I reinstalled my stock 22-year-old covered double cream Seth Lovers into my Les Paul (50's wiring, 500k CTS, PIO caps, lightweight tailpiece, long steel studs, yadda yadda) and I'm simply amazed at what I'm getting out of them. I've played them on and off for the last 22 years, sometimes...
That is a true statement. In particular, the cabinet woods were being sourced, by Peavey, from different parts of the country which changed the tone and parts were being sourced from different vendors. Additionally, the construction details were being changed bit by bit. This was all being done...
The cabinets with the straight white piping debuted with the Superdrive 18 in early 2001. It was explained in a Budda newsletter back in the day.
My Verbmaster shipped in January or February of 2001 and has that cabinet.
I agree with rockon1's assessment. The tube that glowed bright red simply bit the dust. I've also had that happen before.
I once brought this issue of a faint red plate condition (only visible in the dark) to Jeff Bober. It's always there with my old EL84 Budda amps with Sovteks. He said it's a...
I own 3 old Buddas:
An original tweed-style mounted Twinmaster 1x12 combo I purchased used; these originally came loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30. This used one had a Celestion G12H30 - I installed an 8 ohm Budda Phat 12.
A Verbmaster 18 1x12 combo from 2000 that I purchased new. All stock...
A good comparison test would be between the standard Celestion G12M Greenback Reissue and the Marshall G12C. My guess is that the differences would be much smaller.
I have 1x12" combo versions of both the TM and SD30. I also have a Verbmaster, also in 1x12" combo form.
They are all early hand wired versions; the newest of these amps is the SD30 and it's 16 years old now.
I love these amplifiers. They are so musical and fun to play. I'd say the only...
For reference purposes.
My old 2000 Verbmaster 18 tube layout was as follows when it originally shipped from Budda:
First preamp tube Sovtek 12AX7WB (furthest from the rectifier) is first and second gain stages. The High Gain input uses both stages.
Second preamp tube Sovtek 12AX7WA is the...
Just adding to this old thread by saying my 1996 Twinmaster is similar to my 2000 Verbmaster when playing through the same speaker. I'd say the TM is more immediate and brighter. The VM is a bit less forward, a bit more mellow at lower to mid volume settings but somehow more nasty when cranked...
I really like the old Buddas and the obscure ones are always exciting to see come out of the woodwork.
I still have a 1x12" Verbmaster 18 from 2000. I'm the original owner and actually ordered it directly from Budda; that's the way it was done back then. The amp is still 100% stock and even the...
I admit that I've not tested pre and post-Peavey models side by side. And any such tests need to use the same tubes, cabinets, speaker(s), etc. to rule out those variables. I do know that some component values have been changed not to mention component source and composition and circuit board...
I do know that the Series I handwired Superdrive 30s have a different (original) value for the mid pot. This makes the mid pot behave differently and give a different tone. A push/pull pot (for the pull/mid feature) in that original value was not available for Series II, hence the difference...
Both the Superdrive 18 and Superdrive 30 started production with handwired versions but I do believe fewer 18s were handwired than 30s. An old Budda newsletter states that only the first 100 18s were to be handwired.
Even the front panels between Series 1 and 2 are different. I'll bet the Series 1 version with the pull mid boost didn't indicate that feature on the front panel…unless the panel was changed out. But the handwired panels are aluminum instead of painted so why do that? The aluminum looks...
I have VMF-0081 and ordered it in late 2000 directly from Budda. Yours is obviously earlier but that should give you an idea.
Since I usually plug straight in with the exception of a wah occasionally, I plug into the High Gain input almost all the time with my VM and TM and use the guitar's...
I find that the Buddas are a bit different than other amps in terms of dynamics. The models I've played include the Verbmaster 18 1x12 combo, Twinmaster 1x12 combo, Twinmaster head into a Budda 1x12 cabinet, and Superdrive 30 1x12 combo. The SD30 is the only one in the list with a master volume...
If it's anything like my "vintage" Twinmaster, you're going to love the reactive compression the High Gain input has when cranked with a Les Paul! Nothing else like it!
Seems to me that the Twinmaster would be better suited for what you're looking for. Its super-simple preamp and punchy nature provides a good platform for pedals. The amp responds like it's hardwired to your brain.
However, you will not get edge-of-breakup at low volumes without a pedal or...
Buddas make a good player better. But they also make bad playing sound worse. There's little to hide behind like any good amp. This is especially true with the Twinmaster.