Obviously I just ran across this video. I own 2 Peavey T-40's. Both are from their 1st year of production. One is before the patent (it says patent pending) and one is after the patent. I even have a letter from Hartley Peavey discussing the T-40 with me after I wrote him about the Bass. Yes, I have the letter still. To me, and out of my 17 Basses, I really enjoy the T-40's. Thanks for sharing this video.
Peavey was always ahead of it's time. Usa made old peavey guitars and basses are high quality and low price. Great products and the only brand of anything I use.
@@maxallen5296 i traded a shitty Fender precision bass highway one for my T40, now the kicker here is that... prior to me trading that fender precision highway one, i traded a green Jhong myung yamaha RBX6JM which at the time costed me believe it or not $300 at a pawns shop, those $300 i invested on to trade for the fender precision highway one... which backfired very badly because if you look at how much the yamaha is going for right now is like $900 or $1,000 which is close to the asking price of a peavey T40 today but slightly higher, anyways im glad to get rid of that yamaha because i could not play it very well the neck was all thick and wide and i think it hampered my ability to play. Im just glad i wound up with a nice solid USA made instrument in my hands that can do anything from single coils to phase switching and humbuckers and gibson heavy type stuff, without breaking the budget and you know what we've got bass guitars that literally changed the industry of the modern world of guitars, the Peavey T40 and T60s of guitars where the first guitars to be manufactured by CNC machines while heartley peavey did not invent a CNC machine he did compute one to make the necks and bodies, before that youd have a single person working on the necks alone turning about 10 necks in a day? well now with CNC they could do well over 300 necks in a single day!!! before Hartley came up with this brilliant idea it was completely unknown if it was even possible to make guitars with CNC machines and everyone called BS well here is proof th-cam.com/video/Ydu1UCUtSAk/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for posting this. I have an '82 that I have since about '91. Your two videos have given me better sound options out of this bass than I was ever able to get before.
Well done! I had a Peavey Foundation in the same era and it was a beautiful bass in every way. I played jazz with flatwounds and it was sweet! Pearl white withmatching headstock-wish I still had it! Nicely done!
I would pick the peavey T45 theres something about basses having only 1 pickup that makes magic on the strings, idont know if its just the magnetic pull but bladed humbuckers with split capabilities with high treble and controlled bass outputs turn me on when theres only 1 thats placed in the sweet spot, i would pick Peavey T45 and a wal bass wal basses in my opinion is probably the only bass you will ever need not in terms of how many sounds it can do but just in raw savagery. When you think of a wal bass think of a piano now take off all the high keynotes add more piano like tones and you got the ultimate rock machine without adding any distortion imagine that!
i just got one of these basses traded a jay turser and a dean acoustic electric. its in an off white finish which i haven't seen from my research. but i love this bass i own over 70 instruments and out of all my basses this is my favorite and thank you for the video it really help to be able to expand the sound of this bass.
If I had to choose just 1 bass guitar to use for the rest of my life, I would choose a Peavey T-40. Criminally underrated and a real workhorse! By the way, it would take a lot of years for me to understand how it works fully....and there are ways to make it lighter on the back of the base without ruining the front .... if you don't care about the resale value. PS. I love the sound of the EB-3 if you juse it right. ;-) DS
Had that bass sitting under my bed forever, after seeing this video, got it out and i'm loving every minute of it. What can i say, i have a Ric 4003, a good Fender Jazz Bass a vintage Fender P-Bass and a PreEB stingray, i can testify that the Peavey T40 can do all those sounds and it's a way better chameleon than the Lakland 44-94! I am lucky because i have the sunburst with the rosewood version which is somewhat rare! Thanks again for this video, it has opened a whole new perspective for me!!
I had one of these 30 years ago, along with a Rickenbacker. This was a heavy bass, but the sound was so rich, I loved it. Sold all my gear, sadly when I chose another profession, but have gotten back into music again the past couple years and bought a couple new Fender basses. I may have to get one of these again.
Got my t 40 almost 20 years ago for graduation but did not play it much from emberrasment that it was not an instrument with a major brand. Now, being older, wiser, and having experience on many instruments.... I always come back to this bass. Hands down the best out there for the price, AND for some 3 to 5 times more costly
Excellent review. I've had one of these since '81, and it has been played right around the world. Many sounds & VERY tough. Best bass ever. For anyone who wants to know more about the T-40 just google T-40 mafia.
I have played guitar and bass for 30+ years, and most of those sounds were nearly identical to me. On my instruments I just got the tone I want and use that. I never tried to get the same sound or tones from any other musicians.
I owned one from when I was fifteen until I was forty and never knew all of this! I would play with both pickups on, everything up all the way on the volume and tone controls. If I wanted the out of phase sound which I thought sounded like a Rickenbacker, I would back the neck pickup volume down to about eight to keep the volume about where it was with the phase switch off.
I'd love to hear the rosewood T-40, I wonder if it would make certian sounds easier to nail.. Play it with Pride! You know I never quite expected this video to bring so many T-40s back into the light, you never know perhaps Peavey will get the message and reissue the T-40 and promote it properly, wouldn't that be something?
Bought one for $50 at a pawn shop in '82 ,was my first "real" bass played it for a couple years.....later moved to Fenders but can't say anything bad about this bass..great bass .
Ten years on and I’m just now seeing this video in 2023.. but man I am sold on the bass. But the weight of the thing is what’s keeping me from getting one.. maybe if if I’m sat down it wouldn’t be so bad
I've got my dads old peavy t40 in hanging in my room. The inputs broken, it's spray painted white, and the neck looks like the St. Louis arch. I had no idea they were so popular.
Yes you do need to get the pickups down fairly low on a t-40, I think it is the nature of the pickups with their inside-out magnetic structure (on the early ones anyway, later ones with "rail" pickups were more conventional). I think the pickups are as low as I can get them on mine. If you can't get them low enough, you may have to reset the neck back a bit (use the microtilt thingmy) and then reset the action to suit... Light gauge strings may help too...
Fantastic range of bedroom sounds and tones but,,,,,you aint never gonna hear those subtle changes when playing live!!! Really only useful when in the studio.
I have an original t40 from the '70s and it's got a few broken switches and was considering selling it because I'm moving to Hawaii but after careful thinking and being a musician I think I'm going to keep it. And I'm sure someone on the island can fix it and do adjustments since I am not exactly a basis but more of a guitarist.
@@thebionicbassplayer Yes indeed. I played it last night using Amplitube then recorded a track for a song I have and the sound rinded me of YES or Bill Ward but more like YES so it's staying with me alright.
@@headbangerministries Sweet! I have a Peavey Foundation bass and I love it. Peavey basses and guitars seems to be an anomaly in the music world. Overlooked and not as popular as the other manufacturers, but musicians who own them, almost swear by them.
What you are hearing is the acoustic sound of the bass (with its rotosounds) being picked up by the condensor microphone I was talking into. The sound coming out of the amp however is not so "grindy". That being said, the bass does have a lowish action...
Hey Mac, great video. You are to blame that I got one of these basses! jaja. Perhaps you can help me: I noticed that the gain is quite high, it saturates when the bass is on phase. Even when I turn down de gain on my amp and the volumes are not at 10 (I am using a Laney BC-120). Do you know how can I "clean" the sound? Perhaps puckpups are too close to the strings? Thanks in advance. Again, wonderful video.
A had the maple neck t40 and i can say that the rosewood model sounds smoother, and plays better. A reissue would be great, maybe the can do a lighter bass with improved looks. Also a 5 string model would be nice too.
I THINK " MIMIC " IS NOT THE PERFECT TERM HERE...PEAVEY T 40 WAS REALLY A REVOLUTINARY INSTRUMENT OF IT'S TIME...THE ONE OF A KIND HUMBUCKER & SINGLE COIL COMBINATIONS OFFER A HUNDRED OF DIFFERENT TONES & SOUNDS...HOWEVER THE FAMOUS BRANDS LIKE FENDER & GIBSON DIMMED THE COMPANY'S ( AND T 40'S ) STAR A LOT...
you know whoever owns 1 of these owns a piece of history that changed the modern world of the guitar right? These basses like their counterpart guitar T60 and the T series where the first guitars to be manufactured using CNC machines by a group of highly trained engineers, NOT musicians, keep this in mind. Later fender contacted one of these guys by the name of chip todd (yes one of the men behind it all) to direct research and development for fender, which made him quite a lot of money, so now the same modern way of making peavey guitars was no longer a secret, CNC machines suddendly became the new fad for guitar making over at fender and suddendly soon after the competition followed making guitars into what they are today mass produced and no longer a luxury of the modern era, because you see it was so easy to mass produce one of these now, that it opened the doors for young children to start learning on cheaper instruments made overseas in korea china and sunny indonesia and japan. So you see it really doesnt matter how much these sell for these guitars bearing the T right next to the Peavey name are historic pieces of art that must be kept alive because i believe... no EVERYONE should believe that this is what kickstarted and inspired the many people that dont have a single cent to their name to buy a cheap knock off guitars and start learning with minor issues as well as the title of knowing that you have one of the first production of guitars or basses being manufactured by CNC machines its absolutely unique and legendary just like the man that invented "the log" yes thats right the first electric guitar was invented by les in new york in 1941 (not Leo fender, Leo fender was probably the most noticeable in the news but it wasnt leo fender) who would later become best known as the gibson les paul. But anyways enough about that, i have a life you have a life we all got lives and this comment is too fucking long
Hey guys, is there a way to get a nice Gibson Thunderbird sound out of your T-40? I've always wanted the sound of a T-Bird but don't know how. Thanks for the vid as well TheEmac70 this has shed new light that I can still keep this thing.. It just needs the right set up and amp. I almost sold my T-40 cause I didn't like it but now I think I can keep with it.
the T40 seems to habe a nice huge sound. But I don't hear any significant changes, when you twiddle the controls. To me the main component of a bass's sound is it's attack and how fast the overtones build up. And this doesn't change by electronics.
bass monster The T-40, actually the electronics play a big roll. Granted the attack plays a great roll, but don't discount the T-40. People don't seek them out because they love the weight...that's for d**n sure.
Reversing the neck pickup puts the single coil in a very similar position to a Rickenbacker and will get that sound a little closer, however it will also make the Fenderlike sounds harder to achieve. The T-40 mimics so well as it had coils in the right positions and the variable taps changed the pickups character. My T-40 is gone but the sound lives on...
Hi Mac I have one of this bass wonders but when I got it someone had mess with the wiring can you point to where I can get this fix to the original state thanks in advance
I've done a summary of the settings of the sounds in both videos (except for the EB3 ones because you don't actually tell us what you've done! LOL!) into an Excel spreadsheet. Just wish I could post it here!
I never did it as I'm just about illiterate with a computer. But for the record the EB-3 sounds are Neck tone off, Treble tone up and set to out of phase. All volumes up.. The neck and mixed sounds are the most EB-3ish the treble pickup setting is just the MM mimic again...
There is still plenty of help out there for the T-40, just put "peavey t-40 wiring schematic" into Google images and there is all sorts of diagrams that will help. Earlier and later models have some slight differences but if you wired one as earlier or later it should not make too much difference to the sound..
A typical T-40 bass weighed between 11.7 to 13 pounds. Today, a typical Fender Precision weighs between 8.5 and 9.5 pounds. I owned a new 78 Peavey and an 80 pound Peavey Combo 300 bass amp with an equalizer and 15 Black Widow speaker and no wheels on the cabinet. It was a fantastic setup. Between the amp and the guitar, you could get virtually any sound that you wanted, but it was an "Oh my God!" heavy rig.
This video is misleading. The volume pots don't make the pickups into single coil. The TONE knobs do. This is clearly explained in the Peavey t-40 manual.
Yes you are correct it's the tone pots turn the pickups to single coils However the volume pots have a treble bleed cap in them that will keep the sound clear as volume is reduced. What happens is that when the pot hits zero this pot becomes a ultra high treble cut to the other pickup (if it is on) the audio trick is that it sounds like a subtle mid boost. It's hard to explain...
I had the guitar version of this [T60] It was a fine instrument but ridiculously heavy so I figured the T40 could only be that much worse and never considered owning one. But upon viewing your video if I happen across another [they do come up on Craigslist] I think I'll try and grab one at least for home sit down playing.
@@SotR59many Army & Marines walk around for days on end with a 24 pound M60/M240B, plus ammo on a 2" strap, not to mention another 50 pounds inna ruck... frankly, my view is that if someone is complaining about a 12 pound bass, or a 12 pound M4with scope...they need to go to the gym and get some real strength, badly.
