A portion of the Peavey basses I own -
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When you say "portion" how much are we talkin in total? Nice basses by the way.
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A portion of the Peavey basses I own -
![]()
When you say "portion" how much are we talkin in total? Nice basses by the way.
Well, that's not entirely true; Peavey started out a as really awful domestic brand that got *much* better. I really don't have any idea of the quality of gear they make today... but when I worked for a store selling Peavey gear about 20 years ago, it was as good as anything else out there. So they may have gone downhill, they may have stayed good. But back in *the day*, say 1977, there stuff was just awful - the taint of which has never left them.
And I think that lumping Ibanez in with Cort, Traben, etc, isn't really fair - - they have made some highly innovative instruments for many years... That they have chosen to mass produce some real third-world caca in recent years is sad, but their higher-end instruments are still pretty nice. I have yet to play a Cort or Traben that I thought was even worth my closet space...
I really don't know Peavey products at all prior to the introduction of the T-line. I suppose I don't understand why, say, Volkswagen can get around their low-budget image from their early days, and Peavey hasn't done the same. It's crazy. There are a half-dozen basses Peavey has made that I feel are better than anything Fender ever made.
I agree that Ibanez shouldn't be lumped in with those other brands. Although - with a few exceptions - the bulk of what accounts for Ibanez' bass sales in the last 20 years hasn't impressed me much.
Now, we'll hear from folks who insist that those amps from the '70s are "Vintage"...![]()
That BXP is pretty. But, at $500, I don't think it's a particular bargain. Not when there are US Millenniums going in the $400 - 600 range. Like the US Mill 5 Plus that I linked above. Flamed maple top, birdseye maple neck, matching headstock. And I did the BIN on eBay this morning to get it for $600, shipped!
And G-Basses (US-made, graphite neck), in the $400 range all over the place. I guarantee you there's nothing about that BXP that would make me pick it over my G-Bass with Millennium preamp installed. Of course, others may not be as fond of black holo-flake and, thus, pick that BXP just based on cosmetics.![]()
I really don't know Peavey products at all prior to the introduction of the T-line. I suppose I don't understand why, say, Volkswagen can get around their low-budget image from their early days, and Peavey hasn't done the same. It's crazy. There are a half-dozen basses Peavey has made that I feel are better than anything Fender ever made.
I agree that Ibanez shouldn't be lumped in with those other brands. Although - with a few exceptions - the bulk of what accounts for Ibanez' bass sales in the last 20 years hasn't impressed me much.
I really don't know Peavey products at all prior to the introduction of the T-line. I suppose I don't understand why, say, Volkswagen can get around their low-budget image from their early days, and Peavey hasn't done the same. It's crazy. There are a half-dozen basses Peavey has made that I feel are better than anything Fender ever made.
I agree that Ibanez shouldn't be lumped in with those other brands. Although - with a few exceptions - the bulk of what accounts for Ibanez' bass sales in the last 20 years hasn't impressed me much.
Are the BXP's the bolt-ons, and imported? Seems to me, all the US Cirrus that are bolt-ons are not 'BXP'?
I had known about Peavey bass amps and cabs for a long time. Until I joined TB and heard this track, I didn't even know what s Cirrus was...
.........but I knew then and there that I HAD TO HAVE A CIRRUS!!!! Next to my Ken Smith Black Tiger 5, my Cirrus Bubinga/Walnut is the best bass that I have ever played or owned, including an Alembic Spoiler and a Warwick Thumb 5 BO that I sold to get my Smith.
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!![]()
I suppose you could take "Peavey" out of the OT and drop in LTD, Trabben, Cort, BC Rich, Dean, Ibanez, . . . and have the same discussion.
Well, that's not entirely true; Peavey started out a as really awful domestic brand that got *much* better. I really don't have any idea of the quality of gear they make today... but when I worked for a store selling Peavey gear about 20 years ago, it was as good as anything else out there. So they may have gone downhill, they may have stayed good. But back in *the day*, say 1977, there stuff was just awful - the taint of which has never left them.
And I think that lumping Ibanez in with Cort, Traben, etc, isn't really fair - - they have made some highly innovative instruments for many years... That they have chosen to mass produce some real third-world caca in recent years is sad, but their higher-end instruments are still pretty nice. I have yet to play a Cort or Traben that I thought was even worth my closet space...
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My OPINION is the current lack of bass offering revolves around the Big Box store(s) dictating price points and what they'll carry.
The marketing channel has totally changed. No longer is the day that Hartley can walk through the door and find a tenured staff person who will be there in 3 years.
I owned gear from the 70s.. never had a problem with it..
The reality about much of the "perception" of the upper end amps is that many of the public has never played a BAM or MegaBass as the setups were intended..
They do something unfair.. will try a $50 practice amp and then assume that the upper end rigs are the same.
For some reason folks do not do attribute this "trashiness" with other brands (GK Backline.... Ampeg Portabass etc.. SWR practice amps)
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Overall Mr Peavey is a smart and cautious business guy. His company may be the paramount of customer service..... I'd hate to be running a multi-million dollar company with one customer dictating pricing and terms. His company was not built around this model.... The P Gear was not in the said mega store a few years back.. they revamped and you can now see it on the shelves.
For bass offerings, I'd be confident that Fender doesn't get punk slapped the way Peavey does by the big box store.
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That being said.. I do miss the mom and pop stores & the upper middle end quality USA gear at a gigger's price point.. In all honesty I own recording gear that I'd never be able to afford in the "good old days"

so I'm curious which of your peavey's do you think sounds the best? where'd you get the blue tl5?