# Peavey Bandit mod?



## season_of_ages (Apr 2, 2009)

I've been hearing about simple mods people would be doin to their 5150s, so I decided to look around n see if there were any suggestions for any Peavey Bandits (cuz I flippin HATE the sound of mine. I got jipped buyin from Ed Roman)

I came across a mod this "Steve Hadaway" was doin off of the HC reviews. They are kinda old, but does anyone know of any mods I can do myself, or someone I can take my amp to for cheap?
This Bandit 112 sux!!!! I'm mostly lookin at the distortion factor, cuz I refcently got this tube pedal to start workin out for me!!

Thanx dawgs


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## sami (Apr 2, 2009)

Peavey Bandit is solid state. I've never heard of mods for Bandits. Google? fjamods forum?


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## Demeyes (Apr 2, 2009)

I have one and I'm pretty happy with the sounds I can get from it. I don't know of any mods but changing the speaker might help you. It's a cheap amp though so maybe you should just save for a better amp in the long run if you really hate it.


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## jymellis (Apr 2, 2009)

i have one and love it. if you have the pedal are you plugging it into the clean channel?


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## groph (Apr 2, 2009)

Get a cheap speaker like a Celestion 70/80. I did this and the tone improved quite a lot. The stock speaker in comparison sounds dull, less highs, and generally flat.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 2, 2009)

I've been wondering about changing the speaker for awhile. I just don't know much about speakers, lol So you recommend a Celestion?

And my setup now is a Boss Metal Zone>Boss EQ>Tube Works Blue Enhancer>clean channel

What size speaker? 12"?


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## troyguitar (Apr 2, 2009)

Get an Eminence Lil' Texas - they weigh like 4 lbs!


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## season_of_ages (Apr 2, 2009)

troyguitar said:


> Get an Eminence Lil' Texas - they weigh like 4 lbs!



Good tone?


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 3, 2009)

Lose the metal zone. the built-in distortion is better.


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## budda (Apr 3, 2009)

yeah, with a bandit you dont need to put anything in front of it to get killer distortion..


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## newfinator (Apr 3, 2009)

budda said:


> yeah, with a bandit you dont need to put anything in front of it to get killer distortion..



I guess they have changed dramatically from the 85' Bandit I bought when I was a kid. I still have it somewhere but the most use it's had since the late 80's was as a foot rest.


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## eegor (Apr 3, 2009)

I think the one I have is from the late 90s or early 00s. It sucks pretty bad.


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## ArtDecade (Apr 3, 2009)

Maybe you could install a powerful clean speaker and run a Boss GT pedal through the amp... kinda do the Opeth thing. Basically, you would be running the Bandit like a mini P.A.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

Nuh uh! I didn't like the overdrive at all!! How do you guys like it??


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 3, 2009)

season_of_ages said:


> Nuh uh! I didn't like the overdrive at all!! How do you guys like it??



Because it doesn't sound thin and scratchy like a Metal Zone


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## darren (Apr 3, 2009)

I've got a mid-'80s Bandit and it's pretty "meh".


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> Because it doesn't sound thin and scratchy like a Metal Zone



You are entirely right! lol
I was just thinkin about that yesterday. I'm so close to the distortion I'd like, but it's totally missing body!!!
But wit the Bandit, I can't get that crunch or lethal sound I want!!


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## budda (Apr 3, 2009)

what are people's settings?


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

I have my settings on the amp pretty flat. It's all in the pedals, lol


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 3, 2009)

I understand what you're saying about the crunch...they can be pretty smooth-sounding.

My settings:
Pre Gain 4-7 (depending on if I'm using an OD pedal in front or not)
Thrash In/Out depending on what I'm playing
Gain In
Low 5
Mid 4-7
High 6
Reverb 0
Resonance Out
Presence 6

Everything else to taste.


It's this model, btw:


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> It's this model, btw:



That's not mine... Lemme see if I can find the one I have somewhere...


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

This is the crappy amp I'm not happy to own... The reverb SUX


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 3, 2009)

The voicing switches on there should be helpful. I don't remember exactly what they are on that model, but I do remember being able to get some pretty good metal distortion out of a XXL I tried in a store once. One thing I remember is that the highest-gain setting on the Ultra channel ("Modern", I think) pretty much sucked. I know the Bandit is different, but it should be similar enough.


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 3, 2009)

Oh, and reverb is kinda useless for metal rhythm playing, anyway.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> Oh, and reverb is kinda useless for metal rhythm playing, anyway.



I would imagine it's useless, lol
But I thought I'd mess with it since I had it.


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## jymellis (Apr 3, 2009)

wow, none of the ones posted look like mine lol. moine has the scorpion in it.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 3, 2009)

So back to the original inquiry...
Speaker? mod? new amp??


