Ben, The T60 was designed by Chip Todd who is friend and mentor of mine. He is 83 and still tinkering with guitars. He is a brilliant man with degrees in mechanical engineering and graphic design. He is a master gunsmith and all around good guy. His career history is widely varied across many different industries including designing race parts for Mickey Thompson, parts for Indy cars, his work with Peavey and later Fender. He designed the T40 and T60 and built the first 3 prototypes, with he help of RT lowe who developed the electronics and Charlie Gresset, over the course of a long weekend prior to the NAMM show. The "T" in the model number is a nod to his last name. He created most of the process that was used to build the guitar. A modified gun stock carving machine was used to carve the neck. As I remember, 4 or 5 necks could be carved at one time. I have a picture of the machine. The tolerances were so close that almost no hand work was required to finish the neck. He developed the machine that cut all of the fret slots at one time, reducing the slotting time to 17 seconds. The graphics were rub on transfers which Chip brought from his graphic design background. If you look closely, the dots may also be rub on transfers as well. They later switched to proper inlays. The bilaminated neck is pretty slick. The patent number for the construction is US4237944 if you are interested. The finish is not lacquer, It is a modified aircraft urethane that is tough as nails, it was applied using an electrostatic process that minimized waste. You made a brief comment about the number of screws in the scratch plate. I once asked Chip why so many screws. He was quiet and simply replied, "thats how many it took to hold it down!" So many innovations from the hardware to the construction process for the guitar. They were way ahead of their time for sure. Oh, by the way. The tone pots are not standard audio or log pots, they are S taper. Hope this was helpful. I have a number of photos that Chip shared with me over the years. Cheers!
@@georgeprice4212 Chip left Peavey to go to work at Fender in mid or late 81. The T15 came out in 82 I believe. I don't recall him claiming credit for that design but many of the design features came directly from the T60. The bi-laminated neck, general shape and of course all of the tech that went into production.
@@larrimos You're welcome. With all of his knowledge on so many subjects, the greatest things about him are his ability to keep things simple and he never blindly follows conventional thinking.
There's a TH-cam video of Jerry Reed playing on Austin City Limits with all the guys but the Bass playing Peaveys, including Jerry Reed(playing a T60). Since Jerry Reed was a flat-out AMAZING guitar player(he was once Chet Atkins' protege, and he's one of only 6 or 7 human beings that Atkins labelled "Certified Guitar players - Mark Knopfler was another) and demanded high standards of his guitars, that's saying a lot. Hartley Peavey was a hero in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, in the 1970s; he kitted out many of the Southern Rock Bands if they let him(the original Lynyrd Skynyrd was one, the Outlaws and Molly Hatchet were others). Some of them used Marshalls or Fender Twins - hidden behind the back line - for their sound, but Rock bands always soon discover that music gear ain't cheap!
@dennis grammer I have an 81 Peavey "Special design" similar to the one in the video. My absolute #1. Love it to bits, they were ugly but beautiful at the same time.
@@DavidSmith-ss1cg .38 Special also uses Peavey amps, that's why all of the Southern Rock bands had a similar tone. I know that they mostly used the Mace or the classic VT or one of that family.of amps. Ed King from Skynyrd said in a interview that they were using Marshalls and Harley built him a amp called the roadmaster that was like a 200 watt amp and was basically the prototype for the Mace and related amps then he made amps for Gary and Allen and outfitted them with a P.A. system and everything else. So pretty much Hartley was the guys behind the sound of Southern Rock. Side note the Beatles were known to use Fender twins hidden in VOX cabinets because of the unreliability of the VOX amps on the road but they had a endorsement deal with Jennings and could only be seen in public with VOX.
Peavey doesn't get a lot of love, but I worked in a music store that was an exclusive dealer in the 90's (and still is now) so I have a special place in my heart for them. Very cool teardown and some interesting design choices here. Thanks for sharing!
Seth agreed - Hartley Peavey was laughed at in a boardroom by all the top US builders when he presented the CNC as the future of guitar manufacturing ... look at them now 🤣
A friend of mine's brother had a black T-60 with a rosewood fingerboard. It was so-well played that it was missing huge sections of paint, but he loved that guitar for all he was worth. It burned up in a housefire in 2006, and I don't think the poor guy has ever gotten over it.
@@joeydurant6267 But heavy, every one of them that I've played was a monster. Before ben weighed it, I said 10lbs and I was right. I think Peavey used hard ash for the bodies instead of the more widely used swamp ash. I saw a lot of country players in the eighties and 90s playing T-60s. They sound great and you can pick them up cheap.
I bought mine in May/82. Still, my first love. Its at my guitar repair guy's place. Getting nervous. I honestly would not take $10,000 for it. Maybe 11.........?
I just inherited a peavey t 60 from my grandfather who has since passed. He played in a country music band called the county liners here in Sw Missouri in the 80s. Always used Gibson flat wounds. Phenomenal guitar and beautiful music !!
I worked three jobs over the summer in high school to buy this guitar, it was my first electric guitar and I loved it. Pros: it played like a strat but better, sounded great, never went out of tune, Cons: it was heavy, loved it up until it was stolen in the mid 80's. Enjoy my friend!
t-60 was my first electric i owned. it was heavy . it came with a plastic case with a built in guitar amp. i never thought that i would see another one again. ty
This is awesome. The T-60 was my first "real" guitar, back in 1979. Had it for years, carried it with me when I joined the Navy, ended up selling it to a ship mate. Wish I had kept it. The one you have is even the right case and everything. Very cool. Super innovative at the time- I think it revolutionized how necks are manufactured. One of the designers lived close to me here in central Texas for a long time- no clue where he's at now.
Bought a T-60 back in 1980. Very versatile. Tone controls over 7= single coil, under 7=humbucker, add the phase switch and options for days. those pickups, with that wiring ,were really something special.
It is so satisfying to see that polished maple fretboard. Amazing work on a great instrument. these used to be so cheap in pawn shops in the 80s. Seriously, an underrated guitar.
Love this series! I’ve got a T-40 and didn’t know about the single coil to humbucker until last month! Had this beast since ‘95…. They are great sounding instruments but they are ridiculously heavy. Love the tone and playability -really versatile and powerful. They are a testament to innovation and problem solving.
Thanks Matt :) I was just about to call up a bud who owns a T-40 to ask about the single/ humbuck feature, but here you answered in the 3rd comment. Now I'm wondering if he even knows after yr own admission of ignorance since '95 (he's had his since @ least '86 when I met him).
An Urban LP clone I picked up cheap turned out to be a solid,well built instrument that's got a strong, meaty tone. Unfortunately, it's made from a solid slab of oak and feels like an anvil hanging 'round your neck (after an hour or so).
Love it... I had an early 80s one that I picked up in the 2000s for $200. I should have kept it but sold it later to a friend in need of a guitar. Plethora of tones just HEAVY!
Obviously a man with fine taste and vision! :) I myself am a Peavey guy and have a bit of an obsession with not only their vintage amplifiers and speakers, but their guitars too. I have a T-26 that has the same pickup config as a Strat, same 5-way switch too - but I'll tell you, the T-60 is also on my list. I owned one back in the late '90's that I picked up at a guitar store in Atlanta GA, but I sold it for peanuts when I moved back to CA! I always missed that guitar. It was black and chrome. I love the looks of these guitars, the "P" knobs and just everything about them. Thank you for showcasing these - though I have a feeling the prices will unfortunately go up! BTW, I just signed up at the Guitar Raffle site and it said first raffle is free! I don't want to use it for the LES PAUL. I'd rather be entered for the Peavey to be honest!!!
I'd love to see legit reissues of the T series guitars and basses, Dyna bass and Cirrus basses. But Peavey is a shell of its former self. I don't see it ever really coming back. With that fiasco with "Undercover Boss" and other missteps, I won't consider buying a peavey until all existing management is out. Hartley was a pioneer in the industry and did great things, but never got out of the late 70s/mid 80s. This ain't the same world and business is radically different for better or worse.
If Peavey re-issued the T-60 it would be made in China and have She-Hulk silk screened on it. Face it, Peavey is dead, it just hasn't quite finished rotting away. Shame, they made some damned good kit back in the day.
@@mikewhitfield2994 Sad but true. So many brands from when i started are either no longer or just garbage now. Fender bought and mothballed SWR, Sunn, Tacoma and few others. Gibson took high end brands like Tobias and Steinberger and ruined them and straigh killed Valley Arts. But Peavey mismanaged itself into the ground. Sad.
@@mikewhitfield2994 She Hulk is good fun and made in China doesn’t have to suck (Squier’s CV series proves that) so I wouldn’t mind that. The entire guitar was an excel use in good engineering done on a CNC, that’s what China does. The T60 made in USA would be killer, but as long as the specs are the same I’d buy a Chinese made one.
In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s I had a couple of T60s. Got my first one in 1978, a natural ash one with a maple fingerboard. Played it for a couple qof years and traded it in on a Gibson ES-347, which I didn’t like as wel as I thought I would. At the time I was working fot an artist who had an endorsement deal with Peavey, so I got another T60, this time a sunburst one. I could have gotten a Peavey amp too, but I already had one! The guitars were really innovative-you mentioned that CNC machines were used to make the wood parts-the single-coit-humbucker-tone control was a brilliant idea, and when the bridge pickup was on by itself, the phase switch acted as a coil selector for the bridge pickup. And at a time when a new Stratocaster was $980 and a Les Paul Standard was over $1000, the Peavey retailed at $350. With a case! The only downside was that they were boat anchors-at least the ash bodied ones were; my natural one weighed as much as a Les Paul!
I was in a private NAMM meeting with HP and CT when this amazing instrument was being developed. I saw the blueprints and the prototype. When we finally received the 60 and the 40 we were floored with the whole package and the price was amazing. Give this it's due.
I was fortunate enough to become friends with the father of the Peavey T-60 My Chip Todd. Chip...I hope he's ok..I lost touch a ways back....but for several years I was over at his place every chance I could get. The stories!!!! He invented the CNC machines, the automatic fretting machines (look up the patent!). Chip Todd doesnt get enough recognition. His baby, the T-60 and T-40 were and ARE Genius!!!
My very 1st guitar, bought in '79, and pawned during hard times. I loved the guitar, and the case kept it safe for years while in the Navy. I loved learning to play on that guitar.
The first time I heard an played that guitar, felt in love with the sound, I was obsessed with having one. Immediately made a search on eBay and one month later I won the bet. I love my Peveay T-60
I acquired a T-40 bass some years ago. Which some previous owner assaulted with a soldering iron, rendering all the really neat tone circuitry useless. Fortune smiled upon me. in that everything was still functional once the wiring was returned to factory spec. I hope you are also able to return your T-60 to it's former glory with only minor repairs.
My first electric guitar was a 1981 Peavey Odyssey. Its their 25th anniversary guitar as far as I know only 250 were made. I found it at a Pawn shop outside of Nashville I think I only spent $180 for it and a case for it. I had no idea it was special when i bought it I just thought it felt right.
I used the dial a coil control on GGBO 21 build. I did it using a stacked pot allowing me to alter two pickups at once and had a master volume / tone set up. It's a really useful feature and easy to do on any four conductor humbucker.
Hello There, This is One of, One Of ,the Best Guitars that Peavey Made, Hands down, I looks Brand New, A Great Find Here, I just read on the Internet that Peavey May be going out of Business, IDK, That is what i read, What a shame if this is True, Since they Fired Most of the Old Employees in Meridian Mississippi, When Hartley Peavey let his son in law Run the Company, He Totally Screwed it up, and he Went to China, to make the Products, Cousin Figel
My uncle has one of these. Same natural finish. I remember back in the very early 80’s he was showing it to my dad and they were oooooing and aaahhing over it. Just two or three years ago I ran into my uncle at a family party and he and I got talking about guitars. I asked him if he still had that old peavey. YUP! He said. And no it’s not for sale! Haahahah I laughed and said that I wasn’t trying to buy it. Just that I never knew what kind of peavey it was. I only remember that it was a peavey. Because I had only ever seen it once back when I was like 10 or 11 years old. But I remember the cool pointy name and that it didn’t look like my dad’s fender or my other uncles les Paul custom. But my uncle said that it was a peavey T-60. By this point I immediately knew exactly what guitar it was. But I was for most of my life,intrigued by the guitar. Very cool ben!
