The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Peavey Valveverb
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Peavey Valveverb
Garry Pugh


From:
Nashville Indiana
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2000 6:32 am    
Reply with quote

I was in a music store recently and saw a used Peavey Valveverb. It is an all tube reverb and tremolo unit. It's my understanding that Peavey no longer makes this unit. It has a chrome face plate and "chicken-head" knobs so it looks pretty good.

Has anyone had any experience with one of these, if so what is your impression? I like the idea of the all tube reverb and it's rack mounted which is also a plus for me. thanks.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

ajm

 

From:
Los Angeles
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2000 7:41 am    
Reply with quote

For reviews on just about anything under the sun musical (except for pedal steels), go to the Harmony central website. They've probably got some comments from users on it.
I seem to remember that Guitar Player Magazine gave it a good review when it came out.
View user's profile Send private message

Bill cole

 

From:
Cheektowaga, New York, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2000 7:45 am    
Reply with quote

I will say this much if it is anything like the ultraverb it is as good as you can get. my friend has a ultra that I have tryed and it is great. Why don't you if your interested talk to the owner and try it out on the job for a weekend I know all the store's I deal with do it all the time you may have to leave a deposit but if you know the owner he will probably go along with you
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Macy

 

From:
Rockport TX/Denver CO
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2000 8:50 am    
Reply with quote

I have a Valverb in my rack, and it's a pretty cool unit. A tube based spring reverb with 3 band EQ on it, plus a tube tremelo.

The verb has a good sound to it, very warm, and the eq is useful. The tremelo sounds great, though I only use it for special effects.

The unit seems to be a little noisey, but not bad. I mainly use it for specific sessions, and insert it when needed.

But the main thing is, it LOOKS great!

[This message was edited by John Macy on 21 January 2000 at 08:51 AM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Mike Brown

 

From:
Meridian, Mississippi USA
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2000 10:19 am    
Reply with quote

You guys amaze me! I wish I could try all of our Peavey products and eventually will, then I'll let you guys know how they work for steel guitar applications. Most of the time, you players let me know this type of info and it is appreciated. Keep me posted on what you think of the Valverb. I like hearing your opinions and thanks for using Peavey!

Mike Brown
Peavey Customer Service
View user's profile Send private message

Rich Paton

 

From:
Santa Maria, CA.,
Post  Posted 22 Jan 2000 1:07 pm    
Reply with quote

The Valverb when placed as the first unit in the signal path after the instrument will "warm up" the sound and smooth out rough edges, as well. For this reason and the relatively low cost, they have found widespred use in recording studios and are particularly useful in softening an otherwise "cold" or "hard" sounding signal in an otherwise digital signal path.
For a spring based reverb. I liked its sound a lot. It also has one of the very best and widest-ranged tremelo units you can get.
They use two 12AX7/7025 type tubes in the preamp/line stages, and one 12AT7 as the reverb transformer driver amp. I would consider the original tubes as average to fair, and would replace them with good U.S.
or European made N.O.S. units. The noise mentioned may well be related to this issue.
The Valverb differs from most rack-mounted, tube-based units in that it uses the same high values of operating voltage as a tube amplifier, ~ 300+ Volts D.C., vs. typically 12 Volts D.C. from a wall wart, on most units.
This also accounts for the superior sound qualities.
I used one in an Electric 6-string stage system, Guitar to Valverb, Valverb out to the input of a RANE PE-15 5 band parametric EQ,
the parametric output to a Profex II, Profex II outputs to a Peavey CS-200X Stereo 85W RMS
per channel power amp, and two Peavey 12",
8 Ohm Black Widow "extension" cabinets.
The asystem sounded excellent on any instrument I "threw at it", including a hot-pickup Tele, Gibson Howard Roberts Custom Archtop Electric with a hugely fat sounding humbucker, a custom-built Fender Jazzmaster with a Duncan neck and Lace blue/gold dually bridge p/u, a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion II Semi-Hollowbody with the hot P-490 Alnico pickups, a Gibson Byrdland, and a re-issue
Gretsch Chet Atkins Ranch model, with filtertrons.
Having the warm sounding and nearly impossible to overload Valverb as the first link in the signal chain is what lent this system such versatility, along with a very nice tube reverb tone for "chickenpickin'" to
straight-ahead big-box jazz use. Having the
parametric in there allowed instant access to EQ settings, rather than messing with the Profex edits and settings.
I wouldn't recommend dropping one out of the rack, which is how mine met its demise. As long as it's secured to your rack it's plenty rugged for gigging use. Mine took a very hard fall to concrete by itself. The internal parts are going into a clone Fender re-issue reverb unit I'm building.
Hope all that rant is of some help. I would recommend one or more quite highly.
BTW, how much were they asking for the Valverb?


View user's profile Send private message

Bill cole

 

From:
Cheektowaga, New York, USA
Post  Posted 22 Jan 2000 3:56 pm    
Reply with quote

Question are these things still made and if so where can they be got and at aprox. what price

[This message was edited by Bill cole on 22 January 2000 at 03:57 PM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Garry Pugh


From:
Nashville Indiana
Post  Posted 22 Jan 2000 8:02 pm    
Reply with quote

I went back and played through it. I liked it enough to buy it, which I did for $200. After bringing it home and trying it with my gear I am real happy with it and I think the $200 was a fair price.

BTW, it is Valverb, not Valveverb
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Michael T. Hermsmeyer


From:
Branson, Missouri, USA
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2000 1:58 am    
Reply with quote

I bought the first Peavey Valverb that came to the Myrtle Beach area back in 1994. It has been a great tool for me ever since. I also liked the chrome/chicken head look, it was very popular at that time. I have used my valverb in many different applications including using it with steel, guitars, fiddles, and even on vocals in the studio. It wasn't really designed as a studio vocal reverb, so naturally it wasn't the best for that purpose. For instruments, however I like it very much. I have used it in effects loops (preamp out/power amp in) and it works fairly well, but I like it better with the intrument plugged into the front of the Valverb and out the back to the amp. Watch your input level closely if you use the loop. I have also found out that it should be set horizontally, and not right next to a loudspeaker. Setting it vertically, as in on the floor next to my steel facing up at me, has given me trouble with feedback. When I reset it horizontally, it worked fine. Also, if you have a rack that you set on top of your amp, keep the Valverb in or near he top of your rack. This should prevent any problems from sympathetic vibrations from your speaker and will help the top vent of the Valverb to breathe. If you can leave an empty space above it, all the better, although I have had no problems with overheating since I got it. I hope this helps. At the price you paid, I think you will be very pleased with your Peavey Valverb. Please e-mail me if you have any more questions.

------------------
Utility Man 2000
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP