Peavey Is Not The Brand It Used To Be?

[@davidbowie6294]

I'm a sixty-something guy who bought a Peavy Deuce when I was in my teens (in the mid 1970s). I blew the speakers, replaced them with Celestions, and that amp still kicks ass. I don't use it to gig anymore, but I still play it sometimes... a great amp.

[@brivington2011]

I think the "Undercover Boss" show really damaged the Peavey brand also. It left me with a feeling that the leadership (COO) really had little idea what was best for the company.

[@michaelmaier7262]

Yeah, I thought that episode showed them as goofily confused. I sure do sympathize with anyone doing business in this messed-up country, though.

[@msh6865]

And a terrible boss to his employees.

[@Javier-qk7ms]

Honestly that is always the case most of the time.

[@santrixhimself3679]

Lol they were on undercover boss? Fuck thats trashy

[@leedouglass9636]

They were damaged way before that

[@mdgtr20]

Agree there stuff was soo strong! I remember my Peavey Monitors getting rained on and beer spilled on them and they still worked. I still have the shells today ( used as flower pots now)

[@davedobson9801]

I'm one of those over 50 guys and seriously, every band you went to see back in those days used Peavey amps for guitar and bass, and also had Peavey PA equipment. And yes, it worked every time, no matter how old it was.

[@MrSDFD18]

In the 80’s, you couldn’t see a country band that didn’t have Peavey amps or p.a. speakers on stage. If I was an executive at Peavey, I would look at what we were making in the 80’s, how we were making it and how we can improve it today. It’s a lot easier to hone your sword than it is to make a new blade.

[@tlb2732]

My band and I relied heavily on Peavey gear for 20 years of heavy gigging in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. We were a country rock cover band and we used Peavey guitar and bass amps and our first P. A. system was all Peavey. This was from the very early 80's to the early 2000's. I used two Peavey Bandit 65 Solo Series amps in stereo for the biggest part of those years. All the traveling and setups and teardowns were rough on the gear but it kept working night after night. I recently bought a new Peavey Bandit 112. It is a nice peace of gear and I can get the same tones I loved back in those years. I hope the powers that be at Peavey can get the company headed in the right direction. They have a unique heritage that needs a bright future.

[@muttsez]

PEAVEY is ALIVE and WELL in CHINA thank-you....

[@williedeuel]

Yes! 100%. Peavey started asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking what everyone else is doing, they should have asked "what do we do better than everyone else, and how do we focus on that?"

[@jamesmoffatt6435]

Peavy's USA made late 80's Bandit's were and still are the best solid state(trans tube technology) amps in the market. Bold statement, yes! For Me, double yes! When Peavy left their head quarters in Mississippi for China, well, their quality has never been the same.

[@johngose6559]

Red stripe Bandit 112 and Studio Pro 112, are my main amps.

[@travishemming3783]

I had the 1x10 version of that amp, the Envoy, about a million years ago, and it was fantastic!

[@eguitarplayer6689]

Austin 400

[@denisvanwassenhoven3822]

@@travishemming3783 I also had one. Great, powerful amp with little weight, kind of Bandit Jr. One good point: they were never as popular as the Bandit therefore, they go for not much expense on the second hand market. For tube amps, if you can get them (Canadian made), Traynor are very well built, solid, and a good option for quality affordability especially when considering currency exchange.

[@deltawhiskey1398]

Don't kid yourself....the Bandit 112 is still a great amp...made in China or not.

[@kennygardner5041]

I have owned a Peavey Heritage, MX, tube Hybrids, Renowns, Specials, Bandits, Mach III Bass head, Dyna-Unity Bass Guitar, Triumph 120 head and 212 cab etc. Loved the gear! Sounded great! I have an AC30, a DSL Marshall with a 1960A cab and still use my Mace for certain gigs and tones as well as a Special 112S. The Mace is a BEAST!

[@arthurvandelay7677]

I did repairs for an authorized Peavey dealer in the late 70's. They did fail from time to time, but they were very easy to fix. The garage band market was still very big then, and young guys without a lot of cash could afford a pretty decent Peavey amp. I knew an older jazz player who used a Peavey Deuce.

