Time To Upgrade / Recommendations

CeeJay

Ok, so I'm a year in and happy as a sandboy with my progress so far. When I began I bought a Peavey Transtube 158 for peanuts really, and am happy with it, but as always, there is a hankering. I am looking to upgrade and get myself something better. I play at home without exception at the moment, but hopefully in the next 12 months I will have the nads to attend a few low level Jam sessions, or at the very least find some other bods to jam with, so the amp will have to be capable of that. I am not that interested in built in effects as I like to play around with a few pedals, so the simpler, the better really. I've had a look on e bay but the choice is bewildering so I've come for advice. I'll be looking at used to get more bang for buck. As far as budget, I guess I'd like it to come in under £200, but don't have a clue really, so over to you for recommendations.
Cheers all.

HAL9000

Fender Champion 40 or 50. Not too many effects, and decent cleans. Friend has the 40 and it is plenty loud enough for jams with a tame drummer.

Another possibility might be the Laney Cub 12R. Not heard one myself but I’ve heard good things.

Modulus_Amps

Peaveyt Transtube Studio Pro - Then fit a better speaker and you will be sorted and you could probably do that under well £200

CeeJay

The Laney Cub12R does sound a good buy. Just a slight concern over not being able to get a really clean tone? Does it clean up with the gain right down?

ICBM

Modulus_Amps said:

Peaveyt Transtube Studio Pro - Then fit a better speaker and you will be sorted and you could probably do that under well £200

You did that on purpose so I couldn’t say it first .

Any other larger Transtube model will do fine as well, the Bandit is more common but will still come in well under £200, possibly as little as half that. All totally under-rated amps.

CeeJay

ICBM said:

Modulus_Amps said:

Peaveyt Transtube Studio Pro - Then fit a better speaker and you will be sorted and you could probably do that under well £200

You did that on purpose so I couldn’t say it first .

Any other larger Transtube model will do fine as well, the Bandit is more common but will still come in well under £200, possibly as little as half that. All totally under-rated amps.

So would this model be in the running?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEAVEY-STUDIO-PRO-110-Guitar-Amp-Teal-Stripe-era-Clean-High-Gain-Channels/274132265793

Or this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Bandit-112-Transtube-guitar-amp-combo/333478663048?hash=item4da4e09388:g:rksAAOSwM~deHEz9

ICBM

I would get the Bandit. The older pre-Transtube models are still good - very loud, robust and reliable - but they have a harder, more obviously ‘solid state sound’ and are generally better used as a clean platform for pedals or a modern modelling multi-FX unit than as a standalone ‘amp’, in my opinion. You *can* get a usable overdrive sound from the second channel, but it’s more 80s/90s sounding than either vintage or modern, if that makes sense...

CeeJay

Thanks @ICBM . I've done a bit of research and it seems the red stripe one (the one in my link) was highly regarded above the other incarnations. There's one on Gumtree for £80, a steal surely. Alas it's collection from Hampshire, which is out of my reach. I will watch the one on e bay with keen interest and keep my powder dry until the last bidding. 

This might be of interest for 26 quid!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Valveking-100W-2X12-combo-valve-Amplifier/114063668447

ICBM

CeeJay said:

Thanks @ICBM . I've done a bit of research and it seems the red stripe one (the one in my link) was highly regarded above the other incarnations. There's one on Gumtree for £80, a steal surely. Alas it's collection from Hampshire, which is out of my reach. I will watch the one on e bay with keen interest and keep my powder dry until the last bidding. 

This might be of interest for 26 quid!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Valveking-100W-2X12-combo-valve-Amplifier/114063668447

Personally, I would take a Transtube Bandit over a Valve King at any price - they sound better! The Valve King is one of the least "valve like" valve amps I can think of, and not built as well or as reliable as the solid-state ones either. Don't be fooled by it having valves in, it's really not as good an amp.

My own Peavey Studio is also a red stripe (it's actually pink!), and I do think they're the best-sounding, although the earlier silver stripe ones are maybe built a little better - but they're both great.

The red-stripe models aren't rare and don't sell for a lot, so if you're patient you're bound to get a good one for a good price.

CeeJay

ICBM said:

CeeJay said:

Thanks @ICBM . I've done a bit of research and it seems the red stripe one (the one in my link) was highly regarded above the other incarnations. There's one on Gumtree for £80, a steal surely. Alas it's collection from Hampshire, which is out of my reach. I will watch the one on e bay with keen interest and keep my powder dry until the last bidding. 

This might be of interest for 26 quid!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Valveking-100W-2X12-combo-valve-Amplifier/114063668447

Personally, I would take a Transtube Bandit over a Valve King at any price - they sound better! The Valve King is one of the least "valve like" valve amps I can think of, and not built as well or as reliable as the solid-state ones either. Don't be fooled by it having valves in, it's really not as good an amp.

My own Peavey Studio is also a red stripe (it's actually pink!), and I do think they're the best-sounding, although the earlier silver stripe ones are maybe built a little better - but they're both great.

The red-stripe models aren't rare and don't sell for a lot, so if you're patient you're bound to get a good one for a good price.

That's interesting to note, and knowledge only experience can harvest. Many thanks for the help.

CeeJay

@ICBM .Well, I didn't bid on this one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Bandit-112-Transtube-guitar-amp-combo/333478663048?hash=item4da4e09388:g:rksAAOSwM~deHEz9

Looks like a couple of people got lost in a bidding war! The seller did well considering they're going on Gumtree for £80.00
Onwards the search continues. No great rush so I'll wait for the right one to come along.

Danny1969

The Bugera amps are fantastic value for money. A 2 channel V22 valve amp with reverb is £240 ish new. I use one in a rehearsal room and it sounds fantastic. I also own a BC30 which I paid £240 for a that's a awesome amp as well 

ICBM

CeeJay said:

Looks like a couple of people got lost in a bidding war! The seller did well considering they're going on Gumtree for £80.00

I wonder if there's some shill bidding going on there... I just had that on a guitar I bid on.

To be fair, £155 is still a bargain for how good an amp it is, but you're right that they can easily be found for £80-£100.

CeeJay

ICBM said:

CeeJay said:

Looks like a couple of people got lost in a bidding war! The seller did well considering they're going on Gumtree for £80.00

I wonder if there's some shill bidding going on there... I just had that on a guitar I bid on.

To be fair, £155 is still a bargain for how good an amp it is, but you're right that they can easily be found for £80-£100.

Makes you wonder, (about the shill bidding) when you can get one with a cab for £120

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-bandit-112-Guitar-Amp-Transtube-w-Extention-Cabinet-Great-Condition/193278589625?hash=item2d004d3ab9%3Ag%3AE7oAAOSwlsteCf6B&LH_ItemCondition=3000

ICBM

CeeJay said:

Makes you wonder, (about the shill bidding) when you can get one with a cab for £120

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-bandit-112-Guitar-Amp-Transtube-w-Extention-Cabinet-Great-Condition/193278589625?hash=item2d004d3ab9%3Ag%3AE7oAAOSwlsteCf6B&LH_ItemCondition=3000

Yes, but would you buy it collection-only in Liverpool from someone called Big Mouthed Billy who mostly sells fake DVDs?

CeeJay

ICBM said:

CeeJay said:

Makes you wonder, (about the shill bidding) when you can get one with a cab for £120

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-bandit-112-Guitar-Amp-Transtube-w-Extention-Cabinet-Great-Condition/193278589625?hash=item2d004d3ab9%3Ag%3AE7oAAOSwlsteCf6B&LH_ItemCondition=3000

Yes, but would you buy it collection-only in Liverpool from someone called Big Mouthed Billy who mostly sells fake DVDs?

Possibly not. 

CeeJay

@ICBM Thought I'd keep it in here rather than start a new thread. Is this a decent speaker upgrade, or a step backwards from the original?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Transtube-Bandit-112-Guitar-Red-Stripe-Amp-With-Upgraded-Eminence-Gov/223865931540

ICBM

CeeJay said:

@ICBM Thought I'd keep it in here rather than start a new thread. Is this a decent speaker upgrade, or a step backwards from the original?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Transtube-Bandit-112-Guitar-Red-Stripe-Amp-With-Upgraded-Eminence-Gov/223865931540

A big step up, I would say. I've never tried one in one, but it should work well - it's quite a chunky, British-voiced speaker which should be ideal. The only question is whether 75W is enough power handling, but it won't be a problem unless you thrash the amp flat-out.

The bit in the description that says "the high gain channel has plenty of gain on tap but strangely doesn't do mild breakup very well at all" is complete bollocks. The low-gain mode ('vintage') is fantastic, I use my Studio Pro on that all the time, very rarely on either of the high-gain settings.

CeeJay

ICBM said:

CeeJay said:

@ICBM Thought I'd keep it in here rather than start a new thread. Is this a decent speaker upgrade, or a step backwards from the original?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Transtube-Bandit-112-Guitar-Red-Stripe-Amp-With-Upgraded-Eminence-Gov/223865931540

A big step up, I would say. I've never tried one in one, but it should work well - it's quite a chunky, British-voiced speaker which should be ideal. The only question is whether 75W is enough power handling, but it won't be a problem unless you thrash the amp flat-out.

The bit in the description that says "the high gain channel has plenty of gain on tap but strangely doesn't do mild breakup very well at all" is complete bollocks. The low-gain mode ('vintage') is fantastic, I use my Studio Pro on that all the time, very rarely on either of the high-gain settings.

Many thanks for the info. Someone just nipped in and had it from under my nose!

CeeJay

@ICBM Someone had a right bargain here. I did contact the seller to see if he would post but he was unable to due to a disability. Feel for the chap as he's had to let it go for a song. I would have paid double that plus postage.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Speaker-Combo-Transtube-Bandit-112-Red-Stripe-/223874599451?nma=true&si=1TKb7EN1s%252FSFd7awsoXMb1WAcQM%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557