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Peavey Foundation in Pawn Shop

baddarryl

baddarryl

Oct 26, 2008
1,738
1,537
Cape Fear!
#1
So I went to look at a Godin BG4 to try and figure out what a BG5 would play like. Wow! What a wonderful bass, too bad I can't justify another 4 right now. They wouldn't come off of $500 either. Made me really want to go get that used 5 across town, but I would have to cut into the Disney fund to do it. Can't do that!

So right next to it is a USA Foundation 5 string for $199. I heard of them as being good on TB so I tried it. What a piece of crap. Sounded pretty good, but the electronics made lots of hissing and crackling when adjusted. The action was so high I doubt Jamerson could have played it. I looked down the neck and I bet it had 3/16 or more relief in it. I played it for 2 minutes and said no thanks after being excited to see it at first. I suppose if that neck could be brought back and the electronics (Ferritt) quieted it would be a worthwhile. Is that doable on these? I guess by the time I get it setup right I could have just spent a little more and get a good used one off the shelf. I guess what I am saying is is this gem in the rough or one for the graveyard? Thanks.
 
#3
Good chance a quick shot of contact spray will take care of the electronics. If not, new pots aren't a big deal. But don't tell the pawn shop guys that when you're talking them down from $200. And you should. ;)

AFAIC it's all about that neck. See if they will let you try and adjust the truss rod (hopefully it's easy access). If the truss rod can still be tightened, there's hope to make a player out of it. (EDIT: this is assuming you like the overall feel of the instrument and it has some good acoustic energy, which it had better freak'n have with action so high.) If the truss already feels like it's maxxed out, or if it's just spinning freely... I'd say maybe $10 for parts?

Happy hunting. :bassist:
 
#4
baddarryl said:
So I went to look at a Godin BG4 to try and figure out what a BG5 would play like. Wow! What a wonderful bass, too bad I can't justify another 4 right now. They wouldn't come off of $500 either. Made me really want to go get that used 5 across town, but I would have to cut into the Disney fund to do it. Can't do that!

So right next to it is a USA Foundation 5 string for $199. I heard of them as being good on TB so I tried it. What a piece of crap. Sounded pretty good, but the electronics made lots of hissing and crackling when adjusted. The action was so high I doubt Jamerson could have played it. I looked down the neck and I bet it had 3/16 or more relief in it. I played it for 2 minutes and said no thanks after being excited to see it at first. I suppose if that neck could be brought back and the electronics (Ferritt) quieted it would be a worthwhile. Is that doable on these? I guess by the time I get it setup right I could have just spent a little more and get a good used one off the shelf. I guess what I am saying is is this gem in the rough or one for the graveyard? Thanks.
Click to expand...


Thank you for hating it, seriously. People like you keep used Peavey prices right where we want them!:cool:
 
#5
I picked up an 83 Foundation 4-string for $180 with the original Peavey hardshell case. Quite possibly one of the best basses I've ever owned. The Super Ferrite electronics were dead quiet, aggressive and simply sounded great in a mix.

I'd say the one you played could be brought back to life... Just speculation though...
 
#7
Jefenator said:
Good chance a quick shot of contact spray will take care of the electronics. If not, new pots aren't a big deal. But don't tell the pawn shop guys that when you're talking them down from $200. And you should. ;)

AFAIC it's all about that neck. See if they will let you try and adjust the truss rod (hopefully it's easy access). If the truss rod can still be tightened, there's hope to make a player out of it. (EDIT: this is assuming you like the overall feel of the instrument and it has some good acoustic energy, which it had better freak'n have with action so high.) If the truss already feels like it's maxxed out, or if it's just spinning freely... I'd say maybe $10 for parts?

Happy hunting. :bassist:
Click to expand...

The only reason I hated it was the way it played. I am not a hater as my only bass is a cheap Ibanez Sr300Dx (which I love, btw). They said it was on sale for $199 and will not drop the price. Do you guys think it is worth it for that? If so I'll go get it, I just don't know what the market has brought for these.
 
#8
Without trying it no one can definitively say whether it is worth $200. The experience most of us have had with Peavey basses(and particularly Foundations) would say it probably is. I have three Four strings that I bought off ebay or at pawn shops, and everyone has been easy to adjust into great playing shape. Personally I would be willing to take the risk, especially if it is fitted with the Super Ferrite pickups. Odds are, if you couldn't adjust it, you could part it out on ebay and make nearly $200 or more. That said, I can't imagine letting my Foundations go. If you take the time and set it up right, you will find it is an extraordinary bass.
 
#9
This just sounds like a bass that has been sitting around neglected for a long time. A little work may well bring you a great playing and sounding bass. The only question, as others have said, is if the neck can be adjusted to give you the action you'd like. I would gamble $199 if I were in the market, but it all depends on whether it's worth it to you.
 
#10
baddarryl said:
The only reason I hated it was the way it played. I am not a hater as my only bass is a cheap Ibanez Sr300Dx (which I love, btw). They said it was on sale for $199 and will not drop the price. Do you guys think it is worth it for that? If so I'll go get it, I just don't know what the market has brought for these.
Click to expand...
When I tried my Brice 6 string at the Rondo store manyyears ago the action was, I'm not kidding, like 1/2 inch off the neck at the 12th fret. Sounded great though, and looked the part as well. A good setup (best I've ever done) later and the thing plays like BUTTER! People who have tried it ad GTGs are astounded that it only cost me $168 as new wall-hanger.

I've been playing long enough and know how to do setups so I took the chance on it when I bought it. I thought there was about a 90% chance I could make it sing, and I was right! Your pawn shop foundation 5 is waiting for somebody like me.
 
#11
I learned how set up a bass on my Foundation 5.
I bought it from CL for $100.
Pretty good bow in the neck and several paint chip dings and way high action but it was a $100 American made 5 string.:hyper:and the electrics were all good.
Took it home and had the neck straight in a few hours.
The end of the truss rod adjuster was a bit stripped so I had to carefully adjust it. I did it off the body to make sure the neck was straight.

It took several tries at the bridge before I got the intonation correct and the action low. That is more to my lack of skill than aything wrong with the bass.
Mine has an aditional adjustment behind the base of the neck so you can get the action perfect without shimming. My SX Jazz can't do that:bawl:

Mine does have a good B which is actually less floppy than on my Dean Playmate 5. Which is a full 24 fretboard. Even with low action I keep it rumbling pretty fast without any unwanted fret noise.
 
#13
baddarryl said:
The only reason I hated it was the way it played. I am not a hater as my only bass is a cheap Ibanez Sr300Dx (which I love, btw). They said it was on sale for $199 and will not drop the price. Do you guys think it is worth it for that? If so I'll go get it, I just don't know what the market has brought for these.
Click to expand...

I replied to your pm with all the info you need to check out the neck.

And you are getting sound advice on the thread as well.

Good luck.:cool:
 
#16
A couple of weeks ago I picked up a sweet 79 USA Fury for $100. The setup on it was terrible - the action a half inch off the fretboard and the neck had a huge up bow. It had sat like this for several years. I spent a good week coaxing the neck back to flat and tweaking the action. It's really smoothed out now. A new set of strings and I'll have me a real player. Those old Peaveys can be a lot of fun.
 
#17
I just bought a '93 Foundation 5 from a fellow TBer off CL for $150. It is the first fiver I have been able to play comfortably and then I noticed something really suprising: It sounds great! It came with Lo-Riders and has that great Precision sound with a bridge Pup to boot!

Now I am stalking a Foundation and a Patriot in a local pawn shop.
 
#18
Ok I picked it up $200 out the door (I hope I didn't get shanked). It has the Super Ferrites. Red with Maple fretboard, not beat up at all really. Just normal scratches from being played. The tone pot is noisy and I think the neck pickup volume pot is bad (no reaction from it). Am I correct that this thing has volume, volume, tone right? Also came with a brand new tags on it MBT nylon hard case. Am I correct that it has 2 adjustments for the truss rod? One at the headstock and one at the neck joint? Haven't looked yet. Serial number is 05914305 if someone wouldn't mind telling me what year it is. I will post pics later. Thanks everyone, hopefully I can resurrect this baby. The Super Ferrits is what got me! Wow that 5th string is gonna take some getting used to.
 
#19
There's no guitar with truss rod adjustment at both the neck heel and the headstock. It probably has it at the hezdstock. Don't adjust it until you've read about doing a setup here. You can damage the bass if you don't know what you're doing. I don't know what the electronics are, I would guess volumb/blend/tone.
 
#20
You've got a 1992 model, according to the table of Peavey serial numbers at the end of this article on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Peavey_guitars

And here's a thread on TB with all kinds of info about Foundation basses: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458406

I recently lucked into a 1995 Foundation 4 for a hundred bucks on craigslist. Made in USA, exceptional build quality, mint neck, and a sound sometimes referred to as a "jazz bass on steroids." It's a keeper. Yours probably will be, too.
 

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