Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

This forum is for talking about all kinds of Peavey guitar amplifiers.
chrisnatti
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:42 pm

Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by chrisnatti » Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:06 pm

Hello,

I've have had this Peavey 212 Classic tweed 100 Series from 1975 for about 15 years. I've looked up Peavey Classic and seen many different styles but none like this. I've found on one forum AUDIOKARMA that someone said only about 300 were made. I wonder if there is any truth to this.

Any idea what the worth of this amp might be?

On the back the serial # is 4A 15401
made in the USA

Thanks for any info!

Cheers!
Attachments
amp3.jpg
amp3.jpg (394.41 KiB) Viewed 17706 times
amp2.jpg
amp2.jpg (356.96 KiB) Viewed 17706 times
amp1.jpg
amp1.jpg (351.91 KiB) Viewed 17706 times

Classic30inCincy
Member
Posts: 31315
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:10 pm
Location: The Mountain Retreat [Cincinnati Ohio]

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Classic30inCincy » Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:29 pm

Should Have 6L6 Power Tubes.

Main rare point would appear to be the Tweed covering.

Believe the Classic in 80's manufactured in Black cover.

Other rare item I notice is the On-Board tremolo.

Very hard to calculate values.

Unfortunately, Peavey Amps very under valued compared to Brand "F".

PAF Classic Series Tube Kit.......Created By Classic30inCincy
Majic Mojo Tradename..........Created By Classic30inCincy
Graduate Of Joe Friday / Dragnet School Of Correspondence
Doctorate Degree Diplomacy From Royal Order Possum Lodge

Dalrymple_Forever
New Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:38 pm

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Dalrymple_Forever » Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:13 pm

Looks to me like a classic vt in tweed with a tremolo
"Why would you want an XLR phantom power jack for a guitar? Simple; more 'active'"

User avatar
Enzo
Member
Posts: 9535
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:24 pm
Location: Lansing, Michigan

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Enzo » Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:57 pm

The Classic VT had four inputs, but they were two normals, an Automix, and a Bright. It also dates from 1978.

You have a plain old Classic. The Classic came in early and later versions. You have the A version. It was the original from early on. Your serial number calls 1974 as when made. Identifiers are the two normal and two bright inputs


There was a later B series from mid 1975. It also had four input jacks, but they were bright, normal, series, parallel.

The owner's manual on the PV web site is for the B series version

chrisnatti
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:42 pm

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by chrisnatti » Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:03 pm

Enzo wrote:The Classic VT had four inputs, but they were two normals, an Automix, and a Bright. It also dates from 1978.

You have a plain old Classic. The Classic came in early and later versions. You have the A version. It was the original from early on. Your serial number calls 1974 as when made. Identifiers are the two normal and two bright inputs


There was a later B series from mid 1975. It also had four input jacks, but they were bright, normal, series, parallel.

The owner's manual on the PV web site is for the B series version

Thanks so much for this info!!
Any idea what I might be able to sell it for?
Just a ball park?
I really appreciate this!!
Thank you.

User avatar
Enzo
Member
Posts: 9535
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:24 pm
Location: Lansing, Michigan

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Enzo » Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:06 am

I haven't the slightest idea, I don;t buy and sell stuff.

Look on ebay for what similar items are going for.

Just a warning. This amp is a 50w amp, and a 2x12. But it is a "Classic." Not a "Classic 50" and not a "Classic 212." Well, and not a "Classic 50 212" for that matter. Classic 50 and Classic 212 are actual model names of later amps.

