Hartley Peavey: Last man standing - interview with a legend @ Guitar Summit Web Camp 2020

Die lebende Legende Hartley Peavey, Gründer von Peavey Electronics, ist in der Gitarren-Branche vielleicht der letzte große Visionär und Firmengründer seiner Generation. Hartley erzählt aus seinem bewegten Leben, von seiner Firmen-Philosophie, Meilensteinen in der Entwicklung und Produktion und vieles mehr ...
ENGL:
Living legend Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Electronics, is perhaps the last great visionary and company founder of his generation in the guitar industry. Hartley talks about his eventful life, his company philosophy, milestones in development and production and much more ...

[@ed.z.]

I called his company in the early’80s to complain about something I didn’t understand. I was upset, to put it mildly. To my surprise Hartley picked-up the phone and he was so sweet and patient, he explained the solution. I have been in awe of him ever since. What a genuine gentleman.

[@tauruschorus]

That story rules

[@INUAGAIN]

is he still that way after his father passed? his business DOES NOT show it, Hartley has made terrible business decisions, there's only one thing I might buy from him and, its too damned expensive. When he started he had it all given to him. Daily, he has managed to piss it away...

[@chrisbarriere101]

Genius and softspoken, classy

[@Da_Publick]

Good thing you didn't work in one of his plants.

[@dannyhullihen966]

Hartley was a very dear a precious friend of mine, and I will ALWAYS have to highest regards and respect for him.

[@DavidThomas-me6pi]

He’s still alive

[@dannyhullihen966]

@@DavidThomas-me6pi Indeed. and I hope he lives for many decades more! He's very special to me, and always will be.

[@brucegibbins3792]

@@dannyhullihen966 You clearly have a dear friend in Hartley Peavey and one you will value. As I mentioned elsewhere in the comments section, Hartley Peavey seems to me to be one of the good guys and that is fairly rare these days. So next time you're talking with Hartley give him my best wishes a well meant support for the future.

[@angusorvid8840]

@@brucegibbins3792 I always thought of Peavey as a musician's company. They are unconventional, innovative, brilliant, problem solving, build very high-quality stuff, and the prices are extremely fair. I've been playing Peavey for four decades. I recently bought a Valveking II 50 combo. I walked into that shop ready to plop down enough to buy a Boogie or Soldano. The Peavey absolutely blew me away. Best amp I've ever owned.

[@auntjenifer7774]

Guess you guys didn't see how he did his employees on undercover boss!?

[@williamwallace69]

just wish peavey was still made in America. absolutely live peavey gear.

[@jimihendrix4376]

Hartley Peavey was the reason a lot of people where able to give music a try due to the gear affordability for the average Joe.

[@brucewales5965]

Finally! An interviewer of an interesting subject who does not interrupt or try to show how much they know. Great Interview!

[@danielh9252]

Peavey is seriously underrated. Dude made stuff that was dirt cheap, totally unbreakable and sounded great. The best of all worlds. Certainly didn't deserve the "uncool" rep. I love Fender and Vox, etc...but Peavey gear made it possible for a poor musician to get brand new gear that was great. The other guys just had better PR. Peavey lasted because of shear quality and price. Also, it's ironic that people gave him crap for the CNC production, when it's the norm now.

[@TheRosswise]

The problem with Peavey was what I call 'The Peavey Curse'. This is you go into a music store, you want a new rock amp and your budget is $600. The store has a $200 Peavey, a $600 Peavey, a $600 Marshall and a $1200 Marshall. You play the $600 Marshall and the $600 Peavey, and you decide that even though the Peavey sounds killer you are getting the Marshall for the name. The reality is the $200 Peavey is the same quality as the amp you just bought. The $600 Peavey is meant to compete with the $1200 Marshall. So most Peaveys floating around are the cheapest shit that Peavey ever put out because most people thought Peavey was a cheap brand that was well built but didn't sound good. The upscale Peaveys sounded just as good as any other amp out there.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

They were never underestimated in my circle of musician friends. Back in 1987 I bought a Peavey VTM120 head and 4x12 cab. We called them the Mississippi Marshall. It actually kicked the snot out of most Marshall’s at the time. Lynyrd Skynyrd and a lot of country players used Peavey amps and gear onstage and they built a name for themselves as the most reliable and roadworthy amps and gear you could buy. Plus, they sounded great. Peavey was doing a lot of innovating at the time. But then they got lazy. They rested in their last success and made some pretty shitty business decisions. Then they screwed over those workers on Undercover Boss and moved most of their gear being built to China to save money instead of innovating and staying at the top of their game. Now their amps are uninspiring and cheaply built Chinese crap. Hard to feel sorry for them.

[@TheRosswise]

@@TheAxe4Ever Thats because Stepson sitting next to Hartley in the video sank the company.

[@craigharrison5406]

My first amp was a Peavey Studio Chorus in the late 80's. It was great amp and back then it sounded better than all the other combo amps I tried at the local guitar shop.

[@fr201]

The "other guys" also had better looking/sounding logos. The name Peavey sounds tacky and cheap, and that plays a huge part of their reputation.

[@kevinatkins8321]

Interesting guy. Being a dealer of his almost from the beginning I can tell you Hartley was a straight shooter. The world has changed and international law does not protect him. He no longer is competing against other companies. In some cases he is competing with other governments. I believe him when he says some days he wishes he never saw an amplifier. If he is a microcosm of what happened to individuals who built companies in the the US with passion and hard work, it’s a damned shame.

[@Buckseed]

My Dad and Mr Peavey were born in 1941. My Dad recently passed. Great times playing music with him sometimes using Peavy amps.

[@kiwibass]

A great conversation with a great man! I absolutely love my old 1980's Peavey stuff. The Combo 300 must be one of the best 15" combo bass amps ever built, and I still own a pair today. They weigh a ton, of couse, and that's why they rarely see any stage use. But when it comes to kick-ass bass amplification, weight is (almost) EVERYTHING - take my word for it!

[@chrisbarriere101]

My list of gear: 2x KB300 2x 215 1x 115 XR600C XR680C 400 Mk3 400 Mk4 T-Max

[@sophiasantiago-fodor9221]

Hartley Peavey outdid them all: everything he built was better than its predecessor. Whether it was guitars, amps, or rack equiptment, this man was all about quality and value... what a legend.

[@sammyrothrock6981]

An icon, a legend a pioneer! I personally had the pleasure of working with him!

[@donwade3801]

I absolutely love Hartley Peavey! I've met him many times at trade shows. He is a true Southern gentleman. He represents us southern people so well .Tell the truth no matter how much it hurts. Work hard and do the very best you can. And try to make a difference for the good in people's lives around you. I've used Peavey equipment for 45 years. It's never once let me down. Thank you Hartley and God bless you!😇😇🎸🎸🎸🥁🥁

[@mikekellum6238]

Born in 1941, you look awfully young . Well done sir.

[@amaurythewarrior]

it's hard to believe really. i had to check that was right.

[@hughjanus7539]

I have a lot of respect for Peavy. Sometimes I wish I worked for Peavey at a design level. In my opinion, Peavey could have been the leading musical instrument manufacturer both in terms of quality and sales volume. For many years they managed to manufacture extremely rugged high quality products, made in USA, at very reasonable prices. Peavey was also very innovative in many ways in terms of manufacturing processes and circuit design, but somewhat in vain, since they never seemed to get the recognition for it. They were too ahead of their time to become timeless in the same way Fender, Gibson, Marshall, etc.... have become. Peavey's Acilles heel has always been aesthetics. For example, their logo is the epitome of 1980's aesthetic, but it was designed back in the 1960's. I think if Peavey had better aesthetics in terms of industrial design, graphic design, and a musician circuit designer or two, dedicated to shaping the tone musicians are after in the moment, they would have completely dominated. There were a lot of market opportunities they could have filled, such as amps that rivaled the Marshall sound, but also had reverb. They could have and should have made guitars and amps with much better timeless looks. If the T-60, T-25, etc... LOOKED better they would have not only sold better at the time, but be just as sought after as any other brand now. Much of their solid state circuit innovation would have been better served as low cost practice/headphone amps, rather than higher powered amps. They could have done it before and better than the Tom Scholz Rockman and they would have sold billions to both kids and pros. That would have been the ipod of the time. Peavey had a great philosophy and heart behind the company, but I think they could have done so much better in terms of aesthetics design changes that would not have cost more, and made for much better longevity for the brand. They still can do it if they want to. Hartley is absolutely right..."there is no magic". However, mojo is a real thing in the musical instrument manufacturing business, and it's not magic, just good design.

[@moongazer2049]

Peavey Amps are extremely road worthy and they are unique sounding , His electric guitars are so underrated and are finally becoming collectible

[@lanceforney5321]

Fascinating interview!! Thank you for this!

[@aidantod33]

Respect to you Sir, from England.

[@eattix]

Thank you for this!! Back in the 80s I was a soundman and LOVED my Peavey mixer and amp!!

[@Vercus100]

This video seriously deserves more views. Thanks a lot for making it.

[@RodneyWallaceDynamoC]

Great inspiring video. Thank you very much for that. I absolutely adore my peavey triumph 120, best amp in the world. Sounds awesome even after 30+ years. Dying to trying the guitars, I´d never know that Peavey pioneered CNC. That´s absolutely amazing.

[@michaelb.42112]

Hartley Peavey is the reason why I own a garage full of GOOD gear. As a bass player, Peavey is NUMBER ONE in my book. Top Shelf quality with bottom shelf prices. Absolutely Legendary.

[@Pepik]

Agree. I owe peavey patriot.

[@tauruschorus]

Bass player here. AGREED.

[@jcspaziano]

This man has made some of the best amps in history. Especially for the heavy metal / rock crew. Respect!

[@ryantandy307]

Great interview. Interviewer let the Man speak, only shifting gears as necessary. Hartley Peavey's story is certainly worth hearing, if only for the history. I watched this for his deep perspective on passion vs. business, history, brass tacks perspective. Worth watching until the end for a surprise ending. My first amp was a Peavey Backstage, which was a tremendous learning tool for a broke kid like me. EQ, pre/post, reverb, "saturation", gain, it is all there. Thank you!

[@eazlacfam]

Absolutely enjoyed this video.

[@LisaMcGraw-hr4rm]

I grew up in Meridian & dated Hartley & Mary nephew, Len... they're good people Very humble & down to earth people....everyone worked at Peaveys back in the day😊😊

[@jasondesselles9168]

Hartley Peavey seems like the type of guy that I would love to sit down and talk to for hours on end.

[@sherrokinchen5253]

I started playing the keyboard when I was 10 years old in a church, and my mother is the pastor of the church. and my dad was a deacon, anyway, the first keyboard I had was a Yamaha PSR 400 and it had built-in speakers, and my mom wanted me to play it in church but the problem was it wasn’t loud enough to hear for the audience and it was a small church that hold 100 people at that time so I told my mom I needed a keyboard amp and they didn’t know anything about keyboard amps at the time so they ended up buying the first amplifier. It was a Peavey basic 60 which is a guitar amp with no compression driver and I started to play with it and it had 150 W total power so a guy10 years later, walk in the church and ask my mother does anybody need a keyboard amp and she said yes, and it was given to us as an gift.It was a Fender keyboard 60.on the back of the amp it said 110 watts but I believe it was more than that but anyway, this amp had I think a 12 inch woofer and a Tweeter horn speaker and it was loud enough to cover a small venue of 100 people . in early 2000s i was about 17 or 18 years of age and my parents finally decided to buy a really good keyboard amplifier and I think my parents payed like $800 for it and when I saw it was the Peavey KB/A 300 keyboard amplifier at the time I had three Yamaha keyboards one was a PSR 500. The other one was a DGX 203 and a PSR 620 and when I plug the keyboards into this amp i was like 😮🤯 OMG!! the full range of the keyboard amp sounded so good. It was loud enough to hear it outside the church. remember, this keyboard amp was built in the early 2000 and today in 2023,I still have the keyboard plus the scorpion 15425 4 ohm 200 W speaker replacement basket and the diaphragm 70777115 CDH-90 horn diaphragm. The biggest event I use this keyboard amplifier was at a moderate size venue of 1200 people. Peavey makes very reliable sound equipment I just bought 2PVXP powered enclosures and 2DM 118 subs and man it rock our church windows every Sunday morning and Sunday night.Hartley Peavey I love your products.

