Is Peavey back?

[Artie]

Did I miss something? I seem to have it in my mind that Peavey had degraded down to not much more than an office that acted as a distribution house for some cheap-ish import stuff. But while researching something Peavey, I discovered that they seem to have a bunch of cool new stuff.

The all tube Invective 112 combo amp looks super cool. And they have three Vandenburgs, all with Duncans. One with twin Distortions, and the other two with a Distortion bridge, combined with an STK-S6 Custom Stack Plus in the neck. Sweet.

And oddly, the video for the Invective amp clearly shows a Vandenburg with a Parallel Axis single in the neck.

I'm not sure if they're back, or were never gone to begin with.

​

 

[Seashore]

Ooh. I like everything about that black one. I might want a pickup swap but it looks awesome. Set neck, 24.75" scale for chunk, 24 frets... where's the 7 string model dammit.

 

[Mincer]

Oh man, I'd love one of those Peaveys if it were 22 frets. I love shorter-scale super strats.

 

[Artie]

I love the black one too. But hate the headstock, and hate the price.

 

[JamesPaul]

I have kept up with them since the mid-80's as all my amps, excluding my Rockman X100 and a Danelectro Hodad, are Peavey's. I used to split my Forum time between here and there. Today their forum is mostly silent and the exception is a lot of people showing up with "how to" and "repair old gear" questions.

The Pandemic hit them really hard and the other dynamic was Hartley retiring and leaving his son-in-law (I think) at the helm. No judgement on the latter as I am not qualified, but they auctioned off 2 warehouses full of stuff a year or so after the Pandemic subsided.

They have always kept their flagship products going and advanced their newer stuff (VYPYRs, the mini heads and Trace Elliot acquisition products). The Invective is an awesome amp in any of its form factors, but it never took off. Misha Mansoor was the name behind the Invective.

There does seem to be a reissue dynamic and they have gotten into the amp-in-a-pedal market. I have not dug into why this is happening. I am seeing this reissue dynamic with several companies.

I always sum it up as when everyone was in "Buy American" mode they looked down on Peavey, excluding the 6150/6505. When Peavey finally had to start building out of the USA, everyone considered their stuff foreign made and subpar. Peavey just does not seem to get a lot of love, no matter what they do.

Maybe the new old stuff will help, but I am not holding my breath.

 

[Artie]

I think I have six MIA Peavey guitars. IMHO, they're as good as any Fender or Gibson. Also, a bunch of other Peavey stuff, including an old TKO-115 bass amp. I had a Transtube 100 stolen out of my garage when the dang wi-fi garage door was hacked. (Since disabled.)

I did notice on their webpage, Trace Elliot pedals. Who acquired whom? Hard to keep score these days.

 

[JamesPaul]

True!

Peavey acquired Trace Elliot. The Trace Elliot products which survived were the ones Peavey did not already have, although there was not as much overlap at that point in time. I actually got a killer deal on an Trace Elliot ELF bass amp and 1x10 cab, just before I put all my stuff in storage for the move.

I sold off some backups, but still own well over 20 different Peavey amps. If the gig requires a specific tone, I have an amp for it. But the reality of the last 10 years is my JSX 212 has the 3 tones I use most. Unfortunately, it weighs like a battleship so I am usually packing my VYPYR VIP 3 which models the amps the JSX was tweaked to be. I have never had an issue with the quality of my Peaveys and have confessed here before that in the 80's I traded my JCM 800 in on a Peavey Heritage.

I did buy a beautiful used Peavey Wolfgang from a forum member in Florida. I did not want to risk shipping it, so my daughter went and picked it up for me figuring she would bring it home on a visit or I would. Unfortunately, she is a multi-instrumentalist and the Wolfgang is her favorite color. I play it when I visit her, and the action is always perfect in the FL climate. Needless to write, it stays at her house. Agreed it is as good as any Fender or Gibson I own.

 

[Artie]

I did buy a beautiful used Peavey Wolfgang from a forum member in Florida. I did not want to risk shipping it, so my daughter went and picked it up for me figuring she would bring it home on a visit or I would. Unfortunately, she is a multi-instrumentalist and the Wolfgang is her favorite color. I play it when I visit her, and the action is always perfect in the FL climate. Needless to write, it stays at her house. Agreed it is as good as any Fender or Gibson I own.

That's funny. But it's cool you share an interest with your daughter. None of my kids, or grandkids, are into musical instruments.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

NGL, that Invective looks interesting... but then again, a 1x12 is kinda the opposite of cool in the amp world, LOL.

 

[bluesky636]

I thought this was the pickup lounge. You know. Where you talk about guitar pickups.

 

[Artie]

I thought this was the pickup lounge. You know. Where you talk about guitar pickups.

Yes. The prime focus was that the three new Vandenburg's come stock with Duncan pickups. But admins, feel free to move it wherever.

The Sound Room might be more appropriate.

 

[JamesPaul]

NGL, that Invective looks interesting... but then again, a 1x12 is kinda the opposite of cool in the amp world, LOL.

To bring us back on topic, they still make one for you. However to get it with the additional 100W and 7 speakers, you will be approaching the price of 2 Vandenberg's, with 2 sets of the SD pickups.

 

[80's_Metal]

Peavey has never really left, the metal world has always used their amps. They're like the best kept secret to mid-focused brutality.

XXX to the 5150/6505 to the mini head, to the invective... They don't get the market kudos, but they still have a good following.

 

[Securb]

There does seem to be a reissue dynamic and they have gotten into the amp-in-a-pedal market. I have not dug into why this is happening. I am seeing this reissue dynamic with several companies.

I have the Decade pedal, I love it. It is very flexible with really nice gain. I would call it 80s tone in a box.

 

[Artie]

I have the Decade pedal, I love it. It is very flexible with really nice gain. I would call it 80s tone in a box.

I'd love to try one of those, but 200 smackers is a little steep for what it seems to be.

 

[donaldr]

I'm still using a Peavey Classic 60/60 tube power amp connected to a Peavey 4x12" cab (and fronted by a Rocktron Voodu Valve preamp).
I will sell my Vandenberg 'cause I don't use it anymore, but I really like the 24.75" scale (same as my Godin Exit 22 which is now my #1).

 

[Rex_Rocker]

To bring us back on topic, they still make one for you. However to get it with the additional 100W and 7 speakers, you will be approaching the price of 2 Vandenberg's, with 2 sets of the SD pickups.

On a related note, I remember back in the day, there was a huge controversy about the Invectives being Made in China, because they originally advertised them as MIA, and it was just right after the Undercover Boss episode. Honestly, I don't mind. MIA Peaveys, while solid, have never really been fancy uber premium build amps like Soldano. More like workhorses, which I'm sure they still are.

I would still love me a 6505, and I wouldn't mind owning another XXX at some point. Killer killer amps.

 

[marcello252]

Ok, I might look like an old fart , nevermind, but.... haven't 80s gone?

 

[Artie]

. . . and it was just right after the Undercover Boss episode.

I remember watching that. That was a real stinker for Peavey. Somehow, I never heard of the Invective 'til I just discovered it the other day.

 

[Fender_Punk]

I have a USA made Peavey Classic 30 1x12 with 70th anniversary Celestion H30 I installed and it's a great sounding amp.