Hey y’all, so I am looking at these two bases, and am wanting to make sure I get the old super ferrite pick ups. I’m almost sure that the first one has them, but the second one doesn’t look like it has either the old kind or the newer type. Am I right about the first one at least?
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Super ferrite?
- Thread starter zgarcia27
- Start date
I previously owned an early 80s Foundation with Super Ferrites. They looked similar to your first image but with a smaller bezel around the outside. The second photo looks nothing like the Super Ferrites I've owned, but I'm not an expert on those pickups. My guess is that they're not, but happy to be wrong on that.
First pic is super ferrites.
Second Pic is VFLs.
I think at one point VFL shells were used to house SF pickups, but don't quote me on that.
Second Pic is VFLs.
I think at one point VFL shells were used to house SF pickups, but don't quote me on that.
There is also a pretty sick Dyna bass that I am looking at, but I already have two preamps and a couple dirt pedals on my board, so I really feel like I don’t need the extra electronics on the bass, but it also looks a little better, and can always be played passive if I don’t want to use the preamp
This is all correct. I believe early Foundations that had the VFL pickups - those pickups were actually Super Ferrites under the hood. I have no idea when that ended though.
Yeah they will say Super Ferrite on them. Unmistakable. Seeing this thread made me remember that I had an ‘85 Patriot bass still packed up from a move back in March lol. Thanks for the reminder this thing RIPS
The first one has the super ferrites (it says that on the pickups) and the other has Peavey's VFL pickups. The VFL's are good pups while the SF's are souped up J's.
I have a '90 Dyna-Bass, and I run it passive only these days. I think it actually sounds better passive (and I have several active basses, so I'm not anti-active), plus I put flats on it so it could be my Old School Tone bass. Also, in Passive mode, the High EQ dial for the preamp acts as a tone control. Win-win.
Owned it since '92, love it, will never part with it. Even had it re-fretted 5-6 years ago, that's how committed I am to keeping it LOL.
And like others have said, first bass has Super Ferrites, second has VFLs.
The old Foundation basses had Super Ferrite pickups. I never thought they were special when I had a new 1983 Foundation back in 1983-1991. I thought they were actually kinda mid-forward. They're definitely loud.
I have a Foundation just like the second one in the photo above with the VFL housing pickups. It sounds great but has less character.
I recently got a replacement 1983 Foundation - same finish as my old one - sunburst and rosewood. The pickups are still loud, but I like the mids more now, and I don't remember the tone control being so subtle, but it came stock with a 0.022µF cap so it's not as pronounced of a roll off as my other basses. Sounds great though, and the neck is as slim as I remember. They're super stable since they're made of two pieces of maple split longitudinally and glued together, I think with one side flipped to counter any natural warp?
Foundation basses were underrated for a long time. I always liked them much more than T40s, and I thought they looked better too.
The T40s make me think of Country music, cowboy hats, aviator sunglasses, Dad jeans, Western shirts with snap buttons, and cowboy boots.
I have a Foundation just like the second one in the photo above with the VFL housing pickups. It sounds great but has less character.
I recently got a replacement 1983 Foundation - same finish as my old one - sunburst and rosewood. The pickups are still loud, but I like the mids more now, and I don't remember the tone control being so subtle, but it came stock with a 0.022µF cap so it's not as pronounced of a roll off as my other basses. Sounds great though, and the neck is as slim as I remember. They're super stable since they're made of two pieces of maple split longitudinally and glued together, I think with one side flipped to counter any natural warp?
Foundation basses were underrated for a long time. I always liked them much more than T40s, and I thought they looked better too.
The T40s make me think of Country music, cowboy hats, aviator sunglasses, Dad jeans, Western shirts with snap buttons, and cowboy boots.
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
More iron content in the pickups, to attract a stronger signal from the strings.
- Apr 18, 2008
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Pickups used by Peavey in the 80s and 90s. Big single coils with ceramic (ferrite) magnets. Fantastic tone - fat but edgy, great for rock. I have several pair! Two from the 80s and two recreations from 916 Pickups. Matt at 916 does amazing work!
Super Ferrite Bass Pickups – Nine One Six Pickups
www.916pickups.com
My 1991 Peavey Dyna Bass 5 (second model) with VFL pups...killer sound.
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Nope.
VFLs are active wide range humbuckers, the later Foundations have passive single coils under VFL shells.
They are different animals.
VFLS Are active
It’s a VFL shape but definitely not considered a VFL I don’t think
It’s a VFL shape but definitely not considered a VFL I don’t think
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,016
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
) modified first-generation Peavey Foundation with factory Super Ferrites.
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