Peavey = garbage?

[msaone]

Peavey rocks. At least their 80's stuff did.

[mcblahflooper94]

Originally Posted by kreider204

Does "mcblahflooper94" = "pedantry"?

I suppose we figuratively share some values.

[msaone]

Originally Posted by qervo

Peavey probably been around since the early 70s if not earlier.

The doors had some peavey looking cabs behind them in the sixties.

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by msaone

The doors had some peavey looking cabs behind them in the sixties.

WHy guess? A quick search shows Hartley Peavey built his first amp in 1957 and founded the company in 1965. He stills runs it today.

[darkstorm]

Blanket statements like that made by salesmen simply means leave the store and go somewhere else. The salesman is trying to hussle you into buying what he wants you to buy prob based on best commision for him. Rather then by any actual interest in customer satisfaction etc. While not top end gear, peavey has proven to be among the most reliable gear over the decades.

[lbbc]

I still have my 80's Peavey RSB bass (bought it used) and it still rocks. Probably the most comfortable bass I've owned. I previously owned a TNT (didn't like it much) but also gigged with Peavey P.A. in the 80's. My former drummer still has the SP-3's and they still sound fine.

[baddarryl]

I have an old 1991 Foundation V that I modded with the S1 pickup mod and had professionally set up. I have been complimented on its tone on multiple occasions and good players that have picked it up said it played amazing. It is ugly as hell and only worth a couple hundred bucks. A true value.

I think the stigma of Peavey for me at least comes from the horrible sound of their early smaller guitar amps. Also a lot of the guitars and basses were bought by newbies that neglected them of never had them set up. So now what you find used in the shop feels like a piece of junk. That is how mine felt until I tweaked it based on the recommendations of people on TB.

[jphovercraft]

I've used my share of Peavey gear. I currently run an IPR1600 with a VT Bass as a preamp ... sounds great, 5 year warranty on the amp. I expect I'll be using it for a long time. Other Peavey gear I've bought included their keyboard combo amp as a bass combo (indestructable), their SP sampler and a MidiBase. All still work and were GREAT values.

PS: The Elvis Costello "Live at the elMocambo" gig/recording? ... all Peavey gear.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by JimK

My '70s garage band rented a Peavey PA once...it blew. Gig money was barely enough to have it repaired (it was rental equipment...probably mistreated by previous bands). Another time, the self-proclaimed Clapton down the street let us borrow his Peavy guitar amp (w/ a beautiful ). That amp smoked mid-gig...
That said, I recall Oteil Burbridge playing around here (mid '80s) with a Peavey cab (1x15 + 2x10) & G-K 800RB head...sounded great!



I have a 322 & love it...the 322 has 1x12 + 2x10. I loved my old Bassman 100 (4x12)...then I went off into 4x10-ville for a long while...always, though, something was missing. I also had an Eden 2x10...eventually paied a 1x15 with it. The something was back...but I do not carry two(2) cabinets out. Stumbled onto a 322 awhile ago...one(1) cabinet with something.

I had an HT322 and loved it too. My back hated it. I keep asking Jim Bergantino to make an AE322. He'd sell a million of them.

[GAPendragon]

I own a Zodiac and I love it.

[Roy Vogt]

Generalizing about gear can be dangerous. I really liked the TL5 and TL6 basses as well as the Cirrus Basses. One of my students has a Grind 6 string and it seems nice.
I've used their bass amps in backline situations and they're solid, if not spectacular.
For the money, the basses aren't bad at all.

[Joedog]

Saw a loud blues band yesterday, BP used a 410 Peavey cab (outdoor gig). He was drowning out the guitar player a bit, but the tone/sound was awesome ( and I'm very critical in that department).

[Rickengeezer]

Let's see...I have a USA Cirrus 5, USA Millennium 5, USA Foundations 5 and 4, T-40, T-60, Import Fury 5, Tour 450 amp, some big honking 15" combo amp from the 80's, a 2x15" bottom with black widows, and various monitor and PA speakers.

I'd put the USA instruments against anything made; they may not be to your taste, but they are all quality instruments and are all among my favorites. Anyone who owns one and says they are garbage--alert me on your next trash day.

The Tour 450 replaced an SVT3Pro, and while it's sound is less colored than the Ampeg, when run flat it sounds just like the bass does--and it always comes on. Always. Although the Ampeg also often produced a true unamplified sound, it was mainly because it didn't amplify half the time.

The import Fury--meh. Not impressed; not garbage at all, a very playable instrument but not something I ever have the urge to play. I have a similar reaction to most MIM or Korean Fenders/Squiers.

Peavey speaker cabinets--not impressed. They reliably produce sound, but to my ear they don't sound particularly good. I think the 80s/90s PV combos got a bad reputation because of the speakers, maybe not the amps (which were ungodly heavy, though).

[Joedog]

Originally Posted by Direct Box Rox

I heard someone at the music store tell a beginner to stay away from Peavey basses, amps & cabinets because they are "garbage". Is this the overwhelming perception?

I never listen to "someome in a music store" (especially salesmen) without a healthy dose of skepticism. Try it, and trust YOUR hands/ears. If you don't like it move on.

[Scott in Dallas]

During the 80s, if you played rock guitar, the Bandit 65 and Special 130 were the best amps in their price range, and I don't think it's even close. They could keep up with any drummer, had great distortion, real reverb and incredible EQ and patching capabilities. That's before the trans-tube amps came out.

As for "real" amplifiers, Peavey has a number of elite tube amps. I wouldn't trade my Prowler for just about anything that cost less than three times the price.

[Scott in Dallas]

And for the record: I love the pointy Peavey logo. I wish my Prowler had it.

[nashvillebill]

Peavey gets unfairly bashed far too often, primarily by gear snobs who a) who have never played through a Peavey and/or b) wouldn't know decent tone if it came up and bit them.

Even their lower-cost SS guitar combos in the 80's could be made to sound good, if the guitar player knew anything about setting controls! Instead, the wannabe Jimmy Page buys it and dimes every knob, including Saturation--then complains that the amp sounds like a box of angry bees.

[qervo]

Peavey has some killer technology now. Their patented Trans Tube is very cool. It's the closest sound to a tube amp without actually having tubes that I've ever heard. I've dealt with their staff and have nothing but good experiences from customer support. If your curious , just go check some out.

[chuck norriss]

Originally Posted by Direct Box Rox

I heard someone at the music store tell a beginner to stay away from Peavey basses, amps & cabinets because they are "garbage". Is this the overwhelming perception?

No Peavey Cirrus is one of the nicest instruments I've ever played. Peavey Sarzo is very nice too, but then a beginner most likely isn't looking at the higher-end Peavey stuff.

[abstractart06]

Originally Posted by lbbc

I still have my 80's Peavey RSB bass (bought it used) and it still rocks. Probably the most comfortable bass I've owned. I previously owned a TNT (didn't like it much) but also gigged with Peavey P.A. in the 80's. My former drummer still has the SP-3's and they still sound fine.

The RSB is a dream to play. With the micro tilt adjustment,you can get the action insanely low. The solid Koa body sounds warm and mellow. A keeper for certain.