ID used Peavey bass before buying

[Stysiaq]

Hi there

I am new to bass world and have a chance to pick up this bass for 200 USD used.


Described as almost mint condition with straight neck and fingerboard. New strings and freshly set up. Owner does not know much about it.
From reading TalkBass I guess this might be a Peavey Grind NTB but not sure. I read somewhre these bases where made out of mahoganny or imbuya wood but this one looks really light and pale to be made of these materials.
I am guessing this was made in Indonesia because of I at the beginning of serial number on the headstock?

If it is could someone advice what I should pay attention to before buying, potential flaws etc. Is 200 USD a good price for it assuming it is in fact in good condition. What potential extra costs I may expect to get it up to speed?
Thanks a lot for help!

 

[kodiakblair]

From reading TalkBass I guess this might be a Peavey Grind NTB but not sure.

Your guess is correct, it's a Grind NTB.

Answer to the materials question. About 20 different timbers get classed as 'mahogany'. A common one is Meranti (Philippine Mahogany), Meranti is split into 4 types white/yellow/light red/ dark red.

Imbuia also varies in colour.

If it is could someone advice what I should pay attention to before buying, potential flaws etc. Is 200 USD a good price for it assuming it is in fact in good condition. What potential extra costs I may expect to get it up to speed?

Most important thing is how the Grind feels in your hand. Borrow a strap and sling it round your neck, adjust the strap length ; you're looking for balance and comfort.

Any crackling from vol/tone pots should have been mentioned by the seller but if it has noisy pots simply rolling them back/forth clears any dirt.

Take a small Philips screwdriver with you and ask the seller to remove the TR cover, that way any misplaced screws or slips are on them You'll also want a 4mm hex key, all screws/nuts/washers etc on the Grind are metric. Look at the TR nut for any damage and that the 4mm key gets a bite. If a previous owner used an SAE 5/32, it's not a perfect fit and normally causes the TR nut to round out. Turn the TR nut l-r , just enough to see it moves.

Since the seller states there's fresh strings, there should not be any further outlay; that's assuming you already have a strap/ something to play through, cable and a bag to transport it in.

The Grind NTB was a massive seller for Peavey, production run lasted 4 times longer than most of their US models.

Good reason for that, it's a solid dependable bass

 

[TomB]

Your guess is correct, it's a Grind NTB.

Answer to the materials question. About 20 different timbers get classed as 'mahogany'. A common one is Meranti (Philippine Mahogany), Meranti is split into 4 types white/yellow/light red/ dark red.

Imbuia also varies in colour.

View attachment 4899748



Most important thing is how the Grind feels in your hand. Borrow a strap and sling it round your neck, adjust the strap length ; you're looking for balance and comfort.

Any crackling from vol/tone pots should have been mentioned by the seller but if it has noisy pots simply rolling them back/forth clears any dirt.

Take a small Philips screwdriver with you and ask the seller to remove the TR cover, that way any misplaced screws or slips are on them You'll also want a 4mm hex key, all screws/nuts/washers etc on the Grind are metric. Look at the TR nut for any damage and that the 4mm key gets a bite. If a previous owner used an SAE 5/32, it's not a perfect fit and normally causes the TR nut to round out. Turn the TR nut l-r , just enough to see it moves.

Since the seller states there's fresh strings, there should not be any further outlay; that's assuming you already have a strap/ something to play through, cable and a bag to transport it in.

The Grind NTB was a massive seller for Peavey, production run lasted 4 times longer than most of their US models.

Good reason for that, it's a solid dependable bass

My first reaction is “At that price you can’t go too far wrong”. Of course, I suppose I could be wrong .

 

[capnjagg]

At $200, as long as there’s no glaring/obvious issues, it should be a good bass. I tried one out in a shop years ago and the neck was outstanding. That shop also took good care to make sure all of their instruments were properly setup though, I even tried out a Squier Jazz that had a neck that felt and played nicer than the Fender I had at the time.

 

[kodiakblair]

My first reaction is “At that price you can’t go too far wrong”. Of course, I suppose I could be wrong .

Naw , you'd need to work some to go wrong

Only things that could go wrong are user error

I touched on how using the wrong key can strip the TR nut, mainly a USA issue since the rest of the world generally buys metric sets by default. The bridge is another area you sometimes hear about, seems if it doesn't resemble a Fender bridge folks disengage their brains

It's an easy bridge to set and adjust. Through body or top loading, 2 grub screws to raise/lower strings.

