Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seeing?

[sosomething]

Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seeing?

Oh, and btw, dude - who might you be? Seriously, you've got a list of things wrong with me, and I'm not even sure who you are or what we ever discussed, if anything... that's kinda sad. And impolite of you, considering how I'm clearly not chasing you around your threads to say mean things to you if I'm still not sure who you are yet, and certainly NOT crusading against your rights to personal opinions and your very own preferences.

It's just that, since this is a gear forum, preferences WOULD generally be to the tune of "I choose to have great expectations for this BRAND" ... NOT "I choose to have very low expectations for this PERSON".

Also, please figure out already (since you're following me so attentively as to have a list) that most of my good/bad views of something are "FOR THAT PRICE". $200 awesomeness = $2000 wtf. A Valveking, a 90s Ibanez Japan superstrat or 70s MIJ Les Paul copy, a good score on a cab, a used DS1, and an off-brand tubescreamer circuit can get you FULLY EQUIPPED, well enough as to get locally famous on if you're good - for $500 or LESS.... that sorta cash thrown at new Gibsons can get you, uhm, NOWHERE. or a gawdawful Melody Maker + a headphone amp. RAWK ON! - sure to get sweeeeet gigs with that, and the chicks dude, the chicks, they jump straight outta their panties upon seeing you rocking out on your couch in headphones.

...nice plan. UH, NOPE.

I don't think he has a problem with you having opinions. I can't speak for him, but what I've noticed about you is that you spread a lot of misinformation and unfounded conjecture as fact in your posts, and generally act like a dick when you get called out.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

I don't think he has a problem with you having opinions. I can't speak for him, but what I've noticed about you is that you spread a lot of misinformation and unfounded conjecture as fact in your posts, and generally act like a dick when you get called out.

You nailed it.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

Adieu,

You only rant rant rant RANT all the time and are the only "gear hipster" I've ever even heard of. You also have no idea what an opinion is and how it differs from FACT, and act like everyone is out to get you and write these long ass replies being overly-defensive. Just chill, don't be so arrogant and you will see a dramatic change on how others respond to you. I guarantee it.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

I'd use a Windsor before a VK. Sounds better, smoother. Also nicely priced.

I've got a Windsor and my lead player has a ValveKing. I like the Windsor a little better, but his is really good as well. I've never played it before, so it might be due to the fact that he's ****ing awesome at guitar.

they were newly out 6-7 years or so? forget the new price, but they started turning up used for $150-225 for a marshall-voiced 100-watt head. just a nice cheap amp. one of those if it had a different name on it or if the color was just right people would be all over it.

Brand New for $400. Got a great (IMO) amp and a Fender speaker cab with Celestions for $500. Almost bought a used one, but I had the change, and I wasn't really sure (the Guitar Center by my house isn't great with their used stuff), but yeah it was about $100 for a used one.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

Cheaply made amps that are produced in such numbers that they hold no value. For a cheap solid state head, they sound good enough. If I were in the market for a solid state type amp, I'd go for one of the newer Line 6 digital amps. You can get so many tones from them and they sound pretty decent, plus you can find them used in the same price range. The best sounding and most versatile amp I have played with that was absolutely fun and made me want to play, was one of the Line6/Boger Spidervalve heads. That thing was a blast.

 

[dominus]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

Cheaply made amps that are produced in such numbers that they hold no value. For a cheap solid state head, they sound good enough. If I were in the market for a solid state type amp, I'd go for one of the newer Line 6 digital amps. You can get so many tones from them and they sound pretty decent, plus you can find them used in the same price range. The best sounding and most versatile amp I have played with that was absolutely fun and made me want to play, was one of the Line6/Boger Spidervalve heads. That thing was a blast.

The Valveking has 3 12AX7s and 4 6L6s.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

The Valveking has 3 12AX7s and 4 6L6s.

I'm thinking of another Peavey. I coulda swore it was a Valveking though. The L6/Bogner is also tube driven. I know the old Peavey Windsors were cheap straight out of the box too. $299 at most places. Seems like MF blew them out at $199 or so.


Edit* It was the TransTube I was thinking about.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

Don't ponder bargains for too long, because it it's truly a good deal they'll sell them quickly.

I'm not saying anything about the amp itself....honestly, I agree with Lucid about seaching Craigslist for amps that are just as good or better for the same money.

These days it's a buyer's market, and the music companies are desperate to liquidate stuff. Peavey dips pretty low in price because it started lower than most.

I've been a used gear bottom feeder for decades....yeah...hard to believe, but when you scour the ads daily, you'll find things better than cheap Peaveys. And used Peavey gear is a real bargain. Heck, Jolly bought his whole 5150 fullstack on CL for the price of a Valveking halfstack at the store.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

they were newly out 6-7 years or so? forget the new price, but they started turning up used for $150-225 for a marshall-voiced 100-watt head. just a nice cheap amp. one of those if it had a different name on it or if the color was just right people would be all over it.

Marshall-voiced? Copy of any specific circuit, or just an overall Marshall-y feel?

