VIP 1 Bummer

A forum for discussing the Vypyr series amplifiers, Sanpera footswitches and share settings
dalrymple
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VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:45 pm

Our jam group chipped in and bought a brand new VIP-1 for the harp player who runs the jam, also the player in my band. He came over today all excited, so we could dial that puppy in for a harp.

Turned it on, light show, plug in a mic, and within a couple of minutes we're getting close. Lights flicker off & on a couple of time during this, and I make sure I have the power cord well plugged in.

We save the Butcher and Classic, both sound great with his harps. Then, lights out, tapping noise. Nothing.

Repower, tapping noise, dead amp. Dang! Back in the box, back to sweetwater, wait 2 weeks and cross your fingers on the next one.

For those who may care, it sounded great with a harp, till it crapped out. Quality control in China.
Have to say I was disappointed in the crap out right out of the box. Hopefully the replacement will work right.
Dalrymple

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Mon Dec 19, 2016 7:02 am

Got the replacement quickly, and the little thing rocks with a harp going thru it. We ended up with the classic model green, comp, delay and rev. Sounds killer, just enough power to hang in with drums, bass and 2 guitars at about half way up. Took a little adjusting to get it to not screech, but ended up saving a killer setting as his default. Butcher was pretty good too, but didnt cut thru as well as the classic.

Glad this one seems hearty. His back is bad and the Blues Jr. with pedals set up was too heavy to deal with for him. This one he can easily heft, and no pedals, wires, batteries/power supplies, knob migration, etc..
He is now Vypyryzed!
Dalrymple

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:42 pm

OK, been 2 months of bliss. Last night the thing took a dump in the middle of the set. No sparks, smoke, smell, etc, just a burst of feedback then nothing. Off/On, reboots but quickly craps out again. Lights are on but nobody's home.

First one worked right for 10 minutes. This one about 8 weeks. Both new in the box.

Too bad it seem to be a piece of crap. Sounds great. For the $ vs. the short life and aggravation, I dont know he'll think it's worth messing with again or if it'll even get sent in for service. Stay tuned.
Dalrymple

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:04 am

So after registering the 2nd amp with Peavey, they are now replacing it under warranty. Good service, but obviously we are dubious about the long term prospects for this third unit.
He'll have a third brand new amp. First one worked less than 10 minutes. 2nd about 3 months. We're hoping both were outlyers at the short end of the bell curve. Yup, we're hoping. Stay tuned.
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JamesPaul
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by JamesPaul » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:51 am

Statistically it is in the thin tails of the probability curve known as "slim to non-existing", but it can happen. Some people do win the lottery.

My VYPYR 75 has been going strong since November 2008. When I picked up a 30 to leave at the rehearsal space, it ended up being the second warranty replacement that was solid. The first two 30's failed with different issues. Still, all was done under warranty and friend is using that third 30 to this day.
Enzo wrote:I find if the amp is working, that is a good point to stop fixing it.
James Paul's Peaveys
Decade, Classics, Ecoustic, Windsors, VYPYR, Triple XXX, XXL, VKs, Bandit, JSXs, VIP, Piranha and a Penta.

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:13 am

So my guy's been using his battle tested gig rig(Blues Jr+) at the Sunday night jam since the VIP 1 crapped out. This week he's blowing his brains out to get the rig to do what the VIP does naturally on the high end of the harp. Turns and looks at me and says "I wish I had the damn Vypyr. This thing's making me WORK!".

Last week I let him use my 30, and another guy tried it as well. He asked if he could play thru the amp he used last week. Not there. Another harp player getting Vypyryzed.

Now if VIP #3 will just get here(warranty exchange), we can get back to the business of blowing the thing up. All the harp players in the little room will love it till it (inevitably) craps out down the road. How far down? We shall see. But they do love the things.

Harp players take heed. VIP1- Classic model. Vypyr 30- Deluxe model.
Add delay for size and reverb to taste. These babies will deliver a harp experience the players love, and make it easier to get the harp to do the tricks that make it fun and make you sound freakin' good.
Just sayin'
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wmjones
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by wmjones » Tue Apr 04, 2017 10:38 am

dalrymple wrote:Harp players take heed. VIP1- Classic model. Vypyr 30- Deluxe model.
Add delay for size and reverb to taste. These babies will deliver a harp experience the players love, and make it easier to get the harp to do the tricks that make it fun and make you sound freakin' good.
Just sayin'
Dalrymple
I have a question, What kind of mic do you guys use with your harps? (make & modal)
8) HAPPY DAYS:

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Wed Apr 05, 2017 9:53 am

Bullets, and a red howler, available at GC at one time. My guy's favorite.
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dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Sun Apr 16, 2017 1:51 pm

Got the 3rd replacement amp, quick dialed it in and it has survived more than 3 hours of practice! This puts it firmly in second place among the 3 VIP1's we've gotten. First one crapped out after 10 minutes out of the box.

