Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

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mrawls24
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Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by mrawls24 » Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:44 pm

I currently own two Peavey VTX Classic amplifiers I purchased new back in the 1980s. I run them in stereo with a stereo chorus. I have a chance to buy two Peavey VT Deuce amps. Other than the difference in output power (four 6l6gc tubes in the Deuce verse two 6l6gc tubes in the VTX Classic), is there any noticeable difference in sound? Unfortunately I'm not able to sit the two amps side by side and do an A/B comparison.

Thanks,
Michael

eternalpurple
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by eternalpurple » Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:25 am

Well I just so happen to have a few of each although I have never listen to them side by side. If I can find some time I'll try to take a listen. Is there anything in particular you would like to know tone wise?

mrawls24
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by mrawls24 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:30 am

I'm basically wondering if there is a noticeable difference in sound for the clean and distortion channels on the VT Deuce vs the VTX Classic. I purchased my two Peavey VTX Classics back in the early and mid 1980s, because I thought they sounded alot like "38 Special". As it turns out "38 Special" was using the Peavey VT Mace guitar amplifiers which is almost identical to the Peavey VT Deuce (minus two output tubes).

Thanks,
Michael

eternalpurple
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by eternalpurple » Thu Sep 28, 2017 1:51 am

Yep..........the Mace Is 160 watts RMS and the Deuce is 120. Have a couple Maces as well. I can already tell you that both are louder than the Classic. I will see if I can find some time tomorrow to take a little comparison test with the Classic and Deuce and post it if you still want it. If my butt can remember........that's what I use the think with now and I find it has a better memory than my brain anymore.

eternalpurple
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by eternalpurple » Fri Sep 29, 2017 9:37 pm

Well I did a side by side. Unfortunately The classic I played through was not a a VTX. Without paying a lot of attentions I grabbed the 50 watt Classic instead. I will fire up a VTX tomorrow. But if your interested in getting the sound of a Mace then a Deuce would to far closer. Incidentally there is another factor or two involved in these side by side comparisons. One is that what one individual hears from an amp is not what someone else might hear. The other is the tone and breakup at higher volumes. Why is this hard to ascertain you ask. Well I don't know if you have ever heard a Deuce amp DIMED in an enclosed area but it's load enough that I probably wouldn't hear the shoots being fired from next door. In short I can't crank these baby's up in my quite neighborhood.

Amazingly enough I think I might have discovered something for myself in this little side by side. I actually think I like an amp with lower wattage. I've played acoustic most of my years and therefore have not worked with amps like some. Maybe someone can chime in on this but I am starting to think the least wattage you can use in a given situation is the best way to go.

mrawls24
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by mrawls24 » Sat Sep 30, 2017 6:07 am

Thanks for the attempt. I like my Peavey VTX Classics. Over the years I found various ways to tweak the sound I wanted out of them based on my income at the time. When I first got them I was still in school, and my only income was from my summer jobs. I discovered the amp distortion was a little muddy on the bottom end. My poor man's solution to clean that up and get the best sound was to lower the bridge pickup and tilt the pickup so the lower pitched strings were farther way from the pickup and the higher strings were closer. It was a poor man's external EQ. Later when I had more income I purchased an Alesis Quadraverb, put it in the effects loop, and then used the active equalizer in the Quadraverb to boost the highs.

The Peavey Deuce's I've been looking at are online, and will have to be shipped to my location. That is why I can't do a side by side comparison with my Peavey VTX classics. I've been hitting the many local pawn shops and music stores to try to find a Peavey Deuce, but so far I have not found one. I did find a Peavey Session 400, a Peavey VTX Heritage that is missing some of the front knobs, and an older Peavey Classic with four 10 inch speakers, but no VT series Deuce or VT Mace.

An easy way to spot the difference between the VT Classic and the VTX Classic is the VTX Classic only has two input jacks on the left side, and the VT Classic has four.

Thanks for your input.

Michael

KTB
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by KTB » Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:27 am

The thing about acquiring a Deuce is what speakers will be in them if you find one and I highly doubt the Black Widows or scorpions will be in there. I had a early 80's Deuce and can tell you it was a monster. It was heavy,it was loud and it was boomy. Another problem you may inherit is filter cap problems if they haven't been changed after 40 years but possible and overall electrolytics throughout the amp could need changing as well.

As a Tech I've worked on all 3 and have to say the Mace and Deuce have close to the same tone but IMO the Mace is a tad brighter depending on if you have the combo or the head. You could remove two tubes on the Deuce and probably match the VTX tone wise very close give or take a little frequency difference in tone which is expected. How loud you run them and speakers selected has a huge dynamic and tone difference especially if you get into power tube distortion vs low wattage front-end distortion. Tube selection and output quantity and quality could also have a small effect. Obviously what you put in front as far as pedals and effects could have the most effect of the overall global tone.

If you want them to sound the same use the same speakers and tubes and I highly doubt anyone would be able to tell them apart and the cool part is if you get them right electronically they will probably outlast you because they are so well made. It's a whole different ball game from what is being made now as well as you know with all the smt stuff and flimsy crap out there right now.

mrawls24
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Re: Peavey VTX Classic vs VT Deuce?

Post by mrawls24 » Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:28 am

I agree on the SMT comment. I purchased a Line 6 Flextone as a practice amp around 1999. It mostly sat in my bedroom as a practice amp. The footswitch started making intermittent channel changes and then something in the modeling broke and it sounded terrible. I threw the amp away after about 10 years. It definitely was not built to last like my Peavey VTX Classics.

On the older capacitors, I have been working on electronics since the 1980s, so replacing dried out electrolytic capacitors is not a problem for me.

Michael

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