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Peavy Basic 50

Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
edited May 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
I just acquired this thing for free. Holy Crap!! Closed back 12" 50 watt bass amp with a sheffield speaker most likely. light bulb comp. This is mid 80's vintage I'm pretty certain but I've never seen one before. Perfect simple layout. Pre (pull bright) Post 3 band EQ and a presence knob. Boys. I've found me a clean amp. It's solid state obviously and very clean but the light bulb limiter adds a nice bit of punch I'm an ABY switch away from kick ass blended tone. I cannot believe it's in such great shape not even any pot crackle.

Probably time I picked up a bass too.
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • cltaylor12cltaylor12 Posts: 125
    Probably.... did you see that '56 Fender?! Sah-wheeeeet!

    I love Peavy stuff. I have an amp I've been dragging around for years that I just can't let go of....and a Peavy Precision Bass to go with it.

    I suck though (can't play much of anything). I also tend to spell Peavy Peavey, I don't know why... :p

    c-
  • parchyparchy Posts: 205
    Cha! I have a Peavey TKO combo at my buddies' house right now and that thing will shake the fillings out of your head... Peavey bass amps of any kind beat everything... give me a solid Peave over a GK or Ampeg anyday
    Make Movies. Don't make Videos. Videos are evil.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    parchy wrote:
    give me a solid Peave over a GK or Ampeg anyday


    A Peavey over a GK? Woah, hold on a second...

    My old 400RB was one kickass bass amp. You could toss it off the roof of the venue, take it inside, plug in and play. And the Ampeg B-15 is the single greatest bass amp ever built.

    Peaveys definitely have their place, but let's not be rash.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • parchyparchy Posts: 205
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    A Peavey over a GK? Woah, hold on a second...

    My old 400RB was one kickass bass amp. You could toss it off the roof of the venue, take it inside, plug in and play. And the Ampeg B-15 is the single greatest bass amp ever built.

    Peaveys definitely have their place, but let's not be rash.



    There is something to be said for reliability... I had a B-15 for 3 years and I spent more money repairing it than I did paying for it (which was a lot)... plus, if you acquire the taste, Peavey's can sound just as good as any GK
    Make Movies. Don't make Videos. Videos are evil.
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    I just acquired this thing for free. Holy Crap!! Closed back 12" 50 watt bass amp with a sheffield speaker most likely. light bulb comp. This is mid 80's vintage I'm pretty certain but I've never seen one before. Perfect simple layout. Pre (pull bright) Post 3 band EQ and a presence knob. Boys. I've found me a clean amp. It's solid state obviously and very clean but the light bulb limiter adds a nice bit of punch I'm an ABY switch away from kick ass blended tone. I cannot believe it's in such great shape not even any pot crackle.

    Probably time I picked up a bass too.

    Is it a single channel 50?
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    parchy wrote:
    There is something to be said for reliability... I had a B-15 for 3 years and I spent more money repairing it than I did paying for it (which was a lot)... plus, if you acquire the taste, Peavey's can sound just as good as any GK

    Parchy, you know we bassist have to stick together, but I'm with Mig on this one. I'd take a GK over a Peavey any day. Sorry.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    puremagic wrote:
    Is it a single channel 50?


    yeah, single channel, with a bright switch, gain and pregain basic 3 band and a presence and a lightbulb limiter. Certainly beats any TKO I've ever plugged into but really, that's not saying much.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    Didja find out what speaker is inside?

    I have an irrational obsession with Sheffield 1230's. And they're hard to find. I need a 16-ohm without any tears. Not havin' a lot of luck. The 1290's (EVH) are a little easier. And there are tons of Black Widows, Scorpions, and Blue Marvels. Nothing but crap, the whole lot of 'em.

    I may actually have to purchase my speaker new.

    Anyways... one of my favorite little curiosities was an Ampeg solid-state practice bass amp from the 70's. I owned it for a while, then sold it to a friend. Now I want to buy it back and he won't sell. Sounds great for almost anything... a different guitar tone (especially driving the amp itself), a bass amp, organ and synth, drum machines and samplers... I've used it for a lot of stuff, especially recording. Most bass amps are just good all-around utility amps. And don't forget, the holy grail of guitar amps was originally Leo Fender's idea of a bass amp.

    So, what exactly does the limiter curcuit use? 40-watt appliance bulb?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    weirdness.

    and by coincidence, i'm thinking of trying out for a band as a bassist. that could be a trainwreck.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Didja find out what speaker is inside?

    I have an irrational obsession with Sheffield 1230's. And they're hard to find. I need a 16-ohm without any tears. Not havin' a lot of luck. The 1290's (EVH) are a little easier. And there are tons of Black Widows, Scorpions, and Blue Marvels. Nothing but crap, the whole lot of 'em.

    I may actually have to purchase my speaker new.

    Anyways... one of my favorite little curiosities was an Ampeg solid-state practice bass amp from the 70's. I owned it for a while, then sold it to a friend. Now I want to buy it back and he won't sell. Sounds great for almost anything... a different guitar tone (especially driving the amp itself), a bass amp, organ and synth, drum machines and samplers... I've used it for a lot of stuff, especially recording. Most bass amps are just good all-around utility amps. And don't forget, the holy grail of guitar amps was originally Leo Fender's idea of a bass amp.

    So, what exactly does the limiter curcuit use? 40-watt appliance bulb?


    Sorry man, I've been working so much lately I haven't been home long enough to play or check the mail etc. so I haven't opened it up yet. It's not the holy grail of course but for free..... it's pretty cool. If it's got a sheffield in it I'll be more than happy to pull it out and ship it too you if you've got something to trade for it.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • parchyparchy Posts: 205
    puremagic wrote:
    Parchy, you know we bassist have to stick together, but I'm with Mig on this one. I'd take a GK over a Peavey any day. Sorry.



    Different strokes I guess... more Peavey's for me!!
    Make Movies. Don't make Videos. Videos are evil.
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    parchy wrote:
    Different strokes I guess... more Peavey's for me!!

    I'm just not a Peavey person. That being said, that classic 50 is a sweet amp, probably one of the cleanist I can remember.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    puremagic wrote:
    I'm just not a Peavey person. That being said, that classic 50 is a sweet amp, probably one of the cleanist I can remember.


    you/me an Original Fender Precision and an original 1959 Fender Bassman

    it's a date. Leave Parchy an 8x10 peavey cab 1000 watts and a Cirrus.

    The classic 50 is a great amp, but wow the new lacqured tweed bassmans are awesome.

    Funny that a bass amp becomes one of the classic guitar amps.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    you/me an Original Fender Precision and an original 1959 Fender Bassman

    it's a date. Leave Parchy an 8x10 peavey cab 1000 watts and a Cirrus.

    The classic 50 is a great amp, but wow the new lacqured tweed bassmans are awesome.

    Funny that a bass amp becomes one of the classic guitar amps.


    I think biamping is being rediscovered.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    puremagic wrote:
    I think biamping is being rediscovered.



    Very true. In all sorts of veins too, PA's, home theatre, bass, guitar etc.

    Sure you can do it all with one, but it's cleaner to seperate.

    One of my favorite combinations is to have a big 15 or 18" driver for the low radiating stuff and a 4x10 cab with a compression driver for the punch (anything above 41 hz or low E I guess).

    The Ampeg HLF's were some of my favorites. I like loud deep and clean. Really next to the drums I want the bass to be the loudest thing on stage. It all starts from the bottom.

    Ever tried any David Eden World Tour stuff or maybe Phil Jones with those wierd looking 24x4" cabs and tons of power?
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    The Eden stuff is great... just a half-step up from the highest-end SWR stuff. Very reliable, great sound.

    Biamping is a great way to get clean, crisp, intelligable sound out of most sound systems. However, for bass amps, I don't like to biamp. I prefer a single cab with just 10" speakers. Jeff's SWR 6x10" cabs would be ideal. 15" and 18" drivers are good, especially for 5- and 6-string bass, but you have to stand 10-20 feet in front of them to hear them. And I can't stand any sort of horn or piezo tweeter in a bass amp. If I was playing bass in a heavy band that needed low end, I might use a single 18" and a 4x10" and run both full-range... or for something jazz/fusion, maybe a single 15" and a 2x10". But ultimately, a tube bass amp (Mesa 400!) with a good Ampeg or SWR cab with 10's... that's the way to go... nice, round, punchy, with a hint of growl if you want it.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    SWR's are loaded with Bag Ends right?


    carrying those 6 and 8x10's up and down stairs sucks balls.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    The Eden stuff is great... just a half-step up from the highest-end SWR stuff. Very reliable, great sound.

    Biamping is a great way to get clean, crisp, intelligable sound out of most sound systems. However, for bass amps, I don't like to biamp. I prefer a single cab with just 10" speakers. Jeff's SWR 6x10" cabs would be ideal. 15" and 18" drivers are good, especially for 5- and 6-string bass, but you have to stand 10-20 feet in front of them to hear them. And I can't stand any sort of horn or piezo tweeter in a bass amp. If I was playing bass in a heavy band that needed low end, I might use a single 18" and a 4x10" and run both full-range... or for something jazz/fusion, maybe a single 15" and a 2x10". But ultimately, a tube bass amp (Mesa 400!) with a good Ampeg or SWR cab with 10's... that's the way to go... nice, round, punchy, with a hint of growl if you want it.

    What do think about a sunn 18, an swr 4 x 10, swr 900 and mesa boogie DC 2.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    I used to own a Sunn 6x10" cab for bass, and it was amazing. Sold it to a good friend who needed the cab, so it's in a good place. But all of that gear sounds really cool... even if I'm not a fan of 18's...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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