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U.S. Peavey Club
- Thread starter Soundchaser11460
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Well, folks, I fell into it again. Needless to say I overextended $$ but am happy I could since I have gigs booked through January. 
I now have a second koa 2nd model TL-5, the one on the left. When I bought the first one (on the right) I was told by a Peavey employee who should know that there were three made in koa in the early 1990s and two were sent to NAMM. One was given to Tim Landers and the other sold to a dealer. The new one has flat top humbuckers unlike the Sarzo pattern 2nd model I have which has early VFLs. It also has the factory pre with mid-shift. The first one has a Dyna Bass pre that I bread boarded since it had no preamp and none were available in 1999. It also has curved top, passive single coils like the 2nd model Foundation since they work well with the Dyna pre.
The new one's serial# is from September 24, 1992 per Peavey. It needed very little TLC, mainly cleaning the hardware and massaging in some mineral oil. Well maintained and didn't even have fret grunge. It feels lighter by a pound or so. Strange thing is that the intonation is set with the saddles almost lined up unlike every other bass I have where the heaver strings are longer. I've seen pictures but never had one in my hands. New strings were on it and I checked with two tuners. Be interesting to see what happens when I put another of set strings on it in a year or two.
I now have a second koa 2nd model TL-5, the one on the left. When I bought the first one (on the right) I was told by a Peavey employee who should know that there were three made in koa in the early 1990s and two were sent to NAMM. One was given to Tim Landers and the other sold to a dealer. The new one has flat top humbuckers unlike the Sarzo pattern 2nd model I have which has early VFLs. It also has the factory pre with mid-shift. The first one has a Dyna Bass pre that I bread boarded since it had no preamp and none were available in 1999. It also has curved top, passive single coils like the 2nd model Foundation since they work well with the Dyna pre.
The new one's serial# is from September 24, 1992 per Peavey. It needed very little TLC, mainly cleaning the hardware and massaging in some mineral oil. Well maintained and didn't even have fret grunge. It feels lighter by a pound or so. Strange thing is that the intonation is set with the saddles almost lined up unlike every other bass I have where the heaver strings are longer. I've seen pictures but never had one in my hands. New strings were on it and I checked with two tuners. Be interesting to see what happens when I put another of set strings on it in a year or two.
Not well known but koa is a wonderful tone wood.
That got me checking my two. Same result,only on my 2nd gen it's the E string set a tad longer.
I always had the Carvin catalogs since the late 70's so i am familiar with Koa.
AFAIK, There were three or four generations of Foundations. All were US made.
Initially, a very rounded/sculpted body, trapezoid bridge, gibson style truss rod nut, super ferrite pickups.
Transitioning, while I've only ever seen the one I have: less sculptured body, allen key truss adjust, super ferrite pickups.
Second model: same as above, except with the "PEAVEY" labelled SF pickups. These are said to be the same pickups, but the mold for the outer shell was changed.
Third model: These have the same shape, but they went to the double jazz looking soapbar shells. They look like humbuckers, but they're still just singles. Bridge pickup is much closer to the bridge. These may or may not be labelled "Foundation 2000".
Then I believe there was a later model of Foundation 2000 with the newer body shape like the Millenium, but with the same double jazz looking single coil pickups.
As far as how long they ran, I'm not sure.
There was also the Foundation S, which was a P/J setup.
Foundation Time Guess = 15ish years.... the model did stay in catalogs for a while...
In the world of peavey, the year becomes less relevant compared to generation.
Why... in the Fender world, there are some "betty wound the pickups on a Tuesday" The cornerstone of the production was assembly line and machining... hence why the exact date is less important than a generation of features.
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I bought my special order mahogany/rosewood in 1988... it had the grover titans, rubber band knobs, trapezoid bridge, ferrites etc. It was $225 shipped with a 2 month waiting period. Many will argue this was the "best all features" generation --- I'm not so convinced one feature set was better than others.
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The cool thing about this cult group is we can all understand others preferences... I'm still puzzled about the t40 and bquad... there are others that will say my unicorn millenium is clanky and unforgiving (like me)
I'm honored to hang with you kids.. you guys know way more than I do...
I'm just a goofball that gigs upright and conklin 7... and sells Peavey USA to folks that drool over my over priced botiques
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hope you yankees had a good turkey day.
In the world of peavey, the year becomes less relevant compared to generation.
Why... in the Fender world, there are some "betty wound the pickups on a Tuesday" The cornerstone of the production was assembly line and machining... hence why the exact date is less important than a generation of features.
-----
I bought my special order mahogany/rosewood in 1988... it had the grover titans, rubber band knobs, trapezoid bridge, ferrites etc. It was $225 shipped with a 2 month waiting period. Many will argue this was the "best all features" generation --- I'm not so convinced one feature set was better than others.
-----
The cool thing about this cult group is we can all understand others preferences... I'm still puzzled about the t40 and bquad... there are others that will say my unicorn millenium is clanky and unforgiving (like me)
I'm honored to hang with you kids.. you guys know way more than I do...
I'm just a goofball that gigs upright and conklin 7... and sells Peavey USA to folks that drool over my over priced botiques
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hope you yankees had a good turkey day.
AXCELLERATOR 5 NECK, STRINGS ETC
ABOUT THE BASS
I keep it 24x7 on the stage of a mega church. I bought it a few years ago for $190. It's not disco purple (black). For a mega church gig, the staff sound crew like predictability - I like not schlepping gear.... I'm not totally in love with anything about it... it fits the bill for a 50x per year DI/IEM house gig.
SIGNAL CHAIN
Boss Tuner > Botique Comressor > MXR M80 DI/Preamp
STRINGS
Since this is used for a Modern Worship setting (pro sound staff, DI/IEM, Line array PA)... they staff prefers a naked sound with long sustain and articulate attack (clank is ok) I understand flatwound pbass guys will cringe at sustain and clank.
I'm planning on trying a set of DR HiBeams (45-125)... Any coaching or tension issues with the neck?
NECK ISSUE - Coaching Issue
"normally" I'd move any bass that didn't hold a tune and/or couldn't be arrow straight. For some reason, this one will always migrate back to "average" relief... it drives me nutzy as it creates average neck relief (not my standard 1mm up and down the neck action)
I'll get it straight.. it then settles back to "relief" ... and average action.
Questions
-Any tricks on an Axcellerator 5 Neck
-Are DR HiBeams a good choice (I normally play exposed core GHS Super Steels)
I've setup hundreds of basses... this one (average neck) has me baffled.
ABOUT THE BASS
I keep it 24x7 on the stage of a mega church. I bought it a few years ago for $190. It's not disco purple (black). For a mega church gig, the staff sound crew like predictability - I like not schlepping gear.... I'm not totally in love with anything about it... it fits the bill for a 50x per year DI/IEM house gig.
SIGNAL CHAIN
Boss Tuner > Botique Comressor > MXR M80 DI/Preamp
STRINGS
Since this is used for a Modern Worship setting (pro sound staff, DI/IEM, Line array PA)... they staff prefers a naked sound with long sustain and articulate attack (clank is ok) I understand flatwound pbass guys will cringe at sustain and clank.
I'm planning on trying a set of DR HiBeams (45-125)... Any coaching or tension issues with the neck?
NECK ISSUE - Coaching Issue
"normally" I'd move any bass that didn't hold a tune and/or couldn't be arrow straight. For some reason, this one will always migrate back to "average" relief... it drives me nutzy as it creates average neck relief (not my standard 1mm up and down the neck action)
I'll get it straight.. it then settles back to "relief" ... and average action.
Questions
-Any tricks on an Axcellerator 5 Neck
-Are DR HiBeams a good choice (I normally play exposed core GHS Super Steels)
I've setup hundreds of basses... this one (average neck) has me baffled.
