Lipstick on pigs - dressing up ugly amps

[glebert]

Apologies if similar threads exist, I didn't see any in a quick search.

Lately, in addition to buying and fixing broken amps, I am starting to play with the aesthetics to reduce the stigma on amps that sound great but maybe aren't in line with modern tastes in the looks department. I would love to get some feedback on the changes.

I am kind of a sucker for Peavey amps. I still have my first bass amp, a teal stripe Mark III that has served me well for 25 years. They are easy to work on, good customer service, etc. but they always have *that* look, which I think is a drawback. I take off the aluminum rails and grill cloth, replace the cloth with stuff that is literally an Ikea window panel, wrap it with some "piping" that is vinyl weatherstripping from the hardware store, and call it done. The window panel material reminds me of what they used on some of the Fender Supersonics. What do you think, an improvement or cheesy? I think it actually works a little better with the Classic Chorus because of the cursive font rather than the block letters on the Special.

Peavey Special 112:


originally looked about like this


i also did a Peavey Classic Chorus 130:

[glebert]

This is an amp that I owned but did not do the color change on. It would originally been black with dark gray cloth. It was a pretty weird color scheme, but it was well executed.

[bob p]

It's funny -- you're trying to disguise old PV amps, and I'm inclined to build better circuits into old PV amps to hide them.

People like to steal amps that look like FMV more than PV.

[g1]

Congrats, looks good and great idea.
I agree that much of the stigma about PV is based on looks, and I'm one of those guilty of that bias.

Bob: have you thought about dressing up your tele as a T-60 ?

[glebert]

It's funny -- you're trying to disguise old PV amps, and I'm inclined to build better circuits into old PV amps to hide them.

People like to steal amps that look like FMV more than PV.

I would like to see someone try to run off with a Classic Chorus or a Special if they thought it was FMV. You could catch them easily by checking the local ERs for new cases of torn hernias. LOL

I didn't really intend to disguise them, since i really like Peavey amps (in the right context, obviously). The CC130 didn't have a grill cloth when I got it and it was cheaper to use this window panel than to buy regular speaker cloth, not to mention the missing logos.

[bob p]

Bob: have you thought about dressing up your tele as a T-60 ?

Good idea. Make the gear as unlikely to be stolen as possible.

Actually, my guitar is not a real Tele. It's an Indonesian G&L Asat. If people knew that it's an Indo G&L they probably wouldn't steal it. My biggest risk is that the G&L people have made the "Tribute Series" decal on the guitar very tiny (It used to be BIG), so now it's harder to tell the Indo from the American G&L. I guess that means that my guitar may be more likely to be stolen.

Interestingly, the vintage USA PV guitars like the T-60 and Predator are increasing in value. You used to be able to buy them cheap. Not any more. I think there are people out there who want vintage PV gear, in spite of the stigma that some people may attach to it. That may make them more likely to be stolen!

One of the reasons that I ended up buying that G&L was because I had so much trouble finding a used Fender at a decent price. Even the used vintage PV, which used to be cheap, were no longer the bargain that the used to be.

[rjb]

Bob: have you thought about dressing up your tele as a T-60 ?

Like this?

[bob p]

Like this?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]45003[/ATTACH]

now that is what I'd call "Weight Relieved."

[glebert]

Congrats, looks good and great idea.
I agree that much of the stigma about PV is based on looks, and I'm one of those guilty of that bias.

I volunteer with a non-profit that puts on an open-mic and I have been loaning them some amps. I had a teal stripe Peavey Bandit there for a couple months and it got used maybe a couple of times. Sold the Bandit so I swapped in a Fender Performer 1000, which is a nice enough amp but about on par with the Bandit IMHO. Last night at least four or five people played through the Fender.

The teal stripe Peavey's are harder to dress up because you can't do anything with that stripe.