ordered a new amp today

[SteveB]

Hey guys, I figure this is the most applicable area to post this.

I ordered a new Peavey XXX head today. I should have it next week. I wanted to try one for a long time, but couldn't find one in stock anywhere.

I *did* try the JSX (Satriani model) which was modeled after the XXX (but uses EL's instead of 6L6's in the power amp section). I wasn't terribly thrilled with the lead channel on the JSX. The crunch was good and the clean was OK too.

I have owned a Peavey Classic 120/120 power amp for over a decade, it has been my main power amp. It originally had 6L6's but I had it re-biased and changed to EL34's a few years back. But I liked it better with 6L6's. So, I have concluded that I'm just a 6L6GC guy, plain and simple.

So, after listening to sound clips and internet movies, reading user and magazine reviews, I decided to order a XXX sight unseen. I expect it will tear my head off when I plug in my JP6. Anyway, I'll let you know how it works out. I figure I've had worse amps in the past and found ways to get a decent sound out of them..

 

[blackspy]

The Peavey stuff like the XXX, JSX, 5150 are awesome in my opinion. I love the XXX I played, a friend has it, it's a combo version, but it smokes. I really debated between it and the 5150. I took a 5150 because I liked that low-end fuzziness it has. The XXX has it too, but to a different degree. The stuff is built like a rock, and it isn't too tough to get service on a Peavey, you pretty much can't throw a rock without hitting a Peavey dealer or service center.

One tip though, Peavey generally sticks really crappy tubes in the amps from the factory. So you may get a suprise when you try it out and it doesn't sound the way it should. You might want to be prepared to put some different tubes in right away. I thought there was something wrong with my 5150 when I got it because it sounded nothing like the one I tried out. Better tubes solved the problem though.

 

[SteveB]

Blackspy,

Yeah, I wanted to try the 5150 (or "6505" nowadays) amps, too. Again, nobody has 'em around here. I figured they'd have a little more fuzz with the extra 12AX7's in them, but I have heard that the clean wasn't as good, and I use the clean channel a lot. Supposedly, the 5150-2 ("6505 +") has a bit better clean channel than the regular one.

But with 3 channels on the XXX, I'll have lots of tweaking options available and a very similar gain structure to any of these amps.

Plus, I get to embody good taste by displaying all the little silhouetted girlies imprinted in that metal part.

 

[blackspy]

Yes, all the pre-amp gain is similar on them, JSX/XXX/5150 ... it seems it's the other features that make em different, and their poweramp differences. The 5150's clean, is not clean at all really, in fact it's not even labeled clean, its labeled rhythm. It's an aquired taste, I've started to like the sound actually, but then I bought it, so maybe I'm forcing myself It does not do fender clean that for sure. The 5150-2 rhythm channel is more of a copy of the 5150 combo's clean, which is different from them 5150 head. It is a bit better for clean. I hear nothing but great sounds from the XXX. I am dying to try a JSX though, seems like an incredibly flexible amp. Even has a built in noise gate.

You're lucky, you get the cool girls on the grill ... I've got a stupid number

 

[SteveB]

As I mentioned, I tried the JSX (with my Petrucci guitar) and it was good, but not 100% what I was looking for. It's a really beautiful amp to look at.. very aesthetically pleasing. The one I tried did sell within about 2 weeks from the time I tried it, so *somebody* thought it was the shiznit.

I'm really excited to get this XXX though. Plus, I'll be playing an American-made guitar through an American-made amp. In times like these, when not too many things are still made in the USA, that actually makes me feel very good.

Now if I could only find a buyer for some of my other gear, I could make a deposit on a new EBMM guitar! I would love another JP6 in white, but I think I'd also like a Silhouette (honeyburst) to give me more tonal variety across my guitars.

I may have to look into evilBay.. I've never bought or sold a thing on there.

 

[blackspy]

If you don't already know, Peavey has a forum similar to this one. Lots of good people there, and the techs from Peavey drop in from time to time to resolve issues. There's a link off their support page.

 

[SteveB]

got it

I picked up my new Triple XXX head today and took it over to band practice.

Wow!

Nice amp. I still have to tweak the EQ for each of the 3 channels to get everything 'just so', and then add my pedals. But it sounded damn good just plugging right in with no effects... all three channels.

I can't wait to spend some more time with it!

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

1. Has anyone tried the 6505+ head? How is the clean and crunch channels?
2. What are high end tubes when i need to replace them?

 

[blackspy]

I've played the 5150-II head (6505+) I loved it. There's no 'clean' channel, don't make that mistake ... there is 'rhythm' and 'lead'. There is a crunch on/off for the rhythm channel, so if you plug into the low gain input of the amp, and maybe roll your volume back a bit on the guitar, you can get a clean sound, then kick in the crunch if you want. The clean, I'd describe as slightly dirty, always. The crunch is very reminiscent of the plexi sound. Actually with the addition of the footswitchable crunch, and separate EQ for each channel, the 5150-II sounds more like the combo then the 5150 head.

