Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

[kevlar3000]

Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I promise, I roll with no neutered tone.

[curseoftruth]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I have read about the vtm120, I think Kim Thayill from soundgarden used them on the first couple albums. at any rate they are highly rated as a jcm800 but with more gain and bass but are ugly and heavy if you care about that. I woulda got one but I dont like dealing with vintage amp failure, I just prefer getting a new amp so I dont have to go to the repair guy.

I have two Peavey Butchers, never had them fail. One is 100% original as it was purchased (including the tubes), still looks brand new - paid $150 a little over a year ago. The other was pretty beat up when I got it a few years back for $200 and it was bought to be a backup for my Orange - had it re-tubed and added a new power cord and done. I gig with it all the time and use it in band rehearsal as my main amp. I gave up on my 2007 Orange Rockerverb 100 that I've had in the shop no less than 4 times for various issues. Before that I had a Marshall DSL100 that was in the shop for something every couple of years. Main point - vintage amps have served me well, newer ones, not so much. I have a 1978 Sunn Beta Lead that is 100% original outside of the grill cloth, never been opened up. I play it every day at home as my main practice and writing amp.

I bought the Butcher as mentioned as a backup. I use it as a VERY loud but clean platform. Took me a while to figure out that running it on the lo-gain channel was the optimal way of doing things. Then I had to dial out the massive highs these and the VTMs are known to have. Easy enough with about 10 minutes of tweaking between the amp and my fuzz pedal. I am competing against the other guitarist in my band in terms of volume with his bevy of holy grail non-master volume amps (1976 Orange OR120, 1973 Sunn Model T, and a 1998 Matamp "Black" GTO120). Since we play massively fuzzed out stoner rock/doom, I hit the Butcher with a Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh fuzz pedal - just thick and nasty in a good way. I bought the second Butcher as a mod platform, but since I've got it dialed in, not sure I want to do it. I'm now looking at a VTM120, hope to buy that in the next day or so. I'm hooked, they are awesome amps (Butchers and VTMs) and I plan on hoarding as many as I can - now that the economy has at least leveled off from it's worst time, the prices are going back up.

[Adieu]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I have read about the vtm120, I think Kim Thayill from soundgarden used them on the first couple albums. at any rate they are highly rated as a jcm800 but with more gain and bass but are ugly and heavy if you care about that. I woulda got one but I dont like dealing with vintage amp failure, I just prefer getting a new amp so I dont have to go to the repair guy.

Repair? An ancient Peavey?? This bugger is the ak47 of southern rock. It's reputed to function just fine: underwater, in outer space, and at elevations of +/-8 km... ALLEGEDLY!

[lefthandedbastard]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I have a vtm 120 i was thinking of trading or selling. I just had it serviced. Interested?

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

If you get the VTM, check the ribbon coming off of the power supply board. If it's fried you're gonna need new rectifier diodes. This happened to mine. The bridging rectifiers fried and then fried the ribbon.

I need to fix it one of these days, it's a great sounding amp.

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

If you get the VTM, check the ribbon coming off of the power supply board. If it's fried you're gonna need new rectifier diodes. This happened to mine. The bridging rectifiers fried and then fried the ribbon.

I need to fix it one of these days, it's a great sounding amp.

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I've never played a modded VTM, but I have played stock versions and I've been impressed. I think they are a great basic platform for a straight ahead rocker who uses pedals. The mods described here sound pretty interesting.

My issues with the Ultras has always been that, in my experience, the gain channels have been noisy and hissy.

These amps offer great value for the dough, and they are certainly worth a look.

Bill

[Buzz W]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

A slightly tweaked VTM is an awesome thing. Just got a 2nd one, once you warm them up, ( very easy to do) they are spectacular. I had an Ultra for a couple years back in the day, if it is the active control version, I would pass. Just not my thing anymore. With a couple $ in parts, you can get the VTM into full vintage roar voicing. I think stock they have the same annoying upper mid spike that a Laney Pro Tube has. Once tweaked, they are spectacular...

I really need one of these. Do you know where I can get one? Do you have another that you might sell?
Thx

[Buzz W]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Gone_Shootin, I would buy it from you even if its damaged, if you were willing to sell.

[xxxplorer]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Kevlar can make a gorilla amp sing, and that .68 presence mod is my favorite one to do on a Marshall circuit! Makes it more of a chest kicker knob lol!

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

So you do a .68? Kev said he went all the way to .33.

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Gone_Shootin, I would buy it from you even if its damaged, if you were willing to sell.

No, sorry, it's not for sale. It's my first amp, so it has alot of sentimental value. It was the only thing of value I didn't sell when I was flat broke about 13 years ago.