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Peavey MegaBass Club
- Thread starter Stev187
- Start date
I bought a Megabass with a Peavey 15" BW cab and a homemade 2x10 off our guitarist's dad in about 1990. It came in a good half flight case that it still lives in today. We trailed it all round Ireland for about 15 years and during this time it never failed, despite being in a van that went on fire, having a lot of beer poured over the flight case and being dropped from time to time. It doesn't get out so much these days but was totally reliable and very loud. I don't think I ever had the volume past 4 or 5 no matter where we were playing. Here it is getting a run out a couple of years ago:
I just bought one today at the flea market down the road. It turns on and lights up . That's all I know, should it work or I need to further test it? I was going to sell it sooner or later as I'm a six string guitar guy and doubt I'll have a use for it .
Got a cab? Yeah you should plug that baby in and throw something at it, esp if you're selling it.
It's a great utility amp also... Bi-amps, pretty useful chorus if you go easy with it. Odd and not so great eq, esp for bass, but that's easy enough to work around.
New Megabass owner here! I got it for $70 off of craigslist last week. I bought a padded rack bag to make it easier to transport to band rehearsal. I have enjoyed practicing with it and I find the power to be impressive! Sadly, there is a problem.
Sometimes while I'm playing, the amp will crackle lightly then the sound will fade out. Usually, the sound will return suddenly if I turn the gain knob all the way down then all the way up. Tonight, it did the same thing but the sound did not immediately come back.
The power light stays lit and the amp has done the same thing with three different bass guitars and different cables.
Have any of you bass dudes experienced a similar issue with your Megabass? I really like this beast of an amp and hope to fix it without spending a bunch of money.
Thanks in advance
Did you get it fixed?View attachment 820888
New Megabass owner here! I got it for $70 off of craigslist last week. I bought a padded rack bag to make it easier to transport to band rehearsal. I have enjoyed practicing with it and I find the power to be impressive! Sadly, there is a problem.
Sometimes while I'm playing, the amp will crackle lightly then the sound will fade out. Usually, the sound will return suddenly if I turn the gain knob all the way down then all the way up. Tonight, it did the same thing but the sound did not immediately come back.
The power light stays lit and the amp has done the same thing with three different bass guitars and different cables.
Have any of you bass dudes experienced a similar issue with your Megabass? I really like this beast of an amp and hope to fix it without spending a bunch of money.
Thanks in advance
1 common problem is a bad solder joint on the eq capacitor bank on the small front ckt board.
Let me know and I'll try to help.
Eddie
Thank you, Eddie. Strangely enough, the problem disappeared! It's been a couple weeks and it has been perfect ever since.
Nothing about my setup changed so I can't claim to have fixed the problem.
Now that this baby works so perfectly I can understand the respect that the Megabass has! If it ever acts up again I'll look at the EQ capacitor you mentioned.
Thanks again.
Hi all! I had an amp of another brand go down this week that I had mounted in my rack, so I dug around in my equipment room and found my old mega bass amp. I bought the thing new in '86 or 87, toured with it for about five years, then put it in storage. My brother used it for violin in a club band for about another 7 years, then gave it back to me after he got another amp. Since then it's sat in a road case in storage, where I honestly forgot about it. I dug it out today to use as a spare until I get my other amp fixed, not even sure that it still worked. I plugged it in and was amazed that it still sounded good! The chorus has a little distortion, and some of the sliders are a little scratchy, but it seems to run fine, and sounds good for such an old amp. I had no idea there was any interest for these amps anymore, but I can understand seeing how they still sound good. They don't sound as modern as the amps of today, but I'm still impressed with how loud it can get and solid feeling it is. In fact, I think I might use it at a gig this coming weekend. I'll put some pictures up of it later, I need to clean it up and make it pretty first though.
I've still got my classic MegaBass amp, and it's working well, but I still have not managed to locate one of the biamp Peavey cabs that were out when this puppy was new. My major problem is that most of them that do pop up tend to be way too far away for pick up, and shipping is cost-prohibitive (they are fairly large and heavy). So...if anyone here knows of a 1516, 1810, 1820 or 3620 Peavey cab for sale in TEXAS, please PM me. Have truck, will travel for the right deal!
