The Problem with Peavey
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- #Peavey #SellOut #JeremyTheGuitarHunter
I picked up a killer Peavey Classic 20 last month and it has a microphonic tube. How do you fix a microphonic tube?
This was a quick fix. Swapped the tubes for a matched set of JJ's and the amp is back up and running. Having fixed the problem with this Peavey, I have a bigger problem with Peavey directly.
They sold out. They abandoned an entire town in Mississippi.
What are the ethics behind supporting(or not supporting) a company that violates your sense of decency or acceptable business practices?
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I have ALWAYS been a huge Peavey fan.... But in all honesty...the worst thing that Hartley Peavey did was put Courtland Grey in the driver's seat!!! There is the trouble!!! Putting that jerk in control cost him his company!!! Hartley Peavey is a manufacturing icon and genius.... If they could get rid of Courtland Grey, and Hartley take control for a while... Great things could (and would) happen!!! I'm not giving up.... I support the Hartley Peavey version (Original and best) version of the company!!!
Chuck Rieger absolutely right. Living 80 miles from meridian, peavey treated me well. I’ve taken amps there for service that were still under warranty and they gave me a brand new one plus a mic and some bags picks and stuff. The tech gave me his name and let me call and did a walk through adjustments on my Wolfgang Dtuna. Such great customer service. Great products for the poor man budget. And then.
Courtland comes across as a bottom line kind of a guy. He doesn't love the company as Hartley Peavey. Hope Hartley finds a duplicate of himself to run Peavey.
From Leo: Jeremy, I think you have a right to be frustrated, but I think your summary is misguided. Peavey got ate up trying to survive in a market where the government and the competition has filled the market with slave labor imports. Do a little research on the government mandated upgrades to the plant would have cost. You cannot spend that kind of money if you don't have it. The Government bureaucrats are a bigger enemy than even a stiff competitive environment. Peavey was the last of the USA common market Musical makers. Frankly, I am surprised they hung on as long as they did. It simply is not apples to oranges comparing a small volume boutique company to a high volume manufacturer that feed hundreds of families. I do not know Hartley Peavey, but I am sure the realities of life are not making him happy either. Fender sold out America in the late 1960's. All the Marshall products I have seen for a while are from Vietnam. The epiphone products are have been third world for a long time. Demonizing a single company for something that is universal across ALL manufacturing is misapplied anger. Auto, appliances, furniture, kitchen wares, clothing, power tools, all American manufacturing i in the same boat, mostly due to poor government policies. Peavey is not the boogie man. PS, I agree with you that the folded circuit board design on that series of Peavey amps are difficult to work on. That said, they are a picnic compared to the new Fender Bassbreakers. I refuse to work on them.
I agree with you, but why the hell didn’t he say anything? He could have had an army of guitar players singing punk songs against globalization.
Nah, he blamed us instead. He blamed Americans, decided we didn’t care about it so they decided not to make it. We loved them as the holdout, and they didn’t holdout, they decided that we were the problem instead of their backers, so fuck em
Not only the government, but also the greedy unions. The unions were great in the 20's; but got greedy and drove up the cost of labor to unreasonable levels. I remember GM workers were making like $55 an hour in the early 2000's and still striking. These companies just can't pay these kind of wages and still compete with the rest of the world
I've never seen a company look worse than Peavy did on Undercover Boss. All the things you mentioned on here were in the episodes conclusion.
Great video and perspective, Jeremy. I started out on a 10-watt Peavey Decade in the early 80s. It's sad to see how Peavey has let opportunity slip away. They could have had similar industry respect as Marshall, Gibson, Fender, etc. The problem was that they tried to compete with everyone. You can't do that and remain successful and relevant.
The trouble with peavey (guitar amps) is most of them don’t sound very good. I remember an article in guitar player magazine about Skynyrd and the gear they used. Their amp tech said Peavey gave Skynyrd amps to tour with, but said when the amps would arrive, he would completely gut the amps, rebuild them, and were basically Marshalls when he was finished with them. And maybe 15 years or so ago, I went to a guitar clinic with Steve Morse. Someone asked him about the Peavey guitar preamp he had been using a lot. He said that it was at the Peavey factory undergoing some major modifications. Peavey products are well made, last forever, just don’t sound very good. Well, they do sound good until you play a good vintage Marshall, Fender, Vox, Gibson amp.
That’s is very well said and true. What I’ve learned is that they are only good with some gain. They rule for heavy tones but they just don’t do fendery cleans or drive.
Well, as most things in life that is up to personal preferences and perception. It might be true for me as well when it comes to the Peavey models I don't have any personal experience of, but the two Peavey Classic 50 212 -92 - 93 I own, to my taste, they sound considerably better ( including some speaker swapping ) and much grittier and inspiring than any Marshall I have owned so far, which includes; Marshall Vintage Modern 50W Head, hooked up to 1960 TV cabinet with late 80's Greenbacks, and 1960AX with the same speakers, Marshall JMP 2204 -80 50W head, hooked up to the same two cabinets, Marshall DSL40C, with stock speaker Celestion 70/80, and cycling thru Greenbacks, Eminence the Wizard, Eminence the Governor, Celestion Creamback 65W, Celestion Fullback 15inch etc etc and also with the two 412 cabinets as extensions. My opinion is that Meridian made Peavey Classic amps from the 90's sound just fabulous, both clean and dirty, regardless of price comparisons.
If they didn't start making things overseas they probably wouldn't be around anymore at all. In my area they hardly are as it is, I rarely see new Peavey products when I'm out shopping. I have a few Peavey amps, and I love them all, but newest one is probably almost 20 years old by now. If people were willing to pay the price for U.S. made products they would still have their 1000's of workers, but everyone wants to get everything for nothing.
True, but the average person can't afford to pay because of the money that these union workers make. The higher the cost of labor, the more the company is going to have to charge, plus factor in the government putting these taxes on these businesses
When I owned a store I was a very proud Peavey dealer (Ontario, Canada) for 10 years (1999-09).... loved them! Their demise was NOT Hartley's fault! The unchecked offshore invasion of instruments was to much, and they held on as long as they could!!! They needed North America's support but were undermined. After having to compromise and at least trying to keep existing (offshore builds) they were traitors to the community??? Bah. Blame the trade deals, maybe just the natural progression of things. Peavey was always under appreciated, even in their height. So many innovations, so many risks taken. They are still patriots despite the outcome, in my opinion, even likely hung on to "Made in the USA" longer then they should have. They treated me amazing and I was proud to be their promoter for many miles around. I hope they return to the USA based business/employer they were! Be well Mr. Peavey!
Hey, what shop was it?
What about buying used gear? I don't like what they've become, but there is a ton of old stuff on the used market that they won't get any more money from. Hell, the old Peavey gear just won't die, I feel like Keith Richards will have to use it after the rest of us are gone.
You ARE supporting the company if you buy their used products. Most people wouldn't buy a product they knew they couldn't sell.
Roberto Clemente I guess to clarify, when I buy Peavey, I buy the old stuff that was made in Mississippi. And I usually buy it off some dude on Craigslist. This is stuff that Peavey got its money from years ago, they are not getting any money on my transaction. Sure, they might get a little exposure when I gig with it. But I have never bought anything new from Peavey.
I’m a fan of 90’s Peavey Wolfgang’s. Great guitars, and underrated... in my opinion.
...Made in America 90’s Peavey Wolfgang’s to be exact.
I live in Buchanan, Michigan the home of electro-voice. They made their bones 🦴 by inventing the sound system for Knut Rockne’s Norte Dame stadium 🏟. About 8 miles south from here as the crow flies . By the late 50’s It had become a legendary company & the standard bearer for microphones 🎤 & guitar speakers, as well as P.A. systems. they did everything in house & quality was of the utmost importance. Then in the 1980’s ( just as I was reaching the age working a full time job) they started shipping small parts out to be made in other states, then to other company’s, then to other countries, ti’ll everything was made elsewhere. Now the once 24 hour 6 day a week brightly light crown jewel 💎 of of our town is now just 2 or 3 large empty buildings that are falling apart. It’s a sad fact that all these beloved legendary companies built by people who had the vision & fortitude to build these well known names from nothing, but once they let the pencil pushers take over it all goes to hell in a hand basket 🧺 😢
Peavey has ALWAYS been in my gear chain somewhere ever since 1986. It is absolutely bulletproof. I'm a bass player and the USA Peavey basses are still some of the BEST basses ever made. I play Peavey 85% of the time.
The Classic 20 is one of the best guitar amp combos ever made. It's the all tube, throw it on a hand truck, play it with confidence that it will work.
I WILL say the firing, closing of the campuses in Meridian, MS and the Undercover Boss episode was unforgivable.
I kind of agree with you as I still have 2 Unity neck through basses and an import Cirrus BXP. But current Peavy products are nowhere near what the old stuff is and they don’t currently make anything besides low end import basses.
@@scottgoodson5132 Yes, I agree 100%
When I was coming up in the 80s, we looked at Peavey as kind of cheap product, but damned if we didn't all start out with a Peavey amp before we could afford Fender or Carvin or Vox. I used to say "Everybody owns Peavey at some point."
There are still GOOD people at Peavey. And they resisted offshore production as long as they could. Would you have been happier if they went out of business? Undercover Boss aside, they STILL make good gear. The HP2 is made in plant 3 as well as CA and others. If you went to the headquarters, they don't make stuff there. Hartley can STILL make good gear in the USA but people wont pay for it. They want firefly 335 copies for 139 bucks. Hartley called it the race to the bottom.
are you sure those made in america guitars aren't just necks and parts bought over seas and assembled here.
the predators and reactors were USA made necks and the rest import. Price point instruments. the higher end stuff was all USA. Peavey's forte is manufacturing. they dont anymore sadly
Watch Undercover Boss. A little known thing is Hartleys first wife died, he remarried around 2000 and appointed his new wifes grown son to President (he was the guy on Undercover Boss). After seeing how he treated the employees I no longer am interested in Peavey.
Roger that. After seeing the Peavey episode of "Undercover Boss" I cannot bring myself to own another piece of Peavey gear.
Great amp- like a little Marshall. Great(and thought provoking) video.
Pretty hard to fight the rules of macroeconomics. It's possible that the choice for Peavey was start manufacturing in China (or wherever) or go out of business. "Outsourcing" is often inevitable one way or another; often if the American company doesn't do it it happens anyway. Things are going to get made where it's cheapest for them to get made, by and large, allowing for quality and shipping and such- a few people will be willing to pay more for "Made in America", but usually not enough. This isn't the 1970s. It's cheap and quick to get high (or high enough) quality from Asia or Mexico. And American labor is really expensive. The only answer is innovation, and most of us guitar players are still looking for designs from 60 years ago .
Especially for a brand like Peavey. The cheapest American Strat is $1,000 new. It'd be a tough business selling Peaveys for a grand. I admire you for making a stand, but I don't think this is a Peavey specific issue. The equivalent parking lot at Fender is empty too (and didn't stay full as long in the first place).
I'm not saying I have an answer- Ultimately, this is a huge problem for the US. It doesn't help that our politicians provide facile non-answers instead of describing the situation honestly.
Respect to you, young man. I had no idea. God bless you!
You're right I started playing in 1986 in Portugal where I moved to in 84 and I started with a Peavey Bandit.
The best amp I ever owned and the worst amp I ever owned were both made by Peavey
The best was a Combo 150 bass amp I bought new in 1980. I played may gigs (possibly 400) from purchase to when I sold it to a friend who needed a bass amp for his bar in 1994. The amp is still going strong; it's on its 2nd speaker (A Black Widow 15) but the amp has never been opened up.
The worst one was a Data Bass. It also had a Black Widow speaker.
That amp was prone to cutting out then coming back on. I almost lost a steady gig with a touring band because of it. I had three techs look at it and I could never duplicate the symptoms to effect a proper repair. After the episode with the touring band, I traded it for a Yorkville and never looked back.
I have nothing good to say about Hartley Peavey.
This all happened around the same time an episode of "Undercover Boss" (that showcased Peavey) aired. Old man Peavey was shown as a kindly old man who loved his workers and would bend over backwards for them... while turning around and laying them off just days after the show.
It was a major PR nightmare for the company as well- I remember hearing a bunch of people swear off Peavey products, and seeing a ton of Peavey amps and other goods end up in pawn shops for dirt cheap (even cheaper than usual).
Heartless once laid off workers right before xmas and screwed them out of both their paid vacation (which was week of xmas) and unemployment benefits by offering to transfer them to a factory 100 miles away. knowing most couldn't afford to move.
I grew up in Meridian. Never knew they made that 20 or the Blues one. Growing up there, I wish Hartley would've invested in the youth there at the MHS tech school.
Plus, it's price point, no US company makes an "affordable" amp, that means under $500 to me. The biggest percentage of us players don't good or make any money at playing so why drop $1k+ on an amp?
You are totally right my brother . You are a good American, as a citizen of the world , i'm from Spain, my kids grew up in Panama ,and actually i live in London i see so much shit caused by the economic model imposed for the corporations of your country, actively supported by the government in charge (it doesn't matter dem.or rep.) and backed with the power of the guns ,is a nightmare for. everybody, including yourselves . Yes i had a Peavey in the 80s and as you said ,it was my first , it was an incredible amp. And its amazing but ironic how these mere artefacts are attached to our memories , how much it represent for us ,and how little for the owners of the brand . These guys don't have soul ,and the only way we should strike back is where we can cause them more pain . In his pocket . We need more people like you inside USA . All we love our friends and family ,and love to have a good economy and overall we want peace in the world . Cheers
I sent multiple emails to Peavey with a question a year ago about about one of their amps I own, still haven’t received a reply. I grew up in and live in Mississippi and want very much to continue to support this company, but I don’t know if I can if I can’t rely on the company to at least answer a simple question. I even own one of their 1st Gen vypyr 30 amps and have a blast playing around with it, but worry a little every time I turn it on if this is the time it will fail and I won’t be able to get this crazy amp fixed. Mr. Peavey is fantastic, but the incredible company he built is being run by people who don’t seem to care.
Good video man. My first Peavey amp was a Festival 100 watt head with 2x12 tall cabinet, since then I've had several different models of Peavey along with other brands. Now I have a Fender Mustang GT 100 and a Peavey Classic 30 which is my main amp now. Light weight for a tube amp plenty of power to gig with and a tone monster.
News to me. Loved my classic 50 2x12 around 20 years ago. Thanks for the info Jeremy
Yeah I remember hearing about this, specifically how they treated the staff before and during the layoffs. It was a very very dirty business. Myself I've never used peavey gear and don't miss them personally. Theres plenty of others who operate better and produce good gear.
Peavey T60's Peavey T40 just google those, and it should put your comment to rest
when I started playing in bands there were clubs that put NO PEAVEY in their contract
Elaborate
you could not use any peavey sound gear
I can remember having to remove the Peavey logo off my Deuce 212 at a Casino in Atlantic City in the late 1980's.
I'm actually curious about the origin these stories. I hear them from time to time and I just wonder why? Peavey had a bad rep in the 90s for sure, but so bad that venues would want to ban them? That would be like a club now saying NO KEMPER in the contract. Is there anyone out there with a plausible reason for a policy like this?
Yeah, that Undercover boss was unexcusable. The one employee was leaving and found a better paying job. Peavey's owner convinces him to stay and then promptly lays him off a few days later. The Owner seems like he just lost his passion and was making poor decision after poor decision.
I can't really blame Peavey for this situation. In all likelihood if they didn't outsource they'd be gone.
Of course the Peavey Bandit worked fine after you dropped it (3:55) - it's a solid state amp after all (rugged & reliable). It would likely have been a different story if it was a tube amp. And the Bandit is a great sounding amp, in its own right !
Unfortunately, when every one of your competitors is manufacturing overseas, you have to do the same if you want to be able to compete with their cheap prices.
That was a good piece about thinking where you are spending your money and bringing joy to the world. That’s a nice little amp too but personally I have moved on from tubes and have never regretted it. If you do another video like this please warn folks not to stick their hands in the back of a tube amp until they know what they are doing. You can easily end up on the other side of the room - or worse!! Thanks buddy!!
I saw your other Peavey video first... I LOVE that they responded to you! I've had maybe six or seven Peavey classics, starting with the Delta Blues and now with my third Classic 50 stack. I'm glad they're working to improve what they do. Love your channel. Subscribed.
My old Peavey Classic 50/50 stereo is rack mount. 4 EL-34's and 4 12AX7's per channel. And I love it. Needs new tubes soon but it's kicking ass anyway. It has no FX loop or channel switching, just X2- Vol, Pres and Rez. It's bridgable but I've never run that way. The DI out is freaking killer. It's the honey tone finish to my crazy pedal board rig. It's part of my sound. Clean like a whistle until you boost it, then look out. New Peavey gear is a shame. Bring back the goods!
Peavey is big in the south, not so much in the rest of the states. I have a Peavey Valveking 2 50 watt combo amp and its the best tube amp ive ever used. They make great products.
I have an old Delta Blues and an ancient Session 400. Don't buy their new Chinese stuff. Guy screwed the folks who made him wealthy...
Globalism. I spoke to a Corp consultant. Within few years all production are gonna be in Asian countries. Otherwise,no company would be able to afford to survive. Competition is harsh. Unless people would be willing to work very hard, sacrifice and pay the price to support. Different target customers for different reason. Brand, social status, economic,eco- friendly... etc or personal values. I'm more of the later and I'm with you guys on this. Artisan, hand crafted , local or boutique stuff in scenario of specific need. More quality than quantity. I'm visceral and more at human connection level so it's all or nothing in all relationship. Period.peace out.
I started playing in '83 . Never owned or wanted any Peavey. My brother who's a singer loves their American made PA gear. Back in 80's Britain ,the Bandit was popular , but so was Laney's Linebacker and also the Marshall Valvestate amps.
Good opinions here..I’m from a small town built around the furniture industry..it went over seas 20 years ago..some neighboring towns still have not recovered ..mine has. In the end you can’t fault a company for doing this..our laws encourage it...stricter environmental laws and labor laws don’t help businesses in the US..at the same time..you can support or choose not to with your wallet.
If you buy a used Peavey product, such as that amp, you ARE supporting the company. Without a resale market, a product is usually doomed for the manufacturer. Most people wouldn't buy a product they knew they couldn't sell. I have a friend that will raise hell at people for buying an import car, yet he owns two used import cars! Unreal...but hey, whatever makes a person feel like they "doing something." Great video.
Well it’s 2021 and I work for a company that sells industrial equipment, metal and wood working equipment, 98% of the product comes from China, we have had 8 price increases since 2018, mostly due to the tariffs, and more recently due to COVID supply chain issues and raw material price increases. As an example, a band saw that was selling for $1,100 in late 2017, now sells for $2,150. As our costs go up to manufacture, 100% is passed through to the dealers who pass through to end users…It will only get worse….some have commented that a business can’t survive unless they outsource….maybe…some… but a huge part of the problem is greed…..even as costs to outsource to China or wherever double or triple…at what point does a company consider manufacturing domestically? Sorry to say but the answer is, they won’t…the only one main variable cost in manufacturing, labor costs, they have squeezed the life out of….that decision to not give a fuck about the human element in manufacturing has been made long ago… GREED! Corporations that manufactured in the US and have since outsourced to China pay a fraction of income taxes that they paid in the 1970’s and 80’s and back then, they paid American workers fair wages and still companies grew and millionaires were born every day! GREED! Let’s see if American wages adjust to the hyperinflation we have seen lately. I will bet my Custom Les Paul they don’t!
I respect you but I need more information before I condemn Peavey. If they could not sell American made instruments for a viable price, what choice did they have? I see someone else mentioning an undercover boss episode and I will see if I can find more information...
Love your channel man. I like your honesty.
gp Rz, same here. Great videos.
Didnt Peavey manufacture amps in state prisons many years ago? I remember something about that.
Good to know. And as mentioned earlier in someone else's comment, there is a lot of great Peavey gear on used market. I scored a used Classic 20 tweed about 8 years ago used at a music shop . It still rocks and I love the sound. Made in USA. It can get loud!
My first rig back in the mid-70's was a '64 Fender Duo Sonic II with a Dan Armstrong Blue Clipper (box into the guitar) into a brand spankin' new Peavey Classic 1x12 combo (it was black...not tweed). I made some beautiful, awful noise with that set up. It was a gift from my parents and I still owe the sales person at the music store for talking them into that amp. It was ungodly loud for it's size and price. Add the Dan Armstrong and I could hit a power cord and it would sustain for a week. Sad footnote to a great lower price brand. Love Josh and JHS and I'm glad you name dropped that brand as a good actor in the guitar business.
I have had my Peavey classic 50 head and two cabinets one cabinet is a 410 the other is a 115 I tend to use the 410 mostly for gigs and a 115 pretty much stays home I have had the same since they came out with this Tweed classic 50 Style I believe you would call it I've been using this amp countless gigs it's had its problems I had to change the presence pot not because the pot went bad but because the knob kept falling off when I went to open up the slit in the post of the knob it cracked off so I had to change the pot but I got it from Peavey and I just don't soldered it from the board and installed a new one this amp has been my work horse I believe it has the original tubes in it too it sounds great in either the clean mode or the dirty mode and is very pedal-friendly you can't go wrong with this amp I don't know if mine is made differently because it's older it does not have the effects Loop built into the head like the new ones do sorry if I ramble but I just wanted this to be known
Completely agree, we'll articulated points.
There is a lot of more than half empty parking lots in US industrial districts. Probably taxed and insured right out of this country.
This is not my league. I hate tube amps!! 30 years my choice is an old PEAVEY RENOWN212 Guitar Combo Amp!!
A great amp for gigging, recording or practice! Solid and dependable, you've got 450 watts of raw power to work with! ...
I used to have a Delta Blues. Had to replace a blown diode. Very tricky. The amp was not made to be repaired. It’s too bad that they have become what they are now.
Peavey Envoy in 1995, my first amp. Good video
I have this amp but put a Jensen alnico 10 inch in it. What's crazy is it's called classic 20...but they were only 15 watts. The new heads are actually 20. Bob at eurotubes has a few amazing retube kits!!!
That's sad.Never been to Merridian,but I have seen most of Ms.Buy 'Merican.
It's not a Mary Kay Stratocaster unless it has gold hardware
Eww.
It's very ha for companies to compete with China, it's often work with them or go under.
Don't try to beat China on cost, cuz you won't. Make high-quality product, establish brand loyalty, go after a different segment to the market. If you plan on making low quality stuff and trying to sell it at a low cost then, yes, you are going to go under.
Godin. Still make all their guitars in Canada or USA. No cheap import line.