Nice find and break down. I've had my T-60 since 1981. It really is a cool guitar, plenty of options for tone generation but my Grab-n-Go guitar will always be my Gibson SG.
The T-60 was my first guitar, and I still have it. It’s a true workhorse and a piece of history, but I did end up converting it to standard Les Paul wiring-the original wiring was just too confusing for me. I use the second switch to coil tap the back pickup. It works and sounds great.
My first guitar was also a T60, got it in 1982. I was 10 and you're absolutely correct, the controls were extremely confusing for a first guitar. Rocked that thing from middle school all the way through high school. In fact I had my high school picture taken with that guitar.
this guitar was the first i evr bought back in 1979 but i had to refurbish it by removing 4.7 kg wood and then i found it has a faulthy wirings and send the diagramme to the factory but i loved it also b4 i made the changes to a t-60 Shieka model but had to trash it back in 2014
Just to let you know that model of peavey was played by JOHNNY COPELAND on stage with STEVIE RAY VAUGHN on tracks “tin pan alley” and “ look at little sister” so if it’s good enough for blues man Johnny Copeland it’s good enough for me.
Bought a T-60 and a Pacer amp as a teenager when they first came out and got the eye roll when the local guitar shop employee asked what I played. A few months later that shop had Peavey gear stacked up to the ceiling, dumbass guitar snob became a believer real quick. Loved the clean tone and the phase + coil switching options. Easily the best off the rack factory action I've ever encountered, just a real easy guitar to play. I still have the amp but the T-60 is long gone having traded it in as part of a '66 Jaguar purchase. I actually still miss that Peavey and wished I kept it, thanks for the good memories Ben.
My #1 bass is my Peavey TL-5. I've always wanted a T-40 and T-60 to complete the collection but my HP EX is still fantastic. LOVE Peavey guitars and especially basses.
My guess is that sandpaper is supposed to prevent the neck from slipping since there’s less wood to wood contact bc of the micro tilt adjustment. My T-30 has the same sandpaper in the neck joint
My first electric guitar. Heavy as hell. Funky electronics. I did enjoy it, traded it away long ago for a strat that was easier on my shoulder. I replaced the PUs with Dimarzios and used the toggle as a coil split. Never crazy about the arbitrary tone roll off/single coil/humbucker thing, easier to just wire it with a coil split.
I’ve owned mine since 1978. I don’t play much now but I wouldn’t part with it not even for a classic 50s Les Paul. I Also own the bass version, T-40 as well as a T-45.
My first "real" guitar was an '82 T15 that i still miss and my first "real" bass was a '79 T40 that I traded for my first 6 string bass. I've since acquired an '82 T60 and T40 both natural finish and with their original "chainsaw" cases. It'd take a fairly exorbitant amount to of money for me to part with either.
hadd one when they first came out. Only thing I could afford, and like you, loved it. Really only 2 complaints... its heavy and the switch "below" the rear pickup had sharp edges that cut me a few times. Put some shrink wrap tube on it and solved that issue.
Our bass player lost his bass due to a theft, so we had a friend lend a bass version of this to him. He threatened to quit until he could get a replacement! He said it sounds great, but I got one back dudes! He got a precision after that for cheap.
O.M.G. Ben, the natural wood and black and silver hardware look so good together and it seems that there's so many sounds you can get out of her; She is beautiful... You really have an eye for unique and gorgeous guitars! Sincerely: David Paul Rivera
I think the T60 was favored by country artists for its clean tone and versatility. A good friend of mine owns a T40 bass. It sounds and plays fantastic.
you need to look at a DeCola guitar like a peavey falcon or generation. Those T60s have a red wire at the center of the coils which allow you to roll off one of the coils
Yes, there's that connection with the actual wood that can be lost with an opaque painted body, plus every guitar is a bit different because of the individual grain pattern.
Sometimes the solder joints go cold on pickups from the pickup wire to the electrical wire, I had a Texas special just yesterday that wasn’t working so I retouched the joints and voila. Might not be the issue and it is trickier on humbuckers but it may not need a rewire
Fascinating - the kind of attention to detail you expect on a custom shop guitar on a production instrument. As a kid I always looked to Fender and Gibson but we had these in my local shop and I was so missing out. I have owned several Peavey amps (and one bass synth!) so it is doubly ironic I never looked at the T60.
I have a Peavey T-60 I purchased new in November or December of 1978. My 1st electric guitar, and my only electric guitar for several decades. I really like it, and I love the natural ash wood look. I played the hell out of it and wore divots in the frets, the strings would stick in the nut, and the tuning machines were not in great shape. So I took it to a luthier, had the frets leveled, the nut replaced with a well-cut bone nut, and the tuning machines replaced with new Graphtec Ratio locking tuners. The frets are now pretty low and I'm tempted to have it re-fretted but so far I'm keeping it as is, since it plays and sounds really nice as it is. I have other newer and arguably nicer guitars that I play more, but every time I pick up my Peavey I think "wow, this is really nice".
I bought a T40 bass in 79 new. My brother and I got the bright idea after reading an article on Jaco in 1985 to remove the frets the same way. We just refinished it flat black with a matte hard coat. Made for heavy duty outdoor use. I strung it with standard Rotosounds and even those wouldn't chew up whatever it was that we used (we found it in the university physics dept machine shop and it looked worth a try) and I played it till sadly it was destroyed in a fire in 2001.
A friend of mine had this guitar-- same finish and everything, and I ALWAYS envied it, even though I was a dumb, whammy-diving teenager. That thing just played so good, so fast, and was so solidly-built. I would love to find one in good condition some day.
Woo! Awesome, what a treat! I love the T-60, and it’s probably fair to say my GGBO entry last year was a little bit inspired by this beast. Thanks Ben!
