Underappreciated Amp Thread

[Rex Rocker]

I'll admit I never gave the XXX much thought because of the tacky look. I'm curious to see how it sounds now.

I had one. While I never really got to "open it up" (the reason why I sold it), it did sound good. It wasn't exactly the "tone in my head", but I paid like $350 for it. For that kind of money, I have a hard time thinking of anything that even comes close.

Nate from the old ESP forum did a bunch of recording with his. Did you ever hear his band Judgement? Those were some killer XXX tones.

 

[skullfxr]

I have a JSX now I feel like I need a XXX too. Lol.

 

[skullfxr]

I love my Rivera Knucklehead too. My K100 in stereo with a Rectifier was the best tone I've ever created.

I can confirm. I run the K100 with a Tremoverb all the time. Massive amounts of destruction.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Fender Prosonic

Fryette GP/DI for recording and home jams. That thing slays so fuckin hard.

 

[jsp]

I'll admit I never gave the XXX much thought because of the tacky look. I'm curious to see how it sounds now.

I had one. While I never really got to "open it up" (the reason why I sold it), it did sound good. It wasn't exactly the "tone in my head", but I paid like $350 for it. For that kind of money, I have a hard time thinking of anything that even comes close.

Nate from the old ESP forum did a bunch of recording with his. Did you ever hear his band Judgement? Those were some killer XXX tones.

Yeah, I remember Nate.


I miss that forum

 

[milkchickenbomb]

Fender Deluxe 85

Great practice/band amp. Lightweight and transportable. Has a good loop and footswitchable reverb. Loud enough for a shitty drummer whenever needed, Roland cleans, and a dirty channel with more than enough gain for 90s punk. Awesome dirty sound for an 80s solid state amp.

$300 new, they are probably like $25 nowadays.

 

[Avi8r2005]

The Rocktron Piranha was a pretty brutal sounding unit. Had one for a bit, love to snag another one someday.

 

[Kordoba]

As the story goes, the XXX was supposed to be a signature amp for George Lynch, but before it was released the deal fell through between George and Hartley Peavey. The original version (with the mudflap check) shipped with 6L6's and was stupidly brutal sounding. You could swap in EL-34's, but very few people went that route. The second and third channels had very different voicings, with the third channel (Ultra) having a very scooped nu-metal thing going.

The second version of the XXX omitted the mudflap check (which was a stupid idea from the beginning). It shipped with EL34's and was vastly tamed down. The second channel sounded quite similar to the third (Ultra) channel. The Ultra channel just had more gain.

Yes, I owned both.

IMHO, no comparison. They were both brutal, but version one was an absolute fire breather with a wider array of voicings.

Ahh, I see. So any XXX out there with the trucker girl mud flap metal panel is the first version, and it’s much more brutal than the XXX II?

They are both PLENTY brutal. Great amps. My understanding was that the XXX II was literally the JSX with a different name , because Satriani was no longer with the company. That’s what my Peavey rep told me at the time anyway

JSX = XXX II. According to internet legend there may have been some minor tweaks with the XXX II.

XXX = 3120. The only difference are the cosmetics and the 3120 shipped with EL34s.

It's not internet legend; the Triple X II is a tweaked JSX circuit. I owned the Triple X II and spoke with techs at Peavey numerous times, and they told me that the Triple X II had some changes made for sure. I don't recall specifics.

I could not gel with that amp at all. Despite numerous PT & preamp tube swaps, different cabs/speakers, guitars and pickups, it just wan't for me.

You're right, and here Roger Crimm talks about the changes that were made:

https://peavey.com/forum/viewtopic.php? ... II#p328079

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

Probably the Blades Firebolt. Lots of options.

 

[napalmdeath]

Laney AOR series
Laney VH100R
Fryette amps

Laney GH100L is a beast as well. I have to say the Triple XXX and JSX, though well known, are grossly underrated. I still miss having one around.

 

[stratjacket]

Randall RH100 - solid state bliss, still regret selling and occasionally I go on the hunt for one and can never find it. I think it may have been popular at the time, but I was hung up on it being solid state.

Framus Dragon - I under appreciated this amp until it was gone. I kept feeling it was inferior because the Framus Cobra was all the rage at the time

Madison Divinity - the amp sizzled and just had an edge that made it fun to play

 

[riffermadness]

As the story goes, the XXX was supposed to be a signature amp for George Lynch, but before it was released the deal fell through between George and Hartley Peavey. The original version (with the mudflap check) shipped with 6L6's and was stupidly brutal sounding. You could swap in EL-34's, but very few people went that route. The second and third channels had very different voicings, with the third channel (Ultra) having a very scooped nu-metal thing going.

The second version of the XXX omitted the mudflap check (which was a stupid idea from the beginning). It shipped with EL34's and was vastly tamed down. The second channel sounded quite similar to the third (Ultra) channel. The Ultra channel just had more gain.

Yes, I owned both.

IMHO, no comparison. They were both brutal, but version one was an absolute fire breather with a wider array of voicings.

I agree..sold my XXX head 2 years ago and regret it everyday.

 

[rottingcorpse]

IMO,James Peters should be a household name. Yeah,we know him....but whenever I mention his name and amps to the unwashed masses,they never even say they have heard of him much less tried one of his amps. Great guy,great amps,loves his cat. What more could you want?

 

[JSutter]

Peavey Special 212 Transtube. It's basically a Bandit with a 3rd channel and extra features and power. I had a little amp fest of my own a couple years back. At the time I had VS100H, Special 212, Triple Rectifier and RG80ES (borrowed). Plugging straight in, no effects, cranked to stupid volume through my Mesa cab, I liked the Special the most. Tightest, clearest, fullest. Just mean. Unfortunately I can't say which was better in a band setting. Either way they all are great.


Another 212 combo amp that delivers the goods is the Fender Champion 100. I play it back to back with my Triple Rectifier and it doesn't disappoint.

 

[Fret-Shredder]

No other amp offers a TUBE STACK switch that I know of. So there!!!! HAHA!! I actually had one of these.

The MIGHTY GORILLA!!!

 

[skullfxr]

The Framus dragon is a beast. Want.

 

[Kordoba]

IMO,James Peters should be a household name. Yeah,we know him....but whenever I mention his name and amps to the unwashed masses,they never even say they have heard of him much less tried one of his amps. Great guy,great amps,loves his cat. What more could you want?

Right there with ya good buddy!

 

[MetalHeadMike]

No other amp offers a TUBE STACK switch that I know of. So there!!!! HAHA!! I actually had one of these.

The MIGHTY GORILLA!!!

My first amp...god it sounded like ass

 

[skullfxr]

IMO,James Peters should be a household name. Yeah,we know him....but whenever I mention his name and amps to the unwashed masses,they never even say they have heard of him much less tried one of his amps. Great guy,great amps,loves his cat. What more could you want?

Right there with ya good buddy!

I have never had the privilege of trying one. The clips are great though!

 

[Nigel]

Rivera M/S Series amps. Super versatile, Pentode/Triode modes, Half B+ power switch for legit brown sounds, Marshall/Fender tones that get plexi to JCM and Tweed/Blackface, tube buffered FX loop, great verb, built like tanks with milspec components, speaker tapped Line out, etc. Can be ran with EL34's (stock), 6L6, 6550, KT77, you name it.