In today’s article, we’re going to answer a really common question among the community of guitarists: are Peavey amps actually any good? I’m sure that we all know the major brands that manufacture amps – that includes Fender, Marshall, VOX or Orange. Since the market is so big, many people believe that Peavey amps are truly underrated. But are they worth the money?
Yes! Amps manufactured by Peavey feature a great tone. They’re affordable and overall, they offer an amazing value. Although it depends on what kind of music you want to play, sometimes choosing a Peavey amp may be a better idea than choosing a well-known and much more expensive Fender or Marshall amp.
Personally, I have to admit that I have a lot of good memories with Peavey. Most importantly, I used one of their amps when I went busking for the first time. And although it was the cheapest portable amp available on the market at that time, it sounded great and I still really enjoyed that experience.
Let’s dive deeper with research and find out why these are amps are so good. We will talk a bit about the history of Peavey and we’ll focus on some of the best amps offered by this company. There will be a few sound samples included, so stay tuned!
Four Reasons To Choose Peavey
If you’re wondering whether you should choose Peavey or not, here’s a few good reasons why I think these are amps are worth it. That includes:
- Pricing
As I mentioned before, amps offered by Peavey are really affordable. Since most of their gear is manufactured in China and the United States, they don’t charge as much as for example Fender or Orange. If you’re looking for a guitar amp and you’re on a tight budget, it’s very likely that one of the cheaper Peavey amps will be a good fit for you. - Tone
Amps by this company offer a great sound. Out of my experience, some Peavey amps tend to have a better clean tone that the rest of amps available on the market. In addition, they also sound pretty good when if you’re into overdrive and distortion. You’ll hear that in the sound demos included in the next part of today’s article. - Look
Peavey amps are also awesome in terms of appearance. The tweed tube amps offered by this company look absolutely fantastic. If you’re into this kind of vintage style, you’ll definitely love it. They’re pretty similar to the most iconic Fender tweed amps from the 60’s and 70’s. But don’t worry – we’ll talk about them in the next section. - Versatility
It doesn’t really matter whether you’re into rock, jazz, blues or indie – the amps by Peavey are really versatile and they’re suitable for all-level players. That versatility gives a lot of space if you want to experiment with different tones and effects, so that’s definitely a great thing to have when you’re looking for your own tone.
8 Best Peavey Amps
Here’s a list of 8 best and most affordable Peavey amps available online. Feel free to check them out – I highly recommend all of them. I also included a few sound demos below, so make sure to check them out as well.
| Peavey Rage 258 | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Backstage | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Audition Combo | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Classic 20MH | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Delta Blues 210 | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Classic 50 | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Solo | See on Amazon |
| Peavey Max 126 | See on Amazon |
Peavey Rage 258
One of the most affordable combo amps in the world. It’s cheap, it’s durable and it sounds good – who needs anything else? Of course, the tone of that thing may not be as good as in more expensive tube amps, but trust me – if you’re a beginner, it will be more than enough.
The amp is equipped with a 8-inch Blue Marvel speaker, it features a 3-band EQ and two channels: clean and lead. I think that at this price it will be really tough to find something better.
Here’s a quick demo.
Peavey Backstage
Another really cool and even cheaper amp suitable for amateur guitarists. Undoubtedly, this is a perfect practice amp for any beginner. It’s a bit smaller than the Rage 258, but it still offers a great quality. Of course, it’s pretty basic, but if you’re just starting out, you don’t need anything better.
Again, it will be really difficult to beat that at this price level. I highly recommend checking out the demo below.
Peavey Audition Combo
Third combo on today’s list is even more affordable than the rest, but at the same time it’s the smallest one. Still, I think that it should be ideal for guitarists who are just starting out. So if you’re looking for your first guitar amp, they Peavey Audition Combo is the way to go.
The amp is equipped with a 4 heavy-duty speaker, two channels and 2-band passive EQ. As you can imagine, it’s not the most amazing amp in the world, but it does the job. At this price, I think that it’s a bargain.
Peavey Classic 20MH
A really cool mini amp head. The Classic series by Peavey is known for its legendary and crystal clear clean tone. I think that if you’re looking for a small amp head for your home studio or small gigs, the 20MH model should be more than enough.
There is a 3-band EQ and reverb included too. If you’re looking for a lot of dirt, it may not be the best for you. But if you’re into a lot of clean sounds and a slight overdrive, this model is the way to go.
Peavey Delta Blues 210
One of the most expensive amps offered by Peavey. This amp will most certainly be suitable for more advanced and professional players. In my opinion, it should be perfect for live gigs and studio recordings.
Why is it expensive? Well, this tube amp looks really vintage and most importantly, it sounds really vintage. You can achieve a lot of sweet and warm tones on that thing. In addition, the tweed covering on that amp creates a stunning impression. It’s definitely one of the best looking Peavey amps and it’s really similar to the most famous tweed Fender amps.
As most of more expensive tube amps, this piece of gear offers a magical playing experience. Hear how it sounds on the official demo below.
Peavey Classic 50
Another extremely good tube amp made for rehearsals, live gigs and studio recordings. If you’re looking for the best clean tone, this amp is the way to go. In my opinion, it has the best clean sound out of all tube amps out there. The warmth and brightness is just incomparable!
It will sound awesome especially with all the Stratocasters, Jazzmasters and Jaguars. And what’s more, when you add some reverb and delay, this amp turns into something really magical. The only disadvantage is the price – it’s not cheap at all.
Feel free to check out the demo below.
Peavey Solo
Another really popular and cheap amp. It’s really basic, but again – it does the job. I think that it will work perfectly as a practice amp for any guitarist. It has a lot of punch, so it will sound great if you like to play with distortion. The clean channel is not that awesome, but at the same time – this is a really cheap amp, so you can’t expect any wonders.
Still, if you’re looking for something inexpensive and small, the Peavey Solo will definitely do the job.
Peavey Max 126
The last amp on today’s list is made for the bass players. The Max 126 model is another proof that Peavey makes one of the best cheap amps in the world. Honestly, it’s really tough to compete with that at this price level. If you’re a beginner bass player, this is probably the best offer that you can find online.
And if you think that 10-Watt power is not enough, there is also a 20-Watt version available. It will be definitely enough for small gigs. What’s more, the amount of positive reviews of this amp online proves that it’s a really solid choice for any bassist.
Here’s a quick demo.
Summary
I hope that you enjoyed today’s little guide about Peavey. Undoubtedly, their amps offer great quality and whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced player, you are going to love their gear. And to be honest, I’m really surprised that this brand is so underrated, but that’s just the way it is. Anyway, I highly recommend Peavey to everyone who considers getting a new amp!
What do you think about Peavey? Would you buy one of their amps? Let me know in the comments section below, I’m really curious! Also, thanks for checking out my blog. If you’d like to find out more about cheap and affordable guitar amps, you may also like:
Comments
One response to “Peavey Amps – Cheap, But Are They Actually Good? [REVIEW]”
I find the lack of Peavey 5150/6505 on the list disturbing.