[@Strato13]

Wow, The irony is, I just bought a Peavey Backstage Amp, with Reverb included, Before I bought it, I had checked out its SN online via Peavey and learned it was built in 1983! And Made in the USA. It's in excellent condition, apparently was an at home only Amp. I only paid $40 dollars for this vintage piece. I have high hopes for it, and I can't wait to play on it.

[@777bigbird]

Great amp. Was my 1st . 20 watts .

[@justcuz9837]

My beginner Squire Jaguar bass had some issues and I found myself without anything to play. My husband's cousin had a bass under his bed that his mom bought at a garage sale years earlier. He brought it over and i took it in for inspection. I got it out of the shop and I instantly fell head over heals for it; a 1994 Peavey Foundation bass. I was so amazed at the quality, sound, tone and the playability. Its like it was made for me. I'm so thankful for my guitar and how blessed i am to have this bass just fall into my lap. It has encouraged me to develop a deeper commitment to what I produce and enjoy sharing what i do with others. I gave my Squire bass away and I'll never look back. I was just given Peavey Unit Series bass and I'm anxiously awaiting to get my fingers on it. Thank you for the quality products you've made I'm so proud to tell others about my Peavey basses. Now I'm working on finding the right Peavey amp for my needs.

[@nymsmacgregor7232]

Foundation basses are wicked good...!!

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

Congratulations on building great stuff,sir!

[@jeffreybooty7690]

Awesome interview.

[@PapaLeech89]

Brilliant interview

[@treborif]

In 1992 I bought a new guitar - I wanted the Telecaster, the man said - well you can buy that Fender, made in Idonesia, or you can buy the Peavy, made in the USA - I bought the Peavy Reactor. Sitting here next to me, been in a few bar fights, refretted with 'skinny' frets, fender HB in the neck and SD single coil in the bridge - 30 years old and sounds even better . .

[@johnjonesToffeeman]

Thank you, I bought my first bass it is a peavey. It was inexpensive but beautifully crafted.so you made a difference to me

[@allguitar887]

Hartley ,My first guitar was a Peavey T30 with electric case amp. Thanks dude ...It started my lifelong love of the instrument ..I've ALWAYS dug Peavey guitars ..Wish I still had that T30.. was stolen years later ....Had a V type .sold when baby came along . hoping for a Hp2 someday ....

[@R1GAMBLER]

1980's Peavey ruled! ❤️🤍💙 RIP Peavey 🇨🇳

[@crashdummy40]

They rule today

[@connectedonline1060]

Most consumers made peavey to move to china. Consumers are to blame

[@hutchfromba]

Hartley is a great man ! Shame I can't say the same for his son that took over and destroyed Peavey. Sad...

[@AlexanderShibilski]

Great interview

[@BigJakeMusic]

I'm not sure if the ending was scripted, but I get the feeling that it wasn't. I love that he answered the phone. I love Hartley and everything he's done for us and our passion. I am rocking a Silver Stripe Peavey Bandit on stage and will keep doing it til it blows up!

[@kjelleriksson2581]

There's a whole community of former employees that are now devastated that may want to chime into this conversation.

[@ericwarrington6650]

Had his father not been so tight and bullheaded Peavey probably would have never been... Hartley building his own gear and instruments at such a young age w little or no technology or precedent really shows what this guys made of..I block out all the crap intertwined in the history of companies cuz it's all about opportunities and right place right time..his came 80s-90s -2000s and was top of the world at one point..so he climbed that mountain 20 times to fall down it once.. LEGEND...and I don't own a single thing peavey aside from Blazer 158 I got free I have to fix.. probably just a fuse..lol .tough stuff👊❤️🎶🎸

[@GotPsi1111]

Very insightful interview. A lot of bands rocked Peavey products, over the years including mine. Thanks Hartley!

[@sunnyray7819]

Most those old 90's solid state amps are still going pretty strong..

[@philwhelan3854]

I met Hartley in the UK when he visited our store , City Music Birmingham. He went out to lunch with the boss and before he left asked if there was anything he could fetch for me . What a gent . T60 in black was my first pro guitar aged 14 . It was great quality and very versatile .

[@bernhardmagsaam5209]

... this man knows what he's talking about: musical industry, business, about technology, instrument vodoo and he is absolutely right. I use/d some of his 'low end' instruments (which are highly underrated!!!) and other equipment to my full satisfaction for many years. keep on hartley!

[@fullclipaudio]

I have a Blockface 5150 and I'm going to be picking up a T60 this weekend. Peavey Rocks!

[@RasCuban33]

Love my Classic 20 head and Session guitar. That neon light in the back there is AWESOME!!!!

[@craigharrison5406]

I don't care what people say about him or how his company is doing...Hartley is an Icon in the amplifier industry. Every kid when I was first learning to play in the 80's played a Peavey amp. Peavey also started the 5150 amplifier line with Eddie Van Halen. Those old Peavey 5150 amps are incredible high gain monsters that are still in demand to this day.

[@jblooz2371]

Yep. My first "real" amp was a Peavey Bandit and I friggin loved that thing. Stepped up to a Roadmaster head and gigged with it for a long time. Still miss that one.

[@craigharrison5406]

@@jblooz2371 That's funny beecause my first amp was a Peavey Chorus which I traded for a Peavey Bandit with a classmate in high school. I loved that amp and my buddy really liked the chorus effect on mine so we traded.

[@ElricX]

I've nothing but admiration and respect for Mr. Peavey. I'm proud to own 3 U.S. made Peavey bass guitars that are amazing! He was an innovator and an icon.

[@justcuz9837]

What do you own? I have a '94 Peavey Foundation and a '91 (?) Peavey Unity Series-i haven't entered the serial no. yet so i don't know much about it but it is a neck-through solid gray in color.

[@ElricX]

@@justcuz9837 I have a Redwood Cirrus 6, Millennium 4 in a cool metallic charcoal violet , and a gold Axcelerator 4. I love them all!

[@mikeblue385]

peavy scorpion speakers were good sounding speakers that were virtually indestructible. i liked them a lot.

[@enigma1247]

Hartley is a legend. Never sold out like companies such as gibson ect

[@GUIGUI139]

Yeh and look what happened to then. Look up undercover boss. A real pos of a boss.

[@hillbillyhardrocker5547]

Ummm....yes he did.

[@newking70]

he moved all his production to china, i'd call that selling out.

[@DarthEcoli]

This interview was after the Undercover boss episode, and the guy didn't have the balls to ask him about his hypocrisy in regards to it. Been waiting for someone in this comment thread to bring that up.

[@viceroyraydeen1796]

Sold out to china

[@patrickkelley4463]

I love Peavey usa stuff

[@michaelb.42112]

It's the BEST !

[@patrickkleinbauer3346]

I will never forget the first time a studio engineer showed me a DELTA BLUES amp by PEAVEY. He knew I liked those clean, "fender-y" tones and also needed some saturated crunch. I finished the recording session on the DELTA BLUES amp and convinced the guy to sell it to me, after recording...when I heard the price, my jaw dropped! Only about a THIRD of what comparable FENDER combo would have cost. Even though I hold on to my old FENDER amp collection and use them regularly, my go-to amp today is the PEAVEY classic MH-20 amp head. So much great tone and a sizeable MARSHALL-y crunch on the gain channel! The pristine FENDER-y clean chimes on the clean channel..it is like having both types of amps with me all at once! And all of this in a lunchbox format! And in a nice, transportable bag around my shoulders. Live sound guys still cannot believe me when they ask me where my amp is and I point towards the bag on my shoulders. Until they hear the power and the chimes of that little guy over a nice 4 x 12" cab! I really love that little amp! Like all the great PEAVEY peoducts over the years!

[@chris2fur401]

I’ve got the 2x10 delta blues. Killer amp!

[@JacobNNorton1982]

I’d love to hear some Eddie Van Halen stories from Mr Peavy!

[@joeyvanostrand3655]

Check out the "Tone Talk with James Brown". Changes everything..

[@walteregeaux]

Peavey came into a south Illinois club where I was playing. 1969/70, during break he hauled in a PA system from his truck and said we'd sound much better with it . We signed for it that night! buying the stuff ever since! cheers~

[@cozythunder1]

Love my peavey nitro guitar and my peavey equipment!

[@apexclaimadjusters5816]

Had Peavey's Megabass and 1516 when it 1st came out in the 80s - loved it. Still have a1516 today. Those BWs were brilliant. Had a 2nd hand CS800 back then that ran forever. I really think Peavey was the best gear you get at the time, especially and particularly for bass and PA their gear was not only really good musically but near indestructible as well. Just really thoughtful design. I'm still looking for a good Megabass. I got rid of mine when I hung it up back in the 90s and would take that thing over most amps available now including the Ampeg SVT Pro 3 I currently have.

[@chris2fur401]

I’m a studio session musician. I own a Peavey 5 string Cirrus bass I purchased in the late 90s. I’ve had lots of people say “that album you played on with….. that bass tone is great! What did you use?” I just say “ a Peavey” lol. Most underrated bass ever

[@reviewersrevival5408]

I would not trade my Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 (circa 1992), or my Special 112 (circa 1989) for love or money. That said, I wish I’d never parted with my old Special 150 (with the Scorpion Ultra speaker) or my early 80s, Encore 65. I would dearly love to get ahold of a natural finish T-60. I still have my PVM-38 and PVM-45 mics. I will always be a classic Peavey fan. I have no regards for the chinese-made Peavey products. Gimme the made in Mississippi, USA stuff.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

Man, he looks good for his age!!! I'm a Peavey guy through and through. Sponsored by them too.

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

He’s a good ol boy who we are lucky to have had at the time rock was born and onward. Heck, I don’t know any musicians who would not love to have a 5150 or 6150 to play on. You have given us great joy in your products. Even some of those American Peavey guitars are still around and doing that, too!

[@bassman108]

My first bass amp around 1982 was a Peavy TNT130. That thing was built like a tank and I even sold it many years later.

[@craigzinga]

Starting out, it was all Ibanez and Peavey. Thanks much for affordable gear!

[@chadwilliams8583]

Hartley is a peer of Leo Fender ,CF Martin,etc,what he has done is just incredible to think of.almost hard to believe. I have owned probably half of Peaveys guitars,the Wolfgang,Vandenburg and T15 was my some of my favs but those customized Falcons was the BEST ,BEST ALL AROUND

[@leslieburch]

My dad had a music store called BnB music in Amite Louisiana he was born in 1941 too he passed away 3 years ago he use to tell me a story that he was in your wearhouse and he made a sound board for Hartley Peavy from peavey amps my dad did sound check for the river center he was a trumpet player then a band director in the army and last but not least he was an upright bass player in a jazz band his name was Bobby Joe Burch, (Bob) Burch, Robert Joseph Burch Sr

[@CORYSart]

I need that peavey neon light

[@garycook5125]

In the 1980s, I outfitted discotheques in Montgomery, Alabama with CS 800 and CS 400 amplifiers. When they were damaged by crazy DJs, I was able to quickly repair them with readily available parts from Peavey. In my office/studio today, I have a CS 1400 and a CS 2000 in one of my Atlas Soundolier racks. I have been buying and using Peavey equipment since the 1970s. Other Peavey equipment owned include a T-40 Bass, 1987 five string Dyna Bass (still have), two Model 215 enclosures (still have one), two Model 112H enclosures (still connected and driven by the CS 1400), a 1996 Fury Bass (still have), a ProBass 1000 (in the rack, now), a Peavey Bass 400, several CS 400 and CS 800 amps, a DECA 700 amp (still have), and numerous Peavey sound reinforcement mixers. Hartley Peavey is a living legend.

[@TheRosswise]

To Hartley, thanks for cracking the code of making a transistor amp sound like tubes. I love your Transtube amps. The more I play them, the more I am amazed by your genius. Thanks for making your amps rock-solid too.

[@tabtuburan6439]

I love peavey amps i had peavey classic,special 100,valveking 100 and Bandit 112.I played this amp night and day built like a tank and they pretty Loud ! Long live Mr.Peavey

[@redeemed1379]

I'm marvel I stumbled across this interview I just bought a an early 80s Peavey 210 renown Thursday I'll take a Peavey over any other amp especially if it's a Peavey valve amp. Peavey is the best!

[@robertparker3580]

Peavey had a great add back in the 80's(when your on the road with Peavey,if something breaks down,you can just bet it's the bus)..........that has stuck with me all this time,i own lot's of peavey gear,i enjoy all of it!

[@Tickbryan]

The Peavey CS-800 was a bullet proof power amplifier as was all Peavey products. We used Peavey amps on the road because other manufacturers amps would not hold up to the abuse. I learned this fact after dropping my Mark 4 bass head down a flight of stairs.

[@littlegoose9860]

Hartley seems like a really nice, funny and down to earth guy. I'm impressed with the 2 Peavey amps I've recently acquired, a 1973 Session 400, and more recently, a 50w 1974 Classic (A Series) 410.

[@seblo8462]

My respect to Mr. Peavey, his gear has single handedly fueled extreme underground punk and metal music, from Crust punk all the way to Black Metal and everything in-between like grind, powerviolence, brutal deathmetal etc...thank you sir 👍

[@bruceniblett959]

VTM, classic 30, ultra plus, bravo. My fave peavey amps.

[@MarbsMusic]

First amp was a Peavey Backstage Plus, favorite of all time was a Classic 50 410 from the early 90s... had a lot of Peavey gear over the last 40 years and loved all of it! Definitely wouldn't have been able compete musically if it hadn't been for Hartley.

[@deepwater2652]

Two Peavey amps in my studio - a U.S. Classic 30 and a Transfex 208S!

[@denieledwards6893]

A AMAZING MAN AND HISTORY.

[@kennyh5083]

This man is a true American, when typically we made things the very best we could and at a price that was a low as possible for other Americans to enjoy! I've seen more Peavey gear on stage at bars than any other brand!

[@MichaelWatsonGod]

In high school 1972 I purchased a Peavey Musician with 300 watts and 6 12" speakers for $600. A butt load of money then, it was insanely loud and flawless for the 2 years I had it. I always played it cranked and with fuze with boost. The speakers held up, so did the amp, but my ears did not.

[@mariarosso3890]

What was the last combo or head Usa series?

[@DavidThomas-me6pi]

I was on a plane with him back in 2015.

[@troykelso]

Hartley Peavey isn't interested in the reissue segment of the market, because Peavey's current stuff is "light years" better than the old stuff, and reissuing is like admitting that your old stuff is better than your new stuff. Meanwhile, Fender has been selling every bit of reissued gear they've made, and Peavey is closing factories, laying off employees who have worked for them for decades, and outsourcing their manufacturing to China. Peavey is going the way of Sears and Radio Shack because they refuse to take advantage of the opportunity that's right in front of them.

[@mcfats7652]

I hold Hartley in the highest regards. I keep a photo of him in my guitar room, where I work on electronics/gear/guitars. The photo of him with the T-60 and the Deuce (that's the model I have). I respect him so much because he brought affordable, roadworthy gear to poor people like me, my family and friends. Without Hartley's innovation and competitive business model, we probably wouldn't even have played guitars or at least not had great amps and PAs. I still have my Peavey Deuce that I got when I was fifteen years old. The thing is a tank! It still has the same tubes it came with, they say Peavey on the side. I mean my friends and I left it on for three months once. Dimed it frequently, and cups fell out of the cupboards! It started blowing fuses because I had it dimed all the time and it was already twenty-five years old. So being a dumb kid, I just put a bigger fuse in it! LOL. It still works! Just fine, after ten years in Mom's basement I plugged it in recently and dared to flip the switches. I did a sound test next to my 1966 Vibrolux Reverb - I can't believe it but I think the Deuce sounds better. It's insane, really. Thanks Hartley!!!

[@tommyhunter9641]

My first new bass was a Peavey Foundation model. Bought in the early days. (80’s?” My first new bass amp was a Combo 300. (80’s). At this time I own and use (4) Combo 300 and own a lefty B Ninety bass. I always wanted a premium model Peavey Dyna or other premium bass models, but never came across them in Lefty configuration.

[@jscan]

55 years of audio and they can't get the audio quite right for this benchmark video? That being said; I have all the greatest respect for this guy, having personally spent time with him on 2 occasions, as well as acting as a dealer for his gear for 10 years - there was no more powerful empire outside of Yamaha in the Musical Instrument industry! Today's equivalent is Uli Behringer.. Long live Hartley!

[@tangentz0007]

I never had a bad Peavey amp or guitar.

[@TM-jo4wz]

Really like Peavey. Straight shooter. Knows his stuff. Did not like the interviewer. That guy thought he’s better than Mr. Peavey

[@tauruschorus]

Bro looks amazing for mid 70s in this interview. Much more cogent than my dad…

[@leepek3575]

I still have my Peavey Basic 60 from USA (now in Poland) and its unbreakable - speaker is good, amp also... only the problem is one jack input ;D

[@billday6744]

Are there any peavey guitars made in the USA any more ?

[@user-bk8db7ud6k]

Peavey made the two greatest guitar amps of all time: The 5150 and the Classic 30.

[@peppik]

Legend!

[@Jason-cm6uh]

I have a Peavy T-4 that I love and will always use. My first brand new, "good amp", was a Peavy Studio Pro 112. They're products were always the best value for the money you paid. A shame what has happened to the now.

[@CasaDelWhacko]

Cool to see this man doing so remarkably well! Now… Please make the Rock Master Pre Amp again, preferably with a midi contollable switching system. The Valve FX kinda did it right!!

[@blvckno_1]

Even though i know they won't ever do it, but i wish they would remake the transtube series with modern specs. It would probably sell extremely well since everyone is moving away from tube amps and more towards amp modeling, adding that amp modeling technology to the transtube technology would work extremely well with the vyper series being melted together, and would probably overtake the market

[@domg7616]

Peavy wolfgang still is the best evh guitars!

[@ronaldaldred6705]

My best amp The Peavey Delta Blues with the original speaker.

[@Bullittbl]

I've a lot of Peavy gear. Ot might not have been the best sounding but it was affordable and indestructible. It worked

[@tunabob]

HAHHAHA, Hartley is Mr. Blissful..... since this June is the first NAMM the last 2 yrs, if I see him there, I'll walk up to him and call him that! I know Peavey had a pretty good presense thru out the years, but after our 25 yrs of going to NAMM, as much as I was into it, NAMM grew and grew, as I grew(old), NAMM came and went, and tho I went to it, I didn't visit Peavey as much, but I'll look at it visiting it in June this year, what a cutup this man is, I gots to meet him....~tuna....good video btw!!