@@thephotoyak The Godins I have played are nice also
The way the North American consumer buys based on price guarantees that the people of Peavey would have been unemployed at some point with either the outsourcing or Peavey going out of business. As far as selling out, corporations are made to do 2 things: survive and make money. The good of the community is secondary to those 2 goals. Like a any creature with no conscience it will do everything to keep alive and grow. Side comment: did you ever notice the connection between "corporation" and "body"? No mention of conscience.
I agree with you... however, if you look deeper, you'll find that well over 50% of your favorite brands do the same or worse. I suppose being a consumer has a responsibility that most are unwilling to shoulder.
Great video Jeremy. Thanks for raising the question about how we spend money. It’s a powerful reminder to be thoughtful in our decisions so we encourage good in the world, even in something as small as a used amp.
My best friend's first amp was a Studio Pro 40, and I lusted after that amp. I have since owned a lot of Peavey products - PA amps and mixers and speakers, several Rages, an old Classic combo, a Classic 50 head, a 5150 head, a Studio Pro 112, and I must be leaving some out.
Thanks for this vid! These really are sleepers, I've had one in my studio for a decade now and it's THE go to amp for all kinds of sounds. Plug into a 2x12 cab and stretch it's legs, you'll be surprised! Great vids friend, keep on rockin in the free world.
Still have a Mace 160 watt amp of bone crushing power I bought in late 70's...once I blew the speakers out, sometime in the early 80's I made it into a head on a Marshall cab...now use it with 2 tubes removed to lower the wall shaking a bit. Starting to sound like it will needs caps soon, but still running on the original tubes and everything else it came stock with. Pretty good $100 I spent back then.
Im more disappointed than most. I grew up in MS, and toured the Peavey plant. It was a totally different company before. They had a dealer in every town, and the stuff was built like tanks. I have a 5150 from 1996, and it’s only ever needed tubes.
Dunno about the amps so much but I can't speak highly enough of peavey bass guitars.
My first guitar was a Peavey T-60 in late 70's, early 80's. Heavy as hell, built like a tank, and played like nice Tele. Sadly, my platoon pawned it a Ft. Bragg for beer money while I was on maneuvers out of state, and didn't get it back out in time. I'd love to find that original, as today's Peavey instruments just don't move me.
I was raised on Peavey. Literally, my dad was a peavey sales rep the first 19 years of my life. Its tough to watch how business has changed. China is truly a hellish dystopia, doing business with them was one of the worst things America ever did. Thanks Nixon!
I started with a bandit amp in 1992. I still have my USA 1993 peavy strat. And it still sounds great.
I used to have one of these a long time ago. Nice little amp. Upgraded to a Marshall combo from it. But, while I had it, it did the job OK for practice purposes.
I actually prefer guitars that were MIK. The Samick made Epiphone and Peavey as well as the super strats of the 90s and Vantage Basses.
I've got a 1996 peavey classic 50 watt head that's in need of tubes..I know this as I've always heard that an amp sounds best right before the tubes go out. Right now it's got the e.v.h. brown sound in spades. Now I'm scared to gig with it as I'd have to move it.its been a great amp that I've dragged thru just about every bar/tavern in the southeast.killer classic rock& blues tones.
There's more than one problem with Peavey. I don't have much like for very many of their products at all. All they offered was tolerable performance at a really good price. I started with a Fender Pro Reverb and the only Peavey I ever owned was a VTM 60 and that only did one thing but did it well. Otherwise it's always been Mesas, Fenders, and Marshalls for me. Got no reason to look at Peavey.
Rage was my first amp lol. Play boutique tube amps now and some Fender’s, but still have a classic chorus 212 and a 210 combo. Killer.
Nice video Jeremy! Thanks for the info on Peavey, I wasn't aware.
Just picked up a used one of these for a decent price, will overhaul it if necessary! I have a soldering iron and am not scared to use it!
Minimum wage is $11.00 per hour as I speak in Arizona. I don't know what it is in other states. There is no way to give people an economical Made in THE U.S.A. product anymore. Peavey did it for as long as they could and did it longer than anyone. Things Change. It is bittersweet.
Got the T-40 bass 2nd hand in 82. Built like a tank, powerful, near to indestructable as an instrument could be. Their older stuff is legendary. I think there are enough folks around who would be proud to say they bought a high-end american made product even if only a limited amount were made.
Hi from south Ms, great video! Yes I have several peavey Basses and guitars, mostly because the remind me of early years ....
I see this too frequently about Peavey- the LAST originally owned USA company that hung on LONG AFTER Fender and Gibson had joined the China Train. Hartley Peavey trained more technicians and filed more patents than anyone in the industry from the 60's thru the 2000's and paid the price with a lower non- competitive profit margin that almost put him out of business. Sad, but true. Had he raised his prices and used Peavey's reputation for being indestructible, innovative, powerful, made in USA, and just damn good, reliable equipment, they might still have a more substantial amount of USA made product. Really, Fender and Gibson make only a FRACTION of their products here. Peavey is a great survivor to this day with some fine products coming out of China, we just all wish to see more Peavey American, because of how big and strong (with many factories that where all in the States) they were. Peavey Forever!
Jeremy,
Thank you for the video.
I do remember growing up with the Peavey practice amp. Who knew it was made here?
As I looked at that amp from the video the tubes are hanging up side down. I am sure the bracket or strap holds it. I don’t think so anymore.
Can you use blocks of wood and put it up side down and then try it?
Also after powering up/ warm up the tubes put a very small fan blowing on the inside ?
I can’t believe that the speaker is vibrating the heck out of that poor guy. I don’t know how old it is but if I remember correctly tubes and transformer get toasty.
Thank for the tube inspiration.
Great video! The Peavey undercover boss episode really showed there true colors and how the screwed everyone that worked for them.
Bo Aleman I will never buy a peavey product for just that reason.
Dirty Rotten Sinner Music right there with you
Bo Aleman wow never knew peavey were on that show, what happened?
I share your sentiments, bro!
How great can it be if it gives you problems consistently? Their solid state are ok (like the bandit) but I’ve always stayed away from their tubes. Peavey has there place. A cheap low end guitar or amp that will get you by for a short time.
Ampeg did the same thing. I have a BA-500 made in the USA and it still works great after 20 years. I don’t know how good they are now, but they’re made in China.
Love my 2003 Lousiania Delta Blues 1-15. I play a Godin LST through it and the tone is the best. From Canada. Love my Peavey.
They dint just make good amplifiers, Hartley peavey and chip todd invented the machining process that was to revolutionize the way guitar manufacturers made their guitars.
In the mid 70's Hartley peavey came up with an idea to use CNC machines to manufacture guitars, the very same things that manufactured gun stocks manufactured and gave birth to one of the most underrated guitars and basses in the 70's through the 80's The peavey T60 and the Peaey T40. Everything about these guitars screams quality in todays modern world, especially with gibson quality control going out the window. The peavey T40s and T60's where the first guitars to be manufactured by CNC machines, and they where the first guitars to have a coil split option by rolling the tone off to 7. Essentially if you rolled the tone off to 8 or 9 you could get p90 ish sounds, anything from 0-7 was humbucker and functioned like a normal tone control for a humbucker, it used the famous misunderstood super rare super ferrite pickups. Not also that , but both the bass and the guitars featured an out of phase switch, something that not even gibson was doing at the time. High quality peavey branded tuners with a 14:1 ratio on guitars and a 22:1 ratio on bass and a neck tilt feature just like fender was doing. And if you were lucky enough to find the t60's and t40's with a GRAPHLON nut then that on its own is a very special very unique combination that to this day i dont think any other manufacturer of guitars has ever done. The bridge on the peavey T40s was absolutely MAHOOSIVE it was the sie of your fist, and weight as much as a small puppy, some people say your run of the mill badass bass 2 bridge "is never going to fail you" then you need to check out the bridge these PEavey T40s carry.
Listen here, you want a guitar that can meet your expectations, feel comfortable, is reliable can withstand the test of time and is just as versatile if not even more versatile then your modern les paul and you dont have your fingers up your arse gold digging for brand names then look no further people have still yet to come into terms with the quality of a Peavey T60 or T40. I know i may sound like an idiot saying this, but you have to play one to see what the fuzz is all about, so the next time you find one for $600 pick it up right away, because people dont know the true value of having this guitar in your arsenal.
T60? Not much to say about them. Many manufacturers produced guitars of similar quality then. Nothing special.
@@michaelhamerin3814 naa naah man maybe youre right... maybe the world is not ready for such awesomeness... Maybe it should be locked up and kept hidden in the dark from people like you who thinks that in this modern age its "nothing special"
I agree with being wise where we spend our money - having said that, I will buy used Peavey amps b/c the money doesn't go back to Peavey. However, Gibson & Fender is a different story - won't buy anything from these 2 companies, new or used
Both companies built their empires thru networks of stores, many were small town Mom & Pop stores that had been in business for years. When the internet craze hit, both companies pulled their dealerships from the smaller stores that had been faithful to the corporations for decades because "they weren't selling enough" but allowed them to sell Squier & Epiphone. This ruined many of those small stores and caused many of them to go under.
Ruined lives, ruined businesses - many will say "It was just a business decision". While that is true, it was also wrong and I won't buy from either companies. I like G&L guitars much better than Fender anyway and I'll buy used Ibanez semi-hollow guitars for humbucker sounds.
Old peavey tube amps are great, easy to work on. Im still running a JSX 120 and a classic 120. Cheap tube power compared to my bogners, oranges, mesa and marshalls.
I just traded a peavey encore tube amp for a classic 50 head unit and sounded good but a different amp great for blues
Peavy Bravo from the 90s was the amp that turned into the 5150 from what I understand. Best amp I own. Cleans are super and the distortion is the best out of any amp I have played. Classic rock to tight Pantera chugging. Used market about 300 bucks. Does benefit from a speaker upgrade. Still a steel. Try one and thank me later!
I have a Peavey Classic 30 in white and it's a fantastic amp! Sometimes it does Fender better than Fender lol
But.... it has some issues, of course. It makes this quiet rumbling/crackling noise when its just sitting on, and every now and then there are random volume fluctuations.
Have a 1993 Peavey Fury Bass, U.S. made, awesome. Few years ago we had a player in studio with a Vypyr amp and Sanpera II foot controller, China made.
The amp was pretty good, the Sanpera was junky - loose, noisy switches, glitchy software.
Good for you , thank you for sharing.
I don’t know about Peavy’s current business practices but moving to China doesn’t automatically mean they’re causing suffering in the world. I’m sure the Chinese workers are happy for the work. Peavy mostly sells products at a price range that I don’t think is practical to have made in America anymore. It’s conceivable that moving production overseas was the only way to survive as a brand for them. It’s not a pretty economic reality from an American prospective but it is a reality that companies have to deal with.
never seen a guy with a rolex dig around on the inside of a peavey classic before. good stuff.
I use to have a Peavey bass amp. Can’t remember the model but the cab had a 15 and two 8s Blackwidows. It kicked ass
Man I love my classic 410. But I have been burned 3 times with modern Peavey...in a row. One day I walked in the local shop, the vk micros had just come out. I walked out with it. What junk. I sent it to Peavey twice. It never was fixed. Never again.
I still own peavey bandit, peavey valveking 100,peavey classic 30 and I still play them on the road.
I love my Peavey Backstage 30 "sleeper" amp. It's modded and puts out 200 WATTS!
My first peavey was a pacer 45 watts solid state. Now I use a XXX 212 I have 3 XXX 120 heads a Mace head and 212 combo. I also use classic 212 dual 212. I can party with any marshall or mesa. I have been Peavey powered from 1976
Sorry I use a XXX 112 40 watt amp also
I like 70's and 80's Peavey amps. We fix them up in my shop all the time, and they take minimal work. The "classics" lead to new manufacturer techniques, and are a pain in the bum to work on. As far as Peavey Corp. goes..... yeah, it sucks about the overseas production.... Same goes for Vox and Celestion not being English anymore. Fender is hardly American... and the few that have stayed USA like Gibson have had their own share of issues too. This is partly the reason I became an amp tech.
Look around for a Crate Vintage Club (USA made)... those will surprise you too. As a tech, I've played a LOT of amps... USA Fender, Japan Fender, Epiphone/Electar, Gibson (michigan), MojoTone, Peavey (USA), Ampeg (USA), Vox, Marshall, Kustom, Yamaha, Standel, Gorilla, Randall, Ross, Mesa, Cordovox, Valco, Magnatone,....... I can't find a single amp that I can't find something nice to say about.
Yes, Peavey has done questionable things but nothing any other company with that many fingers in a pie hasn't also done. I don't boycott Peavey so much as I boycott towns/cities/municipalities/hamlets/whatever relying on a single industry for so long that if that industry dies off, everyone who has multi-generational expertise in that particular industry is left standing around with their thumbs up their asses. I have noticed also that a lot of office staffs in America make severely disproportionate wages in comparison to even some of the other high level employees of these companies. If your H.R. Lady aka Miss Priss the Piss Cup Distributor is making more than your engineers, for example, sorry to hurt your egos but that is a major issue. Also, people in America are tired of making 15 bucks an hour or less or be hired through temp services to do 15 people's jobs in quintessentially understaffed manufacturing facilities. Perhaps the local governments should invest more into actually giving someone an incentive to educate themselves in schools and becoming engineers and manufacturers outside of the prospect of living direct deposit to direct deposit while the bosses are all out playing with bees in the yard of their ranch houses or golf or whatever. I think Peavey got flack and people were so upset because they were a working class company for so many years who catered almost exclusively to blue-collar types. People that bought Peavey weren't always in the market for a $3,000 guitar or $6,000 stack. The highest majority of their employees probably couldn't afford a $3,000 guitar themselves at any point in the company's history. People who can afford to spend that kind of money historically spend it on Gibsons or Fenders or high end amplification, not Peavey or some of the smaller brands.