• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Peavey T-40 Club Part 2

PeaveyFamilyXmas.JPG

The above pic reminded me of times past. This was my T Family in probably 2006 / 2007. I hate to say that I paid $500...total for all three!...back then. Those were the days!
 
Great, you got a thin Fender.

Not one of my 6 T-40's were thicker than my Fenders :thumbsup:

Interesting that you felt the urge to measure ALL 6 of your T40's in comparison to your Fenders? Not really any kind of game changer when your down to micro-inches in difference. What did you measure it with?...a tape measure? :roflmao:
I went with something accurate when measuring it today.
20210206_125311.jpg
 
I just used my digital calipers to compare. It seems that my blade pickup equipped T-40 and T-45s have thinner bodies than my earlier T-40 body. It came with a neck that had the frets worn flat and dated pre-1980 (can’t remember exact year).

So, my ash T-40 and black T-45 are about 39.5mm thick right below the bridge. My white pre-‘80 body is about 45mm. My 2 MIJ fender P basses are about 42.5mm.

I noticed a pretty radical body shape difference when comparing the pre-‘80 to the later T basses. The white older bass is thicker throughout the middle (bridge to neck) with a drop off behind the bridge (see pics). My other T basses do not have that thicker middle and drop off.
4F397DA2-61E2-4687-B840-F80D9B2B416E.jpeg
DD0CDA9A-D958-45C6-AD04-2F4B5E904452.jpeg
 
I measured where the white mark is 42.4mm which is thicker than the same spot on the G side of the bridge (red mark)..then its at its thickest where the black mark is. Which i would guess is another half mm.
Solid color should add even more thickness....although i dont own one atm.
20210206_135116.jpg
 
Looks cool, but it is crying out for a string-through bridge. Luckily if you decide to go that way, you can sell the BA2 to pay for it. Does it still have the string ferrules on the back? Luckily it looks as though the electronics are intact, and that's certainly a good thing.

I think that an '81 T-40 with a hole in the headstock and replacement bridge selling for $580 bodes very well for when I sell my '79!
 
Looks cool, but it is crying out for a string-through bridge. Luckily if you decide to go that way, you can sell the BA2 to pay for it. Does it still have the string ferrules on the back? Luckily it looks as though the electronics are intact, and that's certainly a good thing.

I think that an '81 T-40 with a hole in the headstock and replacement bridge selling for $580 bodes very well for when I sell my '79!
Yep it still has the string ferrules, just an incompatible bridge :/ Luckily its a damn good one. If I were to try and get a new bridge I'd want the original Peavey one and I doubt the BA2 will cover that (although I have no clue what those go for). Im also afraid that the Peavey bridge wouldn't cover the holes they drilled for the BA2.

Electronics are clean and intact, but the pickguard has warped in a way that makes it difficult to turn some of the knobs. I bet if i can loosen those knobs with an allen key and raise them up a little bit, itll fix that issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bleecker
Yep it still has the string ferrules, just an incompatible bridge :/ Luckily its a damn good one. If I were to try and get a new bridge I'd want the original Peavey one and I doubt the BA2 will cover that (although I have no clue what those go for). Im also afraid that the Peavey bridge wouldn't cover the holes they drilled for the BA2.

Electronics are clean and intact, but the pickguard has warped in a way that makes it difficult to turn some of the knobs. I bet if i can loosen those knobs with an allen key and raise them up a little bit, itll fix that issue.

Glad the ferrules are there. A Peavey bridge is pretty massive and should easily cover the BA2 holes. They seem to go for 50 to 70 bucks but are a bit less common than some other T40 parts.
 
I just used my digital calipers to compare. It seems that my blade pickup equipped T-40 and T-45s have thinner bodies than my earlier T-40 body. It came with a neck that had the frets worn flat and dated pre-1980 (can’t remember exact year).

So, my ash T-40 and black T-45 are about 39.5mm thick right below the bridge. My white pre-‘80 body is about 45mm. My 2 MIJ fender P basses are about 42.5mm.

I noticed a pretty radical body shape difference when comparing the pre-‘80 to the later T basses. The white older bass is thicker throughout the middle (bridge to neck) with a drop off behind the bridge (see pics). My other T basses do not have that thicker middle and drop off.View attachment 4157545View attachment 4157544
Very interesting. Is been known for a while that later T40s are more contoured and tapered but are you saying that they're also thinner in middle of the body too?

That would be good information to add to the T40 incite infosheet. Still looking for someone to take that over....
 
  • Like
Reactions: JEDI BASS
Yes, the older T-40s are thicker down the midline.

Anybody have a large mouth caliper that could get us some measurements of the center of the body. I think a measurement at just near the meck and betwen the bridge and bridge pickup would be most usefull. Center would be even better but that would entail taking off the PG for maximum accuracy.

This interests me because if true, it suggests that the body blanks themselves were made thinner around the time of the t-45 when a few other streamlinings and cost-saving measures were introduced (nylon nut instead of metal, no more control indicator dots drilled into the PG and body contouring).

Defintely something worth adding to the Infosheet.
 
1978 Peavey T-40-3.jpg

Here's a pic of my "brand new" 1978 T-40 in it's original case. It's in remarkable shape, just a little dusty. The strings are probably 10 years old because it's been stored in a closet at least that long. I traded some work I did for a friend for this bass. Even with old, old strings, it sure sounds sweet, and it plays great. And look at that beautiful wood grain! It looks like it was built from an old church pew. I'm letting it adapt to the southeast Arizona desert, then I'll re-string it and do a set-up. A question: What type of magnets do these pickups have in them? I've heard ceramic, I've heard ferrite. Sometimes those overlap, but not always, so I'd like to know. I'm just curious about this instrument. Does anybody know, or know where I can find out? Thanks in advance...Jim