Amp mystery : is the peavey butcher 2 a plexi and a 2203 in one box?

[DanTravis62]

I don't know where this myth originated. I've owned two of them. They're no brighter than an 800. I've had an 800 and a Butcher side by side and there is little if any difference tone wise.

Yeah my buddy has one, and it wasn't any brighter than my 2203 at the time

 

[Kordoba]

As long as we are talking Butchers, I'll share a VTM clip. When I purchased this amp in 2004, VTMs were a hot topic on the PV forum. Guys were grilling Roger Crimm (PV employee/moderator) on the similarities between the Butcher and VTM. I'm paraphrasing here based on a 20 year old memory, but he more or less said the VTM is a Butcher with dip switches and an FX loop. If you don't use the dip switches or loop, you essentially have a Butcher. I found that interesting because on HCAF at the time, guys were coming up with all kinds of opinions. "The Butcher is darker/brighter/more balls/less balls than a VTM." Or, "the VTM is darker/brighter/more balls/less balls than a Butcher." Forumz!

 

[jabps]

this amp is one if the worst marketing failure by peavey..

That sums up alot of products by Peavey. By an large the aesthetics for many of their products were just bad.

The Butcher, the VTM - had they been packaged in a more accessible headshell and marketed properly they would have been home runs. Because they are what they are - Mississippi Marshalls. The cabs for those series are built like tanks. However the headshell was just a massive horrible looking beast not to mention the faceplates. And please the tolex on the heads and cabs lol, carefull with that stuff.

It's really no different though than the Trucker Girls on the XXX. Just call the amp something else once Lynch backed out, a more accessible faceplate and again, amp would have been even more popular than they were. And frankly in the big scheme of things would probably have the same clout as the OG 5150's at this point.

Then again we're talking Hartley who argued with EVH on the aesthetic design of the 5150, he hated the silver face panel. That amp to this day is still one of the classiest looking heads out there. Same with the old Classic series amps and combo's, both were good looking products. Especially with the modernized Peavey logo.

So many missed opportunities.

 

[frthib]

Maybe I had a bad one. I didn't pay enough for it at the time to keep messing with it and it was one of my first amps. Real long time ago... like way on back.

I'd still be interested to hear the version 2.

I'm not the greatest player in the world by far, and not the best mixer AT all, but this is what I could come by sticking a SM57 in front of the 2x12 with lynchback and adding a plate reverb. No EQ.

I tried to play things so show the amp behaviour, not making a "great song". I wish I could. (

first is the "plexi", I toggle a MXR 10 band EQ and a Boss SD-1 to display how it reacts to boosts.

at about 1:28, I switch to the "800" toggling the same boosts on and off..

 

[Devin]

I'm not the greatest player in the world by far, and not the best mixer AT all, but this is what I could come by sticking a SM57 in front of the 2x12 with lynchback and adding a plate reverb. No EQ.

I tried to play things so show the amp behaviour, not making a "great song". I wish I could. (

first is the "plexi", I toggle a MXR 10 band EQ and a Boss SD-1 to display how it reacts to boosts.

at about 1:28, I switch to the "800" toggling the same boosts on and off..

Sounds like it has potential for sure


I like the tone at the 30 second to 1 minute mark

 

[ChuggNorris]

I'm not the greatest player in the world by far, and not the best mixer AT all, but this is what I could come by sticking a SM57 in front of the 2x12 with lynchback and adding a plate reverb. No EQ.

I tried to play things so show the amp behaviour, not making a "great song". I wish I could. (

first is the "plexi", I toggle a MXR 10 band EQ and a Boss SD-1 to display how it reacts to boosts.

at about 1:28, I switch to the "800" toggling the same boosts on and off..

Sounds like a rig talk wizard clip. ?





Wizard owners will disagree.
















Ball liquors.

 

[frthib]

Sounds like a rig talk wizard clip. ?

Wizard owners will disagree.

Ball liquors.

Since I paid It not even 10% of the cost of a Wizard, I think it's doing OK.

If It was recorded by someone who knew what he's doing / playing in a world class cab / recording gear, pretty sure it would sound stellar

 

[ZEEGLER]

That sums up alot of products by Peavey. By an large the aesthetics for many of their products were just bad.

The Butcher, the VTM - had they been packaged in a more accessible headshell and marketed properly they would have been home runs. Because they are what they are - Mississippi Marshalls. The cabs for those series are built like tanks. However the headshell was just a massive horrible looking beast not to mention the faceplates. And please the tolex on the heads and cabs lol, carefull with that stuff.

It's really no different though than the Trucker Girls on the XXX. Just call the amp something else once Lynch backed out, a more accessible faceplate and again, amp would have been even more popular than they were. And frankly in the big scheme of things would probably have the same clout as the OG 5150's at this point.

Then again we're talking Hartley who argued with EVH on the aesthetic design of the 5150, he hated the silver face panel. That amp to this day is still one of the classiest looking heads out there. Same with the old Classic series amps and combo's, both were good looking products. Especially with the modernized Peavey logo.

So many missed opportunities.

