PEAVEY TNT 130 BASS AMP SETTINGS

[riot100]

Hi, I now own a Peavey TNT 130 Bass Amplifier inherited from my father. Great amp.
My question is regarding all the settings concerning Volume Levels, (Pre / Post) and EQ (Low, Mid/Freq/Bandwidth, High, Presence).
For band rehearsals I am playing a Fender Precision Bass straight into the amp, no effects.
I would like to obtain an ordinary "Rock bass sound," but (even using the manual suggestions) I still cannot dial in a warm bass Rock sound, only a trebly Punk tone.
Could please advise on the Vol and EQ Settings to use?
Should I turn my tone dial which is full on the bass guitar, to less treble?

I use Roundwond strings and play with a pick.
Many thanks, I also appreciate guitars, amps, players are all different and one glove does not fit all, just needs setting examples to try.

[Lozz196]

Having taken a look at the manual online I’d start with the suggested rock settings but would turn mid frequency to around 400 then turn this down to about -6, maybe -9. Precisions are very bulky at around 400 so cutting there helps sculpt the sound better imo, less of that punky twang and more of a rock grind.

[Dan Dare]

Peavey bass amps of that era (in fact, Peavey amps in general from that time) did tend towards a cleaner, leaner sound. That's one of the reasons country players liked them. Rounds and a pick will tend to emphasise its brighter nature. 130w may be a little quiet for a rock band, too, if you have a couple of guitar players who like to push the volume. The speaker in the TNT130 is not the best, unlike the higher end Peavey Black Widow drivers of the time, so its ability to go low and loud will be limited.

 

It has pre and post gains, so the general rule is to up the pre level and dial back the post - thus driving the pre amp harder - to give a warmer/dirtier sound. Be aware that, due to the nature of the amp, it may just sound harsh and dirty, rather than giving you that softer, fatter valve type of overdrive, though.

 

Lozz's suggestion above is good. The TNT, if memory serves, has a parametric mid eq, so you can do quite a bit with it. Obviously, you'll need to roll down the highs. I'd do it on the amp first, rather than on the instrument and see how that works. The tone control on a P bass is simple and fairly unsubtle. Take it down too far and it'll just sound dull.

 

Start with all eq set flat and change one thing at a time when experimenting. In the end, it may just not be the right amp for the purpose you have in mind. If the amp is in good shape, it may be worth selling it (I appreciate that may not be your preferred option, as you inherited it from your dad) and putting the money towards something more suitable.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Dan Dare

[Baloney Balderdash]

I wouldn't cut mids, but this is very much a matter of taste and personal preferences, it's a fact though that the mid frequency spectrum is what the human hearing/brain perceives as most defined and articulate, and cutting the mids can very easily result in muddiness and getting lost in the mix.

 

Starting with tone all the way up on your bass and all EQ controls on amp set flat (noon position), and then take it from there, adjusting while listening and then adjusting further according to what you hear, is a sound advice though.

 

In my experience, also with loud rock bands, 130W should be plenty, a bit depending on how hard the drummer hits and the sensitivity of the speakers you play through though, and Peavey's are known to generally being loud amps compared to their rated power (I am always puzzled when people claim not being able to hear themself through an 800W bass head, believe me I played in loud hard hitting rock bands and never needed anything above 130W and a single 1 X 15" cab, with no issues of hearing myself or being heard).

 

Old Peavey amps are generally amazing for exactly that typical punk rock tone, which I personally love, but might not be the amp for you, still you should be able to get something acceptable that can pass for classic rock tone out of that Peavey, otherwise it might be time for you to invest in a tube head for truly classic rock tones.

 

Eventual try cutting some higher mids (around 800Hz or so), boosting the bass slightly, and cutting the treble slightly, that ought to get you closer to a classic rock tone, but remember to listen while you adjust.

