Peavey Bandits,

robgilmo

I was thinking about looking for one for my wee boy, so whats the deal with them? Red stripe, blue stripe etc? Also, USA and Chinese built, is there a difference? I have a Deuce and its built like a tank, are Bandits similar in build quality?

jasonbone75

Calling @ICBM among others whose usernames escape me right now...

ecc83

My son in France has a 112 bandit (80 W on internal speaker) and says it sounds very good for a transistor amp, still rather heavy but loud as ****k!

I was told by ICBM that they are known to be very rugged and reliable. He used it as a bass amp for a few weeks...Carefully, playing in a jazz trio.

Dave.

YellowLedBetterMan

I am selling one, a teal stripe. Not because it's bad though, I'm just trying to downsize - for what I have it listed for it's barely worth selling.

They're loud, clean and built like tanks. The earlier ones even weigh as much as an M1A1 Abrams. They work brilliantly as pedal platforms.

There are several different variants but they're exactly that - variations on a theme. The "Silver" and later "Red stripe" ones seem to be the most popular and allegedly have the better in-built drive sounds. In my opinion (and I've had a Silver in the past), the built-in drive sounds still aren't as good as running a stompbox into the front end.

robgilmo

YellowLedBetterMan said:

I am selling one, a teal stripe. Not because it's bad though, I'm just trying to downsize - for what I have it listed for it's barely worth selling.

They're loud, clean and built like tanks. The earlier ones even weigh as much as an M1A1 Abrams. They work brilliantly as pedal platforms.

There are several different variants but they're exactly that - variations on a theme. The "Silver" and later "Red stripe" ones seem to be the most popular and allegedly have the better in-built drive sounds. In my opinion (and I've had a Silver in the past), the built-in drive sounds still aren't as good as running a stompbox into the front end.

Can I ask how much you are asking for it please?


Edit, Ive just found your ad, thats a good price, shame you are so far away , I would have bought that off you.

Revolutions

The Peavey Bandits would be a great meta band name

YellowLedBetterMan

robgilmo said:

YellowLedBetterMan said:

I am selling one, a teal stripe. Not because it's bad though, I'm just trying to downsize - for what I have it listed for it's barely worth selling.

They're loud, clean and built like tanks. The earlier ones even weigh as much as an M1A1 Abrams. They work brilliantly as pedal platforms.

There are several different variants but they're exactly that - variations on a theme. The "Silver" and later "Red stripe" ones seem to be the most popular and allegedly have the better in-built drive sounds. In my opinion (and I've had a Silver in the past), the built-in drive sounds still aren't as good as running a stompbox into the front end.

Can I ask how much you are asking for it please?


Edit, Ive just found your ad, thats a good price, shame you are so far away , I would have bought that off you.

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/262762/fs-peavey-teal-stripe-bandit-70#latest

Selling it for what I bought it for, plus a couple of quid for the Lion Tamer (which makes it significantly more useable at home volumes).

Wazmeister

@ICBM is your man.

Yorkie

You need transtube. Red stripe is said to have slightly better sound than the rest. Chinese means unnamed speaker, USA made means Sheffield. Most people will change the speaker anyway. I put a Jensen in mine, then a custom seventy/80 — not a world of difference. 

They’re heavy. Pots might need spraying, and it’s important to keep something plugged into the effects loop, otherwise the sockets might corrode and interrupt the signal. 

The new version is ugly as fuck but might be easier to find than a red stripe. 

ICBM

What Yorkie said - the Transtube red stripe ones seem to sound the best, although the previous silver stripe and following ‘codpiece’ (you’ll know why when you see one!) models are almost as good. The red stripes were originally US-made, then Chinese - I don’t think there’s much difference. The speaker is the weak point in all of them, even the Sheffield although it’s better than the others.

Pre-Transtubes (teal stripe, grey stripe) are better built, but have a harder, more conventionally solid-state sound - better as a clean pedal platform, although it is possible to dial them in quite well if you’re careful. Even older than that ones with coloured knobs are cool, but don’t sound like a modern amp.

robgilmo

Thanks guys, there is a Chinese Red stripe close to me for sale, pretty banged up and missing the carry handle but its the only one for sale locally. Did the chinese ones have spring reverb? And are they solid wood cabs like the old Peaveys?
Oh, and does it need a pedal?

ICBM

robgilmo said:

Thanks guys, there is a Chinese Red stripe close to me for sale, pretty banged up and missing the carry handle but its the only one for sale locally. Did the chinese ones have spring reverb? And are they solid wood cabs like the old Peaveys?
Oh, and does it need a pedal?

Red stripes have spring reverb, although that’s not necessarily a plus - digital sounds better.

No Peaveys have solid wood cabs even going back to the 70s - they’re ply, particle-board or MDF. Red stripes are particle board (or at least mine is, they may have varied).

You don’t need the pedal, there’s a channel switch on the front.

If it’s beaten-up I would be wary of paying much - they’re not that easy to sell even in good condition, no matter how good they are as amps…

robgilmo

ICBM said:

robgilmo said:

Thanks guys, there is a Chinese Red stripe close to me for sale, pretty banged up and missing the carry handle but its the only one for sale locally. Did the chinese ones have spring reverb? And are they solid wood cabs like the old Peaveys?
Oh, and does it need a pedal?

Red stripes have spring reverb, although that’s not necessarily a plus - digital sounds better.

No Peaveys have solid wood cabs even going back to the 70s - they’re ply, particle-board or MDF. Red stripes are particle board (or at least mine is, they may have varied).

You don’t need the pedal, there’s a channel switch on the front.

If it’s beaten-up I would be wary of paying much - they’re not that easy to sell even in good condition, no matter how good they are as amps…

The Deuce was solid wood, not sure about others though.
I might have to make an offer for it , there is a Fender Stage Lead 2x12 for sale not a million miles away, that might be a better option if I can snag it for a decent price but thats a big old lump of an amp and I'm not sure that it wouldnt be too much for him, I was initially looking for a Frontman 25R but they seem few and far between.

DesVegas

In B4 ICBM.. ah forget it . I LOVE my Bandit. Light. Robust. And the thing adores my pedalboard

DesVegas

Edit - not light

DesVegas

Edit edit - Red stripe

Dodge

DesVegas said:

In B4 ICBM.. ah forget it . I LOVE my Bandit. Light. Robust. And the thing adores my pedalboard

DesVegas said:

Edit - not light

DesVegas said:

Edit edit - Red stripe

Should we be worried about you? 

Yorkie

ICBM said:

Red stripes are particle board (or at least mine is, they may have varied)

The sides are ply on the China red stripe Bandit. 

Also, digital reverb can sound great but the spring reverb on the Bandit is something else. If you like drippy spring reverb, that is. I loved it. 

ecc83

ICBM, you say none of the speakers in the Bandits are really good. What IYO would be the best replacement and I assume 8 Ohms? The guitarist in son's trio has snaffled his Peavey but he should be getting it back soon and I would like to get it sounding as good as possible.  Neo would be an advantage.

Dave.

DesVegas

Dodge said

DesVegas said:

Edit edit - Red stripe

Should we be worried about you? 

Nah, I'm a big boy Ted

Yorkie

ecc83 said:

ICBM, you say none of the speakers in the Bandits are really good. What IYO would be the best replacement and I assume 8 Ohms? The guitarist in son's trio has snaffled his Peavey but he should be getting it back soon and I would like to get it sounding as good as possible.  Neo would be an advantage.

Depending on what you want to enhance. Jensen C12K, Eminence Swamp Thang, Texas heat or lil Texas neo for the scoopy sounds, Classic Lead 80 or Creamback for a better mid range. All 8 ohm.