amp I’ve had so long. I never heard of replacing the reverb tank. I will have to look that up. Which one are you looking at, and what made you decide? Thanks man! 🤘🏻😝🎸🇺🇸

[@frankszarek3342]

I really liked the sound of the new tubes on crunch. They really seamed to hold it together better than the old tubes. In clean I think I still liked the old tubes. Just my opinion. You got me thinking about buying one now.

[@GartheKnightReturns]

I’ve had my Peavey Classic 50 212 since 96. It’s all stock for a couple of tube changes throughout the years. Recently I had to clean the pots and got rid off some crackle. Other than that it a solid amp. It does not do quite well. For it to be heard properly you have to turn it up.

[@Chasingtone2]

Nice work! Where did you buy those knobs? I’ve got the same amp and I love the way those knobs look, can you tell me where I can buy them?

[@marshmallowtangent436]

Thanks! I got the knobs from Antique Electronic Supply. There’s a trick to putting them on though… The shafts on the Peavey are 3/16 inch split shafts whereas the knobs are 1/4 inch. The fit them, I got some 3/16 inch rubber tubing, put the tubing on the shafts, and cut them to length. This made it so that the 1/4 inch knobs seat nicely on the shafts.

[@Chasingtone2]

@@marshmallowtangent436 thank you so much for all the info! Really appreciate it 😁

[@brandonlesko3126]

My Classic 50 212 is one of the USA made from 2010. Great amp but it can always be better. I put two Eminence Redcoat Governors in it and did the Blue mods. The Emi's are supposedly a "clone" of the Celestion Vintage 30. The amp is a beast. The speakers added three or four pounds so it pretty much stays put. I hate moving it. These are underrated and definitely worth buying.

[@MrMcflanigengaming]

both sound good just different

[@HiHello-ku1fl]

Old tubes sounded better. More classic and just sounded right. The new tubes opened the sound up a bit but lost some of that classic mojo. New tubes made it sound like a new amp. .more sterile.

[@vespass225]

Sorry to say, but I agree...

[@DanSongman]

In the beginning you said you wanted to make a video showing HOW to change the tubes, but instead you just gave examples of how the different tubes sounded.

[@marshmallowtangent436]

I can see how that would be confusing, but as a matter of semantics the video is titled ‘Peavey Classic 50 Tube Comparison,’ not ‘How to Change Tubes in a Peavey Classic 50.’ But since the subject has been brought up, changing tubes in the amp is quite simple. First make sure the amp is unplugged. Even an unplugged amplifier still carries a charge in the tubes, so please be careful when handing them. Next put on a pair of gloves. This is to prevent the naturally occurring oil from your hands being transferred to the tubes and burning while hot. Next simply pull the tubes from their sockets. It is important to note here that only like tubes can be replaced with like tubes. This amp uses EL84 tubes in the power section and will not accept any other type of tube. Trying to replace the tubes with anything other than the tubes it was designed to use will result in catastrophic failure of the amp. Once the tubes have been removed, simply replace them with the EL84 tubes of your choice. This model amp does not require a bias adjustment, so it’s just plug and play. The same method can be applied to the preamp tubes as well. I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Cheers!

[@anthonyrodman733]

I have a question I have the same amplifier and I want to change the tube do I need to bias The tubes ? Or can I just replace them

[@marshmallowtangent436]

Technically, no, you don’t need to bias the amp. It’s a fixed bias amp and the only way to change the bias is by replacing a resistor on the PCB. You can just swap them out, turn it on, and play. Make sure you wear rubber gloves when handling the tubes because the oils on your fingers could get on the tubes and burn the tubes when they’re hot. And ALWAYS exercise caution when removing the tubes. Even when they’re not on, they still hold a charge. And, of course, only replace the tubes with the same type of tube- Don’t try to put a 6V6 in an EL84 slot. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes!

[@lorenrelks4090]

anybody have a video of how to replace the speakers?

[@irock4u222]

stock tubes sounded better

[@wesleysnipes9454]

I like the old tubes, they are a bit warmer due to age and the new tubes are a bit brighter and not so warm sounding.