U.S. Peavey Club

[wild4oldcars]

I can get along with most nut widths but really prefer a rosewood board. On fender-types I think the exclusion of the skunk stripe is a benefit, and I think it also helps span the joint on the bilaminate peavey necks. That said, the worst twisted and just out of whack necks I’ve seen on peaveys we’re both rosewood over bilaminate, a B-Ninety and a Forum Plus. So maybe the theory isn’t so empirically supported, ha.

 

[jjk2007]

A question for anybody who might have some info on this....
The RJIV bass - when did Randy Jackson first become involved with Peavey and had them develop his signature bass? Presumably some time after he was recording and touring with Journey, as at that time he seemed to use the green Jackson and the pink polkadot Stingray.

Plenty of examples of him using both of those or that maple neck Aria (like with Jean Luc Ponty, for example).

However, other than an instructional video, I’ve never actually found any footage of him using the RJIV - in much the same way that it’s hard to find more than a couple of examples of Jeff Berlin using the Palaedium.
In fact, on the DVD cover showing him using the koa RJIV, the whole headstock is airbrushed out - like when JB used the Palaedium with black gaffer tape stuck over the logos.

Almost as if the relationship with Peavey was over as soon as it started? At least Rudy Sarzo used his signature basses (in various iterations....).

It’s a fine bass, of course - nicer imho than the Sarzo and always my go-to bass.

I believe the RJ IV came out in 1990. I remember having the Monitor magazine/catalogues and seeing the TL’s, Palaedium, Sarzo and RJ basses and scheming anyway possible to get one of them. Ended up buying an RJ and multiple TL’s a few years later. That said you may be right… other than the instructional video he did I don’t know that Randy Jackson ever played his anywhere else. I know Jeff Berlin used his bass quite regularly for a few years until he had his split with Peavey. I went to one of his clinics and got to play his personal bass…it was quite the player. I’m pretty sure Berlin used his all the time…there just might not be much video out there.

 

[58kites]

much prefer all maple and at least 42mm for the nut.

Is that the standard for the 51P basses?

My Yamaha Attitudes are 43MM or 1 - 11/16" at the nut, with 10" radius on the fretboards which have nice soft "rolled" edges.
It seems that rolled fretboard edges are the first thing that makes a neck feel great for me.
In the last year or two I found that wide and shallow depth is the second thing.
I also like a 7.25 to 10 inch radius on the fretboard, really flat 16 or 20 radius fretboards feel weird to me.

 

[Bleecker]

An extremely nice looking Axcelerator 5 string popped up on the GC used site today. It’s silver (!) …never have seen that finish on one.

...and there are pictures! I am shocked! Cool bass!

 

[kodiakblair]

Is that the standard for the 51P basses?

It is when I build them

 

[bigtone23]

This always confounds me with the marketing of the Patriot. Was it supposed to be a P with a Super Ferrite? Sometimes I think that with the wide neck versions. But they already had the "P Slayer" in the Gen2 Fury. Or was it targeted to the Ric sound? Or was it something else all together that Peavey was after?

The marketing definitely was odd.

I wonder if what Hartley was going for was a cross between a passive P and the Stingray. The Ric bridge pickup position has roughly the same centerline as the MusicMan sweetspot (again, thanks @bigtone23!) and that sweet spot is also just slightly below the P pickup position...perhaps the best of all worlds? Not sure, but the damn thing works great in my opinion!

To me, it seems that the Patriot was the first "bargain" bass. The T series were are much more affordable than the competition of the time, but they all sported over-the-top hardware and electronics. When the next generation of Peaveys started showing up around 1983, There was a noticeable shift in the production. Much less hooplah in the hardware department, electronics started being a little more 'standard' vs the unique T pickups and wiring. The active electronics did pop up at this time, which was also the norm in the industry, passive and active versions of an instrument.
The Foundation and Fury were clearly Peavey's riff on the Fenders, and the Patriot, with it's simpler, less hardy bridge, single pickup, V & T controls and jack all mounted to a pickguard for top loading into a routed body, was text book Fender production savings (a la P bass). The pickup location, IMO, was a nod to the bridge pickup of a Ric or passive Stingray. Ibanez was doing a passive single coil in the same spot with the Blazer and Roadster basses of 1980/1981 (like the RS800). Amps were able to do more heavy lifting/lots of bass, so a pickup in a more punchy spot worked well.

I think they already had a P-Slayer with the Gen 1 Fury and it's awesome Super Ferrite pickup placed it in the right location.
I feel like the Gen 2 Fury was Peavey finally caving to Fender, but with a better shaped body and the always awesome Peavey neck.
The Patriot pickup placement seems to be more of a nod to the StingRay, without committing to a MusicMan-ish pickup and a nice two-band pre.
Might have been pretty cool if they did.

Yeah, the Gen 1 Fury/T20 was the Super Ferrite "P" bass, as that pickup is in the same spot, and angled, to simulate the pickup pattern of the split coil P pickup. The Gen 2 Fury was certainly a cave to the Fender P as we know it.

So, I'm curious...
Who here likes all maple Peavey necks better than maple/rosewood Peavey necks?
Who here likes the 1.5 width Peavey necks better than the wider 1.75 ish nut width Peavey necks?

EDIT: I should re-phrase that.

So, I'm curious...

With 4 string Peavey fretboards, what is your preference... maple or rosewood?
With 4 string Peavey necks, what is your preference... the wider nut or the narrower nut?

Funny enough, I like them all. The 1.5" Peavey nut and 1.75" nut necks are both super comfortable to me. As far as the fingerboard is concerned, it's mostly aesthetics, as to whatever looks better with the body.

 

[Andy R]

I believe the RJ IV came out in 1990. I remember having the Monitor magazine/catalogues and seeing the TL’s, Palaedium, Sarzo and RJ basses and scheming anyway possible to get one of them. Ended up buying an RJ and multiple TL’s a few years later. That said you may be right… other than the instructional video he did I don’t know that Randy Jackson ever played his anywhere else. I know Jeff Berlin used his bass quite regularly for a few years until he had his split with Peavey. I went to one of his clinics and got to play his personal bass…it was quite the player. I’m pretty sure Berlin used his all the time…there just might not be much video out there.

Many thanks for replying to my slightly odd question - yes, JB did use his Palaedium plenty, even after he’d blacked out the logos with black tape but then he’s always come across as someone who just uses what he likes, regardless of anything else - and yes, the Palaedium is a wonderful playing bass. I tried to get one in 1990, but on a small island and the wrong side of the Atlantic - forget it....
Now that I’m old and mostly retired, I’ve got a RJIV, a Palaedium and a Sarzo....the RJIV is probably the most versatile.

 

[bigtone23]

I would like a Trapezoidal baseplate, but it's only worth $20 to me.
Otherwise, I will just put a regular bridge on that body and fill two little holes with wax filler for furniture, or maybe some brown epoxy.
I won't pay big money for Peavey triangle string trees, and Peavey logo neck plates, or the metal Peavey P knobs.
I don't care that much if a Peavey bass is stock original.

This guy has this one without saddles and another with...
*80s USA* Peavey Foundation Bridge Plate | Reverb

 

[58kites]

This guy has this one without saddles and another with...
*80s USA* Peavey Foundation Bridge Plate | Reverb

Our friend Bleecker (Nick) helped me out with one that should do the trick.

 

[bigtone23]

Our friend Bleeker (Nick) helped me out with one that should do the trick.

Awesome!

 

[tindrum]

Thanks! Placed the order. It looks to be in nice shape, we'll see when it arrives next week. It's a "+" model, I think they're supposed to have ash bodies (along with gold hardware), but this one looks like it may be alder (?...hope so). It's also a sunburst finish w/tort guard, which I like on these Axcelerators and would be my first pick if given the choice, so there's that. No mention of case or bag, so not expecting one.

Weird that it didn't show up for me on the GC used basses site, though. I have to wonder how many other goodies I'm not seeing there. May have to try a fresh search from now on. Again thanks for the link, this might be the one I've been after! Cheers.

How did this one turn out? Hopefully a better neck than the one you returned.

 

[Iridescentone]

How did this one turn out? Hopefully a better neck than the one you returned.

That one turned out to be in rough shape. It had developed a ski jump like the previous one, fretted out badly above the 12 fret. The neck pickup was DOA. Kinda chewed up overall. Typical GC nonsense, condition described as "good". I won't be surprised if it shows up there for sale again.

No issues returning it though, full refund. I'm beginning to wonder if the slim necks on these Axcelerators have an inherent inclination towards ski jumps. Maybe a nice example will come along some day, fingers crossed.

 

[tindrum]

That one turned out to be in rough shape. It had developed a ski jump like the previous one, fretted out badly above the 12 fret. The neck pickup was DOA. Kinda chewed up overall. Typical GC nonsense, condition described as "good". I won't be surprised if it shows up there for sale again.

No issues returning it though, full refund. I'm beginning to wonder if the slim necks on these Axcelerators have an inherent inclination towards ski jumps. Maybe a nice example will come along some day, fingers crossed.

Well that sucks! Yeah GC nonsense for sure…..it’s back on their site again listed in “Good” condition. What sucks is someone else is just going to be disappointed. Here’s to hoping you find a good one!

 

[Iridescentone]

Well that sucks! Yeah GC nonsense for sure…..it’s back on their site again listed in “Good” condition. What sucks is someone else is just going to be disappointed. Here’s to hoping you find a good one!

Yeah it's kinda comical. Apparently GC is the dumping ground for people to unload their defective gear. I'm not sure anyone at GC even checks this stuff out before taking it in on trade, or buying it outright. Whenever this happens I think to myself..."what would I be willing to pay for one of these wrecks?". Usually I think $0, but sometimes I feel adventurous and think $50 (maybe). lol

 

[58kites]

That one turned out to be in rough shape. It had developed a ski jump like the previous one, fretted out badly above the 12 fret. The neck pickup was DOA. Kinda chewed up overall. Typical GC nonsense, condition described as "good". I won't be surprised if it shows up there for sale again.

No issues returning it though, full refund. I'm beginning to wonder if the slim necks on these Axcelerators have an inherent inclination towards ski jumps. Maybe a nice example will come along some day, fingers crossed.

I think that is the case, I had an Axcelerator that had a neck that was not stable.
No more Axcelerators for me.

 

[Iridescentone]

I was hoping for a nice light Axcelerator to replace my heavy-ish Forum. Both the ones I got were light. I love how the Forum plays and sounds (and looks too!), but it's just a little bit outta my weight division. This blue mother has more grunt than the active PJ Forum I once had, and that's saying something 'cos the PJ was huge (and even heavier).

 

[Bleecker]

I was hoping for a nice light Axcelerator to replace my heavy-ish Forum. Both the ones I got were light. I love how the Forum plays and sounds (and looks too!), but it's just a little bit outta my weight division. This blue mother has more grunt than the active PJ Forum I once had, and that's saying something 'cos the PJ was huge (and even heavier).

View attachment 5006231

How much does your Forum weigh?

 

[Iridescentone]

How much does your Forum weigh?

Weighs 9lbs, 10oz.

 

[Bleecker]

Weighs 9lbs, 10oz.

Yeah! That's pretty hefty! My T40 is a light weight at just over 10lbs...I can't gig it.

Cheers!

 

[MNAirHead]

Yeah! That's pretty hefty! My T40 is a light weight at just over 10lbs...I can't gig it.

Cheers!

Child's play --- my conklin is 14.5