I'd replace the tubes if they're the sovtek/ruby combination. I like the Electro Harmonix in the preamp, JJ's in the power section. Nice sound for me anyway. I'm planning trying some Svetlana 12ax7's when I get a chance. I've heard good things about them. Alot of guys also love the JJ's in the preamp and poweramp. I didn't do it for me, I preferred the EH tubes in the pre. Experiment, I guess.

 

[blackspy]

I picked up my new Triple XXX head today and took it over to band practice.

Wow!

Nice amp. I still have to tweak the EQ for each of the 3 channels to get everything 'just so', and then add my pedals. But it sounded damn good just plugging right in with no effects... all three channels.

I can't wait to spend some more time with it!

It is nice to be able to plug straight into an amp have it sound great. I always used to need a TS9 and/or an EQ or compressor.. stuff like that. It's nice to use your effects to make it sound better, instead of using them to make it sound right.

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

that sucks that theres no clean channel

 

[SteveB]

It is nice to be able to plug straight into an amp have it sound great. I always used to need a TS9 and/or an EQ or compressor.. stuff like that. It's nice to use your effects to make it sound better, instead of using them to make it sound right.

I agree. I think I'm going to keep it simple.. the only pedals I'll add are compressor, delay, reverb, and chorus. I will use them in various combinations to expand the sonic possibilities. I think these pedals will give me that chorus-y clean that we all like, and some various finishing touches for leads.

I went out and bought all the pedals last weekend, so I'm eager to take them to rehearsal on Thursday and try 'em out. Meanwhile, I'm starting to construct a no-frills pedalboard. Got some plywood today, spray adhesive, surge strip, spiral wrap, black spray paint, and I ordered velcro loop fabric to cover the whole board and enough velcro hook material to apply to the pedals. Oh, and I ordered some George L's for wiring it all up. I should have the pedalboard ready over the weekend if all goes well (and all the deliveries show up on time).

 

[blackspy]

Hey, you should post a pic of that when you're done. I'm contemplating buying one (pedalboard) but if making one like that doesn't look to hard ... I'd love to see it.

 

[SteveB]

No prob, I'll post a pic of the final product. I'm going for no frills. Initially, it will be just the board with no carrying case. Down the road I might actually make a case to lug it around, but for now I just need a surface that I can velcro some pedals onto!

 

[Warg Master]

Peavey Amps Rule!

 

[blackspy]

All this talk about the JSX I'm hearing all over the place is starting to get to me. I can't wait until my local shop gets one for me to try out.

 

[SteveB]

first look at pedalboard

Here's the pedalboard I just made today. I still need a few more George L's to connect the Strobostomp, wah, and volume.

Actually, I think I'm going to replace the Boss FV pedal with a new Ernie Ball volume pedal... a VP Jr, perhaps?

And the wah switch started acting up last night at rehearsal, so I might just take it out altogether. I never really use it anyway.. on a very rare occasion.

I will leave the power strip on there for now, even though I don't need it for pedals.

The board is 1/2" plywood (32in x 16in) covered with velcro-compatible loop material. (Held in place by 3M #77 spray adhesive.)

The cost was miminal.. about $5 for the plywood (I bought a 2 foot by 4 foot panel at Home Depot.. you get 2 cuts for free, so I just had them cut it to 32" by 16"). Velcro loop (36in x 20in) and 4 feet of adhesive-backed velcro hook material came to about $32 shipped. Can of 3M adhesive for $8 and a $2 can of black spray paint (yes, I painted the whole board even though I would be covering it with fabric).

So, this board cost about $47 USD. I'm not factoring in the wiring, power supply, or power strip, as I feel I would have needed to buy them even if I purchased a commercial board. I did come up a little short on the velcro hook tape, so I'll need to get a little more, so add a couple bucks to the total for that.

 

[blackspy]

Cool, nice job it all looks neat and clean How do you find the Boss compressor?

 

[SteveB]

Blackspy,

Thanks! I tried to make it nice and clean. I just bought the Boss compressor recently, and I haven't found a great set of parameters for it yet. I seem to want to run it in a more subtle fashion than it is designed. That is, it seems too radical to me.. but I haven't given up on it yet. I'm really only using it for 'clean' stuff right now, and I think I need to get my compressor, reverb, chorus, and delay pedals all tweaked into a harmonious batch of settings.

 

[blackspy]

Yeah compression is a weird beast it seems. I recently bought one, I know I want what it does, I like what it adds/removes, but I still haven't really come up with exactly the setting I want. I miss it when its off, or too little, but I can't seem to nail it. Its extra tricky with the 5150, the last thing that monster needs is anything that adds gain to the signal coming in.