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Why are old Peaveys so cheap?
- Thread starter baddarryl
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I knew a guy who did exactly that. Defretted his Peavey Fury. He was only into the bass for $100 or so, and figured if he messed it up, he wasn't out much dough. Pulling the frets out was easy. After that, the whole job went in the toilet, and he ruined the bass.
Jobs like that always look easier than they are. Your best bet is to sell the Peavey and put the proceeds towards a factory fretless. That way you'll have $150 in your pocket instead of a junked bass.
I bought a beat up US Forum on ebay specifically with the intent of making it into a fretless. Think the instrument was < $80. It's easy to take the frets out. Then I bought some really thin wood (veneer?), used a scroll saw to cut pieces out to fill in the fret slots, super glued 'em in and sanded down the fingerboard to get it perfectly smooth. It came out great - added series/parallel and phase switches while I was at it. It's really an awesome instrument, i've never felt a need to buy another fretless after doing this one up.
Keep your eyes open for a fretless Foundation and sell the Fury. I think you'd like a fretless Foundation much better.
mech
Why not pay a qualified tech or luthier to defret the Fury? That way the owner gets a really nice fretless for maybe $150-$200 more than be paid for the bass itself.
Update: After trying to set up the bass and getting the right tool to adjust the truss, I was very disappointed to find out that after continuing to tighten the truss, the neck would not straighten. So there is a permanent bow in the neck, unless you really loosen strings. I even tried lighter gauge, lighter tension tuned to standard and still had the bow. I was pretty afraid that if I tightened any more, I would ruin the neck. :/
I have to give it back to GC. It hasn't put me off at all to the Peavey brand, so I still would like to get another at some point - the electronics were awesome on the bass. I'd even be willing to bet that the instrument wasn't well taken care of by the previous owner.
Anyway take care for now!
I have to give it back to GC. It hasn't put me off at all to the Peavey brand, so I still would like to get another at some point - the electronics were awesome on the bass. I'd even be willing to bet that the instrument wasn't well taken care of by the previous owner.
Anyway take care for now!
NicJimBass
Flossin'? I thought your name was Munson!
There are simple ways to fix a problem like this, ranging from adding a washer under the truss rod nut, to removing the truss rod nut, and clamping the neck either straight or with a slight backbow, then putting the nut back on. I've done both with great, cheap results.
Since this thread started I have had a look on fleabay and I have concluded that the old ones are not cheap. In fact they seem to be sslightly over priced if anything. Not by much compared to old 'name' brand basses wich are way overpriced for what they offer purely as instruments nor absurdly overpriced like some of the total rubbish that fools are buying for double the price of modern decent low cost instruments. It seems that some people judge a musical item solely on it's age.
I guess in this crazy world older Peaveys represent reasonable value for money. Solid instruments, maybe holding or slowly increasing their value. Compared to the better quality Asian instruments I still think they are a little expensive.
Cheap however? Not really. Either in build quality or cost.
At least here in the UK. It may be a whole different story in the states?
I guess in this crazy world older Peaveys represent reasonable value for money. Solid instruments, maybe holding or slowly increasing their value. Compared to the better quality Asian instruments I still think they are a little expensive.
Cheap however? Not really. Either in build quality or cost.
At least here in the UK. It may be a whole different story in the states?
Yeah, it sounds like they're definitely cheaper here in the US, which shouldn't be much of a surprise... I've been looking for a cheap Fury for awhile, and could get a nice one at any time for $200 from GC's used gear pages... I ended up grabbing one that's a little beat up for $90, and although I believe reports of them being equal to MIA Fenders are quite an exagerration, I think they're still ALOT of bass for the money, even at $200... Fit, finish, hardware and wiring are very much inferior to my MIA Fenders, but on a positive note - the neck is very good, with very nice fretwork... I fully expected to take my new "beater bass" down to my luthier for a fret level job in order to make it play as well as I'm used to, but there really isn't any need to do so... The trussrod adjuster works well, and the nut is high quality - the neck alone is worth more than what I paid for the whole bass... It's actually a bit smaller than my Jazz necks, and quite enjoyable to play - the stock pups sound good, but aren't quite what I'm looking for... I'll probably put in a set of EMGs I have on hand, give the body a paint job when the weather gets nicer, replace the white PG with a black one, and have myself a very nice bass for very little money...
- georgestrings
Prices in the UK, as usual, are wildly different than prices in the US. Right now at this very minute you can buy a nice, used 1991 Peavey Fury for $150. That's under £100. What can you buy for that kind of money in the UK? The Fury bass is a better quality, better sounding instrument than any new Asian Fender product you'll find. And remember that Peavey is 22 years old, and in great shape. What do you think the Chinese instruments will look like in 22 years??
$150 Furys, $150 Foundations, $400 US Millenniums, $175 Forums.... these are below fire sale prices on top quality, pro level instruments.
Interesting you bring this up!
While not really "China" (depending on who you ask politically), I own a Made in Taiwan Yamaha from 1987 that is quite nice. Only the gold hardware got crappy, but that's because I bought it used. Taiwan, however, generally has a better reputation than mainland China for higher quality products in all different categories - including instruments.
What's the best out of those: the fury, foundation or the forum? Now that I have one, I want another..
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
Depends on what you want.
Fury = P bass
Foundation = Jazz bass
Forum = P/J
They're all good.
Look at what they sell for, not what they are listed for. I've been adding Peavey basses to my watch list for a year. Most of them do not sell at the asking price. What sells are Foundations, for well under $200, and Furys and Patriots, for around $150. T-40's usually sell for around $300. I've seen the same TL-5's and TL-6's listed over and over and over again in the $600-$900 range. They don't sell. Sarzo signature basses, same thing. There are no buyers in the $500 range. But eBay doesn't charge for a listing until it sells, so they are listed again and again at prices no one is willing to pay.
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I've been tempted a time or two to pay someones asking price on ebay...$200 for a Foundation? Are you kidding?! I think they're worth 5 times that, but I also know what they have been going for...can't help but wonder if they'll ever be worth any real money...they certainly deserve to.
I'd also swear T-40's are going up...seen one go for $550 a couple weeks ago
I'd also swear T-40's are going up...seen one go for $550 a couple weeks ago
Intersting and frustrating to know that you folks in the states pay less than us in rip off Britain. I bought a zoom recorder from the US and it was a third less than I could get one for here.
The Chinese guitars that I buy are less than £100 used and are that good that I sold all my USA made basses. That includes 2 pre Ernie Ball Stingrays and several Fenders. The JHS 'Vintage' that I play now is better than any of Fenders that I have ever owned sound wise. I prefer the shape of the neck on my Japanese p bass but both have equally low actions.
As fortwenty years time.... My 1970 Westerley built Guild D25 has to be moved around my boat to keep the top from going up and down whereas my Chinese dreadnought (JHS 'Vintage') is as stable as can be. It goes from in front of my hot coal stove out onto the frosty street all through the winter with no problem.
My 'crappy lol' Chinese basses are stored near the boats open and damp bilge and guess what? They have been like that for 3 or four years with no issues.
The Japanese crept up on you guys and now it looks like the Chinese are about to do the same. Fender know this yet Gibson are still living on their past. The rest of the world doesn't have the USA equals superior blinkers on anymore.
Quality speaks for itself to those who are prepared to judge without prejudice. Enjoy Laughing at Chinese guitars while you can but I bet you won't be in 20 years time.
The Chinese guitars that I buy are less than £100 used and are that good that I sold all my USA made basses. That includes 2 pre Ernie Ball Stingrays and several Fenders. The JHS 'Vintage' that I play now is better than any of Fenders that I have ever owned sound wise. I prefer the shape of the neck on my Japanese p bass but both have equally low actions.
As fortwenty years time.... My 1970 Westerley built Guild D25 has to be moved around my boat to keep the top from going up and down whereas my Chinese dreadnought (JHS 'Vintage') is as stable as can be. It goes from in front of my hot coal stove out onto the frosty street all through the winter with no problem.
My 'crappy lol' Chinese basses are stored near the boats open and damp bilge and guess what? They have been like that for 3 or four years with no issues.
The Japanese crept up on you guys and now it looks like the Chinese are about to do the same. Fender know this yet Gibson are still living on their past. The rest of the world doesn't have the USA equals superior blinkers on anymore.
Quality speaks for itself to those who are prepared to judge without prejudice. Enjoy Laughing at Chinese guitars while you can but I bet you won't be in 20 years time.
I watch the listings too. The only $150 Foundations I see anymore are the later models, often the ones with non-SF pickups and the cheaper hardware. Some people like them, but they don't stack up too well against the original Foundation IMO.
I don't see as many Foundations listed on ebay as there used to be, it seems. Nice examples, when they do pop up, are priced well above $200. Whether they sell at that price or not is another story.
That said, I really like those old Foundations and have several. If I spot a nice one in a finish I don't have, I will pay a hefty premium to add it to my collection. My name is Jack, and I am a hopeless Foundation hoarder.
I don't see as many Foundations listed on ebay as there used to be, it seems. Nice examples, when they do pop up, are priced well above $200. Whether they sell at that price or not is another story.
That said, I really like those old Foundations and have several. If I spot a nice one in a finish I don't have, I will pay a hefty premium to add it to my collection. My name is Jack, and I am a hopeless Foundation hoarder.
Hey rubadub, no one in the States is laughing at Chinese guitars, or any other Chinese products that have infested our marketplace. It's a serious problem, whether those products are of decent quality or are pure junk (and let's face it, much of it is total trash).
We're also well aquainted with anti-American sentiments. So enjoy your little mean spirited barbs while you still can. But know this...if we go down, you go down with us. Talk about wearing "blinders". Myopic much?
We're also well aquainted with anti-American sentiments. So enjoy your little mean spirited barbs while you still can. But know this...if we go down, you go down with us. Talk about wearing "blinders". Myopic much?
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