 

That is set Freq at 800Hz, then cut Mid some, experiment with Bandwidth, if the Bandwidth numbers is listed as Q values try setting it around 2 to 3 to start with, and listen while you adjust, eventual readjust accordingly, Freq and Bandwidth relates to the Mid boost/cut control only, boost Low slightly, cut High and Presence a bit, and again all the while listening to what the adjustments you make do to your tone and readjusting accordingly (flat, that is neither boost or cut, should be with the EQ control knobs, except Bandwidth and Freq, at noon position, that is the 12 o'clock position, cut will then be bellow noon and boost will be above noon). 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Muzz]

I'd just add that the tone which might sound just right to you in isolation may well sound very different (and not always better) when heard in a band setting*. There's lots of YouTube examples of isolated rock bass which sound very harsh, but in a band context sits in the mix differently. Have a play, as suggested above, with the settings and get to know which knob does what, then when and if you need to adjust in a band context, you'll be a bit quicker and your bandmates won't be standing around tapping their feet while you faff...or maybe that's just my bandmates... 🙂

 

* Quick example: I used to have a bass cab (a Schroeder, long gone for reasons I'm not entirely clear about, tho it was some time ago, and must've seemed like a good idea at the time) which on its own sounded honky and barky, but worked very very well once the drummer and geeetards started up...

Edited January 17, 2023 by Muzz

[Downunderwonder]

Yep. Many is the time I have gone to rehearsal for my jazz band after playing down the Dog'n'Duck with da Boyz and gone wtf is that mad dog barking coming out of my amp.

[riot100]

Many thanks for your prompt replies, very much appreciated.

[skidder652003]

just sold one of them for £50.

Put a black widow in it as well,

Loud as hell, bit flabby though.

Edited January 17, 2023 by skidder652003

[BassAdder60]

PBass with a pick and rock 

 

Definitely pull back the mids as suggested by Lozz etc ( he knows )

 

People will tell you that you need mids to be heard and they are right but often they are finger players and not even a PBass 

The PBass with a pick is mid overload !!

Pull them down and you will hear that rock tone for sure. Not too much as you still need to cut through the band but enough to deepen and warm up the sound 👍

Edited January 17, 2023 by BassAdder60

[ebenezer]

Really quite scary how ahead of the pack Peavey were with this bass combo, i had the earlier combo 130 which was basically the same amp.....pre and post gain, ddt limiter, parametric mid, black widow speaker.....remember, this was 40 plus years ago!!......Shame Peavey aren't the same anymore.  

[Muzz]

I used to love my MkVIII head, especially the built-in chorus...this was the 80s, mind... 🙂

[pbasspecial]

The TNT 130 was my first ever bass combo when I was 15. One of the best/luckiest decisions I ever made. 

[Bass Culture]

Yep, same here - TNT 130 user about 35 years ago.  I remember it being an absolute belter.

[Baloney Balderdash]

I currently use the poweramp section of my Peavey Solo Special 112 guitar combo amp, 160W @ 4 Ohm/100W @ 8 Ohm, going into the Effects Return input, with its build in 12" Scorpion speaker disconnected and instead hooked up to a FRFR passive PA speaker, for my "amp-less" bass setup.

 

I also own a Peavey XR-600B Mixer Amp, 210W @ 4 Ohm, but it is unfortunately in serious need of having the pots cleaned, possibly even a couple of them replaced (pretty sure that is all that needs done though, which I ought to be able to have done relatively cheap). 

 

And I am kind of pondering if I maybe should get a used Peavey Century Bass Series 120 bass amp head that is currently on sale locally at a reasonable price.

 

Those old solid state Peavey amps indeed are great, and still rather underrated, amps, that sounds pretty amazing and punches a good deal above their rated power too.

 

Lou Barlow from Dinosaur Jr. use one of those old solid state Peavey bass amp heads as well, forget which model, as part of his 3 amp live setup, the 2 other amps of his live setup being respectively a Marshall JCM800 and an old original Ampeg SVT, both all tube amps. 

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash