Old USA Peaveys: Is the secret out?

[ExiledCrow]

Indeed I like my MIK Predator ... THIN neck, locking tuners, $70 bucks, shipped. All I've done is replace the bridge HB with a Super Distortion, and it sounds ....

[chuck1016]

I still see Peaveys in the $100-125 range on my local CL, but they usually don't have any details. They just list it as "electric guitar" or "guitar with amp".

 

Last fall I bought an 87 Peavey Fury bass for $25 because it was "broken". One of the connector wires for the pickup (Pbass) was broken. I replaced it with a $30 pickup from GFS and it's a fantastic player.

[Armitage]

I love my USA Vandenberg Custom neck-thru.

[Invader.CC]

If you ever get a chance to check out a Peavey Detonator AX..Do so this is a guitar way ahead of its time..

Also any of the Peavey T-60's are great guitars ..If you can handle the weight they weigh a ton...

[bdegrande]

Years ago, I bought two Peavey T-60s for $125 and $150 and a Firenza for $225. I suspect that the prices would be significantly higher now, at least for the T series.

[lowbrow]

The one I've been digging most lately is my mid 80's Patriot with the Super Ferrite single coils. Black with a maple neck, it's a killer player. Shorter scale, like a Gibason, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Got it in a pawn shop a few months ago for $75 out the door.

[Rich4Once]

I love my Nitro Custom! http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/one4rich/Gear%20Pics/?action=view&current=PeaveyNitro001.jpg

 

Just yesterday I got outbid on an unfinished one on Ebay. It had no paint, hardware, or anything, just the body/neck. The opportunity to build the *perfect* Nitro was irresistible, but I didn't have much money to spare trying to get it.

 

Hopefully, the winning bidder gets a serious case of procrastination and doesn't build it, and it turns up again when I have some money to spend.

[St. Andrew]

I played a couple of these old peaveys. I think the new CV Squiers are much better

[marantz1300]

I have a Reactor and had a Peavey USA Strat(cant remember its name).I like the necks and bodys,while the tuners and pots/switchs aint great.They are not as well made as a MIM Fender,but are more comfortable and a good base to upgrade to build a good guitar.

[Wyzsard]

Anyone in Louisville or near there want a T-15 'burst, pm me and I'll point the way to one.

"Peavey T-15 circa 1980's, vgc plus, sunburst, $199 " Not mine, and they have had it awhile, so 175 will probably get it out the door. It's not mine , it's in a shop, and I doubt they will ship it.

 

I got this one there for 175 bucks I think it was. No way I'd sell it, it's just too fun to play, and T-30's are hard to find that have well matched wood on the bodies.

 

It's an '83

 

 

[SSquirrel]

That T30 just above me looks pretty awesome. In 1994 my very first guitar was a black Peavey Predator and a Peavey Express 112 amp. My mom got the guitar for $200. That thing could take so much abuse and not go out of tune. Sadly, someone stole it. I'm also one of those keeping an eye out for a similar one. I don't even need to replace anything, the one I had was just fine.

[Roy Brooks]

I have a late 1970s or early 1980s T-60.

[cephus]

I know it has nothing to do with this thread, but this past weekend, I took my black and white 2nd generation t-60 back home with me and just loved playing it. I have had a natural/slab PAF t-60 since like 1980 and have always liked it, even though it was totally uncool to be seen with for about 25 years . When I was a kid, I had a peavey pamphlet and it had the pics of the new sunburst, black and white ones with the rosewood neck. I always wanted one. A few years ago, there was one in samash. The neck was backbowed and it buzzed all over. I never plugged it in. It was marked $225, I think. I offered $100. No deal. every month I went back and it was still there. No one wanted it. Every month I offered 100. After 4 months, it had a broken string. The I was going to maybe go up to $150. I plugged it in and the bridge pickup didn't work. I told the guy "100 if you have the case. The neck is screwed and the pickup is broken." I ended up getting it for $100+tax. They didn't want to give me the case, but I talked them into it. I couldn't fix the pickup, so I bought some retrotrons. I bought the $25 neck wrench from PV and put 11s on it. It is really a nice guitar now. I think it sounds more like a tele than a tele. I love the {censored} out of it.

The end.

[vintage clubber]

Got two in my household:



As fugly as this one is, it is a helluva nice player:

[cBc]

funny after seeing this thread, it's raining Peavey's on CL here today..

 

Apr 6 - Vintage Peavey T-15 Guitar - Made In USA - $325 - (Santee/Lakeside/ElCajon) pic

 

Apr 6 - Vintage Guitar - Peavey Predator

[lowbrow]

Cool story Bro. (meant sincerely)

I know it has nothing to do with this thread, but this past weekend, I took my black and white 2nd generation t-60 back home with me and just loved playing it. I have had a natural/slab PAF t-60 since like 1980 and have always liked it, even though it was totally uncool to be seen with for about 25 years . When I was a kid, I had a peavey pamphlet and it had the pics of the new sunburst, black and white ones with the rosewood neck. I always wanted one. A few years ago, there was one in samash. The neck was backbowed and it buzzed all over. I never plugged it in. It was marked $225, I think. I offered $100. No deal. every month I went back and it was still there. No one wanted it. Every month I offered 100. After 4 months, it had a broken string. The I was going to maybe go up to $150. I plugged it in and the bridge pickup didn't work. I told the guy "100 if you have the case. The neck is screwed and the pickup is broken." I ended up getting it for $100+tax. They didn't want to give me the case, but I talked them into it. I couldn't fix the pickup, so I bought some retrotrons. I bought the $25 neck wrench from PV and put 11s on it. It is really a nice guitar now. I think it sounds more like a tele than a tele. I love the {censored} out of it. The end.

[Brian Krashpad]

Peavey USA are inching up, but they're still cheap. Just not quite as cheap.

I paid $200 for my T-60 w/ohsc 5 or 6 years ago.



Peavey Predator about 4 years ago, $100:



Early last year I picked up this '84-'86 Peavey Fury bass for $125, also US-made:



Last summer I got my daughter a Peavey Foundation bass, also $100:



Late last year I finally got a T-40 bass, w/hsc, $285:



I think these are all well worth what I paid for them. The Strat's tuners are a smidge dodgy, but passable.

[Prages]

I had a USA Predator for a while. Not a bad guitar. I'd probably put them on par with MIM Fender stuff.

Tuners were {censored}e though.

I ended up replacing the tuners and refinishing the body, then selling it.

I paid $75, sold it for $100, I think.

Before:


After:

[Brian Krashpad]

I had a USA Predator for a while. Not a bad guitar. I'd probably put them on par with MIM Fender stuff.

 

 

Agreed, in fact except for the dodgy tuners, they're virtually the same main specs as a MIM Fender of the same period-- poplar body, maple neck/board, ceramic singles. One advantage-- the Peavey had 22 frets, the MIM 21. I think the fretwire is a little bigger too, pretty sure the '90's MIM Strats had vintage frets.

[cephus]

Late last year I finally got a T-40 bass, w/hsc, $285:

 

 

 

I would love to find one of those for cheap. It's like a 4-string bridge pier. With the range of sounds you can get with stock t-60 pickups, i can only imagine the sounds you could get out of a t-40

[bsman]

Here's a T30 I had. I bought it for my daughter, but she never picked it up, and it wasn't getting the play it deserved. I sold it for about $180 -- a little more than it cost. Sounded and played great -- nifty little guitar, but I just didn't need it.

 

[Railfanespee]

My newest guitar is a T15 I rescued from a friend's basement. I traded a crate V18 I wasn't using for it, cleaned it up, and it rocks! Even though it had been neglected for years, all I had to do was change strings. No action adjustments, truss rod tweaking, or rewiring necessary. That says something about the quality and toughness of old Peaveys.

 

Side note- has anyone ever seen another T15 with a black guard and natural finish? From the research I've done, mine seems to be a bit of a rarity. I have yet to see a pic of another one with that combination.

[ItchyFingers]

Not a big fan of the T series, but some of these look pretty sweet. Here's my Reactor, paid $80 on Ebay. Maybe I need to re-post it and make some coin!

[Brian Krashpad]

I would love to find one of those for cheap. It's like a 4-string bridge pier. With the range of sounds you can get with stock t-60 pickups, i can only imagine the sounds you could get out of a t-40

Yeah, they're both amazing in their versatility. After I bought the T-40, it's become my go-to bass in the one band I'm the "dedicated" bassist (in one other band I started as a bassist and have been going back and forth between guitar and bass ever since, most recent gig was on lead) in. The bandleader/keyboardist/lead singer in that trio loves it, from the look to the sound, as do I.



Even though I don't use it for doing so, it can cop a pretty good Ric sound with the right settings.

Heavy as feck though.

[bsman]

Heavy as feck though.

Odd phrase to be uttered by a Florida boy... :poke: