Peavey Delta Blues 15"...whatcha think?

[IPLAYLOUD]

Once in a blue moon do I get a little ga-ga over an amp, and it's almost always been for a Peavey Delta Blues with a 15. I was never a tube amp guy, always used SS amps over many years of playing. Latest is a Peavey Bandit Transtube.

I haven't heard anything bad the PDB, that it's a really good amp and even better with a tube swap. I am looking to use it in a C/W Swing, Rockabilly, Surfabilly band we just put together. My only other choice would be a DRRI, and I can get one with almost no playing time on it for $600...I don't want to jump the gun on a PDB.

Who uses on regularly, and how does it square off with a DRRI?
I'll be using many guitars with it, from Esquires to P90 Reverends/Robin to a Filtertron Reverend...and MAYBE an old Fender Coronado or 2.

BTW: I ADORE Reverb...how is it?

Thanks!!
John

[sshan25]

It's a different beast than a DRRI. It's a very good amp for the price and I enjoyed mine while I had it. You really need to play through both so you can assess the differences.

[MickyZ]

I had a PDB with the 15", and I regret selling it. For my P-90 guitars and a LP R9, it was a great amp, especially with the boost switch engaged. The overdrive was a bit fizzy without the boost, but not bad for crunch rhythm. Those EL84s really drive it.

The main negatives that I could think of were:
1. weight (a ton)
2. tube rattle (that speaker shakes things up quite a bit)
3. a too-stiff cable on the channel pedal (don't wind it tight around anything), and
4. I had no need for tremolo.

All that being said, I may look to buy another one. There are things available to reduce/eliminate tube rattle. And a small hand cart makes it easy on the back and hands/arms.

[EricPeterson]

Great amp, just way to big for my needs so I sold it, although I would buy another in a heart beat if I was doing that kind of giging again.

[guitarwrench]

I have the 2x10 version. Got it 5 years ago for $350. Only needed tubes so far. I use mine as a clean platform with a pedalboard. Best bang for the buck amp hands down. Like someone else said, it's heavy but it makes up for it in reliability and tone. I'm just not partial to Fender amps anymore. The EL84's do break up nice when needed. You gotta play through it though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Good luck!

[ReginaldBisquet]

I have a head version I made for sale in the Emporium. I made mine into a head because I wanted to try a 2x10 speaker set up... or anything else. I also didn't like the tube rattle and found Tom's Tube Tamer to be a waste of money.