The Best $200 Guitar Amp - The Peavey Special 130 - Ask Zac 142

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The tale of the greatest $200 amp on the planet, the 80s Peavey Special 130.
Amazon link to Peavey book amzn.to/3F0YlFl
Gear Used:
1957 Fender Esquire with a 1954 neck pickup, and original bridge pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Both pickups were rewound by Ron Ellis. Pickguard design by Jay & Kristi Smith of Juicebox Designs.
Strings:
D'Addarion NYXL 10-46
Pick:
Blue Chip TPR 35
Amp:
1984 Peavey Special 130
#askzac #peaveyspecial130 #zacchilds

[@fiddlix]

A most excellent episode. When I played with Jerry Reed in the early to mid 1980s we were Peavey road warriors. Nashville 400s and Special 130s were the workhorse amps of the day. They always worked and once you mastered the midrange control you were golden.

[@guitareveryone]

Yes the midrange is where it’s at. And it’s a very useful midrange too which you can use to cut through the mix in a live situation if need be. However I was not a big fan of their speakers.

[@kevinbrianjohnsonmusic]

My Dad is mostly a Peavey Guy. Two Session 400's and a Nashville 400. Then another something (Atlas?) 400 with a telonics amp thrown in too....lol. Myself, I am an Ampeg (Bass) and Fender (Guitar) guy.

[@CA10Z]

I had one...Should have NEVER gotten rid of it..

[@GabeHelma]

@@guitareveryone my classic 100 4x10 has some really nice sounding square magnet Eminence speakers from the 70s.

[@JasonChannell]

Amos Moses!

[@andrewpearson1903]

Part of what makes Zac's videos enjoyable is that, unlike a lot of KZbinrs, he doesn't MIX HIS VOICE REALLY LOUD or cut out the pauses in his speech. Sounds very conversational and less like an advertisement. God willing, these qualities will catch on again

[@ronmercer7766]

My Bandit 65 from the same era is a workhorse. The Special 130 and the Bandit 65 were always pro amps where I'm from. A lot of cats made a whole lot of cash rockin' Peavey. They sounded great and you could hammer rail spikes with the amp and then play yer gig.

[@kwik2hear915]

I had the crunchy 100 watt Bandit

[@michaelweinman9051]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha

[@michaelweinman9051]

🤣🤣🤣

[@michaelhollers1878]

Been playing the same Bandit 65 since 1985. Changed the original speaker to a Black Widow in 1990 . I can't turn it up past 2, too damn loud 😂

[@CliffMcCauley]

I am late to this video, but just have to add- the house amp at the Continental Club Gallery here in Austin is a special 130. I always bring my 64 Princeton reverb, but one night it went down and I had to use the Peavey. I was blown away! Many years ago I used an old Peavey Rage practice amp that belonged to the engineer of a session I was on, and I was blown away. I played one of my buddies Peavey Wolfgang EVH guitars a while back and I was blown away. I am ashamed to admit that I went into each of these instances with my nose turned up before being proven wrong. Unjustified bias can be so strong, and I really hope to keep a more open and less pretentious mind in the future. Thank you for this video!

[@swizzarmygrizz]

These Peavey combos like this and the Bandits are the sound of my childhood basically. These amps were dirt cheap and widely available. My main rig for a few years was a pair of Bandit 112s and my experience that everybody thought I sounded great, unless they saw what amps I was using.

[@michaelweinman9051]

🤣😆😁😜🤣

[@dalehamon4295]

Merle Haggard had a wall of Peaveys back in the day…I’ve got to tell you it was one of the best sounds I’ve ever heard ❤ sad that he’s gone

[@dnews9519]

I agree I saw him live in 1991 and their sound was incredible. Every amp on the stage was a Peavey. I'd always been a Fender guy but I was blown away by their tone.

[@michaelweinman9051]

Wow . Amazing. Thumbs up.

[@vanzantm]

In the early eighties I had a used Peavy Classic 100 with 4 10" speakers - beast of an amp, weight and sound wise. I think I sold it in order to get a small Crate amp - the crazy things we do when chasing tone and didn't have the internet/research resources like now. This channel would have made a huge difference to my 18 year old self back in the day! Keep up the great work Zac.

[@AskZac]

Thank you!

[@toddwilliams4442]

Just saw this. I had a 70s classic 100 410. It was MAGIC. ive searched for another and cant find one. Transformer finally died and i didnt know if,how, or where to get it replaced. Traded it in a bundle of gear for Marshall bc we were playing a lot of classic rock tunes then.

[@joeydurant6267]

@@toddwilliams4442 look around little pawn shops all over the Cumberland gap region... There was a ton of local live music back in the day in little hole in the wall joints etc... Not to mention all the church pa systems etc... But I legit know of at least one pawn shop in south eastern Kentucky that has always had a wall of peavey's sitting around when ya walk in the door. Ya see them everywhere down there. I have had so many different model peavey's that were that style with the blue and silver colors.... Idk how many rage 158s I had. Envoy 110... Bandit 212... Deuce 212... Some models that were newer that had some basic modelling but I believe those had the red colors by that time.

[@GabeHelma]

@@toddwilliams4442 hellyeah i have a classic 4x10 that i picked up in an MSU alley after the college kids were moving out for the year! Score! It works and has for 7 years now! The original 10" eminence speakers sound amazing!

[@blanejohnson9045]

Glad you made this video. Been trying to narrow it down before these prices go way up. Once people start seeing all these late 80s country acts all using them. Saw Dickey betts playing an old peavey recently.

[@antonyyul]

I wanted to ask you for a Peavey episode for a long time, and you did it! I own a couple of solid state Peavey made in the USA which I really love. Well done, as usual

[@butchsnyder8515]

Zach, thanks so much for this video. I bought a Special 130 back in 1985 and used it for every gig, rehearsal, and practice. It was my only amp. Kept it through the early 90s. I played Country, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Rock, Prog, Fusion and it worked great for everything I need to play. Played Teles, Strats, and 335s through it. I think I need to get another one. Other than it being heavy, I can't say anything bad about it.

[@steveburchfield5576]

The first Peaveys I ever saw was with a group named David and the Giants in late sixties Mississippi. When I first saw Brent M. with Don Kelley he had two Peavey Bandits. I guess he switched to 130s later. In my circle I think Brent started the trend of playing in stereo. Good job Zac!!! I called some of my dog Fenders Chinese Whistlers because they sucked big time. I did see Robben Ford in NYC with a red knob Twin and sounded really good. A music store in Murphreesboro, Tn told me to take home a Classic 50 for the weekend and I came back on Monday and purchased it.

[@barefoot-n-blues]

I know you're a busy man and I really appreciated you presenting Peavey amps in the way you have. One of a musician's greatest limitation is to get hung up on brands as the basis for choosing tools. The Classic line is still one of the best going. Not to be confused with Peavey's Classic hybrids from the late 70s, maybe before and yes they were decent amps as well. Someday, if you get the time, an interesting presentation is the Peavey T 60 guitars which were played more than is commonly known. In it's time it was the most innovative guitar on the market, allowing coil splitting in a very unique way and well as in and out of phase. The complaints today are "too heavy" . No more than a Les Paul. The neck is too thin. The T 60 was a solid built instrument and below the going prices of the big 2 brands of the day. Just a suggestion. I am a prehistoric boomer who appreciates what you do here.

[@mikestillwagon5675]

One of the best pseudo Marshall tones I ever heard was a dude using a Boss DS-1 into a Peavey Classic head into a Peavey 4x12. It was fantastic.

[@adamkorzon2972]

Now you can buy a windsor and rock a full stack.

[@Marcus_C51]

Yeah one of those Bosses would be great through a Peavey amp and the 4X12. Wish I'd known about the SD-1 earlier, I used one of those MXR distortion +'s for the first year or so I had my Peavey. Sounded pretty good. A buddy turned me onto the Boss and I gigged with that for well over a decade-loved it!

[@davidprince6128]

Wow this brought back some memories! My first amp was a Special 130. I think Dad paid $250 for a used one back in the early 90's. As you can imagine, I was super happy, since I had been playing through my friends' second inputs.

[@davegallagher7428]

My first amp that I bought in the early 80s was a Peavey Studio Pro 40. I paid around $140 for it. I gigged with it in bars. Best bang for your buck piece of gear I have ever owned. I had to get it repaired once and I paid about $60. It is still going strong 40 years later. I lent it to a friend of mine who’s learning how to play. I still think it might be the best practice amp I’ve ever had. Great video Zac!

[@hog7203]

Great amp. I bought one in '84. Still got it. You're point about that midrange/shift control being the key to a great sound is spot on. I couldn't figure it out at first but once I did it made a huge difference. The 130 was apparently used by a lot of steel players also. I use to play with Cal Freeman, Gatemouth Brown's pedal steel player, and when Cal saw it, he told me about it being used by lots of touring musicians, and wanted to buy it if I ever felt like selling. It still works great and seems to be indestructible. One of the guys I play with now uses it.

[@soniah4821]

So much good information and well explained. I still have my “Backstage Plus” from ‘90. Still sounds great. Also no major maintenance needed. Thanks Zac.

[@whiplasher8]

I bought a Peavey Studio Pro 40 new in 1984 . Did a lot of small gigs with that little monster . Still have it . I put a Jensen 12 inch speaker in it a few years ago and it sounds great .

[@xxandrewwilsonxxable]

Great info thanks for makeing this video. I gig with a Peavey Special and a Peavey Bandit currently. It's the best designed gigging amp i have ever come across for sure! They are magic and extremly well desinged!

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

Can the Special get as much overdrive as the Bandit?

[@AskZac]

@InGrindWeCrust2010 yes

[@iansnyder274]

My buddy had a bandit 65 in 82/83. He had a late 70s hardtail Strat. Heavy but killer. His band covered a lot of different rock and new wave. That peavey kicked ass! Amazing bang for the buck! Tks Zac!

[@brodiehutchins8049]

Great job as always Zac. Peavey was such an integral part of my music upbringing especially with 38 Special and Mylon & Broken Heart! I still have a mint Nitro III because Mylon LeFevre snd Jeff Carlisi had them (at least in photos in Monitor magazine). A Backstage Plus was my first real amp and the Classic 30s have been my go-to for 30+ years! Thanks for singing the Peavey praises.

[@HarpinJScott]

The great harmonica player Billy Branch uses a Peavey Special 130 and he never disappoints! Great episode!

[@valentino3191]

I really love the tone of your playing on that old Telecaster. It may sound weird, but your playing has a very healing sound. I use Peavey T-60 guitars and have since the early 1980's. Glad to see Peavey get their dues for years of great gear Hartley and his crew designed. I'm a native son of Picayune, Mississippi and am proud Hartley did what he did over in Meridian. Hartley Peavey was a manufacturing and engineering genius. He incorporated Computer Numeric Control and modernized guitar manufacturing, years before Fender or others figured this out. A true American innovator.

[@AskZac]

Thanks!

[@kevindean1327]

The T series is incredible!!! I've owned a T60 and now own a T15. My favorite Strat is an early 90s Predator with Texas specials. Yes Peavey deserves a lot more respect!!!

[@stokerdon1020]

Thank You Zak! I bought a Bandit 65 in 1981 because I could afford it. It was my first gigging amp and I moved on to other amps a couple years later, but I kept the Bandit in the closet. 2 Weeks ago I pulled the Bandit out to do a stereo setup and it sounds great! The overdrive channel and the clean channel compare very well with modern amps! And, as you pointed out, they Ain't Expensive!

[@RandalSmith]

Special 130 was my amp all through the ‘80s. Never let me down. Plenty loud, good tone. May have to go find another one.

[@bartnettle]

Well Done! Still have my Peavey Renown! So heavy! That Chorus was the poor mans Roland 120. Peavey Reliable! We all have heard of the drops Peavey amps have survived!

[@robertbarnes9745]

Great show as always Zac. Love the soulful ans tasteful playing at the start. It's not the first time I have copped your licks. Mid to late 80's I played a Renown 400 , Special 130, Bandit 65 or Backstage 40. Made a lot of $$$ with those amps - and they DID sound good! The saturation was a very natural and musical overdrive tone. Lots of junk on the market back then, but these were nice amps. I then got my '67 Pro Reverb in 1988, which I still have, and these got retired!

[@stratman2023]

Used one at a rehearsal space in the 80’s. I am a tube amp guy, but this Peavey is fantastic!

[@louisdombrowski4198]

Going to watch later and I know I'm going to enjoy this about Peavey amps,always learning from you. I have a Peavey Duel 212 I will never gets rid of for the simple fact I can't lift it off the floor no more. Great sounding 120 watt amp and thanks for sharing.

[@bbmagic1]

Nice review…my first good amp was a 1982 special 130 I definitely didn’t know how to use it back then fast forward to 2022 and I was given a non working peavey pacer…a few cold solders later and it sounds so good… I probably own 10 tube amps but have been gigging with the peavey for 2 months thanks again Zac

[@henryhunter5026]

Great video! I live in the UK and I’ve got a Bandit 65 which I bought at a car boot sale around 20 years ago for £5, ( about 6 USD I think). The guy selling it told me that one of the inputs wasn’t working, I took it home and opened it up to discover that the jack socket had been twisted round and a connection had snapped off, I soldered it back on and the amp has been working perfectly ever since. It’s an amazingly reliable and versatile little amplifier that sounds great which cost me peanuts.

[@MrRodyf]

My second amp was a Bandit 65 too. I still regretting selling it. When I was working in the A/V industry, we used a lot of Peavey power amps and mics, and they stand a lot of beating. When the change their XLR plugs to plastic from the metal ones, that's when it began to go down.

[@dansciglimpaglia6125]

Great video! I had a Special 130 in the mid-eighties...I sold it an moved up to a Peavey Heritage, also a great amp! I still have a 4 channel Peavey PA head from the early 80s'...still works great!

