Why are old Peaveys so cheap?

baddarryl · #1 02-02-2013, 10:42 PM

I have a 1991 Foundation 5 with the Super Ferrites and an S1 pickup mod. Had it professionally set up too. I really have not found a better playing bass under $1500. As good as, prettier, sexier, but not better. I get constant compliments on my tone too. I will probably never sell it because it is worth way more than what I could ever get for it. Many times more. What gives with the under valuation of these old basses? Hell, I only paid $200 for the thing.

landau roof · #2 02-02-2013, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baddarryl

As good as, prettier, sexier, but not better.

Prettiness and sexiness sells.

baddarryl · #3 02-02-2013, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landau roof

Prettiness and sexiness sells.

Tru Dat!

Bassamatic · #4 02-02-2013, 11:14 PM

Shhh! We don't want to spread the word! Really - this is too bad. These older and many new Peaveys are great instruments - they just don't get the appreciation they deserve. It is really a part of marketing to present a proper image - perhaps Peavey marketing has not done a good enough job. Maybe the products are priced too low to have that proper quality image?

There is something to the feeling that if it is expensive it has to be good. An article in the newspaper today showed that the public perception of Mercedes car quality was very high - #6, I think, while the REAL overall quality is not nearly that high.

Scobby Bott · #5 02-02-2013, 11:43 PM

I still say it's the logos.

RED J · #6 02-03-2013, 06:34 AM

Just scored same bass, same price. It's incredible. We'll just let the label snobs wallow in their....misconceptions.

aasti3000 · #7 02-03-2013, 07:42 AM

Had it not been for the spacing on the Peavey's I've tried, I'd own a few. There is a 6 string I've been eyeing for a few months but the spacing just isn't there for me. I have no idea why the prices are so because they feel and sound pretty solid....not to mention THE VARIETY TO CHOOSE FROM.

Misty Mountain · #8 02-03-2013, 08:17 AM

I'm constantly searching for a US Peavey to join my Cirrus BXP. T series or anything with Super Ferrites is what I'm after. P sounds with, IMO, much better necks. And one of the biggest draws for me is that they don't have the "F" word on the headstock...

dickfitts · #9 02-03-2013, 08:24 AM

[quote=Bassamatic;13820725]Shhh! We don't want to spread the word!

+1! I mean, look away, everybody...this thread does NOT exist...nothing to see here...

C130AVN · #10 02-03-2013, 08:35 AM

It's like the spare in the trunk, it's not pretty, it's heavy, it doesn't match the others, but it gets the job done.

Andy_D · #11 02-03-2013, 08:50 AM

I own three of them. Great basses.

kellyrojo · #12 02-03-2013, 08:59 AM

They are indeed insane deals for the price...so well made. I had an amazing sounding Foundation but a couple things made me trade it.
A) weight: boat anchor
B) the pencil thin neck....I like a P width. But man, what a great sound out of those ferrites!

knumbskull · #13 02-03-2013, 09:04 AM

Beats me

...maybe they're out of fashion. Even the T40, one of their cult favourites, still costs about the same as a Squier over here.

My guitarist - who has an eye for quality gear - was fiddling around on my T40 and commented that it was "more like an £800 bass"

**mjac28** · #14 02-03-2013, 09:10 AM

I love my Peaveys and I hope they never catch on.

DiabolusInMusic · #15 02-03-2013, 09:15 AM

Well you get fanboys that love 'em just like anything else, but most people, myself included, think they make a lot of garbage. I am not saying all Peavey is garbage, just most of it.

Peavey has one of the most pathetic B strings in the industry in my experience. Admittedly I don't have much experience with their Cirrus line but I would have much higher expectations for it.

kellyrojo · #16 02-03-2013, 09:23 AM

but most people, myself included, think they make a lot of garbage.

^^^^^ laughable!

smcd · #17 02-03-2013, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiabolusInMusic

Well you get fanboys that love 'em just like anything else, but most people, myself included, think they make a lot of garbage. I am not saying all Peavey is garbage, just most of it.

Most people, including yourself, have no idea what they're talking about. This suits people who collet Peavey basses just fine, because it's been keeping prices low. But the fact is that Peavey is a much more innovative company than any other major US manufacturer. Unlike Fender, Gibson, and Rickenbacker, Peavey's image isn't stuck in the 1960's. Peavey can and has released models that go well beyond Fender clones and into entirely unique, technologically ground breaking, boutique-level basses.

Far from being "garbage", I will state as fact that most - perhaps ALL - Peavey basses are superior to their comptetion at their price level. The reason a large segment looks down on Peavey is because it was always Peavey's aim to offer the highest possible quality at an affordable price point. As such, ignorant people associated affordability with low quality, and that point of view stuck. People used to look down their nose at Volkswagen for the same reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiabolusInMusic

Peavey has one of the most pathetic B strings in the industry in my experience. Admittedly I don't have much experience with their Cirrus line but I would have much higher expectations for it.

Ridiculous. I expect you don't have much experience with Peavey, period. The US-Millenniums and TL-5's have outstanding B-strings. Throw in the Cirrus line, and that doesn't leave much. What Peavey 5-strings have you played??

ejaggers · #18 02-03-2013, 12:23 PM

Not Pretty??? Not Sexy??? Are you kidding???

057912

zachoff · #19 02-03-2013, 12:30 PM

I dunno, man... The two old Peavey basses I've had have been great. So great that I picked up an '89 USA Peavey Fury for $150 on Friday. The neck is awesome. Plays so nice and the fact that it doesn't have jumbo frets is awesome as well. The body is a little light for my tastes... It's almost a little neck heavy. Great P tone though. It'll be a recorder for sure.

Thundar · #20 02-03-2013, 12:39 PM

Love those pencil thin necks! And as far as B-strings go, sorry but the TL-5, TL-6, and all the 35" scales (Axcelerators, Cirrus, etc) are fantastic. I can see where someone would have a problem with the old school Foundation 5's and Dynabass 5's, but really with a good set-up they were quite good, especially for the time period. I have owned a ton of Peavey's and they were all excellent basses...especially the Foundation S Active P/J I had in late 80's...fantastic tone.