Well, now black T45s start surfacing for sale for good prices, one on Reverb, too. That's what I wanted a couple years ago when they were too expensive-everyone was asking $500-600. It inspired me to convert my Ibanez RB630 into a virtual T45.
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U.S. Peavey Club
- Thread starter Soundchaser11460
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Sounds like a late 80s one? The 80s ones seem to be worth about $250-300, earlier ones with the cool metal P knobs on the higher end of the range.
The 90s ones about $200.
A while back I was looking at used Peavey basses on the Guitar Center website. There was a late model Foundation 5 for $199. They called it fair condition and the photos were not too good. I did not need it but it was so cheap I bought it.
When it arrived it looked better than I thought it would. The neck is very clean and the body has some chips and dings but not too bad. The bad was that it needed EVERYTHING adjusted. The neck was even mounted crooked so that the 1st string was too close to the edge of the fingerboard.
I cleaned and polished the bass and hardware. I reset the neck and adjusted the tilt just a bit and after a complete set up and new strings this is one great playing and sounding bass. For less than the cost of a Chinese made instrument I have a solid USA made bass that is very good sounding. The B string is even great sounding.
I know I am preaching to the choir but this turned out to be such fun to take an unloved bass and give it some TLC and have it turn out this good.
When it arrived it looked better than I thought it would. The neck is very clean and the body has some chips and dings but not too bad. The bad was that it needed EVERYTHING adjusted. The neck was even mounted crooked so that the 1st string was too close to the edge of the fingerboard.
I cleaned and polished the bass and hardware. I reset the neck and adjusted the tilt just a bit and after a complete set up and new strings this is one great playing and sounding bass. For less than the cost of a Chinese made instrument I have a solid USA made bass that is very good sounding. The B string is even great sounding.
I know I am preaching to the choir but this turned out to be such fun to take an unloved bass and give it some TLC and have it turn out this good.
Has anyone replaced the electronics in the Sarzo model Peavey, and if so with what?
I'll get mine back at the end of this week all ready and set up for fretless playing, but I'm still a bit unsure what to do with the electronics. I could of course fix the busted battery wire and let it remain as it is, if it's not too buzzy. Other option is to go passive, with just vol/balance/tone or vol/vol/tone. I think I'll have to play it passive a bit and then do the gutting if I feel like it..
I'll get mine back at the end of this week all ready and set up for fretless playing, but I'm still a bit unsure what to do with the electronics. I could of course fix the busted battery wire and let it remain as it is, if it's not too buzzy. Other option is to go passive, with just vol/balance/tone or vol/vol/tone. I think I'll have to play it passive a bit and then do the gutting if I feel like it..
I had to replace the circuit board on my '91 Sarzo a while back. I used a DYNABASS preamp which required some slight wiring mods (supplied by the all-knowing Mech).
Ironically, I absolutely love the passive mode on the Sarzo and use it exclusively...go figure.
Good luck,
Steve
The sky is the limit for replacement preamps. I recently bought an amber Dyna Bass Unity Limited with a Mike Pope 4 band and EMG Victor Wooten active P/J set. Current retail is almost $600 for that combination. I replaced them with originals since that was what I wanted for the bass.
The preamp will have some hiss, IME, if boosted all the way which is +15dB. If you're trying to get highs from flat wounds it would be better to boost the highs on your amp or find naturally brighter strings. Strings Forum would be a good place to look for info.
As an FYI, the PCB is the same for the 1st model Dyna Bass, 1st model TL-5 and Sarzo. There are minor pickup wiring differences between Super Ferrite single coils and Sarzo or P/J humbuckers. I highly recommend taking out the PCB and cleaning the pots with a good spray. They are 30 years old or more and will get scratchy and make noise. A mod I like makes the Passive tone control work all the time. It works with the Active high and helps tame new string sizzle with roundwounds. The effect is subtle but effective. It's easy to do and reverse if you don't like it.
Solder a short jumper wire between the two solder pads for the switch wires as shown in the pic. If you're lucky there will be enough wire sticking up to do the trick by heating a joint and bending it over. If you try this be sure your amp volume is OFF when hooking up and turn the volume up slowly. Solder the wrong pads on the switch together and it squeals pretty good. Won't damage anything but your ears or amp. Don't ask how I know.
PU wiring is for Super Ferrite single coils.
@Chuck M
I know what you mean about the 5 string. I was £50 for mine (Foundations in the UK go for around half the figures bigtone23 gave,even allowing for exchange rate). The B was much better than on my Dynabass 5,neck felt almost asymetric.
I know what you mean about the 5 string. I was £50 for mine (Foundations in the UK go for around half the figures bigtone23 gave,even allowing for exchange rate). The B was much better than on my Dynabass 5,neck felt almost asymetric.
WOW....my 90s Foundation 5 was the same offset neck mounting....i tried every way to re-adjust the neck to no avail....wound up plugging and re-drilling the bridge which wasnt that difficult....my neck fit very tight in the body, there was virtually no leeway.
Anyhow, love this bass.....everything about it stock suits me fine...pickups, bridge neck is fantastic in shape and playability......black on maple like my 85 Foundation!
Are there many versions of the preamp/PCB? Because I remember that the tone was working even when bass had no battery in it for the active part.. but I'll have to double check on that one when I get it back.
And thanks for the info
And thanks for the info
Are there many versions of the preamp/PCB? Because I remember that the tone was working even when bass had no battery in it for the active part.. but I'll have to double check on that one when I get it back.
And thanks for the info
The High control is a dual pot with one shaft. One section is the High active and the other the Passive tone control. They work only in their respective switch positions. Also there is a hole in the control cover that gives access to a screwdriver adjust pot to set the volume balance between Active and Passive. Turns Active up or down. You can see the end of the white shaft in the pics.
There are actually two versions I've seen but they are the exact same circuit. Early one looks to be laid out by hand pre-computer and the later one designed on a computer. Earliest serial number bass I've seen it in is 1985, first year of the Dyna Bass. The first pic I posted is in a Dyna Bass. This one is in a later year Sarzo. Different numbers and letters on them that I believe are part number, date code and designer or engineer.
By the way, my Foundation 5 is also maple/black. I'm not fond of maple fingerboards but this bass just sounds fantastic and I would not change a thing on it.
The neck pocket on this one is quite tight but I was able to shift the position in the neck pocket just enough to center the strings on the fingerboard. I was playing it again yesterday and was enjoying it very much.
The neck pocket on this one is quite tight but I was able to shift the position in the neck pocket just enough to center the strings on the fingerboard. I was playing it again yesterday and was enjoying it very much.
How ironic! I recently bought a decent Chinese Ric clone. It's getting SF pickups. Mine will look a little more like a Ric than yours, but I bet they'll sound almost the same.
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That one is really solid. I got it at a local musician's swap meet thing. That, a Yamaha BB300, and a Tobias Toby 4 string, all for $300. Given that, I'm thinking I'm into the Ric for $100. I bought some "maybe not working" SF pickups from eBay for $36. If they prove to work(they will), they're going into one of my transition foundations with the SF pickups that are just labelled "peavey". I've been told by a guy on the inside that those are in fact SF pickups, but the mold was damaged, so they made a new one. Anyway, I'm of the opinion that the pickups that actually say Super Ferrite on them will always be more desired. As such, the unmarked ones will go in the Ric. Neck pickup will get a faux toaster treatment. Chrome Mylar tape, then a layer of resin. The bridge pickup is being sanded down to expose the blade, then coated with resin. I'll post a pic of a SF pickup that's been sanded to expose the blade.
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