[@1mespud]

Well said! My current Peavey arsenal and backline includes a vintage hybrid 70's Peavey Artist/15" BW, Special 130/BW, 70's Mace amp head and Mace combo/2x12" BW, Roadmaster amp head/6/6l6 tubes, Session 500/15" BW, two Mark Bass IV amp heads, Vegas combo/2x12" Scorpions. Once also had the hybrid Heritage/2x12" BW and Max 800-watt bass amp head. Through it all, I've experienced very little to no repairs or maintenance. All are real workhorse amps!!

[@CC-te5zf]

I was into to Southern rock growing up in GA in the 70's. I remember seeing bands like Molly Hatchet and of course Lynyrd Skynyrd with Peavey amps. Also, I remember seeing them on stages for some country slingers as well. I remember seeing them and Ovation guitars allot in those days. The old solid state Peaveys still hold up pretty well - not a bad amp to have and you can pick them up cheap.

[@jray5363]

I clicked on this video with the intention of letting it play in the background while I did something else. But, as soon as you started talking, I got pulled in like a trout. NICE VIDEO! There are so many Peavy’s out there, I was always afraid to try one. It’s nice to see them get some love!

[@chrismcwilliams2778]

Currently gigging g with a Classic 30. LOVE it!..This video inspired me to pull out my old bandit from the early 90s and start turning the eq knobs looking for gold! Thanks

[@1rwjwith]

I had a Peavey Bandit late 80’s to mid 90’s. Plenty of gigs played with it, recorded with it too. They were great, some of the best transistor amps for sure.

[@stevehorvath5855]

My first good amp was a Peavey Classic 50 head. I bought it re an article I read some 25 years ago where some fella named Dann Huff was in a studio doing a session, and he plugged into a Classic 50. When the session was over it was reported that he walked out of the studio with it. I've also seen a Classic 50 in Brent Masons amp rack, so to me that speaks volumes (pun intended, maybe). I played that Peavey for 15 years until I bought a Dr Z Maz 38 1x12 combo, and oddly enough it was loaded with 4 EL84's like the Classic 50 - I guess that Peavey got me infected with that tube tone bug. What helped that Classic 50 for me also was I contacted Myles Rose at his Amplifier Blueprinting web page and he suggested some better tubes for it, and that made it even better. Great post Zac! Thanks for all that you contribute to the music/player community!

[@ScottWalker-uw3rp]

I'm 49 and started playing guitar in 1985. My first amp was a little Peavey Decade. It was great but I needed to upgrade after a few years to compete with the drummer in my first band in rehearsals and gigs. I eventually upgraded to a used Peavey Bandit 65. It was awesome. Loud enough and it sounded great. I didn't even need any pedals for the classic rock music I was playing at the time. It's amazing how we all turned our back and turned up our noses at those 80's Peavey amps. I tip my hat to them. Josh Homme from the legendary band Queens of the Stone Age said his little Peavey Decade has been the secret studio guitar tone of the band for 25 years. Great episode Zac. Keep 'em comin'!!!

[@Naughtforeye]

NICE! I did not know that man, I love QOTSA and have seen them live a couple times. I've followed the desert/stoner rock scene since he was in Kyuss, and all the poorer bands in less pop scenes had to use amps they could actually afford and Peavy always delivered. I've played them and think some are fantastic, I am soooo sick of all the so called "experts" going on and on about what sounds "good" and what is "terrible," the bottom line is if you are a musician that plays all the time and is a gigging regularly or in a band then you know how to make most anything work. All these bedroom "hotshots" trying to gatekeep when if you were shove them on a stage with less than ideal gear and say make it work or you ain't eating tonight, then you see that it's not the gear doing most of the heavy lifting but skill and savvy.

[@Oldguyplayer1970s]

Played many a 130 downtown on Broadway back in the day w/Charlie Vaughn and had to punch them a bit sometimes.. Thanks for the time setting detail about other manufacturers. The Mesa’s back then were way different than what they turned into, like what Charlie Daniels played, which I believe they were Mark 1’s but his were highly modified. You really are a fantastic historian of all things Guitar/country! No surprise and Brad were kindred spirits at Belmont! Thanks for all of the interesting content! Great seeing you last month at the luncheon! You are a fantastic guy, please keep the content coming and teaching us all of this!! Your channel keeps on getting better along with your TrueTone Longe interviews. I watched every moment of the Redd interviews and the Don Kelley stuff!!

[@goodheartmedia]

I had a Special 130 in college in the mid 80s. Almost got me kicked out of my dorm when I put it in the window, turned it all the way up, and jammed away. I was told people could hear it a mile away. Rock and Roll.

[@hh4826]

Thank you for the song at the beginning. Learned it myself just by listening and watching you play.

