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Peavey T-40 Club Part 2

#61
Josh Pelican said:
Does anyone have any recommendations on how to set it up? I see a lot of bridges that are all positioned differently. The string action was low, but all the strings had fret buzz after the 12th fret.

I realigned them and adjusted the height and they all sound wonderful... but now the action is kind of weird. The strings are really low for the first few frets, but are fairly high after the 12th fret.

I want to have lower action, but no fret buzz!

The intonation is off a bit, too. It could probably use a truss rod adjustment...
Click to expand...

Josh, it seems like the previous owner has the set-up all jacked around. You probably have adjustments that need to be made in the truss rod, intonation, saddle height, and pick-up height. Nothing kills NBD love like a bad set-up.

You really have three options:
  1. Invest some time in researching how to do a proper set-up. There are many books and online resources. It's a great skill to know, especially when you need a quick adjustment.
  2. You can take it to a good tech, who knows his stuff. Sometimes that's hit-or-miss if you just go to the local music store, so weigh heavily on recommendations. Better to pay an extra $10 or $20 than have some imbecile mess up your new T-40.
  3. Combination of the 1 & 2. Find a tech who, not only knows his stuff, but also is cool enough to let you watch what he's doing...explaining as he goes. Then you can combine that with your research and be good to go!
I went with option 3, and only use my tech when I can't get it right myself. He's OK with that, because he knows he is my man, and I only use him. Plus, I pimp him shamelessly. Thanks again, Fender Joe!
 
#62
Josh Pelican said:
Here's the lovely one I got from ebay:

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Does anyone have any recommendations on how to set it up? I see a lot of bridges that are all positioned differently. The string action was low, but all the strings had fret buzz after the 12th fret.

I realigned them and adjusted the height and they all sound wonderful... but now the action is kind of weird. The strings are really low for the first few frets, but are fairly high after the 12th fret.

I want to have lower action, but no fret buzz!

The intonation is off a bit, too. It could probably use a truss rod adjustment...
Click to expand...

Great picture with the dog! One cool thing about setting up these Peavey's is the neck tilt thingie, so don't forget that option in working towards your favorite setup.
 
#64
Josh Pelican said:
Neck tilt? I'm a little new to these basses so you'll have to excuse my ignorance!
Click to expand...

From the T-40/T-60 setup manual:

The neck tilt adjustment works in conjunction with the bridge height adjustment to set the overall string playing height. This adjustment should be used whenever possible to set string height rather than the bridge height adjustment.

A. Relieve string tension slightly by detuning the guitar approximately one or two steps.
B. Loosen the two neck screws closest to the headstock of the guitar approximately one turn.
C. Loosen the remaining two screws closer to the bridge approximately two turns.
D. String height may now be adjusted with the neck tilt screw, which is located inside the small, fifth hole in the neckplate. A 1/8" Allen wrench is used to make this adjustment. Turning the screw clockwise lowers the strings closer to the fingerboard.
E. After adjustment securely tighten all four neck attaching screws.
F. Tune the guitar or bass to standard pitch. Check the strings for proper height and playability. If necessary, repeat steps A through E until action is correct.
Click to expand...

Just in case, notice that the "two screws closest to the headstock" and "two screws closer to the bridge" are the neck attaching screws. Hope this helps.
 
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#67
I tried the whole neck tilt thing and I actually didn't notice anything. The only thing it did was make a gap in the neck pocket, so I put it back to where it was.

Both ways I noted no movement in string height. :(

I just want the strings to be lowered some 'cause the action is a bit wonky. Like I said, it's nice and low from 1-7, then starts getting pretty high.

I think I need to move the bridge saddles a bit, too. Most people seem to have them on an angle, and mine are not. Hell, on most basses they are on an angle...
 
#68
Josh Pelican said:
I tried the whole neck tilt thing and I actually didn't notice anything. The only thing it did was make a gap in the neck pocket, so I put it back to where it was.

Both ways I noted no movement in string height. :(

I just want the strings to be lowered some 'cause the action is a bit wonky. Like I said, it's nice and low from 1-7, then starts getting pretty high.

I think I need to move the bridge saddles a bit, too. Most people seem to have them on an angle, and mine are not. Hell, on most basses they are on an angle...
Click to expand...

My first thought is that the truss rod is too tight and the neck is either very flat or back-bowed (convex). Have you tried fretting your "E" string at the 1st and 15th frets to see where your neck relief is currently set. Without getting the neck relief "right" for your playing style... it will most likely remain "wonky" ... IMHO.

For example...I just picked up an old T-40 with a banana neck. I had never seen so much relief (concave forward bow) in a neck. The prior owner didn't have a truss rod adjusting tool, but was able to use the neck tilt adjustment to make it playable. I fashioned a truss rod adjusting tool in 5 minutes by filing on an old pot metal 5/16" socket. I found that the truss rod was completely loose creating the "banana syndrome." A few turns later, the neck was where I like it. An hour later, the setup was dialed in and the bass was playing like a champ.
 
#72
mech said:
Good pics and good looking guitar. Too bad he gushed so much misinformation.

mech
Click to expand...

To name a few...

"This is a 1978 sunburst T40"
"They may look like Fender saddles, but these things are over 2 inches long."

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Great photos, though of a nice looking Sienna. It almost looks like the first photo is a three-tone, but it's the same bass (grain matches)

Like a younger version of mine!
 
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#74
I took my T-40 strung with flats as a backup to my USA Millennium (it is easier to swap basses then to swap batteries) to an outdoor gig last night (a tent in a cow pasture on Narragansett Bay right across from Newport RI).

Since the first set was heavy with country and country-ish rock (Johnny Cash, Creedence Clearwater Revival) I figured I would use the T-40 for the beginning of the first set and then switch. Never switched because I liked the tone so much: neck pickup only - tone around 5 or 6. :bassist:
 
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#76
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#77
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#80
Jjones32 said:
so i accidentally broke my phase switch today, and i was wondering if any of you guys know specifically what the best replacement would be. (i have a 1979 so it has the smaller flat switches)
Click to expand...

If it broke with it in phase, I wouldn't bother to replace it - I never put the pickups out-of-phase.

That said, I would probably eventually get around to it just so the bass looks good.
 

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