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**SOLD** Vintage 1978/9 Peavey Mark III Amp **SOLD**


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[b]SOLD[/b]

Hi Folks,

Well, my summer clearout continues and up for sale is this [b]1978 Peavey Mark III head[/b] which I bought from barneyg42 in May. As I've said many times on Basschat, I really rate these old [b]Peavey[/b] heads ( I have two of them as you can see below) though they are very, very unfashionable and very heavy!! But there's a real [b]old-skool charm[/b] to them in my opinion and if like me, you like to have [b]two channels[/b] for different basses in gig situations and you like a warmer, less 'hi-fi' tone, , then these are just great for achieving that on a budget!

[attachment=29943:Jul_28_2009_001.jpg] [attachment=29944:Jul_28_2009_002.jpg] [attachment=29945:Jul_28_2009_003.jpg]

Here's what barneyg had to say about this amp in particular..

[size=2][i]Big old Peavey lump in great working order and fantastic condition, sounds as loud as it looks. According to the manual (have got a photocopy) it's 210watt 4ohms and 300watt 2ohms although the volume seems to far exceed these specs. Has a lot of tone shaping, 2 channels, one of which has parametric mid and the other standard bass middle treble plus the 6-band graphic which can be switched in or out of either channel. Also has compression switch which lights up when clipping is happening although it has such good headroom I've never seen it kick in! Active/passive inputs on both channels plus it also comes with the Automix A/B and combiner foot switch. Plug into the Automix input and you can switch channels or even combine the two. Looking at the back it looks to be a converted US model but this makes no difference to the sound at all, silent operation. Can also be bi-amped. I've had this since about August last year and in my hands it has only been rehearsed once a week and the usual bedroom noodling! Have moved on to Hartke hence the sale. Retro but functional. Having two channels is a hoot. You can even overdrive one and blend the master on it in to grunge it up a bit. I had it set up for a fretless and a five string and one click on the footswitch and the sound is changed.[/i][/size]

I was testing it out earlier today whilst setting up to take the photos and I tried it running [b]both channels simultaneously[/b], and that sounded absolutely monstrous with my Fender Jazz V string.. Plenty of power and lots of tonal options too. To be fair though, I think it was bass_ferret who said that [b]Peavey[/b] amps always sound like a [b]Peavey[/b] and I guess that's kind of true..but maybe that's not such a bad thing if you like that sound (which I do).. By the way, it puts out [b]210 watts[/b] at [b]4 ohm[/b]s and [b]300 watts[/b] at [b]2 ohms[/b] but i'm not sure what it does at [b]8 ohms[/b] tbh? You can see here below the [b]modification [/b]that barney was referring to.. And you can also see this [b]1978 Mark III[/b] model next to the 1982 Mark IV model that I'll be keeping and, in fact, this one is in [b]much better condition![/b]

[attachment=29946:Barney_pic_1.jpg] [attachment=29947:Jul_09_041.jpg]

Anyway, suffice to say that I hope this will appeal to someone here and if not, then it'll be put up for auction on Evil Bay which would be a shame as it'd be nice to see this stay within the BC family.. Any questions, please feel free to send me a [b]PM[/b] or ask away here and I'll do my best to answer them.. This is [b]heavy[/b], so postage isn't really an economic option but if required, I will be more than happy to ship it! Oh, and if you'd like to come and [b]hear it in action,[/b] then please do..

Thanks for looking!

Nik

Edited by silverfoxnik
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[quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='555898' date='Jul 30 2009, 09:49 AM']I've got the Mk VI - great sound and as you say, loud as hell, especially at 2 Ohms![/quote]
+1

I always remember the first gig I did with my band 3 years ago and I had one of these heads plus an unbranded 1x15 cab and our guitarist (who's very much into his 'gear' and knows his stuff) looked at my set up as if to say 'you're joking' aren't you, especially as the previous bass player had a Little Mark head! To be fair to him, afterwards, he came up to me and complimented me on the sound, which was pretty good of him!

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I bought a single-channel MkIII head for £50, off a BCer a few months back, just as a stopgap. It's only meant to be 150 watts & I thought it would do for practice etc until I got something beefier. 3 months on and I'm not in any way motivated to "upgrade" - it's a loud (read [i]really f*cking[/i] loud) robust, reliable little brute, and sounds the business through my old Peavey 1x15 Black Widow box - I honestly think they were separated at birth.

These are, in their way, a bit like Westone basses, which are being discussed elsewhere - never flavour of the month but well-made, perform well, bomb-proof & last for ever. Look how many are still going strong, 30-odd years on.

Jon.

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='555960' date='Jul 30 2009, 10:47 AM']I bought a single-channel MkIII head for £50, off a BCer a few months back, just as a stopgap. It's only meant to be 150 watts & I thought it would do for practice etc until I got something beefier. 3 months on and I'm not in any way motivated to "upgrade" - it's a loud (read [i]really f*cking[/i] loud) robust, reliable little brute, and sounds the business through my old Peavey 1x15 Black Widow box - I honestly think they were separated at birth.

These are, in their way, a bit like Westone basses, which are being discussed elsewhere - never flavour of the month but well-made, perform well, bomb-proof & last for ever. Look how many are still going strong, 30-odd years on.

Jon.[/quote]
+1

It is amazing how much of this stuff is still going strong.. even more so when you consider these heads were pretty much a standard piece of kit for bass players in so many rehearsal rooms across the country 25 years ago.. If they can survive that kind of punishment, then they can pretty much cope with anything!

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