Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Yeah, I know.....PEAVEY?

NEVER in a million years did I ever think I'd own a PEAVEY!

I have been watching the Peavey T-40 on Ebay for months. I don't know why, but it caught my eye. Kind of reminds me of the Gibson Ripper I once had. Anyway, I read the Harmony Central reviews, searched GOOGLE until my eyeballs fell out, and was astounded that these monsters regularly sell for UNDER $250.00. The early ones even had a maple neck. I picked up a 1981 made from Swamp Ash. It is a sunburst with a Rosewood neck.

They have a unique set of electronics. They have BOTH a single coil & a humbucker setup. With the volume set UNDER 7, the single coil pickups are on, when you crank one or both of the volume knobs past 7, the humbuckers kick in! Two volume, two tone, Phase switch & pickup selector.
There are two types of pickups on the T-40, 1977-1980 "toaster pickups" and "1981-1984 "blade pickups". I have the later, they have a nice sharp TREBLE edge to 'em. The "toaster" pickups I'm told have a much darker sound.

This thing SHOOK the walls, floor, and ceiling even at a LOW volume.

BUT I gotta tell you, this damn thing is the PERFECT ROCK BASS (well, except for the weigh that is). The best comparison I can make is that it is a cross between a RIC, Jazz & a Pbass! What a freaking monster! This thing played through my 410HLF & B2R Ampeg head tore the hell out of the place! It was AT LEAST 3 times LOUDER than my V63 and about TWICE as loud as my AlemRIc! I had to LOWER the amp volume by 2/3's the setting for my RIC! It is THAT LOUD! Not to mention, the SUSTAIN is to DIE FOR. While it was LOUDER, it isn't as clean or as defined as the RIC basses.

This thing is FULL of low & higs, the low E being just a bit muddy but that was easily cleaned up on the amp settings....a little thin on the mids, but WOW. EVERYONE said "what a monster sound". The entire band was blown away. I'm still learning the settings and think that if I run it through my Sansamp DI, I could probably balance it out a bit.

YES, it is FREAKING HEAVY...11.5 pounds.....the thin strap I had on was digging into my neck, but if you "want to rock" this bass is a KILLER deal for UNDER $250.00 on average, how can you beat it? I was thinking of trying a MIM Fender, or a Epi Thunderbird....I'm glad I went with this one.

The workmanship is good, nothing like a RIC in this department. I can see sanding marks through the black part of the burst but overall, not too bad. EVERYTHING is metal on this thing, INCLUDING the NUT & the volume :& tone knobs....Yep, HEAVY.

The bottom line, you can't beat the tone for the price. I'm not going to use it in rotation, but every once in a while, it really shakes things up. It was definitely overdriving my amp. A real beast at a great price. It isn't a top end bass, but a great addition for any player that can stand holding it. Still, it is lighter than most of my old Alembic's, just a lot of fun to play.

Here are a few pictures of mine taken from the Ebay auction. It needed a TRC (9.00 on Ebay) and a volume knob and the phase switch. After the purchase price, shipping & parts with repairs. NOT to mention the "treatment". It cleaned up really well all for LESS than the price of a MIM Jazz.

cheyenne wrote:a great "bar" bass.[/color]

+1
No nonsense bass guitar. Definitely built like a tank. The only down side is the weight.
I'd snatch one up also if I found one like Tony's.

There's constantly buzz about the T-40's at TalkBass - I had never heard of them before I joined up there. I'd love to try one out!

Good bass...the T-60 is a killer six string but weighs a ton..I think the bass is heavy as well...good luck!

I got to know the guy who designed the T-series for Peavey (Chip Todd) and they did make some nice instruments, just too heavy for my liking,, I had a t-60 that matced Tonys T-40 and loved the sounds i got out of it, The most significant thing about the T-60 and T-40s they were the first guitars made on a CNC mill, this is probably Hartley Peaveys biggest contribution to the industry

I played Tony's last time I visited. It is really really cool, just really really heavy.

Very heavy and the best value for the money, and you could pound nails with it all day long. The T60 sure was capable of getting a good "ring" out of it that was more Rick than Tele, IMHO. Both instruments really are boat anchors, though,and probably kept many a chiropractor in business.

No wonder Tony's back hurts!

I have a soft spot in my heart (although my doctor says I should really get that looked at...), for the T-40. It was my first bass, purchased after a summer of working for my dad when I was 13. The small music shop we had in town had two basses in stock - the T-40 and a fretless Mockingbird (!). I used the T-40 for about two years and then traded it in on my first Rickenbacker. As I recall it was a solid good-sounding bass, but I do remember it feeling like I had a cinder block around my neck!

LoL,

I'm just having a lot of fun with this monster....

I know it's a beast, but a chick playing a T40? About 1:14 in the video....

Oh good gravy, Tony, who was that? I nearly had to empty my stomach's contents!

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Oh good gravy, Tony, who was that? I nearly had to empty my stomach's contents!

You're young, yes?

That's the Mandrell Sisters!

phlemmy wrote:

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Oh good gravy, Tony, who was that? I nearly had to empty my stomach's contents!

You're young, yes?

That's the Mandrell Sisters!

LOL Jdog, you kill me man! "empty my stomach contents" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Good man Sean, you took the words RIGHT out of my mouth!

I was going to say "Ah Grasshopper" but fear it goes too far back for Jdog as well...

I love ya Jdog, ah youth....

That Mandrell video is a beautiful bit of "showbiz"!