Channel button
Independent channel controls
Bass , mid , treble controls
Boost button normal and pre sections that switches between channels , which are remarkably different , but more on that later . There ’ s also a reverb level control and an EQ section with bass , mid , and treble knobs . Each chicken head knob goes up to 12 ( which is two louder — and better — than 10 , of course ). The EQ section serves both channels .
Between the mid and treble controls you ’ ll find another button marked “ boost .” This is the Classic 30 ’ s cool new wrinkle . The boost kicks up the gain and opens up the top end in a warm and colorful way . Like the EQ dials it can be used with both channels . There are also I / O jacks for the sparkly clean effects loop ( although I prefer to stack my pedals in front of the amp ’ s signal ), on / off and standby toggles , plus a pilot light so you know when you ’ re in business . While all this adds up to a lot of practical features , they are familiar and intuitive enough that I felt comfortable bringing the amp to a two-night gig on Memphis ’ Beale Street the day after it arrived .
At Home on the Midrange In performance , the amp did exactly what it ’ s designed to do : it ruled a small , packed , noisy , reflection prone room without the help of a PA . I like dirt , so the first night I experimented with the crunchy channel — the one with the pre and post controls .
It took just a few minutes to dial in a strong stage tone , with lots of rich , toppy midrange . With the EQ dials set straight up at 6 to start , the amp ran a little bass heavy . Moving the bass to 4 , mids to 9 , and treble to 8 delivered a warm , powerful tone straddling roots and rock — placing my guitars in the sonic strata just on top of the bass and drums . The growl and volume I like — enough to make the strings sing and sustain with minimal effort — came from setting the pre at 3 and the post at 6 . The pre dial was extremely responsive . Cranking it up at home revealed the Classic 30 ’ s potential for heavy rock , with lots of stinging overdrive . On the gig , cranking the post to increase volume preserved the tone while providing more “ loud ”— just the way it should . For the record , it ’ s easy to keep volumes equal while switching between channels .
Echo of the Past This reverb sounds sweet . And though an op amp rather than a tube drives the circuit , it sounds similar to the tank on my ’ 66 transition-era Twin . It adds ambience at low levels and lingers deliciously when cranked , making it a natural for surf licks . The control is smooth and effective — adding or subtracting reverb without any sudden surges . It ’ s so nice that I was a little bummed that the natural reverb from the brick and glass construction of the club required me to deactivate it for the gig .
In addition to the warm , bold , midcentric tones , the Classic 30 ’ s second channel proved fabulously adaptable to different guitars , pickups and effects . From Gibson and Seymour Duncan humbuckers to a mid- ’ 60 Epiphone dogear P-90 , and a pedalboard equipped with compressor , overdrive , phase shifter , vibrato , and delay , the second channel still had the headroom to convey nuance and color without getting buzzy or muddy . At home it was equally content with my stock pickup Stratocaster .
To my ears the normal channel is the brighter of the two . It ’ s also very clean and present . It ’ s an excellent platform for pedals . Using a J . Rockett Archer overdrive lent just enough hair to the amp ’ s natural presence and responsiveness . But snapping the Archer off and engaging the boost button brought the Classic 30 ’ s normal channel to life , adding a big-shouldered purr and nice harmonic colors : organic , crisp , and tough .
The Verdict The latest Classic 30 is a ruggedly built and adaptable creature — dependable and sweet sounding on stage and , I ’ d surmise , the studio as well . It may not have all the harmonic detail , shimmering breakup , or open-sounding voice of a high-quality boutique amp . But it more than holds its own . I ’ d be happy to see one of these in a club or festival backline any time . And for the street price of $ 699 , it ’ s a winner — with enough versatility and sonic goodness for any playing situation .
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A REVIEW DEMO of this amp .
Peavey Classic 30
$ 699 street peavey . com
Tones Ease of Use
Build / Design Value
PROS Good sounds . Plenty loud . Easy to use . Sweet reverb . A lotta amp for little bucks .
CONS Finicky tone geeks might want more color and detail . 146 PREMIER GUITAR SEPTEMBER 2016 premierguitar . com