My good ole' Peavey

[klejst]

Over the weekend I did some tweaking to my amp settings for the first time in about two years. I just always played my "signature sound." Anyways, I turned the mid's up as well as went from the normal setting to bright (which I am still going back and forth on but both sound good). On my bass I turned up the tone a little more as well. I must say I really love the tone/sound I am getting from both my bass, but really out of my amp and cabinet right now. It's bassy, however I also love the trebely twangy and little bit dirty sound I get now. It also seems to have a little bit of a reverb on it too if I had to describe it and I do not use any effects pedals.

My amp is a Peavey Tour 450 (paired with a Mesa PH610 cab and I play a Fender P Std.) I realize my amp is not some elaborate piece of equipment. But I will say I have found a new love for my 450 as well as my rig all together, although I have always loved my P and my Mesa.

It's funny because up until the weekend I was actually thinking about selling my Peavey and getting something else (GAS might of been a big influence as well), but now I think I will hold onto it for a while. It has been a very solid piece and very good to me over the years. I think I just never really gave it a whole shot to show me what it could really do. I think I will experiment with more of the settings and EQ in free time. Just thought I would share my little story.

[CL400Peavey]

I love both of my Peaveys. Most people dont believe when they see what I'm playing through. People knock the tone, but it is there if you are willing to play with the EQ enough. My SS head is as clean and punchy as anything else I have played through in a live setting, and it has never failed me. My tube head sounds great live and really cuts through the mix. I am fully content with the heads that I have.

[Russell L]

Ain't nothin' wrong with Peavey. I still have one. And yeah, playing with the eq can really stir up some new things play with. I've been doing that myself. I also know what you mean about that slight reverb-like sound. I guess it's some symapthetic vibrations getting through on other strings, but I've heard it on my stuff, too, mainly when the highs or high mids are up. Interesting phenomenon.

[christw]

Don't you love it when things work out all of a sudden? I've had some moments with my first bass, an MIM P Special, and my SC120 recently.

Experimenting with tones is now the first thing I do with new instruments, cabs, and amps just to make sure I don't keep something that I don't like or need. I'm very much a jack of all trades with regard to both music and life so I need versatility between whatever I own. Maybe that's the GAS talking though.

Speaking of that, I have an old Peavey Century Bass 200 that I use for every classic rock gig I find myself at. I bought it as a $60 backup but liked the tone too much to let it sit.

My most recent revelation? Turn that tone knob down just a tad to knock off the clack. I started on my fretless but now I've been doing it on our house jams to cut down on the clack and excess noise and enjoying it for the most part. When the Chili Peppers influences come out, it's all open again though.

[klejst]

Yeah it is great when things just seem to work out and you realize you had what you needed all along. I mean I could of sold it and then bought something else that I may not of needed either or would regret. Plus I know the amp really well and did not have to spend a lot of time finding my way around a new amp.

[MNAirHead]

I can't tell you the number of times I've been hired to go to the studio.. they're expecting an ampeg + 8x10 and I rolll in with a rackmount and 1x10

[will33]

I have a Peavey T-MAX I use quite a bit. Once in a while I'll use one of the other amps just for "something different". I get the same kind of feeling when I go back to the Peavey. Not really what people would call rich, boutique type sound but whatever it's doing works great in a band mix wih very little if any adjustments which to me makes it an A1 amp. And it has enough eq in the right spots to fix bad sounding rooms and of course being a Peavey, it's always been super reliable and sounds strong for it's rated power. I like trying different stuff but I really don't have GAS so to speak as long as that thing's around.

[klejst]

I also like when a new found love arises for gear because it really makes you stop and appreciate what you have even more. Sure it would be nice to have new toys, however to me it has been more about that great tone/sound (although the GAS can really be a pain sometimes). I try to maintain a "if it isn't broke don't fix or replace it" way of thinking. I am sure down the road I will get some new things, but what I have right now if perfect for where I am at. Plus I'll get new things when the endorsements and big rockstar amounts of money start to come my way j/k.