Some basses just do that, baffled myself but have learned to live with it. My T40 is that way, just where it feels happy i suppose.
Necks aren't complicated things. If the neck is bowing then the tension on the truss rod is dropping for some reason. The obvious cause is a stripped truss rod nut but it could be other things. Maybe there is a void in the neck that is allowing the truss rod to compress it, or maybe the truss rod itself is failing. If you keep tightening it eventually the cause will be revealed. Whether the neck will be usable at that point is another question. If you don't like it enough that you would be OK with replacing the neck (or the whole bass) then I would keep adjusting it and just see what happens.
I had an Axcelerator 4 that set up fairly low but not as low as my Cirrus and Millennium basses. I had an Axcelerator 6 that set up very low..about like a Cirrus. Luck of the draw I guess. Both of the Axcelerators were very stable and the relief stayed where it was set.
I once had a Carvin 6 that I bought new and every few days would have to tighten the truss rod nut. Carvin replaced the bass and the replacement was okay.
I once had a Carvin 6 that I bought new and every few days would have to tighten the truss rod nut. Carvin replaced the bass and the replacement was okay.
Thanks for the posts guys... I had a disco purple one that would be arrow straight with low action.
Before dorking on the truss, I wasn't sure if I just had a lemon
For this application, "average will do"... just not the "ah ha that's fantastic" setup.
Axcellerator Update - Strings, Relief, Action
For this bass, the target is:
Setup
SIGNAL CHAIN
Like noted, I leave this setup 24x7 on stage... the production crew moves it... they have a diagram of how to make needed changes etc.
From what I understand, the tech bypasses everything on the board (no compression, eq or noise gate)
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When people ask about a bass "that's kind of like a J... kind of like a Cirrus (halfway point)... I normally indicate an Axcellerator.
Makes me wish I would have kept the kept the neck from my last disco purple Axcellerator to integrate to this black onyx one.
---
It's now giggable - plays better than any of my fenders - not to the level of my stable of unicorns... but who cares in this instance (1/8th note drones with a pick). -- I'll report back tomorrow after the tech team remixes it.
$190... Not sure there are many pro-giggable basses at this price point.
For this bass, the target is:
- Long sustain (yes, I do full-time add a botique compressor)
- Percussive attack - most contemporary worship tunes are droning 1/8th notes
- Uniform sound through the spectrum
- Solid, predictable B String... since we use sub array, I try to stay below low-mids
- Must be able to be dropped on a stone floor
- Can't look silly on TV feeds
Setup
- Installed a set of DR HiBeams (not my normal string)... 45-125
- Aligned the Geometry (raised the MicroTilt, Cranked up the Bridge)
- Intonation Strobed
- "Tried" to Tweek the Truss - didn't want to create irreversable damage (still has relief - not my preference)
- Fine Tuned the Individual Saddles
- Note: DID Not Dork a ton with the neck truss- you guys commented that the same "cant get it straight" experience was not isolated to this bass... who knows, the engineers may have been targeting the "must have relief" kids.
SIGNAL CHAIN
Like noted, I leave this setup 24x7 on stage... the production crew moves it... they have a diagram of how to make needed changes etc.
Bass/Axcellerator > Shure BLX (wireless) > Boss Chromatic Tuner > Ultra Comp > MXR M80 (preamp/di) > Board
From what I understand, the tech bypasses everything on the board (no compression, eq or noise gate)
-----
When people ask about a bass "that's kind of like a J... kind of like a Cirrus (halfway point)... I normally indicate an Axcellerator.
Makes me wish I would have kept the kept the neck from my last disco purple Axcellerator to integrate to this black onyx one.
---
It's now giggable - plays better than any of my fenders - not to the level of my stable of unicorns... but who cares in this instance (1/8th note drones with a pick). -- I'll report back tomorrow after the tech team remixes it.
$190... Not sure there are many pro-giggable basses at this price point.