Just aquired this one and am astounded by the sound. Crossover is set to 300, lows are going into the big cab with a 15, a 12 and two three inch tuning ports, highs go to the peavey 210sx sealed cab.
Wow, I gigged mine last weekend for the first time in many, many years. I have an ampeg system which is the end of all amps in my opinion, and a gk rig, with the mb800 being the power for that one. I only powered a gk410 cab for the gig, but I was blown away on how powerful and clean the mega bass was. I sub for the band I played with, but the last time I gigged I used the exact same rig, but used the mb800 for power. It might have been going bad then, but I just couldn't get a clear tone that cut the room or for stage use that night, and that was playing an active bass with emg pups and preamp, which is about as clear and punchy as you can get.
Fast forward and the rig sounded thunderous, punchy, and growly with the pbass I used and the mega bass, which seemed to have headroom for days. I simply cannot believe I got this power from a 200watt head.
I'll post a pic of the rig I used as well.
Fast forward and the rig sounded thunderous, punchy, and growly with the pbass I used and the mega bass, which seemed to have headroom for days. I simply cannot believe I got this power from a 200watt head.
I'll post a pic of the rig I used as well.
Attachments
Well folks, I can stop whining about never being able to find a 1516 to pair up with my classic MegaBass amp! Guitar Center had one listed online at one of their stores for the ridiculous low price of $119.99. With shipping (AND state tax!) it came to $159.19. I don't know how GC can ship a 75 pound cab for the insane price of $27.07, but I'm not complaining! It was rated "Good", which according to the description online means that it is in good used condition, with all functions operating and minor wear present. GC has always had a very liberal return policy, so if there's anything I don't like about it, they send a pickup tag and even pay return shipping. How can you lose on a deal like that?
Anyway, I'm very excited at the prospect of actually pairing up the classic MegaBass with one of the original cabs that was designed to go with it, in order to utilize the biamp capability. I don't intend to ever play out on this rig, I'm just going to enjoy having it around at home and plumbing the depths of one of Peavey's classic amp and cab designs.
I will post pics of the two together when the 1516 arrives. I can hardly wait!
Anyway, I'm very excited at the prospect of actually pairing up the classic MegaBass with one of the original cabs that was designed to go with it, in order to utilize the biamp capability. I don't intend to ever play out on this rig, I'm just going to enjoy having it around at home and plumbing the depths of one of Peavey's classic amp and cab designs.
I will post pics of the two together when the 1516 arrives. I can hardly wait!
Hi Eldoryder - I saw your post months ago about looking for a 1516 and I wanted to tell you I had one for sale, but I'm here in the People's Republic of Massachusetts and there was no way I could ship the thing to Texas for GC's price, so I didn't say anything. Glad you found one, they're great.
Just got my first megabass today. I'll upload pics as soon as I get it mounted in my rack. A friend GAVE IT TO ME! Well, I did some mechanic work to his van and the head and a trace Elliott 15 cab was payment. I have played around with it a little here at home using just the 15 and I am impressed! My firebass 700 just might end up as a back up now. There's no way this thing is only 200w per channel, it's super freaking loud.
Just wanted to post on here since I found the club while researching the amp. I can't wait till I get to practice and really crank this sucker!
Just wanted to post on here since I found the club while researching the amp. I can't wait till I get to practice and really crank this sucker!
It's a powerful beast alright. I'd make the suggestion of finding an external eq tho use along with, just because that graphic on the Mega is a little odd, not optimal at all for bass. But other than that it's a great amp.
Great find, you will find its a great little (but heavy) amp.
I gigged one yesterday at a jam with a GK 212 cab. Still sounds great after all those years, and I can quickly dial in a good sound. Yesterday I gigged a replica '55 Precision and it sounded great.
I gigged one yesterday at a jam with a GK 212 cab. Still sounds great after all those years, and I can quickly dial in a good sound. Yesterday I gigged a replica '55 Precision and it sounded great.
I had one for a while, really liked it... So the eq trip isn't everything. But I still prefer a different eq.
Awesome stuff. I just used my Megabass and a 1516 at practice the other day. Didn't feel like getting the gear out of the trailer. Man it just pounds and with the biamp feature it just seems to cut through the mix in the high register.
Can't believe it is still going after all these years.
Can't believe it is still going after all these years.
