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Peavey MegaBass Club

#441
Ah... A Crate BT-350. I remember those bein pretty sweet, too. My first good set of cabs were Crate. An 18/210 and a 215. Bout the same years as the BT. Good stuff back then. It has chorus like the MegaBass, right. I remember thinking that was a cool feature! Well, I got everything home during a slow week. I looked inside this head, dirty. Does Peavey still work on these MegaBass amps? Not saying mine needs it, but I'd love to have it gone thru, made 100% and use it forever. Ha! Oh, and pics were mentioned... IMG_20171024_082813662.jpg
 
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#444
Found a guy in town says he can help me get it cleaned up and running right. That's a good thing. I used it again at rehearsal, and it was excellent. I will admit, I had a bigger show that I set the Peavey up for. But, a couple gear snobs got in my head, and I used the Demeter. But? I then brought all my gear home. Set up my main rig to do some comparing. The differences between my 4 amps are absolutely minimal. I can get the Demeter's tone out of the Peavey, and vice versa. So, I feel a bit bad that I didn't use the Peavey, my own weakness, I suppose. By the way, Count, my 400s is the same one I got from you a few years ago. Kinda beat on the outside, but inside the best of these I've ever owned. I used it last night with a 15 and it was great! I am blessed. My rigs work. But I am fascinated by the MegaBass. I haven't experimented any more with the D.I. But that's coming. I'll set a board up here, level match settings for D.I. outs, then I'll know more what I'm doing. I've a feeling miking my cabs will offer the best, most consistent results. But I'm gonna figure out a way to use it. If I can.
 
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#445
The Nameless said:
Found a guy in town says he can help me get it cleaned up and running right. That's a good thing. I used it again at rehearsal, and it was excellent. I will admit, I had a bigger show that I set the Peavey up for. But, a couple gear snobs got in my head, and I used the Demeter. But? I then brought all my gear home. Set up my main rig to do some comparing. The differences between my 4 amps are absolutely minimal. I can get the Demeter's tone out of the Peavey, and vice versa. So, I feel a bit bad that I didn't use the Peavey, my own weakness, I suppose. By the way, Count, my 400s is the same one I got from you a few years ago. Kinda beat on the outside, but inside the best of these I've ever owned. I used it last night with a 15 and it was great! I am blessed. My rigs work. But I am fascinated by the MegaBass. I haven't experimented any more with the D.I. But that's coming. I'll set a board up here, level match settings for D.I. outs, then I'll know more what I'm doing. I've a feeling miking my cabs will offer the best, most consistent results. But I'm gonna figure out a way to use it. If I can.
Click to expand...
That's cool you still have that little beastie! Sound-wise it's one of my favs ever, I just never got all the way down with it I guess, that 31 Hz thing, I let it get in the way. Eh, anyway I'm glad it's getting the right kind of use!

Fun to follow your amplification adventures! Staying tuned...
 
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#446
Ha! I know what you mean about 31hz and below. That 400s moves speakers. No doubt. But, I've learned tricks over the years, to keep it tight. My old trick of bringing in those frequencies from full cut helps. The limiter, in concert with cutting those lows, and replacing them with frequencies an octave up, really works well. I trade 31 for 63, or 120. This amp taught me TONS about EQ over the years. Adding decibels. And psycho-acoustics. I almost think the 400s should be a required piece for young players. Got to spend a year with this amp, learn how to get independent from gear. But even with my knowledge, the 400s is an amp I can only use in certain situations of mine. Getting it up about half on the volume is as loud as I'll use it. But that is loud with 2 15s. And, if I want it's versatility with more guts? Running the preamp out to my Crown works well. Conversely, if I run my Demeter into it's effects returns, it turns into a mighty power amp. Almost as strong as my Crown. And that illustrates class AB amps versus digital amps. To me. And that's where the MegaBass confounds me. Digital, rated at about half the watts or less of my other rigs, and it's as loud, or louder, than my other rigs. And, as much louder as it appears than my 400s, the speakers at high volumes move less. When I was young, the 400s and MegaBass were direct competitors. I coulda bought either, but got the 400s cuz of features. And the more refined tone it has. But? I don't know if I'd make the same choice today. Heh. But it's the variable D.I. out on the 400s that is so valuable to me. Having independent control over my stage and FOH levels makes my job easy. On the other hand, the Peavey is far stronger than many of the PA systems I run thru. So I wouldn't need to be in the PA. Ha! Gear is fun. Options are limitless. And now I think I'll plug in. Play a bit. Heh. An have some fun buggin my neighbors. Ha!
 
