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Peavey "bad wrap"

#144
Logos can make or break a company. I don't care for the pointy Peavey or the block one but I love the gear. A few months ago I was looking at the higher end amps and decided restoring my MKIV would be a better way to go. New tolex, resoldered all solder joints and brought it back to new condition. I love that head. Now I just watch GC used and the mom n pop store in Akron for old Peavey stuff.
 
#145
I had a Mark IV some years ago, and foolishly traded it for a Traynor YBA-1 (45 watts).
Not the tone I was searching for.
The Peavey was a good, solid amp, lots of tonal flexibility, footswitchable dual channel, fairly lightweight.

Peavey gear is so cheap and ubiquitous because they made (and sold) so much of it since the 1980s.
Yes, everyone has had at least one piece of Peavey gear.
How many had bad experiences?
Not too many.

Case in point: our band's PA has been entirely Peavey speaker cabs, and mainly CS1200 amps since the 1990s.
This stuff was bought used form the rental department of the local big music store and has seen some pretty severe duty at some long jam/benefit/fund raiser gigs and has never faltered.

Sure, it's gotten somewhat ratty in appearance (carpeted bass bins) and those old CS1200s are heavy (80 lbs or so), but this stuff just keeps soldiering on, and a decent soundman can make it sound quite good.

Peavey: it's not top of the line, but it's not budget quality gear either.
Moderately priced, well built, and about as reliable as you'll ever see.
Not to mention the fact that the used market availablity is huge, since the stuff hardly ever dies.
It just gets passed around to the next poor musicians in need.

If anything, Peavey's contribution to the music world has left a pretty big footprint, say what you want about the tonal qualities.

As posted previously, it's like a P bass. Not the best tone in the world, but it's still kicking after all these years, and perfectly good for a lot of folks.

It doesn't have the boutique cache many of us aspire to show off, but it's gets you through gigs pretty steady.
 
#146
Downlowd said:
I would say a noob is someone who owns an instrument and doesn't understand its potential. The T-40 is universally recognized by most of the bass community as the the most versatile bass ever produced...
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I'm a little surprised by this statement, even though I'm a Peavey fan. From watching eBay, they seem to be the most coveted of the non-Cirrus models. I never took a good look at T40s, though. Frankly, I never got past the appearance and weight. Will re-evaluate if I have a chance.

I have several mid level basses, Warwick Corvette, Warwick $$, Stingray, but MY favorite bass to play is an old Foundation that I bought for $80. Why??? Because I judge an instrument with my hands and ears, not my eyes or my friends opinion. I suspect that is a trait you will find common with Peavey supporters.
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Here we're in agreement. I own several Foundations; my main fretted bass looks just like the one in your avatar. I think the build quality of the 80s basses was pretty high, even for the entry-level models. They are an incredible value on the used market, thanks to people like our troll friend. Until that changes, I'll keep buying 'em.

In the 90s, it seemed to me that there was a little more differentiation from top to bottom, but my sample is admittedly small. That's also when they started to import more basses.

Amps are a little different story... I think Peavey's reputation for reliable value-oriented gear is well-deserved. One criticism I've had of their cabinets is that most (I've seen) are built with particle board. Part of the value-oriented thing, I suppose, but it contributes to the reputation Peavey MI gear has for being heavy.

They've made some innovative and higher-end amps, but those tended to be short-lived. I'm thinking of products like the DataBass, the BAM, and the ProBass 500. Not sure why this is. These days, I have trouble finding anything to like in Peavey's bass amp lines. I hope that changes, but they can't be all things to all people, I guess.

etechstan said:
Logos can make or break a company. I don't care for the pointy Peavey or the block one but I love the gear.
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I've long suspected the pointy logo was a drag on the brand. This topic has been debated here before, and opinion is divided. I strongly dislike the pointy logo, but like the block logo, so there you go...
 
#147
I guess I'll echo some previously expressed sentiments. It's great gear for the buck and it takes a beating.

I don't think I own anything from Peavey at the moment, but it's floated through over the years. My buddy from my first band 30 years ago still uses a power amp/mixer combo that has never once died in all those years. And back then we pushed that poor little amp hard.

I was a little let down by the Tour 700 that I had as a back up for a few months. Seemed under powered and I just couldn't get the sound I wanted from it. I gave it away to a young player who needed it and he's loved it.

One of the best bass sounds I ever heard was from a guy with a Peavey pre feeding a Crown into an SVT 8X10.

