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Peavey Electronics Corporation Palaedium
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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100% of reviewers
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$399.00
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10.0
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Description:
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Three piece alder body
Bilaminated rock maple neck
Graphlite reinforced, 6° tilted peghead
34" scale
17" radius fretboard with 21 frets
Mother of Pearl dot inlays
Graphlon nut
Leo Quan BadAss II bridge
Two high output quad coil humbucking pickups
Gold hardware
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Author
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mark beem
Registered User
Registered: July 2001
Location: Hunts-Vegas, Alabama
Posts: 8173
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Review Date: Wed March 21, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $399.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent tone and playability. Light weight
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Cons:
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None
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The Palaedium was developed by Peavey for and in collaboration with renowned bassist/educator Jeff Berlin. The basses were produced at Peavey's manufacturing facility in Meridian Mississippi during the early to mid 90’s. The two I currently own are from 1991 and 1992.
Construction and hardware: 10
The neck is bilaminated, graphite-reinforced rock maple with a 6° tilt headstock, has a THICK slab ebony fingerboard and a Graphlon nut. Construction is bolt on via four bolts and features Peavey’s Neck Tilt adjustment access in the steel neck plate. The body is three-piece alder and is finished in transparent red or amber/honey polyester - urethane. These were the only two colors offered on this bass as far as I can find. The fretboard is a VERY flat 17” radius, features 21 medium silver nickel frets and is marked in the standard positions with genuine Mother of Pearl dot inlays. The hardware is gold finished with a Leo Quan BadAss II bridge and “premium die-cast machine heads”. The bridge is fully adjustable for string height, tilt and intonation. Control knobs are the knurled dome type and are attached to the pot stem via a tension screw.
Electronics: 10
At the heart of the Palaedium are two Bartolini-designed (perhaps manufactured too but I’ve never been able to find out for sure) quad-coil pickups which are fully humbucking and “harmonically placed” for greater frequency response. In addition, the pickups are shielded for quiet operation and are fully height adjustable. The bass is passive and its controls consist of a single master volume, pickup blend and tone pots.
Playability: 10
The Palaedium is by far one of the fastest, easiest-playing basses I’ve ever owned. The bass is light and though I don’t have exact numbers, I’d be surprised if it clocks in more than 8 pounds. The bass balances perfectly on the body with no hint of neck-dive whatsoever. Furthermore the slim neck is extremely fast and the 17” radius fretboard is the flattest I’ve ever seen on a non-extended range bass. This is a bass that can be played for hours on end (and I have) with no fatigue at all. Some complain that the neck is TOO thin and flat and report hand cramping, etc. but I have experienced no discomfort at all while playing it.
Sound: 10
The sound of this bass is simply incredible. The Bart-designed quad coils have a very high output - high to the degree it’s surprising to me when taking into consideration the bass is passive. The neck pickup soloed has a nice J-like tone with plenty of snap and bark. With the tone knob full CW, harmonics leap out with clarity. The neck pickup soloed has more of an actual P-bass tone to me. More P like than say a J neck pup soloed. This bass sits well in the mix in all ensembles in which I’ve used it and favoring the bridge pup will allow you to cut through with easy. I frequently jam with two other players (drummer & guitarist) doing instrumental rock / metal (think Steve Morse, Satriani, Vinnie More type stuff) and this has become my go-to instrument. The only time I ever put it down is to grab the 5er whenever I need to get some low-B action going on.
Value: 10
During the time of its production, the Palaedium went for around a grand. Today these can regularly be found on the used market in the three to four hundred dollar range case included, an incredible bargain for the caliber of instrument that you’re getting at that price. The trans-red one I picked up I actually got for less than $150 (plus gas for the drive to Atlanta and back).Excellent tone and playability equal to if not more than some multi-thousand dollar instruments I’ve owned for three or four Benjamins??? How could I NOT rate it a 10?!?
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