Extension cab for Peavey Classic 30

BobTheSalmon

Hi folks

I love my Peavey Classic 30 and use it for almost all gigs now, sometimes paired with my Marshall Class 5 for added "hair". However, for one band I am playing slightly larger venues and want a bit more air in my sound from just the Classic 30. I only use the clean channel so have plenty of headroom but would like to try it with a cab.

Any suggestions from C30 fans and others...?

Many thanks

Bob

Haych

I used to gig with a C30 in my first band some years ago (about 20).  I thought it was a good amp but sounded a little lacking in the presence department on the dirty channel, and a bit 'barky', but if you're only using the clean channel then you won't have that problem.

I did buy the dedicated extension cab that Peavey made for it and it made a huge difference to the overall sound - bigger and much more distinct and immediately less 'barky'. 

I also found it useful for spreading the sound too and I could leave the amp in close proximity to me, so I could fiddle with it, and place the extension cab on the other side of the stage, which not only helped fill the room a bit but also meant that the bass player could hear me too

It's also still quite a light and portable set-up to cart around too.

I did also on occasion use a 4x12 with it for a bigger sound and it had no problem driving one but it wasn't a sound I liked very much.

I guess it all comes down to what you want it to sound like though, but from experience an extra 1x12 cab did make a big difference.  I know it's not exactly pragmatic but if you can, try a few different cabs of differing speaker configurations and see what works for you.

crunchman

 Apart from my stock suggestion of sell it before it breaks and you have to get a tech to look at the monstrosity that is the 3 sided inaccessible board, I'd say avoid the Celestion Vintage 30.  I don't like the speaker, but it's tolerable in a 4 x 12.  In a 1 x 12 (especially an open backed one) it is just lots of harsh upper mids.  I put pne in my old C30, and it wasn't a good combination.

In the long term you will save money by selling it and getting a Hot Rod Deluxe.  The C30 chews up EL84s, and you need four of them.  The 6L6s in a Hot Rod Deluxe will probably last 5 times as long, and you only need 2 of them.  If the C30 does ever go wrong (and it's not nearly as well built as the HRD), then that horrible circuit board will make the repair a lot more expensive.  I don't think the stock speaker in the C30 is all that loud.  With a decent speaker, the extra power of the HRD might be enough to not need an extension cab purely for volume reasons although it would help with the spread of sound.

I think you will need a 16 Ohm speaker in it, otherwise I've got an Award Session 1 x 12 with an 8 Ohm Celestion Heritage G12 65 that is surplus to requirements.  (You could use it with a Hot Rod Deluxe if you take my advice)

Philtre

crunchman said:

 Apart from my stock suggestion of sell it before it breaks and you have to get a tech to look at the monstrosity that is the 3 sided inaccessible board, I'd say avoid the Celestion Vintage 30.  I don't like the speaker, but it's tolerable in a 4 x 12.  In a 1 x 12 (especially an open backed one) it is just lots of harsh upper mids.  I put pne in my old C30, and it wasn't a good combination.

In the long term you will save money by selling it and getting a Hot Rod Deluxe.  The C30 chews up EL84s, and you need four of them.  The 6L6s in a Hot Rod Deluxe will probably last 5 times as long, and you only need 2 of them.  If the C30 does ever go wrong (and it's not nearly as well built as the HRD), then that horrible circuit board will make the repair a lot more expensive.  I don't think the stock speaker in the C30 is all that loud.  With a decent speaker, the extra power of the HRD might be enough to not need an extension cab purely for volume reasons although it would help with the spread of sound.

I think you will need a 16 Ohm speaker in it, otherwise I've got an Award Session 1 x 12 with an 8 Ohm Celestion Heritage G12 65 that is surplus to requirements.  (You could use it with a Hot Rod Deluxe if you take my advice)

This. A thousand times this!

I bought a s/h Peavey C30 last year and it hummed like a hummy thing. I was told it needed the caps replacing. Good luck with that! Got shot of it smartish. Got a HRD iii instead - best thing I ever did. If you get a HRD you won't need an extra cab on the C30 because the HRD fills the room like the C30 doesn't.

However, the OP loves his C30, so yes...it needs to be 16ohms. I used to use an Orange PPC112 Celestion V30 close back cab and it was OK. But just get a HRD...

BobTheSalmon

Philtre said:

crunchman said:

 Apart from my stock suggestion of sell it before it breaks and you have to get a tech to look at the monstrosity that is the 3 sided inaccessible board, I'd say avoid the Celestion Vintage 30.  I don't like the speaker, but it's tolerable in a 4 x 12.  In a 1 x 12 (especially an open backed one) it is just lots of harsh upper mids.  I put pne in my old C30, and it wasn't a good combination.

In the long term you will save money by selling it and getting a Hot Rod Deluxe.  The C30 chews up EL84s, and you need four of them.  The 6L6s in a Hot Rod Deluxe will probably last 5 times as long, and you only need 2 of them.  If the C30 does ever go wrong (and it's not nearly as well built as the HRD), then that horrible circuit board will make the repair a lot more expensive.  I don't think the stock speaker in the C30 is all that loud.  With a decent speaker, the extra power of the HRD might be enough to not need an extension cab purely for volume reasons although it would help with the spread of sound.

I think you will need a 16 Ohm speaker in it, otherwise I've got an Award Session 1 x 12 with an 8 Ohm Celestion Heritage G12 65 that is surplus to requirements.  (You could use it with a Hot Rod Deluxe if you take my advice)

This. A thousand times this!

I bought a s/h Peavey C30 last year and it hummed like a hummy thing. I was told it needed the caps replacing. Good luck with that! Got shot of it smartish. Got a HRD iii instead - best thing I ever did. If you get a HRD you won't need an extra cab on the C30 because the HRD fills the room like the C30 doesn't.

However, the OP loves his C30, so yes...it needs to be 16ohms. I used to use an Orange PPC112 Celestion V30 close back cab and it was OK. But just get a HRD...

Haha, yes I have owned an HRD and they are fantastic (again clean channel only). I sold that and bought a fantastic 70s Traynor, but that was too big,loud and heavy for most gigs!!

When I decided to sell the Traynor and look for a Fender, the Classic 30 popped up for a ridiculously cheap price, so I got it on the basis that it's so portable. I dunno, I just feel like I've bonded more with the C30...

I guess the fact that I re-tolexed it in Brown Alligator skin might have something to do with that!!!

As yet, i have had no issues with it, but I take both of your points.

BobTheSalmon

Any thoughts on the Bluese Deluxe vs HRD??? 

Haych

BobTheSalmon said:

Any thoughts on the Bluese Deluxe vs HRD??? 

I've not played them but I hear that the Blues Deluxe is a tad brighter and obviously not as much dirt as the HRD.  There are some good comparisons on Youtube that will probably give you a better idea than what I think though.

ICBM

The Blues is actually slightly more scooped-sounding than the Hotrod - not just brighter, it has less mid and more bass too. The clean sound is dirtier and the drive sound is cleaner, if that makes sense - it’s not as much of a separate channel, it’s the same channel but with a gain boost and a master volume control. The Hotrod runs the drive channel through an extra gain stage instead.

The best extension cab I’ve heard with a C30 is the Peavey open-back 4x10” they sold with the head version. I may know someone with one for sale, if that’s of interest. It’s not heavy for a 4x10”.