Not sure if you are being sarcastic about Rhett and the BJ...he did endorse it, but with the caveat that it was so modded it couldn't be considered a blues junior anymore.
The mk IV Junior is much better. Even the stock A-Type speaker is decent, but I did swap out for an Eminence Neo Lil Texas. Had a bunch of Fromel mods done to it and it's now the most optimised Blues Junior in my city...until I sold it 😢😢😢 Still the best Jnr in town, just not my Jnr. I have a Classic 30 clone, it's a Strauss brand and I'm looking at buying a second one.
I got my first tube amp in 1993, a peavey classic 30. I still have it!! I've had all kinds of amps through the years, but I always seem to come back to the old classic 30! I guess it just feels like home!
I gigged a couple Classic 30s (with Celestion Vintage 30s) for about 10 years or so. Rock solid and amazing Marshally tone. A friend of mine plays an SG Special straight into a dimed Blues Jr. and it sounds just like a plexi. You can't go wrong with either of these amps.
I have a Classic 30 clone and am thinking of buying a second one. They'll need speaker upgrades (one of them, at least), I'm torn between the Vintage 30 and maybe a Creamback or Greenback.
I used to run a souped up SG into a Tweed Jnr iii, only a couple of pedals (Rothwell Love Squeeze comp>MXR FET Driver, Visual Sound H20) and everyone commented on how good the tone was. SG loaded with Seymour Duncan P90 "Buckers", splittable.
@mattgilbert7347 either V30 or Creamback it's gonna sound great :) I honestly don't know what the difference is... maybe the Creamback has a more relaxed upper mid hump but it has all the growl and bite.
@@davecooper360 Thanks. I sold all my equipment after losing my job , mostly to pay debts (and I had...bad, expensive habits at the time *cough* ) so I'm looking at rebuilding a simpler, cheaper rig. The Classic 30 clone I'm looking at is only $200+$80 pp.
I had a Classic 30. All my guitarist friends wanted to borrow it. Amp does everything and loves pedals. I put JJ EL84s and EHX 12ax7s in it. Just a great great amp.
The Classic 30 is one of the most versatile amps ever made. That being said I use all Fractal stuff and have for 13 years. Although I would like to pickup some smaller tube amps. Be fun.
I played with an Allan Holdsworth cover band FOR A DAY because they were so much better than me I'm a bass player. The guuitar player showed up with a Dolly and a Classic 30 strapped to it. His tone was out of this world and he said it's the most road worthy amp he's ever owned.
The classic 30 all days the week. The Peavey classic 30 sounds somewhat in the middle of Fenders and Marshalls (more to Fender tones), and you can "Marshallize or Fenderize it with the correct pedals.
Thanks for the video. I've owned Fender and Peavey amps. I tried out a Blues Junior and Classic 30 about 10 months ago. I decided to buy the Classic 30. They both sounded good but the 2 channels sold me along with the price.
I owned and gigged a blues jr for 11 years and just by chance I happened upon a guy playing a Delta blues 1 15 USA version and bought it on the spot. When I got it home and did the side by side comparison it only took one listen to hear how much better the Peavey' was. I loved my blues jr and had no intention of replacing but it was just a no brainier the blues jr had to go. I've since tried a Princeton and 68 custom deluxe and still preferred the Delta blues. And an added bonus was the very usable drive channel.
I have had a couple of Blues Jr amp, and one even had the Bill M mods. I got rid of them as they never did it for me. I had a Classic 30 with an upgraded Weber speaker and it was a great amp. I definitely liked the Peavey 30 better
Since they make the new ones with a cleaner celestian 60 speaker. I think its important for people to understand that they might not be buying the same tone that the blue marvel makes . I’m a huge fan of the US classic 30’s it captures that classic tone perfectly and does a great job projecting the character of different guitars.
i love the Peavey Classics, got my first one almost 30 years ago. :-) the big ones are the best: they have a master presence knob that adds some extra expression. yeah, the Peaveys sound more rocky than bluesy, I guess that's mostly due to the Blue Marvel speaker. i happen to have a Peavey 30 with Celestion Vintage speaker & hand-selected tubes - it sounds like a true boutique blues amp!
Awesome comparison. Would love to see the same thing done between a Blues Deluxe or Hot Rod and the Classic 30. The existing videos arent as good of quality as this
The key to the classic 30 is to never use the gain channel and always run it into an extension cab. Just turn the clean channel volume up all the way. Or use it as a clean pedal platform. Used like this, the amp beats amps 3x the used market price.
I guess it's a matter of taste with regard to what kind of tone you are looking for. The Jr. has a creamy, bluesy sound that I want when playing blues rock. My Strats get the sound I like for that genre of music.
For your one amp? Classic 30 everyday. For a practice amp/ don’t need gig volume headroom, and one sound? Blues Jr. I’ve owned both and miss my Peavey.
