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U.S. Peavey Club

#16,481
bassbrad said:
I have a pearl white DynaBassFive that was one of the first built that I love, it has been my main fiver on many gigs and sessions. I really like the narrower spacing and the tone is spectacular.
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I have a curiosity about the early production Dyna 5 Super Ferrite vs my later production Dyna 5 Super Ferrite.
The owners manual (dated 1987) states that the bass has an 8" fretboard radius. https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/80300750.pdf
However, my bass is clearly much flatter than that--I measured and it's closer to 12". Do you know what radius your bass has? It's not a big deal if you don't know (or care--I know you really like the bass :)) . Who knows--it could be a production change or a misprint by Peavey when they more or less copy and pasted the info from the 4 string Dyna manual.

Regardless, I do like flatter radius with 5 string. Despite the ultra narrow string spacing, the bass feels pretty darn good, and of course it sounds like an angel kiss. It's kind of shocking that this bass clocks in at 8# 10oz with that bridge and Schaller type tuners. My 4 string Dyna is 8# 12 oz (even with metal replacement knobs), and my EBMM USA SUBs each weigh a pound more than these basses and have poplar bodies, bent steel bridges and vintage style/non cast tuners.
 
#16,484
Raw N Low said:
Thanks Chuck! That's what I wanted to know. I'm assuming they are quiet and have a deep-water tone to them.
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I prefer the version with MM pickup at the bridge position. I owned a JJ and I felt it to be very hi-fi and more difficult to coax the lows out. Although I tried to bond with it, I eventually passed it on due to that and the 35" scale. It was a phenomenally well crafted and comfortable instrument to play and I'm sure it works well for a lot of other applications...just wasn't for me.
 
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#16,487
bigtone23 said:
I have a curiosity about the early production Dyna 5 Super Ferrite vs my later production Dyna 5 Super Ferrite.
The owners manual (dated 1987) states that the bass has an 8" fretboard radius. https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/80300750.pdf
However, my bass is clearly much flatter than that--I measured and it's closer to 12". Do you know what radius your bass has? It's not a big deal if you don't know (or care--I know you really like the bass :)) . Who knows--it could be a production change or a misprint by Peavey when they more or less copy and pasted the info from the 4 string Dyna manual.

Regardless, I do like flatter radius with 5 string. Despite the ultra narrow string spacing, the bass feels pretty darn good, and of course it sounds like an angel kiss. It's kind of shocking that this bass clocks in at 8# 10oz with that bridge and Schaller type tuners. My 4 string Dyna is 8# 12 oz (even with metal replacement knobs), and my EBMM USA SUBs each weigh a pound more than these basses and have poplar bodies, bent steel bridges and vintage style/non cast tuners.
Click to expand...

I have never put a radius gauge on the fingerboard and don't have one in my kit anymore since i am not doing any fretwork. All those tools were donated to a budding builder a few years back. The radius does feel the same as my other early Foundations both fretted and fretted. I recall playing some of the later production series with a slightly wider and flatter feeling board that I did not really care for at the time, those would include the TL5, mainly because I was so used to playing my DynaBassFive. I have since changed my mind some.
 
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#16,488
After a year and a half of looking for the right bass at the right price as backup to my USA Millennium it has arrived. 1993 Foundation in very good shape.
1993 Foundation 5.jpeg
 
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#16,491
Shawn Luckman said:
It looks like it's been looked after :) hope it serves you well smogg :thumbsup:
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Got it from a fellow TBer, thanks @Ravenblack67 He put some work into it. Sounds great & plays like butta. The only thing I'm changing right now is adding Dunlop strap locks. Will it replace my Milly 5? No. But, it is everything my Millennium 5 is not and expect it will make a fine back up.
 
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#16,492
Riff Ranger said:
Is this an appropriate place to discuss U.S. Peavey amplification? Because I want to discuss this somewhere. If not here, would somebody please point me toward a more appropriate thread?
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So I tried this nonsense and answered my own question:

90085867-D5EE-4782-9A49-4589388DF0F2.jpeg


Some combination of going from 4ohm to 2ohm, 210w to 325w, 1x15 or 2x12 to 1x15+2x12, and (perhaps most importantly) getting speakers closer to ear level finally gets the volume up where I need it.

