Peavey US basses...PLEASE COME BACK.

[songwriter21]

Does anyone miss all of the FANTASTIC American-made basses that Peavey made in their prime? There was the Dyna, Fury, Foundation, Millenium, and of course, the flagship Cirrus. They were such good instruments, especially with the custom shop, and those standard Tiger Eye models. Now, the only one left is ONE Cirrus, the Rudy Sarzo model...yay.

Pretty sad that there are no other US-made basses currently made by them, just the freakin' overseas BXP junk. What a joy it was to be able to visit there site 10 years ago, and see so many kickass models. I worked for a few years at a guitar store, and we had both the US and BXP, and not surprisingly, the US models crushed the foreign crap. I can't tell you how many BXP's we got in that had bad necks, or just necks with the dreaded "S-curve".

It'd be so awesome if there was enough demand, that Peavey at least brough back the Custom Shop, aaaaaand maybe the Millenium (with a RECESSED Hipshot bridge).

Thoughts?

 

[bholder]

Me, I wish they'd just go back to making T-40s, that was their prime, as far as I'm concerned. (Never played a Cirrus, though.)

 

[mark beem]

Count me in! I would like to see them reopen with a made-to-order format like Carvin.

 

[DWBass]

They just didn't sell enough to compete with other manufacturers so they went to the overseas route. Problem was those models are made cheaply. If they would upgrade the level to the way Warwick did with their Rockbass line, they could have something that would sell, IMHO. I bought a BXP Cirrus that had a bad rattle somewhere and I sent it back. I tried a BXP Millennium and it just felt cheap and I don't think it was properly grounded as I felt I was getting a slight shock so I traded it for something else. Admittedly, I dismissed Peaveys when they were being closed out on Musiciansfriend.com. I should have jumped on one. And for a minute they (the US models) were being sold very cheaply here on Talkbass. A US Millennium still pops up for a good price. Good quality basses. I doubt Peavey will ever go back to US produced instruments. It's just way too much competition but I'd like to see them make better overseas products.

 

[bholder]

They just didn't sell enough to compete with other manufacturers so they went to the overseas route. Problem was those models are made cheaply. If they would upgrade the level to the way Warwick did with their Rockbass line, they could have something that would sell, IMHO. I bought a BXP Cirrus that had a bad rattle somewhere and I sent it back. I tried a BXP Millennium and it just felt cheap and I don't think it was properly grounded as I felt I was getting a slight shock so I traded it for something else. Admittedly, I dismissed Peaveys when they were being closed out on Musiciansfriend.com. I should have jumped on one. And for a minute they (the US models) were being sold very cheaply here on Talkbass. A US Millennium still pops up for a good price. Good quality basses. I doubt Peavey will ever go back to US produced instruments. It's just way too much competition but I'd like to see them make better overseas products.

Yeah, "made overseas" doesn't have to mean "lower quality", as several brands have shown (thinking Rick Turner working with Michael Kelley for the budge Renaissance, for example).

 

[Root 5]

I'd love to see the Fury, Foundation, G-Bass make a glorious return. Very good instruments. I liked the Forum AX and the Axcelerator instruments, too.

 

[CL400Peavey]

I really have zero interest in parallel fret basses anymore.

That said if peavey came out with a reissue of a T-20, T-40, T-45 I with the early model style pick ups, I would be considering one.

 

[BBox Bass]

Don't forget the Patriot! It's the only one of my 80s Peavey basses that doesn't neck dive due to the longer upper horn. I love the body style and sound. I recently put a second neck and Schaller roller bridge on mine and turned it into a 5-string. It's great, but I would also love to see Peavey build 5-string Patriots.

I own an imported Milestone 5 and Grind that I'm quite happy with. As with anything, not all of the imports are bad.

 

[artechoke]

I know I've stated this in at least one other thread, I'd kill for a T-40 in a five string model (maybe with some of the body mass trimmed down and bridge mounted strings).

I'm still kicking myself two years later for passing on a U.S. made Fury (white body, white pickguard, white pickup covers, Liberace would have loved this thing) I saw selling for $100.

 

[songwriter21]

One bright spot---I managed to grab a mint US Tiger Eye 5 (ebony board) for a damn decent price...should be here tomorrow!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

How many of us want to pay a fair 2015 price for a new MIA Peavey bass? I guess a Foundation might be $800. A T-40 would be maybe $1,100. A Cirrus or Millennium would certainly be $2K or more. A lot of us first got into Peaveys because they were cheap used.

 

[PDX Rich]

This one:

 

[mark beem]

How many of us want to pay a fair 2015 price for a new MIA Peavey bass? I guess a Foundation might be $800. A T-40 would be maybe $1,100. A Cirrus or Millennium would certainly be $2K more. A lot of us first got into Peaveys because they were cheap used.

I would!

Again, I believe if they resumed US manufacturing following the Carvin model, they'd make it work.

 

[bholder]

I know I've stated this in at least one other thread, I'd kill for a T-40 in a five string model (maybe with some of the body mass trimmed down and bridge mounted strings).

I'm still kicking myself two years later for passing on a U.S. made Fury (white body, white pickguard, white pickup covers, Liberace would have loved this thing) I saw selling for $100.

Exactly what I was thinking when I wrote my earlier post, but I'll keep the string-through, and even the weight - it's part of what makes it what it is, and I believe has to be part of the sound.

 

[bholder]

How many of us want to pay a fair 2015 price for a new MIA Peavey bass? I guess a Foundation might be $800. A T-40 would be maybe $1,100. A Cirrus or Millennium would certainly be $2K more. A lot of us first got into Peaveys because they were cheap used.

Well, I might not run out and get one the very first day, but yeah, they'd sure be in the running next time I was looking in that price range. At least, that's what the sane version of me says, no telling what might happen once GAS sets in again.

Edit: Pretty sure I would get a 5 string T-40 if such were ever offered, especially if they did a 35" scale version.

 

[Tanner5382]

Love the US Peaveys. Never played a Cirrus, but owned a Fury, T-40 and a Foundation. A previous owner of the Foundation messed it up pretty good, but along with the Fury and T-40 it still sounded great. Also played a T-20 a few times and liked it too!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I would!

Again, I believe if they resumed US manufacturing following the Carvin model, they'd make it work.

I believe a direct order system with regional showrooms for their basses could work. That would be new model, and would upset loyal dealers, plus getting any new business model up and running will cost a lot of money.

 

[bholder]

Love the US Peaveys. Never played a Cirrus, but owned a Fury, T-40 and a Foundation. A previous owner of the Foundation messed it up pretty good, but along with the Fury and T-40 it still sounded great. Also played a T-20 a few times and liked it too!

To manglequote Timex: Takes a knockin' and keeps on rockin'! That's one aspect of Peaveys I've always appreciated, most (especially T-40 era) are built like tanks.

 

[Johnny Crab]

The USA-built Peavey's that have come here(T-40 & Foundation, two TKO 65's so far), stay here. The local high school has a well-worn Foundation that I maintain for them and have 1st shot at it should they ever want to sell it and "upgrade"(?). I'd be in line if they brought back the USA-made BUT it is very nice to find used ones in good shape for very good prices.

Takes a knockin' and keeps on rockin'!

Proven by the used and abused local high school's Foundation.

 

[jjk2007]

I'd take a brand spankin new TL-Five (1st gen). Kind of along Marks line of thinking...let me have some wood and finish options and different hardware finishes (like, not gold!) and I'd be a happy camper.