This little one locks the saddle block in place.

While this one you slacken, set intonation then tighten again.

 

[Stysiaq]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer and share knowledge! Highly appreciated

@kodiakblair
Wow, thank you so much for all the information and pics. This is amazing guidance and explanation. For someone who knows nothing about bases this is extremely helpful.

I hope the tr nut wouldn't be a problem cause im based in Europe but I'll check for sure.
I don't really have anything to check it through (not that i could play anything) but I'll check it in a shop.

I really like the look of this bass so i hope it will feel good in my hand.

Just a sanity check - I think i know this is not a jazz bass but is this a p-bass or something different altogether/versatile/in between?

 

[kodiakblair]

im based in Europe

Hello and welcome from a fellow European

I had no amplifier myself when starting out, I would rest the peghead against an empty cupboard door or hollow wall as the vibrations were louder than just the bass. Happy memories

If, as you suspect, this Grind is an Indonesian build then it came from a Samick factory. Samick are one of the world's biggest musical instrument builders; they know how to build basses

Is it a P, a J or something else?

I'd say 'something else' and all the better because of it. The world had more than enough jazz or P-bass copies, was a breath of fresh air to play something different.

I hope you find the Grind as pleasing in the hand as on the eye.

 

[Stysiaq]

@kodiakblair
I hope it's gonna be great in real life too!

I kept reading through some if your posts about Peavey and learnt you had 22+, talk about some love for the brand

I also saw a fair amount of comments where people complain about having to constantly adjust the neck? Is this your experience as welland does it depend on a year/model/wood used or something? Feels like something that would be very discouraging as a first bass experience.

Also was wondering if things like electronics or tuners can go bad after 15y+ (sellers said he bought it new 15y ago).
With all the quality harley bentons around at the same price range, not sure if it makes sense to buy a 15y old Peavey when i can get another beginners bass with guarantee etc.

Thanks for input!

 

[UNICORN BASS]

The earliest Grind's were made in Vietnam. I found these to be the best players but are weighty and their finish was iffy at times, especially the sanding around the neck to body. I remember the necks were always sublime to use even if the electronics weren't the most versatile. They seemed to really shine through a good amp though. Just my 10 cents worth.

 

[Stysiaq]

thanks man, i appreciate the input

 

[Stysiaq]

So i went to see the bass and got it for 140 usd.

Price went down cause of concave neck. I lack knowledge to judge on the spot if this can be fixed so i took a gamble. Bass was played sometimes but i guess no one maintained it.

There is about 5-6 mm distance between 3rd-4th fret and strings so i guess seller was very loose with the definition of "freshly set up".

Do you guys think this is something to fix or is this likely a paid lesson on how not to buy a bass?

Seemed electronics are in order. soundes fine through an amp.
Nut and acrews are all fine. Checked them all.

Thanks for your help, this forum is awesome.

 

[TomB]

So i went to see the bass and got it for 140 usd.

Price went down cause of concave neck. I lack knowledge to judge on the spot if this can be fixed so i took a gamble. Bass was played sometimes but i guess no one maintained it.

There is about 5-6 mm distance between 3rd-4th fret and strings so i guess seller was very loose with the definition of "freshly set up".

Do you guys think this is something to fix or is this likely a paid lesson on how not to buy a bass?

Seemed electronics are in order. soundes fine through an amp.
Nut and acrews are all fine. Checked them all.

Thanks for your help, this forum is awesome.

It can definitely be improved. How much is hard to tell from photos but surely it can be made playable. If you don’t know what to do next, consult one of the many resources about “set-up” both here at TB and elsewhere. If you’ve no wish to dabble, look around your area for a luthier. Keep in mind that a proper setup could cost half what you paid or more, depending on the details. Good score!

 

[kodiakblair]

Do you guys think this is something to fix or is this likely a paid lesson on how not to buy a bass?

That can be fixed easily, it just needs a proper set up.

Main problem is the saddle blocks are way too high. You lower those by slackening off the grub screws shown in the 1st and 2nd bridge photos I posted.

Congratulations on becoming one of the Peavey People

 

[Stysiaq]

Lovely, thanks for all the help )