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Cab recommendations for Peavey Mk4

K

Krandstrom

Oct 19, 2022
7
12
#1
Greetings,
I'm a guitar player that used to play bass and I'm getting back into it. I haven't really played bass in about 15 years. I grabbed a Squier CV Late 60s Jazz this past fall on a Fender sale and I have a Peavey Mk4 head I snagged as well. I like the idea of having an 80s Peavey cab as well and am keeping my eyes open for a 1x15 with the silver side stripes, but I don't know if those even sound good. Would only be using the rig for home playing and getting together with some friends so I don't need anything too big. I will likely put a big muff in the mix as well as I like some good sludge and grind. What say you?

Thanks.
 
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#5
Krandstrom said:
I'm only looking for Peavey because I like the idea of having a matching set, but I'm certainly not married to the idea. I will keep my eyes open for the BW.
Click to expand...

What I meant was that some Peavey bass cabs don't have the BW badge indicating it is loaded with a Black Widow speaker. It's generally considered a more robust driver than the Sheffield or other Peavey drivers.
 
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#7
I played a MK IV in my youth, and kept it for a long time after.
Since it is a two ohm stable head, I often played it at gigs with three or four cabs (when several bands came together and the bassists built a monster rig with what they brought).
It saw several combinations of 10" and 15" speakers.

Last time I used it, it was through a 4x12.

It certainly looks powerful, but really is not.
 
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#9
Used to have a 215 Peavy cab with the MK4. Sounded great and loud enough for the gigs I played at the time.

IMG_20151121_0031.jpeg
 
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#12
The single 15 cab isn’t great but may work for your intended use. Eighties era Peavey 2x15 cabs can be found pretty easily on Craigslist or at your local pawn shops. They also pop up at Music Go Round or the used section at Guitar Center. There’s a shallow cab (about 14 inches I’m guessing) and a deeper one. Go for the latter. You should be able to get one around $100 but you’ll also need to buy or borrow a pickup truck.
 
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#13
Make sure the Muff pedal you get has a clean blend built-in. Otherwise, you will have difficulty hearing yourself in a band/jam situation. As for the cabinet choice, I will suggest a used 410 or used 215. The Used market has a bunch of these floating around and if you are not moving it too often, a used, but HEAVY cab is great option. Also, the bigger cabinet will likely make you happy when jamming. More volume and tone capabilities!
 
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#14
burgerdj said:
I had a MK4 back in the day and ran it into a BW1516. It looked awesome and easily covered the gigs I had at the time. I really liked the combination actually - curious how it compares to my current amps.
Click to expand...
Had the BW1820 and a Megabass after the MK4 and the 215. I never got to hear the BW1516 but I imagine it was good.
 
#16
Be aware that a used Peavy cab might need a speaker replacement. Either if it was used lately or just sitting somewhere for 15-20 years. It means a weight reduction if you use modern Neos.
Then I really think you should return the Squier you grabbed and the head you snagged or else pay for them.

Since the 70's muff, lots of actual Bass fuzzes have come out that don't dissapear in a mix, some have an adjustable blend and some have it built in or retain enough low end. "Muff" is a certain circuit and smooth fuzz sound, my favorite muff based bass capable fuzz is the Black Arts Pharaoh, it has the mids and lows that are missing from the old guitar pedal. There are others too. Go to Youtube and search for Bass Fuzz.
Again, you should buy one. Sometimes you can find one and claim it if it's left behind in an old rehearsal space.
 
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#17
BassBrass said:
Be aware that a used Peavy cab might need a speaker replacement. Either if it was used lately or just sitting somewhere for 15-20 years. It means a weight reduction if you use modern Neos.
Then I really think you should return the Squier you grabbed and the head you snagged or else pay for them.

Since the 70's muff, lots of actual Bass fuzzes have come out that don't dissapear in a mix, some have an adjustable blend and some have it built in or retain enough low end. "Muff" is a certain circuit and smooth fuzz sound, my favorite muff based bass capable fuzz is the Black Arts Pharaoh, it has the mids and lows that are missing from the old guitar pedal. There are others too. Go to Youtube and search for Bass Fuzz.
Again, you should buy one. Sometimes you can find one and claim it if it's left behind in an old rehearsal space.
Click to expand...

Ha! To be clear, while I snagged and grabbed, I did pay. Thanks for the fuzz recommendations. As far as pedals go, I'm going to try to use what I already have for now. I'd I get more into playing bass, I will certainly upgrade some things.
 
#18
Krandstrom said:
Greetings,
I'm a guitar player that used to play bass and I'm getting back into it. I haven't really played bass in about 15 years. I grabbed a Squier CV Late 60s Jazz this past fall on a Fender sale and I have a Peavey Mk4 head I snagged as well. I like the idea of having an 80s Peavey cab as well and am keeping my eyes open for a 1x15 with the silver side stripes, but I don't know if those even sound good. Would only be using the rig for home playing and getting together with some friends so I don't need anything too big. I will likely put a big muff in the mix as well as I like some good sludge and grind. What say you?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Great head. I had one for a while in the mid eighties and used a Road 1-18 cab using a PB. It hit like a ton of bricks.

As for your choice of a cab, I can’t help you much. Just keep in mind it will likely be a cab with 30 year old speakers in it that was exposed to whatever, moisture, mold and such and that your romance may be short lived.
 
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#19
dbsfgyd1 said:
Great head. I had one for a while in the mid eighties and used a Road 1-18 cab using a PB. It hit like a ton of bricks.

As for your choice of a cab, I can’t help you much. Just keep in mind it will likely be a cab with 30 year old speakers in it that was exposed to whatever, moisture, mold and such and that your romance may be short lived.
Click to expand...

So yeah, after a number of you mentioning to expect the speakers to be compromised, I may have to consider something newer. I hadn't thought about that.
 
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