Back when I started playing they only sold tube amps, my first was a Fender Super Reverb which someone stole out of my car, I've had any amps since then, but if I had to choose its Fender all the way. A friend of mine has a Peavey tube amp and although its great when i play through it my money goes to Fender tube amps.
On the Crunch, You show the Volume and Gain controls 10:58 on the Bright Peavey .. then on the dark sounding Fender you show the Tone controls 11:27 with the treble turned to 3 . What was the tone settings on the peavey to make it so brite ? You did the same on the Lead section..showing just Gain on Peavey and Tone on Fender.
I have an older Classic 30 that doesn't have that little dip in the front (Fender probably sent a letter...) The best sound it makes is when the clean channel is cranked way up. It's heaven but, I seriously suggest, wear hearing protection. That said, the Classic 30 sits around and I play through a Fender Sidekick Reverb 30 most of the time.
Peavey Classic 30 all week long and twice and Sunday! I found the exact same version of yours except in black tweed solely based on the sounds I have heard from yours in your other video. It is sitting back home in the States while I am on an extremely extended vacation in the Philippines. Can’t wait to see if mine sounds as good as yours!
i run my junior into a 4 x 10 inch open back fender cab...its full,warm & with a vox tonelab,its plenty loud enough at pub,venues..i can turnn it up to 7 or 8 get the valves workin without it blowin the audiences heads off...best move i ever did..best sound ive ever had..holy grail
I have owned and used several types of amps over the years.. Traynor, Garnet, Marshall, Roland Fender, Vox, Peavey.. the list is many.. but I have a fender Deluxe reverb and a Peavey Heritage, and a Peavey Clasdic Chorus.. and gotta go with the Peavey classic 30. The drive is more punchy and biting .. which is more my flavor. Those two Peavey units I still have are 130 watts each.. i’m surprised i still have a face left after ripping on them at my gigs... lol Great video thanks🎸
Great comparison vid, the Peavey certainly brighter but the Jr much richer harmonically. I may be biased as i have a Jr with the full Billm mods plus Cannabis Rex speaker. Mine sounds just gorgeous in clean to edge of breakup territory but is a nightmare in taking overdrive pedals.
The Billmon mods (may he rest in peace) changed my Blues Jr from good to great. It was a bargain. Now when I hear shoot-outs like this one, I have to remind myself that my Blues Junior isn't stock. Has someone else taken over Bill's mods kit?
It's hard to go wrong with either really. Either the BJr or the C30 would be a great pedal platform. I've owned a Tweed Blues Jr. but not a Classic 30. I have played a C30 and liked it. I do have a Classic 50 2x12 and a Delta Blues 115 so I do like Peavey amps, but I do love the Fender cleans. The Blues Jr. sounds really good clean. With tube amps it's all about finding the edge of breakup tone that sounds good & defined but not muddy. The Blues Jr. does that very well. You really don't need a lot of gain to get a good sound.
Love my Fenders and I have a few. I have the classic 30 as well and it is my main gigging amp. Dependable,great sounding amp! I heard that these are class A amps,which I haven’t verified.
They are NOT class A, hence they have an inverter valve, and require matched output valves. They are also a nightmare to work on, so luckily they are very reliable.
The Peavey Classic 30 is a true Blues/Rock/Country workhorse. I use a Marshall 1962HW as my main amp but I use a Classic 30 as a grab and go amp. It have never been left wanting..and it has an effects loop..Made In USA..The Blues Junior is a great amp but it’s really not in the same league as the Classic 30.
The Peavey sounds cleaner to me. I think this would make a better "Pedal" amp. I'm a Fender guy as well. Nothing wrong with that amp. This is a tough shoot out.
The Backstage Plus is a great amp even today. It was my first amp back in the days. I just bought one again, and it is killer for a little solid state amp.
Having played both, I prefer the Classic 30. It's louder and more versatile. The Fender certainly sounds more Fendery. I think if you want a warm, clean platform for pedals, the Peavey is way better. It has a lot more headroom, and the clean channel sounds awesome. If you want in-between sounds like the tones in the intro song, the Blues Jr. sounds better. If you're looking for dirty amp-overdrive tones, it's gonna be a bit of an adventure either way.
Hi. I have a peavey valve king royal 8 (5 watts). It sounds very good. There’s a guy selling the classic 30 at a very reasonable price. I play in my house and I have neighbors so I cant play loud. If I have to play at a low volume will I notice a difference in quality?(specially in clean tones). Thanks a lot for your time. I would really appreciate your advice. Best wishes
I have a classic 30 that i got after previously having a 70's fender twin...that i gigged with while living in a second floor apartment, that was fun...lol. love the peavey though.
Classic 30s are built like tanks, sound decent, and are cheap enough that if someone at a gig spills a beer and fries it, you can just replace it without breaking the bank.
Got my sonic blues Jr. For free and I love it. No problem with either one but I'd take the fender over the classic 30. The fender does exactly what I want it to do with no extras. If I need anything else I'll just bring my pedal board. If I didn't have other amps I might choose the classic 30 as it's more versatile.
Amps came and went over the years but my C30 remained. I actually used the Delta Blue (same amp with a 15" speaker) for many years too but eventually it became too cumbersome to tote. I think it is the best all around amp ever. Not sure about the new ones but this demo sounded awesome although the drive channel was as pleasing to my ear an the older USA models. C30 for me and I have had a bunch of Fender offerings.
Just can't rate the Fender above the Peavey in this shootout. The Classic 30 is just more versatile and so much brighter. But to be fair, the Treble setting on the Blues Jr here was way down. Still prefer the Peavey though. With the extension cab, it's a mini monster.
I'm considering a Classic 30 because my terrific Blues Jr (with Billmon mods) can't do clean during a gig unless I keep the volume on my Telecaster on 10 (and even then...). I saw Warren Haynes say that he likes to keep his guitar's volume in the 6-8 range normally and thought Hey, I'm going to give that a try. So I have to turn the amp up to compensate, and the Blues Junior can't keep up without massive breakup. Maybe with humbuckers it would be a different story entirely.
Thanks for making this video! I have a Blues Junior, and have always been interested in the Classic 30. Do you know what the cabinet is made of, solid pine or MDF? I assume that with the use of pedals the Peavey could could reach the blues tones of the Fender. Any thoughts on that? I like the fact that the Peavey has the FX Loop! I would also be curious to know how you compare the Classic 30 with its brother the Delta Blues, specifically the 2x10 model, Price, performance, tone, speaker preferences etc. Of course I can do a search on that.
MDF. I made a custom Cab for my c30 out of baltic birch plywood. Sounds great but is super heavy eith a EVM 12L speaker. I am going to make a new cab out of pine. Much lighter and sounds as good if not better.
Peavey classic 30 all the way. The classic 20 mini head is outstanding, so many additional features that make it great. Delta blues has always been underestimated aswell
On cleans the jr sounds better fuller richer. They are two different amps and to me aound totaly different. A rock guy will choose the peavey a blues guy the fender. Oddly a lot of blues guys i know are using quilter now.
As a Blues Deluxe owner who's put it thru a dozen gigs or more, I can testify that it's much easier to dial in these new Fender Blues-es badly than well. Good to know whether the grass is greener on the Peavey side
Peavey sounds better, especially in the crunch territory. I had the Classic 30. Great amp. The reverb could be better though. I have traded the amp on.
@@JackFossett Agreed. It's why I let it go. I didn't love it at all settings. An AC15 and q Princeton Reverb that I've acquired since then, sound great at all settings and that's what I like. A great speaker can address some issues too. Both of those amps mentioned I've put AlNiCo speakers in. Highly recommend.
You're talking 15 watts versus 30 Watts it would be closer to having it between the Blues Deluxe 40 W and the 30-watt Peavey because the PV 30 sounds a lot like my Blues Deluxe 40
@@dada1952 I beg to differ, I've owned my BJ for 2 years now and I haven't experienced any issues whatsoever. I personally don't need all the extra tone control the Peavey has to offer.
My friend one day went to the music store to buy a good amp but didn’t know what to get and called me up for my suggestion. Without hesitation, I immediately said the best bang for his buck would either be the Fender Blies Jr or The Peavey Classic 30. He was interested in buying a Marshall origin or a blackstar, and I immediately had to suggest against them, telling him, the only Marshalls and Blackstars that he can expect to sound great for what he needed were above 1500 clams. When it comes to mid tier budget friendly amps, Marshalls and blackstars will usually sound like shit compared to Fenders and Peaveys. He opted for the Blues Jr, and soon after I got myself the Peavey Classic 30. It took me a while to come to liking the Peavey, when I found the right settings. But when I played thru my friends Blues Jr the next day, I immediately wished I’d opted for that amp instead. Although the peavey is brighter and more mid present and has the versatility of two channels, sometimes the mids can become too harsh and difficult to dial back. It’s either you have to have the mids set high, or lose all definition when you dial them back. Where the blues jr, is a little darker and has less drive, the lower mids are so much tighter and rounder, that balance out the harshness of the high mids and treble.
Peavey all the way. I had only one better amp - Ashdown Peacemaker 40 but it is broke and in this plugin era still waiting for repair. But I played on Peavey Classic 30 and it is on my TO BUY list at the moment. The only competitor will be Matchless C30 but that is not that price level
I love my Blues Jr as far as clean sounds go. When hitting it with drive pedals and fuzz, I find it lacks headroom. I have a 60 watt Marshall that has the headroom, but is just too dang loud to crank it to its sweet spot. What would be the next step up from the Blues Jr sticking with a Fender-style amp that still gets excellent cleans that’s not nearly as loud as a 60 watt 2x12 Marshall?
