Peavey classic 50 and High Gain

[joel98z]

Anyone getting a good creamy high gain sound with you classic 30/50? I am looking for something in the dual rectifier or Soldano SLO-100 area.. Proablly a pretty tall order but just checking..

I just put some JJ high gain ECC83s in V1 and V2, a matched quad of JJ EL84s.. Proablly will put either V30 or Greenbacks in as well.. Anything else I can do??

 

[SgtThump]

I would use a distortion pedal into the clean channel if you want recto/SLO styles of distortion. The Classic amps certainly have a fair amount of distortion, but it's not voiced that way at all. Sounds a little more vintage to me.

Maybe a MI Audio Crunch Box or something like that would work?

 

[semi-hollowbody]

pedal...mi audio or barber direct drive love my peavey classic 30
as does my boss od-3

oh and my marshall jackhammer

 

[madstrat]

here are some mods that have been around

http://blueguitar.org/new/articles/blue_gtr/amps/peavey/c50_origmod.pdf

let me just say that the board is a bitch to work on;

these mods will make the amp more marshally....

thump's suggestion of a pedal is prolly a better work around

not a big fan of those pv speakers either

 

[Crazy Carl]

My C30 will get "heavy" with a Pedalworx Dirty Angel into the dirty channel, esp. with the boost engaged. Dunno if I'd call it Recto territory (I have a Recto for that), it's deffo gnarly.

 

[joel98z]

I would use a distortion pedal into the clean channel if you want recto/SLO styles of distortion. The Classic amps certainly have a fair amount of distortion, but it's not voiced that way at all. Sounds a little more vintage to me.

Maybe a MI Audio Crunch Box or something like that would work?

Cool thanks, I agree the distotion is great but very vintage classic rock sounding.. Whcih is fine 90% of the time. But I need some high gain to melt faces for a few songs the band does..

 

[big brekfest]

+1 on the crunch box. faces will indeed melt.

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

I didn't really care for the Crunch Box with my Classic 50.

 

[Miles]

Classic 50 does not have the level of gain that you are after on its own.

Having said that, I do not understand why anyone would want more. By the time you're all gained out like some Recto and SLO players dial in, note separation with chords is not existent and you lose a lot of punch in the mix, believe it or not.

For me, the C50 has a lot of gain, I usually leave the pre gain around 6 and the post around 8 w/ a clean boost.

 

[dk_ace]

You'll have to have a pedal for those sounds, and I'd say that the Tube Zone is your best bet.

D

 

[guitarvc]

Personally I don't know why anyone would want more gain than Classic 50 offers. That being said, if you are playing really heavy music, you might perhaps go with a different amp all together like a Bogner Uberschall. Mesa Recto, or a hod rodded Marshall with a density mod for low end thump like the Egnater Kit that I built about 6 months ago.

The Peavey Classic Series are an excellent low cost solution for great Classic Rock cleans and overdrive. Probably the best low cost amp on the market for playing Classic Rock.

 

[Highway Jones]

I've done several tube and speaker swaps with my Classic 30 as well as some circuit mods. I have also tried various OD's and Boosters to juice the lead channel. I found the JJ preamp tubes to be dark and not "musical" enough for me. My conclusion....the Classic 30 excels at low to medium gain and cannot be coerced into anything heavier unless you put a pedal in front of the lead channel.

I ended up going with a neutral tube in VIII (Sovtek LPS) a good clean sounding tube in V1 (I like the Groove Tube Mullard copy) and then the latest Tung-Sol in VII. As for pedals, I went with a version 2 Crunch Box (the trimmer makes all the difference in the world). I would bet the Tube Zone would really be up your alley. Note: I do not like the Crunch Box when it's placed behind any kind of buffer. It definitely looses its character....

 

[joel98z]

Personally I don't know why anyone would want more gain than Classic 50 offers. That being said, if you are playing really heavy music, you might perhaps go with a different amp all together like a Bogner Uberschall. Mesa Recto, or a hod rodded Marshall with a density mod for low end thump like the Egnater Kit that I built about 6 months ago.

The Peavey Classic Series are an excellent low cost solution for great Classic Rock cleans and overdrive. Probably the best low cost amp on the market for playing Classic Rock.

While I would love to get a Bogner / SLO / Mesa it just ain't gonna happen.. I do not have the $$$$ like I said 90% of what I play the amp covers no problems. Sometimes just need that kick that nice thick and buttery high gain gives..

 

[rockon1]

Put an EQ pedal in the loop to tailor the sound (and level if desired)and an EQ pedal or clean boost in front of the amp to push the front end harder to give it more overdrive. FWIW- This set up has worked for me with almost any decent amp. The combination of both is a very powerful sound sculpting tool. Bob

 

[wyldesigns]

I didn't really care for the Crunch Box with my Classic 50.

That's weird, I also think the C50 and Crunchbox ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just posted in another thread about combo's being able to pull off heavy sounds, that my C50, GE-7 eq and TUBEZONE was used for a metalband session I did and the Crunchbox andC50 is my main sound in a Classic to Heavy rock band I'm in!!!

Get a Crunchbox and Tubezone, tat and the two amp channels should cover almost ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

That's weird, I also think the C50 and Crunchbox ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just posted in another thread about combo's being able to pull off heavy sounds, that my C50, GE-7 eq and TUBEZONE was used for a metalband session I did and the Crunchbox andC50 is my main sound in a Classic to Heavy rock band I'm in!!!

Get a Crunchbox and Tubezone, tat and the two amp channels should cover almost ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!

Yea, The CB is high-gain, but I just didn't care for it through the Classic 50. It didn't sound amp like to me. Then again when I go super high-gain I don't care for the sound.
I actually like an Eternity for thick tones. It's not a Recto, but it's thick.

 

[Mllerrin]

Max the Pre, Post, Bass, and Mids. Treble around 7, presence between one and two. Volume to taste.

That's about as heavy as this amp gets. I wish I had a little more though.

Thinking of a BYOC TriBoost.