U.S. Peavey Club

[Raw N Low]

I still have a few of my Japanese basses hanging around. I know I'm an echo chamber for this but, some of the older MIJ's instruments and Peavey's can be hit or miss becuase they were used as step/inbetween basses for more desireable models. Kinda irks me that sellers now try to use the MIJ and upscale US Peavey brands to command more money. Such examples are often abused.

 

[TinIndian]

I still have a few of my Japanese basses hanging around. I know I'm an echo chamber for this but, some of the older MIJ's instruments and Peavey's can be hit or miss becuase they were used as step/inbetween basses for more desireable models. Kinda irks me that sellers now try to use the MIJ and upscale US Peavey brands to command more money. Such examples are often abused.

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Wow! Is that an original Black Eagle? Nice!

I'd love to get my hands on one of those Ibanez Silver Series basses from the 70's. Like Graham Maby played on the early Joe Jackson albums.

 

[kodiakblair]

"top tier branding" to take on American brands.

They did that alright My old TUNE Maniac is one of the finest basses I've ever played.

Not cheap. Built at the same time as my Vigier Arpege and cost about the same, $2000 in 86.

 

[mb94952]

Wow ! Such interesting history, and $2000 in 1986 ? Daaaamn.
On the other thing, I've been playing my Peavey Axcelerator 2 lately. Just put new round wounds on it. This bass is INCREDIBLE. So easy to play. Thin neck, but still 1.6 wide but. Feels perfect. I added black hardware, knobs, and a Hipshot Drop D, like I have on all my basses. Punchy as heck.

 

[bigtone23]

Japanese is certainly hit or miss. It got less miss and more hit from as the late 70s progressed through the 90s. I found that they hit their stride in the early to mid 80s and kept it going nicely. However, most MIJ needed the same things MIC/MIK/MII need today--upgrade the jack, switches, pots... etc...

FWIW, this is my only MIJ bass left. An 84 Ibanez RB630. It has been through a lot. Routing, 3 pickup swaps, a bridge swap, lots of miles. It's a solid platform of a bass that plays so nice. I could never get rid of it. It's currently (and most likely to stay) a T45 tribute.

 

[TinIndian]

That's pretty cool.

Since were talking earlier Ibanez basses the only one I had was an 85 RB850RV. Bought it for next to nothing completely trashed, serious corrosion all over, paint cracking in fact the body had cracks and it was missing a chunk of wood around the input jack. Pretty obvious someone had tried to smash it at one point.

Positives, it was all there, except inexplicably the caps off the back of the sealed tuners, including the original beat up case. I ended up redoing the entire thing and respraying it with Guitar Reranch Royal Violet which was nearly an exact match. Really came out nice. Sold it about 18 months ago because I really wasn't playing it much.

Ill post some before and after pics if I can find some.

 

[Raw N Low]

Japanese is certainly hit or miss. It got less miss and more hit from as the late 70s progressed through the 90s. I found that they hit their stride in the early to mid 80s and kept it going nicely. However, most MIJ needed the same things MIC/MIK/MII need today--upgrade the jack, switches, pots... etc...

FWIW, this is my only MIJ bass left. An 84 Ibanez RB630. It has been through a lot. Routing, 3 pickup swaps, a bridge swap, lots of miles. It's a solid platform of a bass that plays so nice. I could never get rid of it. It's currently (and most likely to stay) a T45 tribute.
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That is a cool upgrade and I love the layout. I've had a ton of Ibby's in my day. Here is a photo of my P bass on a gig a couple of years ago.

 

[mb94952]

That's SICK. I LOVE the old MIJ Ibanez Fender basses. My all time favorite though is the Univox. OMG tone for days. But, I LOVE the Ibanez, too.

 

[TinIndian]

Ill post some before and after pics if I can find some.

The 1st ones are the day I got it. The last one is a family photo and the only one I can find after I finished it.

 

[Relsom]

I like the older Ibby's. Moreso than the modern Soundgear styles, though I'm sure they are great players too ... just not my thing.

I gotta admit that I do have a soft spot for those early 2000's Fender Deluxes, both Ps and Js. Ain't no denying it... no sir.

Oh, playing my Green Milli+ a lot lately ...... might as well add some Peavey content, eh. after all...

 

[Runnerman]

Here's my MIJ 83/84 Squier - SQ serial number
It's a great player, very thin comfortable neck. The rosewood board is very dark and beautiful. Only issue I currently have is the screws that hold down the pup covers keep loosening and raising the pups. I have to get that fixed before I gig it again.