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## jaredowty (Apr 4, 2009)

I have a Studio Pro (same thing as the 00s Bandit but with lower wattage) and have tried out that same model of the Bandit. The onboard distortion is miles ahead of a Metal Zone no doubt about it. I'd get a speaker swap (the stock blue marvel is just shit) and then just mess around with it. It's a solid state so of course it's going to sound better at lower volumes, I wouldn't say it's gig worthy just for this reason (my Studio Pro starts to sound really weak with the post gain around 4). Also remember to keep the tube dynamics all the way up and set the voicing switch on the lead channel to high gain.


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## groph (Apr 4, 2009)

season_of_ages said:


> This is the crappy amp I'm not happy to own... The reverb SUX


 

That's the same one I have. The reverb does suck, yes.

I stuck a Celestion 70/80 in it and it improved the tone quite a bit, I got that speaker for around $85. I wouldn't drop a more expensive one in it because yes, it is a cheap amp. Running it through an extension cab also helps the tone quite a lot, just make sure the cab is 4 ohms, and disconnect the speaker in the amp.

I always have the amp set on the modern mode, and everything basically at 6. Mine's usually set to loose as well.

Maybe it will respond to a boost? Try some sort of overdrive pedal in front of it. They're usually intended for tube amps but that doesn't mean you can't use one with a solid state. EQ pedals are great too.

EDIT: +1 on the T. Dynamics, keep that cranked.


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## budda (Apr 4, 2009)

jaredowty said:


> I have a Studio Pro (same thing as the 00s Bandit but with lower wattage) and have tried out that same model of the Bandit. The onboard distortion is miles ahead of a Metal Zone no doubt about it. I'd get a speaker swap (the stock blue marvel is just shit) and then just mess around with it. It's a solid state so of course it's going to sound better at lower volumes, I wouldn't say it's gig worthy just for this reason (my Studio Pro starts to sound really weak with the post gain around 4). Also remember to keep the tube dynamics all the way up and set the voicing switch on the lead channel to high gain.



My buddy/ex-band-mate has a Transtube EFX 212. 2 blue marvels, effects and 2 channels, footswitchable.

The blue marvel sounds fine - it held up perfectly at band practises facing my JSX.

The bandit is perfectly giggable in terms of both volume and tone - it wont sound like a high-budget amp, but that's not what it is.

We used the vintage voicing on my buddy's amp with the gain up, as this provided the most mids and allowed him to cut through really well. Those voicing options are a blessing as you can set that to taste then EQ to make the best out of the voicing you choose.


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## sepherus (Apr 4, 2009)

Keeping in mind that the Bandit is supposed to be more similar to the Ultra series than the 5150 series. It won't be able to pull off the 5150s sounds. They are voiced way too differently. But you can get some really nice sounds out of it.

My girlfriends housemate has one that i play through a lot. I get tons of crunch out of it. I use the high gain setting on the lead channel gain around 7 with the mids at 6 or higher, presence at least at 4, highs about noon, bass about noon also resonance varies, T-dynamics cranked. It's a very thrashy sound that lends itself to slayeresque stuff in a more normal tuning and At The Gates type stuff on the low B. 

Throw your tube thinger in the loop and see what it does there also. It may make a big difference with it effecting the whole preamp instead of just the gain section.

A new speaker would do wonders though. Warehouse Guitar Speakers. They are inexpensive celestion based speakers. I'd suggest a British Lead or a Reaper HP. A Celestion g12k100 would be really nice too but may be more than you are looking for. I hear good things about the Celestion g12t100 also. If you buy actual celestion go to avatarspeakers.com he has the best prices.


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## jaredowty (Apr 4, 2009)

budda said:


> My buddy/ex-band-mate has a Transtube EFX 212. 2 blue marvels, effects and 2 channels, footswitchable.
> 
> The blue marvel sounds fine - it held up perfectly at band practises facing my JSX.
> 
> ...



If you liked the Blue Marvels that's fine, but the general consensus is that they're pretty shitty compared to Celestion/Eminence and I agree. I've hooked up a Bandit to both a Vader and a Mesa and it sounded 100x better through those cabs than with any Peavey cab, even ones with sheffields.

It's giggable in terms of volume, yes, but I have to disagree on the tone. It just doesn't sound good cranked. It's a great practice amp even for full band practices but for live shows it doesn't cut it IMO.


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## Bobby (Apr 4, 2009)

groph said:


> Celestion 70/80


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## season_of_ages (Apr 4, 2009)

Wow. A lot of info here! I'm lookin at those thrash settings, and changing the speakers seem like a good idea. I still haven't put the tube pedal in the loop. But I just put in small gain preamp tube (12au7), so would it do much? Anyway, I'm glad for all the help!! I gotta decide what to do, cuz I got the money, but I don't wanna drop some bills n not like the sound....



sepherus said:


> Keeping in mind that the Bandit is supposed to be more similar to the Ultra series than the 5150 series. It won't be able to pull off the 5150s sounds. They are voiced way too differently. But you can get some really nice sounds out of it.
> 
> My girlfriends housemate has one that i play through a lot. I get tons of crunch out of it. I use the high gain setting on the lead channel gain around 7 with the mids at 6 or higher, presence at least at 4, highs about noon, bass about noon also resonance varies, T-dynamics cranked. It's a very thrashy sound that lends itself to slayeresque stuff in a more normal tuning and At The Gates type stuff on the low B.
> 
> ...



