Peavey Transtube Amps

[Andrew Lamprecht]

I love my peavey rage 258 but its only 25 watts and I need an amp to start gigging with. There is a larger version that is 80 watts and in my price range. Does anyone have any experience with the bandit 112? (the 80 watt amp) Help would be appreciated.

 

[PVFan]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

I won't be changing my alias to PVTranstubeFan anytime soon.

what is said price range?

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

about $250 - $400

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

so why dont you like the transtubes? Do you like Valvekings?

 

[louthunder]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

The Bandit is one of the best S.S. amps ever imho! They are built like a tank, and sound pretty darn good.

 

[PVFan]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

what styles do you play, and what do you mean by gigging? $250 - 400 allows for a LOT of options new and used

what is the price on the Bandit?

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

the bandit is $300 new. I like my transtube right now because it gives a reasonable sound of a tube amp and it is sturdy. I would be playing to about a hundred people.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

The Bandit 112 is a good amp.

Is it a JSX? A Delta Blues? A Classic 30? Of course not. It's not supposed to be.

It IS a good bang:buck amp purchase, though. The eq is quite sensitive/tweakable. Do get a footswitch for it. You won't regret it.

 

[PVFan]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

yep, but for $300 ... don't tube amps enter in? or SS/hybrids with modeling and FX maybe (Vox, Cube, Randall, PV Vyper). There are some folks in other current threads talking about good deals on Windsors; I like the combo version. A quick google showed:

Peavey Windsor
MusiciansFriend.com Peavey Windsor Tube Amp Free shipping on orders over $99.
Search ResultsShopping results for peavey windsor

Peavey Windsor Tube Amp Head $299.99 - Musicians Friend
Peavey Windsor Studio $399.99 - Sweetwater
Peavey Windsor Studio Guitar Combo Amplifier ... $399.00 - samedaymusic

I borrowed a friend's Bandit just a few weeks ago and there's nothing wrong with it for what it is, but me, I'd get something else for $300.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

There is a larger version that is 80 watts and in my price range.

Peavey has Transtube amps in all sorts of price ranges and watt rating.
They're a great value, and they're one of the best solid state tube simulations I've ever heard. The Trans tube amps do tube simulation as well or better than Tech 21 amps. I know people who gig with them and the tone they get is great. There might be subtlties of tube tone that they don't nail, but the thickness and warmth is there.

For your price range, you could get one of the top of line Peavey Transtube amps. I've been eyeing the Supreme or XXL, and both are available on the used market for under $400. Those two are the top of the Transtube line I guess. The XXL has three channels, each one with a three position switch to select from three voices. I checked one out at a local MGR and was pretty impressed with all the tones!
The Supreme has two channels, also with 3 position switches to select voicings, and the essential voicings from the XXL (Brit, modern, ultra, crunch, and a nice clean) are there.
Brit does a pretty decent Van Halen tone. Modern nails that scooped metal tone. Ultra is a fat, sustainy solo tone.
It's worth checking around to see if one of these amps is for sale used in your area.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

Bandit is a great all around SS amp. You can play anything on that if you set it right.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

well i play classic rock and classic metal
do you think it is a good choice?
Again I like my rage a lot. Would I like the Bandit? Does anyone have experience with both of them?

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

I have played a number of the Peavey combos, the Bandit sounds much more like a real amp than the Rage. You shouldn't need any boost or distortion pedals as they have plenty of gain built in - and it sounds decent enough also.

You can find all sorts of used Peavey amps, any number of Bandits all over the place from all different years. You should be able to pick them up for $100 to $150 each all day long.

 

[JamesPaul]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

Disclaimer: I don't own a Bandit.

Having stated that, the Bandits I've heard covered about the same range of tones I get from my Classic 30 112 or 50 212. Indeed, you can probably find a used Classic under your $400 limit.

One thing to consider is maintenance costs on a tube amp. A complete retube for one of my Classics is $70. If gigging regularly, said retube usually occurs less than every 2 years. It's not uncommon to need power tubes once a year. You may spend more or less depending on your preferred tube set and frequency of gigs.

So what kind of scheduled maintenance has your Transtube Rage required?

Another thing to consider is the audience of 100 people you'll be playing to. Are they tube amp playing guitarists or are they fans of live music at your local club, bar or etc.? If the latter, they may not notice the tonal differences between a $150 used - $300 new Bandit and a $400 used or new tube amp.

There's nothing wrong with a Transtube amp in many applications.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

I did own a Bandit. While I don't think it is in the same class as a Tech21, it is a great amp for lots of different music. I don't think you could go wrong with one- especially for the prices they turn up used. For a lower priced SS combo, it is very nice.
The Tech21s are more expensive but they have that 'tube feel' thing down.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

Well, there has been no scheduled maintenence as I have only had the amp about 6 months. That's one thing I like about it. I will be playing at small local clubs. So do you guys think I should buy a new bandit or say a used tube amp?

 

[JamesPaul]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

You like the tone, versatility and reliability of your Rage. As posted by others, the Bandit should sound better, be more versatile and be just as reliable. It should cover classic rock and classic metal fine. With clean power feeding it and proper care, the Bandit should be a one time expense.

A good tube amp does everything the Bandit can and it will do it better. In the local club setting, better is maybe 10% max though. A tube amp will realistically cost you more and it will come with the scheduled maintenance cost of replacing the tubes. This isn't always mentioned when someone is suggesting a tube amp purchase.

Remeber it is your tone and it is your money. I think you should buy the best sounding amplifier in your price range. Don't sweat it if that amplifier turns out to be a Transtube Bandit.

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

I have a transtube bandit 112 with the sheffeild speaker, and a peavey valve king 112 with an eminence texas heat. I like the vk, but I love my bandit! Cleans are nice, and the od channel is nice and smooth. Not so much with the vk's gain channel. Just for the hell of it, I sometimes run my bandit's pre-out into the vk input on the clean channel, Very nice indeed!

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Peavey Transtube Amps

Ah, yes. Do get a 112S (for Sheffield). The original Bandit did not have the Sheffield speaker. It does make a difference.

The later versions of the Bandit were good as well. I heard that when PV moved production of some models to China that there was a decline in the quality of some models. I have no personal experience with the Chinese models, though. The successor to the Bandit 112S (prior moving production) was :cool3:. They added a couple of features that I really liked.