Peavey Bandit 65 Guitar Amp help

[Jimmydoo92]

Hello,
I am looking for some help with a guitar amp that I own, a Peavey Bandit 65. I have been playing for four years, and I obtained this amp through my uncle(he didn't need the amp and guitar, so he let me have them). As for the guitar, it is a Sebring SB-100, a knock of a Fender Strat if you will. For my problem, I am having a difficult time figuring out this amp, how to use it appropriately for the playing style I want. I am looking at the owners manual on the internet, but even with that, I am still having some trouble. Basically, I need guidance with this amp, and I am trying to obtain a clean, funky sounding tone for the music I want to play (EWF, Stevie Wonder, etc...). Just noodling with this amp isn't helping me too much, so any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

[txstrat]

Welcome to the forum.
Your amp don't have too many knobs for each channel so it shouldn't be difficult to get some different tones out of it.
I've had a look here: Peavey Bandit 65 and found the word 'sterile' for the clean channel.
Clean/funky music it all but sterile and this might just don't be the right amp for your needs.

[ES350]

Just use the clean channel and EQ to taste...it's as clean as that amp can get.

[Jimmydoo92]

I found a manual online for the amp, apparently it is from the mid 80's lol. Talk about a score, eh? Today, my guys came over and we settled everything so it sounds good; it sure is good to have people. I also found an online guide to help clarify my questions. On top of that, the drummer has a Fender guitar amp, so I will most likely use that.

[Chuck H]

Don't abandon the Bandit. IMHO it's one of the better solid state amps for tone. If the clean channel is too sterile you could always use an outboard "tube" type preamp pedal plugged into the input or the effects return. some sound really nice. The Scorpion speaker that amp came with should be good for the style of music you play too. I really liked my Bandit. One thing it did that most solid state amps don't do well is accept a little over drive at the input. This is usually a quality that is exclusive to tube amps.

I don't play funk, but if I did I might set up the controls like this: (no specific#'s)

Bass-high
mids-low
treb-med
pres-high
try it with the "thick" pulled and the treble set low too.
keep the Master vol. dimed and use the Normal gain as the volume control.

Or, you could also try using the gain channel. Keep the Saturation at 0 and the Post gain and Master vol. dimed. Use the Pre gain as the volume control.

It's a very usable gig amp for a transistor jobbie. Loud and tough with decent tone. Very reliable IME.

Whether the "Fender" is better or not depends on the model. But I can concede that most of those old funk tones were probably recorded on BF or SF Fender amps (bright switch engaged).

Good luck

Chuck

[Jimmydoo92]

Thank you very much for your help guys, I really do appreciate you helping me. Yesterday, the band members came over and we were able to find a setting that gave a clean, loud, with basically no distortion at all. As for the Fender amp, I don't know exactly what it is, but I will find out. One thing that worries me about his amp though, is that he plugged an effect pedal into it, and his bass into that pedal. So, a bass going to a guitar amp? Correct me if I am wrong, but is the rule that you never use a bass through a guitar amp?

[Chuck H]

Sure you can plug a bass into a guitar amp. Won't hurt it a bit. You could damage a guitar speaker trying to get loud bass through it though.

Chuck

[Jimmydoo92]

Today, at practice, the drummer brought over his Fender amp. It is a Fender Champ, two instrument holes, and three knobs: volume, treble, and bass. The specs on the back say: 0.5A 120V 60Hz Speaker: 3.2 OHMS and 6 WATTS RMS. Now for you players with experience, would you say, based off of this information, is this a performance worthy amp? He has had it for a long time, his father originally owned it, I think he got it back in the '70's. The place we are performing in is a church/chapel for a fund raising event. Today, he also brought an effects pedal, which has everything you can think off, including a setting I found to be worth my while, a clean funk setting. We plugged that into the Fender amp, and everything sounded peachy ( volume was at 4, max is 10). I want your input on this amp, should I use this amp instead of the Peavey? Thank you.

[Enzo]

That is like asking us if you should order a hamburger or a hot dog at the county fair. Order what you like best. The whole point of an amp is to make sounds you like. Use the amp that sounds best TO YOU. Doesn;t matter which one I might prefer myself.

A Champ is a small low power amp. If your band is playing all Metallica tunes, it might have a real hard time keeping up. On the other hand if it makes that certain tone you like, you can always mic it through the PA for volume.

[kurtdaniel]

I have an original Peavey Bandit 65 Solo Series (my first amp, bought new in July 1985), and it indeed does have the "Scorpion" speaker... and she can get loud.
check this: guitar tutorial