Btw, what is the ValveKing supposed to be similar to? Is it a knockoff of anything in particular, or at least similar-ish to something well-known?

I'm thinking of another Peavey. I coulda swore it was a Valveking though. The L6/Bogner is also tube driven. I know the old Peavey Windsors were cheap straight out of the box too. $299 at most places. Seems like MF blew them out at $199 or so.


Edit* It was the TransTube I was thinking about.

TransTube and Valveking are about as far apart as MG's and JCM's... one's a teensy modelling DSP, the other's a big-ass tube head. Although you might just be onto something, first I saw that ValveKing name, I was thinking "ok, so what's this, some hybrid? PV's answer to the Valvestate series, maybe?"

L6/Bogner is SOOO NOT tube driven. It's some puny Bogner-designed hybrid preamp in a Spider-style modeler. And Bogner-designed here doesn't even extent as far the Designed in Duncan Designed, it's honestly more like it's on an EMG Select or Licensed under Floyd Rose Pattents level... That amp is crap. AND it's ridiculously expensive. That kinda money can get you a DSL/TSL halfstack pretty easy.

Adieu,

You only rant rant rant RANT all the time and are the only "gear hipster" I've ever even heard of. You also have no idea what an opinion is and how it differs from FACT, and act like everyone is out to get you and write these long ass replies being overly-defensive. Just chill, don't be so arrogant and you will see a dramatic change on how others respond to you. I guarantee it.

Hehe, in other words, all y'all are being sore n jealous bout me being able to score good **** for like 5 times less than you end up paying for new ****-****... and being able to type hella fast.

Hmph! 3-digit WPM's are nothin overly special, but if you guys are still peckin and poking at the keyboard w/ two index fingers hunting around for each pesky letter, I can sorta understand how you take all your replies 110% seriously, and expect that somebody who says >2 sentences just spent a whole buncha time on it and is real emotionally invested in his reply.

...just ain't true, though.

 

[MrTondo]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

In short reply: If this is the amp you think sounds good to your ears and you have the money I would go for it anyday. If you think it's a bargain and that's why you buy it, leave it alone. Let your ears do the buying for you. Go through craigslist, play the amps in your price range and choose what sounds best to your ears for what you're after. If that is the VK, do not hesitate it will last long enough and give you many hours of rock out pleasure.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

In short reply: If this is the amp you think sounds good to your ears and you have the money I would go for it anyday. If you think it's a bargain and that's why you buy it, leave it alone. Let your ears do the buying for you. Go through craigslist, play the amps in your price range and choose what sounds best to your ears for what you're after. If that is the VK, do not hesitate it will last long enough and give you many hours of rock out pleasure.

"it will last long enough" - THANK YOU. that was pretty much what I was asking about.

Well, that and whether there are some well-known hidden pitfalls in the design somewhere that would catch me unawares and quickly turn it into a waste of $200 - from the responses, seems there aren't. Despite the huge discussion of the merits or lack thereof sound-wise, the popular love for the 5150, and even somebody praising the 5150 all the while admitting that the VK would probably sound better for EVH tones (lol'd hard at that), etc., etc., etc. - there wasn't a single Bugera-style "I really liked it for all of 3 hours, but then it emitted a purple smoke and died"-type response... or any reliability complaint, really. Which is almost surprising for a tube amp!

 

[sosomething]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

L6/Bogner is SOOO NOT tube driven. It's some puny Bogner-designed hybrid preamp in a Spider-style modeler. And Bogner-designed here doesn't even extent as far the Designed in Duncan Designed, it's honestly more like it's on an EMG Select or Licensed under Floyd Rose Pattents level... That amp is crap. AND it's ridiculously expensive. That kinda money can get you a DSL/TSL halfstack pretty easy.

Again, I'm not trying to pick on you, but this is just totally false.

You've got to be just making things up so you have something to say.

Granted, "ridiculously expensive" means something different to you than it does to me, but to say that the Spider Valve series is not tube-driven - and then describing it as a "puny Bogner preamp shoved into a modeling amp" - is not correct. Not half-wrong, not mostly wrong, but plain 100% dead wrong. The Spider Valve amps have Line6 modeling preamps paired with 6L6-loaded class A/B tube poweramps designed in partnership with Bogner Amplification. The power section is entirely tube-driven.

This is very, very different than your typical "hybrid" solid-state amp with some sad little Chinese 12ax7 shoved into the corner of the preamp PCB running in starved plate mode.

You do people here a disservice with this stuff, man. There are a lot of people who know better who will argue with you or ignore you, but there are a lot of younger guys or people newer to playing who may take your authoritative tone as that of someone who actually has knowledge, and be led astray by your BS. I take exception to that.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

They're made in China. That's it.

so mississippi is in china now? news to me.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

My mind can't conceive of a person who prefers the Valveking over a 5150.

stock for stock, of course it's a no-brainer. the valveking with the stock tubes and speakers(combo) is lackluster, IMO. BUT....

i just picked up a VK100 head on ebay for $200. it had a really flabby bottom end with the stock EH 12AX7's, and the gain boost only added a barrage of unusable, fuzzy, gritty, overly saturated distortion.

so i changed out the preamp tubes with JJ's

V1 ECC803S 12AX7 low gain
V2 ECC832 12DW7 low gain
V3 ECC83S 12AX7 normal gain

the speakers are 8ohm texas heats in series.

now the lead channel sounds good for classic rock and blues, and the gain boost offers the tight, articulate, crisp, percussive distortion i like....

i also removed the cheesey looking metal plate with wings around the logo.

next, i'm buying JJ 6L6's and building a proper cab.

