Peavey Bandit 112

Randy Wilkinson · Post by **Randy Wilkinson** » 17 Nov 2010 6:47 pm

Does anyone use this amp? Am considering buying one for home use and maybe at church.

Thanks.

Robert Brewer · Post by **Robert Brewer** » 17 Nov 2010 8:01 pm

I use a 150 Special with a 112N speaker added the tone control is not as good as the steel amps like N400 112N but you can get by.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Nov 2010 9:19 pm

i say go for it..but make sure you get a good deal. i see $150 range alot and they're worth that.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 17 Nov 2010 9:40 pm

It depends on which version it is and whether you're after a clean sound or an overdriven sound.

I play hard rock and I like to overdrive the amp, so my preferences are fairly obvious.

I like the Transtube Bandits from the mid-1990s and later. They have Sheffield speakers and the overdrive is pretty good for a solid state amp

However, I'd avoid the Bandits from the 1980s with the Scorpion speakers and the saturation distortion. They sound okay clean, but when they are overdriven they sound like hell.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 18 Nov 2010 12:34 am

it's those older ones from the eighties before they changed the cabinet and did the transtube thing that i like for steel. they're a good alternative amp for practice and medium gigs. you can get them really cheap and they'll handle a telecaster just fine if you can play and don't rely on distortion for your talent.

Robert Murphy · Post by **Robert Murphy** » 18 Nov 2010 4:02 am

I use an Envoy 110 as a practice amp and for small rooms. Good clean tone and loud. The reverb is not very deep.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 18 Nov 2010 11:58 am

Randy, I think they're a fine amp! I bought a used one at GC for $99 about a year ago and it's been my main lead guitar amp since as it's so light and has plenty of punch. Mine has a Scorpion 12" speaker and sounds great. I've also used it for pedal steel on a couple of smaller venues and it did a fine job.......JH in Va.

Randy Wilkinson · Post by **Randy Wilkinson** » 18 Nov 2010 12:38 pm

Thanks everyone for your advise. I found one with the Sheffield speaker (made in USA) off of Craigslist locally. Its in very good condition and sounds good.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 18 Nov 2010 6:51 pm

I have an old Special 130 that I made a custom cabinet for that sounds really good with a steel or guitar. I put a 15" Eminence speaker in it, I borrowed the cabinet design from Mesa Boogie, except instead of maple, I used white pine.. These really make good fiddle amps too. The last picture shows the cabinet with an old Pacer chassis in it. The Pacers are also a good low powered steel amp. They were the basis for the LTD amps that are great steel amps.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 19 Nov 2010 7:08 am

Darvin, all I can say is "Wow"...... That amp looks great and probably sounds just as good as it looks..........JH in Va.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 20 Nov 2010 3:20 pm

Ditto!
Dovetail corners always seemed like magic to me.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 20 Nov 2010 5:35 pm

darvin..you used to piss me off a little since you have so much cool stuff...but after seeing that amp i know you deserve it all!

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 21 Nov 2010 6:43 am

The Bandit is an ok steel amp, better for guitar. The best thing for my tone I have ever done was get a NV112. The difference in tone for steel is night and day. JP

Michael Robertson · Post by **Michael Robertson** » 21 Nov 2010 7:22 am

Darvin, if I still had my Special 130, I’d be shipping it to you and begging for a face lift like yours.
That amp is drop dead gorgeous.
And they sound good as well!
Michael

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 21 Nov 2010 6:17 pm

Hey Chris, I hope I don't come across as boasting about the stuff I have. God has been extremely good to me. When I was first learning steel at about 20 years old, I had to borrow money to buy my first used D10, a whole $400. I enjoy doing stuff like this amp cabinet and steel restorations.

Paul, those dovetails don't always work out right. I started a cabinet like this for my Session 400, but the dovetails didn't look too good, so I covered it in tweed. It still turned out pretty good.

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 21 Nov 2010 7:46 pm

I had a Bandit 65 back in 1986. I used it mostly for my Tele, and it sounded good, except that it didn't have enough bottom end for me. The one I used might have sounded better with a Boss Bass Boost.

Darvin, that Special is pure eye candy!, and the dovetails add a nice touch.

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