[@colinbradley1366]

Hi from Canada Zac. Really pleased to discover this video this morning. I purchased new, a Peavey Special 130 in 1982, shortly after emigrating from the UK to Canada, I was living up in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario at the time. I still own the amp to this day, and it sits in my home studio alongside a 65 Deluxe Reverb. I used the Peavey throughout the 80's and 90's with several bands that I played in. It has never failed me once, and has had zero maintenance in 40 years that I've owned it. I re-sprayed the MDF cabinet in a pearl grey a few years ago and it looks very elegant. It is hands down the loudest amp I've ever owned and I've owned Vox, Marshalls, Fenders and a few lesser known brands. Interestingly, back in the UK, I once owned a Simms Watts Ike Isaacs combo - also a solid state amp which I absolutely loved, and the Peavey Special 130 I found to be very similar to it sonically, though of course the Simms-Watts did not have a switchable overdrive feature. Anyway, thank you for letting folks know about these fabulous amps, and of course for all of the great videos that you have done / are doing. Hope you're well.

[@AskZac]

Thanks for sharing, Colin. Glad to hear from you

[@bobstrickland4223]

I bought an '86 Peavey Special 130 new and gigged with it for 30 years, mostly without a backup. I kept it in the band trailer year-round. I can only imagine how hot and cold it got. Mine has plywood and weighs about 45 pounds. I bought an '86 Bandit with MDF which weighed almost as much as the Special. I built a paulownia cabinet for it and got it down to 32 lbs! Built like tanks.

[@caleshtcincredibles]

I had a Peavy Classic 212 when I started playing in bands back in high school in the late 70s , it was an absolute beast . I use modelers now but I still have a real Amp, Peavy Studio Pro 112 and it's a really good sounding amp . Good show Zac

[@mamulcahy]

Hey Zac, thanks for the history lesson. Having come of age in the 70’s, it hits my sweet spot.

[@DavidHBurkart]

Thank you Zac, this was a fun episode! Peavey was in my opinion the working musicians amp, be it band-based PA systems, as well as personal & stage amps. I still have my USA Classic 30. It is a great amp. I had a USA Classic 50 that I loved before that & actually traded it for the 30 because in order to play the 50 at home, I could not get the sweet spot I liked at lower volumes. Once my local guitar store took a C30 in on trade, I did an amp-for-amp swap with no cash & never looked back. The C30 cuts through with plenty to spare in a band situation and was much more condusive to marital bliss at home.

[@banjomandan7199]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks Zac! Peavey bass amps and PA systems made it possible for my old, poverty-stricken cover band to afford enough quality power to make the club scene in the SF Bay Area in the '70's. Heavy stuff to be sure, but it never broke down, and sounded great!

[@amberwoodstudio]

The reliability is undeniable. Could leave that stuff in a bitter cold truck overnight. Didn’t have to put your gear in the base at 3am 😂.

[@joelpanettaonline]

Great episode as usual. In my much younger days I had a Peavey Bandit 65 and a T15 guitar. Loved them but as most of us young ones do I sold them for something else. Later on in life I came across a Stereo Chorus 210 and rocked that for about 8-10 years before it finally gave out. Around 2016 I picked up a classic chorus. I ended up giving that to a kid learning guitar and didn't have much $$$ to go out and get an amp. I even had an old TNT 130 when I was playing some bass in a band back in 2006-7. Because of the Undercover Boss episode about Peavey I vowed not to buy anything new from them but if I was to come across some old and good locally I would maybe get it.

[@garycoates4987]

My first real amp was a Peavey Stereo chorus 400! I still have it! My dad bought it for me new when I was 15 , I really just wanted something different so the 400 was perfect , so loud and clean so distortion pedals sounded huge and plus adding in the built in chorus would boost the signal and tighten up the highs and lows, like you mentioned taking out the "honky" mids. 80s Peavey amps really can stand toe to toe with a lot of tube amps.

[@hunkydorian]

I've been putzing with this stuff since 1968, and I never had a guitar amp I really liked until I got a Peavey Rave 158 and stuffed a big ten-inch speaker in it. I love it.

[@BrandochGarage]

Thanks, Zac!. I've always had a soft spot for Peavey because my first 'real' amp was a Bandit 112 Scorpion equipped. It was rather heavy... haha

[@shawnmagee2640]

My first legit new bought amp was a 88 Peavey Stereo Chorus 212. About a year later I cut the box in half and made it into a head for a Laney 4x12. Fantastic.

[@AskZac]

I had one of those too!

[@Sparkman52]

I’ve gigged and recorded with many silver panel peaveys. Special 130s are great but too heavy for me. My favorites are the Studio Pro series. It’s funny when gear snobs are shocked by the great sound😊

[@Sean_Plays_Guitar]

Great Episode, Zac! My first amp was one of those Teal Knob 10-watt Peavy. It wasn't great but it was loud enough to upset my siblings and parents and I have fond memories of cutting my teeth on it.

[@miketaylor7057]

My first purchase after earning some gigging money was a Peavey Renown. Great versatility. Lots of power and used it for years on the bandstand

[@bean1871]

Thanks, Zac. After seeing your review, I went out and found an '85 Special 130 and brought it home last night. $130. Good times ahead, for sure.

[@michaelgregory2231]

I bought a Special 130 in the 80s from Bourgeois-Tagg/Todd Rundgren/Sting guitarist, Lyle Workman and it served me well for many years.

[@calebelder9324]

My dad gave me a Special 130 for my 17th birthday that had a 10” speaker shoved into it. Knowing nothing about music he still replaced the speaker with a Emmince Texas Heat 12” and I still can’t come even close to that tone I was able to get from it ❤

[@larrydering1598]

Still have a Special 130, along with a stable of Peavey and Fender Tube and transistor of all sizes. All in great shape. As a steel player too, the Peavey has served me well.

[@producerman10030]

When I was on the road with Maynard Ferguson in the 1980s I initially was traveling with my Boogie MKI. The band had a Peavey endorsement and in fact used a Peavey PA. The bass player had a DECA bass amp and I was using a small rack system. Eventually I got 2 Boogie sized Peavey Tube amps and set them up stereo and they worked great.

[@pakerossi9940]

I have to admit, I was not expecting you to say that you were from Kingsville Texas. I’m from Hebbronville. I live in Fort Worth now, but I was just doing some research on decent, Inexpensive Peavey amps and stumbled across this. Thanks for the info.

[@pakerossi9940]

Well, I guess I’m assuming that everyone knows where Hebbronville is. It’s only an hour south of Kingsville. The closest grocery store to us was in Kingsville.

[@cletussea-ray944]

My first amp (bought in 1986) was a Peavey Basic 40. Never let me down and still use it!

[@hootguitars]

Unscratchified! 🙂 Love it.. Played thru many PV amps back in the day. Great Job.

[@mikefromusa6902]

A first generation peavey rage was my very first amp about 30 years ago. It bit the dust in the very early 2000s. I bought another one last year and it’s identical!

[@sboy1955]

Good sounding SS amp. Have owned several Peaveys over the years, inexpensive - not cheap 😁. Mine are all long gone and I typically play modelers now (Helix). However, I still own a 1974 MusicMan 112/65.. good to hear you mention that line of amps.

[@lisagraveline8396]

Peavey's only crime? Being affordable.

[@austinknowlton1783]

Shhh, you're gonna make the price of Peaveys go up! Great video Zac, as someone who has loved Lynyrd Skynyrd since I was a kid and never had much of a budget for gear I've played several Peavey amps over the years. The one I have now is a Triumph 60. It was Hartley's answer to the Mesa Boogie, and the 120 watt version was the weapon of choice of Adrian Vandenberg from Whitesnake. Absolutely brilliant amp, two gain stages, spring reverb and a 12inch Scorpion speaker. Ironically I bought it for the great clean channel, but all the insanity you want is right there in the foot switch. Eventually I would love to find a Peavey Roadmaster or a Mace, maybe both. That Special 130 sounds great, a lot of people don't know that Peavey's first commercially sold amp was a transistor amp called the Musician, and it was a hit as well.

[@jwwesterink3162]

It' even worse: May 2023 and I cannot find a Special 130 for sale anywhere

[@austinknowlton1783]

@@jwwesterink3162 I know where there's a pile of Peavey amps. Shoot me an email address. Not sure on a 130 but he has several tube amps.

[@ancientsouloutdoors4088]

I had a bandit 65 as a 17 year old and loved that amp, and even recorded an album with it when I turned 30. And it sounded phenomenal. Like a fool I traded it. However, I recently found a Peavey 212 Renown, and I paid a simple $250 for it, and it Rivals my Fender half stack. I love that amp, I have always loved Peavey I never got on the bandwagon of dissing them, and I'm proud to say, I feel 17 years old all over again, loud and proud with this amazing amplifier. Love it! And yes, even with a simple Scorpion speakers American made 1980s Peavy, my bandmates are like, "uh, dang that's loud bro." Hehe.... Built and created an entirely new stompbox pedal unit to go with it. Including an original Tube Screamer stomp box that I also bought when I was 17 , and I swear I don't know that I will ever go back to digital again. Clean and pristine and loud and proud! Peavey amps all day long!

[@will4gzus]

Great episode as always! Would love to see one on all the guitarists James Burton’s has inspired.

[@paulantoni1046]

ZAC !! Can’t thank you enough !! Been looking for a dependable backup amp for shows // just ordered this on reverb / YOU ROCK !!! ☮️ 🎸

[@AskZac]

Rock on!

[@hoganshideout]

Great episode Zac. If Chip Todd is still around it would be interesting to see an interview with him.

[@DrunkenDish]

It's a sad, sad state of afairs, that Peavey amps sound as good as they do, are made in America, and I wouldnt feel cool having one on stage compared to a Two-Rock or vintage Marshall. You deserve better Peavey!

[@sebastiannai4381]

Zac, this episode made me think of the Tony Joe White ACL episode. I revisited it, but turns out it was the bassist on a Peavey - Tony was playing a Music Man. Awesome concert nonetheless! Another great episode, you are a superb storyteller, historian and interviewer, among your other talents!

[@edgelite]

Great timing, I just got my Peavey Bandit 65 from my amp guy. I got it used on Kijiji (Canada's Craigslist) for 80 bucks. It needed a new pot and some cleaning. I had another one that I sold in a weak moment last year when all the prices were going crazy. I think I paid 40 for that one and sold it for 275.I missed it so much I had to find another. I've had a bunch of Peavey's in the last few years. My bass amp which I only use at home is a Peavey. I play with a preamp DI when I play live. I used them in the 80s and like you turned tube snob in the late 80s. I had the silver faced twin too. Now I have a Bugera V22 and my bandit for guitar and that's it. Sold everything else. I couldn't be happier. Thanks for the great content as usual.

[@reggiebradley4128]

I've got a Special 130 in my music room, along with a blackface Super Reverb, blackface Deluxe, silverface Vibrolux, a couple of old Traynors, Polytones, Carvins, etc., it can and does holds it's own with any of them. Thanks Zac!!!

[@michaelbajorek1972]

I still have in my collection a Peavey Classic 2-12 (50W) from the 70's. A little wear from use, but still sounds great. A testament to the build quality. The amp is dear to m heart because of the sound and the memories of many gigs.

[@Marcus_C51]

As usual another great video Zak! That 130 sounds great! Yeah, Peaveys--I used to have sort of a love/hate view on them like you did, but in retrospect have to say my Peavey Artist 100 watt really did sound good! It had a nice JBL 12 in it and still wish I had it, nice warm clean tone--a very versatile amp. Nice and loud if need be as well! Those Nashville 400s have always been fantastic, I'm not sure I ever saw a pedal steel player without one back in the day-ha ha! My old keyboard player played through one. I think all of us who have gigged with Peaveys at one time or another know they were great workhorse amps.

[@Strumbum01]

Had one and sold it earlier this year. Sounded great but too heavy for me to lug around these days. I’ve seen folks convert them to heads which would be cool to have. Thanks Zac!

[@steveburrows1679]

Bought a 2002-ish 65watt Peavey Studio 112 ("red stripe") early this year as a backup for when my tube amp needs maintenance (like now, I currently have it in pieces while I remake some wiring), for UK£61 delivered. Superb. Sprayed some cleaner in the pots, and played it. Just switch it on, no warm up time, and it sounds great. Absolute bargain.

[@mcgrath16511]

I e used different amps in my life, fender ,crate , Marshall etc.. Peavey has never let me down.. my first was a “Classic 2x12”. Loved that amp.. ..my last setup was two Peavey Bandits , 80 watts ,preamped one to the other,, absolute killer sound.. played pretty much straight in, dry(no reverb), and used a tube screamer to boost it .. they will,always be my go to amp

[@toneydavis9802]

Been playing a Classic 30 for a few years now. It IS NOT a USA made amp but sounds great and has a lot of versitility. I might mention the looks and build are top shelf.

[@oleithrucker2293]

That was my go to set up at the tail end of the 80s ! You almost gave me a flash back seeing you sitting there with my equipment minus the cactus ! LOL

[@SteelStringThing]

really enjoyed your "I'm in love" intro song playing. I do it in another way but I so enjyed what you did...sounded great!

[@5geezers]

Bobby Broom, Chicagoan jazz guitarist maestro played Peaveys too. I think that exact model. He used to say that when he got home from gigs, he could just leave it in the trunk of his car, even in the dead of winter and it'd be fine for the next gig. And Bobby has always had a great jazz tone!

[@stephenmarsh3986]

I owned a Deuce hybrid valve, but downsized to a Special 130 for gigs and later a Backstage Plus 30 for home. Gigged the Special for 10 yrs and countless hours of rehearsals, never failed me. All great sounding amps. Don't give into cork sniffing valve snobbery, especially if you want a reliable amp with a great clean channel that takes pedals so well. 🖖

[@FuzzImp]

I had 2 of these from a church storage unit I got free and let them go. But when I got my bandit earlier this year for $20 I’m never letting it go. 🤠 peavey white stripes rule!

[@colinwallace5286]

I have its baby brother, the Backstage Plus. It has been a main amp, a preamp feeding my Ampeg SBT powered 2-15 cabinet, a keyboard amp, and an impromptu PA music system. It’s bulletproof, the EQ is versatile with THICK/BRIGHT/SATURATION controls and with PRE/POST volume, you could get some crazy gain on it. The foot switch I didn’t ever buy was supposed to control the reverb and the saturation on/off. That would have been handy. Also had a headphone Jack. I still use it often, but it has developed an odd squeal, which I think is somewhere in the wiring for the spring reverb (forgot it has THAT too). Love the Peaveys, and their guitars were okay too.

[@telecasterbear]

In 1978, I bought a used Peavey Deuce from another kid in town. It was heavy and loud. 120 watts through two 12s. Cleaning up any piece of used gear that I buy is so enjoyable.

[@AskZac]

I love that part too

[@guitareveryone]

I had the Deuce too. Heavy but loud! It had the Automix 4 button footswitch. The phase circuit was really good on that amp.

[@Terry3Gs]

I had the special 112 160 watt model with the supersaturation distortion onboard that came out after this one. That thing was a beast & shook my house in my youth many times !! Even once had it back where I grew up & when cranked you could here it 1/2 across a small bay inlet !! LOL

[@md770]

My first amp was a big tank of a Peavey Deuce, 120w of ear damaging clean, it was totally solid state, it was heavy and I was lucky that whoever owned it put casters on it, did I mention it was HEAVY! Loved the built in Tremlo and Reverb but as more often than not, no foot switch.

[@islander4986]

Incredibly complete knowledge of amp manufacturer history trivia Zac. I've never played a SS Peavey, but I've heard about the Bandit on forums. I actually have two Peavey Bravo tube amps, one I bought new in the late 80's, another I picked up in a pawnshop for $100 and re-tubed, but I guess they're a different animal. My first amp was an early 80's SS Fender Montreaux, which did not have a good overdrive sound. Couldn't get over the Bravo's price and tone when I tried it at the store later. Good to know about the Special.

[@damagedw]

I bought one three years ago for 150.00 plus shipping and tax, just over 200. While I have vintage amp and guitars, if I have an outdoor gig or possible rain I grab the peavey special and 1980 Ibanez artist I bought for 525. It’s all I need, sounds awesome, and the average person wouldn’t know the difference. This show is spot on!

[@cameronlesley2428]

hi Zac. i bought my fist tube amp in 1998 it was a classic 30. i ended up trading it for a fender deville 2x12 to keep up with the other guitarist in the band at the time. i then spent the next 20 years playing bass in bands instead and had no need for a guitar amp. i recently picked up my 2nd classic 30 its a 2003 model and i LOVE it ive always regretted selling the 1st one. i bought the 2nd amp through gumtree for $400 aus dollars . i was going on holidays and flying out of the goldcoast airport, so the day before my flight i met the seller on the side of the road and bought the amp sight unseen. best value amp and i play it every day. love the channel

[@michaelnelson3469]

In the 1970s I was a pedal steel guitar player. My hero was Buddy Emmons. At the time, he had fully embraced the Peavey Session 400, specifically with the Peavey Black Widow speaker. I haed to have one so I got rid of my JBL-equippeed twin and bought one of the Peaveys. I loved it. As usual, Buddy's taste was impeccable.

[@thomashubbell1960]

I had a Peavey Special 112 that came out a few years later than the 130. It was my first "big" amp and I honestly never learned how to use all the controls very well since I was just a "dumb kid" when it came to tone. But, I remember being able to get a really decent clean tone out of the thing at the time. And, I think the spring reverb was actually pretty usable. I gigged with it for several years and it was certainly loud! I ran pedals through it for distortion early on, but later on I discovered that it had a decent gain channel. It was definitely built like a tank and weighed a ton.

[@xmillion1704]

I had one of these back in the 80s. I ended up playing my Roland Juno 106 synthesizer through it. It could definitely get loud. I currently have one sitting in my front room.

[@jfinester]

I had a bunch of Peavey stuff in the late ‘70s and the ‘80s. When the reverb in my Music Man HD130-410 gave up the ghost, I replaced it with a Peavey Deuce VT, then replaced that with a Renown that had a Black Widow 15” speaker. Heavy suckers, but they sounded great. Somewhere in there I had a couple of Peavey T-60 guitars, one I got at cost on an endorsement deal! Peavey made great gear for good prices at that time, and they were everywhere. When the reverb in my Music Man went south in Minot, North Dakota, I went right down to the Peavey dealer and traded it in on a Deuce VT.

[@gregfuerst1286]

About 40 years ago my partner and i did sound for Freddie Fender and band in the Chicago suburbs for about 3 or 4 shows they all had small Peavey amps propped up on chairs for a back line .....They rocked, it ,,,,,,, nicest guys ever...... sounded great

[@michaeldavis4969]

Fender Sidekick 35 was also my first amp around 1987! Horrible amp, but I didn't know any better. We grow. A college housemate had a Peavy Bandit which was the first amp I ever played through. I think anyone that began their guitar journey in the 1980s had some experience with Peavy - they were everywhere!