[@circuitsandcigars1278]

Got my 1988 Peavey Adrian Vandenberg and I’m starting an amp company because I loved 80’s Peavey amps especially the 5150

[@dukesworld4111]

My very first guitar that ever had was a late 80's Peavey Tracer. I absolutely loved that guitar! It wasn't anything special. It was just a simple, bare bones super strat, but it was built like a tank. Being a teenager when I started meant that I didn't really treat it as nice as I should have. But, it just took the mistreatment and didn't care. It got dropped several times, had the headstock and neck banged against furniture (accidently!....I SWEAR!!!), and was usually just left lying around leaning against the wall when I wasn't playing. Nothing on that thing ever broke or stopped working. It was freaking indestructible. And, it played like a dream! The only reason that I don't still own it, is because it got stolen and was never recovered. That was 25 years ago, and to this day, if someone showed up at my door and said they found it, I'd probably break down in tears to have it in my hands again. I'm a sentimental sap like that sometimes!

[@mikepj1025]

Still have my Peavey Bandit 112 Red stripe. Made in USA. That thing can can be dialed into whatever I play

[@mikecarreca7864]

Hello Philip, I still have a Peavey Classic and two Peavey Classic cabinets. It still sounds fantastic and looks great. Great video discussion.

[@justinespinosa7878]

The old Peavey was amazing! You could drop an amp off the stage and it would still work First bass: Peavey Fury! $199 in 1987 quartersawn neck; micro tilt, good pots… still going!

[@ericdodson2644]

My Peavey Fury is still going, too... and never any problems.

[@dpb22]

That illustrates Peavey's problem. $199 in 1987 is $470 today with inflation. Those are mid tier prices, not entry level.

[@zeusapollo8688]

I run a peavey power amp that I got out of a trashcan

[@markcheetah4960]

I love the old Peavy amps. And the big speaker cabinets they used to make. Everything nowadays is small and "streamlined."

[@reiddillashaw2383]

My first amp was a Peavey Pacer, my second amp was a Peavey Classic, and my third amp was a Peavey Bandit. All bought between '81 & '91, because they were affordable. And yes, they were built like tanks, and weighed a bunch. Never really cared for the sound of Peavey amps, but they were certainly better than nothing and they always worked.

[@sheldonkorpett1708]

I had a Peavey Pacer as well. Bought it 1980. Did many gigs with it. Sounded great with my MXR distortion +. Left it out a bulky trash day a few years ago but it was still working. I took the Peavey logo off.

[@brianurbanik7587]

My Peavey Pacer amp and T15, thought I was big time! Lol but wish I still had them both

[@j.juarez9526]

They should have never let the CIrrus bass go. I absolutely love this bass. Easily one of the best basses ever made.

[@johndoe1765]

Yes i also thought the peavey foundation to be a great one as well.

[@therugburnz]

I broke my bass while on the road in the mid 90's. No much time to get gas and a bass, eat and drive 165 mileswith only $127.00 amongst the band. The band bought the cheapest PV bass for $109. We made the show in time to eat while we set up with a new bass. I used that bass professionally for more than 10 years before I pulled the frets and filled the slots to have a fretless. Thanx Hartly

[@VITATRISTIS]

@@therugburnz which model bass was it?

[@MJ98774]

CIrrus also pretty much sold for the same price used as they did brand new. To this day my 90s Peavey Megabass is still the best amp I own...and Ive had Ampeg, SWR, Eden, Markbass...the only thing I like better is my Genz Benz but the Megabass still sounds better than most modern boutique amps nowadays. Seriously underrated bass gear for sure.

[@IHateMyAccountName]

An American T-40 reissue would do well

[@farkenfigjam8732]

I have a Studio Pro 60 (mid 80s) and it is an absolute tank. My dad bought it in 90s and used it quite a lot. Then it sat in the shed for about 10 years. Pulled it out a few months ago plugged it in and IT TURNED ON!!! We pulled it apart and thoroughly cleaned it and I've been using it ever since. It is a great sounding amp especially when paired with a distortion pedal.

[@coyotebillkc9185]

5:20 THIS!!! When I think of Peavey this sentiment is first. I had an old 70's Series 400 bass amp that I acquired from a pawn shop in the late 80's and used well into the 2000's with no issues. That thing took a beating and never failed. It had beers dumped on it on a couple occasions, got left in a van in sub zero temperatures and survived a flooded basement. I only stopped using it because I took a leave of absence from the band I was in and they asked if the fill in guy could use it and I never saw it again. I'm sure it's still functional today wherever it is.

[@dankress8228]

Last year I found a “new old stock” Delta Blues 2-10 from 2015- the last year of American made.. I absolutely love it. After using 7 other amps my whole life - including a few Fenders, a Mesa, and a Vox, I finally found my Forever amp!

[@beatapt5]

"Back in the day" you bought Peavey because they were reliable and not as pricey as say Ampeg, JBL, Altec or Fender. The sound wasn't really there, but you could live with it. IMHO, they should have stayed in that market.

[@djsusan00]

ngl my firned has a 15 watt crate and that thing slaps. I love my 6505+ and matching 4x12 though.

[@StephaneBergeronPixelyzed]

I think it depends how far back "back in the day" was ;) In the early 80s, my first tube amp was a Peavey 1x12 ( forget the exact model). Back then, you got a Peavey because you couldn't afford something better. It was really considered a second rate brand in my memory. I hated that amp and dislike 1x12s in general since. My next one was a Roland JC-120 which to me sounded so much better (it really was the sound of the time). But it was a 2x12 so it sounded so much more 3 dimensional, fuller, louder. After that I got a Marshall 2x12 combo I played in a 2 amps rig with the JC-120. Then I switched the Roland for a a Fender "red knobs" Twin and eventually sold the Marshall combo and kept only the Twin. I played that amp until last year and it really came to life plugged into a 4x12 along with its own speakers. A far cry from my humble first Peavey ;) That early impression of my 1x12 Peavey not sounding like I wanted and the overral impression of it being a "cheap" second rate brand stayed with me for decades. I'm sure they got better but they still wouldn't be my first, second or third choice ;)

[@neilsnow7644]

My old Peavey speakers blow my brand new JBL speakers away completely in clarity, punch and volume. Heavy though.

[@qua7771]

@@StephaneBergeronPixelyzed That pretty much sums up my impression of them in that era. In the 2000s they started putting out some good replica type amps. By then I learned to stop wasting money on mediocre gear, and save for the real deal. I did get a demolished Peavey Vypyr tube twin for free, that I rebuilt, and still have. It's okay for a modeling amp. I'll stick with my regular rig, Bad Cat Lynx through a 1960B cab.

[@thedanksavatron7782]

So true! Old school Peavey amps were bulletproof!

[@IceNein763]

Peavey built their brand on being a budget amp that maybe you didn't feel too cool using, but did the job. When I bought my first guitar in 89, I came home with a Peavey Express 112. That thing was awesome for the metal tones of the day. Built in spring reverb tank. Two channels with two options each (clean/crunch, and high gain/scooped higher gain). I would have wanted a Marshall because every show had loads of Marshall 4x12's so that's what you thought they were using even if they weren't, but Peavey was what I could afford, and it did a great job.

[@joshuarinker9543]

Peavey is my favorite brand. They sound great and they last. My collection so far consist of: Mark iii Bass head, 1820 cab, 215 bass cab, red Dyna Bass, PA-900 mixer, 3-12TS speakers, 2-PV12m, 6505 guitar head, JSX guitar head, Rage 158 amp, and a Raptor+ guitar. Everything still works great. Some gear I received from my father, who used it on many tours, 1000's of shows.

[@billbob4856]

I don’t know how people expect high minimum wage, benefits, cheap sales price, environmentally friendly processes but give zero protection from foreign products that follow none of those rules. Tariffs or some type of trade limiting is required if those jobs are going to be protected in-country. Yes, corporate greed is a factor but that’s even more incentive to legally limit the imports. Obviously, Peavey has dug their own grave but the outsourcing is an issue in every single part of the US economy. It’s just too easy and too enticing atm.

[@bsbrooks455]

I have 2 Peavey products that I will never let go of. First is an original Classic 30 (old style with the straight across top in the front speaker baffle). Second is a USA Cirrus Quilt Top Tiger Eye 4 string bass. Both are absolutely killer pieces. Although I mostly play guitar now, bass used to be my main gig. I have owned dozens of basses throughout my career (I am 68 yrs old now) including an original Alembic Model 1, several boutique basses, and a plethora of J and P basses. The Cirrus might be the best playing and sounding of all of them with impeccable build quality. The Classic 30 speaks for itself. I was very sad when Peavey dropped U.S. production of their bass guitars.

[@garthosborn8400]

I’m 69, have used Peavey gear since 1976, when I bought my first Peavey amp. Thru the years I have owned and used 8 or 9 Peavey amps. Never a single problem with any of them. My favorite amp of all time is the Classic 50/410. What a great amp! I currently have 3 Peavey amps- Backstage Plus, teal stripe Bandit and a Classic 30. All USA made. I also have a USA Predator and a Powerslide lap steel (China). I use the gear because I like it - and it always works.

[@alexlightningboyedwards5350]

I own many Peavey products. Most are from the 70’s and 80’s. All are solid and sound great. Replacing a blown horn speaker was so simple to do. I hope they will bring it all back to the U.S.

[@shaker1025]

Still using my Foundation bass and tnt-130 amp (a ton, at least) that I bought new in 1984 at gigs. So faithful!

[@dougberry5003]

As you said Phil everyone has had Peavey for their gear,, Proud of what I've owned over the years. I still have a classic chorus 212, Still rocks out! Thx Hartley !

[@ChipLeach]

As a 50 something year old musician, It blows my mind that Peavey practically went away. They were literally on every stage from arenas to dive bars.

[@muttsez]

And they still are....

[@shauncarter924]

I’ve owned both Peavey and Carvin amps and loved each of them.

[@monmixer]

They were the only ones who make EVH happy. they must have done something right.

[@sparkyguitar0058]

Carvin WAS bad ass. Always wanna a AE 180. Bad ass axe A/E

[@DMSProduktions]

@@monmixer MADE!

[@waltberger7885]

I own Carvin PA speakers, monitors, mixer and EQs. They are awesome. Very reliable. Miss Carvin :-(

[@phillipgurney1402]

Yep my first working amp in a band situation PEAVY musician head and tall 4x12 cab and a bunch of pedals Now Currently I will NEVER give up my X 100 B series 4 half stack and my VTR 2800 half stack. That Peavy NEVER broke but was never COOL according to my friends Wish I had kept it I bet it still works

[@drock4real612]

My first amp in 1988 was a Peavey Bandit 65. There was something wrong with it and I traded it back in a year later for a Crate G-60, which I still have, somehow. Peavey will still always have a place in my heart - you never forget your first or something along those lines.

[@Banditman]

Interesting insight regarding how Peavey treated it's dealers. I've got an old Peavey tube preamp that I'd love to get serviced, but can't find anyone to service it now. When I bought it (late 80's / early 90's) I figured it would never be a problem. Sucks, because when it's "right", it's a great sounding preamp.

[@bobbyfikesmusicfun]

I have lots of old Peavey stuff that has never broken. I have a 1985 Peavey Patriot bass that I ran over in a car before. When I got home I pulled it out of the case and it was still in tune. I have an '88 PV monitor amp with an EQ on it that I use as a backup and it turns on it works every time. Been dropped a few times but never broke.

[@TheGadgettracker]

In '76, I bought a Peavey Musician head with a 610 cabinet. Ear-bleeding loud and matched up perfectly with a Big Muff Pi. Loved that thing. Wish I had never gotten rid of it. BTW, I sold it to a certain '80's band that had their gear stolen right before they signed their first record deal and were needing replacement gear.

[@justinhowell3527]

I’m still playing my Peavey Classic 50 4/10 that I picked up used in the mid 90s. I’ve re tubed it, upgraded the caps and resistors, and added two inset carrying handles on the sides of the cabinet to help move it around. Still sounds great, like a Fender Bassman.

[@jimwright5529]

I still have my XR1200 Board (1980 vintage) and just picked up a pair of old 115HC's -one main speaker jack replacement and the board is still clean and in combo with the speakers can still make one's ears bleed with out distortion. Also have a TKO 75 combo amp from the late 1980's. All of it is what i now consider "moveable" , not "portable" due to the weight - but as you said -reliable no matter what you throw at it. Such a shame they are in decline - as you have commented and so many have commented here, bring back the quality and dealer support.

[@kittysofdoom6968]

Carvin and Peavey were my Favorite brands. And still the Amps I use the most. I have Carvin Guitars but I have never owned a Peavey Stringed Instrument. Just Peavey Amps. I still have my old Peavey special 130 that i bought in 1985 it is still my favorite amp for using pedals. I won 6 peavey amps that i love. Hey Kramer made a come back I really hope peavey can tap into that action and make a come back.

[@TheRosswise]

Fortunately Peavey gear is practically immortal and the old stuff still sounds good. Every musician I know owns at least a few pieces of Peavey gear and it all sees a lot of use, no matter how old the gear is.

[@marklucasguitar5126]

Philip- Thank you for your intelligent insight on Peavey. I had a Peavey Special 150 that I used for around 5 years, back in the day. I kept it in a cold car, a hot car; it fell down my stairs twice; it never didn’t work. The only thing I did, after 5 years, was clean the pots out with contact cleaner. It performed without issue on virtually every gig.

[@TractorMonkeywithJL]

I've still got a classic 212 combo I bought in 1977, and it still works.

[@larryh.3173]

I used lots of Peavey amps over the years. PAs, too. Bullet-proof indeed. But I always thought it was pretty generous of them to include the free lead weights hidden inside. LOL? Just kidding, of course. I am actually a HUGE Peavey fan... well, maybe from before they closed the USA plant. Their USA Custom Shop guitars were right up there with my Core PRSes. (NO joke. I have many of each to compare.)

[@saviogonsalvez202]

I still use my 1980 Peavey 50W Bandit on stage!

[@caseylee12]

I still have my T60, that I bought when I was 17 (1982), in its original molded case with a built in amp. AND IT STILL WORKS! I love it. Reminds me of when I was a kid, trying to learn my first few chords and scales!

[@Yoda8945]

I was a dealer from 1973-1986. Never saw a T60 with a built in amp.I would love a picture.

[@polymorphism1966]

I really liked peavey back in the day, had a few of their solid amps.

[@andrewcerecedes4757]

Within the last few years I have owned a few Peavey amps (one for guitar, one for bass). Both were decent tone wise but after a while I was ready to move on. I do somewhat regret selling the Peavey Deuce amp (the poor man's Fender Twin), mainly because the phaser effect built in was killer. Hopefully soon I'll find an amp that's a keeper.

[@Ginanity]

My Peavey Bandit was literally 'on fire' once, and it worked perfectly afterwards...

[@MJCL2010]

Enjoy the added content in these "clips" thanks Phil. I played a Peavey combo amp back in the day & it's true they were very reliable but I bought the wrong one. I had a 1x10 combo & to me the tone was brittle. I wanted a creamier sounding amp. Got rid of the Peavey & went big with a Roland Jazz Chorus 120. Now that was an amp! # 1 on my gear I regret selling.

[@scottk27332]

Peavey forever! Just bought an old 1974 Classic 50 212 and yeah its heavy but that means QUALITY! It sound frikkin amazing! I have Peavey Mark III 260C bass amp, a Silver Stripe 112 and a newer VYPYR modeling amp. I prefer the older stuff that works regardless! Great video Phillip!

[@pohsibkcirrag6312]

So...fun fact. My son's school owns a Peavey building. We use the parking lot for overflow during events. Used to make amps there. All my school jazz band gear was Peavey. I really liked the stereo chorus with scorpion speakers.

[@GeraldoOFonseca]

How many guitar players that are 40 years old or more have NOT played on a Bandit? I guess not many. I have one and use it as a power amp for my modeler. It just works.

[@DSchea]

We've had a Rage 10" we use for setups and the like for over 30 years and that thing doesn't stop. We threw it off the dock to see if it would break and it didn't 😆. After that we decided to just keep it as the replacement blackstar or whatever we'd have gotten would have been far worse for the purpose.

[@x3a3x3]

The peavey bandits from the 80’s - 90’s were huge overseas too as sometimes a professional gigging musician wants something 100% reliable that will WORK every time. Of course it didn’t sound like a vintage tube amp, but throw a few pedals in front of it and the audience won’t know the difference. Can’t tell you how many people I know had one as their breadwinner..

[@markcheetah4960]

@@x3a3x3 I loved the sound of their solid state amps with the "saturation."

[@hanserikkratholmrasmussen6623]

Many many years ago I always used Peavey amps as a singer-song-writer. Just recently I bought a small Peavey amp for my acoustic guitars. I guess the amp is at least 20 years old, and it works perfectly well.

[@HeadHunterJujujaja]

In the 1980s, played bass through a TKO 75. I pickup guitar shortly after and played it through a Bandit 112.

[@halofour01]

I really hope Peavey can pull through. I've loved their stuff for 35 years. My first real amp was a Bandit 65 from 1986. I now have another Bandit 65, a 3120 head, 6505+ head, 5150 2x12, 4 channel PA head and a little 6505 micro. They're all great! I had a Patriot back in the day as well and it was a nice guitar. I'd love to find one again. I think their problem was that with the exception of the 5150/6505 series they were never the sexy brand. They're kind of the Toyota Camry of music gear. Dead solid and dependable with all the performance you really need, just not flashy. I hope the music community regains an appreciation for what they do best before its too late.

[@kaseymorris8885]

I fell out a plane back in '02. Luckily, I had my Classic 50 with me to land on. Still plays today.

[@markbuchanan609]

Peavey was my #1. I liked their equipment. Their p.a., t-60 guitars, 212 amps, bass rigs, and bass guitars were off the chain. I will still play guitar through any 212 amp.

[@jasonaustin3270]

I once left an old peavey cs800 power at a bar, they used it as a door stop. Then years later they tore the place down, I found it, took it home plugged it in and it worked perfectly.

[@merrillprimroy9277]

I have 4 peavey amps.... One a couple of years old & 3 from the 1980's......a 112 special.... a bandit 65 & an old backstage plus...... Been using them for 35 plus years now & have never had any problems with them....... Having said that, I really don't care much for the newer stuff there putting out. I've got a thinline tele, a G&l tele & an older 1979 Washburn falcon (wing series) & they all sound great through any of my peavey amps. Thanks for the info, really enjoyed it.

[@OmicronTauKappaClassicDaddy]

I bought a Butcher 100w amp head right before things went downhill and also own a Windsor 100w head as well. Both are good amps and are nice to have around when I get the itch to plug into a monster amp. I've also owned Peavey Mystic and still own a T-15 bass guitar. They really had some great moments and I hope they come back someday to relive them again.

[@solan417]

I have 6 Peavey Wolfgangs 2 specials and 4 arch tops 1 being a hardtail, a 5150 combo and cab. It blows my mind how a company that made such solid instruments couldn't maintain that quality and innovation. You can say Eddie left but Jim Decola and James Brown made those.

[@timnewman1172]

I still have my old band's P.A., it's a combination of Peavey and Carvin components that never let is down... My first bass amp was a TNT 100, weighed a ton but took being maxed out night after night!

[@JonNewquist]

I'm 55. I bought so much Peavey gear in the '90s. I still have 4 PVM-45 mics and their hard cases. They are still better, and more rugged than the SM57s I couldn't afford back then. Classic series heads are so good. Been on the hunt for the little 20 at the right deal for a long time. I think people who have them now know how good they are.

[@brianchambers1399]

I would love to see you review the Peavey JF-1, an outstanding 335 style instrument with a few subtle differences. When I bought mine, I didn't play any of my other guitars for almost two years!! Very versatile sound, especially with Thomastik strings.

[@powderkeg5332]

First Peavey I owned was a Pacer guitar amp from the 70's. Sucker was perfect size, weight, and wattage. It was tougher than any amp I have ever owned. I loved that amp and wish I had it back. I have had, and still have, other Peavey guitars, basses, and amps. It broke my heart to watch Peavey get cheaper and junkier through the years. Some of their USA made guitars from the late 80's and early 90's were amazing. I still have a Falcon Custom that get's played more than my fenders, ibanezs. It's a total workhorse.

[@thesquigglespin]

You make a strong point. I still have my trusty Peavey Renown 400 guitar amp. I've had it since '92, when I bought it from a friend. It still runs and sounds great.

[@rev.j.chriswallace642]

As a 50+ year old, you're absolutely right -- Peavey PA cabs, microphones, power amps, rack equipment, guitar amps, even guitars as well. And you were right - drop it, etc., and it still worked. And could get it all repaired at my local dealer: Holloway's Music in Monroe, NC.

[@markdunn7490]

Had a bandit from the early 90's. It made through a house fire. Major damage, melted to a shell with speaker and still worked

[@HunterRouth]

Breaks my heart... Peavey is an Iconic company. They created two of the coolest signature guitars ever: Adrian Vandernberg and the Wolfgang. They also arguably made the most prominent Metal amp of all time with Eddie Van Halen, The 5150 and then did it again with EVH with the 6505+. Two huge Classics in the industry. Every single U.S.A. Peavey I've played from the 80's and the 90's, no matter how different the guitar style was different the other, they all played wonderfully. It was crazy. The only other brand I feel that way about it is ErnieBall Musicman. Ever guitar they put out plays great if even it isn't your preferred guitar. The quality was there. Peavey needs some P.R. and to get back to America. I know they're trying with Misha Mansoor from Periphery and it's a neat amp. But I think they're gonna have to do something else but I'm not sure what. Probably appealing back to the Metal genre as a whole. Plus I think they need to bring back those killers Peavey's back in the day, especially the Vandenberg. Call him up!

[@johnsmothermon6856]

Peavey tube amps are still some of the best amps out there. I’ve got a bravo 112 with an eminence speaker and a valve king head. Both are feature rich, great sounding, and reliable. I think that updating their image to stay current with the times would’ve been a good idea. Their products were never in question. It became unfashionable to be seen with their products because their image wasn’t current with changing times after the 80’s.

[@lauchlinperin2583]

Peavey made some great guitars in the 80s Vortex, Impact and Millennium, I loved the rectangular humbuckers.

[@9999plato]

I started playing when Peavey made the T40 bass and the T60 guitar. I was 15 and earning $2 an hour, saved up and bought both of these instruments for $295 each with the case+. That T60 played like butter. I gigged with the T-40 for years until I switched to a Jazz bass and then a nice used NS1 Spector from Brooklyn. Everybody used Peavey amps and those Black Widow speakers. We opened for Roy Orbison several times and his bassist was using a pair of TNT 150s in a biamp setup. I had to use his rig. That stuff never broke down.

[@terrellspaulding5456]

54 years old, started playing at age 11 and got my first Peavey Classic 50 when I was 13. I got my Peavey T-60 at 14. The guitar had some amazing tone and that maple neck was great.

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

The Vocal projectors with a B-52 1 18 sub on the bottom just rocked every night Phillip...Take care my friend...

[@stevestambaugh6501]

Peavey was the anvil of equipment that you couldn't break. I still Have Peavey equipment and my bandit 65 still works after 30 some years. Rock solid. My first Marshall DSL 401 back when they first came out was sent in 6 times before they sent me a new one. Korg USA is who it was sent through and I told them I thought I bought Quality when I bought the Marshall and I was Glad I still had my Peavey Bandit 65 because I had to use it because the Marshall did not hold up. I even had to get the new Marshall fixed after two years needed tubes and out put transformer. I still use Marshalls I have 4 now I love Tube amps Marshall one of my favs

[@myblues6532]

I still have my Peavey Backstage Plus that I bought in 1983. It still turns on and sounds great.

[@PooNinja]

The peavey undercover boss was heartbreaking to watch knowing what was coming. 😢

[@DMSProduktions]

Yeah, what a lying POS he was!

[@OtherTheDave]

Eh?

[@PooNinja]

@@OtherTheDave promised to take care of the employees issues… technically he did , he closed the factory and moved production to another country. No employees = no employee issues ?

[@OtherTheDave]

@@PooNinja Oh wow, that’s… not great. Did the show do a followup?

[@PooNinja]

@@OtherTheDave I don’t think so. It’s just a sad situation all the way around.

[@bhxxbtx]

My father was a good friend of Hartley Peavey in high school in Laurel, MS. I grew up around Peavey equipment in the 80's and 90's. My father ran live sound in the south, and we have used a lot of Peavey gear. It was solid stuff. That being said, I asked my father why he never worked for Peavey, being he was a Electrical Engineer living about half an hour from Meridian. He said that he just didn't like Hartley's attitude. My first guitar was a T-60. They had great bass amps, great guitar amps, and a huge array of high quality PA gear. Their 80's and early 90's guitars and basses were really great, They even released keyboards and drums back then. It's sad to see that empire gone now....or at least a shell of what it once was.

[@nzsteve]

I had a Peavey bass back in the 80's. Weighed an absolute ton but sounded great. Still have a cab with 2 x 1502-8 Black Widow speakers in it.

[@grberendzenproductions312]

I bought a Peavey amp because Lynard Skinard surrounded themselves with big stacks of Peavey amps and speakers. I still use my Peavey Century head, though the 2-15 cabinet was borrowed and never returned by someone who basically disappeared, so I bought a Rockville cabinet after years of scrounging and borrowing cabinets to play an occasional gig. It has a distortion which reacts well to a tube screamer and makes a nice 6 string amp when paired with a 2-12 cabinet. I also bought a cheap Peavey Walking Dead 6 string which I stripped and used as a mod platform. The neck's actually decent.

[@ginoames]

Being 50 years old it's sad to see Peavey the way it is now. Such a part of my musical life right from the start.

[@WalkenDead]

In his first run with Skynyrd, Ed King played Peavy. So in the early 70's if you saw them live that intro to Sweet Home Alabama was played thru a Peavy. When I was practicing with my first band I did my vocals thru a 50 watt solid state Bandit. It was loud enough to carry over a Marshall and a Crate Excalibur, and drums and bass.

[@RockandrollNegro]

Slight correction: Ed King didn't get his Peavey Roadmaster until 1975, the year he left the band. Prior to that he played through either a Fender Twin or a Marshall head powering a Fender cabinet. Even in the year he played the Peavey Roadmaster, he always played "Sweet Home Alabama" through a Marshall, because it didn't sound right on any other amp.

[@dnews9519]

I would love to have my old Peavey valverb tube reverb unit back. That was one of the best preamp / Reverb units ever built by any company at any price.

[@gunhed70]

I own a 1980's Peavey predator with a Kahler tremolo and it's built like a tank.

[@johnnywomack548]

I've owned 2 of those. Sold one and gave the other to a guy who needed a guitar. I wish I had kept the one I sold.

[@thelastscarecrow6701]

Vyper, Classic series, 6505, and the Invective are all solid amps with great reviews. I would say overlooked instead of dead.

[@LetArtsLive]

I noticed in one of the earliest Lynyrd Skynyrd videos they were using Peavey amp heads

[@halbertking2683]

I still have my XR600 peavey pa head I bought in the mid 80s used for $225 .It's a real gig pig. I love it . I've worked on a few of their Valve King tbe amps made in China . Not only are the preamp tube plate resistors maybe 1/4 watt at best but the leads on those resistors are like angel hair . Chinese amps are basically disposable .

[@rockdaddy2168]

In the 90s I bought a used Mark III bass head and 410 cab. I was on my way to a gig and dropped the head down a flight of concrete stairs at my apartment. Bounce, bounce, bounce, thud. I thought it was ruined. Took it back inside to test it and it fired right up. I bought new metal corners for it and it looked and played like new. I was impressed.👍👍👍👍

[@jonlavigne3270]

When I was a kid I wanted a Peavey Palladium bass in the worst way. And, of course, I used a very large Peavey bass amp. And a friend of mine had the coolest red Vandenberg guitar ever.

[@RecordOrRecord]

I have a classic 50 head and 4×10 cab. I will never get rid of it. One of the best I've ever owned

[@oldmetalguy4577]

A had a Peavey Ultra 120 head back around 91-92 that got road totured for 3 years and never even blinked. And it's true, everybody had Peavey PA equipment back then. It was as close to the term "bulletproof" as any equipment ever seen.

[@johndoe1765]

My first big bass rig was a peavey mark IV bass head with 4x10 plus 1x18 bass cabs. the rig i have now years later found in a pawn in florida is another mark IV with a 4 x 12 cab for $150.00 YEAH BABY !

[@brandonhebert1639]

I gigged for years with Peavy mains and monitors they were great. Still have a Delta Blues amp it sounds awesome to this day.

[@mdp303]

Peavey had a rep for the best 60W guitar combo. Lots of gigging musicians used the Peavey Bandit. It was simple great and worked. I’m 54 so you’re right.

[@tomjones2348]

I'm 67, have owned and still own many great amps. What do I plug into every day in my living room? A modded Peavey Nashville 400. I can play pedal steel through it, and everything I own sounds amazing with that amp. My favorite pick for guitar? Yep. Also made by Peavey. It's unfortunate that they did not have better business accumen.

[@sunbrookcondo4179]

My experience with Peavey: Been using their guitar amps for over 35 years, still have every one of them and have been workhorses until about 3 years ago. My main gig amp is a Classic 50 from the 90's, never failed me. About 3 years ago I picked up a brand new Classic 30 for smaller gigs and while it sounds great, have had one problem after another with it. In a short period I had handle break off, blown fuses, tubes go bad, power light not working, boost pusbutton sticking inside chassis, runs really hot, speaker is wired into board so can't simply unplug it when using external speaker... Maybe a specific dud? No idea. Quality just hasn't held up to my older ones.

[@lgv3051]

I sold my Peavey Special 212 way back in 2001 thinking that these amps are so good that I'll be able to get another one in the future no problem. Awesome amp and I've never seen another one since

[@jessebatchelor]

100% agree with Phil regarding the Cirrus series of bass guitars. Great quality, great looks and feel at reasonable prices.

[@AutismRocksOfficial]

I haven't even looked at anything Peavy since that "Undercover Boss" episode. Got such a strong distaste for the people running that company.

[@michaelmaier7262]

I love my Delta Blues, JSX combo, JSX Mini-Colossal, Classic Power 50/50, and Rockmaster preamps. Simply great stuff. Simple, classic tones. And my USA-made Predator Strat-copy is killer (after putting new tuners on it). Even the Dweezil Zappa Wiggy solid state stack is a great amp. I wish Peavey luck. Mostly because I still want to get a 5150-ish amp stack. :D

[@mattliebenau9083]

I had a Vandenberg signature and still have a US made Vtype. Excellent guitars and if you can find a good condition MicroBass amp they’re still great practice amps and I’ve even propped one up at an angle and used them as stage monitors.