had any luck yet? you know whoever owns 1 of these owns a piece of history that changed the modern world of the guitar right? These basses like their counterpart guitar T60 and the T series where the first guitars to be manufactured using CNC machines by a group of highly trained engineers, NOT musicians, keep this in mind. Later fender contacted one of these guys by the name of chip todd (yes one of the man behind it all) to direct research and development for fender, which made him quite a lot of money, so now the same modern way of making peavey guitars was no longer a secret, CNC machines suddendly became the new fad for guitar making over at fender and suddendly soon after the competition followed making guitars into what they are today mass produced and no longer a luxury of the modern era, because you see it was so easy to mass produce one of these now, that it opened the doors for young children to start learning on cheaper instruments made overseas in korea china and sunny indonesia. So you see it really doesnt matter how much these sell for these guitars bearing the T right next to the Peavey name are historic pieces of art that must be kept alive because i believe... no EVERYONE should believe that this is what kickstarted and inspired the many people that dont have a single cent to their name to buy a cheap knock off guitars and start learning with minor issues as well as the title of knowing that you have one of the first production of guitars or basses being manufactured by CNC machines its absolutely unique and legendary just like the man that invented "the log" yes thats right the first electric guitar was invented by les in new york in 1941 (not Leo fender, Leo fender was probably the most noticeable in the news but it wasnt leo fender) who would later become best known as the gibson les paul. But anyways enough about that, i have a life you have a life we all got lives and this comment is too fucking long
Obviously I just ran across this video. I own 2 Peavey T-40's. Both are from their 1st year of production. One is before the patent (it says patent pending) and one is after the patent. I even have a letter from Hartley Peavey discussing the T-40 with me after I wrote him about the Bass. Yes, I have the letter still. To me, and out of my 17 Basses, I really enjoy the T-40's. Thanks for sharing this video.
And now on topgear, James may plays the best
Ernesto Lone Wolf
Wow!
Peavey was always ahead of it's time. Usa made old peavey guitars and basses are high quality and low price. Great products and the only brand of anything I use.
WAS low price. Have you seen what the T-40s have been going for on Ebay lately? I guess the secret is out. They're still a good deal though.
@@maxallen5296 i traded a shitty Fender precision bass highway one for my T40, now the kicker here is that... prior to me trading that fender precision highway one, i traded a green Jhong myung yamaha RBX6JM which at the time costed me believe it or not $300 at a pawns shop, those $300 i invested on to trade for the fender precision highway one... which backfired very badly because if you look at how much the yamaha is going for right now is like $900 or $1,000 which is close to the asking price of a peavey T40 today but slightly higher, anyways im glad to get rid of that yamaha because i could not play it very well the neck was all thick and wide and i think it hampered my ability to play. Im just glad i wound up with a nice solid USA made instrument in my hands that can do anything from single coils to phase switching and humbuckers and gibson heavy type stuff, without breaking the budget
and you know what we've got bass guitars that literally changed the industry of the modern world of guitars, the Peavey T40 and T60s of guitars where the first guitars to be manufactured by CNC machines while heartley peavey did not invent a CNC machine he did compute one to make the necks and bodies, before that youd have a single person working on the necks alone turning about 10 necks in a day? well now with CNC they could do well over 300 necks in a single day!!! before Hartley came up with this brilliant idea it was completely unknown if it was even possible to make guitars with CNC machines and everyone called BS well here is proof
th-cam.com/video/Ydu1UCUtSAk/w-d-xo.html
Thomas R. Bowen !
I was truly astonished at how close the Musicman imitation came to the real thing. Great bass and great playing!
lol, nope
one of the best bass put together the t-40 Peavey bass I love that bass!!!
One of the best, most truly helpful videos on YouBoob. Thanks!
Awesome tones coming out of your T-40, man! I own an '83 and I love it. I have it strung up for C Standard and it sounds ridiculously heavy.
Thanks for posting this. I have an '82 that I have since about '91. Your two videos have given me better sound options out of this bass than I was ever able to get before.
Well done! I had a Peavey Foundation in the same era and it was a beautiful bass in every way. I played jazz with flatwounds and it was sweet! Pearl white withmatching headstock-wish I still had it! Nicely done!
IMO there's only 2 basses a man would ever need... thats a 1981 peavey T-40 and any era USA musicman.. T-40's are badass and thats it
strocat25 . . Plus they have excellent build quality. I'm sure you could hammer fence posts with them, and then play a gig afterwards.
you can't just pretend like you'd be okay with ignoring the fender precision or jazz bass lol
Pepper3961 exactly
I would pick the peavey T45 theres something about basses having only 1 pickup that makes magic on the strings, idont know if its just the magnetic pull but bladed humbuckers with split capabilities with high treble and controlled bass outputs turn me on when theres only 1 thats placed in the sweet spot, i would pick Peavey T45 and a wal bass wal basses in my opinion is probably the only bass you will ever need not in terms of how many sounds it can do but just in raw savagery.