Ok, won't use the apple vs oranges comparison .. How about this, the Classic 30 is "3D" and Blues Jr is "2D". I don't own either but if I were looking for a gig friendly versatile amp, the Classic 30 is the easy choice. Thanks Jack for this comparison review.
I m having a big Fender amp problem right now, maybe i can ask that here since i think highly about Jacks opinion on Fender Amps. I have a Fender Princeton 65 and was wondering if its a good Idea to get the 68 custum aswell and do a stero rig with a 4/10 cab (65 into 2/10, 68 into 2/10). I thought that way i get a super versatile rig that can cover much from normal Princeton to virbolux up to Super reverb (I know there is much more different then just the speakers and 2 Princetons will never sound like a super reverb, but it might give me a picture and a taste of the air moving 4/10s) and since i m only playing at home - volume isnt an issue for me, 1 princeton is already plenty loud for me. What do you guys think?
Thtu my speakers, can't tell a big difference. Since i just play casually at home, probably go with the 15w. Right now im using a THR10. Nice tones, but i want a tweed.
I have a classic 50 212 combo and LOVE it
"If Peavey made a car, I'd drive it." - Rhett Shull
This one is a very close call, seeing how Rhett Shull is the world’s biggest fan of the Blues Junior.
Not sure if you are being sarcastic about Rhett and the BJ...he did endorse it, but with the caveat that it was so modded it couldn't be considered a blues junior anymore.
@@Nightwinflyer fair enough
BEST quote, ever. I want to drive a Peavey now !!!!!
The Fender sounds like it has a muffler. The Peavy sounds way more live. It's astounding. There's way more definition in the Peavy.
I found everything aside from its insanely loud clean tone that it was a useless amp. The dirty channel was a joke compared to my basic Orange.
@@moustachio334 But the break-up on the Classic 30 is awesome.
Yeah but he has the treble knob rolled back pretty far on the Fender and the bass fairly high.
The mk IV Junior is much better. Even the stock A-Type speaker is decent, but I did swap out for an Eminence Neo Lil Texas. Had a bunch of Fromel mods done to it and it's now the most optimised Blues Junior in my city...until I sold it 😢😢😢
Still the best Jnr in town, just not my Jnr. I have a Classic 30 clone, it's a Strauss brand and I'm looking at buying a second one.
@@stephenrioux6821Takes drive pedals really well too.
I have one of each. I prefer the tone of the Classic 30
I got my first tube amp in 1993, a peavey classic 30. I still have it!! I've had all kinds of amps through the years, but I always seem to come back to the old classic 30! I guess it just feels like home!
Hi Scott, Have you had any major issues with the classic 30 in your time of ownership? T.y. Dan
@@daniellaudman8580 hey brother. No I've not had a single problem out of it. All I've ever had done is new tubes. Its been a true workhorse!
@@daniellaudman8580I have had mine since 2000. A tube upgrade is all.
By having the treble down on the Fender, it's didn't give a true and fair comparison, imo. The Fender's headroom wasn't as displayed as the Peavey.
Peavey Classic 30 and Peavey Delta Blues are Fantastic amps! Both have Boutique Sound!💪
Love my peavey delta blues 2x10
Classic 30 all the way. I've had mine 20 years zero regret. I do disagree with one thing. I get great Blues sounds out of mine.
I gigged a couple Classic 30s (with Celestion Vintage 30s) for about 10 years or so. Rock solid and amazing Marshally tone.
A friend of mine plays an SG Special straight into a dimed Blues Jr. and it sounds just like a plexi.
You can't go wrong with either of these amps.
I have a Classic 30 clone and am thinking of buying a second one. They'll need speaker upgrades (one of them, at least), I'm torn between the Vintage 30 and maybe a Creamback or Greenback.
I used to run a souped up SG into a Tweed Jnr iii, only a couple of pedals (Rothwell Love Squeeze comp>MXR FET Driver, Visual Sound H20) and everyone commented on how good the tone was.
SG loaded with Seymour Duncan P90 "Buckers", splittable.
@mattgilbert7347 either V30 or Creamback it's gonna sound great :) I honestly don't know what the difference is... maybe the Creamback has a more relaxed upper mid hump but it has all the growl and bite.
@@davecooper360 Thanks. I sold all my equipment after losing my job , mostly to pay debts (and I had...bad, expensive habits at the time *cough* ) so I'm looking at rebuilding a simpler, cheaper rig. The Classic 30 clone I'm looking at is only $200+$80 pp.
Gotta pick the Peavey on that one. Those are some of the best amps Peavey ever made.
