Jazzing up the look of my Peavey Foundation...and what's under that paint?

Good chance it'll be alder . Least that's what the manual says.

 

Hey @Bluebard

I'm pretty certain some folks in the Peavey USA club on TB have stripped Foundations. I'll stick a post up asking and point them in your direction.

 

I've tagged you in the club so hopefully folks will either tag you or contact you direct.
Always glad to help a fellow Peavey owner

 

I think mine is supposed to be poplar. Either way, not very pretty.

If you are going to the expense of stripping it you could go a step further and plane off the top 1/4 inch and glue on a fancy top or glue on a thin veneer and hide the edged with a burst finish. You could also just use the body to make templates and build a new body at that point. These ideas would make sense if you did the work yourself and enjoyed it, not so much if you hire someone.

 

Here courtesy of Google we have a few photos. Don't look too shabby I think

Possible the stained one is the same bass. But heck it looks nice so why not post it twice

 

Here's another one, could be the light or choice of stain but I'm with you the natural is the winner so far.
Second thoughts it's the knobs on this, would be better plain chrome.

 

Looks like padouk to me. I wonder if this is one where someone made a replacement body?

 

@TrustRod

SOLD - 1987 US Peavey Foundation Mahogany

 

The only way to find out what's under the paint is to strip it.
It sounds like it could well be Alder.
Not a very grainy wood, but not ugly either.
Some pieces may look interesting, others boring.
I like my natural alder P just fine.
Be prepared to find a multi piece body.
They work just fine under solid color paint
that are never expected to show the wood.
It may or may not be well matched where the pieces join.
If you strip it and decide it needs to have paint hide that wood
then you'll need to have some plan to repaint in a color more to your tastes.

 

I had the same model Peavey Foundation years ago. I am no handyman, not by a long shot, but the paint was easy to remove with a heat gun. The alder (or poplar?) body was kinda plain but better IMO than the original white. Mine was one piece of wood.
A bit of sanding and that was it.
I played it like that for years.
I finally sold it to a guy who just loved the natural color.
I would probably do the same thing now and use some tinted wood oil finish to "jazz it up".

 

be cautious... there were special order (upgrade) natural and unfinished basses...

the reddish one is mahogany - not standard

 

I see what you mean about the red. It's my favorite color, but I'm not digging it on your bass too much. There's something toy-like about it.

 

I like to see cherry red with a TON of gloss. Like it almost looks like the finish on a tricked out muscle car or something. This red just doesn't quite have that hue or level of sheen. That's what it is for me.

 

@MNAirHead

Did you see post #14 ?