When you think of a wal bass think of a piano now take off all the high keynotes add more piano like tones and you got the ultimate rock machine without adding any distortion imagine that!
@@Pepper-cd9yr i can.
Well done presentation I now have a much better understanding on what this bass is, and what it does. Thanks.
The tuners are smooth as silk, Quality bass front to back. Period. All there old USA equipment back in the day was, is top Quality.
i just got one of these basses traded a jay turser and a dean acoustic electric. its in an off white finish which i haven't seen from my research. but i love this bass i own over 70 instruments and out of all my basses this is my favorite and thank you for the video it really help to be able to expand the sound of this bass.
If I had to choose just 1 bass guitar to use for the rest of my life, I would choose a Peavey T-40.
Criminally underrated and a real workhorse!
By the way, it would take a lot of years for me to understand how it works fully....and there are ways to make it lighter on the back of the base without ruining the front .... if you don't care about the resale value.
PS. I love the sound of the EB-3 if you juse it right. ;-) DS
This is one of the most helpful videos I ever saw. I wish someone would do one for the Peavey T60.
Had that bass sitting under my bed forever, after seeing this video, got it out and i'm loving every minute of it. What can i say, i have a Ric 4003, a good Fender Jazz Bass a vintage Fender P-Bass and a PreEB stingray, i can testify that the Peavey T40 can do all those sounds and it's a way better chameleon than the Lakland 44-94! I am lucky because i have the sunburst with the rosewood version which is somewhat rare!
Thanks again for this video, it has opened a whole new perspective for me!!
I had one of these 30 years ago, along with a Rickenbacker. This was a heavy bass, but the sound was so rich, I loved it. Sold all my gear, sadly when I chose another profession, but have gotten back into music again the past couple years and bought a couple new Fender basses. I may have to get one of these again.
wish I still had my peavy T-40
Very informative. Well done & thank you. I've chanced into an elderly treasure.
It's great that you still have your first one!
Got my t 40 almost 20 years ago for graduation but did not play it much from emberrasment that it was not an instrument with a major brand. Now, being older, wiser, and having experience on many instruments.... I always come back to this bass. Hands down the best out there for the price, AND for some 3 to 5 times more costly
Hi, just bought a T-40 this evenning!! Great vid (s)!!! Thanks :) :) :) !
So versatile, and I love it. Now I just need the original pick-ups.
Wonderful video man, just got one of these and was so confused about the circuitry
You know he knows what he is talking about when he says "ghastly" while describing a Gibson EB-3 HA!
Badass bass !!!Thanks for sharing.
Interesting, I had know idea the T40 was so complex. Great presentation.
I thoroughly enjoyed your description of Gibson bass tone haha
Awesome pick sounds!
Excellent review. I've had one of these since '81, and it has been played right around the world. Many sounds & VERY tough. Best bass ever.
For anyone who wants to know more about the T-40 just google T-40 mafia.
You know you're a drummer when you watch this and everything he does sounds exactly the same haha.
I have played guitar and bass for 30+ years, and most of those sounds were nearly identical to me. On my instruments I just got the tone I want and use that. I never tried to get the same sound or tones from any other musicians.
I love my T40! 1979 w/ohsc! Peavey makes great basses!
I owned one from when I was fifteen until I was forty and never knew all of this! I would play with both pickups on, everything up all the way on the volume and tone controls. If I wanted the out of phase sound which I thought sounded like a Rickenbacker, I would back the neck pickup volume down to about eight to keep the volume about where it was with the phase switch off.
Was gifted a Red 1980 last year by my partner and I'm STILL trying to make a decision on my tone settings haha.
Great vid. Will try these on my 79 asap !
I'd love to hear the rosewood T-40, I wonder if it would make certian sounds easier to nail.. Play it with Pride!
You know I never quite expected this video to bring so many T-40s back into the light, you never know perhaps Peavey will get the message and reissue the T-40 and promote it properly, wouldn't that be something?
Bought one for $50 at a pawn shop in '82 ,was my first "real" bass played it for a couple years.....later moved to Fenders but can't say anything bad about this bass..great bass .
Great Video!
Ten years on and I’m just now seeing this video in 2023.. but man I am sold on the bass. But the weight of the thing is what’s keeping me from getting one.. maybe if if I’m sat down it wouldn’t be so bad
No worries, I'll have to do another one covering a few other sounds..
