NBD: $100 Peavey Foundation

[4SG]

Bought this 1989 Peavey Foundation yesterday for $100. I didn't need another bass; I've already got quite a few and play my favorites 9 times out of 10. In fact, I just bought an '88 StingRay a couple of weeks ago that I'm still getting to know. But then I remembered that several esteemed TalkBass regulars rave about USA-made Peaveys, and how undervalued they are. If I remember correctly it was @Dr.Cheese who wrote something to the effect of "if you can find a serviceable 80's Foundation, grab it."

So, I checked it out. It was rusty, filthy, and has nicks and knocks all over, plus a little buckle rash. It had two different brands of strings, both corroded, and has a little split at the bottom of the neck. Truss rod cover long gone. Cavity plate cracked in half. Jack is loose and pulls away from the body. In other words, not too promising. Then I plugged it in. MAN, those super ferrite pickups are something! Now I know why people love these instruments--the sound is incredible!

Being a rational guy I rationalized that I spent $900 for the StingRay and $100 for the Foundation, which averages out to $500 each for two American-made vintage basses. How could I pass up bargains like that?

Check it out:

PS -- Anyone know where to get a replacement truss rod cover?

**addendum re year and parts: in the last picture you can see the serial number starts 0360. According to this link, that dates it to 1989. It appears to be all original. All three knobs are the same, but the rubber grip ring has worn off the bottom one.

 

[smcd]

Fantastic deal. $100 is a steal for that bass. Those tobacco burst Foundations are one of the more attractive versions.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Bought this 1989 Peavey Foundation yesterday for $100. I didn't need another bass; I've already got quite a few and play my favorites 9 times out of 10. In fact, I just bought an '88 StingRay a couple of weeks ago that I'm still getting to know. But then I remembered that several esteemed TalkBass regulars rave about USA-made Peaveys, and how undervalued they are. If I remember correctly it was @Dr.Cheese who wrote something to the effect of "if you can find a serviceable 80's Foundation, grab it."

So, I checked it out. It was rusty, filthy, and has nicks and knocks all over, plus a little buckle rash. It had two different brands of strings, both corroded, and has a little split at the bottom of the neck. Truss rod cover long gone. Jack is loose and pulls away from the body. In other words, not too promising. Then I plugged it in. MAN, those super ferrite pickups are something! Now I know why people love these instruments--the sound is incredible!

Being a rational guy I rationalized that I spent $900 for the StingRay and $100 for the Foundation, which averages out to $500 each for two American-made vintage basses. How could I pass up bargains like that?

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View attachment 3431140 View attachment 3431139 PS -- Anyone know where to get a replacement truss rod cover?

Those Foundations clean up nicely!

I am taking my own advice and am buying back this old Peavey Forum V:

 

[shaggy45]

Awesome deal. My first bass was a foundation. It was black with a matching black head stock.

I got it for Christmas when I was like 8 or 9. I’m not sure where it went and decided a few weeks ago to get another one after all these years.

Mines a 86 sunburst. I’m not usually a sunburst fan, but I really like how the bass looks.

But man, my jaw hit the floor when I plugged it in and played it. It sounds amazing. I had a great bass from the start and didn’t even know it at the time.

 

[Runnerman]

Super great deal on an 80's Foundation! Congratulations.
And Sunburst/Tobacco Burst are not a common color.
That is the best era of the Foundation. Enjoy! And join the USA Peavey Club.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Awesome deal. My first bass was a foundation. It was black with a matching black head stock.

I got it for Christmas when I was like 8 or 9. I’m not sure where it went and decided a few weeks ago to get another one after all these years.

Mines a 86 sunburst. I’m not usually a sunburst fan, but I really like how the bass looks.

But man, my jaw hit the floor when I plugged it in and played it. It sounds amazing. I had a great bass from the start and didn’t even know it at the time.

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Basses can be like girlfriends, you realize how great they were when they are long gone!

 

[DWBass]

Dammit man!! Why can't I ever find deals like that around here!?!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Dammit man!! Why can't I ever find deals like that around here!?!

You are too busy gigging in a great, money making band!

 

[TinIndian]

Bought this 1989 Peavey Foundation yesterday for $100. I didn't need another bass; I've already got quite a few and play my favorites 9 times out of 10. In fact, I just bought an '88 StingRay a couple of weeks ago that I'm still getting to know. But then I remembered that several esteemed TalkBass regulars rave about USA-made Peaveys, and how undervalued they are. If I remember correctly it was @Dr.Cheese who wrote something to the effect of "if you can find a serviceable 80's Foundation, grab it."

So, I checked it out. It was rusty, filthy, and has nicks and knocks all over, plus a little buckle rash. It had two different brands of strings, both corroded, and has a little split at the bottom of the neck. Truss rod cover long gone. Jack is loose and pulls away from the body. In other words, not too promising. Then I plugged it in. MAN, those super ferrite pickups are something! Now I know why people love these instruments--the sound is incredible!

Being a rational guy I rationalized that I spent $900 for the StingRay and $100 for the Foundation, which averages out to $500 each for two American-made vintage basses. How could I pass up bargains like that?