James Brown. Great Amp Designer. My Kustom Coupe was designed by him also
Honestly one of the better amps of this style any company made
@@JackFossettI like the blues Jr. Jack, what kind of strings are you using in the video ?
Peavey is great for everything rock pop jazz bossa. the best. Thank Maestro!
Peavey Classic 30 for me
I had a Classic 30.
All my guitarist friends wanted to borrow it.
Amp does everything and loves pedals.
I put JJ EL84s and EHX 12ax7s in it.
Just a great great amp.
The Classic 30 is one of the most versatile amps ever made. That being said I use all Fractal stuff and have for 13 years. Although I would like to pickup some smaller tube amps. Be fun.
I played with an Allan Holdsworth cover band FOR A DAY because they were so much better than me I'm a bass player. The guuitar player showed up with a Dolly and a Classic 30 strapped to it. His tone was out of this world and he said it's the most road worthy amp he's ever owned.
The classic 30 all days the week. The Peavey classic 30 sounds somewhat in the middle of Fenders and Marshalls (more to Fender tones), and you can "Marshallize or Fenderize it with the correct pedals.
Thanks for the video. I've owned Fender and Peavey amps. I tried out a Blues Junior and Classic 30 about 10 months ago. I decided to buy the Classic 30. They both sounded good but the 2 channels sold me along with the price.
I owned and gigged a blues jr for 11 years and just by chance I happened upon a guy playing a Delta blues 1 15 USA version and bought it on the spot. When I got it home and did the side by side comparison it only took one listen to hear how much better the Peavey' was. I loved my blues jr and had no intention of replacing but it was just a no brainier the blues jr had to go. I've since tried a Princeton and 68 custom deluxe and still preferred the Delta blues. And an added bonus was the very usable drive channel.
I have had a couple of Blues Jr amp, and one even had the Bill M mods. I got rid of them as they never did it for me. I had a Classic 30 with an upgraded Weber speaker and it was a great amp. I definitely liked the Peavey 30 better
To me the classic 30 sounds the best I've owned both
Since they make the new ones with a cleaner celestian 60 speaker. I think its important for people to understand that they might not be buying the same tone that the blue marvel makes . I’m a huge fan of the US classic 30’s it captures that classic tone perfectly and does a great job projecting the character of different guitars.
yes i have to agree i have the black tweed us model the blue marvel speaker definitely gives it much more of its own voice
I never saw the need to change from the stock speakers on my early 90's 30 or 410 50. Love em!
i love the Peavey Classics, got my first one almost 30 years ago. :-) the big ones are the best: they have a master presence knob that adds some extra expression. yeah, the Peaveys sound more rocky than bluesy, I guess that's mostly due to the Blue Marvel speaker. i happen to have a Peavey 30 with Celestion Vintage speaker & hand-selected tubes - it sounds like a true boutique blues amp!
The PV sounds crunchy which is a rock thing. The BJ is rounder sounding.
Awesome comparison. Would love to see the same thing done between a Blues Deluxe or Hot Rod and the Classic 30. The existing videos arent as good of quality as this
Both Are Great, but Peavey wins!
The key to the classic 30 is to never use the gain channel and always run it into an extension cab. Just turn the clean channel volume up all the way. Or use it as a clean pedal platform. Used like this, the amp beats amps 3x the used market price.
What difference do you find running into an extension channel does for the sound?
I had both the Fender Blues Jr and classic 30, kept the classic 30 more versatile and to me classic 30 sounded better.
If you put the gain or pre on half and run a overdrive the drive section sounds great
Peavey should make the boost available vie foot switch, imho. Not much bottom on the Peavey amps, but sometimes not needed in a band setting.
I've owned both. I'll take a Fender Blues Jr. over any of its rivals every day of the week...
Any particular reason?
I guess it's a matter of taste with regard to what kind of tone you are looking for. The Jr. has a creamy, bluesy sound that I want when playing blues rock. My Strats get the sound I like for that genre of music.
Awesome review! Your playing is GREAT!!! You sound amazing Man!
Thank you kindly!
For your one amp? Classic 30 everyday. For a practice amp/ don’t need gig volume headroom, and one sound? Blues Jr. I’ve owned both and miss my Peavey.
Back when I started playing they only sold tube amps, my first was a Fender Super Reverb which someone stole out of my car, I've had any amps since then, but if I had to choose its Fender all the way. A friend of mine has a Peavey tube amp and although its great when i play through it my money goes to Fender tube amps.
On the Crunch, You show the Volume and Gain controls 10:58 on the Bright Peavey .. then on the dark sounding Fender you show the Tone controls 11:27 with the treble turned to 3 . What was the tone settings on the peavey to make it so brite ? You did the same on the Lead section..showing just Gain on Peavey and Tone on Fender.
I preferred the cleaner sounds of the Peavey. Ide have to try both and decide which I will be getting. Thanks for show casing these fine amps.