But a lot of guys will call their Classic a "Classic 50." SO read ebay carefully. If that "Classic 50" listing says from the 1970s, it is not a Classic 50, it is a Classic.

gustav
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:43 am

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by gustav » Sat Nov 27, 2010 6:13 am

hello! new to the forum, so i apologize for digging up old posts, but so far, this thread has provided me the info needed in order to connect the dots, as it were, on exactly which amp and model my dad surprised me with the other day when i wet home for a visit.

so, enough of my life story, and down to the biz!!! lol

after taking the head out of the combo unit last night, we were able to determine that the amp was built in 1978. it's a "basic" Classic model with the Bright, Series, Parallel, and Normal front TRS inputs. there are 2x12 50 watt speakers (i assume both tubes are also 50 Watt....but this is the first REAL tube amp i've ever possessed). just like the amp the originator of this post has loaded pics of, mine also as Reverb and Tremolo that allows you to control the basic parameters

it's not in too bad of shape, and it must be about the time where they went from tweed to vinyl - only the fabric covering the speakers is tweed.

on the back end, there are some items that confuse me. my 'on' switch goes in both directions, and off when it's in the middle position. when i flip it left, it says 200 and to the right, it says 100. the fuse is supposed to work with a 200 Watt amp, but since i don't know much about amps (mostly play a miked acoustic), i don't even know if i'm really understanding why it says one thing on one side, and something different on the other.

as for functionality: the tubes seem to work just fine. the fuse was bad, and when we went to test, we noticed that the capacitor was overheating, along with the resistor that was wired nearest the power switch and capacitor. the resistor actually began to smoke a bit. so we called it quits on the project until i get advice and the few parts in needs. i can most likely repair it on my own, but was glad to find this forum to see that i wasn't the only one having troubles figuring out exactly what i have here. it also has two speaker routing options on the reverse side; se

my dad picked up this recently, because he noticed that it was a tube amp...he only paid roughly $70 USD for it. guessing from the serial number, and the time period during which is it was constructed, Peavey had already made some changes to the original, at least cosmetically.

i need some confirmation info about what it is i actually have, so i can then buy the proper replacement items and either make the changes myself.

here's the serial #6A-75825, now that i have a better understanding of the amp and the various amps given the "Classic" label, and perhaps find some more answers of my own here at Peavey.

any help anyone can provide will be most appreciated!!! also, please feel free to ask of any further questions regarding the amp and i'll do my best to provide a competent answer! thanks again!

gustav

User avatar
Enzo
Member
Posts: 9535
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:24 pm
Location: Lansing, Michigan

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Enzo » Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:16 am

As described above, you have the Classic. Yours is the second variety, we call the B series.

It is a 50 watt amp. Amp ratings always refer to the power they can put into a speaker. The amp requires 200 watts from a wall outlet to create its maximum power. it should say 200 watts near the power cord.

I don't know what your "100" is next to.

The power switch flips two ways for on because it reverses the power wires. Either ON setting is fine, the idea is that in some cases one settting will have less hum than the other. If you find this to be the case, use teh less noisy position. If there is no particular sound advantage, then flip the switch either way.

The fuse should be 3A. Isn't that printed on the panel by the fuse holder?

Always plug your main speakers into the MAIN speaker jack, only use the AUX speaker jack for a second cabinet. Or put a different way, whatever speaker arrangements you use, always plug one into the MAIN first. You cannot operate the amp with a speaker only in the AUX jack.

And RULE #1 for tube amps, NEVER operate the amp without a speaker connected.

I am not sure what you refer to by "the" capacitor. The amp has probably 40-50 capacitors. And without a photo of pretty specific descriptions, I don't know what resistor you might mean.

Classic30inCincy
Member
Posts: 31315
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:10 pm
Location: The Mountain Retreat [Cincinnati Ohio]

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Classic30inCincy » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:25 am

Great Amp & Great Purchase..... 8) :wink:

PAF Classic Series Tube Kit.......Created By Classic30inCincy
Majic Mojo Tradename..........Created By Classic30inCincy
Graduate Of Joe Friday / Dragnet School Of Correspondence
Doctorate Degree Diplomacy From Royal Order Possum Lodge

gustav
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:43 am

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by gustav » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:44 pm

thanks for the info!

i know there are multiple capacitors, which is why i gave the info regarding it's relation to the 'on/off' switch. doesn't matter, as it is the least of my worries since i can remove it and go ask someone in person for that info.

as for the speakers, both are wired to the same TRS, and i have no 'aux' input for them....or near where i'd plug that in. my options on the back side are '1' and '2'.

