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NBD: Peavey TL-Five

#21
The bridge looks to be an ABM. It was not standard equipment on any Peavey TL model that I am aware of. However, it may have been an option or it may have been installed on very late model TL-Five basses. The Cirrus line uses ABM bridges from the factory, and they installed an ABM bridge on my Axcelerator 6. ABM bridges are very expensive, but I personally don't like them. A major PITA to set up, and they don't work well with non-tapered strings.
 
#22
Philbiker said:
The bridge looks to be an ABM. It was not standard equipment on any Peavey TL model that I am aware of. However, it may have been an option or it may have been installed on very late model TL-Five basses. The Cirrus line uses ABM bridges from the factory, and they installed an ABM bridge on my Axcelerator 6. ABM bridges are very expensive, but I personally don't like them. A major PITA to set up, and they don't work well with non-tapered strings.
Click to expand...

Hmm I need to look and see what bridge is on my Axcelerator 6. Anyone know when those were made?
Sorry for the hijack Stuart. :hiding:
 
#25
Congrats StuartV!

Looks just like my new acquisition!

I am nuts over this TL...my first 5er in a LONG while. I've NEVER had a bass with such LOW ACTION! The bridge is amazing....a saddle inside of another saddle!

When I bought it, I was told that the bridge was a CUSTOM ORDERED PART direct through the Peavey factory! I forget the brand though....

ENJOY your new found beauty!

SANY0331.jpg
 
#27
Cool, ajish4! We got twins! :D

And that appears to be the same bridge as on mine. I really wonder now if they made some later models with that bridge, or if there were just a bunch of guys that decided to order Cirrus bridges to put on the TLs...

Enjoy yours, too!
 
#28
Does Peavey still offer support for TL-5's. I've got a 2'nd gen. with the humbuckers and sweep mid pre. There is a point on mine where if the mids are in "boost mode" turned up, a loud pop sounds at a certain point in the sweep cycle. It's real loud, frighteningly so! Does Peavey still sell this pre-amp? Or maybe just the stacked pot mid control if that's the problem source. Aside from this small problem I love my TL-5, just sold a Fender Roscoe Beck 5. Never played it much, but the Tim Landers bass is the keeper between the two of them.
 
#29
Mike, it's interesting that you say that.

When I played with my TL5 at lunch, just for about 2 minutes, I noticed that when I played with the bass boost/cut, there seemed to be 2 spots on the boost side of the adjustment that popped when I turned the knob through that spot. It seemed like it only did it when I was turning it up (i.e. Clockwise), too. I don't think it popped when I turned the knob back down through the same spots. Hmmmmm...
 
#30
So I see the Axcelerator looks like its first year was 1993, which was the last year for the TL5. Still haven't found out when the first year for the Cirrus was but It sure looks like StuartV has a factory installed bridge on his.

edit: looks like 1999 was the first rear for the Cirrus.
 
#31
StuartV said:
Maybe MNAirhead will poke his head in here and shed some light. I asked him once about the bridge on my G-V and his reply suggested that possibly different years came with different bridges. But I can see that this bridge is different than the one on a red TL-Five he sold on here last year.
Click to expand...


your bass is my favorite era... last one I had sold for stupid big money.

at the end of the production they shipped with ABM

====

Support - yes the staff will support this.

Tim
b
 
#33
StuartV said:
The bridge doesn't look stock? Is yours possibly different because it's the older model with Super Ferrite pickups? I was told this bass is all original.

I had to pay sales tax, buying it from a GC, so my total was $550, delivered (in its OHSC).
Click to expand...

maybe the bridge was for the last gen of the tls mine is has a dif logo too , this latter bridge is much better , i don't like that one that I have on mine I am about to switch it for ages as the height screw is rust and doesn't move anymore , good one
 
#34
Mike Carr said:
Does Peavey still offer support for TL-5's. I've got a 2'nd gen. with the humbuckers and sweep mid pre. There is a point on mine where if the mids are in "boost mode" turned up, a loud pop sounds at a certain point in the sweep cycle. It's real loud, frighteningly so! Does Peavey still sell this pre-amp? Or maybe just the stacked pot mid control if that's the problem source. Aside from this small problem I love my TL-5, just sold a Fender Roscoe Beck 5. Never played it much, but the Tim Landers bass is the keeper between the two of them.
Click to expand...
Same thing happens on the USA Millenniums.

Since we now know that there are two TL5s with that bridge, I'll bet Peavey just started using them at one point. I agree, I have one on my cirrus and they are a pain to set up. I like the hipshot style A on my Millennium 5 much better.
 
#35
StuartV...Great looking TL-5. I have yet to meet one that didn't play well and do almost all the sounds I needed. Most TL-5s came with the Schaller roller bridge.

The 3 mounting holes on the ABM bridge measure 1 1/8"center to center with the center hole centered on the base plate. The base plate is 3 23/32" wide.

The 3 mounting holes on the Schaller roller bridge measure 1 1/16"center to center with the center hole not centered on the base plate. The center hole is 1/8" off center to the bass side due to the way the saddles are made. The base plate is 3 3/8" wide.

The two bridges are not direct replacements for each other. Holes would need to be plugged. If you ever take the ABM off and see plugged holes and the impression of a smaller bridge in the paint, the ABM is after market but I think MNAirHead is correct about the the end of production getting ABMs. I like the Schallers for being easier to adjust but the ABM is a mighty fine piece of work.

On the pot noise, I've never seen one (that wasn't physically broken) that couldn't be fixed with some pot cleaner and vigorous rotation. Most likely the pops occur where the pot was left in one position for a long period of time. The pcb is easy to remove but some wires may need to be de-soldered. With the age of the product I seriously doubt any parts are available. If you call or e-mail Peavey service, ask for Steve.

mech
 
#38
Well, I don't think I'm going to have to worry about it. The setup on this bass just needs an intonation and it will be spot-on. And I really like it!

It weighs the same as my G&L 2500. 10.5 pounds.

The neck feels about halfway between my G-V (fairly thin) and my G&L (chunky). I don't LOVE the feel of the glossy back of the neck, but it's not bad. So far, I haven't noticed it feeling tacky.

The sound is very similar to my G-Bass with the Millennium preamp in it. I definitely prefer it to the sound of my stock G-V. But, the TL has a warmth (for lack of a better word) that the G-Bass tone doesn't have.

I have another Millennium preamp coming (should be tomorrow, I think) to go in my G-V. With that, I suspect it will become my main "clean" 5-string (because of the lighter weight and the neck). But, I'll just have to wait and see, I reckon. My "dirty" 5-string is still my G&L. It has a growl that the Peavey pickups just don't seem to produce.
 
#39
Hi StuartV and yes nice bass. You will enjoy it very much.

I purchased a TL6 in 1994, but stupidly sold it in 2004 in favor of the Cirrus 6. I love the Cirrus 6, and perfer it to the TL6, but it was a mistake to sell it and I still kick myself for do so...
 

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