 

[AudioTaper]

The 1st ones are the day I got it. The last one is a family photo and the only one I can find after I finished it.

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Nice Warwick Masterman! I just picked up one of its twins, it needs a bit of work and a deep cleaning. It will go well with my Cirrus collection. I'll have to take a family photo soon.

 

[Raw N Low]

The 1st ones are the day I got it. The last one is a family photo and the only one I can find after I finished it.

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That's a beautiful refinish job. Did you do it yourself, or was it done by a shop?

Wow! Is that an original Black Eagle? Nice!

Yes sir! It's a '76 Black Eagle. I had both the reissue and the original at one time. Both are fantastic basses but, I could only justify keeping one and kept the original. Don't hesitate to buy either one if they cross your path.

Keeping on track with Peavey stuff -- my local Luthier told me that my green Millennium is ready for pickup and it sounds like they fixed the necks issue. Happy to pick it up today. I also got a chance to play through my Peavey preamps this weekend. I highly recommend trying them out if you never have. These are great pre's for the value.

 

[mb94952]

That's a beautiful refinish job. Did you do it yourself, or was it done by a shop?



Yes sir! It's a '76 Black Eagle. I had both the reissue and the original at one time. Both are fantastic basses but, I could only justify keeping one and kept the original. Don't hesitate to buy either one if they cross your path.

View attachment 3696936

Keeping on track with Peavey stuff -- my local Luthier told me that my green Millennium is ready for pickup and it sounds like they fixed the necks issue. Happy to pick it up today. I also got a chance to play through my Peavey preamps this weekend. I highly recommend trying them out if you never have. These are great pre's for the value.

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Those black Eagles are amazing.
I don't think you have enough rackmount Peavey's though.

 

[mb94952]

The 1st ones are the day I got it. The last one is a family photo and the only one I can find after I finished it.

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That purple Ibby Road Star is SICK. I love the clear rear cover. Wow, it looked like someone held it under salt water until it drowned. You did a great job bringing the bridge back to life. I'm assuming you soaked it in some kind of chemical ?

 

[Raw N Low]

Those black Eagles are amazing.
I don't think you have enough rackmount Peavey's though.

Well, I didn't include the photo of my Peavey 120/120, Peavey Max-T, and Megabass...

 

[AudioTaper]

Well, I didn't include the photo of my Peavey 120/120, Peavey Max-T, and Megabass...

T-Max was my first non-combo amp (old, beat Combo 300 was the first amp I bought) what a great, heavy amp.

 

[bigtone23]

I like the older Ibby's. Moreso than the modern Soundgear styles, though I'm sure they are great players too ... just not my thing.

I gotta admit that I do have a soft spot for those early 2000's Fender Deluxes, both Ps and Js. Ain't no denying it... no sir.

I am a fanboy of Ibanez right up through 1986. 1987 saw the whole solid body line get revamped. They got more pointy, flatter, thinner necks, etc... leading up to the Soundgears at the end of the decade. Not my thing.

Those turn of the century Fender Deluxes are among my favorites. It all started with trading my (sunburst--bleah) 76 P for a brand new 98 US Dlx J V. Over the next few years, I got a couple 4 string US Dlx Ps (a 98 and 99), sold both of those to fund the '00 US Dlx P V and a great playing '14 MIM Dlx Dimension V (just to round out the Stingray type bass of the series). Not really anything these 3 basses can't do, and they all feel pretty much the same. The only thing that changes when you switch instruments is the tone.

To finish this post with a Peavey slant. I may pick up another Generation Standard (Tele).

 

[Raw N Low]

The P Deluxe is killer. I sometimes wonder if those humbuckers are the same ones in the Modern Player and Roscoe Beck basses. Here's my matte black Fender Jazz.

 

[Shawn Luckman]

[QUOTE="kodiakblair, post:

I've a feeling things were different in the US but American instruments were hugely expensive in Europe and folks had no problem accepting quality built models from Japan. Take this fella.
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Released about the same time the T40 was changing from toasters to blades,81/82. An active ash body through neck,series/parallel,in/out phase. Think these Westone Thunders were priced the same as Peavey T40,£300 mark.Perhaps @Shawn Luckman can confirm that ? The Westones had a strong presence in the UK,Tokai were top notch and Aria Pro along with Ibanez were on many a wish list.
[/QUOTE]

Agreed these Westone basses at that time were priced along side the Peavey T-40. Kodiakblairs Westone was the top model and if you owned one of these then. then you were held in high regard