The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: godofthunder on March 31, 2014, 06:56:21 AM

Title: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: godofthunder on March 31, 2014, 06:56:21 AM
 I was making the rounds this past Saturday and came across a 1980's Peavey Patriot with a natural oil finish mahogany body, I sold these back in the day at the H.O.G. The mahogany body is one of the more unusual and pretty rare. The bass was filthy they didn't even clean it off but I plugged it in and everything worked so I plonked down the princely sum of $99.00 and brought it home.  ;D These basses are super well made and were designed to go head to head with Fender and import basses of the day. The two piece maple neck reminds me of a 70's P, not thin like a Fury. The neck is straight as a arrow nice fret work it needed minimal tweaking to get it adjusted to my liking. The Super ferrite pickup is plenty loud, I have yet to try it through a worthy amp. I remember selling these new for about $180.00 I think that was a bargain even back then. The Patriot like the Precision is a no frills simple bass but it's execution is near perfect and more refined that the Precision. Another stellar sleeper from Peavey.(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/Peaveypatriot005_zps0fb99e6f.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/Peaveypatriot004_zpsd2a4fc62.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/Peaveypatriot006_zps549f174b.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/Peaveypatriot007_zps41b8133f.jpg)
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: ack1961 on March 31, 2014, 07:16:42 AM
Yup - I agree - they're simple and reliable and the Super Ferrite is a great little pickup.
I just sent my '85 mahogany Patriot to a buddy in Colorado who wanted to learn how to play bass.

I've owned most of the US-made Peavey's at one time or another (including your '90 Fury), but I've been on a selling frenzy since I lost my job. I'm down to just a small handful now: The Sarzo, Axcelerator, T-45, Foundation, Koa Unity & Forum.
The US Peavey basses are all pretty reliable instruments. The Sarzo is never leaving - I thought it was gaudy and kinda stupid looking at first, but after playing it, I fell in love with that thing.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Dave W on March 31, 2014, 11:32:38 AM
Can't go wrong at that price.

Peavey did use some mahogany but you don't see it that often.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: ack1961 on March 31, 2014, 12:49:54 PM
BTW, one of the rarest pictures you'll ever see is a Patriot that doesn't have a crack in the pickguard next to the output jack.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: godofthunder on May 01, 2014, 09:26:34 AM
This bass has been sitting in the stand next to the PC so it has been getting a lot of use as I learn songs for my new band. Best 99 bucks I ever spent.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Highlander on May 01, 2014, 02:23:00 PM
That's silly money... 8)
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Granny Gremlin on May 02, 2014, 08:51:02 AM
Congrasts on the steal!.... is that neck joint plate backwards (i.e. is that 5th hole  a mount point for a strap pin)?
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: godofthunder on May 02, 2014, 08:59:53 AM
 That's for neck tilt adjusment.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Granny Gremlin on May 02, 2014, 01:56:54 PM
How is it that not all bolt on neck instruments have that - brilliant (do I ever hate making shims and trial error testing if they're thick enough).
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Dave W on May 03, 2014, 02:12:48 PM
How is it that not all bolt on neck instruments have that - brilliant (do I ever hate making shims and trial error testing if they're thick enough).

Probably because some builders think you get better contact with shims than with a tilt screw.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Granny Gremlin on May 04, 2014, 04:28:56 PM
I would have suspected that there was more too it than just a simple screw.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Dave W on May 04, 2014, 07:57:12 PM
I would have suspected that there was more too it than just a simple screw.

IIRC it's similar to the Fender micro-tilt. The screw bears against a metal plate in the neck. I haven't seen one up close in a long time though so I could be remembering wrong.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: 4stringer77 on May 04, 2014, 09:48:29 PM
It's a good feature and one that Leo championed at his last venture with G&L. The downfall was it's potential for making the necks susceptible to the dreaded ski jump when set ups were left to dunder headed owners or inept techs. Would rather have that type of set up than six bolts like the G&Ls have now. Nice hog P btw SD.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: dadagoboi on May 05, 2014, 04:53:59 AM
It's a good feature and one that Leo championed at his last venture with G&L.

It was first used on 3 bolt Fender necks introduced in 1972 ('micro tilt' along with the headstock truss rod adjuster).  Also the original Sting Rays ('76) and then the G&Ls.  IIRC it was something Fender came up with BEFORE the company was sold to CBS.

Actually works better with a three bolt because it's less likely to distort the neck due to excessive tightening of the screw(s) closest to the tilt adjuster.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Granny Gremlin on May 05, 2014, 11:02:09 AM
Good info guys; thanks.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Dave W on May 05, 2014, 12:06:48 PM
It's a good feature and one that Leo championed at his last venture with G&L. The downfall was it's potential for making the necks susceptible to the dreaded ski jump when set ups were left to dunder headed owners or inept techs. Would rather have that type of set up than six bolts like the G&Ls have now. Nice hog P btw SD.

I wasn't arguing against it, in the end it's just another way of getting the job done. It wouldn't be a deciding factor one way or another for me.

It did get somewhat of a bad rep in the 70s but that was more due to Fender's general QC problems than any fault of the micro-tilt.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: 4stringer77 on May 05, 2014, 01:19:08 PM
It's all good Dave. I didn't think you were arguing either. Found this (http://www.fender.com/news/what-is-micro-tilt/)
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: ack1961 on May 05, 2014, 02:09:50 PM
I've had 8 or 9 basses with the micro-tilt neck.  I've always liked the feature, but I've always been really conservative using it. If you need to crank that puppy, you've got bigger issues. It's a neat option.
Title: Re: NBD Mahogany body Peavey Patriot
Post by: Pilgrim on May 05, 2014, 02:46:03 PM
Looks pretty easy for anyone with basic machining capability to add to an existing neck plate. The biggest challenge would be to avoid screwing up the chrome plating on the plate itself.  The hole you drilled in the neck plate could be tapped to take a long set screw, and it would be easy to inset a metal slug into the base of the neck for the set screw to press against.

OTOH, how often would you ever need to make an adjustment?  Not very.