T-40 pickups

[rmhayden]

I've had my 1981 Peavey T-40 for about 8 years now and have never had any major issues. Recently, I noticed a pretty heavy amount of distortion. I tooled around with the volume, tone, phase, and the pick up selector and think I have determined what might be the issue.

The distortion is especially bad:
1) When the neck pick-up is selected
2) When playing harder/louder
3) Playing higher up the neck

If I don't select the neck pickups and/or select both and keep the volume and tone down on the neck pickup, there does not seem to be any distortion. I have not noticed any distortion when playing with the bridge pickup only. I had been having slight problems with the output jack and did some slight re-soldering to make it secure several months ago and did not experience any issues until a few weeks ago.

I've noticed the issue in a small amp (10 watt), a medium sized amp (60 watt), an old pair of Ampeg 10s, and plugging directly into a system with a Sans Amp (which always kills me a little on the inside).

I'm wondering if:
1) The neck pickup is on the way out
2) If so it can be repaired in any way
3) If not able to repair, what are the options for replacing (ie - anything newer that works, needing to find a pair of old T-40 humbuckers, just buy a new one).

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Hopkins]

I've had my 1981 Peavey T-40 for about 8 years now and have never had any major issues. Recently, I noticed a pretty heavy amount of distortion. I tooled around with the volume, tone, phase, and the pick up selector and think I have determined what might be the issue.

The distortion is especially bad:
1) When the neck pick-up is selected
2) When playing harder/louder
3) Playing higher up the neck

If I don't select the neck pickups and/or select both and keep the volume and tone down on the neck pickup, there does not seem to be any distortion. I have not noticed any distortion when playing with the bridge pickup only. I had been having slight problems with the output jack and did some slight re-soldering to make it secure several months ago and did not experience any issues until a few weeks ago.

I've noticed the issue in a small amp (10 watt), a medium sized amp (60 watt), an old pair of Ampeg 10s, and plugging directly into a system with a Sans Amp (which always kills me a little on the inside).

I'm wondering if:
1) The neck pickup is on the way out
2) If so it can be repaired in any way
3) If not able to repair, what are the options for replacing (ie - anything newer that works, needing to find a pair of old T-40 humbuckers, just buy a new one).

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I wouldn't be so quick to assume the pickup is on the way out. I would test its resistance first. It could very easily be a dirty pot making bad contact. That being said the neck pickup on my 81 T40 had a broken wire right where it comes out of the bottom of the pickup. The pickups are encased in a plastic box and epoxy potted. There is no real way to fix them. I had to wait a while for one to turn up on ebay.

 

[bholder]

Rats, lost an auction on a pair in a loaded pg yesterday. Still hunting. But there are always alternatives.

 

[Hopkins]

Rats, lost an auction on a pair in a loaded pg yesterday. Still hunting. But there are always alternatives.

In my opinion, there are no alternatives to T40 pickups.

 

[bholder]

In my opinion, there are no alternatives to T40 pickups.

I'm not arguing that, but the original plan was for Dark Stars anyway. The T40s were a little cheaper.

 

[ctmullins]

I'm with Hopkins - I'd blame the component with moving parts (potentiometer) before blaming the one with no moving parts (pickup).

Try jumpering the pickup straight to the jack.

 

[Hopkins]

I'm not arguing that, but the original plan was for Dark Stars anyway. The T40s were a little cheaper.

Somehow I think a set of T40 pickups are more than just a little cheaper than a set of dark stars.

I search ebay almost daily for T40 pickups I haven't seen any in a while. I dont know how I missed the ones you were talking about

 

[bholder]

Somehow I think a set of T40 pickups are more than just a little cheaper than a set of dark stars.

I search ebay almost daily for T40 pickups I haven't seen any in a while. I dont know how I missed the ones you were talking about

They weren't listed as pickups, but as a "loaded pickguard". There was also a single pickup and entire wiring harness all the way to the output jack from the 1 pickup version - lost out on that one too. Setting the search terms can be tricky... ...sometimes paging through all of the "you might also like" pages pays off.

 

[Hopkins]

They weren't listed as pickups, but as a "loaded pickguard". There was also a single pickup and entire wiring harness all the way to the output jack from the 1 pickup version - lost out on that one too. Setting the search terms can be tricky... ...sometimes paging through all of the "you might also like" pages pays off.

I usually search for loaded pick guards as well, oh well, can't win em all. I have wanted to use a set of Dark Stars for a long time as well, I just cant get past the price.

 

[PortlandBass77]

It sounds like your neck pickup is set to close the strings, try lowering it a bit and the distortion should be gone.

 

[bholder]

I usually search for loaded pick guards as well, oh well, can't win em all. I have wanted to use a set of Dark Stars for a long time as well, I just cant get past the price.

Weren't you the Dark Star loaded T40 guy? (For someone else, right?) Yeah, I'm being a bit stupid with money a bit right now. Seems to happen sometimes.

 

[bholder]

Weren't you the Dark Star loaded T40 guy? (For someone else, right?) Yeah, I'm being a bit stupid with money a bit right now. Seems to happen sometimes.

Could be, the magnets are on the powerful side. Certainly an easier fix to try than replacing!

 

[Hopkins]

Weren't you the Dark Star loaded T40 guy? (For someone else, right?) Yeah, I'm being a bit stupid with money a bit right now. Seems to happen sometimes.

Wasn't me, I build a gold sparkle bass with T40 pickups, but never used Dark Stars.

 

[bholder]

Wasn't me, I build a gold sparkle bass with T40 pickups, but never used Dark Stars.

Ah, sorry I got names cross wired - someone did it, I remember the pics. That gold sparkle is awesome, too!

 

[Hopkins]

Ah, sorry I got names cross wired - someone did it, I remember the pics. That gold sparkle is awesome, too!

Thanks

 

[Gully Foyle]

I've searched in the past for t40 pickups and pots for sale, but never seen any. I know they come up from time to time, but I've never caught them.

I have wondered, with the custom makers out there, does anyone make clones of the t40 electronics package?

 

[mech]

If a T-40 pickup works but has a little distortion I doubt it's the pickup. As was said suspect anything else in the circuit....... clean the pots and if that doesn't do it replace the PU selector switch.

 

[bholder]

I've searched in the past for t40 pickups and pots for sale, but never seen any. I know they come up from time to time, but I've never caught them.

I have wondered, with the custom makers out there, does anyone make clones of the t40 electronics package?

Hmmmm. I'm sure there are builders out there who would at least consider it - but is the demand big enough to justify the investment? (Yeah, I would think so, but only if the right people make the connections....)

Maybe we should do a T-40 pickup kickstarter?

 

[Gully Foyle]

if it is possible, and the quality and accuracy would be there, I'll bet the market could be large

the price thing though, it has to be less than a whole t40, I would think. I would not buy one to strip it, seems wrong, but folks might.

I've no idea what custom pups run

 

[higain617]

Were they much different than the T-60 pickups? A common swap for those was the Carvin M22. The old Carvin humbucker basses used a similar pickup.