the fuse is a given...i'm capable of reading which parts it might need when the info is readable on the amp (even if i can't describe which capacitor i speak of) new to tubes and this particular board; not electricity. :)

could it be that Peavey once sold the regular 'Classic' as one of several models (or even just a few) as a subcategory '100 Series' aside from it's 'B Series' label? after reading Enzo's response, i checked the back to see if i could make further sense of numbers on either side of the switch. since now the '200' is clear to me and logical in and of itself, the '100' on the other side only makes sense when combined with the 'Peavey' label in the middle, position a few mm higher than the '100' at the bottom left and 'series' at the bottom right. just a thought, as otherwise i'm out of explanations for the '100' written on the right side of the power switch.

also, did the foot switch for these models have a standard 1/4" or something else (mine almost looks more like a midi input - but not). the reason i ask is that the foot switch that came with it had a 1/4" input that doesn't match the amp - so i'm asking if either it sounds more like a customization or that someone had put the wrong foot switch in with the amp (that kind of stuff my dad has no clue about).

thanks again for the help and it looks like there are still a couple mysteries to be solved. i'll begin looking for the schematics for this model and go from there. thanks!

gustav
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:43 am

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by gustav » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:54 pm

just noticed that the thread's originator also spoke of '100 series' amps, so unless there was no such thing, it answers one of the remaining questions i had.

gustav
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:43 am

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by gustav » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:21 pm

got the owner's manual, which Enzo stated was for the 'B' version of the regular Classic.

it's very close to what Enzo described, except that the 'B' versions should have a 'standby' switch as well. mine does not have any such switch.

i figured out that the two inputs on the back of this model work so: input '1' is the amp's internal speaker input, while '2' is the 'aux' output for external speakers.

(note to Enzo: sorry my descriptions come across as odd, or even a little stupid - i gave up electricity about 15 yrs ago, and have just jumped back in the ring with a different kind of amp than i'm used to, plus this amp has seen a lot of miles - reading anything off the back is iffy, since i need a magnifying glass to read certain info [getting old and blind...remark about my dad buying this for me, and general lack of knowledge about tube amps probably made me seem younger than i am, and too old to ask such basic questions lol - but all else aside, your info has been helpful in both providing some answers, and what i need to look for as i now seek out the kind of answers only manuals and schematics can provide)

so, it seems like there are a lot of little incongruities between models and the years. that just makes the project that much more fun!

gustav
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:43 am

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by gustav » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:33 pm

Classic30inCincy wrote:Great Amp & Great Purchase..... 8) :wink:
yeah, thanks, man! my dad travels a lot and has this sixth sense for when something is being sold for a lot less than it's worth. he simply saw it was a tube (as i have been saving for, just older and better - older is almost always better, since you can fix most problems yourself w/ patience and doing some homework first) - he asked the lady at the counter how much they were asking. when she said "$70", he didn't even bother haggling over the price; just whipped out the cash and got out the door! lol

he was disappointed that it didn't work right away when he plugged in for me (blown fuse, and another issue that, given Enzo's reply, i described poorly lol).

but, yeah, it's not every day that someone hands me an older tube amp and says "it's yours." i told him that even if i had to invest another hundred or so in parts, and several hours fixing it myself, it was probably the only chance i'd have at owning an old tube amp - and i agree with your earlier post that Peavey amps a definitely underrated.

thanks for the positive vibes. gotta wait until i've got a little more time, but i'm really looking forward to firing that puppy up to see what kind of sounds i can crank out. :D

maibock1023
Member
Posts: 205
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:10 pm

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by maibock1023 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:07 am

A friend of mine had one in high school, I thought it was called a Peavey Vintage :?:
Classic 50
Blackface Bandit
Valve King 50
Studio Pro Redstripe

User avatar
Enzo
Member
Posts: 9535
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:24 pm
Location: Lansing, Michigan

Re: Trying to identify this Peavey Classic Combo style amp

Post by Enzo » Thu Dec 02, 2010 6:15 pm

The Vintage was a different model, it said "VIntage" on the front instead of "Classic."

Post Reply