Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

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MrShake
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Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

Post by MrShake » Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:24 am

Please help me keep from accidentally electrocuting my wife.

I have an old Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 combo Solid state preamp, 2x6L6 power section. Still has the Sylvanias. Not one of the all-tube Classic Series, not one of the VTs, either.

It was my college and post-collegiate live amp from abt 2001-2008 when I didn't know a thing about amps, bought used for $100. Banged around and abused because it was "an old Peavey". The Automixer footswitch is for the later version with "phaser" written on it, but it's always worked for the trem, too. A solid "make it loud" amp, if it never thrilled me. Playing thru it yesterday, it was a little boxy and honky at apartment levels, still haven't figured out a way to EQ it without putting the mids on 2. But, again, a totally solid "I'm an amp" amp.

I've moved on to other stuff, and the Peavey is currently in our little apt after shuttling around storage and closets. She's the drummer, but picked up her old guitar recently, she has a little pedalboard, and instead of buying her something cheap and battery powered for bedroom playing, why not give her the 50w amp that's already in the bedroom?

The knobs crackle, the reverb footswitch won't turn the reverb on (which I MAY be able to fix with a new switch?), and it's been 15 years since anybody looked inside the chassis. I replaced the fuse about three years ago when I brought it back home. I'm absolutely aware it needs a servicing. But it plays, it sounds nice, and nothing but that reverb issue seems "wrong" with it.

Here's the concern: I'm not a tech, nor electrically savvy at the amp level, I stick to fuzz boxes. This thing has a 3-prong cord, but the "on/off/on" power switch has me a little skittish. I once got some tingly current in my strings and pickups years ago while playing through this amp. Likely the sh!try wiring in our former garage. I took it to a shop (again, circa 2007) and the guy couldn't find anything wrong with it that might lead to me getting zapped via the guitar.

Knowing what I know NOW abt "death caps", I wouldn't turn it on after these 13 years if it had a 2-prong without getting it gone over. But it works, there's a 3-prong cord, it sounds "normal", and I haven't, in two days of limited testing, encountered anything I'd call an electrical problem.

1) Can someone please explain the "death cap" risk on this particular amp to me? I realize the 3-prong cable probably negates any risk, but the two "on" positions have me nervous, since I've gotten some juice in the past while strapped into it, whether it was the culprit or not. And it's basically been sitting around for 15 years, not getting healthier.

2) Other than the "janky old amp needs servicing" issues, does anyone have any reasons why she might not want to play it until AFTER I take it in to a tech? Any danger to her or the amp?

3) I'd LOVE to learn more about the "100 Series" amps. I know the Skynyrd and southern rock connections (grew up in Kentucky, went to school in southern Indiana - 70's Peaveys and Kustoms were commonplace), but all I can find on these is a couple of blog posts or "yeah, I've played those" posts on that Tele forum. The generic naming of the 100 Series (and weird typesetting on the back of the amp) doesn't help it's searchability, and the later "Classic Series" has bungled most internet searching for this model in the past. The Deuce, the 4-speaker Classic, the A and B versions of my Classic (different inputs and trem vs phaser)... etc. I'm not looking for anybody to tell me I've got a magic sleeper amp, I know what it is, I know how they're seen, but I'd love to know more about them.

I actually had a nightmare last night about Mrs. Shake wanting to play, reaching behind, turning it on, and ZAP, she was done for. It was not a good dream.

Pics to follow shortly.

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Re: Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

Post by MrShake » Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:50 am

Here's some front and back action for you '70s southern boogie maniacs:

Image

Image

As you can see, no standby switch, just On/Off/On, with "Bright/Series/Parallel/Normal" inputs.

I'd love to learn all I can about the variants of this "Classic" model in the 100 Series (or the other similar models), like A and B versions, which ones had which inputs, when they changed tremolo/phaser, etc.

(Please) Help me, Offsetguitars. You're my only hope.

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Re: Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

Post by Sauerkraut » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:11 pm

I have no idea about these amps, but from the looks of it I’d wager that it doesn’t have a death cap (not old enough?). It sounds like bad wiring caused what you described. Still, to be sure, I would put on gloves and open it up to check and see for yourself. Just keep those gloves on and nothing can go wrong. If there is a death cap, removing it and rewiring the leads shouldn’t be difficult, but I’d discharge the amp first. I do that by holding (with some pliers) a resistor (1 or 2k will do) between the ground (chassis) and any hot point in the circuit. There are better, more professional ways though.

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Re: Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

Post by JSett » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:19 pm

I've had a thing for vintage Peavey's and probably owned about 50 different amps from the mid 70s up to the early 90s. Bass heads, combos, huge guitar amps, tiny combos....

...none EVER had a death cap. I've only ever had that 'tingle' from a bad extension cord that wasn't grounded correctly.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: Peavey "100 Series" Classic 2x12 - "Death Cap" and Info?

Post by MrShake » Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:00 am

Thanks for weighing in. Johnny, I appreciate your insight about the lack of death caps in old Peaveys, good to know we'll be safe. I'd put money that it was crappy wiring in our old garage, but that and a nasty jolt from an amp in high school have always had me a little paranoid.

And Sauerkraut, I'd be a little leery at the moment of following your excellent advice -- I'm new to the world of amps, but knowledgable enough to know not to mess around with anything I don't understand. But good rubber gloves are on my next shopping list as I go through and restore my stable of amps!

For what it's worth, I'm still really digging this Peavey for what it is. Not quite a Fender sound, but the increased mids don't quite get to Marshall-y. It's a neat vibe, and the chance I had to crank the power tubes sounded great. Is it a blonde Dual Showman? Nope. But my fingers play gnarly bluesy stoner rock every time I plug in, and that's not where I usually come from AT ALL.

I figured out it's a 212 Classic (as opposed to 410), pre-VT series, so the preamp is transistor, not IC-based. It's the B-series, so it's got the "series/parallel" options, as opposed to two each on the Normal and Bright channels on the A series. It was followed by the aforementioned "VT Series", which used IC chips in the preamp instead of discreet transistors. It's my understanding that the VT Series also saw the Mace and Deuce and others from that hybrid design, as well. That was followed by the VTX Series, which I've never tried, but seems a little closer to what people think of as "'80s Peavey", I guess.

In another thread, I discovered that the 410 transistor version was Elvis Costello's live amp on all his early live stuff, and I've always adored that. It's not "great classic rock" guitar sound, but it's got a sharp nastiness to it, and dropping the channel volumes let it get real, real loud and stay real full and clean.

And a little pot cleaner (about as far as I go with internal amp repair so far) brought everything back to life like almost new. Clear steady sound, no crackle, smooth pots, snug input jacks. Except for the reverb. The tank checks out, and a firm tug on the reverb control pot activates it, so I'm assuming a cracked solder joint. I'm flat broke and plan to be for a while, but eventually I'll take it to a tech, have that fixed (seriously, I don't want to take the board out unless I have to), have the caps checked, and if everything's good to go, I have no doubt this thing will last another 40 years. And frankly, if someone I know were looking for a super-solid box of clean for gigs and rehearsals or touring, I'd definitely put this on a short list for the money they're currently going for.

Thanks for your help, y'all!

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