The second one, which got babied during it short tenure, lasted just over 90 days.

This one will be treated like a rental car on spring break. It is under the superb Peavey Warranty, not kidding here, for nearly another 2 years. If it craps out, its replacement(since Peavey replaces vs. fixes em, a good thing) will get sold off new in the box!

All sounds good for the moment. Thing actually kills as a harp amp. Seems a tad louder than the other 2, but maybe that's just because it's working.
Over/Under is 120 days.

Dalrymple

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Mon Apr 17, 2017 12:52 pm

Last night new VIP- 1 #3 got broken in at the sunday jam. I dialed it in hotter on the post amp control so we dont have to crank the master as high. He used the last one with the master at 12:00 oclock in this room. We removed the back also, to give it more stage volume, allowing off-axis play and less feedback. All seems to have worked.

He ran it with the master at about 9:00. Plenty of volume, less squealing than the last one, same cool tones. Plenty more on tap.

So far, so good. Maybe we finally got a right one.

120 days. Stay tuned kids.
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dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Thu Aug 02, 2018 9:05 am

So the THIRD VIP 1 gave up the ghost mid set last week. Sounded great one second, DOA the next. Oh well, 15 months of good tone. Paid $129 new. Not a very good formula for success. I can only say that this amp is made to a very low standard of quality. VERY LOW. Sounded awesome when it was functioning. Crapped out, cant be fixed. Ymmv, but dang, 3 amps, only one survived more than 2 months, and that that amp dies in 15 months. Piece of crap, sadly.
Dalrymple

Allen
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by Allen » Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:56 pm

I love my vip, but my first vip1 crapped out after a few months. They replaced it and the new one is still fine, but tbh, I barely use it since I bought my vip3. The vip3 I use ALL the time, and has never given me issues. As much as the vip1 is soooooo convenient and light and small, I'd suggest just going up to the 2 or even the 3. The power sponge on the 3 is so versatile that it's honestly a better practice amp than the 1 anyway, but with the oomph of the 3.

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Fri Jan 25, 2019 7:07 am

Since this Vip 1 is still working, we decided a speaker swap might be a nice upgrade. Went with a 10" Celestion 30w rated 8 ohm speaker.
He had one of the dead VIP's so I used the baffle board out of it and cut the hole big enough to fit the 10". Looks dead stock from the outside, but WOW!

First off, at our usual live blues jam levels, his volume setting dropped from about 6-7 to 3. WAY LOUDER! It now sounds like the 20 watts it is rated at, rivaling the volume of his blues jr. It has BALLS now. The speaker still sounds a tad stiff, but even as he played it for about 25 minutes we could hear it begin to loosen up and deliver on the grunt and grind the stock speaker brings, and with a ton more presence. Able to up the gain setting from before without feedback, but needed to lower the mid. Treble is already at 0.

When this bad boy breaks in, I think this amp will shock a few folks who have heard it for the last 2 years. It always sounded GREAT, had almost enough, but not quite. Just too easy for the band to bury if they got excited. He had a limit on volume just below what was sufficient. Now? Look out!

Hopefully the VIP survives long enough to find out how good it can be once broken in. If not, we we still have 3 years left on the warranty!
Dalrymple

dalrymple
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by dalrymple » Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:54 am

Played the jam last night for the first time with the 10" celestion in the vip 1. It did just what we hoped it would. Upped his volume with the harp to the point where he is being heard throughout the room, and even when it got loud, he was not buried in the din. Once the speaker breaks in a little more, it should really be very useable in any live situation. Nice upgrade for only $38. Turns the amp from a practice amp/toy to a giggable harp amp that sounds more like the 20 watts it is rated at.

Stay tuned kids. This upgrade is NOT for professionals! WARNING, WARNING!!! YOU CAN TRY THIS AT HOME!
Dalrymple

bgh
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Re: VIP 1 Bummer

Post by bgh » Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:53 pm

dalrymple wrote:
Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:54 am
...
Stay tuned kids. This upgrade is NOT for professionals! WARNING, WARNING!!! YOU CAN TRY THIS AT HOME!
Dalrymple
The last part of your post cracked me up! Love it.
Lefty guitars: Gibson SG standard (1977)•Gibson LP custom (1979)
Amps : Mesa Boogie Mark IV•Mesa Nomad 45•Mesa TA-30•Vypyr tube 60+Sanpera I
Other: Effectrode Blackbird•Kingsley Jester•AMT SS11-a•Weehbo JCM Ltd.•Zoom G5•J.Coloccia Big Cannoli

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