Peavey Bandit again!

midiman1962

Off to buy a battered old Bandit tonight.....again
I keep buying and selling these over the years as it is my go to solution for a no frills backline amp where i need one.
TBH i don't want to hulk the thing about but i've agreed to deb for a band where a member is ill.
I have a little trio as a side project and for this i just DI which is perfectly acceptable but this solution won't work in a 5 piece band.
I tried to see if there was an alternative "no frills" solid state amp (preferrably lighter) but everything seems to have a load of fx,modelling cab sims built in which i don't need (have it all in Boss GT1)
Anybody suggest a better solution than the old Peavey Bandit?

maltingsaudio

Session or sessionette would be my choice as a bandit replacement but can’t help but recommend Bluguitar Amp 1 and lightweight 1x12

monquixote

I like the Tech21 TM60, and some of the solid state Fenders are alright, but a  Bandit is a good shout.

EricTheWeary

I guess the Tech 21 combos ( were they called Trademark?) which were fairly no frills, seem to survive hurricanes and not too expensive used ( American manufacturing making them quite costly from new). Like the Bandit probably best as a pedal platform. 

I’m not against one of the five thousand variants of Valvestate that Marshall produced. I think the trick is to ignore everything on it except for the basic controls for the OD channel, dial in a clean with edge tone and use that as a pedal platform. Although I’d probably take the Bandit. 

midiman1962

Thanks for the tips as ever guys - sounding like lugging the bandit is the way i'm going to end up going ....again lol 

Jim-Bob

I have been really impressed by my Katana 50.... its a Mark one.... I got it second hand and it was cheaper than most of the pedals that go into it.  They are not even that much new and It's also nice and light.  I do like to get it off the ground on a box or beer crate and it takes pedals into the clean channel nicely.  My regular amp is a Fender DRRI 65 but the Katana really is a good amp and I use the same pedal rig into both amps.  I only seem to use the Kat's Clean channel and use the pedals to get medium gain sounds and a bit of drive... I also use the Kat's reverb.  

monquixote

Jim-Bob said:

I have been really impressed by my Katana 50.... its a Mark one.... I got it second hand and it was cheaper than most of the pedals that go into it.  They are not even that much new and It's also nice and light.  I do like to get it off the ground on a box or beer crate and it takes pedals into the clean channel nicely.  My regular amp is a Fender DRRI 65 but the Katana really is a good amp and I use the same pedal rig into both amps.  I only seem to use the Kat's Clean channel and use the pedals to get medium gain sounds and a bit of drive... I also use the Kat's reverb.  

This is the way to use it.

I got some really great sounds using a Super Badass, DLS, Veteran into the front . The built in drive channels are not amazing, but the delays and reverbs are really good and I think I like the modulation on the Katana more than the Helix.

Jalapeno

Convert it into a head.

midiman1962

Thanks Guys for the tip - I plan to plug my Boss GT1 straight into the clean channel of the Bandit. maybe this is a sort of Katana style set up ? Good to know there is an option out there though.

midiman1962

Surprised myself at rehearsal last night how much this thing kicked ass despite looking like sh1t and having several knobs missing. I was drilling myself on 2/10(sorry 2/11).

Creed_Clicks

I'll give a shout out to Quilter (mini or reverb), small head, but not a combo, so you'd need to get a cab.

midiman1962

Creed_Clicks said:

I'll give a shout out to Quilter (mini or reverb), small head, but not a combo, so you'd need to get a cab.

Must admit i am tempted by these little amps like the orange 20w terror thing coupled with a 1x12 and how much oomph they would kick out compared to the Bandit

Beexter

midiman1962 said:

Creed_Clicks said:

I'll give a shout out to Quilter (mini or reverb), small head, but not a combo, so you'd need to get a cab.

Must admit i am tempted by these little amps like the orange 20w terror thing coupled with a 1x12 and how much oomph they would kick out compared to the Bandit

I've had a Trademark 60 in the past which sounded very good (much preferred the clean channel with pedals) and a Sessionette 75 which wasn't bad but am currently happy with my Quilter 101 mini head (now discontinued in favour of the 101 reverb)which has multiple uses. It has an effects loop which enables you to bypass the internal tone controls making it handy for using as a power amp for a modeller. It also makes for a good no frills SS amp in its own right. 
I sold my Katana 100 as I preferred the sound of the Quilter. 
Paired with a Bluguitar Nanocab (or 2),
it makes for a really compact and lightweight rig.

midiman1962

Beexter said:

midiman1962 said:

Creed_Clicks said:

I'll give a shout out to Quilter (mini or reverb), small head, but not a combo, so you'd need to get a cab.

Must admit i am tempted by these little amps like the orange 20w terror thing coupled with a 1x12 and how much oomph they would kick out compared to the Bandit

I've had a Trademark 60 in the past which sounded very good (much preferred the clean channel with pedals) and a Sessionette 75 which wasn't bad but am currently happy with my Quilter 101 mini head (now discontinued in favour of the 101 reverb)which has multiple uses. It has an effects loop which enables you to bypass the internal tone controls making it handy for using as a power amp for a modeller. It also makes for a good no frills SS amp in its own right. 
I sold my Katana 100 as I preferred the sound of the Quilter. 
Paired with a Bluguitar Nanocab (or 2),
it makes for a really compact and lightweight rig.

Interesting post , just ordered a Katana 50 for gigging (subject to ever getting any!) and will compare with the Bandit in the rehearsal room - in a fit of madness i am genuinely pondering getting the Orange Terror thing and trying it with the the Bandit speaker using crocodile clips !

ICBM

midiman1962 said:

Must admit i am tempted by these little amps like the orange 20w terror thing coupled with a 1x12 and how much oomph they would kick out compared to the Bandit

Don't be. They're weedy and sound shit.

In my opinion, of course...