what to build from donor peavey classic 50 410

[paulwd]

hello to all,

My first post. I have enjoyed lurking around here over the past year or so.

I am full of enthusiasm after my first successful build, a 5e3. I was hoping to pick your brains. I have acquired a non functioning peavey classic (4xel84). now, assumimg that the iron checks out, what would be some new project options for me?

cheers and many thanks

paul

[rp]

The cabs, speakers, iron aren't anything special, baffles are crap, nothing I would want to proudly hang my name on once the amp is finished. The chassis is already drilled out for a pcb amp and labeled for a Classic 50, though you could always stick your own face plate over it. Seeing it's 4xEL84 and if money's tight I'd say a Rocket/TB side of an AC30/6 or EF86 AC30/4 would be your cleanest build into it. A Matchless DC30 too but they really like their own iron to sound right, and if your Matchless doesn't sound like a Matchless what's the point. You can get an AC30 or Rocket board from Watts or Hoffman that should make it go fast assuming it goes in w/o obstacles from the old PCB setup.

Hopefully it's a 2x12 otherwise you're going to have a 4x10 or 1x15 AC30 style, not that there will be anything wrong w/ that.

If you want to hack it up more, all the Fender Tweeds are amazing, 5F6A/BluesBreaker, Low Power Twin, or 2x12 Super/Pro/Deluxe would all be excellent, but your PT and OT will be problems on all Fender permutations, PT not enough voltage for 6L6s, OT at 4K is not good for 2 6V6s, you'd have to mis-match taps if you can that or do 4x 6V6. Fender circuits would require a step bit to drill out for octals and it could get kind of ugly with the 4 noval holes already there. IOW a Fender conversion would be much more of an ugly kluge.

Otherwise, if you have more money I'd say get it working, sell it for $350 and start collecting better parts for a nicer scratch build. For myself If I ver build a tweed combo it would be a Keef twin with Celestions.

[brewdude]

I had a classic 50/410 back in the late 80's.
I really liked it.

I preferred the clean channel on "12", but it was pretty loud you ex all the way up.

I ended up selling it to by a MB Blue Angel that I never learned to like.

Good luck with your project.

[labb]

If I remember correctly the classic 50 has two pcb's. The tubes mount on one of the boards. Mine shows 400 volts on the plates of the EL 84's. I would probably just rebuild it as is rather than try to salvage much more that just the transformers to build another amp.

[paulwd]

thanks for the replies. I will have a go at repairing it first.

cheers
paul

[paulwd]

thanks guys. I think I'll attempt a repair first.

cheers,
paul

[Jana]

I've worked on those. They are about as cheap as they come. As mentioned, nothing about them is of the quality you would want for a rebuild--not even the transformers. I would repair it to get it in working order and sell it. Use the money to finance a decent build.