Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

[Voodoogumbo]

I picked up a Peavey Windsor 100w head with a 5150 cab from a co-worker today. The cab has the tolex beat up a bit, but the wood and Sheffields are in great shape. He sold it to me for $280, so I'm thinking I got a decent deal. Here's the kicker, I've NEVER had a tube amp before. I have questions. Please answer* them.

1. Oh god, a tube amp, what do I do?
2. The head has 300w by the part where you plug in the cord, but it says 100w RMS by the output jack. So is it 300w or 100w?
3. It's got a SICK clean tone, but leaves a LOT to be desired for metal tones. It has the British crunch thing down pretty good. I'm up for any advice on tone-tweaking.
4. I have to totally rethink my pedals now. It's so easy to slap a distortion pedal on solid-states and call it a day. This thing is an absolute unbridled mustang if I stomp on my Dimebag Distortion.
5. What's the secret to tubes? Should I replace them? How do I know when they're ready to be replaced? Are tube exchanges considered an "upgrade" for an amp?

*answers may be sarcastic, helpful, courteous or disparaging. As long as they're right.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Not a modern metal amp but with good tubes and a bias it can kick a lot of ass. They tend to get some cold solder breaks at the pots so if and when you get it tubed have them check for that. Not an expensive amp but it's a rocker.

Unless you're pretty well versed in electronics have the bias done by a shop.

I ran mine full A/B if I remember correctly and then grind to taste. I kind of ate up my first set of power tubes but after that I was good, no issues.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Your amp consumes 300 Watts of power from your AC wall supply.
It puts out 100 watts of power to the speakers (more or less with volume dimed).
I will let the other guys handle all the other stuff.

JFYI...those amps are Kind Of like a 100 watt 5E3...they are not known for a lot of clean head-room.
But you own one now...you can decide for yourself.
Do not be in a big hurry to needless change tubes.
congrats on the new tube amp...!!

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

First of all, watch this.

This is a vintage Marshall head vs a Windsor head. Bad sound, but shocking results.

How does that make you feel? Should make you feel pretty friggin' good.

No, the Windsor head isn't hi gain, but it is as pedal friendly as a Marshall...which is pretty friendly. You're one stompbox away from beast mode, and when you turn the pedal off...aww shucks, you're playing an amp that won a blind taste test with a vintage Marshall.

Suffice to say, I'm pretty jealous. You scored pretty big there. Grats.

 

[dominus]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Overdrive in front and EQ in the loop will get you your metal tones.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Overdrive in front and EQ in the loop will get you your metal tones.

Just like business in front and party in the back.

Or liquor in front and poker in the rear.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

First of all, watch this.

This is a vintage Marshall head vs a Windsor head. Bad sound, but shocking results.

How does that make you feel? Should make you feel pretty friggin' good.

No, the Windsor head isn't hi gain, but it is as pedal friendly as a Marshall...which is pretty friendly. You're one stompbox away from beast mode, and when you turn the pedal off...aww shucks, you're playing an amp that won a blind taste test with a vintage Marshall.

Suffice to say, I'm pretty jealous. You scored pretty big there. Grats.

That is one of the worst quality demos I have ever seen on Youtube.
I am a true believer in Honest/Blind tests...and yes, people are often humbled by the truth revealed. But I would not make Any Judgement based on that video.....nor most any other for that matter.
But Jesus...it would be hard to find a worse example.
best

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Well, I do my best. hehe
it wasn't the guitar tones I was trying to show off in this....well..clip filmed on a potato. It was the show of hands and incredulity afterwards. I haven't looked (because I don't have the amp) but, I'm sure there's a bunch of good Windsor clips online. Personally I'd love to find the Studio model which is a slightly different creature.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Yeah...no problem.
I understand your intent.
But when a company hosts a demo, and uses their own employee........
But your point is well taken. Players often listen with their eyes and wallets.

 

[CTN]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

1. Oh god, a tube amp, what do I do?
Make sure the cab is plugged into the right speaker output jack before powering on - this is crucial. When you're switching on, power first, then standby. When you're switching off, standby first, then power. Other than that, it's just an amp. play your ass off.

2. The head has 300w by the part where you plug in the cord, but it says 100w RMS by the output jack. So is it 300w or 100w?
300W power consumption from the wall. 100W RMS power output to the speaker cab.

3. It's got a SICK clean tone, but leaves a LOT to be desired for metal tones. It has the British crunch thing down pretty good. I'm up for any advice on tone-tweaking.
um... it's not designed to be a metal amp. you could try a couple of boosts before the amp and maybe a good EQ in the fx loop.

4. I have to totally rethink my pedals now. It's so easy to slap a distortion pedal on solid-states and call it a day. This thing is an absolute unbridled mustang if I stomp on my Dimebag Distortion.
ok... sometimes you don't really want to tame a kickass tube amp, you want it to run wild and let it kick and scream and roar at the top of its lungs. That's where teh t0anz live.

5. What's the secret to tubes? Should I replace them? How do I know when they're ready to be replaced? Are tube exchanges considered an "upgrade" for an amp?
Start reading now. stop reading... well there's too much info about tubes out there to be able to stop reading. Eventually you're just gonna get tired of reading and figure that you know enough.

As far as replacing, a lot of it comes down to trying to find a balance between cost, tone and reliability. there are a lot of options out there for preamp tubes and the only way to figure out what floats your boat is to start experimenting.

Power tubes, within a certain type or types that your amp can handle, there are relatively fewer options, but still quite a lot and again, experimentation is the key.

 

[Voodoogumbo]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Thanks everyone for the insightful posts. I definitely am smarter than I was 12 hours ago. Too bad none of you live near me, or I'd let you come play the thing. BYOG of course.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

I looked back on some notes from when I had my Windsor.

It came with Ruby EL34's and I ate the first set up in 6 months, they still worked but sounded like dogfarts. I put in Svet EL34, I wrote down Winged C's but I am not 100% sure they were. It was very responsive to bias changes.

I have written down that I had EH 12AX7's in the pre's but I might have messed around with them a little bit.

Mine got used for 2-3hrs 20 or 3 nights a week for the most part. Other than the cold solder joints at the pots I don't recall any other issues?

It was a real good Rock n Roll amp fwiw. I sold it to a guitar player in a local hardcore band and last I saw him he still had it. Been a few years now since I sold it.

 

[Artie]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

Too bad none of you live near me, or I'd let you come play the thing. BYOG of course.

The irony. I live virtually next door, but I have my own Windsor. Must be a Jax thang.

Although . . . I don't have a 5150 cab.

Artie

(Let me know if you ever need custom wiring.)

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Peavey Windsor w/5150 cab...and go.

I jammed with a dude for a while that went neckthru Dinky w/EMG81 + white face Rat + Windsor. He ran into one of my G12-65 cabs, and that was a serious metal tone. I cop it a bit with my Butcher, but it was a magical combo, alas, it's not the same.