Peavey T-40

NavyBass · 05-19-2005, 08:59 AM

Body wood: Ash
Neck wood: Maple
Fretboard wood: Maple
# of Frets: 20
Neck/Body Joint: 4 Bolt
Pickups: 2 Peavey Humbuckers
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, pickup selector, phase switch
Bridge: Peavey
Tuners: Schaller

Rating:

4 1/2

I'll start by sayint that this bass has to be one of the most under-rated, if not the most under-rated basses in the industry.

With the tone circuitry, which turns the pickups from humbucking to single coil with a turn of the tone knob, you can dial in quite a few different tones. It is very versatile. I've used this bass in my High School and College Jazz Bands, countless Rock bands, a few Country bands, and even a Funk band. This was my first good bass. It has been refretted twice because of how much I've played it.

I got it back in 1979. It has held up very well over the years. It will be around and in excellent playable condition for many more years. This bass wasn't babied at all. It took alot of abuse and suffered it's share of dings but nothing ever broke on it. The only reason I gave it 4 1/2 is because it's a bit on the heavy side, but it's not uncomfortable when you use a wide padded strap.

I highly recommend these basses. BTW, the rhumor about the painted ones using sub-par wood is entirely false. I've owned 3 painted ones and they sounded great. The only thing was that Peavey used the plainer grain for the painted ones, and the nicer looking grain for the natural ones. All of them were made of ash.

wicked_child · 05-19-2005, 09:03 AM

nice vintage look.

PaulSimonon · 05-29-2005, 05:34 PM

An absolutely amazing bass. Mine is my main bass out of four at the moment, and it's kept me from buying many a nice bass (Take a (used) Lakland Darryl Jones sig , fantastic looking, playing, and sounding and well withing my monetary bounds, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because it couldn't measure up to my T-40. Same thing with a coupled of Pedullas, a horde of Spectors, Schectors, Ibanezes, PBCs, Corts, Musicmen, ands Warwicks...) This thing cranks out nice tones everywhere, and has a lot of features for a passive bass. awesome build quality. Mine is also from '79 and hasn't been babied by the previous owners. Seriously, I can't see why people aren't snatching these suckers up.

PaulSimonon · 05-30-2005, 11:29 AM

For reference.

Mr. Grill · 05-30-2005, 12:22 PM

Are they still for sale? I'd love to give my bassist a recomendation.

PaulSimonon · 05-30-2005, 12:31 PM

The line was discontinued a long time ago, but there are plenty of them of Ebay.

Farlan · 06-28-2005, 12:45 PM

The wood color on those pictures looks a lot lighter than mine.

Anyway, what exactly does the "phase switch"(as you called it) do? I just know that when it's switched towards me, it makes the bass sound way better. When it's off (I assume it's off) the bass sounds really bland.

PaulSimonon · 06-28-2005, 01:30 PM

When it's switched towards you, it's off. When switched away with both pickups on and at the same volume, the pickups are thrown into phase thus cutting out a lot of overtones, giving it a very thin, brittle, and nasal sound, which some people like, and others don't. I think it's very useful when I'm running through a lot of effects because it sounds a lot less muddy because it has less overtones so everything is more defined. I also use it clean to cut through a little in songs where I'm vamping on a nice fat tone and I need something different for another part of the song. And sometimes it just fits the mood of a song, or absolutely doesn't fit making a bit of tension in the song. I also use it when my band is doing a song where each instrument enters by itself until my guitarist kicks in and I back him up. Really cool little feature, and very useful.

CrookedFingers · 07-08-2005, 09:16 PM

I want to get one but I know that if I do I'll have to get rid of many of my basses and that's just not an option: I've put too much time and money into them!

mattmackenzie · 07-15-2005, 09:27 AM

wow...it looks great and the sound quality is probly great on it!

PaulSimonon · 07-15-2005, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrookedFingers

I want to get one but I know that if I do I'll have to get rid of many of my basses and that's just not an option: I've put too much time and money into them!

They frequently go on ebay for less than 250$...

PaulSimonon · 07-15-2005, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattmackenzie

wow...it looks great and the sound quality is probly great on it!

Excellent build quality, great tonal range, not bad looks, and extremely affordable. Great bass. Mine needs some work on it before I'll be completely satisfied, but I'm picky and none of them have anything to do with the bass itself, just it's past treatment.

05-19-2005, 08:59 AM	#1
NavyBass Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,197	Peavey T-40 Body wood: Ash Neck wood: Maple Fretboard wood: Maple # of Frets: 20 Neck/Body Joint: 4 Bolt Pickups: 2 Peavey Humbuckers Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, pickup selector, phase switch Bridge: Peavey Tuners: Schaller Rating: 4 1/2 I'll start by sayint that this bass has to be one of the most under-rated, if not the most under-rated basses in the industry. With the tone circuitry, which turns the pickups from humbucking to single coil with a turn of the tone knob, you can dial in quite a few different tones. It is very versatile. I've used this bass in my High School and College Jazz Bands, countless Rock bands, a few Country bands, and even a Funk band. This was my first good bass. It has been refretted twice because of how much I've played it. I got it back in 1979. It has held up very well over the years. It will be around and in excellent playable condition for many more years. This bass wasn't babied at all. It took alot of abuse and suffered it's share of dings but nothing ever broke on it. The only reason I gave it 4 1/2 is because it's a bit on the heavy side, but it's not uncomfortable when you use a wide padded strap. I highly recommend these basses. BTW, the rhumor about the painted ones using sub-par wood is entirely false. I've owned 3 painted ones and they sounded great. The only thing was that Peavey used the plainer grain for the painted ones, and the nicer looking grain for the natural ones. All of them were made of ash.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

05-19-2005, 09:03 AM	#2
wicked_child time to rock and roar Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,688	nice vintage look.

05-29-2005, 05:34 PM	#3
PaulSimonon Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Posts: 17,074	An absolutely amazing bass. Mine is my main bass out of four at the moment, and it's kept me from buying many a nice bass (Take a (used) Lakland Darryl Jones sig , fantastic looking, playing, and sounding and well withing my monetary bounds, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because it couldn't measure up to my T-40. Same thing with a coupled of Pedullas, a horde of Spectors, Schectors, Ibanezes, PBCs, Corts, Musicmen, ands Warwicks...) This thing cranks out nice tones everywhere, and has a lot of features for a passive bass. awesome build quality. Mine is also from '79 and hasn't been babied by the previous owners. Seriously, I can't see why people aren't snatching these suckers up.

05-30-2005, 11:29 AM	#4
PaulSimonon Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Posts: 17,074	For reference.

05-30-2005, 12:22 PM	#5
Mr. Grill --. Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Fresh Meadows, New York Posts: 4,470	Are they still for sale? I'd love to give my bassist a recomendation.

05-30-2005, 12:31 PM	#6
PaulSimonon Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Posts: 17,074	The line was discontinued a long time ago, but there are plenty of them of Ebay.

06-28-2005, 12:45 PM	#7
Farlan Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 210	The wood color on those pictures looks a lot lighter than mine. Anyway, what exactly does the "phase switch"(as you called it) do? I just know that when it's switched towards me, it makes the bass sound way better. When it's off (I assume it's off) the bass sounds really bland.

06-28-2005, 01:30 PM	#8
PaulSimonon Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Posts: 17,074	When it's switched towards you, it's off. When switched away with both pickups on and at the same volume, the pickups are thrown into phase thus cutting out a lot of overtones, giving it a very thin, brittle, and nasal sound, which some people like, and others don't. I think it's very useful when I'm running through a lot of effects because it sounds a lot less muddy because it has less overtones so everything is more defined. I also use it clean to cut through a little in songs where I'm vamping on a nice fat tone and I need something different for another part of the song. And sometimes it just fits the mood of a song, or absolutely doesn't fit making a bit of tension in the song. I also use it when my band is doing a song where each instrument enters by itself until my guitarist kicks in and I back him up. Really cool little feature, and very useful.

07-08-2005, 09:16 PM	#9
CrookedFingers MX Squier Club Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 712	I want to get one but I know that if I do I'll have to get rid of many of my basses and that's just not an option: I've put too much time and money into them!

07-15-2005, 09:27 AM	#10
mattmackenzie follow the reaper (cob) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: canada Posts: 40	wow...it looks great and the sound quality is probly great on it!