My bandmate had a Peavey Bandit in the early '80's. At the time, I thought it was the worst sounding amp in the universe!! Little did I know that the problems was that none of us knew how to set the knobs correctly. Now I have a Peavey Bandit Solo Series amp and the thing rocks!!
Love my Peavey Bandit 75... I've had it since 1989... still sounds great. Louder than a freight train, but still sounds good at lower volumes ... takes pedals really good too.
Just got myself one for £55. Just need to spray a bit of contact spray into a few pots, as they are a bit iffy at lower volume positions. Probably because it is so damn loud xD And yeah, good both on its own, as it is with pedals. But I think just wah pedal can be enough with it.
Great find mate! I used my Bandit 112 live last night and it's such a great amp I am always surprised how well it takes pedals as well. Great video Dave. :-)
I bought a bandit 75 new in 87 and it still runs like a champ 30 year's later. It's been through a lot, I had a friend borrow it without asking one time and ran a bass through it for a week and it survived.
I saw an interview with Hartley Peavey and he said he doesn’t want to look at or talk about his old amps because he said the new ones are so much better than the old ones; I think he knows full well the old ones are built to last and they rock. I don’t need a bandit but I’m on the lookout for one, made in USA. Hartley Peavey is a fascinating guy to listen to and learn from.
My 1st proper amp (god bless my nan) till a chip blew, did college band demos with this and listening back ... the raw metal power of this amp defies belief
I just bought a Bandit 65 from your recommendation. I gotta say I love it, it is indeed built like a tank. I could stand on it and hang drywall, solidly built case and it has a very neat chassis. Just a well put together amp!
I had a Bandit 65 in the mid eighties, watching this makes me wish I still had it. I bought it brand new and after this, I'm thinking I ought to go find another. The low gain input on that amp sounds great, a real nice blues tone. Thanks, Dave!
This amp is like a long lost friend from back in the day when I first started playing guitar ( back in 1982). I was going to buy an old school 80’s Bandit a few months back , but while looking at clips to remind myself of how the amp sounded ( I remember it sounding killer) I came across the Peavey Bravo . I’d never heard of it before. Looks just like an old school 80’s Bandit 1x12 but it’s an all tube amp. Listened to some clips of it... KILLER tone... Wound up buying one off of Ebay for less than $200 at auction. Best $$ I’ve ever spent. It’s right up there with my Marshall and Friedman.
Ahhh I bought a Bandit back in mid 90s and man I wish I still had it today. Hands down one of the best amps I ever owned! Need to snag another one someday.
No way Jose ! That amp is a GREAT amp ! I played one in the pawn shop because it was so cheap I wanted to hear what $50.00 amp sounded like and I was blown away at how freaking great that amp sounded ! I even flipped it around to see if it had 6l6 tubes or 6v6 tubes and boy was I amazed to find it didn't have any tube at all ! so unbelievable how great those cheap cheap amps sounded.
This video is literally what happened to me in a guitar center today I heard it and immediately fell in love with it. Great feedback Thanks Cheers from San Diego California
Dave, Every time I watch you demo something, I have to go out and buy it! I’m running out of money so I have to stop watching your videos until my next paycheck! You just made my ears so happy! Cheers bro!
Love the way you play! Miss my Peavey Backstage 2. The quiet sounds were great and that Saturation was out of this world for those “singing” leads. I have a Studio Pro 112 which is really great for $100, but still, i miss that Saturation sound.
Absolutely stunning vid! Loved it and saved the link so I don't loose it Love the humour and a great demo A serious poke in the eye for the snobbery set. Heheheheh I have a '95 Transtube silver stripe which is loving stored close at hand. Woefully underused due the to proximity of vicious knitting wielding pensioners. When I do get to use it I'm always, but always, blow away at the difference between it and my normal go-to Envoy 110 35W. I'm an old fart, carrying the Bandit plus guitar case up a couple of flights of stairs could result in a visit by the ambulance team. A serious [clap, clap, clap] for the budget set-up. A lot of vid's show guys casually referring to this guitar starting at £1'000 for the base/Korean/Indonesian model, that amp and head at £1'000, and a wave at a bank of pedals worth three times the price of my car. You made £200 sound good with skill, and that's all that matters. Very encouraging for a returning player like myself Out of the corner of my eye I've seen your CR120/MG100/Bandit comparison - thats next!
I nabbed myself a red stripe Bandit for £70 with foot switch. The guy had been gigging it for 10 years but its in incredible condition. Everything works and it's sounds HUGE. I think my new collecting habit will be peavey amps! On a side note the American Peavey Predator strat copies are also incredible for the money.
I was playing my old CRATE g80 xl. I have had this amp for over 25 years. Celestion speaker brilliant amp,great clean and overdrive. well worn in speaker very warm for a solid state amp.
Great amp. I´ve got a Peavy Bandit from 1986 and I use it even today. The amps are very simple and no patchs or extraordinare effects but with a pedal and a decent guitar they respond very good. If it breaks I will repair it. And old chap is to be helped to walk again if it falls down, ha ha ha.
Peavey amps was founded in my hometown. I've been in the music store owned by Hartley's dad and the room where Hartley built his first amp. There's a cool museum in Meridian too. Unfortunately, they closed all the US factories.
