U.S. Peavey Club

[Runnerman]

dickseacup - a pic of your bass is the only requirement for membership. So let's see it!

austinrick - there is a separate club for Peavey amps in the amp section of the forum so maybe you want to try that. Working for Hartley is pretty special but I think you need a US bass.....I'm really sorry.

 

[dickseacup]

diskseacup

You've done a great thing, not only did you buy a bass you bought a Peavey Bass.

Obviously you're a man of taste.

I am, indeed, a man of taste. Exceptionally questionable taste, most would say, but taste none-the-same.

They make a product called Deoxit contact cleaner that I have used on dirty pots. However, if memory serves, the preamp in dyna basses are circuitboard bound, so accessing the pots may be some hassle. You likely have an amazing bass that just needs some love to get back up and running. I would take it to a tech if I were you, but I'm not the most competent at repairs myself, so your mileage may vary. Welcome to the world of bass!

Contact cleaner was my first thought, but I don't happen to have any handy. I wouldn't trust the techs at the only music store in my podunk little town to change a set of strings, let alone setup a guitar. Or a bass for that matter. BTDT.

dickseacup - a pic of your bass is the only requirement for membership. So let's see it!

A picture? Is that all? I was worried you'd make me play something on it! HAHA. Although, for kicks I plugged it in to the kids' Rocksmith and got my ass kicked by "Roadhouse Blues" (in my defense, I did manage 93% accuracy on 100% difficulty, but I have no idea if my fingering technique is correct, lol). "Where is My Mind" was a bit easier (95% accuracy! woohoo!) and I had a blast with those sort of rolling, two-fingers-required 1/8th (or 1/16th; 220, 221 whatever it takes...) notes.

Here's a pic down in the Basement Club, with the house lights up all the way. Forgive the quality, I took it with a potato:

(no, it's not plugged in to that amp; that rare Heritage is, though)

So, couple of quick questions:

How close to the strings should the pups be? The bass side of the P (I hope I have that right, the split one) pickup is about flush with the top; while the treble side is up about 1/4" or maybe 5/16" higher. The J pup is up about 3/8" from flush and level. Looking at it, that seems low to me, but what do I know?

What is safe to clean this thing with as far as the finish? Is it tung oiled? It seems like a hand rubbed finish to me that has never gotten any real attention. I mean, you can feel the grain and all, so I don't think it's been messed with since the factory.

Oh, and lastly, where in the heck am I supposed to anchor my thumb when playing bass? I mean, I was watching MTV back in the late 80s and I've seen a few concerts and youtube videos. Do you just drop it on top of a pickup ear? I know, total newbie question, please forgive me.

 

[wild4oldcars]

You can do it on the pickups, but the best way is to anchor on the E until you need to play the E, at which point you just float there. This is aptly known as floating thumb technique.

 

[dickseacup]

You can do it on the pickups, but the best way is to anchor on the E until you need to play the E, at which point you just float there. This is aptly known as floating thumb technique.

So I stumbled on the correct placement by pure luck! I was trying to keep my thumb on top of one of the pups, but that felt weird when I had to hit those bottom two strings; like I was stretching a bit too far. So I just let it sit on the low E and, like you said, picked it up when I had to play notes on that string.

 

[Runnerman]

dicseacup you are member #368
Welcome!

 

[warrplayer]

One of my three US Peaveys. Numero por favor!

 

[Iridescentone]

One of my three US Peaveys. Numero por favor!

View attachment 519118

Well that looks familiar.

(the build quality on these things is first rate)

 

[jjk2007]

They make a product called Deoxit contact cleaner that I have used on dirty pots. However, if memory serves, the preamp in dyna basses are circuitboard bound, so accessing the pots may be some hassle. You likely have an amazing bass that just needs some love to get back up and running. I would take it to a tech if I were you, but I'm not the most competent at repairs myself, so your mileage may vary. Welcome to the world of bass!

Yep. You can get a can of Deoxit at your local radio shack. It will get those pots working like a charm.

 

[Runnerman]

Lovely Mill warrplayer!
You are member #369....Welcome.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

So I stumbled on the correct placement by pure luck! I was trying to keep my thumb on top of one of the pups, but that felt weird when I had to hit those bottom two strings; like I was stretching a bit too far. So I just let it sit on the low E and, like you said, picked it up when I had to play notes on that string.

I'm trying to learn this technique....but I come from a guitar background so I play with a pick on bass more than I should!

 

[dickseacup]

I'm trying to learn this technique....but I come from a guitar background so I play with a pick on bass more than I should!

I come from a keys, guitar, uke, harmonica, jew's harp, accordion, banjo background and for some strange reason playing this bass with fingers just seemed to be the right thing to do. Maybe I'm a bass player and I never knew it?

Would still like to know how close (roughly) the pups should be to the strings, though. I think I'm going to raise them up to what looks right to me just to see what happens.

 

[dickseacup]

Well that looks familiar.

(the build quality on these things is first rate)

OMG, did I choose poorly or what?!

 

[wild4oldcars]

Would still like to know how close (roughly) the pups should be to the strings, though. I think I'm going to raise them up to what looks right to me just to see what happens.

Invalid Link Removed

This is one of my favorite articles regarding setups (including pickup height). Might be worth a look?

 

[dickseacup]

Invalid Link Removed

Very greatly appreciate that link. It popped up in my googling, but I thought, "Fender? PFFT!" and ignored it. Shows what I know.

The chart they post:

Bass Side Treble Side
Vintage style 8/64" (3.6 mm) 6/64" (2.4 mm)
Noiseless™ Series 8/64" (3.6 mm) 6/64" (2.4 mm)
Standard "J" or "P" 7/64" (2.8 mm) 5/64" (2 mm)
Special Design Humbuckers 7/64" (2.8 mm) 5/64" (2 mm)

would indicate that regardless of what we classify these PDUB (I just invented that) pickups as, they're way, way too low. Again, thanks!!

 

[DavidEdenAria]

I come from a keys, guitar, uke, harmonica, jew's harp, accordion, banjo background and for some strange reason playing this bass with fingers just seemed to be the right thing to do. Maybe I'm a bass player and I never knew it?

Would still like to know how close (roughly) the pups should be to the strings, though. I think I'm going to raise them up to what looks right to me just to see what happens.

I would raise them a bit at a time and listen closely.....once the tone starts getting too compressed and mushy, back them off a bit until you have optimum clarity.

I've noticed on my Epi IV bolt neck that the 2 pickups sound fairly close in tone....matter of fact I can barely tell them apart, which seems odd to me.

 

[wild4oldcars]

Generally, I aim for even pickup output first, then work on the tonal clarity

 

[mel0dic.bassist]

Well that looks familiar.

(the build quality on these things is first rate)

I've always wanted this EXACT Millenium.. I think I need to start a Peavey collection.. Absolutely stunning! How does that humbucker sound in comparison to a Stingray? I can just imagine exactly how that neck feels in my hands.

 

[mb94952]

I think I need to start a Peavey collection..

I love my Peavey Collection ! It's my favorite. I have owned literally hundreds of basses over the last decade and Peavey is #1 ! I own seven basses and five are Peaveys. The other two is a Garz custom, and a Kawai MIJ, and I LOVE both of them as much as my Peaveys.

 

[Runnerman]

Agree wholeheartedly with those sentiments mb. I have 3 Peavey basses so far and will not part with any of them. I will be continuing to pursue my collection. Early Foundation with SF's will be next. Two others I would love to have are a US Millenium and T-40 and they will come in time.

 

[mel0dic.bassist]

Every time Peavey comes up, it makes me think of my old Rudy Sarzo sig model.. I miss that thing more than any instrument I've ever owned/sold/traded.. I only have crappy pics of it from when I was selling it a few years ago, but yeah.. It was heavy, neck-thru, and sounded massive. It's the only two-hum bass I've ever actually liked.