EDIT: added new videos with texas heats.

 

[dominus]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

so mississippi is in china now? news to me.

Look closely at the back of yours.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

i assumed, since my C50 was made in the US, so was this one. regardless, it's a hell of a deal if you don't mind doing a few mods.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

L6/Bogner is SOOO NOT tube driven. It's some puny Bogner-designed hybrid preamp in a Spider-style modeler. And Bogner-designed here doesn't even extent as far the Designed in Duncan Designed, it's honestly more like it's on an EMG Select or Licensed under Floyd Rose Pattents level... That amp is crap. AND it's ridiculously expensive. That kinda money can get you a DSL/TSL halfstack pretty easy.

I'm pretty sure the L6/Bogner Spidervalve I owned had 4 big 6L6's glowing in the back of it. I've got DSL's and a Mesa and still thought the Spidervalve was a blast to play with and sounded great through one of my 1960 cabs with V30's and G12T75's. As far as price, I picked mine up for $300 off CL. The cheapest I have scored a DSL is one of the newer models for $450. As for DSL's, I like the pre-05 models before they started with all the cheaper parts to bring the new price from $1400 down to $600 or so.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

This is very, very different than your typical "hybrid" solid-state amp with some sad little Chinese 12ax7 shoved into the corner of the preamp PCB running in starved plate mode.

You do people here a disservice with this stuff, man. There are a lot of people who know better who will argue with you or ignore you, but there are a lot of younger guys or people newer to playing who may take your authoritative tone as that of someone who actually has knowledge, and be led astray by your BS. I take exception to that.

It's a DSP modeller that costs a bundle and SOUNDS LIKE A$$. That part I've witnessed personally... if it sounds like that, no I'm not gonna be memorizing its specs and schematics, or go looking under the hood trying to figure out what those sad buggers did wrong (as usual). Also sounds worse than most Chinese things with 12ax7's in their preamps, coincidentally... PRS SE 30 ain't nothin to turn your nose up against - but THIS IS.

Also, Line6 ... BOUGHT Bogner. That's the only reason that nameplate is on there. Line6 didn't quite take the plunge to devaluing the Bogner brand entirely by putting its name on every sorry little Spider (legally it could), but now, EVERY expensive L6 product is getting the Bogner nameplate in conjunction with the Line6 name... AND IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.

Made by Bogner = Made by Line 6 (now).

I'm pretty sure the L6/Bogner Spidervalve I owned had 4 big 6L6's glowing in the back of it. I've got DSL's and a Mesa and still thought the Spidervalve was a blast to play with and sounded great through one of my 1960 cabs with V30's and G12T75's. As far as price, I picked mine up for $300 off CL. The cheapest I have scored a DSL is one of the newer models for $450. As for DSL's, I like the pre-05 models before they started with all the cheaper parts to bring the new price from $1400 down to $600 or so.

I meant big old DSL 100's, or at the very least TSL 60's, not those teensy fifteens or whatever they are. I'm pretty sure the engineering behind fifteen watters is soo many tubes apart from 50/100's that calling it a DSL is a stretch and a half, even by marketers' standards.

 

[sixstringsamurai333]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

As someone who's quite keen on Line 6 modelling gear, I might be able to chip in about L6/Bogner. (sorry if it's a bit off topic!)

The Spider Valve series was their first foray into pairing modelling preamps with tube poweramps. True, there was a tube poweramp, but as I understand it, the design of the tube poweramp was such that it had maximum headroom - you basically couldn't drive it into powertube distortion. Its function was to amplify the 100% modelling tone as cleanly as possible, and so the "it has tubes" aspect could be considered slightly smoke and mirrors.

The next step in the evolution is the Line 6 DT series. This series actually reconfigures the power section's plate voltage, power class and so on based on what amp model is being activated. This gets you much closer to the elusive poweramp drive characteristics that many modellers still can't mimic properly. This, I consider to be a "true tube poweramp". You can truly drive it, and heck sometimes depending on the model, you inherit the same difficulties as the original amp - you can drive it, but it has to be bloody loud!

Just for reference, I gigged a Spider Valve 100W head for about a year back when it first came out, and I currently use my DT25 head for most of my review, writing and recording activities, so I do have a good amount of direct experience with these amps.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Why are Valveking 100s so dang cheap? Something really wrong with em I'm not seei

Made by Bogner = Made by Line 6 (now).

this is saddening... unless L6 actually sticks to all the bogner specs... i dunno, since this is the first i've heard of it.


EDIT: glad it ended up being boolsheet