I intend to replace the Schroeder (which I just sent off to its new owner) with another Peavey 1x15. Wondering whether I should go with another rat fur 115BX or one of the old aluminum strip ones.
 
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#16,493
Riff Ranger said:
So I tried this nonsense and answered my own question:

View attachment 3739283

Some combination of going from 4ohm to 2ohm, 210w to 325w, 1x15 or 2x12 to 1x15+2x12, and (perhaps most importantly) getting speakers closer to ear level finally gets the volume up where I need it.

I intend to replace the Schroeder (which I just sent off to its new owner) with another Peavey 1x15. Wondering whether I should go with another rat fur 115BX or one of the old aluminum strip ones.
Click to expand...
If it were me I'd go for another rat fur 115BX to have a matching pair. But that's just me.
 
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#16,495
smogg said:
If it were me I'd go for another rat fur 115BX to have a matching pair. But that's just me.
Click to expand...
The aluminum strips probably match the Mark IV head better, but I love the response and handles of the cab I already have. Already having it also scores points, haha. I figure if it’s Made in Meridian and has the pointy logo, it’s close enough.
 
#16,496
bassbrad said:
My personal preference would be the earlier Peavery 1x15 BW cabs because they were smaller cubic in size and were always a lot punchier to my ear and the early models were good quality plywood before they went to MDF. Just saying.
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It might come down to whether I can track down two of them. I would like a matched(ish) set.
 
#16,497
bassbrad said:
I have never put a radius gauge on the fingerboard and don't have one in my kit anymore since i am not doing any fretwork. All those tools were donated to a budding builder a few years back. The radius does feel the same as my other early Foundations both fretted and fretted. I recall playing some of the later production series with a slightly wider and flatter feeling board that I did not really care for at the time, those would include the TL5, mainly because I was so used to playing my DynaBassFive. I have since changed my mind some.
Click to expand...
Interestingly, the neck on my 91 Dyna 5 is really similar to the 82 T-45 neck on my frankenpeavey.
Check this out, these specs are very close...
Both are 1.75" (44.5mm) wide at the nut and have 21 frets--both basses fretwire is .104 x .043" (2.64 x 1.1mm)
The T-45 neck has a 8" radius, the Dyna 5 a 12".

The T-45 neck is 2.21" (56mm) wide at the 12th fret and 2.41" (61mm) wide at the heel.
The Dyna 5 neck is 2.31" (58.9mm) wide at the 12th, and 2.53" (64.4mm) wide at the heel.

The T-45 neck is .79" (20.1mm) thick at the 1st fret and .97" (24.7mm) thick at the 12th fret.
The Dyna 5 is .83" (21mm) thick at the 1st fret and also .97" (24.7mm) thick at the 12th fret.

I have been playing the T45 neck a lot lately--it's so nice! When I first played the Dyna 5, it was instantly familiar. Both also have the same shoulder feel.
It crossed my mind that if this Dyna 5 didn't work out as a 5er, I would pull the lone, south-side G tuning machine, put in a new nut and bridge and play it as a 4 string.

smogg said:
After a year and a half of looking for the right bass at the right price as backup to my USA Millennium it has arrived. 1993 Foundation in very good shape.
Click to expand...

Runnerman said:
5 string with super ferrites.....very nice indeed.
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Congrats!! Super Ferrite nice! I wanted one of these (also as a backup/practice space bass), but they seem rather rare. All I could find was the VFL equipped Foundy 5s. No slight to the VFL fans, but I'm a Super Super Ferrite fan.
 
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#16,498
Guys question from a semi-decent fix it yourselfer....

Looking to rewire my Foundation, at least one pot is gone. I saw this on Reverb...
Peavy Foundation Bass wiring harness upgrade NEW!!

Do you think the price is fair at $59 shipped? I did a little sourcing on the components and its probably $40-45 in just parts from what I can see. Obviously he is getting components in bulk at better prices than I can. I'm thinking seriously of pulling the trigger. Would save me some soldering headaches as well. What say ye?
 
#16,499
If you only need one pot replaced, it's definitely cheaper just to replace that pot yourself, and probably less complicated than replacing the whole kit. Either way, you'd be soldering between 2 and 4 points of a circuit, it's only a matter of which points.
 

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