Just bought one today for $80 in perfect shape. The distortion is great, I have a bandit 65 which has fuzz like distortion that gives solid states the bad reputation, but the 112 is an 1989 with the trans tube like this one and you can get a million sounds out of it, Sabbath to metallica to Hendrix. It really is an amazing amp, considering the Chinese plastic junk you can buy now a days. My Peavy collection will only get bigger now
I have a a Bandit 65 with a Teal colored knob on the overdrive channel and WOW , it is like a Bassman on steroids with the best reverb I have ever heard and no flabby low end like a Bassman , I love these amps , and I only paid $150 Canadian for it in excellent condition but I need a footswitch for it but . I use a Boss FS - 6 footswitch and it works fine .
Great review Dave, here is my story. Spotted a bandit in my favourite Cash Generator shop. Guy at the desk said they had been duped and it was spares or repair for a tenner! Got it back to my lair, opened her up...... greasy input jack, fixed in five minutes. Brilliant amp, built like a tank and it copes with any venue. Six months later at the same shop, I picked up a much abused v100 black n cream for £65.Two spots of solder and polish and she sang like a bird. Feel sorry for the previous owners but cest la vie. Beat that!
This was the first amp I owned, back in ‘82, and probably the best SS amp I’ve ever played through. Sorry I parted with it as they cost a fortune on the second hand market over here. The stock Scorpion speaker weren’t bad either. Nice find!
Grew up with Peavey amps. Forgot about them ages ago, picking one up for old time sake. Bandit newest version for 150€. The LP lead part sounded really great. Amazing for a SS amp.
Hey Dave, I had the Peavey autist 120 back in 1980 , with a black widow 12. that thing was loud ! Then I bought a fender baseman too ! still them both !
Was at a friend's house they had a 65 bandit solo series and a telecaster the reverb on that thing is beautiful if I could take it's reverb and put it on every amp I have I would.
I want to grab one of these.I have the red stripe bandit trans tube 100 watt that rocks pretty darn good,but I want one of the 65 watt solo series.I play through the big brother Renown 160 watt 2x12,and love them.I've put my Marshall and Mesa Boogie tube amps aside and am digging the old school solid state beasts.Gonna grab me another Renown for a matching stereo rig,then special 130 and bandit solo series if I can find the right ones at the right price.These little Bandits are loud as hell and sound great.The Renown at half volume will deafen you.Enjoyed the demo Dave.Rock on brother.
Silver trimmed mid-90s bandits even out perform the ones from very tail of the '80s/start of the '90s. IntheBlues and Davo sharing the same comment space...epic!
Great video mate, found it really helpful when looking for an amp! I have bought the earlier Bandit 75 and it is amazeballs. Great with pedals, loud, built like a tank and I like how both channels sound. In fact, I liked it so much, I have got two more Peavey amps (a TKO 115S and a KB/A 100) then gave all the pots a contact cleaner bath. They now sound like new and they are all at least pushing 30. The Bandit is 32 years old.
Excellent video and playing. Those Bandits are absolutely my favorite SS amp. I have two Bandit 65s and three 112s. I gig with one of the 65s and it really handles everything I throw at it very well.
After watching your vid about your peavey pa amp I am now in the process of acquiring a 260 H amp top that's looks pretty much like yours for the massive sum of £40 plus a tenner postage. Happy days and keep on rocking young man.
Dave the GOD of Tone..... got me Peavey Bandit lost and sounding horrible.... enjoyed this vid AGAIN and set her back up right for my Strat .......don’t ever go away my friend from here as I sleep easy knowing your available “day or night” 👍
Just had my prezzie for my big birthday (LP) and want something special amp wise .... you forget how good the Bandit 112 is dialled in right ..... got a hunger for some Greenbacks ...
the late, great Robert Quine used one of these for all of his amazing playing on three Lou Reed albums...one of the great guitar players of the 80s and, really, the modern rock era...www.robertquine.com/ask.html
Btw, Dave ~ Good point regarding the disparity of quality between the amp & the footswitch. The amps from this era are indeed tanks. Why Peavey would match them up with such a fragile F/S is a mystery. Neither of my three used Peavey amps came with a F/S, but I found one built like a tank for $20 USD on Flea-bay = Happy Stomper.
I have the current Bandit model. I swapped the stock speaker (Blue Marvel) for a Celestion G12 M Greenback, set to High Gain, then dampening to Tight. What I have is something reminiscent to a 6505. I play a ‘93 Jackson Kelly Professional with Seymour Duncan hot rodded Jb/Jazz set.
Psycho Jack Jack I could say it is a big improvement from the stock speaker. As always, it all comes down to what sounds good to you. I hear some people put in a creamback speaker in their bandit.
It is a great amp,i bought one(Peavey Bandit 112 Solo Series Scorpion 80w),only mine got two switches between supersat and post knob,and has bottom knob,but newermind...P.S. This video i watched about 40 thimes,before,and after i bought Peavey...Please Dave one more video with Peavey Bandit!!:)
Yes, Dave. The much maligned Bandit - by those who have never played one..... I'm a Brit living in New Jersey been playing since the mid-sixties and have just started looking for one, every variant has great sounds but I want one with a real Reverb spring. Anyone let me know when they switched to digital reverb???????????? Best, Pete.
...super cool vid!! ... from michael t wyman LA CA USA.......... ps I'm playing Peavey and Kustom these days too!.. yeah super cool :) if u ever make it to LA look me up ! for sure! ..... i'm very near LAX airport!....yeah from Michael T Wyman... on facebook too... lots of Hollywood gig pix and jam nights too yeah! I'd love to get to London one day! yeah u rock Dave
I have a Peavey Bandit Solo Series 65 that was given to me as a gift a few years ago. I have gone through a ton of amps and guitars during that time. The one that has stayed is the Peavey Bandit. I might add that it is also a stunning amp on the clean channel for an acoustic electric. Good video man, keep em coming.