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#447
I'd like to join if this is still active. I currently run a Megabass as my primary amp but also have a Trace Elliot AH350SMX that I use on occasion.
I also have a question about the best way to hook up effects to it. I have a Digitech Bass Synth Wah and I'd like to run the effects out side of the pedal to the amp as well as the clean out.
I don't have picture right now but I can grab one next rehearsal. I've tried lots of amps over the years but I keep coming back to the Peavey, it just gives me the sound I've worked to achieve without coloring my tone
 
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#448
GHBunce said:
I'd like to join if this is still active. I currently run a Megabass as my primary amp but also have a Trace Elliot AH350SMX that I use on occasion.
I also have a question about the best way to hook up effects to it. I have a Digitech Bass Synth Wah and I'd like to run the effects out side of the pedal to the amp as well as the clean out.
I don't have picture right now but I can grab one next rehearsal. I've tried lots of amps over the years but I keep coming back to the Peavey, it just gives me the sound I've worked to achieve without coloring my tone
Click to expand...


Join away and welcome to the Frey! We all love the sleeper aspect of this amp here and how versatile it is for gigging. If you have any stories regarding your megabass, we would love to hear them!
 
#449
GHBunce said:
I'd like to join if this is still active. I currently run a Megabass as my primary amp but also have a Trace Elliot AH350SMX that I use on occasion.
I also have a question about the best way to hook up effects to it. I have a Digitech Bass Synth Wah and I'd like to run the effects out side of the pedal to the amp as well as the clean out.
I don't have picture right now but I can grab one next rehearsal. I've tried lots of amps over the years but I keep coming back to the Peavey, it just gives me the sound I've worked to achieve without coloring my tone
Click to expand...

Welcome.
You can run effects in the effects loop (Insert) or between your instrument and the amp input. You could use an A-B switch or a small mixer to combine both effect and the clean out on your Pedal ether place. Not all A-B boxes are equal though. There may be other ways to do this that I'm not aware of.
Below is a link to the MegaBass Manual w/ the very helpful Block Diagram, if you don't already have it. Feal free to ask more questions and we'll try to help.

https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/megabasspdf-pdf.2792568/

Good Luck
**Peace**
Eddie
 
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#451
GHBunce said:
Awesome, thanks. I'm going to try and connect it thru the effects send/return, which I assume requires a TRS to dual TS cable. I know when I plugged straight into the send/return from the pedal out with a TS cable I got no sound from the amp at all. I'll reference the manual to verify my assumptions.
Click to expand...
You're correct in your assumptions, I believe.
Have fun
 
#457
Anemic_SluG said:
So I am trying to figure something out and maybe this is the place for therapy.
I am the original owner of a Peavey megabass and a 1516 cab. I have had it since the late 80’s, but it hasn’t seen the light of day or use for a year and my usual rule is if I don’t use it, it should be sold. But it’s my first real amp ever and has seen clubs up and down the west coast.
But I don’t see myself bringing it out again so it’s just a big box shoved in the corner.
Oh what to do???
Click to expand...

Sell it to me, LOL.... : )
 
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#459
GHBunce said:
Awesome, thanks. I'm going to try and connect it thru the effects send/return, which I assume requires a TRS to dual TS cable. I know when I plugged straight into the send/return from the pedal out with a TS cable I got no sound from the amp at all. I'll reference the manual to verify my assumptions.
Click to expand...

The effects loop of the Peavey uses an insert cable. I've learned a trick or two with those. I used to run a pedal delay on a Mackie board for front of house in a band a long time ago. Pedal delay for vocals, you say? Ha! Yup. Singers fave pedal, I had to learn to use it. So, the board I was using had insert capability. I plugged one TR, NOT TRS, cable into the vocal channel's insert, but only ONE click. That was the send side, the other end I plugged into the input of the pedal. The outputs of the pedal I "returned" to two other channels. Using the return channels sliders, I could then mix in the delay to the original channels signal, thus creating a poor man's parallel effects loop. The Peavey does not have stereo effects returns, only a mono power amp in signal. But maybe, just using the "send" click of the Peavey's insert style effects loop? You could return a mono signal to the power amp in from your effects device. I'm not sure if the send side of the effects loop includes eq an such from the Peavey. If it doesn't, the preamp out/power amp in on the back can serve an a "post" effects loop, I believe. I'll try a few tricks I know today. And report back. The effects I use are all before my input, so I haven't tried the insert style loop. But I will!
 
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