I put up some polls in the cards of the videos if you wish to vote on which one you like better or let me know in the comments! Is the Red Stripe still the king? I let you know what I think at the end too 😃
intheblues QUESTION: what is the difference in the red stripes that have the white small triangle at the front bottom center? I noticed some redstripes don’t have that? I saw one for sale that has the triangle and they said it has a blue shefield speaker. Good speaker? Thanks!
After buying the Red-stripe today for about £100, I was really delighted to see how great this amplifier actually is in comparison to all the digital/modelling amplifiers from Line 6, Marshall, Blackstar and Boss (many of which I have owned and sold). I cant believe this ancient technology still beats up the modern competition! Cheers Shane for all your great honest reviews , as they have saved me time and money! :)
Both sound fine but different. I think I would go for the newer model if only for the foot switch. I think the small differences could be taken care of with a little EQ or with an EQ pedal.
That red stripe in this video is the first phase of being made in China (2004-2005/blocked logo). afterward (2005-present), all the China made Bandit that is on the left of this video, has T-Dynamic switch instead of POT. I have the Red Stripe Made in USA (2000-2004/blocked logo). A killer amp that every metal player should have one. I replaced the Sheffield 1230 speaker with a Black Shadow Celestion 90w, from Mesa Boogie amp. It can stand against Marshall stack 4x12 and in a full loud band jam. IT is super loud and powerful.
The Red Stripe Bandit, in my opinion, is overall a better amp than it’s modern equivalent. The overdrive tones just makes the amp sound better. Definitely an amp I will keep an eye on!!!! Really enjoy there comparison videos because they really help in making the best decision on gear. Nothing beats playing it live, of course, but it’s a first step in the decision process. Thanks again Shane!!! Cheers!!!🎸🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾
I know it's been a year sibce you commented man. But, maybe you'll see this comment. I had a Red Stripe 15+ years ago while in a band. The other guitar player had a huge Peavey 5150 Tube Amp 212 and my little Red Stripe wasn't intimidated at all bro! After the band split, I got into a financial tight spot. Of course sold my Red Stripe. One of the biggest sales regrets of my life, and I sold my 1967 Cherry Mustang! I have a Peavey 6505+ Combo Tube Amp now. I can't get anywhere near the tone I had. If you have an opportunity to buy a Red Stripe, do it...I know I will. Peace
The peavey transtube amps are all great. I have an old Bandit 65 (louuuuud!) and I just got a new lil Peavey Rage and boy what a nice little amp. New or used, cant go wrong man!
A good friend of mine was the manager at a local pawn shop. I didn't know much about different amp brands, but I would try every 10" and 12" speaker amp that came through. I started out playing humbuckers through them because of all the florescent lights, but then I discovered single coils brought out differences more easily. Then as I started weeding out brands and models I didn't like, I started taking the better ones home to compare. This is getting too long, or I'd provide a list of better amps. Suffice it to say that one of the amps that stayed, and a big surprise, was the PV Redline Bandit 112! Inexpensive awesomeness!
Hey, is it good for bedroom use? Low volume with pedals, what do you think? I'm thinking to buy one to use on rehearsals but also like a studying amp at home. Thanks
Im a tube snob! But The Red stripe is a rockin amp!! And this past year The Red stripe bandit is what i use live now as my main gig amp. love the tone i get from it, I leave the marshalls and my other great tube amps home for recording, thanks for this video!
I had to leave (sell) my beloved Classic 30 in Aus when I moved back to the UK in 2018..way too heavy to ship over. I've missed that tone.. Based on your many, many reviews of the Red Stripe I had been looking for one here.. I finally managed to get one yesterday.. had a choice between the grey and red too.. Red won. Hope you are well Shane and thanks for all you do.
There wasn't a great deal of difference. I thought Grey clean was a bit nicer, bit more sparkle. OD sounds virtually identical! Red stripe still killed it in the volume stakes!
Hi Shane - poised to pickup a Red Stripe made in the usa tomorrow for 75 euro. Yay finally a great deal ! Leaves me enough money to swap the stock speaker if at all necessary. Thanks for all your tips. Keep up the good work.
I have the original trans tube bandit ( silver stripe ), red stripe rocks big time, the advantage of the gray stripe is the footswitch able booste & direct out on the back, a lot of places where I gig doesn't want it loud !!! Great video Shane !!!
Put a 15 inch speaker from a vintage silver face Fender in my old silver stripe 112, sounds absolutly unbelievable. Makes the origonal 12 inch Sheffield sound like a squeaky little toy. Might do a comparison video one day.
In my quest for a ss amp, I stumbled across and just purchased a nearly mint, Peavey Transformer 212 red stripe (with stock Blue Marvel speakers) and never used foot controller. I absolutely love it! I love the Peavey transtube stuff.
They both sound good but I think the modern one sounds better because the Red stripe has a funky sounding high mid 2-3k frequency that makes it sound a little plastic-y compared to the grey one. The gray one had a more open less nasally tone than the red stripe. I have both these amps. I've never A/B'd them though. I love them both :)
I liked the grey stripe based on this test. Sounded a little more Vox like to me - a little less bass heavy and twangier. Disclaimer.... I had a red stripe until fairly recently and loved it.
For the style music ylur playing, red stripe hands down. Grey stripe def is a modern heavier thicker sound. Just my .02! That red stripe is the best little amp i ever owned.
Couple of thoughts - Maybe the Modern Bandit should have been tested with the boost enabled. Perhaps that's the default sound... Also, you have to take into account the Blue Marvel vs the Sheffield. Testing both with the Texas Heat would be great. Comparing a Bandit to a Katana would be tough, considering all the options available on the Katana.
I think that both amps had some cool sounds. It was interesting that the Red Stripe was kicking out about 6db more at the top. Looked like it topped out at around 106-107, and any further increase in gain/volume just compressed it. The Red Stripe was hitting 112 or a bit more, which is metal show loud. With a speaker replacement, max volume could change a fair bit, as would the tonal qualities. Overall, way better than most people believe solid state amps typically sound.
hi there,great review,.....but the best transt amp they ever made was the XXL head.......why did they ever stop making it........through a good 4-12, it sounds almost like a bogner, ...keep up the playin shane ! GRTZ from belgium !
Either one is good enough, that I'd say you should get whichever you find for cheaper. You can always run a pedal you like into it in a clean setting, if you don't like the built-in drive sound.
The grey stripe had a harder, brighter top end that might cut through better in a mix. The red stripe sounded warmer and more tubelike, less harsh and more pleasing to the ear overall.
I am kind of wondering if any of the tonal warmth that makes the red stripe sound better comes from it being well worn in, or if it is superior circuitry. Virtually impossible to test for when dealing with older vs. newer. Sound is sound though so if 20 years of cigarette smoke, sweat and spilled beer makes an amp sound sweet then we have to recheck the grey stripe after 20 years of gigging. Great video and I would love to hear an AB of the grey strip with the stock speaker and then the Texas Heat.
that was tough. I listened back 2-3 times on somedecent headphones (Sennheiser HD569) I preferred the Red Stripe in all the cases. It had a fuller,creamier, blendier, richier,smoothier tone (I'm just making up words). But seriously it did sound better. When are they releasing a Pink Stripe model? :) take care!
Fantastic video Shane! I prefer the red stripe in all cases. Seems it's a tad warmer and creamier overall. I have almost pulled the trigger several times on a red stripe but I'm waiting for a super sweet deal, not just a deal.
That clean breakup is so good? I kind of like it on both amps for slightly different reasons. More open aired and airy on the newer amp, still very much "tube like" but less generic, rounded off sort of tube sound. Red Stripe is definitely more "Rounded off"(sounds like a darker speaker to me? or more aggressive filtering on the vintage channel?) but also seems to have a slightly fuzzier quality underneath to make up for it. Can see why you like these for blues! Better than a lot of the super generic toanz people use for it I think.
I attended a forum gtg jam where there were plenty of high dollar gear: USA guitars, boutique amps, & vintage amps. One guy more than held his own with a $275.00 FrankenTele, and a $300.00 Peavey Bandit 112 MIC "grey stripe / Gen 3." No pedals, amp was stock.
Hmmm....tough to pick a “better” one. They’re just a little different. Through headphones, played clean, the gray stripe sounded a little more bright or sensitive(?) and the red stripe is warmer and even(?). Cranked, the red stripe sounded like it had a little shot of NOS where as the gray stripe had the breakup, but slightly less ‘umph’. Can’t really go wrong either way since even though you do an amazing job at it, it’s practically impossible to repeat how hard you’re hitting the strings and even how close you are to the pickups, etc. y’know? Love Peavey for the value they are!! 🎸👍🏻✌🏻
I have an envoy 110 red stripe and a bandit 112 red stripe. I like both very much. Great cleans. Nice drive channels. Reliable. Loud enough for any type of environment.
I didn’t think there would be much difference. But I’m liking the less scooped sound of the red stripe. The new one is too fuzzy. Interesting, I think a bandit likes humbuckers. I’ve been playing it with single coils and just haven’t been feeling it. Could be me.
Is that a Studio Pro 112 Red stripe next to that Red Stripe Bandit? I blew something in my Red Stripe Studio Pro, and found a Red stripe Bandit few days later. Man, I love how I still have that same sound, just a tad louder! Great comparison, Red Stripe all the way for me!
I'm wondering if the Blue Marvels aren't quite equal. I'd love to hear what the new Bandit sounds like with the Texas Heat! I myself would throw a Swamp Thang in there for ungodly low end, but I wonder if the highs would be clear. Thank you, Shane!
My Peavey Bandit (gray stripe) will be here in a couple of days! I'm curious Shane if you have ever played a Peavey Special 112? I was given one by an uncle who gave up guitar years ago, it's late 80s-early 90s and man it sounds incredible! The cleans I get from it are unreal. I'm not super impressed with the overdrive sounds (though they are usable for a jam) which is why I picked up the Bandit. Can't wait to try it out!
I have an original special 130, my first ever amp and a gift from late father when I took up guitar. It is an absolute beast. Use it with a boss gt8 and the overdrives are killer. Also with a Vox Straight 6 OD. It a real benchmark against my 3 other amps which are pretty respectable gear; PV classic 50, Mustang 3 V2 & Fender BB15. Like you said, superb cleans. If you dial up the presence you get some fenderesk cleans, otherwise the voicing is perfect for jazz without.
Good comparison. On clean, the grey stripe sounded warmer and the SPL looked a bit louder (hitting 108 as opposed to 106). Dirty the red stripe was definitely louder with a bit more presence.
Thanks for the comparison Shane. The Red stripe was noticeably superior even over UA-cam. It just has a more natural tone to it, to my ears. I'm listening through a Dolby system in Stereo, with all my equalization neutralized out so I'm just getting your mix and tone. Just for what its worth, the Grey stripe sounds fine, just not as natural as the Red stripe. Is it possible that the components of the Red stripe are more "Burned" in since its seen more use? I'm assuming the Grey stripe is or/nearly brand new. My experience has been that I usually prefer my amps to be played for many hours before they have a true settled tone. Mainly I suppose from flexing the speaker cone. I don't just blast radio or recordings like a friend of mine, I just play the hell out of them at minimum 75% volume and drive it hard. I have on more than one occasion bought a used amp from musicians I know just to get one that's already been "Exercised" to a fully seasoned level. Yes I'm probably crazy but if I get the sound I want from an amp it stays in the collection forever. Especially since I can do my own electronic repairs. Hate replacing tubes though, the wrong tubes can really destroy tone and balance of power. One good reason to find a tone friendly solid state, Peavey does excellent solid state units. Again this was a very excellent comparison of both, just love that Red stripe, but I like the replacement speaker you've had in it for a while. That one has a sweeter tone for my ear. Have a great day Shane, stay safe.
The Red Stripe Bandit sounds better because it has a different speaker. Put a Texas Heat speaker in the new Bandit, and I guarantee you'll love the sound.
Very close call, I have to give the edge to the Red stripe, it just has a better tone, seemed to be very responsive to pick attack, it’s more dynamic in over all performance
AH,,, lol perfect timing... You must have done this one for me Shane. Thanks. 1/2 way through.... I'm hearing more distinct notes on the Grey Stripe. Both are very nice OK, finally after all these times of asking you if you still like the Peavey Red Strip Bandit.... I have ordered a used Peavey Bandit Red Stripe. I have a Blue Marvel from a Peavey 1x12 cabinet. I really like them. Might change it out for a Texas heat. we'll see when it gets here. Cost $159.00 $50.00 shipping and tax. Delivered from Guitar Center used at $202.00 US. I'm good with that. Looked on Reverb, nothing available there under $300.00.