I still have a 1981 bandit. The lead guitarist in the band I engineer for found out I have one and insists I pull it out to use somewhere in the next album.
Back in the mid-late 90s a Peavey Bandit seemed almost industry standard as the cheapest, yet good quality, thing you could buy to do your first gigs with or be heard over a drummer. I must have used mine for a good three or four years before getting a Fender Hotrod when I started to get proper pay packets. Still have a soft soft for them.
I have to admit I have always been a tube snob, the best tube amp of all time was the Fender Twin Reverb, the only problem was it was just too damn loud, for clubs and studio work, I ended up disconnecting one of the speakers and that helped a lot, although the Twin was rated at 100 watts it was at least 3-4 times louder than a full Marshall 100 Watt stack.A few years ago I heard about these Peavey Bandit amps, I was very skeptical but I was stunned when I tried one, just great tone, as good as any tube amp. The best thing was you can pick up a Bandit for under $200, a clean Twin will run you about $1000-$1200, is the twin a better amp hell yes but is it 6 times better? no friggin way.
Well, with both amps stock, I think the Peavey sounds better even clean. Now I've heard guys like Phil Keaggy and Joe Walsh get fantastic sounds (both clean and overdriven) out of a Twin, but not without beefing up their amps considerably. Out of the box, I think the Bandit is a better amp, and it's certainly more versatile. My favorite Fender tube amp has long been the Bandmaster Reverb, but even though the circuit is essentially the same as a Twin, it has smaller transformers and a tube rectifier, so it massive at a lower volume.
I think you probably have a newer footswitch. The older ones were metal and very sturdy. Only problem with them was the rubberized plastic bottom which after 30 years cracks and falls apart. You can easily get a new footswitch direct from Peavey for about $30 but it will be plastic.
I just picked one of these at a pawn shop this weekend. I think i overpayed at 180 AUD which is about 90gbp. But anyway mine was a little bit more beaten up. the input screws where all rusted i think there an easy replacement. The pots where fine no scratchy sound and your right its LOUD. but i noticed when i took it home there was no reverb sound which i forgot to test and it was actually unplugged. Plugging it in theres alot of noise the more you turn it up so yeah have to keep that off. It does everything else and im still very happy. But yeah i think i just had to have it no matter what because they seem to be a little bit scarce these days.People dont want to sell them anymore.
What an awesome find THAT was! I played through one of the newer ones at an outdoor gig last year, and was highly impressed, but this one sounds even better. Well done!
Dave i found a bandit in a pawn shop in St.Louis, Mo for 40 bucks with a JBL speaker in it, i couldn't get the cash out of my pocket fast enough. i had to take the JBL out and replaced it with a scorpian from a music shop the JBL wouldn't break up it was too clean but the amp is my backup and i love it
I've got the teal stripe version with a speaker swap and these things sound great with the original transtube technology. I'm going to try those settings when I get home from work. PS I also have a Classic 30 with a WGS Reaper for my speaker . Love Peavey amps!!
+Dave Kana I had a Classic 30 (bought online) but sent it back as it had a bad buzz from the word go, and worse, the tweed finish was vinyl printed to look like tweed. Then I bought a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue, which is in a different league. I'm looking for a small tranny amp and it may well be a Bandit.
I wouldn't be buying new, it would be an older one for sure. Not very many things in my life that I bought new. I do have an old Bandit, just needs a new reverb unit. I heard an Eagles style band recently, the guy was using a Gibson Les Paul with a Bandit, it was OK but needed the tube sound to fill out the band. I do use my Bandit everyday for shedding, I love it for now! It will be mine till I'm off the planet. Haha
Hey man I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your videos. You made me pull the trigger on my Boss Katana 100 and now I’m looking for this Peavey Bandit for my son. He wants a good distortion amp for metal. I think I found it. Thanks.
Solo Series Bandit 65 (1983-1987) With the Solo Series Bandit 65, large improvements in tone compared to the previous version were again realized and the power rating was increased to 65 watts RMS. The Bandit 65 was made in Meridian MS USA and came equipped with Peavey's proprietary guitar speaker, the Scorpion. Solo Series Bandit 75 (1987-1989) The Solo Series Bandit 75 saw the power increase by 10 watts to 75 watts RMS and a Bright Switch was added. The Bandit 75 was made in Meridian MS USA and came equipped with Peavey's proprietary guitar speaker, the Scorpion.
Hi Dave! Peavey Bandit was on my radar, as I just learned it was used on the Meat Puppet track Backwater. Then, you post this video...kismet! Just followed through and got one. It’s the 1981 model, in great shape, with foot-pedal and covering. I haven’t put it through it’s paces yet, but I can say, it’s built like a tank. Thanks for putting this video, (and all the others)...very helpful.
I imagine one of these would nicely do the trick for any digital or analog preamp gigging amplification requirements. FX loop up front is also a nice touch IMO. Smashing video Dave!
Dave Simpson! 'How bout doing another band jam and posting it? ! Consider this an official request. From mtw and 99 in L.A. . We really liked hearing your band on TH-cam! More Dave Simpson Band, please. Ha. and Cheers !
And may I just add...the latest version with the modern/high gain switch...killer heavy sound. Put a Texas Heat in it and you have a match made in heaven. Put it through a 4x12...massive!
Thanks again Dave, you really make my day demo-ing guitar and amp gear that us 'People from the ordinary world' can actually afford to own. I see this kind of gear on Gumtree, etc and have occasionally bought it, now I just need to be able to use it as well as you can. Thanks for all your useful tips on using the gear you demo, it really helps us emmensly.
Crazy how you could get a Sabbath-like sound from a solid state man! Your blues sounds "thing" is really like a shifting back in the 70's, that's crazy! ✌️
I´m a vintage nerd, just found this exact amp for £45 here in Sweden, should work nicely together with my Fender Deville, because i need a simple second amp for modulation or playing in stereo :-) Exellent demo!!! Keep it up :-)
Hi Dave hope you are well mate, have a look at what Quilter are making like their micro pro's and their pro block 200 etc I think you will like a lot. I've still got my Bandit mate, still loving solid state amps. Keep rocking all the best.
i was lucky enough to get a solo xt bandit for twenty quid,i thought it was too good to be true but the amp is mint condition and it sounds great,nice glassy clean tones and the gain channel totally roars! so yeah id recommend these as a very versatile great sounding amp,love your channel dave,id love to see your subs twenty fold as i believe you deserve it for being real as fkuc and spreading knowledge and positivity,keep up the good work from Newcastle upon tyne!!
Hi Dave, I've just bought a 1990 Teal stripe Bandit. A need to clean pots and jacks, but wow is this loud! Great potential. I've been gigging with a Fender Super Champ XD micing or using line out. Superb! But I fancied a high headroom amp and the Bandit fits the bill and is a steal for the price.
By the way, if you ever get your hands on a Peavey Delta Blues you're gonna lose your mind. It is a tube amp, they come up used for around $350 in US dollars and they are fantastic. They come as either a 2x10 configuration or with a single 15" Blue Marvel speaker that absolutely SLAYS !
My bandmate had a Peavey Bandit in the early '80's. At the time, I thought it was the worst sounding amp in the universe!! Little did I know that the problems was that none of us knew how to set the knobs correctly. Now I have a Peavey Bandit Solo Series amp and the thing rocks!!
Yessir had one in 80-81 I didn't know shite from shinola I ditched it for an Amp that had a phase shifter in it lol
Love my Peavey Bandit 75... I've had it since 1989... still sounds great. Louder than a freight train, but still sounds good at lower volumes ... takes pedals really good too.
Just got myself one for £55. Just need to spray a bit of contact spray into a few pots, as they are a bit iffy at lower volume positions. Probably because it is so damn loud xD
And yeah, good both on its own, as it is with pedals. But I think just wah pedal can be enough with it.
Great find mate! I used my Bandit 112 live last night and it's such a great amp I am always surprised how well it takes pedals as well. Great video Dave. :-)
+intheblues Hey man, great to see you here!
Nice to see you here. Love your vids
+Harry Emmott Thanks mate. I have been subbed to Dave for a while now :-)
+Rutger De Groot Thanks Rutger :)
intheblues I just ordered an old red striped bandit, wich I discovered trough your vids. I am excited, very excited
Great playing!
Thank you very much indeed. Big Fan of your channel. :)
We are huge fans of your channel! MTW and 99 in LA.
I think you misspelled amazing. ;)
I bought a bandit 75 new in 87 and it still runs like a champ 30 year's later. It's been through a lot, I had a friend borrow it without asking one time and ran a bass through it for a week and it survived.
Why can't I hit like again every time I rediscover this channel and Dave Simpson videos?
Peavey and Ibanez, baby ! yeah ...We have those here in LA at our house too! Yeah 2 faves!
You rock! Dave S. rocks to the utmost! YEAH!
Thank you very much. :)
@@thedavesimpson Hey look us up if u r ever in LA for NAMM or whatever. Namm 2022 or whatever. MTW and 99.
I saw an interview with Hartley Peavey and he said he doesn’t want to look at or talk about his old amps because he said the new ones are so much better than the old ones; I think he knows full well the old ones are built to last and they rock. I don’t need a bandit but I’m on the lookout for one, made in USA. Hartley Peavey is a fascinating guy to listen to and learn from.
F made in china, those '80s peaveys be killin' it
Hate to disagree with the guy that invented the amps.
My 1st proper amp (god bless my nan) till a chip blew, did college band demos with this and listening back ... the raw metal power of this amp defies belief
I just bought a Bandit 65 from your recommendation. I gotta say I love it, it is indeed built like a tank. I could stand on it and hang drywall, solidly built case and it has a very neat chassis. Just a well put together amp!
Great distortion tone!! yeah!! 😉🙂 DS u are a true inspiration. Gonna work on a demo of my Teal Stripe today. Cheers!
Just re discovered my Bandit 112 ..... again, fabulous tone without all my pedals!
What a beast 👍
Does that have chorus
@@DANTHETUBEMAN the only effect of the bandit 112 is reverb
@@davidbrassard9125 effects loop, 😁
@@DANTHETUBEMAN 😁
I had a Bandit 65 in the mid eighties, watching this makes me wish I still had it. I bought it brand new and after this, I'm thinking I ought to go find another. The low gain input on that amp sounds great, a real nice blues tone. Thanks, Dave!
Thank you. :)
This amp is like a long lost friend from back in the day when I first started playing guitar ( back in 1982). I was going to buy an old school 80’s Bandit a few months back , but while looking at clips to remind myself of how the amp sounded ( I remember it sounding killer) I came across the Peavey Bravo . I’d never heard of it before. Looks just like an old school 80’s Bandit 1x12 but it’s an all tube amp. Listened to some clips of it... KILLER tone... Wound up buying one off of Ebay for less than $200 at auction. Best $$ I’ve ever spent. It’s right up there with my Marshall and Friedman.
