Peavey Classic 30 and Doug's Tubes...Big thumbs up.

[Prages]

I'm sure most of you know that I love my Peavey Classic 30. If I could only keep one amp, it'd be the Classic 30 without question.

Well, I've had the amp for about 3 years or so now. I bought it used and almost immediately replaced the speaker with a Celestion G12H30 and replaced the preamp tubes with Electro Harmonics 12AX7EHs. I've always loved the dirty tone I've gotten from the amp and thought the cleans were pretty good, but nothing really to write home about. Well, after gigging, recording and practicing with the amp for 3 years, I felt it was time for a tube swap and based on some recommendations I've seen on here, I went to www.dougstubes.com.

I first sent him an email and told him about my amp, including the speaker upgrade and the tubes I've been using and been very happy with. I asked him what he recommended for the amp that might let me keep the character in the overdrive channel and maybe open up the cleans a little more. He quickly responded back with some recommendations and I placed my order. The tubes arrived yesterday (I ordered them on either Thursday or Friday) and I popped them in the amp this morning.

I can't believe how much better the cleans sound. The amp seems to have a little more clean headroom than before, and the cleans sound more three dimensional and less compressed. At the same time, I've still got the overdrive crunch that I've always loved with the amp, but the highs and lows are a little smoother sounding and the mid range is still nice and punchy.

I couldn't be happier with the service and tubes that I got from Doug, and it almost feels like a new amp day.

If you're wondering, I went with a Tung-Sol 12AX7 in V1, a Penta Labs 12AX7 in V2, and a Sovtek 12AX7 in the phase converter, and EI EL84 power tubes. All totaled they came out to $87.65, but man did they make the amp sound better especially on the clean channel!

[peavey_impact]

Doug's tubes is the shit!

I just got a 9th gen Chinese for v1 in my Legacy....I get to crank it up this weekend

[MrChitlins]

Another satisfied Doug's Tubes customer here.

I upgraded the tubes in my Traynor YCV80 a couple months ago and went with his recommendation and am very happy with the results.

[dcooper830]

That's awesome! I have a Classic 30 also. I absolutely LOVE it!! I will definitely consider what you've said here when I want to re-tube it.

I have an Eminence Governor in mine and it really gives it a TON of warmth!

Now, this is a dumb question...... but did you just put the tubes in and you were good to go? No bias adjustment or anything like that?

I don't think there's a way to adjust the bias on C30s without a mod of some sort.

[Prages]

Originally Posted by dcooper830

That's awesome! I have a Classic 30 also. I absolutely LOVE it!! I will definitely consider what you've said here when I want to re-tube it.

I have an Eminence Governor in mine and it really gives it a TON of warmth!

Now, this is a dumb question...... but did you just put the tubes in and you were good to go? No bias adjustment or anything like that?

I don't think there's a way to adjust the bias on C30s without a mod of some sort.

There's no bias adjustment on the C30. Just pop the old tubes out and pop the new tubes in. Takes about a minute.


And FWIW, I still think the speaker upgrade is a MUCH greater benefit than the tube upgrade. There's a huge difference between the sound of the amp with different types of speakers, as you well know. The difference the tubes make is much more subtle. That said, I don't know if it's because my old tubes were...well...old, or if there's really that much difference in the tone between the EH/whatever the stock EL84s are and the new tubes I put in, but it was a noticeably tonal difference between the two sets of tubes. Much moreso than when I originally swapped the stock preamp tubes for the EH tubes.

[gtrbarbarian]

Hey I too love my classic 30...I had the combo with a v30 in it, and then traded up for the head to use with my avatar 2x12 w/ a g12h30 and v30...