No, the current gear is not on my radar and I have no interest in a T40.

That being said, Peavey makes solid, durable gear. If people are bagging on them, they're just uninformed snobs. Of course, solid and durable are not the terms you would use to describe a hot chick you just have to get with. Try as they might, Peavey won't ever be sexy, but then neither will Carvins. But they will give you decades of faithful, reliable service. Can't say that about either of my sexy ex-wives.

To put it in perspective, I play great 5 strings through a Demeter pre into a Crown into an Avatar 3 way or a Bergantino 410, but I wouldn't turn up my nose at a Peavey backline.
 
#149
In Europe we only saw Peavey amps, not the basses/guitars. While the sound was usable, its overall indestructability was really what made it stand out. In the highly abuse environment of the music school where I used to teach, EVERY other brand amp ('name' brands, often much newer and more expensive gear) needed some sort repair from time to time, but not the busted Peavey Mark III, TNT amps and PA stuff. I won't survive a nuclear war, but those old 70ties Peavey beasts will.
 
#152
Bass_Thumper said:
speaking of logos, I've always like the 70's logo, looks awesome on my black Peavey t-shirt but my favorite logo is the one that they put on their Delta Blues amps. I have no idea why they haven't used that logo all over the place.

Link Removed
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I always forget about that logo; it has pretty limited usage. But I'm with you... it looks pretty good. Might go nicely with the squiggle triangle.

Martin89 said:
What was the timeframe for the block logo?
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Early 90s. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/peavey-logo-i-like-i-dont-530691/index4.html#post9396703
 
#153
BbbyBld said:
Happy to serve the noobs!;)
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You did serve me, 20 years ago with my second amp, an 80's mark IV. The guy I sold it to is STILL using it, and he's def not a noob. The speaker cabs I could go either way, I've had some bad ones (1516) and some good ones (80's 215).

Happy to say you're still serving me. After 20 some years of playing bass I've been using a Windsor head for a few years now. I absolutely love it. Love it. It's the tone i've been searching for for a long time. Distorted but not muddy. Growls yet still lets some of the original "clank" through. I don't care what anyone says, I love my Windsor and i'll never part with it. That being said, can you please make a 300w version? ;)
 
#155
Downlowd said:
And there is the disconnect. I think most "Peavey" people are more concerned with value, playability and sound than coolness.

The fact is, I, like most people, would have been better off spending my money on lessons rather than expensive basses.
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I do think I look cool on stage with my Peavey. It didn't start off as that weird looking of a bass.

Secondly, my guitarists' rigs certainly look cool.
 
#157
After much research & handwringing I have narrowed down my choice for my first head purchase to either a Max 450, Mark VIII or a Firebase. I also plan on using 2 4ohm 4x10 cabs. Of these 3 heads which one has the most features and would be more versitle.
 
#158
tgriley62 said:
After much research & handwringing I have narrowed down my choice for my first head purchase to either a Max 450, Mark VIII or a Firebase. I also plan on using 2 4ohm 4x10 cabs. Of these 3 heads which one has the most features and would be more versitle.
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Of the three heads I own a Mark VIII so I can only speak for it. I love mine, tons of tone options, built in chorus, 600 watts at 2ohms, DI for gigs, effects loop and the list goes on. It's a little bulky, but a really great amp. Just yesterday I was plying it and thought it would be a good idea to put a stock type handle on the side so I could carry it easier. Pound for pound it's one of my favorites. I hope this helps. If you need more info on it shoot me a message.
 
#159
Interesting question. When Peavey first came on the market their products were really cheap. I remember guitars and basses for like $89. And they really were pretty crumby.
They came out of the gate positioning that way and never dug out of the hole.
Maybe it is the name.
I have heard a lot of players say that Peavey makes some good gear. I wouldn't know. I have never even considered owning anything made by Peavey.
To me owning a Peavey bass would be like owning a Pontiac Sunbird. Would probably get you there but you couldn't feel too good about being seen in it.
But then I'm a real snob!
 
#160
Say what you want about Peavey, they made affordable equipment that was built like a tank. My first bass amp was a used TNT 100. I gigged with it and a Fender Rumble 2-10" on top of it until I got my G-K rig. Drove the hell out of it and like a Timex(remember Timex anyone???) it took a licking and kept on ticking! I have a pair of Peavey 18" PA subs, solid as a rock too!!! :bassist:
 

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