I have an older Classic 30 that doesn't have that little dip in the front (Fender probably sent a letter...) The best sound it makes is when the clean channel is cranked way up. It's heaven but, I seriously suggest, wear hearing protection. That said, the Classic 30 sits around and I play through a Fender Sidekick Reverb 30 most of the time.
Started using my Peavey in 1983.love it
Peavey Classic 30 all week long and twice and Sunday! I found the exact same version of yours except in black tweed solely based on the sounds I have heard from yours in your other video. It is sitting back home in the States while I am on an extremely extended vacation in the Philippines. Can’t wait to see if mine sounds as good as yours!
I had a Delta Blues amp many years ago, great but always wished it had a 12". I now have a Peavey Classic 30 and love it
Classic 30…from the 90s
i run my junior into a 4 x 10 inch open back fender cab...its full,warm & with a vox tonelab,its plenty loud enough at pub,venues..i can turnn it up to 7 or 8 get the valves workin without it blowin the audiences heads off...best move i ever did..best sound ive ever had..holy grail
Peavey. More gain. More power and headroom. Love the Fender too! Peavey is just better.
I have owned and used several types of amps over the years.. Traynor, Garnet, Marshall, Roland Fender, Vox, Peavey.. the list is many.. but I have a fender Deluxe reverb and a Peavey Heritage, and a Peavey Clasdic Chorus..
and gotta go with the Peavey classic 30. The drive is more punchy and biting .. which is more my flavor.
Those two Peavey units I still have are 130 watts each..
i’m surprised i still have a face left after ripping on them at my gigs... lol
Great video thanks🎸
Great comparison vid, the Peavey certainly brighter but the Jr much richer harmonically. I may be biased as i have a Jr with the full Billm mods plus Cannabis Rex speaker. Mine sounds just gorgeous in clean to edge of breakup territory but is a nightmare in taking overdrive pedals.
The Billmon mods (may he rest in peace) changed my Blues Jr from good to great. It was a bargain. Now when I hear shoot-outs like this one, I have to remind myself that my Blues Junior isn't stock. Has someone else taken over Bill's mods kit?
i did the same mods and got srv tones for days. i regret selling it. before the mods i did not like the blues jr 3.
@@wheatonnaI know of a place “Indy string theory” In Indianapolis that offers the mods .. besides that I can’t find any parts for diy …
Peavey sounds slightly better to these ears.
Also, I really dig your playing style.
Peavey Classic 30 👑
I’ve got a classic 30 I’ve had for a few years. Just put a neo creamback in it. Rips even more!
Hi, what is it about the tone that you like with the creamback? T.y.
Have owned several Classic 30’s (still have one as my main amp). Have played lots and lots of gigs with them. They’re wonderful amps.
My first amp was a peavey trans tube 212 silver stripe and my last amp was a peavey classic 50.
It's hard to go wrong with either really. Either the BJr or the C30 would be a great pedal platform. I've owned a Tweed Blues Jr. but not a Classic 30. I have played a C30 and liked it. I do have a Classic 50 2x12 and a Delta Blues 115 so I do like Peavey amps, but I do love the Fender cleans. The Blues Jr. sounds really good clean. With tube amps it's all about finding the edge of breakup tone that sounds good & defined but not muddy. The Blues Jr. does that very well. You really don't need a lot of gain to get a good sound.
Great comparison ! Could you share the backing track of the first song? 🤘
I had a classic 30 and also a BJ 3 and 4. Wish I still had the classic 30.
Love my Fenders and I have a few. I have the classic 30 as well and it is my main gigging amp. Dependable,great sounding amp! I heard that these are class A amps,which I haven’t verified.
They are NOT class A, hence they have an inverter valve, and require matched output valves. They are also a nightmare to work on, so luckily they are very reliable.
@@kennethc2466 thanks for clearing that up. I wasn’t sure if they were or not,appreciate it bud.
Classic 30 for the win.The Fender does sound nice though.I have owned and gigged both.You will get over better with the Peavey overall.
The Peavey Classic 30 is a true Blues/Rock/Country workhorse. I use a Marshall 1962HW as my main amp but I use a Classic 30 as a grab and go amp. It have never been left wanting..and it has an effects loop..Made In USA..The Blues Junior is a great amp but it’s really not in the same league as the Classic 30.
The Peavey sounds cleaner to me. I think this would make a better "Pedal" amp. I'm a Fender guy as well. Nothing wrong with that amp. This is a tough shoot out.
I hope Peavey brings the Delta Blues back. If Peavey had better marketing, they'd shove Fender out of the lower price amp segment.
Yeah, Fender has marketing alright.
After 40 years performing sunce 1970 performing live at the age of 12 , for money, have returned to using my Peavey Renown, glad I kept it.