So the new speaker's gotta be a 4-ohm, 12"? I'm likin the cab idea too!


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## sepherus (Apr 5, 2009)

season_of_ages said:


> So the new speaker's gotta be a 4-ohm, 12"? I'm likin the cab idea too!



Its a solid state amp so no. They can _usually_ handle from 16 ohms down to 2 ohms with out an issue. I know for a fact that the bandit can handle 16-4 no issues. Luckily they don't really make guitar speakers in 2 ohms. I would stick with an 8 Ohm speaker though. Its easier to match it up with another cab or something down the road that way. If you do change the speaker, keep the old speaker so you can save the new one if you ever decide to get rid of it.


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## budda (Apr 5, 2009)

jaredowty said:


> If you liked the Blue Marvels that's fine, but the general consensus is that they're pretty shitty compared to Celestion/Eminence and I agree. I've hooked up a Bandit to both a Vader and a Mesa and it sounded 100x better through those cabs than with any Peavey cab, even ones with sheffields.
> 
> It's giggable in terms of volume, yes, but I have to disagree on the tone. It just doesn't sound good cranked. It's a great practice amp even for full band practices but for live shows it doesn't cut it IMO.



I dont think they're anything to write home about, but having heard my buddy use his amp at gigs and having played 2-3 practises a week for 2 months with him, the amp held up.

OP: if you're going to be swapping speakers, just get a speaker with the same ohm rating as the stock speaker.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 6, 2009)

So i threw the tube overdrive into the effects loop, alone
It definitely improved my perception of the distortion!! But there's still a lil more I'd like to do, so I'm gonna try tossing in the Boss EQ pedal to drown out some frequenices. The inly problem is, the pedal is kinda crappy cuz 2 freq cannot be adjusted. They can only be on or off. No varaints >=/


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## budda (Apr 6, 2009)

Try this:

run your guitar straight into the amp. spend some time with it (im talking a couple of weeks) and get the best sound you possibly can get with this setup. if this is still lacking for your application(s), *then* look into adding pedals or a speaker swap to improve things.

PS: the tube OD would go in front of the amp, *not* in the effects loop - dirt pedals dont go in the loop 99&#37; of the time.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 7, 2009)

I've had this amp since early last year. I've had plenty of time to mess with ti's sound. & I know that these pedals are supposed to go in front of the amp. If you read earlier in the thread, you'll see my setup. But at this point, I'm tryin anything to find a sound!!


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## WarriorOfMetal (Apr 7, 2009)

I know our Bandits are different, but I was just playing my modded TS7 through mine, and it sounded pretty sick...have you tried doing anything like that?


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## season_of_ages (Apr 7, 2009)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> I know our Bandits are different, but I was just playing my modded TS7 through mine, and it sounded pretty sick...have you tried doing anything like that?



Funny you should mention that, cuz I got another thread askin about a certain modder of Boss pedals. Apparently, no one seems to know anything (or care) So I think I'ma take the chance n send in my MT-2 for the "Slo-Diezel" mod


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## budda (Apr 7, 2009)

or sell the MT-2, buy a used TS7, mod it to TS808 specs, and see how that works out?

It appears to me that some of the guys who get their MT-2's modded still end up selling them.

Perhaps a modded DS-1? I suspect that would provide a much beastlier tone then a modded MT-2.


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## season_of_ages (Apr 8, 2009)

budda said:


> or sell the MT-2, buy a used TS7, mod it to TS808 specs, and see how that works out?
> 
> It appears to me that some of the guys who get their MT-2's modded still end up selling them.
> 
> Perhaps a modded DS-1? I suspect that would provide a much beastlier tone then a modded MT-2.



Fer serial? IDK. I'll give it a try, cuz it ain't too expensive to get this stuff, lol


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## budda (Apr 8, 2009)

dead serious.

Know thy gear.


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## RenegadeDave (Apr 8, 2009)

To be honest, my Hornet with Blackout 7's in it sounds fine running straight into the amp. My passives don't sound all that great, even with tweaking, but the Blackout sounds passable. VERY passable. TBH I prefer my BO-> Bandit over anything I've been able to tweak out of my floor pod. 

Only issue is that I can't practice constantly through the bandit and can through the pod.


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## cunha404 (May 30, 2013)

first of all... hi everyone! first post here...

now... it cant do metal you say?

I have a transtube bandit 112 (late made in china model) and I can tell you it does metal! It even does entombed distortion type!
i was about to sell mine last year but gladly I didnt 
my setup:
high gain voicing
pre gain:7
low:6,5
mid:4 (3.8)
high:7 (6.8)
reverb:0
boost:5
power level:25%
damping:tight
a small cable connecting send and return!<--this is the trick! (you will notice it in higher volumes)

IMO this amp is killer!


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