Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

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Bad.seed

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There's an ultra 120for sale.locally for 200 with no issues and.in good condition. I had an ultra plus in the past and really liked it and have heard the ultra is very similarminus the tight switch and active eq.

I'm not looking for versatility as this will be a one trick pony so the one channel on the vtm Isn't an issue. This amp will be paired with a 6505 for a hardcore punk band (Alaterror/leeway) and I want something thicker topairup with it. I know I like he ultra tone butI already have an xxx and don't want to.get something too similar to what I already have. I also like the jcm800 sound boosted and have read the vtm is very close

What should I do here?
 
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...
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Bad.seed said:
This amp will be paired with a 6505 for a hardcore punk band (Alaterror/leeway) and I want something thicker topairup with it.
Click to expand...

definitely VTM, especially if you already have a XXX. No point getting the ultra seeing as it's just an older version of the XXX.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Never used a VTM, but I've had a couple Butchers (still have one). I think they're almost the same amp minus the dipswitches. It is a little stiff feeling, but LOUD, +1 to the upper mid thing, can be good or bad really. Loves pedals, and is bulletproof (and HEAVY). I'd say 2 bills is a decent deal, I know there for a while they had a cult following and prices were going up, so it might be a great price at this point. For what you get you won't find a better deal. The JCM800 comparisons are fairly legit.

Hey Kevlar, what mods have you tried on them? I've wondered about a bias mod and cutting out the bright cap, but I just keep rocking it stock. I'm hella n00b when it comes to amp innards.
 
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Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

On the VTM, I replaced the 2 input jack resistors ( I never know the official name of each position, so bear with me) with 33K resistors, opens the amp up, lowers gain, and warms it up nicely. On my first VTM I worked on down from 100k to 68k on down to 33K. I think they were stock at 470k. I clipped the bright cap, which is right by the input resistors, on the preamp board. There is also a little oval striped cap ( not sure if it is a resistor or cap, as it had stripes, it is tiny... ) that was right next to the bright cap and resistors. That sucker adds all the nasal hell to the amp, you can't dial it out with it in there. And finally I swapped the .1 presence cap with a .68 which gave lower mid grind. Very easy stuff, as you can remove the pre section out of the amp by removing the knobs/pots and jacks. Then unplug the wire harnesses and out she comes. Took 15 mn of solder time, all the changes are done right on that board.

I know folks have swapped to El34s, or done bias mods, but on my old 120 and current 60, these mods did the trick perfectly. I am not inclined to tinker more, as that becomes actual work...lol. You still have all your boost switches, plenty of gain, like tons.... I mixed an old Sylvania 12AT7 in the pre tubes, really like it there. I run the master wide open, and dial in gain with the pre. I use my Weber Mass with it. The goods shine with that master dimed.....Will get a clip up in the near future....
 
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.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I've had both and prefer the Ultra 120. With the right tubes it can cover more ground.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

everdrone said:
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.
Click to expand...

Heh, you missed the part where I said they were bulletproof, didn't ya? Seriously, the one I have now hasn't been "serviced" for any reason since 1997, we don't know about before that. It's been ran hard, a lot, been through a few short tours in that time. The tubes have been changed a couple times, but that's it. My other one blew a screen grid resistor when I changed tubes once, but that was the only problem I ever had with it. My buddy in Chicago has that one now, he's never had any problems with it either.

One thing about them, like Kev said, they like to be run hard. You don't get into any meat until it's over 5, they sound best to me up around 8-9. If you aren't into LOUD and don't have an attenuator, it's probably not your amp.

Thanks for the input Kev, I think I might open mine up and try some of that soon.
 
Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Generally the PVs tend to go and go. Far from the best wiring set up, but I have never had a PV die on me.... A PPIMV master would be a nice upgrade, if one doesn't have an attenuator... The head cab can likely be tossed off a cliff and survive. Sucker is all about heavy
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

Yeah, the headshell is a big part of the weight. Word is that the amp fits right into a 5150/6505 headshell, and you can order one from Peavey direct, apparently.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

oh ok, seems to be a really cool amp that vtm 120 as long as you run it super loud, prolly too loud for my sensitive fragile ears. I suppose I have personal hangups about vintage amps that are 30 years old, but the wires and parts really hold up on them! cool man :)
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

IMHO, go with a VTM.

Those were the amps that Soungarden started out with, and we all know they had great tone then (...and now).
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

I like my amp best, orange thunderverb 50 with built in attenuator and bass transformers for all the low end.

but if you want a lower wattage peavey vtm 120, then keep looking for a peavey vtm 60 head, and like the others said, an attenuator might be acceptable for your tone needs; I dont like attenuating or neutering my tone at all, so lower wattage is best for me.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

everdrone said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Re: Peavey VTM 120 or Ultra 120?

everdrone said:
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.
Click to expand...

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!
 
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.
 
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