Awesome comparison. I'm biased to the peavey. My first amp was a 80s back stage plus. And I still use a bandit 65 for allot of things. Cheers mate 🍻
The Backstage Plus is a great amp even today. It was my first amp back in the days. I just bought one again, and it is killer for a little solid state amp.
The classic 30 wins for me
Having played both, I prefer the Classic 30. It's louder and more versatile. The Fender certainly sounds more Fendery. I think if you want a warm, clean platform for pedals, the Peavey is way better. It has a lot more headroom, and the clean channel sounds awesome. If you want in-between sounds like the tones in the intro song, the Blues Jr. sounds better. If you're looking for dirty amp-overdrive tones, it's gonna be a bit of an adventure either way.
Hi. I have a peavey valve king royal 8 (5 watts). It sounds very good. There’s a guy selling the classic 30 at a very reasonable price. I play in my house and I have neighbors so I cant play loud. If I have to play at a low volume will I notice a difference in quality?(specially in clean tones). Thanks a lot for your time. I would really appreciate your advice. Best wishes
Peavey 30. All day long.😁👍
Thank you for not stacking a bunch of pedals in front of these amps really hard to find reviews that just hilight the amps
I’ve owned both, and the Classic 30 blows the Blues Junior out of the water.
The Blues Jr is a boxy sounding, uninspiring practice amp. I bought one for $50 and sold it for $350 right away.
I have a classic 30 that i got after previously having a 70's fender twin...that i gigged with while living in a second floor apartment, that was fun...lol. love the peavey though.
Junior has Fender character, Peavey as BALLS, i vote on Hartley Peavey, and i'm the Clean Area,
Classic 30s are built like tanks, sound decent, and are cheap enough that if someone at a gig spills a beer and fries it, you can just replace it without breaking the bank.
Got my sonic blues Jr. For free and I love it. No problem with either one but I'd take the fender over the classic 30. The fender does exactly what I want it to do with no extras. If I need anything else I'll just bring my pedal board. If I didn't have other amps I might choose the classic 30 as it's more versatile.
Amps came and went over the years but my C30 remained. I actually used the Delta Blue (same amp with a 15" speaker) for many years too but eventually it became too cumbersome to tote. I think it is the best all around amp ever. Not sure about the new ones but this demo sounded awesome although the drive channel was as pleasing to my ear an the older USA models. C30 for me and I have had a bunch of Fender offerings.
Just can't rate the Fender above the Peavey in this shootout. The Classic 30 is just more versatile and so much brighter. But to be fair, the Treble setting on the Blues Jr here was way down. Still prefer the Peavey though. With the extension cab, it's a mini monster.
It's down to individual taste, neither amp sounded bad to me. Personally I'd go for the Blues Jr though.
I agree with you. In fact, this video was the Classic 30s last ride for me, it will be finding a new home soon.
Clean is Fender.
Crunch and lead is Peavey.
Classic 30 for me please. Nice comparison. Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day.
I'm considering a Classic 30 because my terrific Blues Jr (with Billmon mods) can't do clean during a gig unless I keep the volume on my Telecaster on 10 (and even then...). I saw Warren Haynes say that he likes to keep his guitar's volume in the 6-8 range normally and thought Hey, I'm going to give that a try. So I have to turn the amp up to compensate, and the Blues Junior can't keep up without massive breakup. Maybe with humbuckers it would be a different story entirely.
Thanks for making this video! I have a Blues Junior, and have always been interested in the Classic 30. Do you know what the cabinet is made of, solid pine or MDF? I assume that with the use of pedals the Peavey could could reach the blues tones of the Fender. Any thoughts on that? I like the fact that the Peavey has the FX Loop!
I would also be curious to know how you compare the Classic 30 with its brother the Delta Blues, specifically the 2x10 model, Price, performance, tone, speaker preferences etc. Of course I can do a search on that.
MDF. I made a custom Cab for my c30 out of baltic birch plywood. Sounds great but is super heavy eith a EVM 12L speaker. I am going to make a new cab out of pine. Much lighter and sounds as good if not better.
Peavey classic 30 all the way.
The classic 20 mini head is outstanding, so many additional features that make it great.
Delta blues has always been underestimated aswell
What makes the head better than the combo, if that is what you were meaning?
I just bought a Peavy Classic 20 MH head….sounds ridiculous through a 2x12 cab
On cleans the jr sounds better fuller richer.
They are two different amps and to me aound totaly different.
A rock guy will choose the peavey a blues guy the fender.
Oddly a lot of blues guys i know are using quilter now.
Be great if you compared a pedal or two as well
As a Blues Deluxe owner who's put it thru a dozen gigs or more, I can testify that it's much easier to dial in these new Fender Blues-es badly than well. Good to know whether the grass is greener on the Peavey side
Peavey sounds better, especially in the crunch territory. I had the Classic 30. Great amp. The reverb could be better though. I have traded the amp on.
It’s definitely got a lot more clarity. I struggle with the graininess though, especially with heavier drive.
@@JackFossett Agreed. It's why I let it go. I didn't love it at all settings. An AC15 and q Princeton Reverb that I've acquired since then, sound great at all settings and that's what I like. A great speaker can address some issues too. Both of those amps mentioned I've put AlNiCo speakers in. Highly recommend.
You're talking 15 watts versus 30 Watts it would be closer to having it between the Blues Deluxe 40 W and the 30-watt Peavey because the PV 30 sounds a lot like my Blues Deluxe 40
My personal choice is the Fender Blues Jr.
It’s a richer sound IMO. Warmer and silkier.
I prefer the Jr but that could just be because it produces a tone I have listened to for a long time.
Had a peavey classic 50 4x10 that I traded for a g&l Ascari and later for a squier p bass and amp. Kinda wish I'd have kept the peavey
I’ve never owned either but I’ve recorded both many times and would buy the Peavey over this particular Fender model in a second.
Yea,I have the older peavey design tweed
. The new 20 Watters are 1000.00 bucks plus! What?
Nothing can beat a classic Fender Blues Junior
Give me a break. BJ's are uninspiring at best.
@@dada1952 I beg to differ, I've owned my BJ for 2 years now and I haven't experienced any issues whatsoever. I personally don't need all the extra tone control the Peavey has to offer.
also, I'm finding it hard to believe your opinion, BJ's are great amps. They're both great.
My friend one day went to the music store to buy a good amp but didn’t know what to get and called me up for my suggestion. Without hesitation, I immediately said the best bang for his buck would either be the Fender Blies Jr or The Peavey Classic 30. He was interested in buying a Marshall origin or a blackstar, and I immediately had to suggest against them, telling him, the only Marshalls and Blackstars that he can expect to sound great for what he needed were above 1500 clams. When it comes to mid tier budget friendly amps, Marshalls and blackstars will usually sound like shit compared to Fenders and Peaveys.
He opted for the Blues Jr, and soon after I got myself the Peavey Classic 30. It took me a while to come to liking the Peavey, when I found the right settings. But when I played thru my friends Blues Jr the next day, I immediately wished I’d opted for that amp instead. Although the peavey is brighter and more mid present and has the versatility of two channels, sometimes the mids can become too harsh and difficult to dial back. It’s either you have to have the mids set high, or lose all definition when you dial them back. Where the blues jr, is a little darker and has less drive, the lower mids are so much tighter and rounder, that balance out the harshness of the high mids and treble.
The peavy sounds good but the fender sounds a little warmer and softer which suits me better. But I would be happy with the peavy.
Peavey all the way. I had only one better amp - Ashdown Peacemaker 40 but it is broke and in this plugin era still waiting for repair. But I played on Peavey Classic 30 and it is on my TO BUY list at the moment. The only competitor will be Matchless C30 but that is not that price level
Classic 30 is all the amp you need.
I love my Blues Jr as far as clean sounds go. When hitting it with drive pedals and fuzz, I find it lacks headroom. I have a 60 watt Marshall that has the headroom, but is just too dang loud to crank it to its sweet spot. What would be the next step up from the Blues Jr sticking with a Fender-style amp that still gets excellent cleans that’s not nearly as loud as a 60 watt 2x12 Marshall?
Ok, won't use the apple vs oranges comparison .. How about this, the Classic 30 is "3D" and Blues Jr is "2D". I don't own either but if I were looking for a gig friendly versatile amp, the Classic 30 is the easy choice. Thanks Jack for this comparison review.
I m having a big Fender amp problem right now, maybe i can ask that here since i think highly about Jacks opinion on Fender Amps. I have a Fender Princeton 65 and was wondering if its a good Idea to get the 68 custum aswell and do a stero rig with a 4/10 cab (65 into 2/10, 68 into 2/10). I thought that way i get a super versatile rig that can cover much from normal Princeton to virbolux up to Super reverb (I know there is much more different then just the speakers and 2 Princetons will never sound like a super reverb, but it might give me a picture and a taste of the air moving 4/10s) and since i m only playing at home - volume isnt an issue for me, 1 princeton is already plenty loud for me. What do you guys think?
I think that would be an awesome rig
How come Peavey classic 30 is never black anymore, I had one years ago but I had to sell it because I needed the money, wish I could get another one
Hi,for playing jimi hendrix srv, pink floyd peavey or blues junior or another..
Id say fender with the edge on clean and Peavey everywhere else.
Thtu my speakers, can't tell a big difference. Since i just play casually at home, probably go with the 15w. Right now im using a THR10. Nice tones, but i want a tweed.
Not sure why this came up, but i think Fender is more nice and mellow. However, the classic 30 I bought was modded to tame the highs and was awesome.
Peavey has build and parts quality. Own that model Blues Jr but have worked on both.