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Peavey Foundation Fever

Shawn Luckman

Shawn Luckman

Feb 27, 2008
2,522
3,978
Bolton,Lancs UK
#1
Last Sunday I bought a 1992 Peavey Foundation as an early 50th birthday present to myself. And other reasons such as it was American made in the classic Black & Maple, with the desirable Super Ferrite pickups & it was cheaper than a "new" Squier . Which is laughable that these basses for now are still overlooked, though prices have been creeping up a little so that may change.
Since then I have read as much information as I can find, a lot of it is here at TB & I'm still reading & learning about these amazing basses. Today I spent some quality time with this bass playing it through, my Fender Rumble 200 combo & a lot of people cannot be wrong the SF pickups sound great. I am amazed at everything from the build quality, to the fit & finish 25 years on and the bass is still solid. I know that maybe some corners were cut to keep the price low, tuners & bridge and pots maybe/

It could be said that I'm in the "honeymoon period" but I am starting to understand the love that some bassists have for the Foundation. The thin neck on this bass has took a bit of getting used to, but it does feel comfortable in my hand now & that can only get better.
The fact that my Foundation is battered from it's last 25 years of use again is not a problem, as I don't have the worry of it getting banged etc. Something I worry about with my 2014 Am.Std Precision, which now resides on it's stand while the Peavey gets the playing time.
As I have said before I have always had a soft spot for American made Peavey basses, & this Foundation bass has put a big smile on my face.
How many more TB members out there have a Foundation bass or a fondness for them and other American made Peavey basses, from the 70's to the 90's.
 
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#5
My '90 Foundation very quickly became my go-to bass. I picked up an '89 last night to keep it company :). Also have an '87 Patriot, can't get enough vintage Peavey goodness.

Mine also get played through a Rumble :).
 
#6
Aahzz said:
My '90 Foundation very quickly became my go-to bass. I picked up an '89 last night to keep it company :). Also have an '87 Patriot, can't get enough vintage Peavey goodness.

Mine also get played through a Rumble :).
Click to expand...

I saw the pic of your white foundation, it looked in good condition for its age :). I can't put this bass down at the moment my Am.Std cost 5 times more, yet my foundation is getting all the play time :D.
 
#7
I have a Foundation fretless (which may be 1987?) with super ferrites and rosewood f/board. I have had this for 24 years and it's most unlikely I would give it up.
I had an issue today with the bridge p/u reduced to a feeble thin output! Some years ago I tried to replace missing knobs and 'pushed' the pot too far in and the pot came apart! I pushed the pot back together and all worked fine. Now I am only getting decent output and end of cw travel and having to wiggle its bit! Pot looks ok but I expect it still has damage.
Time for a new pot?
 
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#9
Well just over 2 months of owning my Foundation bass & I still have Foundation fever, so much so that I'm started to look for an 83-89 foundation I like the look of the first version better. I've just had the neck on mine worked on as the truss rod had seized plays as good as new now. The Am.Std Precision is still in its case.
 
#11
Andysoundbass said:
.....the extra lead from bridge pup to output jack.
Click to expand...

Can you post a pic? Not sure I've seen this. It may be the ground to the bridge.

The .01uF caps on the Vol controls bleed some sizzle through that is normally lost when the volume is turned down. Otherwise, it should be wired like a typical VVT. The pickups do form a humbucking pair when both volumes are equal.
 
#12
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Andysoundbass said:
Thanks Mech
I noticed they were big ol cts pots. Strange wiring from what I'm used to with caps on every pot n the extra lead from bridge pup to output jack. I guess this is for the humbucking setting when all vols are on full.
Click to expand...
I'd best take some pics b4 to make sure I put back same wiring. But the bass sounds so good!
mech said:
Can you post a pic? Not sure I've seen this. It may be the ground to the bridge.

The .01uF caps on the Vol controls bleed some sizzle through that is normally lost when the volume is turned down. Otherwise, it should be wired like a typical VVT. The pickups do form a humbucking pair when both volumes are equal.
Click to expand...
mech said:
Can you post a pic? Not sure I've seen this. It may be the ground to the bridge.

The .01uF caps on the Vol controls bleed some sizzle through that is normally lost when the volume is turned down. Otherwise, it should be wired like a typical VVT. The pickups do form a humbucking pair when both volumes are equal.
Click to expand...
 

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#13
@Andysoundbass

That extra cable is just your ground from the bridge. My guess is the factory worker felt more confident aiming for the bridge pickup rout than the control cavity. They just ran the ground through the same hole as the pickup wire.

Makes sense when you look at it,you drill from the top so can aim direct into pickup rout. Alternative is angling to the unseen control cavity. Not easy if they were a new start.
 
#14
kodiakblair said:
@Andysoundbass

That extra cable is just your ground from the bridge. My guess is the factory worker felt more confident aiming for the bridge pickup rout than the control cavity. They just ran the ground through the same hole as the pickup wire.

Makes sense when you look at it,you drill from the top so can aim direct into pickup rout. Alternative is angling to the unseen control cavity. Not easy if they were a new start.
Click to expand...

Yep, ground from the bridge.

All the holes in Peavey USA guitars were drilled by CNC machine or air operated drilling fixtures. If you analyze it, it's a shorter path to drill from the bridge to the bridge PU pocket than from the bridge to the control pocket. The through hole for the bridge PU wire had to be there anyway. Small detail to save money but it all adds up. Machine time costs more than a couple of inches of 22 ga wire. As an FYI, I was a mechanical engineer in a past life. :)
 
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#15
Makes sense to me, thanks. Just ordering a replacement cts 250k audio log pot now. I have never wired a ground to bridge myself, the instruments I have made all have wooden bridges and bone saddles - cigar box guitar type stuff. No made a bass yet but of course it's on the bucket list.
 
#16
@Andysoundbass
Not surprised it took you unawares if this is your first time seeing it. None of my 4 Foundations were wired that way,they all have a separate hole drilled for the bridge ground.

@mech
Isn't bridge ground hole to bridge PU cavity the way Peavey did the T 40 ?
 

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