Peavey Valve King vs. Fender silverface?

David Doggett · Posted 18 Dec 2006 9:23 am

Has anyone done a comparison for pedal steel with a Peavey Valve King versus a Fender silverface amp, such as a Deluxe Reverb, Vibrolux, or Pro Reverb? I am interested in the clean tone, EQ, and reverb comparisons, not other features.

Andy Zynda · From: Wisconsin

I tried the VK at home.
Against:
65 Deluxe Reverb
73 Vibrolux Reverb
74 Super Reverb
67 Twin Reverb

Nothing against Peavey and their outstanding products, but I was unimpressed with that amplifier. It sounded sterile, and sort of flat sounding. The power was there though.
YMMV
-andy-

Delvin Morgan · From: Lindstrom, Minnesota, USA

How's it with a Strat?

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Can't speak for the VK, but I also find mostPeavey tube amps a little dull and flat sounding in comparison to a Fender.. I have owned 2 Delta Blues, a Classic 50 and am currently gigging with a Classic 100.. Not bad really, but they don't have that juicy tubey goodness that Fender has for some reason.. bob

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Isn't "flat" good for a pedal steel? As opposed to "ballsy", "crunchy", "growly", "perky", "peppy" or "zesty"? Is "flat" the same as "chimey", does it have "sparkle" and "spank"? I sure wish I knew what people were talking about sometimes, because it sounds to me like "flat" and "dull" mean it doesn't have resonant peaks and it's not distorting, both GOOD for pedal steel....

Regardless, I'm pretty sure you'd have to do the comparisons with blindfolds on (the players and listeners, not the amps) because people hear what they think they hear, not what they really hear, and that "Peavey" logo gives tubeheads hives. You'll need a steel player who can play in tune with a blindfold on too - please let us know how it turns out!

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"because it sounds to me like "flat" and "dull" mean it doesn't have resonant peaks"

Not so much that as no "presence" and a lifeless, "hollow" tone that seems to lack some of the rich harmonics of the Fender, Marshall and Vox designs.

I've had the same experience playing six-string with Peavey tube amps, either borrowed for gigs, part of a house backline or trying them in the studio - Their primary advantage seems to a combination of cost and no vintage value; a Fender silverface amp will go up in value over time; a Peavey will drop in price.

But they are inexpensive, easily replaced, and don't sound "bad", just not "great" IMO.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

David, "flat" in amp response usually means little bass or treble emphasis. The sound seems compressed, with no real life or character, the mids are predominant. Take your average Fender amp, set the bass on 1, the mids on 9, and the treble on 1, and you've got a pretty much "flat" frequency response. Sure, it "cuts through", but has life, no spark, and no body. It's sorta like listening to music through an amplified phone.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Donny,
Those settings on a Fender will not give you flat. It seems closer with
treble 4
mid 10
bass 4
brite off

That is the fender settings I use and it sounds good to me and the producers I work for.

------------------
Bob
upcoming gigs
My Website

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

A lot of musicians listen with their "eyes". I personally play through either a Peavey Classic 100/Classic 410E speaker cabinet, a Nashville 400 or 1000 or 112 with steel. I do own a Vibrolux, but that amp was not designed with steel in mind, so I would not expect it to sound good. Let me state that I love the Vibrolux. It has its own characteristics. But, I also love the Peavey Classic Series.

But, the Peavey Valve King was not intended to sound like any particular amplifier that is presently on the market. When an amplifier is designed, we hope that it has its own sound. The VK is the first Peavey USA-designed/Chinese made tube amplifier, which means extremely affordable all tube amp................................and it sounds DARN good, if I might say so myself.

Peavey has been known for its quality roadworthy amplifiers, so why would we use inexpensive parts on the design of a product when the labor costs to build the product is lower? The answer is that for a mass produced product, we don't. We just take advantage of the lower labor costs involved. Sure, a custom-made boutique amp sounds good(sometimes), but you and I both know why it priced as it is.

Besides, I feel comfortable in stating that most of us who perform on a regular basis make about $100.00 a gig and during the holiday season, maybe more. I can't reason with myself that a $1500-$2000 amp would make a difference in my pay or my sound, or for that matter....................would the crowd notice. I think that most players would not want to admit that a tube amp would sound bad, but there are models that do sound bad. The same with solid state..............most would probably state that they don't sound good. But, listen with your ears and not your eyes, some solid state amps sound great. We just don't want to admit it.

Back in the late '90's, we did a blindfold test among twenty or so top Nashville guitarists that A/B'd one of our latest Transtube amplifiers against the most popular guitar tube amps on the market. No effects were used. They played their favorite guitar through each of the amps. Not one player could determine what or which brand of amp that he/she was playing through. True story.

Check out our quality versus some of our competitors and determine for yourselves which comparable product gives more "bang for the buck".

Sometimes musicians hear with their eyes. I think that most would agree that Eddie Van Halen sounded great and was a monumental player. Not only did he use Marshall at one time, but he chose Peavey for his guitar and amp designs. We still manufacture the 5150 Series under our 6505 trademark name. EVH owned the name, we owned the design of the amp.

Mike Brown
Peavey USA

[This message was edited by Mike Brown on 20 December 2006 at 07:48 AM.]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Sorry to disagree, Bob, but the settings you listed actually give about a 10db mid-range scoop with the standard Fender "tone-stack" controls. The settings I gave have less than a 2db variation from high to low, a far "flatter" response curve.

David Doggett · Posted 19 Dec 2006 9:01 am

Well, I guess this is what I wanted to know. But it doesn't make me happy. "Flat" and "sterile" used together to describe a tube amp sound tells me something like what Jim S. is talking about. There is a lack of that juicy tube harmonic texture that the old Fenders have. I'm not talking about the obvious crunch and breakup of the blackfaces and the new Fender guitar amps. I'm talking about the warmth you get from the preamp tubes combined with a little harmonic warble from the power tubes that gives that marvelous texture to the clean range of blackfaces, and the whole range of silverfaces, before there is any breakup. That's my favorite steel tone. I don't really associate it with particular EQ settings, although maybe it has something to do with the sparkle in the highs. Some tube amps somehow have that texture engineered out of the clean tone. I was hoping the VK wasn't one of them, because the size, weight, features and price are very attractive for a low volume amp. I would love a tube amp in that power range with a clean channel (but not sterile) for country steel, and a dirty channel for blues/rock steel. In the silverface line, the Deluxe is underpowered, the Vibrolux has 10" speakers (don't care for them for steel), the Super and the Pro are too big and heavy. I guess I'll have to lug my steel to a showroom somewhere and try the VK and other tube guitar amps that size for myself. What I want is something with half the power and weight of a Twin, but the same tone.

David Doggett · Posted 19 Dec 2006 9:13 am

Mike, I responded before I saw your post. I have tried a Classic 30, and have a Delta Blues. Even with the 15" Blue Marvel and the bass full on and treble almost off, the DB is just too thin and trebley. At some point I'll try a VK to see if it is close enough for my needs - I realize one can't really tell from verbal descriptions. I have no problem whatsoever with a Peavey logo, if I get the tone I want.

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

I'm very curious about the Valveking 112. Is there anybody actually using this combo amp live for pedal steel?

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Right on Mike Brown. cc

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

I tried a 2X12" Valve King at the Peavey booth for a jam session at the Dallas show with my English Electronics lap steel, and I thought it sounded great, easily one of the best of the mass produced tube amps around. It was full sounding, and broke up very sweetly at a medium volume level. That's with a lap steel, I haven't tried with a pedal steel.

------------------
www.tyack.com

Kevin Ruddell · From: Toledo Ohio USA

When I started playing steel a couple of years ago I bought the Peavey Classic 30 as I thought an amp was an amp and would work fine for any electric guitar. I couldn't afford the cost or weight of a Twin.I wish I would have just bought a better match like a Twin or Nashville amp if I would have known . The Classic 30 works fine for me now since I made some changes and added a Boss Advanced EQ 10 band pedal. It doesn't have the same sound as the SF Twin or Super I wish I would have not sold in the late seventies. I had to replace the Blue Marvel with a heavier Eminence speaker and move it out of it's particle board cabinet into a wood cabinet , completely retube with a different array and move the head into a separate cabinet because of tube rattle and turn the treble and middle knobs completely off. After all the expense I would have been better off buying the Fender Twin or Peavey Nashville for steel . Kudos to Peavey for making an affordable ( Rice King ? ) 6L6 tube amp for the masses

[This message was edited by Kevin Ruddell on 20 December 2006 at 03:39 PM.]

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

I bought a VK 212 for lead guitar when they first came out, and I am extremely impressed. The VK series are incredible value for money, and mine has been very reliable. One of Peavey's successes in recent years for me.

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

Thanks for the support of the Peavey Valve King Series of amps.

Mike Brown
Peavey USA

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic