U.S. Peavey Club

[bigtone23]

Hey!
I really like EMG pickups! They do some cool stuff with them, been using them since 1985.
The Peavey EMG-esque (preamp in the pickup-attached to 50K pots) pickups in my Forum Plus were not very good compared to my usual P/PA/J/JA EMGs. It was a let down considering how great all the other Peavey pickups are. They were pulled and replaced with some Wildes. Much happier with those.

 

[bigtone23]

Vid must be posted here in this thread somewhere.



Does anyone else dig the VFL tone? They are a skosh brighter at max yet sound smooth to my ears.

I really like the tone of both. The VFL looking ones sound more traditional/smooth J Bass vs the SFs aggression.

Many years ago, I wanted to get a black Foundation 5 with the single coil (VFL-ish looking) pickups, as those pickups have a magnetic field that works great with 5 string, where the SFs might drop out on the bridge pickup B or G. A 91 Dyna 5 (SF) appeared first for a literal song, so I snapped it up. Great bass, but yes, the G drops out on the bridge pickup.

 

[kodiakblair]

The Peavey EMG-esque (preamp in the pickup-attached to 50K pots) pickups in my Forum Plus were not good compared to my usual P/PA/J/JA EMGs.

EMG make pickups, it's all they do.

Peavey, otoh, tried their hand at everything; often without the proper know-how

Many years ago, I wanted to get a black Foundation 5 with the single coil (VFL-ish looking) pickups, as those pickups have a magnetic field that works great with 5 string

Never own a black 5'er but I did get a white one for £50

A 91 Dyna 5 (SF) appeared first for a literal song, so I snapped it up. Great bass, but yes, the G drops out on the bridge pickup.

Had the same experience with the red SF Foundation 5'er and the grey DynaBass 5. Both confirmed my 2nd sentence

 

[bigtone23]

EMG make pickups, it's all they do.

Peavey, otoh, tried their hand at everything; often without the proper know-how

Never own a black 5'er but I did get a white one for £50

Had the same experience with the red SF Foundation 5'er and the grey DynaBass 5. Both confirmed my 2nd sentence

Boy howdy!
Yeah, the Peavey 'EMG' pickups were REALLY hot, and the general EQ curve was just not not nice sounding, but kind of perplexing and annoying. They must have thought that being really hot was the consumer's desire? Yikes!

Those early Foundation 5ers were a steal, often found for $75-150 around here. I kept holding out for a black one, saw 3 white ones sell locally. The Dyna 5 popped up for $160. Grabbed it for the deal it was, knowing it wasn't fully operational. Well, it took me having to rehab the pots and eventually sending the neck in for a heat straightening to have it running at 90%+. It's now a nice playing and sounding bass. I get around the dropped out G because I never use the bridge pickup soloed.
As great as the SF is, it's no 5 string pickup!

 

[ctmullins]

As great as the SF is, it's no 5 string pickup!

I have plans to challenge that notion.

 

[58kites]

Hey!
I really like EMG pickups! They do some cool stuff with them, been using them since 1985.
The Peavey EMG-esque (preamp in the pickup-attached to 50K pots) pickups in my Forum Plus were not very good compared to my usual P/PA/J/JA EMGs. It was a let down considering how great all the other Peavey pickups are. They were pulled and replaced with some Wildes. Much happier with those.

I liked the sound of the active EMG P in my Guild Pilot but the best sounding split P pickups for me now are passive.

 

[bigtone23]

I have plans to challenge that notion.

Yes! Let me know what you are doing.
The SF is a great 5er pickup in the neck position, where the string spacing is more narrow. It has the perfect tonality and output for the low B, too. It's pick up field is just out of reach at the bridge position, as the G on my Dyna 5 drops off pretty bad. This is despite it having that 80s/1st generation 5er string spacing, super narrow-like 16-16.5mm (just like what Ibanez used on their 1st 5er-the RB855). Once the next generation of 5ers came out, the standard for 5 string spacing spread out to 17.5-18.5mm and eventually many had 19mm, too. With this, the SF would fall off really bad, for sure. It just can't pick up that extra inch+ of string spacing.

I liked the sound of the active EMG P in my Guild Pilot but the best sounding split P pickups for me now are passive.

Indeed, me too. I prefer passive P basses.
I have two Fender Ps with preamps, and they sound good. However, the 2 passive ones are just 'that' P sound.
My Ibanez RB630 went from nearly 15 years of having an old EMG P in it to the Toaster/T45 vibe. It's cooler that way.

 

[kodiakblair]

As great as the SF is, it's no 5 string pickup!

Peavey was a slow learner, the Axcelerator 5 shipped with VFLs designed for 4 strings; you had the same "B/G drop-out/ take your pick" situation.

 

[ctmullins]

I have plans to challenge that notion.

I could have been more specific I suppose!

I recently bought back this Foundation mongrel I built a while back. It's really just a Foundation body with EMG electronics and a homemade neck. I really like the neck, but I never cared for the big roundover on this (or most) bodies.

So my plan is to make a new body, with the same Gen1 Foundation shape, but with crisper lines and bevels instead of contours. Narrow string spacing, and original Super Ferrite pickups in the Rickenbacker positions.

When I lay magnetic paper over the SF, the magnetic width appears to be around 2.6". With 17mm bridge string spacing, and the pickups mounted further from the bridge than originally, I think it'll work.

We'll see!

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

I still have a set of peavey active pickups from my Randy Jackson bass I pulled out for Emg X pickups


Now I’m curious what’s inside

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Foundation 5 here with Peavey labeled pickups, it is well balanced string to string and sounds great it was dirt cheap maybe 10 years ago...the neck is stellar super low action.