I had a T-40 for a good 25 years. I never fully got the hang of the pots. And the darned thing was darned heavy, too.
one of the best basses for many people
I've got my dads old peavy t40 in hanging in my room. The inputs broken, it's spray painted white, and the neck looks like the St. Louis arch. I had no idea they were so popular.
I wouldn't say popular, just clever...
It's an output. Guitars output a signal.
Amazing, it's like Variax's grandpa
6:28 - I was just thinking this. I LOVE my T-40, but pretty much need an adjustment every time I play it for extended periods!
many thanks, i have this great bass !!!
Just got one..I love it!!!
nice video - you really know your stuff.
Yes you do need to get the pickups down fairly low on a t-40, I think it is the nature of the pickups with their inside-out magnetic structure (on the early ones anyway, later ones with "rail" pickups were more conventional).
I think the pickups are as low as I can get them on mine.
If you can't get them low enough, you may have to reset the neck back a bit (use the microtilt thingmy) and then reset the action to suit...
Light gauge strings may help too...
Fantastic range of bedroom sounds and tones but,,,,,you aint never gonna hear those subtle changes when playing live!!! Really only useful when in the studio.
I love this noodling
Yes!!! Thank you!!!
Thanks for posting. I own an "8M" serial number T-40. I'm re-discovering it's glory.
I have an original t40 from the '70s and it's got a few broken switches and was considering selling it because I'm moving to Hawaii but after careful thinking and being a musician I think I'm going to keep it. And I'm sure someone on the island can fix it and do adjustments since I am not exactly a basis but more of a guitarist.
You actually have a classic in the Peavey T40, wise move to have it restored.
@@thebionicbassplayer Yes indeed. I played it last night using Amplitube then recorded a track for a song I have and the sound rinded me of YES or Bill Ward but more like YES so it's staying with me alright.
@@headbangerministries Sweet! I have a Peavey Foundation bass and I love it. Peavey basses and guitars seems to be an anomaly in the music world. Overlooked and not as popular as the other manufacturers, but musicians who own them, almost swear by them.
Great bass. ps I liked the sneaky snippet of Roundabout by Yes :)
What you are hearing is the acoustic sound of the bass (with its rotosounds) being picked up by the condensor microphone I was talking into. The sound coming out of the amp however is not so "grindy". That being said, the bass does have a lowish action...
Hey Mac, great video. You are to blame that I got one of these basses! jaja. Perhaps you can help me: I noticed that the gain is quite high, it saturates when the bass is on phase. Even when I turn down de gain on my amp and the volumes are not at 10 (I am using a Laney BC-120). Do you know how can I "clean" the sound? Perhaps puckpups are too close to the strings?
Thanks in advance. Again, wonderful video.
Ultimate control room bass🍻
Hey TZGreg, could you possibly add whether or not it is in phase for each setting.
A had the maple neck t40 and i can say that the rosewood model sounds smoother, and plays better.
A reissue would be great, maybe the can do a lighter bass with improved looks. Also a 5 string model would be nice too.
I THINK " MIMIC " IS NOT THE PERFECT TERM HERE...PEAVEY T 40 WAS REALLY A REVOLUTINARY INSTRUMENT OF IT'S TIME...THE ONE OF A KIND HUMBUCKER & SINGLE COIL COMBINATIONS OFFER A HUNDRED OF DIFFERENT TONES & SOUNDS...HOWEVER THE FAMOUS BRANDS LIKE FENDER & GIBSON DIMMED THE COMPANY'S ( AND T 40'S ) STAR A LOT...
Agreed
Does the Peavey T40 have a caps lock release button?
you know whoever owns 1 of these owns a piece of history that changed the modern world of the guitar right? These basses like their counterpart guitar T60 and the T series where the first guitars to be manufactured using CNC machines by a group of highly trained engineers, NOT musicians, keep this in mind. Later fender contacted one of these guys by the name of chip todd (yes one of the men behind it all) to direct research and development for fender, which made him quite a lot of money, so now the same modern way of making peavey guitars was no longer a secret, CNC machines suddendly became the new fad for guitar making over at fender and suddendly soon after the competition followed making guitars into what they are today mass produced and no longer a luxury of the modern era, because you see it was so easy to mass produce one of these now, that it opened the doors for young children to start learning on cheaper instruments made overseas in korea china and sunny indonesia and japan.
So you see it really doesnt matter how much these sell for these guitars bearing the T right next to the Peavey name are historic pieces of art that must be kept alive because i believe... no EVERYONE should believe that this is what kickstarted and inspired the many people that dont have a single cent to their name to buy a cheap knock off guitars and start learning with minor issues as well as the title of knowing that you have one of the first production of guitars or basses being manufactured by CNC machines its absolutely unique and legendary just like the man that invented "the log" yes thats right the first electric guitar was invented by les in new york in 1941 (not Leo fender, Leo fender was probably the most noticeable in the news but it wasnt leo fender) who would later become best known as the gibson les paul. But anyways enough about that, i have a life you have a life we all got lives and this comment is too fucking long
i love t-40's ut that one has a lot of fret buzz
Hey guys, is there a way to get a nice Gibson Thunderbird sound out of your T-40? I've always wanted the sound of a T-Bird but don't know how. Thanks for the vid as well TheEmac70 this has shed new light that I can still keep this thing.. It just needs the right set up and amp. I almost sold my T-40 cause I didn't like it but now I think I can keep with it.
Back when T-40s were dirt cheap, I pulled the guts out of one & put them in a Jazz. Still my main bass to this day
Is there anywhere that I can find these settings in writing?
The Talkbass group has it as a pdf.
the T40 seems to habe a nice huge sound. But I don't hear any significant changes, when you twiddle the controls. To me the main component of a bass's sound is it's attack and how fast the overtones build up. And this doesn't change by electronics.
bass monster The T-40, actually the electronics play a big roll. Granted the attack plays a great roll, but don't discount the T-40. People don't seek them out because they love the weight...that's for d**n sure.
I wish you could remake this video with update editing.Great vid though.
Why would flipping the neck pickup will give it a more Ric like sound? Just asking because I just purchased a T-40 and would love to know about this.
Reversing the neck pickup puts the single coil in a very similar position to a Rickenbacker and will get that sound a little closer, however it will also make the Fenderlike sounds harder to achieve.
The T-40 mimics so well as it had coils in the right positions and the variable taps changed the pickups character.
My T-40 is gone but the sound lives on...
Hi Mac I have one of this bass wonders but when I got it someone had mess with the wiring can you point to where I can get this fix to the original state
thanks in advance
This with an eq would be kinda hot
I've done a summary of the settings of the sounds in both videos (except for the EB3 ones because you don't actually tell us what you've done! LOL!) into an Excel spreadsheet. Just wish I could post it here!
I never did it as I'm just about illiterate with a computer. But for the record the EB-3 sounds are Neck tone off, Treble tone up and set to out of phase. All volumes up..
The neck and mixed sounds are the most EB-3ish the treble pickup setting is just the MM mimic again...
There is still plenty of help out there for the T-40, just put "peavey t-40 wiring schematic" into Google images and there is all sorts of diagrams that will help. Earlier and later models have some slight differences but if you wired one as earlier or later it should not make too much difference to the sound..
there used to be a pdf with all these tone settings laid out. anyone know where I can access it now?
Talkbass, the Peavey section.
That's right!
Very Cool! this one is not an 8M, I suspect it is a 79 model....
The necks alone make USA Peavey instruments worth having.
And the tuners are smooth as silk,Quality.
That was my first real bass in 1980.
Peavey T-40 ...the Navy seal of bass...
Goddammit! just when I thought my GAS was under control!
The only reason people sell those is sore back. And maybe partial deafness.
only the weak people or people who are too pussy to carry one weren't chosen for such a legendary instrument.
@@dreamalicesfern3340 Well said my friend. Well said.
very nice, but could you get a hoffner sound out of it?
Yep, sort of. Just check my other T-40 video for an attempt of the Hofner sound...
I must have a T -40
RIPPER AND GRABBER G-3 sounds!!!! Center switch, both volumes at 10. Ripper: Neck tone at 8, Bridge tone at 10/ Grabber: Neck tone 10 bridge tone 8.
Sounds good, thanks for that!
Hello! Maybe I'm too lazy but can I ask you to summarize your sets in a table?
Thnaks
Szilárd
Did you think you could get this to sound like a Gibson Grabber?
I don't really know what the Grabber sounds like with its mobile pickup, but I suspect the T-40 could at least get half way there....
I've heard that this bass is too heavy and causes back injuries with the pass of the time, is that true?
A typical T-40 bass weighed between 11.7 to 13 pounds. Today, a typical Fender Precision weighs between 8.5 and 9.5 pounds. I owned a new 78 Peavey and an 80 pound Peavey Combo 300 bass amp with an equalizer and 15 Black Widow speaker and no wheels on the cabinet. It was a fantastic setup. Between the amp and the guitar, you could get virtually any sound that you wanted, but it was an "Oh my God!" heavy rig.
that's cool but to be honest the tones kind of all sound like a peavey T-40, which is fine because it sounds great
Is "in phase" when the switch is in the up position?
***** And thanks for the video and spreadsheet. I obtained a fretless T40.
Yes it is!
I'm sorry, because I love this bass, but none of those sounded much like what they were supposed to. They all sounded like a slightly different T-40.
This video is misleading. The volume pots don't make the pickups into single coil. The TONE knobs do. This is clearly explained in the Peavey t-40 manual.
Yes you are correct it's the tone pots turn the pickups to single coils
However the volume pots have a treble bleed cap in them that will keep the sound clear as volume is reduced. What happens is that when the pot hits zero this pot becomes a ultra high treble cut to the other pickup (if it is on) the audio trick is that it sounds like a subtle mid boost.
It's hard to explain...
Ok.. Turn both pickups on full and in phase then turn both tones down to 7 or 6.... That with a little amp EQ should get you close..
What song is that at 4:33?
Rock the Casbah by The Clash. However I'm not really playing it correctly at all..
What is the baseline from 4:32?
That was me trying to play Rock the Casbah without using any of the right notes..🤪
@@TheEmac70 LOL I liked it! Alas, it sounds like casbah's proggy cousin for sure.
Just select the sound that does it for you and leave it that way, at least the option is there..
I had the guitar version of this [T60] It was a fine instrument but ridiculously heavy so I figured the T40 could only be that much worse and never considered owning one. But upon viewing your video if I happen across another [they do come up on Craigslist] I think I'll try and grab one at least for home sit down playing.
Parents around the world are side-eying folks that make "heavy" comments about something that weighs less than most one-yr-olds...
@@jamesh497 parents around the world don't have a one year old hanging off their shoulder by a 3" strap for hours on end year after year
@@SotR59many Army & Marines walk around for days on end with a 24 pound M60/M240B, plus ammo on a 2" strap, not to mention another 50 pounds inna ruck... frankly, my view is that if someone is complaining about a 12 pound bass, or a 12 pound M4with scope...they need to go to the gym and get some real strength, badly.
@@jamesh497 jeez, talk about a ridiculously uncalled for comment.
That one sounds like a bass, ooh and so does that one... This one sounds like the other ones.......
I'm laughing with you there!
I traded my T 40 and 2 hundred dollars for a 73 Gibson Triumph bass never regretted it , but the T 40 was a nice axe , this was in 84
tracking one of these down.
had any luck yet? you know whoever owns 1 of these owns a piece of history that changed the modern world of the guitar right? These basses like their counterpart guitar T60 and the T series where the first guitars to be manufactured using CNC machines by a group of highly trained engineers, NOT musicians, keep this in mind. Later fender contacted one of these guys by the name of chip todd (yes one of the man behind it all) to direct research and development for fender, which made him quite a lot of money, so now the same modern way of making peavey guitars was no longer a secret, CNC machines suddendly became the new fad for guitar making over at fender and suddendly soon after the competition followed making guitars into what they are today mass produced and no longer a luxury of the modern era, because you see it was so easy to mass produce one of these now, that it opened the doors for young children to start learning on cheaper instruments made overseas in korea china and sunny indonesia.
So you see it really doesnt matter how much these sell for these guitars bearing the T right next to the Peavey name are historic pieces of art that must be kept alive because i believe... no EVERYONE should believe that this is what kickstarted and inspired the many people that dont have a single cent to their name to buy a cheap knock off guitars and start learning with minor issues as well as the title of knowing that you have one of the first production of guitars or basses being manufactured by CNC machines its absolutely unique and legendary just like the man that invented "the log" yes thats right the first electric guitar was invented by les in new york in 1941 (not Leo fender, Leo fender was probably the most noticeable in the news but it wasnt leo fender) who would later become best known as the gibson les paul. But anyways enough about that, i have a life you have a life we all got lives and this comment is too fucking long
Please, can you tell us, what's the wood used for the body of the bass??
:)
dimiaraujo90 it’s made of Oak. Oak wood is cheap and plentiful in Mississippi, where Peavey is located.
Northern Ash wood
I had a this bass got rid of it worst mistake ever! I paid 150.00 dollars for it . I bought it from a pawn shop in downtown Chicago back in 1985
NICE JOB SAYING BYE BYE TO A CAREER WISE GUY