Ahhh I bought a Bandit back in mid 90s and man I wish I still had it today. Hands down one of the best amps I ever owned! Need to snag another one someday.
I had one of these in '80-'81 I should've kept it 👍🤪🤪👍
Bought two now. I have the teal ones. One has the scorpiom speaker, other has the sheffield. Great in stereo. Thanks for fab review.
Pretty sure you are the only human being able to make this amp sound amazing. I love your playing & your humor. Bravo !
+Guiscape :) Thank you very much indeed and i'm happy you like my playing and stupidity. Haha. :)
No way Jose ! That amp is a GREAT amp ! I played one in the pawn shop because it was so cheap I wanted to hear what $50.00 amp sounded like and I was blown away at how freaking great that amp sounded ! I even flipped it around to see if it had 6l6 tubes or 6v6 tubes and boy was I amazed to find it didn't have any tube at all ! so unbelievable how great those cheap cheap amps sounded.
I bought my first Bandit in 1980 and it was stolen a couple years ago, I just picked a 1981 up cheap and I am happy!
This video is literally what happened to me in a guitar center today I heard it and immediately fell in love with it. Great feedback
Thanks
Cheers from San Diego California
Thank you. : )
@@thedavesimpson what Ibanez model is it?
hey from los angeles. Peavey player here. Cheers!
I just got a new Bandit and I just love it! Great tone's and 80 watts to boot!
Dave,
Every time I watch you demo something, I have to go out and buy it! I’m running out of money so I have to stop watching your videos until my next paycheck!
You just made my ears so happy!
Cheers bro!
Love the way you play! Miss my Peavey Backstage 2. The quiet sounds were great and that Saturation was out of this world for those “singing” leads. I have a Studio Pro 112 which is really great for $100, but still, i miss that Saturation sound.
Absolutely stunning vid! Loved it and saved the link so I don't loose it
Love the humour and a great demo
A serious poke in the eye for the snobbery set. Heheheheh
I have a '95 Transtube silver stripe which is loving stored close at hand. Woefully underused due the to proximity of vicious knitting wielding pensioners. When I do get to use it I'm always, but always, blow away at the difference between it and my normal go-to Envoy 110 35W. I'm an old fart, carrying the Bandit plus guitar case up a couple of flights of stairs could result in a visit by the ambulance team.
A serious [clap, clap, clap] for the budget set-up.
A lot of vid's show guys casually referring to this guitar starting at £1'000 for the base/Korean/Indonesian model, that amp and head at £1'000, and a wave at a bank of pedals worth three times the price of my car.
You made £200 sound good with skill, and that's all that matters.
Very encouraging for a returning player like myself
Out of the corner of my eye I've seen your CR120/MG100/Bandit comparison - thats next!
Thank you very much for watching. : )
I nabbed myself a red stripe Bandit for £70 with foot switch. The guy had been gigging it for 10 years but its in incredible condition. Everything works and it's sounds HUGE. I think my new collecting habit will be peavey amps! On a side note the American Peavey Predator strat copies are also incredible for the money.
Sounds awesome and your touch is unbelievable! Cheers!
Loving the greenie Dave and abit of blues breakers towards the and to fantastic!!!!! But we need more greenie lessons in are lives!!!!😜
I second that emotion 👍🏻
More Greeny everything and anything - the master
+Mark Wright Thank you very much and new Greenie coming soon. :)
+Rob Summers Coming soon. :)
I was playing my old CRATE g80 xl. I have had this amp for over 25 years. Celestion speaker brilliant amp,great clean and overdrive. well worn in speaker very warm for a solid state amp.
+ian macpherson Awesome. :)
Love what you play and how you play it, you're a great guitarist Dave look forward to your videos, more please. 😎
+Simon Bradbury Thank you very much indeed. :)
Great amp. I´ve got a Peavy Bandit from 1986 and I use it even today. The amps are very simple and no patchs or extraordinare effects but with a pedal and a decent guitar they respond very good. If it breaks I will repair it. And old chap is to be helped to walk again if it falls down, ha ha ha.
I have got one from 1984 and it works perfectly with an average pedal system. You said, a good old chap to be with.
Who would have believed those sweet tones from that Peavy!!! You pulled off some nice old blues riffs there buddy, great for a rainy Tues morning!!! 😎
+smiley42 Thank you very much and thanks for watching. :)
Always a pleasure to hear you play, Dave! Nice Beano tone, as well. I think a Bandit 75 is in my son's - aka my - future. LOL.
Thank you very much. :)
You have a true affinity with period of British music Dave.
Imagine being fifteen when the whole scene started. Ah, born too late.
I was indeed. :( Thank your for watching. : )
Peavey amps was founded in my hometown. I've been in the music store owned by Hartley's dad and the room where Hartley built his first amp. There's a cool museum in Meridian too. Unfortunately, they closed all the US factories.
What was the public reason given by Peavey for selling out The South for South China?
Just bought one today for $80 in perfect shape. The distortion is great, I have a bandit 65 which has fuzz like distortion that gives solid states the bad reputation, but the 112 is an 1989 with the trans tube like this one and you can get a million sounds out of it, Sabbath to metallica to Hendrix. It really is an amazing amp, considering the Chinese plastic junk you can buy now a days. My Peavy collection will only get bigger now
I have a a Bandit 65 with a Teal colored knob on the overdrive channel and WOW , it is like a Bassman on steroids with the best reverb I have ever heard and no flabby low end like a Bassman , I love these amps , and I only paid $150 Canadian for it in excellent condition but I need a footswitch for it but . I use a Boss FS - 6 footswitch and it works fine .
