The joy of tube amps

Marketing slogan:

“Peavy - makes you sound like a hundred bucks!”

been cleaning out my storage building and finally got to my original peavey 5150 2x12 combo. I've been wanting to get it out and play it for quite a while. I carried it upstairs to the mancave (definitely don't miss that part). Plugged everything up, powered on and it immediately blew a fuse :mad:. I had to run out so I found a pack of 3 amp 250v fuses. Back at the mancave, I replaced the fuse and had taken the tube access panel off to make sure everything was making good connection as when I received the amp years ago one of the power tubes had fell out of socket instantly blowing the fuse when I first tried the amp.
Well the fuse blows again but I noticed a lightning storm inside one of the power tubes. Back to the storage building to find a set of 6l6's I had. Changed the power tubes and the fuse (again). Turned on the amp and proceeded to search for a good tone. I only found an ok tone and thought I'd mildly crank the volume to remember that good old whack of a tube amp. Well I whacked twice and the damn fuse blew again :eek: wtf? Replaced the fuse again and it immediately blew.... again o_O I now have a renewed appreciation of the III :) maybe I'll twiddle with the amp later when I have more time!?
 
Just built a JCM 800 2x12 combo for a friend. 127lbs. My Verellen Meatsmoke head is close to that by itself too... 300W tube amp with oversized (aka overweight) transformers. Lugging it was the breaking point for moving to Axe.
 
Pretty much anything Mesa creates it's own gravity well. I had a 2x12 that I swear was heavier than most other 4x12's out there (except...of course...a Mesa 4x12.)

But the OP is right. I love tube amps as much as anyone, but when problems happened...it tended to cascade. It was infinitely more interesting when you had to rely solely on these beasts.

I don't miss it.

Lol
I am just going to leave this thought with you my buddy had a Mesa mark 3 simul in the lovely hardwood flamed headshell it weighed a crap ton

And on one your windows would shake
 
Just built a JCM 800 2x12 combo for a friend. 127lbs. My Verellen Meatsmoke head is close to that by itself too... 300W tube amp with oversized (aka overweight) transformers. Lugging it was the breaking point for moving to Axe.

Verellen Meatsmoke - had to look that one up.... I've never come across that one. :confused:

The factory website doesn't mention the weight of the head.... I guess if you have to ask...... you can't lift it....... :eek:
 
Verellen Meatsmoke - had to look that one up.... I've never come across that one. :confused:

The factory website doesn't mention the weight of the head.... I guess if you have to ask...... you can't lift it....... :eek:

Just weighed it... 97lb. :) Mine isn't 'stock' though, it's got a second set of tone controls for the overdrive channel, a tube buffered fx loop, a 100w choke, and a DI out. If you were to order as is, I'm guessing it drops 5lb or so.
 
I have an ODS build that I did several years ago that I just love. I spent a LOT of time tweaking it, getting everything just right. I'm really lucky I didn't electrocute myself or die from solder fumes. There are a lot of modifications to the circuit, such as a variable bypass on the MV for solo boost, things like that.

Then along comes the AxeFX. No danger of electrocution, easy to try a bunch of different things without ruining components or burning your fingers.

The most interesting thing to me, though, is how much the sheer breadth of the sonic palette within each amp has changed the way I listen for my "ideal tone" within an amp type. The ODS that I dial in on the AxeFX sounds pretty different from my actual amp, and in some good ways. I still love plugging into the amp and a good cabinet once in awhile and feeling that volume, but I don't find myself lacking for tone or feel in any way at all when using the AxeFX.
 
Speaking of hernias, anyone else rock the Line 6 Vetta Combo back in the day? A 70lb 2x12 combo, with a single and poorly planned top handle. Not bad if you added side handles and casters, but if you tried to carry it any distance by the top handle your forearm would be tense until halfway through the gig, and you were always wondering when the handle would finally give out.
 
Love my III, but I still love using my BE100 with an Ox amp top box and running 4CM with the III. Best of both worlds!
 
Speaking of hernias, anyone else rock the Line 6 Vetta Combo back in the day? A 70lb 2x12 combo, with a single and poorly planned top handle. Not bad if you added side handles and casters, but if you tried to carry it any distance by the top handle your forearm would be tense until halfway through the gig, and you were always wondering when the handle would finally give out.
Not a Vetta, but I had both Flextone 2 and Flextone 3. Those had a few pounds on them as well for a modeling amp.
 
Pretty much anything Mesa creates it's own gravity well.

Truth. Mesas are built like the proverbial brick shithouse. I appreciate the quality, but not the weight. I went through a Mesa phase and that stuff is great, but I'm so glad that Cliff has nailed the Mark sounds in the Axe. So much lighter and so much less prone to any little freakin thing either changing your tone or ruining your evening. When my Mark V sounded great, it sounded GREAT. Except when you'd fire it up on a different occasion with the same settings and it didn't.

Marketing slogan:

“Peavy - makes you sound like a hundred bucks!”

I am totally using that! Made me laugh despite it hurting to laugh at the moment. (surgery)
 
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