Check it out:
View attachment 3431133
View attachment 3431130
View attachment 3431134 View attachment 3431135
View attachment 3431140 View attachment 3431139 PS -- Anyone know where to get a replacement truss rod cover?

You may want to check the date in that one. It is a few years older than an 89. I'd lay money that it is an 86, maybe an 85 or 87 but right in that range. The bridge gives it away, its the older trapezoidal shaped one. It has two original knobs on it and one replacement. Great Score!

 

[godofthunder59]

You did good! Great bass.

 

[roller]

You can fight your way out of a bar with that thing.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Appears you might have a Foundation that was built through some transition time OR had a couple nicer hardware items added to go with the transparent sunburst finish.

I have an '87 Foundation "S" I bought new in '87, then ordered a fretless neck for it that has a matching serial number. Mine has the same bridge as yours with the big saddle barrels which stopped around 88 or 89. Yours (and mine) have the nicer Schaller half enclosed tuners with the sculpted thick keys (rather than the thinner flat key tuners with open gears). That's an 88 or earlier feature, and may have stopped even sooner on some opaque paint models.

Yours has the bar type string tree where mine has the triangle. The bar type began somewhere around 90. I'm thinking that bass may be an 89, but has the nicer tuners and bridge to go along with the sunburst finish. One more thing; mine has the exact same knobs as yours. Those appear to be original to your bass with the rubber grip ring missing off the tone knob. I think those were first used in '85, because I had an '84 that had metal knobs. The "speed knobs" with the rubber grip ring ended in 88 - 90 time frame.

Is a nice bass, especially for the price.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

Damn, that is a really nice deal. I had a Foundation years ago, it’s the only bass I’ve owned that I really regret getting rid of. Great instruments.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Appears you might have a Foundation that was built through some transition time OR had a couple nicer hardware items added to go with the transparent sunburst finish.

I have an '87 Foundation "S" I bought new in '87, then ordered a fretless neck for it that has a matching serial number. Mine has the same bridge as yours with the big saddle barrels which stopped around 88 or 89. Yours (and mine) have the nicer Schaller half enclosed tuners with the sculpted thick keys (rather than the thinner flat key tuners with open gears). That's an 88 or earlier feature, and may have stopped even sooner on some opaque paint models.

Yours has the bar type string tree where mine has the triangle. The bar type began somewhere around 90. I'm thinking that bass may be an 89, but has the nicer tuners and bridge to go along with the sunburst finish. One more thing; mine has the exact same knobs as yours. Those appear to be original to your bass with the rubber grip ring missing off the tone knob. I think those were first used in '85, because I had an '84 that had metal knobs. The "speed knobs" with the rubber grip ring ended in 88 - 90 time frame.

Is a nice bass, especially for the price.

Figuring out what goes on each Peavey “is a riddle wrapped inside an enigma,” to quote a famous person.

 

[40Hz]

Dammit man!! Why can't I ever find deals like that around here!?!

Yeah really!

 

[40Hz]

Anyone know where to get a replacement truss rod cover?

First up, congratulations on scoring a really nice bass for not much money. Can’t go wrong with a Peavey.

Peavey used a plain truss rod cover on those. Any standard generic cover you can get off Reverb or similar places should work. Or you can just as easily make one.

 

[JW56789]

This is how smart people who know what they're looking at take advantage of those who don't know what they have. 'Shoot, them old Peaveys ain't worth much, gimme 100 bucks ?'. Done deal. The 'Super Ferrett (!)' pickups aren't my cup of tea ( . . . former owner . . . ), but that's a 3 or 400 dollar bass all day long.

 

[cmcbass]

I share a rehearsal space with someone who has one of these. Unfortunately theirs has no knobs, it's been poorly refinished with some awful textured spray paint, and it just sits in a corner unloved. I feel tempted to plug it in every once in a while because I hear great things about those super ferrite pickups.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I share a rehearsal space with someone who has one of these. Unfortunately theirs has no knobs, it's been poorly refinished with some awful textured spray paint, and it just sits in a corner unloved. I feel tempted to plug it in every once in a while because I hear great things about those super ferrite pickups.

If you play it, that person might want it. Just buy, fix it, and then play it at the practice space.

 

[bigtone23]

Nice score! Super Ferrites are the bomb!
Seems to be a solid 89 based on a couple transitional appointments. This has mostly the cool 80s features: wider lower bout on the body, pinstriped headstock with space logo, trapezoidal bridge with big saddles and the nicer Schaller tuners. The rubber grip speed knobs started happening in 1985 (the early 80s metal P knobs are my favorite).

The 90s stuff is starting to show, particularly the 3-string tree bar and the black neck plate with black screws. By the early 90s, more of the hardware was clearly imported--the bridge became a cheaper, rectangle with 'normal' sized saddles, nondescript chrome dome knobs, the headstock pinstripe was gone, the body had slimmer bouts, the logo changed to block letters and the tuners were a cheaper, open gear style. There were open gear tuners used in the 80s that are really nice, though, easily recognized by a hex tension screw at the opposite end of the clover head rod. There is a 50/50 chance that popping the cavity cover will reveal CTS pots. They used 25mm import pots in the 90s Foundations.

I have a black 84 Foundation that will be buried with me. I love that bass.