I have a couple of questions for you guys.... my cab is 8ohm, and I know it says to only use a 16ohm cab with the amp...is my transformer going to melt? Also have either of you or anyone you know successfully modded your classic 30 with a standby switch? I know the el84s are taking a beating without a standby.... I need to add a standby , a bias pot and possibly a output tranny with an 8ohm tap, then I'll be completely happy with this amp

[Prages]

I don't think it really needs a standby or they would have put one on there. Like I said, I bought my C30 used about 3 years ago. I don't have a clue how old it is or how much playing time it had on it before I bought it, but I've played it a lot in the last 3 years. Until this morning it had the stock EL84s, and they were still working just fine.

It's not a good idea to run an impedance mismatch on your amp. I don't know if it's actually going to fry your OT or not, but there is always that possibility.

[tenoken]

Doug @ Doug's Tubes is AWESOME! I learned about them on here as well. Will plan to always do business with him.

Quick to reply to emails, and quick shipping!! They even sent a follow up email a few weeks asking if I was happy with the tubes I bought. A real class act.

[Prages]

Originally Posted by tenoken

Doug @ Doug's Tubes is AWESOME! I learned about them on here as well. Will plan to always do business with him.

Quick to reply to emails, and quick shipping!! They even sent a follow up email a few weeks asking if I was happy with the tubes I bought. A real class act.

No need for him to send me a followup email. I already emailed him this morning and told how pleased I was.

[GuitarNoobie]

Late last year I started realizing the breakup on my Classic 30 was not happening nearly soon enough. After playing through a Classic 50 and not knowing how old my tubes were since I bought my 30 used, I decided to replace the tubes.

Dougs Tubes was recommended to me, so I emailed Doug. I have the stock Blue Marvel Speaker, so I told him this and the problems I was having.

He recommended JJ EL84's, a Tung Sol 12AX7A reissue, a JJ ECC803S 12AX7 and a Electro Harmonix 12AX7 EH.

I have been pleased every since...

Doug's a great guy, great service and great email response !!!

[jdjonsson]

My next retube, I will have to look into Doug's.

...although I am very happy with my Eurotubes JJ's I just obtained.

I think the C30 can take either an 8 or 16 ohm speaker. I know the extension cab can be either and it doesn't care. The stock Blue Marvel is 16 ohm.

[RoboPimp]

just sounds to me like your old tubes were worn out... EL84s burn up a lot faster than other types of power tubes.

[Prages]

Originally Posted by RoboPimp

just sounds to me like your old tubes were worn out... EL84s burn up a lot faster than other types of power tubes.

I'm sure that had something to do with it, but I've never been overly fond of the amp's clean the way I have with it's overdrive. The new tubes give the amp better clean tones than I ever remember it having.

[TubeBy12]

Originally Posted by gtrbarbarian

I have a couple of questions for you guys.... my cab is 8ohm, and I know it says to only use a 16ohm cab with the amp...is my transformer going to melt?

Don't do it - the C30 head is 16-ohm only. Use one of these and you will be set:
https://taweber.powweb.com/store/zmatch.htm

[Doctor Morbius]

Alright, I've had enough of this. I'm emailing Doug's Tubes right now and asking him what type of preamp tube he thinks would go best in my AD30VT.

Don't even try to talk me out of it!

[Seeds]

I woulden't bother changing the tube in a VT... your better off with a speaker change.

[Fender Picker]

I got the same suggestion from Doug for my Classic 30 and use those exact same tubes. I use the Hellatone 30 speaker. I thought I had a tube rattle and I emailed Doug. He said just send the tube back that was bad and he would send another right away. Turns out it was the new amp stand and not the tube. So, I cranked that C30 up and rocked those old fart neighbors of mine next door.

Thanks Doug.

FP

[Doctor Morbius]

Originally Posted by Seeds

I woulden't bother changing the tube in a VT... your better off with a speaker change.

I'm doing that also.

[jrockbridge]

So, where is Doug's Tubes located? I'm just curious.

[Fender Picker]

Originally Posted by jrockbridge

So, where is Doug's Tubes located? I'm just curious.

New York

www.dougstubes.com