Amp sounds great. Playing does, too.
Extra points for the Peter Green t shirt.
Thanks you very much. :)
Great review Dave, here is my story. Spotted a bandit in my favourite Cash Generator shop. Guy at the desk said they had been duped and it was spares or repair for a tenner! Got it back to my lair, opened her up...... greasy input jack, fixed in five minutes. Brilliant amp, built like a tank and it copes with any venue. Six months later at the same shop, I picked up a much abused v100 black n cream for £65.Two spots of solder and polish and she sang like a bird. Feel sorry for the previous owners but cest la vie. Beat that!
Thank you very much indeed. Thats juts awesome. :)
This was the first amp I owned, back in ‘82, and probably the best SS amp I’ve ever played through. Sorry I parted with it as they cost a fortune on the second hand market over here. The stock Scorpion speaker weren’t bad either. Nice find!
Grew up with Peavey amps. Forgot about them ages ago, picking one up for old time sake. Bandit newest version for 150€. The LP lead part sounded really great. Amazing for a SS amp.
Thank you for watching. :)
Hey Dave, I had the Peavey autist 120 back in 1980 , with a black widow 12. that thing was loud ! Then I bought a fender baseman too ! still them both !
Nice. :)
the Bandit is the one solid state amp i would love to own had one for years back in the day fantastic amp indeed
Was at a friend's house they had a 65 bandit solo series and a telecaster the reverb on that thing is beautiful if I could take it's reverb and put it on every amp I have I would.
I want to grab one of these.I have the red stripe bandit trans tube 100 watt that rocks pretty darn good,but I want one of the 65 watt solo series.I play through the big brother Renown 160 watt 2x12,and love them.I've put my Marshall and Mesa Boogie tube amps aside and am digging the old school solid state beasts.Gonna grab me another Renown for a matching stereo rig,then special 130 and bandit solo series if I can find the right ones at the right price.These little Bandits are loud as hell and sound great.The Renown at half volume will deafen you.Enjoyed the demo Dave.Rock on brother.
Silver trimmed mid-90s bandits even out perform the ones from very tail of the '80s/start of the '90s. IntheBlues and Davo sharing the same comment space...epic!
These amps are tone monsters. Another great demo, Dave. Keep carrying the solid state banner buddy.
Thank you very much indeed. :)
Great playing, thanks for doing a review which actually shows what the amp can sound like when setup well with great playing.
Thank you very much. :)
Great video mate, found it really helpful when looking for an amp!
I have bought the earlier Bandit 75 and it is amazeballs. Great with pedals, loud, built like a tank and I like how both channels sound.
In fact, I liked it so much, I have got two more Peavey amps (a TKO 115S and a KB/A 100) then gave all the pots a contact cleaner bath. They now sound like new and they are all at least pushing 30. The Bandit is 32 years old.
Thank you very much. : )
Excellent video and playing. Those Bandits are absolutely my favorite SS amp. I have two Bandit 65s and three 112s. I gig with one of the 65s and it really handles everything I throw at it very well.
Thank you very much indeed and they are awesome creations. :)
After watching your vid about your peavey pa amp I am now in the process of acquiring a 260 H amp top that's looks pretty much like yours for the massive sum of £40 plus a tenner postage. Happy days and keep on rocking young man.
That sounds like fun and awesome price. :) Thank you very much and have fun when you get it. :)
Great video buddy showing us how to use an affordable amp. Thanks.
Dave the GOD of Tone..... got me Peavey Bandit lost and sounding horrible.... enjoyed this vid AGAIN and set her back up right for my Strat .......don’t ever go away my friend from here as I sleep easy knowing your available “day or night” 👍
Just had my prezzie for my big birthday (LP) and want something special amp wise .... you forget how good the Bandit 112 is dialled in right ..... got a hunger for some Greenbacks ...
Thank you very much. : )
the late, great Robert Quine used one of these for all of his amazing playing on three Lou Reed albums...one of the great guitar players of the 80s and, really, the modern rock era...www.robertquine.com/ask.html
Great playing , mate. Love the Jeff Beck riffs! Love the Bandit!
Thank you very much. : )
Btw, Dave ~ Good point regarding the disparity of quality between the amp & the footswitch. The amps from this era are indeed tanks. Why Peavey would match them up with such a fragile F/S is a mystery. Neither of my three used Peavey amps came with a F/S, but I found one built like a tank for $20 USD on Flea-bay = Happy Stomper.
I have the current Bandit model. I swapped the stock speaker (Blue Marvel) for a Celestion G12 M Greenback, set to High Gain, then dampening to Tight. What I have is something reminiscent to a 6505. I play a ‘93 Jackson Kelly Professional with Seymour Duncan hot rodded Jb/Jazz set.
So the new Bandit is great sounding with a greenback?
Psycho Jack Jack I could say it is a big improvement from the stock speaker. As always, it all comes down to what sounds good to you. I hear some people put in a creamback speaker in their bandit.
I had that exact model in the 90's and did gig with it. Wish I had kept it!
There rather awesome aren't they. :)
It is a great amp,i bought one(Peavey Bandit 112 Solo Series Scorpion 80w),only mine got two switches between supersat and post knob,and has bottom knob,but newermind...P.S. This video i watched about 40 thimes,before,and after i bought Peavey...Please Dave one more video with Peavey Bandit!!:)
Yes, Dave. The much maligned Bandit - by those who have never played one..... I'm a Brit living in New Jersey been playing since the mid-sixties and have just started looking for one, every variant has great sounds but I want one with a real Reverb spring. Anyone let me know when they switched to digital reverb???????????? Best, Pete.
...super cool vid!! ... from michael t wyman LA CA USA.......... ps I'm playing Peavey and Kustom these days too!.. yeah super cool :) if u ever make it to LA look me up ! for sure! ..... i'm very near LAX airport!....yeah from Michael T Wyman... on facebook too... lots of Hollywood gig pix and jam nights too yeah! I'd love to get to London one day! yeah u rock Dave
I have a Peavey Bandit Solo Series 65 that was given to me as a gift a few years ago. I have gone through a ton of amps and guitars during that time. The one that has stayed is the Peavey Bandit. I might add that it is also a stunning amp on the clean channel for an acoustic electric. Good video man, keep em coming.
Thank you for watching and they are a brilliant amp aren't they. :)
I still have a 1981 bandit. The lead guitarist in the band I engineer for found out I have one and insists I pull it out to use somewhere in the next album.
Back in the mid-late 90s a Peavey Bandit seemed almost industry standard as the cheapest, yet good quality, thing you could buy to do your first gigs with or be heard over a drummer. I must have used mine for a good three or four years before getting a Fender Hotrod when I started to get proper pay packets. Still have a soft soft for them.
Peavey bandit 65 was my first amp,, I never made it sound this good. That les paul was made for it.
4:31 love that riff! Dave S - you rule, baby. Love your guitar discussions.
I have to admit I have always been a tube snob, the best tube amp of all time was the Fender Twin Reverb, the only problem was it was just too damn loud, for clubs and studio work, I ended up disconnecting one of the speakers and that helped a lot, although the Twin was rated at 100 watts it was at least 3-4 times louder than a full Marshall 100 Watt stack.A few years ago I heard about these Peavey Bandit amps, I was very skeptical but I was stunned when I tried one, just great tone, as good as any tube amp. The best thing was you can pick up a Bandit for under $200, a clean Twin will run you about $1000-$1200, is the twin a better amp hell yes but is it 6 times better? no friggin way.
Try playing your twin reverb through a closed back box of 4 x 12 celestions (marshall cab), you will be surprized how very different it sounds.
i have a twin reverb that is 135 watts (its a 78') and i agree, is very loud.
"is the twin a better amp hell yes" I can't think of a single thing about any Twin that's better, or even as good, as a Bandit.
wow. thats bold.
Well, with both amps stock, I think the Peavey sounds better even clean. Now I've heard guys like Phil Keaggy and Joe Walsh get fantastic sounds (both clean and overdriven) out of a Twin, but not without beefing up their amps considerably. Out of the box, I think the Bandit is a better amp, and it's certainly more versatile. My favorite Fender tube amp has long been the Bandmaster Reverb, but even though the circuit is essentially the same as a Twin, it has smaller transformers and a tube rectifier, so it massive at a lower volume.
I think you probably have a newer footswitch. The older ones were metal and very sturdy. Only problem with them was the rubberized plastic bottom which after 30 years cracks and falls apart. You can easily get a new footswitch direct from Peavey for about $30 but it will be plastic.
I just picked one of these at a pawn shop this weekend. I think i overpayed at 180 AUD which is about 90gbp. But anyway mine was a little bit more beaten up. the input screws where all rusted i think there an easy replacement. The pots where fine no scratchy sound and your right its LOUD. but i noticed when i took it home there was no reverb sound which i forgot to test and it was actually unplugged. Plugging it in theres alot of noise the more you turn it up so yeah have to keep that off. It does everything else and im still very happy. But yeah i think i just had to have it no matter what because they seem to be a little bit scarce these days.People dont want to sell them anymore.
Thanks for the demo, I just pulled out my bandit after 15 years. Gonna have some fun! You play great man!
What an awesome find THAT was! I played through one of the newer ones at an outdoor gig last year, and was highly impressed, but this one sounds even better. Well done!
Thank you very much. : )
Such a great demo of the Peavey Bandit! So easy to rehearse and gig with! Needs proper respect!
Thank you very much. : )
Dave i found a bandit in a pawn shop in St.Louis, Mo for 40 bucks with a JBL speaker in it, i couldn't get the cash out of my pocket fast enough. i had to take the JBL out and replaced it with a scorpian from a music shop the JBL wouldn't break up it was too clean but the amp is my backup and i love it
I've got the teal stripe version with a speaker swap and these things sound great with the original transtube technology. I'm going to try those settings when I get home from work. PS I also have a Classic 30 with a WGS Reaper for my speaker . Love Peavey amps!!
Coach cleats I have a Bandit 65 but would love to get my hands on a Classic 30 tube amp. Cheers!🍻
+Dave Kana I had a Classic 30 (bought online) but sent it back as it had a bad buzz from the word go, and worse, the tweed finish was vinyl printed to look like tweed. Then I bought a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue, which is in a different league. I'm looking for a small tranny amp and it may well be a Bandit.
I wouldn't be buying new, it would be an older one for sure. Not very many things in my life that I bought new. I do have an old Bandit, just needs a new reverb unit. I heard an Eagles style band recently, the guy was using a Gibson Les Paul with a Bandit, it was OK but needed the tube sound to fill out the band. I do use my Bandit everyday for shedding, I love it for now! It will be mine till I'm off the planet. Haha
Thats a good one has the Saturation. Those were the great ones.
Cant stop watching this. Dunno why. Peavey rules
Hey man I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your videos. You made me pull the trigger on my Boss Katana 100 and now I’m looking for this Peavey Bandit for my son. He wants a good distortion amp for metal. I think I found it. Thanks.
Thank you very much. : )
Solo Series Bandit 65
(1983-1987) With the Solo Series Bandit 65, large improvements in tone compared to the previous version were again realized and the power rating was increased to 65 watts RMS. The Bandit 65 was made in Meridian MS USA and came equipped with Peavey's proprietary guitar speaker, the Scorpion.
Solo Series Bandit 75
(1987-1989) The Solo Series Bandit 75 saw the power increase by 10 watts to 75 watts RMS and a Bright Switch was added. The Bandit 75 was made in Meridian MS USA and came equipped with Peavey's proprietary guitar speaker, the Scorpion.
Whenever musicians part with gear we hope that it goes to a good home.
And keeps on playing!
great playing, love the bandit 112! I've got a 2004 USA Red Stripe
Thank you very much and very nice amp you have. :)
found it for $150 Canadian, which would roughly be what you paid as well. Can't beat that. :)
That amp sounds damn great.
+Teun Music Productions Its not bad is it. :)
Great playing as usual! Thanks for sharing all this information!
+Andrea T Thank you very much and thanks for watching. :)
Hi Dave! Peavey Bandit was on my radar, as I just learned it was used on the Meat Puppet track Backwater. Then, you post this video...kismet! Just followed through and got one. It’s the 1981 model, in great shape, with foot-pedal and covering. I haven’t put it through it’s paces yet, but I can say, it’s built like a tank. Thanks for putting this video, (and all the others)...very helpful.
Just curious, how'd that Peavey Bandit amp work out for ya? we find them endlessly fascinating
I imagine one of these would nicely do the trick for any digital or analog preamp gigging amplification requirements. FX loop up front is also a nice touch IMO. Smashing video Dave!
Nice playing and tones! Peavey Bandit's are great!
Dave Simpson! 'How bout doing another band jam and posting it? ! Consider this an official request. From mtw and 99 in L.A. . We really liked hearing your band on TH-cam! More Dave Simpson Band, please. Ha. and Cheers !
Still have mine from 82..
Man you rock with Bandit! Do it with new model please. Some people say that it's the same, But would be cool to hear you. Tku so much! Keep rocking!
And may I just add...the latest version with the modern/high gain switch...killer heavy sound. Put a Texas Heat in it and you have a match made in heaven. Put it through a 4x12...massive!
I didnt think the old bandits had an output jack to run a speaker cabinet? Please correct me if I am wrong cause I was thinking about buying one....
@@ashthegreat1 I specifically said "the latest version with the modern/high gain switch". I have no idea about old Bandits.
Thanks again Dave, you really make my day demo-ing guitar and amp gear that us 'People from the ordinary world' can actually afford to own. I see this kind of gear on Gumtree, etc and have occasionally bought it, now I just need to be able to use it as well as you can. Thanks for all your useful tips on using the gear you demo, it really helps us emmensly.
yeh, gear thats actually affordable unlike andertons without busting the bank series. But sounds really good.
Crazy how you could get a Sabbath-like sound from a solid state man! Your blues sounds "thing" is really like a shifting back in the 70's, that's crazy! ✌️
Thank you for watching. :)
I´m a vintage nerd, just found this exact amp for £45 here in Sweden, should work nicely together with my Fender Deville, because i need a simple second amp for modulation or playing in stereo :-) Exellent demo!!! Keep it up :-)
Thank you for watching. :)
You should look for a Peavey XXL. Sleeper SS amp that one.
I’m getting one from the 80s, I think 81 in a few days!
Hi Dave hope you are well mate, have a look at what Quilter are making like their micro pro's and their pro block 200 etc I think you will like a lot. I've still got my Bandit mate, still loving solid state amps. Keep rocking all the best.
I shall check them out. Thank you for the recommendation. All the best to you to. : )
i was lucky enough to get a solo xt bandit for twenty quid,i thought it was too good to be true but the amp is mint condition and it sounds great,nice glassy clean tones and the gain channel totally roars! so yeah id recommend these as a very versatile great sounding amp,love your channel dave,id love to see your subs twenty fold as i believe you deserve it for being real as fkuc and spreading knowledge and positivity,keep up the good work from Newcastle upon tyne!!
Thank you so very very much indeed. :)
Hi Dave, I've just bought a 1990 Teal stripe Bandit. A need to clean pots and jacks, but wow is this loud! Great potential. I've been gigging with a Fender Super Champ XD micing or using line out. Superb! But I fancied a high headroom amp and the Bandit fits the bill and is a steal for the price.
Awesome. There great amps. :)
8;24 Great sound there Dave and some really great playing thanks
+Doug J Thank you very much. :)
By the way, if you ever get your hands on a Peavey Delta Blues you're gonna lose your mind. It is a tube amp, they come up used for around $350 in US dollars and they are fantastic. They come as either a 2x10 configuration or with a single 15" Blue Marvel speaker that absolutely SLAYS !
I've tried a few delta blues amps. I have top say that i preferred the Peavey classic 30 to them though. The delta was awesome though. :)
This was my first amp and guitar combo, Ibanez and Peavey bandit 80 watt. Wish i had kept the amp.
Mine was bcrich and teal bandit scorpion equipped. Looking at it now it's an 80s starter kit lol
Peter Green T-shirt....offers major credibility...lol. Nice!
Thank you very much. :)