I agree that most Peavey amps are aesthetically challenged. The Butcher/VTM headshells are ludicrously heavy, but also basically indestructible. Many people aren't aware, but the Butcher and VTMs fit perfectly into a 5150/6505 headshell. Before I sold my last Butcher, I had it in a 5150 headshell the whole time. Way easier to handle.

 

[Kordoba]

If It was recorded by someone who knew what he's doing / playing in a world class cab / recording gear, pretty sure it would sound stellar

Just make up a story about how you tour all over, play endless fly-gigs, and do sessions at world class studios for major artists.

That would be stellar.

 

[dead-pan]

Some gut shots of the Butcher 2.

 

[dead-pan]

Fired the Butcher up yesterday and will work with it some today also.

First thought was the amp is just as I remember, tough to dial in. I decided to check the bias and it was at 29ma per tube. Thought this should be ok so I did some test clips and it was sounding horrible recorded. Upped the bias to 35ma and it was a little better then at 40ma per tube it opened up.

The first thing that I noticed is channel 1 is definitely based on a Plexi.

Channel 2 does sound somewhat like a jcm800 but the Peavey OT changes things a bit I think.

Also, master 1 and 2 sound and work different. Wonder what the difference here is?

 

[frthib]

@dead-pan my master volumes reacts differently too. i wondered if it was broke somehow but now i think its designed as is. one taper feels logarithmic while the other linear. the 800 side the volume knob impact the tone quite a bit past 6 1/2

on the 800 side, i prefer the volume at 3 1/2-4 then use the master volume to raise the output.. the sound is sharper with thise settings..

the presence knob does almost nothing except the last quarter of the available taper.. 800 Side treble is like that too.

plexi side has.a bright capacitor i think tied to the volume. its effects lessen the more.you raise the volume. then tame it.with the mv

 

[dead-pan]

@dead-pan my master volumes reacts differently too. i wondered if it was broke somehow but now i think its designed as is. one taper feels logarithmic while the other linear. the 800 side the volume knob impact the tone quite a bit past 6 1/2

on the 800 side, i prefer the volume at 3 1/2-4 then use the master volume to raise the output.. the sound is sharper with thise settings..

the presence knob does almost nothing except the last quarter of the available taper.. 800 Side treble is like that too.

plexi side has.a bright capacitor i think tied to the volume. its effects lessen the more.you raise the volume. then tame it.with the mv

Nice, appreciate the notes.

I have to see how the volume effects the Plexi side but currently at the same volume the 800 master has more upper mids vs using master 1 on channel 2.

Yep, the presence is a bit unusual in the range. Very useful though.

Something else odd, the punch dial seems to be somewhere in the preamp? It has effects on the tightness.

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

Sounds like it has potential for sure


I like the tone at the 30 second to 1 minute mark

Yep! 30-60 sec sounds great! ?

 

[Ben Waylin]

Yep! 30-60 sec sounds great! ?

Hells yeah, brother !

Here's my Peavy Butcher recorded with a Warmoth strat earlier today..

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

Hells yeah, brother !

Here's my Peavy Butcher recorded with a Warmoth strat earlier today..

Great!!
SD-1?

 

[frthib]

Nice, appreciate the notes.

I have to see how the volume effects the Plexi side but currently at the same volume the 800 master has more upper mids vs using master 1 on channel 2.

Yep, the presence is a bit unusual in the range. Very useful though.

Something else odd, the punch dial seems to be somewhere in the preamp? It has effects on the tightness.

what im hearing too is the 800 side has more upper mids, the treble knob has more effect it seems..

i prefer thte plexi tone now with a boss SD-1, volume maxed and the boost enabled.

the punch control was quite a mystery until i've read that :

"The next major mod is the “punch” control, which only works on the crunch (2203) channel. This punch control has 12 different settings, and the way it works is by changing the values of a cap and resistor on the cathode of the first gain stage. In short, selecting position “6” of the punch control (1 is all the way to the left, position 12 is all the way to the right), you have the stock value .68u of an unmodified Marshall 2203. "

i noticed that the loop can get quite hot. i have to lower the volume or use rack level effects (some digitech pedals such as oscura and polara)

 

[frthib]

Hells yeah, brother !

Here's my Peavy Butcher recorded with a Warmoth strat earlier today..

that sounds great! really like and idealized plexi..

it does the VH thing very very well.

as squarehead said: sd-1 or ts?

 

[Ben Waylin]

that sounds great! really like and idealized plexi..

it does the VH thing very very well.

as squarehead said: sd-1 or ts?

Mighty Mite S-80 pre-amp (inside guitar control cavity)

 

[RaceU4her]

I agree that most Peavey amps are aesthetically challenged. The Butcher/VTM headshells are ludicrously heavy, but also basically indestructible. Many people aren't aware, but the Butcher and VTMs fit perfectly into a 5150/6505 headshell. Before I sold my last Butcher, I had it in a 5150 headshell the whole time. Way easier to handle.

I have the supreme 160 and that thing is the heaviest amp I have, can’t imagine what a tube amp must weigh with that head shell