The Peavey T-60 was the first guitar I ever bought and I still have it. I purchased it for $400.00 in 1980 in Albany Oregon. Same finish as the one in this video. It is a very comfortable guitar to play, but it is heavy. I have always been impressed with the case as well. I really enjoyed this video Ben. I learned a lot of things I never knew about it's construction. I'm pretty sure Peavey manufactured every component used on their guitars when these were in production. Mr. Piekarczyk (From the Comments Section) could probably verify if that is correct or not. The Guitar's designer, Mr. Chip Todd sounds like a very cool and fascinating man.
I owned one of these Peavey T-60, it was a fabulous guitar, easily as good as any Telecaster, it was built with quality and recorded very nicely. I ended up giving this T-60 to a mate of mine, and buying a G&L SSS which was also a cool guitar, the Peavey is one of those unknown beauties.
Those old US made Peavey guitars are the best kept secret in the guitar world. They are great playing, great sounding guitars that are built like tanks!
I was once invited to sit in for a few songs with a road band I went to see, and they let me play a T60. I sort of didn't want to like it, but I was won over in mere seconds. Not only did it feel like it was born in my hands, it just kept cranking out all kinds of silky smooth gorgeous sounds. To this day, I'm not sure why I didn't buy one right away.
I’ve just barely started to scratch the surface of luthiery, but I’m a physicist so I’ve had to study electronics. I’m so used to Ben being infinitely more knowledgeable than me it was a nice change of pace to watch him struggle a bit
I bought a Peavey bass when they first came out. Heavy, but I loved the neck. My prior bass was a Gibson Grabber with the sliding pickup and a neck like a baseball bat. I wish I’d kept it. It was $299.00 with a case that had brown lining.
I had the t40 With the hardcase with built in practice amp, but sold ita few years back. Played and sounded so good. Those polyphonic pups are sooooo good.
I have a translucent red all original T-60 in perfect working condition, but I am losing a battle with the neck tilt situation. When I got it, the think was cranked in WAY too far, but I can’t seem to get it to a “neutral” adjustment that works.
After my first guitar neck snapped I had a Peavey Patriot. No wonder why Electrical Guitar Company made replacement necks for the T-60. Thanks Ben for doing this break down.
Never had a T-60 but I still have two T-27s, a T-25, a T-26, two T-15s, a T-30, a Horizon II, a Foundation and an import Milestone. All except the import are still great instruments. Unfortunately Peavey's dead and slowly rotting away, unless one wants a cheap import with a giant Spiderman graphic. All the American factories are gone, and Peavey seem to have a knack for finding middling quality foreign factories when competitors seem to have fine guitars and basses built dirt cheap. But back when Harland was still interested in the company, Peavey made innovative, finest quality bulletproof kit for very good prices.
Another interesting thing: the body is asymmetrical in depth. It's slimmer at the top and fatter at the bottom, for playing comfort. This predates the Ibanez 540 radius by several years and recently resurfaced on the EBMM Valentine - a guitar that very much looks influenced by the T60.
This was my dream guitar since I first wanted to learn guitar. I bought a body years ago and thought, “I can make a frankenstrat out of a T-60 body”. Lesson learned, I should have just bought a complete T-60. I knew nothing about putting a guitar together and didn’t realize how much it would cost. Now these guitars seem to finally be a little bit more popular, so they have gotten so much more expensive, which I guess is cool for resell value. I bought a neck a few months ago for the cost of a full T-60 back in 2013 when I first wanted to do my frankenstrat build
IIRC the Patriot was the beginner level replacement for the T-15 & T-30. They're amazingly good guitars, and the prices now reflect that. I periodically crave a Patriot and a Patriot bass in that natural mahogany finish - I just love the lines and the feel of Patriots. Someday . . .
My main gigging guitar is a 1978 sunburst T-60 that I've had since I was 14, before the world rediscovered the T series. She's a bit banged up but plays like a dream
Ben, The T60 was designed by Chip Todd who is friend and mentor of mine. He is 83 and still tinkering with guitars. He is a brilliant man with degrees in mechanical engineering and graphic design. He is a master gunsmith and all around good guy. His career history is widely varied across many different industries including designing race parts for Mickey Thompson, parts for Indy cars, his work with Peavey and later Fender. He designed the T40 and T60 and built the first 3 prototypes, with he help of RT lowe who developed the electronics and Charlie Gresset, over the course of a long weekend prior to the NAMM show. The "T" in the model number is a nod to his last name. He created most of the process that was used to build the guitar. A modified gun stock carving machine was used to carve the neck. As I remember, 4 or 5 necks could be carved at one time. I have a picture of the machine. The tolerances were so close that almost no hand work was required to finish the neck. He developed the machine that cut all of the fret slots at one time, reducing the slotting time to 17 seconds. The graphics were rub on transfers which Chip brought from his graphic design background. If you look closely, the dots may also be rub on transfers as well. They later switched to proper inlays. The bilaminated neck is pretty slick. The patent number for the construction is US4237944 if you are interested. The finish is not lacquer, It is a modified aircraft urethane that is tough as nails, it was applied using an electrostatic process that minimized waste. You made a brief comment about the number of screws in the scratch plate. I once asked Chip why so many screws. He was quiet and simply replied, "thats how many it took to hold it down!" So many innovations from the hardware to the construction process for the guitar. They were way ahead of their time for sure. Oh, by the way. The tone pots are not standard audio or log pots, they are S taper. Hope this was helpful. I have a number of photos that Chip shared with me over the years. Cheers!
Wow! Thanks for the information Walter, Chip sounds like a fascinating man.
Did he also design the T-15 as well?
@@georgeprice4212 Chip left Peavey to go to work at Fender in mid or late 81. The T15 came out in 82 I believe. I don't recall him claiming credit for that design but many of the design features came directly from the T60. The bi-laminated neck, general shape and of course all of the tech that went into production.
@@larrimos You're welcome. With all of his knowledge on so many subjects, the greatest things about him are his ability to keep things simple and he never blindly follows conventional thinking.
Thank you
Peavy doesn't get enough credit for a lot of the incredible stuff they have put out throughout the years.
Agreed
that Peavey is the nicest guitar you have ever had on your channel. Those are criminally underrated.
@dennis grammer nope. I had the T-15 variant and it was just as killer.
@dennis grammer Agree…100 yrs from now it will still be a PEAVEY, and a new Fender Classic Vibe Squier will be worth more money…..
There's a TH-cam video of Jerry Reed playing on Austin City Limits with all the guys but the Bass playing Peaveys, including Jerry Reed(playing a T60). Since Jerry Reed was a flat-out AMAZING guitar player(he was once Chet Atkins' protege, and he's one of only 6 or 7 human beings that Atkins labelled "Certified Guitar players - Mark Knopfler was another) and demanded high standards of his guitars, that's saying a lot.
Hartley Peavey was a hero in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, in the 1970s; he kitted out many of the Southern Rock Bands if they let him(the original Lynyrd Skynyrd was one, the Outlaws and Molly Hatchet were others). Some of them used Marshalls or Fender Twins - hidden behind the back line - for their sound, but Rock bands always soon discover that music gear ain't cheap!
@dennis grammer I have an 81 Peavey "Special design" similar to the one in the video. My absolute #1. Love it to bits, they were ugly but beautiful at the same time.
@@DavidSmith-ss1cg .38 Special also uses Peavey amps, that's why all of the Southern Rock bands had a similar tone. I know that they mostly used the Mace or the classic VT or one of that family.of amps. Ed King from Skynyrd said in a interview that they were using Marshalls and Harley built him a amp called the roadmaster that was like a 200 watt amp and was basically the prototype for the Mace and related amps then he made amps for Gary and Allen and outfitted them with a P.A. system and everything else. So pretty much Hartley was the guys behind the sound of Southern Rock. Side note the Beatles were known to use Fender twins hidden in VOX cabinets because of the unreliability of the VOX amps on the road but they had a endorsement deal with Jennings and could only be seen in public with VOX.
Peavey doesn't get a lot of love, but I worked in a music store that was an exclusive dealer in the 90's (and still is now) so I have a special place in my heart for them. Very cool teardown and some interesting design choices here. Thanks for sharing!
Did you have the Peavy Hydra double neck guitar in stock ?
Seth agreed - Hartley Peavey was laughed at in a boardroom by all the top US builders when he presented the CNC as the future of guitar manufacturing ... look at them now 🤣
I have had several of these over the years. Peavey in general were such a secret weapon for us growing up playing in the late 90s.
A friend of mine's brother had a black T-60 with a rosewood fingerboard. It was so-well played that it was missing huge sections of paint, but he loved that guitar for all he was worth. It burned up in a housefire in 2006, and I don't think the poor guy has ever gotten over it.
They are amazing little guitars.
@@joeydurant6267 But heavy, every one of them that I've played was a monster. Before ben weighed it, I said 10lbs and I was right. I think Peavey used hard ash for the bodies instead of the more widely used swamp ash. I saw a lot of country players in the eighties and 90s playing T-60s. They sound great and you can pick them up cheap.
I bought mine in May/82. Still, my first love. Its at my guitar repair guy's place. Getting nervous. I honestly would not take $10,000 for it. Maybe 11.........?
I just inherited a peavey t 60 from my grandfather who has since passed. He played in a country music band called the county liners here in Sw Missouri in the 80s. Always used Gibson flat wounds. Phenomenal guitar and beautiful music !!
I worked three jobs over the summer in high school to buy this guitar, it was my first electric guitar and I loved it. Pros: it played like a strat but better, sounded great, never went out of tune, Cons: it was heavy, loved it up until it was stolen in the mid 80's. Enjoy my friend!
t-60 was my first electric i owned. it was heavy . it came with a plastic case with a built in guitar amp. i never thought that i would see another one again. ty
I love these teardowns! Actively destroying the maxim, "What we learn from history, is that we don't learn from history". 👌👍
This is awesome. The T-60 was my first "real" guitar, back in 1979. Had it for years, carried it with me when I joined the Navy, ended up selling it to a ship mate. Wish I had kept it. The one you have is even the right case and everything. Very cool. Super innovative at the time- I think it revolutionized how necks are manufactured. One of the designers lived close to me here in central Texas for a long time- no clue where he's at now.
Bought a T-60 back in 1980. Very versatile. Tone controls over 7= single coil, under 7=humbucker, add the phase switch and options for days. those pickups, with that wiring ,were really something special.
It is so satisfying to see that polished maple fretboard. Amazing work on a great instrument. these used to be so cheap in pawn shops in the 80s. Seriously, an underrated guitar.
Love this series! I’ve got a T-40 and didn’t know about the single coil to humbucker until last month! Had this beast since ‘95….
They are great sounding instruments but they are ridiculously heavy. Love the tone and playability -really versatile and powerful. They are a testament to innovation and problem solving.
Thanks Matt :)
I was just about to call up a bud who owns a T-40 to ask about the single/ humbuck feature, but here you answered in the 3rd comment. Now I'm wondering if he even knows after yr own admission of ignorance since '95 (he's had his since @ least '86 when I met him).
An Urban LP clone I picked up cheap turned out to be a solid,well built instrument that's got a strong, meaty tone. Unfortunately, it's made from a solid slab of oak and feels like an anvil hanging 'round your neck (after an hour or so).
@@TheFreeBass I'd bet money you're going to freak him out with this. It's fkn HUGE sounding.
Love it... I had an early 80s one that I picked up in the 2000s for $200. I should have kept it but sold it later to a friend in need of a guitar. Plethora of tones just HEAVY!
the t-60 and t-40 bass are my holy grail peavey instruments. i own an 80’s predator strat and reactor tele, both made in usa.
Good to see Peavey get some love.
Obviously a man with fine taste and vision! :) I myself am a Peavey guy and have a bit of an obsession with not only their vintage amplifiers and speakers, but their guitars too. I have a T-26 that has the same pickup config as a Strat, same 5-way switch too - but I'll tell you, the T-60 is also on my list. I owned one back in the late '90's that I picked up at a guitar store in Atlanta GA, but I sold it for peanuts when I moved back to CA! I always missed that guitar. It was black and chrome. I love the looks of these guitars, the "P" knobs and just everything about them. Thank you for showcasing these - though I have a feeling the prices will unfortunately go up!
BTW, I just signed up at the Guitar Raffle site and it said first raffle is free! I don't want to use it for the LES PAUL. I'd rather be entered for the Peavey to be honest!!!
I’ve owned a bunch of T60’s and they always deliver, awesome guitars. Peavey should stop screwing around and reissue these things.
I'd love to see legit reissues of the T series guitars and basses, Dyna bass and Cirrus basses.
But Peavey is a shell of its former self. I don't see it ever really coming back. With that fiasco with "Undercover Boss" and other missteps, I won't consider buying a peavey until all existing management is out.
Hartley was a pioneer in the industry and did great things, but never got out of the late 70s/mid 80s. This ain't the same world and business is radically different for better or worse.
If Peavey re-issued the T-60 it would be made in China and have She-Hulk silk screened on it. Face it, Peavey is dead, it just hasn't quite finished rotting away. Shame, they made some damned good kit back in the day.
@@mikewhitfield2994 Sad but true. So many brands from when i started are either no longer or just garbage now.
Fender bought and mothballed SWR, Sunn, Tacoma and few others. Gibson took high end brands like Tobias and Steinberger and ruined them and straigh killed Valley Arts.
But Peavey mismanaged itself into the ground. Sad.
@@mikewhitfield2994 She Hulk is good fun and made in China doesn’t have to suck (Squier’s CV series proves that) so I wouldn’t mind that. The entire guitar was an excel use in good engineering done on a CNC, that’s what China does. The T60 made in USA would be killer, but as long as the specs are the same I’d buy a Chinese made one.
My first proper guitar. Still have it. Love it.
In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s I had a couple of T60s. Got my first one in 1978, a natural ash one with a maple fingerboard. Played it for a couple qof years and traded it in on a Gibson ES-347, which I didn’t like as wel as I thought I would. At the time I was working fot an artist who had an endorsement deal with Peavey, so I got another T60, this time a sunburst one. I could have gotten a Peavey amp too, but I already had one! The guitars were really innovative-you mentioned that CNC machines were used to make the wood parts-the single-coit-humbucker-tone control was a brilliant idea, and when the bridge pickup was on by itself, the phase switch acted as a coil selector for the bridge pickup. And at a time when a new Stratocaster was $980 and a Les Paul Standard was over $1000, the Peavey retailed at $350. With a case! The only downside was that they were boat anchors-at least the ash bodied ones were; my natural one weighed as much as a Les Paul!
I was in a private NAMM meeting with HP and CT when this amazing instrument was being developed. I saw the blueprints and the prototype. When we finally received the 60 and the 40 we were floored with the whole package and the price was amazing. Give this it's due.
A guy who lives down the street from he has several T60s. He made me a huge fan of this guitar, it’s a unique piece of engineering.
I still have my first guitar a Peavy T-15 with the case with built in amp. Always wanted a t-60.
Oh my gosh amazing. Love those old T-60s. Especially those with the aluminum neck mods.
Those classic peavey knobs look awesome too
I was fortunate enough to become friends with the father of the Peavey T-60 My Chip Todd. Chip...I hope he's ok..I lost touch a ways back....but for several years I was over at his place every chance I could get. The stories!!!! He invented the CNC machines, the automatic fretting machines (look up the patent!). Chip Todd doesnt get enough recognition. His baby, the T-60 and T-40 were and ARE Genius!!!
My very 1st guitar, bought in '79, and pawned during hard times. I loved the guitar, and the case kept it safe for years while in the Navy. I loved learning to play on that guitar.
I think I heard the grain in the two halves of the neck run in opposite direction to help keep it straight.
Peavey has always made great stuff. I don't think they get the recognition they deserve. Great video :)
The first time I heard an played that guitar, felt in love with the sound, I was obsessed with having one. Immediately made a search on eBay and one month later I won the bet. I love my Peveay T-60
Not seen one of those in years. Underrated little weapon. Might be bit controversial but I think it's a bit of a looker an all.
I acquired a T-40 bass some years ago. Which some previous owner assaulted with a soldering iron, rendering all the really neat tone circuitry useless. Fortune smiled upon me. in that everything was still functional once the wiring was returned to factory spec. I hope you are also able to return your T-60 to it's former glory with only minor repairs.
I always wanted one of these, never got one. I had a Milestone and a Patriot though, both really good guitars.
My first electric guitar was a 1981 Peavey Odyssey. Its their 25th anniversary guitar as far as I know only 250 were made. I found it at a Pawn shop outside of Nashville I think I only spent $180 for it and a case for it. I had no idea it was special when i bought it I just thought it felt right.
These Peavey's are sleeper guitars. Really good instruments.
I used the dial a coil control on GGBO 21 build. I did it using a stacked pot allowing me to alter two pickups at once and had a master volume / tone set up. It's a really useful feature and easy to do on any four conductor humbucker.
I owned this exact model as a teenager. The same color and everything. It was a great guitar.
Hello There, This is One of, One Of ,the Best Guitars that Peavey Made, Hands down, I looks Brand New, A Great Find Here, I just read on the Internet that Peavey May be going out of Business, IDK, That is what i read, What a shame if this is True, Since they Fired Most of the Old Employees in Meridian Mississippi, When Hartley Peavey let his son in law Run the Company, He Totally Screwed it up, and he Went to China, to make the Products, Cousin Figel
My uncle has one of these. Same natural finish. I remember back in the very early 80’s he was showing it to my dad and they were oooooing and aaahhing over it. Just two or three years ago I ran into my uncle at a family party and he and I got talking about guitars. I asked him if he still had that old peavey. YUP! He said. And no it’s not for sale! Haahahah I laughed and said that I wasn’t trying to buy it. Just that I never knew what kind of peavey it was. I only remember that it was a peavey. Because I had only ever seen it once back when I was like 10 or 11 years old. But I remember the cool pointy name and that it didn’t look like my dad’s fender or my other uncles les Paul custom. But my uncle said that it was a peavey T-60. By this point I immediately knew exactly what guitar it was. But I was for most of my life,intrigued by the guitar. Very cool ben!
Nice find and break down. I've had my T-60 since 1981. It really is a cool guitar, plenty of options for tone generation but my Grab-n-Go guitar will always be my Gibson SG.
man i miss my t60 now.......what a sound! peavey is so underrated. congrats on a nice find.
The T-60 was my first guitar, and I still have it. It’s a true workhorse and a piece of history, but I did end up converting it to standard Les Paul wiring-the original wiring was just too confusing for me. I use the second switch to coil tap the back pickup. It works and sounds great.
My first guitar was also a T60, got it in 1982. I was 10 and you're absolutely correct, the controls were extremely confusing for a first guitar. Rocked that thing from middle school all the way through high school. In fact I had my high school picture taken with that guitar.
this guitar was the first i evr bought back in 1979 but i had to refurbish it by removing 4.7 kg wood and then i found it has a faulthy wirings and send the diagramme to the factory
but i loved it also b4 i made the changes to a t-60 Shieka model but had to trash it back in 2014
Just to let you know that model of peavey was played by JOHNNY COPELAND on stage with STEVIE RAY VAUGHN on tracks “tin pan alley” and “ look at little sister” so if it’s good enough for blues man Johnny Copeland it’s good enough for me.
Bought a T-60 and a Pacer amp as a teenager when they first came out and got the eye roll when the local guitar shop employee asked what I played. A few months later that shop had Peavey gear stacked up to the ceiling, dumbass guitar snob became a believer real quick. Loved the clean tone and the phase + coil switching options. Easily the best off the rack factory action I've ever encountered, just a real easy guitar to play. I still have the amp but the T-60 is long gone having traded it in as part of a '66 Jaguar purchase. I actually still miss that Peavey and wished I kept it, thanks for the good memories Ben.
My first “real” guitar was a Peavey T- 15 and that guitar was unbelievable for a entry level instrument! Wish I still had it.
My #1 bass is my Peavey TL-5. I've always wanted a T-40 and T-60 to complete the collection but my HP EX is still fantastic. LOVE Peavey guitars and especially basses.
As you rolled that tone knob I just exclaimed, "Dang!" That's quite an instrument.
My guess is that sandpaper is supposed to prevent the neck from slipping since there’s less wood to wood contact bc of the micro tilt adjustment. My T-30 has the same sandpaper in the neck joint
My first electric guitar. Heavy as hell. Funky electronics. I did enjoy it, traded it away long ago for a strat that was easier on my shoulder. I replaced the PUs with Dimarzios and used the toggle as a coil split. Never crazy about the arbitrary tone roll off/single coil/humbucker thing, easier to just wire it with a coil split.
I’ve owned mine since 1978. I don’t play much now but I wouldn’t part with it not even for a classic 50s Les Paul. I Also own the bass version, T-40 as well as a T-45.
A T-60 was my first decent guitar (after a Hondo II Les Paul copy). It was a cool guitar and I wish I still had it.
I live in the southeast USA and was gigging bars from in the late 80s on.
You would be AMAZED at the loyalty of many people to peavey equipment....
Absolutely adore my t-40. Picked it up last year after wanting one for ever and a day. Love it
My first "real" guitar was an '82 T15 that i still miss and my first "real" bass was a '79 T40 that I traded for my first 6 string bass. I've since acquired an '82 T60 and T40 both natural finish and with their original "chainsaw" cases. It'd take a fairly exorbitant amount to of money for me to part with either.
hadd one when they first came out. Only thing I could afford, and like you, loved it. Really only 2 complaints... its heavy and the switch "below" the rear pickup had sharp edges that cut me a few times. Put some shrink wrap tube on it and solved that issue.
First electric guitar I ever got my hands on. My best friend had one in jr. high (1978). Heavy beast! Always liked that natural wood finish.
In my teens a guitar teacher had 1 in his studio .I used it instead of carrying mine on my motorcycle. Cool lil guitar with a funky vibe.
My first guitar was a T-60. Not a bad start I have to say.
I’ve owned , from brand new, my T-60 since 1979. Love it.
Top show again Ben love these teardowns. If you think the guitar is heavy, try out the bass version! Some of them top 12 lbs.
Our bass player lost his bass due to a theft, so we had a friend lend a bass version of this to him. He threatened to quit until he could get a replacement! He said it sounds great, but I got one back dudes! He got a precision after that for cheap.
O.M.G. Ben, the natural wood and black and silver hardware look so good together and it seems that there's so many sounds you can get out of her; She is beautiful... You really have an eye for unique and gorgeous guitars! Sincerely: David Paul Rivera
My best buddy in high school (RIP) had one of those. I love those things. Definitely on my list of guitars to buy.
I think the T60 was favored by country artists for its clean tone and versatility. A good friend of mine owns a T40 bass. It sounds and plays fantastic.
you need to look at a DeCola guitar like a peavey falcon or generation. Those T60s have a red wire at the center of the coils which allow you to roll off one of the coils
That belongs in your museum
I have a '79 T-60 and will never let it go! I do suggest considering installing a SPST switch for the coil tapping. Super easy mod on these bad boys!
That is a lovely looking guitar. Love the natural finish it has.
Yes, there's that connection with the actual wood that can be lost with an opaque painted body, plus every guitar is a bit different because of the individual grain pattern.
I suggest getting a Westone guitar for this project. The Thunder 1a is very interesting.
Sometimes the solder joints go cold on pickups from the pickup wire to the electrical wire, I had a Texas special just yesterday that wasn’t working so I retouched the joints and voila. Might not be the issue and it is trickier on humbuckers but it may not need a rewire
Fascinating - the kind of attention to detail you expect on a custom shop guitar on a production instrument. As a kid I always looked to Fender and Gibson but we had these in my local shop and I was so missing out.
I have owned several Peavey amps (and one bass synth!) so it is doubly ironic I never looked at the T60.
I have a Peavey T-60 I purchased new in November or December of 1978. My 1st electric guitar, and my only electric guitar for several decades. I really like it, and I love the natural ash wood look. I played the hell out of it and wore divots in the frets, the strings would stick in the nut, and the tuning machines were not in great shape. So I took it to a luthier, had the frets leveled, the nut replaced with a well-cut bone nut, and the tuning machines replaced with new Graphtec Ratio locking tuners. The frets are now pretty low and I'm tempted to have it re-fretted but so far I'm keeping it as is, since it plays and sounds really nice as it is. I have other newer and arguably nicer guitars that I play more, but every time I pick up my Peavey I think "wow, this is really nice".
I bought a T40 bass in 79 new. My brother and I got the bright idea after reading an article on Jaco in 1985 to remove the frets the same way. We just refinished it flat black with a matte hard coat. Made for heavy duty outdoor use. I strung it with standard Rotosounds and even those wouldn't chew up whatever it was that we used (we found it in the university physics dept machine shop and it looked worth a try) and I played it till sadly it was destroyed in a fire in 2001.
A friend of mine had this guitar-- same finish and everything, and I ALWAYS envied it, even though I was a dumb, whammy-diving teenager. That thing just played so good, so fast, and was so solidly-built. I would love to find one in good condition some day.
Woo! Awesome, what a treat! I love the T-60, and it’s probably fair to say my GGBO entry last year was a little bit inspired by this beast. Thanks Ben!
I had a T-60 when they first came out. It played very well and had a number of excellent tones. Heavy but comfortable.
The Peavey T-60 was the first guitar I ever bought and I still have it. I purchased it for $400.00 in 1980 in Albany Oregon. Same finish as the one in this video. It is a very comfortable guitar to play, but it is heavy. I have always been impressed with the case as well. I really enjoyed this video Ben. I learned a lot of things I never knew about it's construction. I'm pretty sure Peavey manufactured every component used on their guitars when these were in production. Mr. Piekarczyk (From the Comments Section) could probably verify if that is correct or not. The Guitar's designer, Mr. Chip Todd sounds like a very cool and fascinating man.
I owned one of these Peavey T-60, it was a fabulous guitar, easily as good as any Telecaster, it was built with quality and recorded very nicely. I ended up giving this T-60 to a mate of mine, and buying a G&L SSS which was also a cool guitar, the Peavey is one of those unknown beauties.
Those old US made Peavey guitars are the best kept secret in the guitar world. They are great playing, great sounding guitars that are built like tanks!
I was once invited to sit in for a few songs with a road band I went to see, and they let me play a T60. I sort of didn't want to like it, but I was won over in mere seconds. Not only did it feel like it was born in my hands, it just kept cranking out all kinds of silky smooth gorgeous sounds. To this day, I'm not sure why I didn't buy one right away.
I’ve just barely started to scratch the surface of luthiery, but I’m a physicist so I’ve had to study electronics. I’m so used to Ben being infinitely more knowledgeable than me it was a nice change of pace to watch him struggle a bit
I bought a Peavey bass when they first came out. Heavy, but I loved the neck. My prior bass was a Gibson Grabber with the sliding pickup and a neck like a baseball bat. I wish I’d kept it. It was $299.00 with a case that had brown lining.
Never had a T-60 but loved my T-40. Monster tone🤘🏻
27:55 - morse message reads “quick! A wiring diagram I must have”
I had the t40 With the hardcase with built in practice amp, but sold ita few years back. Played and sounded so good. Those polyphonic pups are sooooo good.
They are considered to be an overlooked well made and playing guitar.
I have a translucent red all original T-60 in perfect working condition, but I am losing a battle with the neck tilt situation. When I got it, the think was cranked in WAY too far, but I can’t seem to get it to a “neutral” adjustment that works.
I've made several DIY neck tilt mechanisms. Works great, a tiny little twist moves alot.
me and my friend mark got guitars one day i got a 84 gibson les paul standered , he got a 79 peavy t-60 , i loved that thing
I have a beautiful and rare(red with rosewood fretboard) T40 bass... weighs a tonne but the tone is fantastic.
my mate had one in the late 70s - it was my favourite guitar at the time
Love this series! I'd like to see some old Guild solidbodies.
After my first guitar neck snapped I had a Peavey Patriot. No wonder why Electrical Guitar Company made replacement necks for the T-60. Thanks Ben for doing this break down.
Never had a T-60 but I still have two T-27s, a T-25, a T-26, two T-15s, a T-30, a Horizon II, a Foundation and an import Milestone. All except the import are still great instruments. Unfortunately Peavey's dead and slowly rotting away, unless one wants a cheap import with a giant Spiderman graphic. All the American factories are gone, and Peavey seem to have a knack for finding middling quality foreign factories when competitors seem to have fine guitars and basses built dirt cheap. But back when Harland was still interested in the company, Peavey made innovative, finest quality bulletproof kit for very good prices.
I’ve always loved the look of the T-60.
Another interesting thing: the body is asymmetrical in depth. It's slimmer at the top and fatter at the bottom, for playing comfort. This predates the Ibanez 540 radius by several years and recently resurfaced on the EBMM Valentine - a guitar that very much looks influenced by the T60.
This was my dream guitar since I first wanted to learn guitar. I bought a body years ago and thought, “I can make a frankenstrat out of a T-60 body”. Lesson learned, I should have just bought a complete T-60. I knew nothing about putting a guitar together and didn’t realize how much it would cost. Now these guitars seem to finally be a little bit more popular, so they have gotten so much more expensive, which I guess is cool for resell value. I bought a neck a few months ago for the cost of a full T-60 back in 2013 when I first wanted to do my frankenstrat build
I had a Peavey Patriot that had 23 frets. The weird thing was they put a fret marker on the 23rd fret lol. Guitar played great though.
IIRC the Patriot was the beginner level replacement for the T-15 & T-30. They're amazingly good guitars, and the prices now reflect that. I periodically crave a Patriot and a Patriot bass in that natural mahogany finish - I just love the lines and the feel of Patriots. Someday . . .
My main gigging guitar is a 1978 sunburst T-60 that I've had since I was 14, before the world rediscovered the T series. She's a bit banged up but plays like a dream