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Which to pick: Peavey Patriot or T45?

jmlee

jmlee

Catgut? Not funny.
Supporting Member
Jun 16, 2005
5,788
15,004
Halifax, Nova Scotia
bme.medicine.dal.ca
#1
I've got a line on two vintage Peavey basses, both similar in price (~$250), both in really excellent condition—and I'm going a bit mental trying to sort out which to take home. The first is a 1987 or so Patriot, white and with the much-vaunted superferrite pickup. The second is a 1983 T45 in a very pretty sunburst. I have no absolute need for either, but I'm a growing fan of vintage Peavey product and my go-to EB at this point is a lovely white 1995 5-string Foundation with VFL pickups. And, for the record, I'm awfully close to getting both... Advice?
 
#5
I've never played a T45 but I'm gonna do the Talkbass thing and tell you to get the Patriot because that's what I have :thumbsup:;)

All I can tell you about the Patriot is that wherever I go and wherever I play I just slip right into the mix. You will probably need to shield the cavity if that's what you choose. I wish I knew more about the T45.
 
#6
I've got one of each (and a few others..............)

PEAVEYNOFLASH.jpg


....and my recommendation is that if you can only grab one right now, go for the T45. In my experience, there seems to be fewer of them around than the Patriot. While nearly all USA-build vintage Peaveys are appreciating in value, the T40 and T45 seem to be worth a little more.

Also, that T40 (and T45) humbucker pickup is really versatile. You can get lots of different tones using the Peavey tone knob on the T45. From 1 to 7 you have the single coil, and from 7 to 10 you have the humbucker. As much as I love the Super Ferrite pickup (as seen above on the Patriot, T20 & T20FL), having that flexibility is really something. I'm still amazed at Peavey for making it so readily available.

You can always pick up a good SF-equipped Peavey down the road. Snag the T45 while you can! IME, IMHO, YMMV (and all other self-effacing acronyms!)

BTW......$250 is an excellent price for a T45, depending on condition (and if it includes the case). I paid more than that for mine (w/case), and paid only $99.99 for my Patriot (a few years ago...no case).
 
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#7
My $0.02

If it were my choice, the T45 wins hands down. They sound huge, are worth more, and like the whole T series, they represent the iconic Golden Age of Peavey.

The Patriot....meh. Never cared for the Patriot. Entry level bass that wishes it was a Foundation. Others love them, so YMMV.

Downside; The T series basses can be really heavy. I would love an 8.5 pound T45 but I doubt many exist.
 
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#8
Iridescentone said:
My $0.02

If it were my choice, the T45 wins hands down. They sound huge, are worth more, and like the whole T series, they represent the iconic Golden Age of Peavey.

The Patriot....meh. Never cared for the Patriot. Entry level bass that wishes it was a Foundation. Others love them, so YMMV.

Downside; The T series basses can be really heavy. I would love an 8.5 pound T45 but I doubt many exist.
Click to expand...
...on that last, unless you do the back routing that the T-40 designer did. ;)
 
#13
jmlee said:
Oh,my! So you do! If I can ask, what do you make of the pickup position on the T45 versus the two on the T40?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't assume there was any fancy motive - "just one pickup, put it in the middle, about there", or it may have involved exacting measurements and listening testing. You could ask Chip Todd, fwiw.
 
#14
bholder said:
I wouldn't assume there was any fancy motive - "just one pickup, put it in the middle, about there", or it may have involved exacting measurements and listening testing. You could ask Chip Todd, fwiw.
Click to expand...

Sorry...I guess what I mean was: if there was a T40 in my future, is the tone range on the T45 really distincitive in some way (e.g. P vs J etc.)?
 
#16
jmlee said:
Sorry...I guess what I mean was: if there was a T40 in my future, is the tone range on the T45 really distincitive in some way (e.g. P vs J etc.)?
Click to expand...
If I had both, I could comment on that, but all I've got are T-40s. Eyeing a fretless T-45, but I already have a fretless T-40...
 
#18
jmlee said:
Oh,my! So you do! If I can ask, what do you make of the pickup position on the T45 versus the two on the T40?
Click to expand...

It would be easy to assume that Peavey (Chip Todd) designed the T45 pickup placement in the "sweet spot" for a single pickup (like the Precision?). That being said, I don't get a "P" vibe from a T45 exactly. With some fiddling, you can get close. What you do get is a fuller, lusher humbucker which is tonally controllable and ultimately sounds like a T45! It has a different tone than just shutting down one or the other pickup on the T40. In short, my sense is that the T45 is its own animal. Which is probably the very best argument for snagging the T45 over the Patriot.

Happy Hunting!
 
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