Vintage Peavey 215D , from project to diamond

RockFistMusic · #1 05-11-2011, 01:27 PM

Got this 1980's Peavey 215D bass cab on trade, put like $100 value in it when I got it but I remember people raving about these in past so I decided to spend some time and money on it, sure glad I did!!

When it came in it had BW's in it alright, worn out corroded alum frame 1501 silver cap 15's HOWEVER one was 4 ohms and the other 8ohms

. Not only that, the wire was cheap (I'm guessing) 30-40 gauge wire, thinner than a toothpick anyway, and a worn out and corroded 1/4" switchcraft jack. Grille cloth almost gone, no badges, tiny round wheels falling off.

SO.......cinderella becomes the princess.....

First I took everything out of it, drivers, wires, jack, wheels, everything. Seeing a split and isolated compartment design, I decided to try something. First, I sprayed undercoating everywhere inside, and then lined it with some baffle material ala Target (2" pillow stuffing material) to kill the reverberating mids and highs. Stapled it in on top of the undercoating.

Then, I bought a stainless wall plate with a genuine Neutrik jack, got some killer 12 gauge speaker wire, and wired the jack parallel out to the 2 drivers for a net 4ohm cab (correct and desirable of course). Also, hit that with some rubberized sticky 1/8" rubber tape so it's nice and solid on the inside portion.

I bought 2 of my fav brand new Peavey BW drivers, a 1502-8 DT and a 1505-8 DT, and loaded the 1505-8 on the bottom, and the ribbed 1502-8 on the top. Used black 3/8" closed cell weather stripping around/under the frame seat as well. 1505 is nice and fat , nice deep low excursion, crunchy high mids, while the 1502 is stiffer and punchier, and being ribbed/stiffer with less Xmax, with a breakup at around 1khz.

Cosmetically, I just mounted 4x HD 3" wheels from Lowes, and ordered original grille cloth and badges from Peavey. Tolex is original, a little beat up but still really good and adds character. Left it alone. Found some vintage recessed handles in better shape so I grabbed those as well. My goal here was to have a sleeper anyway

End result = HOLY $%#$T !!! a 1,000w+++ 4ohm 215 that hits HARD.

Wait til you hear what I'm creating next.......

hrgiger · #2 05-11-2011, 04:52 PM

pics please

RockFistMusic · #3 05-11-2011, 05:35 PM

Here it is getting loaded

will33 · #4 05-11-2011, 06:23 PM

I really like the 1505's, one of my faves. I've never mixed the 2 though.

RockFistMusic · #5 05-11-2011, 06:36 PM

it's a subtle difference, you can 'feel' the 1505 at your feet and you can 'feel' the 1502's on your face LOL

Since this cab is divided into two totally separate compartments, not sharing ANYTHING not even ports, and being built like a sherman tank, I decided to go 1505 bottom and 1502 top.
HOLY MOLY was I smart

hrgiger · #6 05-12-2011, 06:29 PM

very nice, I would like to see more pics though. I have one of these, though mine is a later model I believe, with long rectangular type slots alone the right side. luckily mine looks like no one ever took it out of a padded room, mysteriously clean really. comparing this cab to an older pv 215 I had, there is definitely something to this newer 215D design, which in the Peavey Revolution book, is listed as a "subwoofer enclosure." Maybe back then it was a sub, but today it sounds glorious as a ERB cab with lots of sparkle.

If these drivers ever go south, I've got 2 1505 DT's stored away to drop in at a moment's notice...

RockFistMusic · #7 05-12-2011, 06:41 PM

VERY nice indeed

(yours)

I can not find those side pieces, oh well.

I played this thing at a gig my bandmates said "that's it just that one 215 cab??"

after the gig the guitarist, who plays a PRS thru a full Marshall stack, said HOLY $^#%#T that thing rocks !!

theres mojo for sure

fhm555 · #8 05-12-2011, 08:15 PM

I have a niceish 215D, but it's currently serving coffee table duty in the TV room, and wifey is holding it hostage for an actual coffee table. For some silly reason she wants me to make her one and won't let me have my cab back until I do.

mofeezy · #9 06-23-2011, 11:18 AM

Sell it to me, then you can get a real coffee table!
: )

VanillaThundah · #10 06-23-2011, 11:25 AM

Nice, about to do the same with my Kasino Snake Eyes 2x15...inside work is done (cleaned out ridiculous foam the previous owner put in there), just need to get new speakers and wire em up. 2x15's are the perfect fix-me-up projects IMO =)

RockFistMusic · #11 06-23-2011, 11:32 AM

Though heavy that thing shouts. I put one 1502-8 and one 1505-8 since it has separated compartments, and the net 4ohms along with the boomier/high mid bite of the 1505 & the snappy/punchy/growly more vintage tone of the 1502 works really well.

Also just did the similar with a Schroeder 215BMF, a compact cab (not separated) so it has twin 1502-8's in there.

mofeezy · #12 06-23-2011, 11:36 AM

Has anyone used one of these with a Peavey mk IV or Classic 400? How do these combo's sound?

BassmanPaul · #13 06-23-2011, 02:55 PM

My thought about using different drivers on one baffle is possible cancellations between the two.

RockFistMusic · #14 06-23-2011, 05:51 PM

Paul, I wouldn't recommend it either. Since the 215D is fully separated off, it's like 2 cabs in one and their each in their own baffle and with their own ports etc.

My Schroeder on the other hand, a tall narrow single baffle box, had crappy Celestion NEO's, the magnet fell off one of them so I ditched them and put identical 1502's in there. the difference was like going from a corvair to a corvette

ric3xrt · #15 06-23-2011, 08:20 PM

Love the ole 215D's , I have pair of the older one's with the angled port.
hopefully by the end of the summer I'll change out the scorpions(had BWs once) for a 1502/1505 combo

mofeezy..... "Has anyone used one of these with a Peavey mk IV or Classic 400? How do these combo's sound"?

Played a MKIV through a 2x15d back in the late 80s had a warm sound , not bright at all, highs always seemed muffeled sometimes it had the 125k Boom sound no matter what I did....but then agian I was young .
ran a pair(2x15D's) with a Mega bass head in the mid 90s and that was a good sound..very solid, not much punch but very filling....feel like I'm discribing a cake and a B-day party.

Exploiter8 · #16 06-23-2011, 08:43 PM

Sounds like a nice job on the cab!

I redid my shallow 215 last year with 3015 kappalites (non LF). I lined the inside with self-adhesive foam from PartsExpress. I ran each speaker to a separate jack so I could use my two heads if I so desired. I painted the silver parts of the grill matte black and also got some black Peavey corners to give it a more modern look. An oval metal badge and an Eminence badge at the bottom seals the deal!

X8