I think its early mid 90s...black on maple.

 

[bigtone23]

I could have been more specific I suppose!

I recently bought back this Foundation mongrel I built a while back. It's really just a Foundation body with EMG electronics and a homemade neck. I really like the neck, but I never cared for the big roundover on this (or most) bodies.

So my plan is to make a new body, with the same Gen1 Foundation shape, but with crisper lines and bevels instead of contours. Narrow string spacing, and original Super Ferrite pickups in the Rickenbacker positions.

When I lay magnetic paper over the SF, the magnetic width appears to be around 2.6". With 17mm bridge string spacing, and the pickups mounted further from the bridge than originally, I think it'll work.

We'll see!

WIth the pickups pushed towards the neck, it should!
Peavey put the bridge pickup on the Foundation/Dyna waaay back towards the bridge, even further than a 70s Jazz Bass pickup. Kept that position for the 5er, which certainly exacerbated the problem.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

I could have been more specific I suppose!

I recently bought back this Foundation mongrel I built a while back. It's really just a Foundation body with EMG electronics and a homemade neck. I really like the neck, but I never cared for the big roundover on this (or most) bodies.

So my plan is to make a new body, with the same Gen1 Foundation shape, but with crisper lines and bevels instead of contours. Narrow string spacing, and original Super Ferrite pickups in the Rickenbacker positions.

When I lay magnetic paper over the SF, the magnetic width appears to be around 2.6". With 17mm bridge string spacing, and the pickups mounted further from the bridge than originally, I think it'll work.

We'll see!

What kind of wood will you use?

 

[ctmullins]

What kind of wood will you use?

I have some alder on hand. And a big sapele blank too. And some thinner boards of maple and walnut, that would work for a 1.25” thick body. And maybe a drop-top too.

Or I might actually spend Christmas money on a black Korina blank.

 

[Thundar]

I still have a set of peavey active pickups from my Randy Jackson bass I pulled out for Emg X pickups


Now I’m curious what’s inside

Jordan, how do ya like the EMG X's in your RJ? I have a very nice stock RJ IV with the original pre and pickups that are 95% functional but I also have a set of EMG X's and an EMG 3 band preamp that Ive been dying to put in the RJ. I don't dislike the sound of the stock electronics but I just have the feeling it will sound awesome with the EMGs.
I have several Spectors and feel like if I switch out the stock Peavey electronics for the EMGs then it will be a Growlin' beast...after all, it is maple and neck thru and a P/J like the Spectors.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

Jordan, how do ya like the EMG X's in your RJ? I have a very nice stock RJ IV with the original pre and pickups that are 95% functional but I also have a set of EMG X's and an EMG 3 band preamp that Ive been dying to put in the RJ. I don't dislike the sound of the stock electronics but I just have the feeling it will sound awesome with the EMGs.
I have several Spectors and feel like if I switch out the stock Peavey electronics for the EMGs then it will be a Growlin' beast...after all, it is maple and neck thru and a P/J like the Spectors.

I kept the stock preamp and with the X series at 9 it sounds pretty good… I find output a tad on lower side but a bad thing

I changed some of the caps poorly so I wanna change a preamp at some point to An OBP3
Very punchy
I’ll see if I can upload a clip

 

[DavidEdenAria]

I have some alder on hand. And a big sapele blank too. And some thinner boards of maple and walnut, that would work for a 1.25” thick body. And maybe a drop-top too.

Or I might actually spend Christmas money on a black Korina blank.

The Ric pickup position right against the neck? I dont study Rics but what ive seen is the neck pickup right against the neck.

Interesting though the choice of woods...on my mid 80s Foundation the neck pickup (really in the middle moreso) seems to be well placed, not overly bassy but a bit dark but adjusting the semi parametric EQ easily compensates...its a black on maple with Fender 9050s (not broken in fully) but not sure on the body wood?

It had RWs but the clank from the bridge pickup was overwhelming...i could see moving both pickups closer to the neck...no doubt the wood choice makes a difference.

 

[kodiakblair]

It had RWs but the clank from the bridge pickup was overwhelming...i could see moving both pickups closer to the neck...no doubt the wood choice makes a difference.

Raise the action. Play with a lighter touch , both left and right hands. Fit heavier gauge strings. Lower the bridge pickup.

'Clank' comes from set up and/or playing style not from any materials used in the construction. Neither pickup positions nor string type have much to do with it either, Steve Harris clanks away on a P-bass with flats while Geddy Lee gets his clank on a Ric or Jazz with roundwounds.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Raise the action. Play with a lighter touch , both left and right hands. Fit heavier gauge strings. Lower the bridge pickup.

'Clank' comes from set up and/or playing style not from any materials used in the construction. Neither pickup positions nor string type have much to do with it either, Steve Harris clanks away on a P-bass with flats while Geddy Lee gets his clank on a Ric or Jazz with roundwounds.

Raise the action and play with a lighter touch? Im 64 lol...The clank lessened with 9050s...its a J bass on steroids...Steve Harris changes strings every night saw them in 82 with Scorpions...Rush in 76 and Geddy runs a sophisticated set up.

I can EQ it out mostly....i'll put the fret rocker on and see how the neck is.

 

[bigtone23]

I have some alder on hand. And a big sapele blank too. And some thinner boards of maple and walnut, that would work for a 1.25” thick body. And maybe a drop-top too.

Or I might actually spend Christmas money on a black Korina blank.

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