HAD the new one.. lost it in a dumb trade deal I made a year or so back... Just got a USA made Red Stripe yesterday, with the 2 button foot pedal to replace it. .. and yes, it's AWESOME! LOL!
I've used both and I currently have a red stripe , one of the reasons I prefer it is you can tell what the know settings are on a dark ish stage its difficult with the chrome ones
Watched an interview with Peavey Hartley he said his new stuff was better than his old stuff but that’s not what I see when I watch guitar players on UA-cam. They seem to love that red stripe and they are impossible to find on the Internet now find the newer ones.
Tube boutique amps are always better, but for the money bandits are a good option - Peavey distortion always seems to suck and both amps lack warmth, but playing live i would recommend pushing the amp with a high dist quality pedal in the signal chain. Never play peavey distortion live at a gig, just run good pedals over the clean channel.
Shane i could be totally wrong about this but i am assuming the speaker in your stock red stripe is the Sheffield 1230 and an 8 ohm speaker where the newer bandit i think has a Blue Marvel 16 ohm speaker which i do not know the sensitivity rating of either but if i am right that would make sense to me as an 8 ohm speaker is usually a bit darker and louder than a 16 ohm speaker as a 16 ohm speaker is probably only getting 60 of the 80 watts delivered as the 8 ohm is delivering all 80 watts out but like i said i am not sure as I only have the 8 ohm Scorpion equipped teal stripe Bandit and i really like your videos and content and watched you for damn near a decade now and know this is an old video but i rewatch good videos from time to time and this as as close to a video i have found on a comparison between unfairly generally hated Blue Marvel speaker to the generally praised Sheffield 1230 speaker just would like to know if both are 8 ohms or not but thank you for your channel, knowledge and videos Shane
The Red Stripe is a great combo! I’ve gone for the Eminence Red White and Blues as the replacement speaker. It’s genuinely the first amp I’ve had where I like the overdrive channel as well as the clean. I’ve got two. That way I can use one for single coils and one for humbuckers or, if I’m using a pedalboard, I can be in stereo!
I prefer the Grey stripe. That volume boost feature alone just adds a ton of flexibility. A note about the volume: I run my Bandit in 20w mode, and in gigs and practice when I mic it through the PA the sound guy has a fit when I set the volume over 2. When I don't mic it and turn the volume up over half I get drum sticks thrown at me because the drummer can't hear himself hit the drums anymore. Not sure why I would ever need a few extra DBs of volume that the Red Stripe could theoretically bring. If I had to play a large outdoor gig without a PA for some reason I would just bring one of my 100w tube heads and drive my 4x12s. But hey, the standard deviation for electronics is around 5%, so maybe I just got one of the top-tier grey stripe bandits without even realizing it.
Great Video mate .... question ... your Red Stripe says Designed in USA on the front panel .... is it in fact a Chinese version . My 2005 Red Stripe says Made and Designed in USA... It sounds really good. Thnx
103-106 dB is loud as hell for anyone wondering, like full power tube saturation volume. I'd say about 80 is a comfortable bedroom practice volume. Probably sounds great
Red Stripe was better overall IMO. Still sounded just a bit edgy/fizzy but that's probably just the stock speaker. How about a Red Stripe (with your fav speaker) vs Katana 100 shootout? :-)
If your playing on your own in your bedroom, I guess the small difference in sound could matter, but if your playing with others I would think the difference would be less obvious. I guess it comes down to how they feel to the player. I think they both sound good.....
I wonder how much impact does the speaker have in this comparison. It would be great if we could compare both with the same speakers. I have been using a silver knob Peavey Bandit for 3 years now and I really like the amp. The Blue Marvel itself isn't bad but I feel that "harsh bright and muddy bass" have a lot to do with it (the most common critics on this amp).
Great vid Shane. I think it’s hard to say which is best. They sound good, but different. Now, If you guys has plans for update the speaker, hear my Peavey story: I have a Peavey Studio Pro 112 (made in us) it had a Eminence oem speaker that I wanted to update. Got a swamp thang. But I wasn’t pleased. Nothing wrong with the speaker, but it was to “big” for my 65 watt amp. Lot’s of noise and interferences on low volume. I play in a apartment, so I can’t play to loud. So I changed it to a Eminence Legend 1258 75w. Perfect. So what I’m trying to say is, it’s a good idea to match speaker and amp for the best result.
Nice comparison Shane. I kinda liked both Amps. Some sounds of each were great. If my back could take it I’d A/B them....LOL!! I remember the sound of your Red Stripe with the Texas Heat in it and just Loved that sound!! Please keep up the Good Work!!
w13rdguy - Being that the grey is newer, it wouldn't surprise me if it has a newer switch mode power supply. However, it still wouldn't make any difference to the sound unless it was badly designed (then you'd hear background hum and clicking coming from the power supply). It only supplies a regulated voltage to the circuit and has nothing to do with the actual sound that comes out. You'd probably find the speakers being different would cause more of an issue than the power supply.
Out of the gate, the Grey Stripe sounded better (attention span being what it is). Me, in love with the Red Stripe, though. Just a Studio Pro 112 here and hit it with a Zoom 1010. I knew both and worked great for jams.
i have the Peavey bandit 112 1990's model teal stripe, it is the transtube, but also, its the special 112, so it has double the power of the 80watt, bandit? 160watts, and they are brilliant amps, some like to put the peavey amps, down? but as far as im concerned, one of the best ever made? i gigged with the same model for 15yrs, before selling it and going to guitar thru the PA system? but got another, was so lucky to find one in great condition, 20yrs old, and sounds just as great as ever.
It's so hard to tell really unles you are there, but the red stripe just sounds more muddy in the crunch tones, and if you are after that then fine, I imagine that you can turn down the treble a bit and achieve that anyway. Red stripe obviously louder.
On second demo red first vintage grey second classic. Red sounded nice than grey sounded like muffled version of red, you might say grey has more bottom, but seems muffle so perceived as more bottom!
I have an opportunity to buy a grey stripe Bandit, so this was very helpful. Personally, I prefer the Red Stripe. The grey stripe has a honk in the mid-range that I didn't like. I don't know if that can be dialed out. The red stripe had a more pleasing top end as you described. I'm going to try playing with the EQ to see if I can make it work for me. Thanks Shane.
@@bobby1970 Thanks Nuke. I just bought a Line 6 Catalyst. It should arrive later this month. So the Bandit may be up for sale. By the way, the clean channel sounds better with pedals, Greer Lightspeed Fultone OCD, and a Joyo Sweet Baby. Then if I want a mid push I have a ToneCity Bad Horse. I may upgrade that later, but it does the job for now. Of course, now I'm wondering what that speaker would do. I promised myself no more gear unless it was absolutely essential. More gear isn't helping me play better. So that speaker swap might have to be someone else's project.
The red strip definitely has a little more highs on the vintage clean (the grey sounds a bit muddy - not sure if you can EQ that out). At gig volumes they don't sound too dissimilar tone-wise (the dB meter says different). I wouldn't mind seeing the grey with that eminence speaker in it though maybe compare it with the vypyrs if you can get hold of one.
The newer Bandit is not bad, but I have to go with the Red Stripe. I have three Bandits: Solo Series, Bandit 65, and the Silver Stripe First Generation TransTube Bandit. The Silver Stripe reminds me of my first guitar amp, a Rage 158 that I saved money to buy when I was in high school.
Can you compare these two amps to the silver stripe bandit 100 watt amp with 12" Sheffield? That would be sweet. Personally I have owned and gigged with that amp and loved it. Actually upset I didn't keep it. Never played on the red or the newer iteration. I'm not sure how the new Chinese built amps will hold up against the older American built ones...but I remember mine was a heavy beast to carry around...and all my other older Peavey amps were even worse, as I moved to stereo amps later on. Real back killers. Now I still have my old transfex 208s, and a VYPYR VIP3...the vypyr sounds great, but the knobs all stopped working, except for the master volume...being the only regular pot other then the dynamics knob which I have not noticed any change to the amp when I turn it in either direction? Never noticed much difference in my bandit either come to think of it...though I rarely ever had it much more than half way up because it was loud A/F! I generally prefer to have a mic in front of my amp instead of cranking it up to ridiculous levels....that way the stage levels are more controlled and it's easier to hear everything and I get less bleed through other mics and a much cleaner PA sound at the FOH! IEM's help a lot too! Hope you are able to do this comparison.
Awesome video Shane. I way prefer the Red Stripe bandit. To me it just sounds fuller, more pleasant and more natural. The grey stripe just sounds way more shrill and unpleasant but just me. Go old Bandits!!!
T control on clean chanel 50% or noon best out of this amp power projection, Overdrive chanel just adds distortion and cut power and projection as speakers distorting too
The more everybody keeps talking on the net about sleeper amps, the more the price will keep going up because a lot of people go to ebay and reverb, looking for them. I know this helps their channels but it hurts people looking for a cheap priced amp that can't afford a lot. You are now seeing solid state amps as high as tube amps because of this. What a shame.
Mine was $160 or so from GC about two years ago. It had problems and needed repairs (busted pots, bad reverb tank). But I bought it anyway because it was one of the pre Chinese models. But I had a good $275 in it with repairs. The reds seem more expensive now.
little johnny you are right. Ive seen them second hand as high as 400 here in oz. I would buy a boss katana 50 and still have change. The value of a good cheap amp is the price. If you're paying top dollar for a cheap solid state amp you may as well put the little extra in and get something of higher quality that has a warranty.
Shane called it, I think. Red Stripe by a nose. But if the prices keep creeping up, I think the modern is close enough. Looking for one of the new ones to leave at a rehearsal space, assuming a new band takes me in!
For gigs, you seem to have your Red Stripe set for some breakup. Are you still able to get a volume boost from your OD/boost despite this setting? Keep up the good work Shane.
I put up some polls in the cards of the videos if you wish to vote on which one you like better or let me know in the comments! Is the Red Stripe still the king? I let you know what I think at the end too 😃
intheblues man the red stripe was a clear winner on volume.
intheblues QUESTION: what is the difference in the red stripes that have the white small triangle at the front bottom center? I noticed some redstripes don’t have that?
I saw one for sale that has the triangle and they said it has a blue shefield speaker. Good speaker?
Thanks!
After buying the Red-stripe today for about £100, I was really delighted to see how great this amplifier actually is in comparison to all the digital/modelling amplifiers from Line 6, Marshall, Blackstar and Boss (many of which I have owned and sold). I cant believe this ancient technology still beats up the modern competition! Cheers Shane for all your great honest reviews , as they have saved me time and money! :)
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кАКОЙ ДИНАМИК В ВАШЕЙ ВЕРСИИ?
I' m peavey addicted! I have a Red stirpe, Grey, envoy, solo series, back stage and classic 30..bandit forever!
I thought I was bad. I have a classic 30 and a valve king.
Both sound fine but different. I think I would go for the newer model if only for the foot switch. I think the small differences could be taken care of with a little EQ or with an EQ pedal.
That red stripe in this video is the first phase of being made in China (2004-2005/blocked logo). afterward (2005-present), all the China made Bandit that is on the left of this video, has T-Dynamic switch instead of POT. I have the Red Stripe Made in USA (2000-2004/blocked logo). A killer amp that every metal player should have one. I replaced the Sheffield 1230 speaker with a Black Shadow Celestion 90w, from Mesa Boogie amp. It can stand against Marshall stack 4x12 and in a full loud band jam. IT is super loud and powerful.
The Red Stripe Bandit, in my opinion, is overall a better amp than it’s modern equivalent. The overdrive tones just makes the amp sound better. Definitely an amp I will keep an eye on!!!! Really enjoy there comparison videos because they really help in making the best decision on gear. Nothing beats playing it live, of course, but it’s a first step in the decision process. Thanks again Shane!!! Cheers!!!🎸🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾🤙🏾
I know it's been a year sibce you commented man. But, maybe you'll see this comment. I had a Red Stripe 15+ years ago while in a band. The other guitar player had a huge Peavey 5150 Tube Amp 212 and my little Red Stripe wasn't intimidated at all bro! After the band split, I got into a financial tight spot. Of course sold my Red Stripe. One of the biggest sales regrets of my life, and I sold my 1967 Cherry Mustang! I have a Peavey 6505+ Combo Tube Amp now. I can't get anywhere near the tone I had. If you have an opportunity to buy a Red Stripe, do it...I know I will.
Peace
The peavey transtube amps are all great. I have an old Bandit 65 (louuuuud!) and I just got a new lil Peavey Rage and boy what a nice little amp. New or used, cant go wrong man!
A good friend of mine was the manager at a local pawn shop. I didn't know much about different amp brands, but I would try every 10" and 12" speaker amp that came through. I started out playing humbuckers through them because of all the florescent lights, but then I discovered single coils brought out differences more easily. Then as I started weeding out brands and models I didn't like, I started taking the better ones home to compare. This is getting too long, or I'd provide a list of better amps. Suffice it to say that one of the amps that stayed, and a big surprise, was the PV Redline Bandit 112! Inexpensive awesomeness!
I just bought my friend a 112 bandit redline sounds great and for $90 i cant complain
I picked up a red stripe bandit to feel the weight and it felt so heavy I thought the previous owner must have been trapped inside it.
Hey, is it good for bedroom use? Low volume with pedals, what do you think? I'm thinking to buy one to use on rehearsals but also like a studying amp at home. Thanks
The Red Stripe is a heavy bastard, that's for sure.
I have owned all 3 transtube bandit and the best was the silver stripe. Better clean, great break up, better reverb, better speaker...
Im a tube snob! But The Red stripe is a rockin amp!! And this past year The Red stripe bandit is what i use live now as my main gig amp. love the tone i get from it, I leave the marshalls and my other great tube amps home for recording, thanks for this video!
I had to leave (sell) my beloved Classic 30 in Aus when I moved back to the UK in 2018..way too heavy to ship over. I've missed that tone.. Based on your many, many reviews of the Red Stripe I had been looking for one here.. I finally managed to get one yesterday.. had a choice between the grey and red too.. Red won.
Hope you are well Shane and thanks for all you do.
It’s easy to make a Humbucker guitar sound good on most amps. The test is to see how a solid state reacts to single coils.
There wasn't a great deal of difference. I thought Grey clean was a bit nicer, bit more sparkle. OD sounds virtually identical! Red stripe still killed it in the volume stakes!
The speaker in that Red Stripe is gonna have way more mileage on it. That's got to make it harder to compare.
Hi Shane - poised to pickup a Red Stripe made in the usa tomorrow for 75 euro. Yay finally a great deal ! Leaves me enough money to swap the stock speaker if at all necessary. Thanks for all your tips. Keep up the good work.
I have the original trans tube bandit ( silver stripe ), red stripe rocks big time, the advantage of the gray stripe is the footswitch able booste & direct out on the back, a lot of places where I gig doesn't want it loud !!! Great video Shane !!!
Thanks Dave!
Put a 15 inch speaker from a vintage silver face Fender in my old silver stripe 112, sounds absolutly unbelievable. Makes the origonal 12 inch Sheffield sound like a squeaky little toy. Might do a comparison video one day.
In my quest for a ss amp, I stumbled across and just purchased a nearly mint, Peavey Transformer 212 red stripe (with stock Blue Marvel speakers) and never used foot controller. I absolutely love it! I love the Peavey transtube stuff.
They both sound good but I think the modern one sounds better because the Red stripe has a funky sounding high mid 2-3k frequency that makes it sound a little plastic-y compared to the grey one. The gray one had a more open less nasally tone than the red stripe. I have both these amps. I've never A/B'd them though. I love them both :)
Speakers can be swapped ;) this is the generation of my peavey 5150 II full stack and still kick myself for selling to this day
Thanks for comparison. I am surprised, how much better is red stripe version.
You should have played some White Stripes in this contest of the grey stripe vs he red stripe Bandits
I liked the grey stripe based on this test. Sounded a little more Vox like to me - a little less bass heavy and twangier. Disclaimer.... I had a red stripe until fairly recently and loved it.
For the style music ylur playing, red stripe hands down. Grey stripe def is a modern heavier thicker sound. Just my .02! That red stripe is the best little amp i ever owned.
Great video Shane. To my ear the Grey Stripe is dark / muddy sounding. Like there's a wet blanket over it. Red Strip for me mate. Cheers!!
They’re both so good just go for which you like the look of most in my opinion
Red stripe Bandit is one of my favorite solid state amps ever. It sounds great, and is built like a tank.
Couple of thoughts - Maybe the Modern Bandit should have been tested with the boost enabled. Perhaps that's the default sound... Also, you have to take into account the Blue Marvel vs the Sheffield. Testing both with the Texas Heat would be great. Comparing a Bandit to a Katana would be tough, considering all the options available on the Katana.
I scored a Red Stripe in mint condition for $60!! Love that amp! 👍
I bought $400 its expensive here
You're the Bandit!
Damn i paid $90 needs a deep clean but its a Christmas gift for a friend 😂 i bet he will love it
I think that both amps had some cool sounds. It was interesting that the Red Stripe was kicking out about 6db more at the top. Looked like it topped out at around 106-107, and any further increase in gain/volume just compressed it. The Red Stripe was hitting 112 or a bit more, which is metal show loud. With a speaker replacement, max volume could change a fair bit, as would the tonal qualities. Overall, way better than most people believe solid state amps typically sound.
You need to get ahold of an 80's Bandit Solo Series 65. You'll love it. I think its better than the Red Stripe.
hi there,great review,.....but the best transt amp they ever made was the XXL head.......why did they ever stop making it........through a good 4-12, it sounds almost like a bogner, ...keep up the playin shane ! GRTZ from belgium !
Either one is good enough, that I'd say you should get whichever you find for cheaper. You can always run a pedal you like into it in a clean setting, if you don't like the built-in drive sound.
Had my Bandit (the model before the red stripe) for nearly two decades. Still play it and love it.
I used one of the red stripes at the practice space I used to go to and wow. The tone was immense. Real punch in the face
in direct comparison, imho, the Red Stripe wins. But the Grey Stripe is close enough if you can`t get hold of an old one.
The grey stripe had a harder, brighter top end that might cut through better in a mix. The red stripe sounded warmer and more tubelike, less harsh and more pleasing to the ear overall.
I am kind of wondering if any of the tonal warmth that makes the red stripe sound better comes from it being well worn in, or if it is superior circuitry. Virtually impossible to test for when dealing with older vs. newer. Sound is sound though so if 20 years of cigarette smoke, sweat and spilled beer makes an amp sound sweet then we have to recheck the grey stripe after 20 years of gigging. Great video and I would love to hear an AB of the grey strip with the stock speaker and then the Texas Heat.
that was tough. I listened back 2-3 times on somedecent headphones (Sennheiser HD569) I preferred the Red Stripe in all the cases. It had a fuller,creamier, blendier, richier,smoothier tone (I'm just making up words). But seriously it did sound better. When are they releasing a Pink Stripe model? :) take care!
LBGTIQLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ model?
@@DMSProduktions did you die
@@droksbeel No! But my father did earlier in the year!
@@DMSProduktions :(
@@droksbeel Sorry to burst your bubble dear! :o/
I love the bandit. But the Teal Face with the scorpion is still my top choice over either of these ones.
I really liked the red strip better. Specially on the dist channel. Surprised how much louder it was too.
Clean : grey
Modern : grey
Vintage : red
Gain : red
Lead : red
Fantastic video Shane! I prefer the red stripe in all cases. Seems it's a tad warmer and creamier overall. I have almost pulled the trigger several times on a red stripe but I'm waiting for a super sweet deal, not just a deal.
That clean breakup is so good? I kind of like it on both amps for slightly different reasons. More open aired and airy on the newer amp, still very much "tube like" but less generic, rounded off sort of tube sound. Red Stripe is definitely more "Rounded off"(sounds like a darker speaker to me? or more aggressive filtering on the vintage channel?) but also seems to have a slightly fuzzier quality underneath to make up for it. Can see why you like these for blues! Better than a lot of the super generic toanz people use for it I think.
I attended a forum gtg jam where there were plenty of high dollar gear: USA guitars, boutique amps, & vintage amps. One guy more than held his own with a $275.00 FrankenTele, and a $300.00 Peavey Bandit 112 MIC "grey stripe / Gen 3." No pedals, amp was stock.
Hmmm....tough to pick a “better” one. They’re just a little different. Through headphones, played clean, the gray stripe sounded a little more bright or sensitive(?) and the red stripe is warmer and even(?). Cranked, the red stripe sounded like it had a little shot of NOS where as the gray stripe had the breakup, but slightly less ‘umph’. Can’t really go wrong either way since even though you do an amazing job at it, it’s practically impossible to repeat how hard you’re hitting the strings and even how close you are to the pickups, etc. y’know? Love Peavey for the value they are!! 🎸👍🏻✌🏻
Just brought a peavey 108 rage. Great little amp for the flat.
I have an envoy 110 red stripe and a bandit 112 red stripe. I like both very much. Great cleans. Nice drive channels. Reliable. Loud enough for any type of environment.
I didn’t think there would be much difference. But I’m liking the less scooped sound of the red stripe. The new one is too fuzzy.
Interesting, I think a bandit likes humbuckers. I’ve been playing it with single coils and just haven’t been feeling it. Could be me.
I think the "Modern" amp sounds compressed. I think swapping out the speaker might be a great idea.
Is that a Studio Pro 112 Red stripe next to that Red Stripe Bandit?
I blew something in my Red Stripe Studio Pro, and found a Red stripe Bandit few days later.
Man, I love how I still have that same sound, just a tad louder!
Great comparison, Red Stripe all the way for me!
I had a solo series 65 way back that was a killer little. work horse of an amp. wish I still had it. Miss muh little Bandit…..
I'm wondering if the Blue Marvels aren't quite equal. I'd love to hear what the new Bandit sounds like with the Texas Heat! I myself would throw a Swamp Thang in there for ungodly low end, but I wonder if the highs would be clear. Thank you, Shane!
Should have added a clip of the Red Stripe with the Texas Heat.
My Peavey Bandit (gray stripe) will be here in a couple of days!
I'm curious Shane if you have ever played a Peavey Special 112? I was given one by an uncle who gave up guitar years ago, it's late 80s-early 90s and man it sounds incredible! The cleans I get from it are unreal. I'm not super impressed with the overdrive sounds (though they are usable for a jam) which is why I picked up the Bandit. Can't wait to try it out!
I have an original special 130, my first ever amp and a gift from late father when I took up guitar. It is an absolute beast. Use it with a boss gt8 and the overdrives are killer. Also with a Vox Straight 6 OD. It a real benchmark against my 3 other amps which are pretty respectable gear; PV classic 50, Mustang 3 V2 & Fender BB15. Like you said, superb cleans. If you dial up the presence you get some fenderesk cleans, otherwise the voicing is perfect for jazz without.
Good comparison. On clean, the grey stripe sounded warmer and the SPL looked a bit louder (hitting 108 as opposed to 106). Dirty the red stripe was definitely louder with a bit more presence.
Thanks for the comparison Shane. The Red stripe was noticeably superior even over UA-cam. It just has a more natural tone to it, to my ears. I'm listening through a Dolby system in Stereo, with all my equalization neutralized out so I'm just getting your mix and tone. Just for what its worth, the Grey stripe sounds fine, just not as natural as the Red stripe. Is it possible that the components of the Red stripe are more "Burned" in since its seen more use? I'm assuming the Grey stripe is or/nearly brand new. My experience has been that I usually prefer my amps to be played for many hours before they have a true settled tone. Mainly I suppose from flexing the speaker cone. I don't just blast radio or recordings like a friend of mine, I just play the hell out of them at minimum 75% volume and drive it hard. I have on more than one occasion bought a used amp from musicians I know just to get one that's already been "Exercised" to a fully seasoned level. Yes I'm probably crazy but if I get the sound I want from an amp it stays in the collection forever. Especially since I can do my own electronic repairs. Hate replacing tubes though, the wrong tubes can really destroy tone and balance of power. One good reason to find a tone friendly solid state, Peavey does excellent solid state units. Again this was a very excellent comparison of both, just love that Red stripe, but I like the replacement speaker you've had in it for a while. That one has a sweeter tone for my ear. Have a great day Shane, stay safe.
The Red Stripe Bandit sounds better because it has a different speaker. Put a Texas Heat speaker in the new Bandit, and I guarantee you'll love the sound.
Very close call, I have to give the edge to the Red stripe, it just has a better tone, seemed to be very responsive to pick attack, it’s more dynamic in over all performance
AH,,, lol perfect timing... You must have done this one for me Shane. Thanks. 1/2 way through.... I'm hearing more distinct notes on the Grey Stripe. Both are very nice OK, finally after all these times of asking you if you still like the Peavey Red Strip Bandit.... I have ordered a used Peavey Bandit Red Stripe. I have a Blue Marvel from a Peavey 1x12 cabinet. I really like them. Might change it out for a Texas heat. we'll see when it gets here. Cost $159.00 $50.00 shipping and tax. Delivered from Guitar Center used at $202.00 US. I'm good with that. Looked on Reverb, nothing available there under $300.00.
The red stripe bandit is the hands down winner and a true classic. These older amps are still demanding a good price on the secondhand market.
HAD the new one.. lost it in a dumb trade deal I made a year or so back... Just got a USA made Red Stripe yesterday, with the 2 button foot pedal to replace it. .. and yes, it's AWESOME! LOL!
I've used both and I currently have a red stripe , one of the reasons I prefer it is you can tell what the know settings are on a dark ish stage its difficult with the chrome ones
T-Dynamics is not a power attenuator. It does impact the headroom and I think it only impacts the clean channel.
Watched an interview with Peavey Hartley he said his new stuff was better than his old stuff but that’s not what I see when I watch guitar players on UA-cam. They seem to love that red stripe and they are impossible to find on the Internet now find the newer ones.
Tube boutique amps are always better, but for the money bandits are a good option - Peavey distortion always seems to suck and both amps lack warmth, but playing live i would recommend pushing the amp with a high dist quality pedal in the signal chain. Never play peavey distortion live at a gig, just run good pedals over the clean channel.
Shane i could be totally wrong about this but i am assuming the speaker in your stock red stripe is the Sheffield 1230 and an 8 ohm speaker where the newer bandit i think has a Blue Marvel 16 ohm speaker which i do not know the sensitivity rating of either but if i am right that would make sense to me as an 8 ohm speaker is usually a bit darker and louder than a 16 ohm speaker as a 16 ohm speaker is probably only getting 60 of the 80 watts delivered as the 8 ohm is delivering all 80 watts out but like i said i am not sure as I only have the 8 ohm Scorpion equipped teal stripe Bandit and i really like your videos and content and watched you for damn near a decade now and know this is an old video but i rewatch good videos from time to time and this as as close to a video i have found on a comparison between unfairly generally hated Blue Marvel speaker to the generally praised Sheffield 1230 speaker just would like to know if both are 8 ohms or not but thank you for your channel, knowledge and videos Shane
The Red Stripe is a great combo! I’ve gone for the Eminence Red White and Blues as the replacement speaker. It’s genuinely the first amp I’ve had where I like the overdrive channel as well as the clean. I’ve got two. That way I can use one for single coils and one for humbuckers or, if I’m using a pedalboard, I can be in stereo!
Great shoot out Shane! Thanks!!
Thanks man!
I prefer the Grey stripe. That volume boost feature alone just adds a ton of flexibility. A note about the volume: I run my Bandit in 20w mode, and in gigs and practice when I mic it through the PA the sound guy has a fit when I set the volume over 2. When I don't mic it and turn the volume up over half I get drum sticks thrown at me because the drummer can't hear himself hit the drums anymore. Not sure why I would ever need a few extra DBs of volume that the Red Stripe could theoretically bring. If I had to play a large outdoor gig without a PA for some reason I would just bring one of my 100w tube heads and drive my 4x12s. But hey, the standard deviation for electronics is around 5%, so maybe I just got one of the top-tier grey stripe bandits without even realizing it.
Move to the opposite side of the room as the drummer
@@Am71919 I do, you think I want those cymbals ringing in my head all night?
Great Video mate .... question ... your Red Stripe says Designed in USA on the front panel .... is it in fact a Chinese version . My 2005 Red Stripe says Made and Designed in USA... It sounds really good. Thnx
The block logo and Designed in USA label = Made in China
103-106 dB is loud as hell for anyone wondering, like full power tube saturation volume. I'd say about 80 is a comfortable bedroom practice volume. Probably sounds great
Red Stripe was better overall IMO. Still sounded just a bit edgy/fizzy but that's probably just the stock speaker.
How about a Red Stripe (with your fav speaker) vs Katana 100 shootout? :-)
P.S. please try the Texas speakers into the modern "grey" stripe one for a different perspective video.
If your playing on your own in your bedroom, I guess the small difference in sound could matter, but if your playing with others I would think the difference would be less obvious. I guess it comes down to how they feel to the player. I think they both sound good.....
I wonder how much impact does the speaker have in this comparison. It would be great if we could compare both with the same speakers. I have been using a silver knob Peavey Bandit for 3 years now and I really like the amp. The Blue Marvel itself isn't bad but I feel that "harsh bright and muddy bass" have a lot to do with it (the most common critics on this amp).
Great vid Shane. I think it’s hard to say which is best. They sound good, but different. Now, If you guys has plans for update the speaker, hear my Peavey story: I have a Peavey Studio Pro 112 (made in us) it had a Eminence oem speaker that I wanted to update. Got a swamp thang. But I wasn’t pleased. Nothing wrong with the speaker, but it was to “big” for my 65 watt amp. Lot’s of noise and interferences on low volume. I play in a apartment, so I can’t play to loud. So I changed it to a Eminence Legend 1258 75w. Perfect. So what I’m trying to say is, it’s a good idea to match speaker and amp for the best result.
Nice comparison Shane. I kinda liked both Amps. Some sounds of each were great. If my back could take it I’d A/B them....LOL!! I remember the sound of your Red Stripe with the Texas Heat in it and just Loved that sound!! Please keep up the Good Work!!
Well ,now the Red Stripes are going to be even more expensive to buy used ! ;-) Thanks Shane for all you do !
If I had to guess, I'd say the difference would be found in the transformer. Large cost savings for small difference in sound.
They're solid state. I doubt they've got an output transformer
Peter Schmidt Good point. Maybe power transistors, then.
w13rdguy - Being that the grey is newer, it wouldn't surprise me if it has a newer switch mode power supply. However, it still wouldn't make any difference to the sound unless it was badly designed (then you'd hear background hum and clicking coming from the power supply). It only supplies a regulated voltage to the circuit and has nothing to do with the actual sound that comes out. You'd probably find the speakers being different would cause more of an issue than the power supply.
You need to give the Red Stripe Revolution a shot.
Out of the gate, the Grey Stripe sounded better (attention span being what it is). Me, in love with the Red Stripe, though. Just a Studio Pro 112 here and hit it with a Zoom 1010. I knew both and worked great for jams.
I'm pretty sure if you replaced the Blue Marvel with the Texas Heat the new bandit would be the winner.
To me the “gray stripe” sounds like it has a towel shoved into the speaker. Red stripe all the way.
i have the Peavey bandit 112 1990's model teal stripe, it is the transtube, but also, its the special 112, so it has double the power
of the 80watt, bandit? 160watts, and they are brilliant amps, some like to put the peavey amps, down?
but as far as im concerned, one of the best ever made? i gigged with the same model for 15yrs, before selling it and going to guitar thru the PA system? but got another, was so lucky to find one in great condition, 20yrs old, and sounds just as great as ever.
Wouldn't an older amp have a more broken in speaker and then sound better?
Red stripe just sounds more open to me, if that makes sense. I'm not just saying that coz I have one. ;)
It's so hard to tell really unles you are there, but the red stripe just sounds more muddy in the crunch tones, and if you are after that then fine, I imagine that you can turn down the treble a bit and achieve that anyway. Red stripe obviously louder.
On second demo red first vintage grey second classic. Red sounded nice than grey sounded like muffled version of red, you might say grey has more bottom, but seems muffle so perceived as more bottom!
I have an opportunity to buy a grey stripe Bandit, so this was very helpful. Personally, I prefer the Red Stripe. The grey stripe has a honk in the mid-range that I didn't like. I don't know if that can be dialed out. The red stripe had a more pleasing top end as you described. I'm going to try playing with the EQ to see if I can make it work for me. Thanks Shane.
Replace the speaker with a Texas Heat speaker. This will solve your problem.
@@bobby1970 Thanks Nuke. I just bought a Line 6 Catalyst. It should arrive later this month. So the Bandit may be up for sale. By the way, the clean channel sounds better with pedals, Greer Lightspeed Fultone OCD, and a Joyo Sweet Baby. Then if I want a mid push I have a ToneCity Bad Horse. I may upgrade that later, but it does the job for now. Of course, now I'm wondering what that speaker would do. I promised myself no more gear unless it was absolutely essential. More gear isn't helping me play better. So that speaker swap might have to be someone else's project.
The red strip definitely has a little more highs on the vintage clean (the grey sounds a bit muddy - not sure if you can EQ that out). At gig volumes they don't sound too dissimilar tone-wise (the dB meter says different). I wouldn't mind seeing the grey with that eminence speaker in it though maybe compare it with the vypyrs if you can get hold of one.
The newer Bandit is not bad, but I have to go with the Red Stripe. I have three Bandits: Solo Series, Bandit 65, and the Silver Stripe First Generation TransTube Bandit. The Silver Stripe reminds me of my first guitar amp, a Rage 158 that I saved money to buy when I was in high school.
Can you compare these two amps to the silver stripe bandit 100 watt amp with 12" Sheffield? That would be sweet. Personally I have owned and gigged with that amp and loved it. Actually upset I didn't keep it. Never played on the red or the newer iteration. I'm not sure how the new Chinese built amps will hold up against the older American built ones...but I remember mine was a heavy beast to carry around...and all my other older Peavey amps were even worse, as I moved to stereo amps later on. Real back killers. Now I still have my old transfex 208s, and a VYPYR VIP3...the vypyr sounds great, but the knobs all stopped working, except for the master volume...being the only regular pot other then the dynamics knob which I have not noticed any change to the amp when I turn it in either direction? Never noticed much difference in my bandit either come to think of it...though I rarely ever had it much more than half way up because it was loud A/F! I generally prefer to have a mic in front of my amp instead of cranking it up to ridiculous levels....that way the stage levels are more controlled and it's easier to hear everything and I get less bleed through other mics and a much cleaner PA sound at the FOH! IEM's help a lot too! Hope you are able to do this comparison.
Awesome video Shane. I way prefer the Red Stripe bandit. To me it just sounds fuller, more pleasant and more natural. The grey stripe just sounds way more shrill and unpleasant but just me. Go old Bandits!!!
They are both great amps but I prefer the red stripe in all areas!
i have the new bandit a mt 2 metalzone and my gibson les paul studio and it sounds so fucking good such good metal and hardrock tone
T control on clean chanel 50% or noon best out of this amp power projection, Overdrive chanel just adds distortion and cut power and projection as speakers distorting too
Used redstripes can be had easily under $200 USD. Smart buy. New are $400 and for that money there's far better sounding and more flexible amps today.
The more everybody keeps talking on the net about sleeper amps, the more the price will keep going up because a lot of people go to ebay and reverb, looking for them. I know this helps their channels but it hurts people looking for a cheap priced amp that can't afford a lot. You are now seeing solid state amps as high as tube amps because of this. What a shame.
Road Dog. Got red stripe one for $155 on guitar enter and I am so happy about it.
Mine was $160 or so from GC about two years ago. It had problems and needed repairs (busted pots, bad reverb tank). But I bought it anyway because it was one of the pre Chinese models. But I had a good $275 in it with repairs. The reds seem more expensive now.
little johnny you are right. Ive seen them second hand as high as 400 here in oz. I would buy a boss katana 50 and still have change. The value of a good cheap amp is the price. If you're paying top dollar for a cheap solid state amp you may as well put the little extra in and get something of higher quality that has a warranty.
Shane called it, I think. Red Stripe by a nose. But if the prices keep creeping up, I think the modern is close enough. Looking for one of the new ones to leave at a rehearsal space, assuming a new band takes me in!
The Red striped bandit has warmer tones to it and feels full bodied💯
The newer version is brighter
Two different speakers in the two models will make a difference I would think. There both great!
For gigs, you seem to have your Red Stripe set for some breakup. Are you still able to get a volume boost from your OD/boost despite this setting? Keep up the good work Shane.