NAD - Peavey TKO65

nickpc

nickpc

Jul 23, 2012
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#1
So new to me, at least (looks like an '83 - that makes it 38 years old!!):

View attachment 4317797

I've needed something bigger than my Peavey Minx 110 for a while, and this TKO 65 came up on CL.

First impression - the 65 in the name is the weight, right? And it's BIG, at least for me. "The Cult - Love" is there for a size reference for a friend. My Roland Bass Micro Cube looks "cute" peeking out from behind.

Second impression - this thing is LOUD! And quite clear. Definitely has more of a Rock sound to it (which is what I wanted). The different settings on my T40 came through nicely, you can tell you've changed things on the bass (I've played through a few combos where you couldn't really tell you'd made adjustments) and my Fender P sounds like a P should sound through it. I'll try out my T20 tonight - I'm expecting to be pleased with that as well.

Getting the pre-amp into overdrive isn't too hard to do, but getting the pre-Gain up enough to so required dropping the post-gain to almost nothing - I mentioned this thing is LOUD and I had to set the post-gain below 1 to have the pre-gain at 9 and have it at a tolerable volume.

The previous owner kept it nice and clean, the tolex is in great shape, and all the knobs work as they should. There is some pitting on the chrome corners, but that's not unexpected.
 
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#3
Riff Ranger said:
Sounds like fun, but I can’t see the photograph (just an error message). I never get tired of looking at old Peavey gear, so I hope you can straighten that out.
Click to expand...

Not sure how I pulled that off! Let's try here again:

64666118096__D5A3B22D-97FE-493B-ACB9-89A94B644F21.jpg
 
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#4
nickpc said:
Not sure how I pulled that off! Let's try here again:

View attachment 4317930
Click to expand...
There we go! That is the TKO right there, with the semi parametric mid controls and what looks like a 15” Black Widow :cool: I have an older one and a newer one, both pretty good, but I really should just track down one of those, or the equivalent TNT, or just get my Mark IV head some TLC. That looks sharp and shiny and I bet it rocks with any of those instruments you listed :thumbsup: score!
 
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#6
As good as the T40 sounds through it, I'd have to say it was designed to pair with the T20. My Foundation isn't quite as good - I like the T40 through it better - but there's something about that Super Ferrite pickup, at that location, on the T20 that just sings with this amp.

I just realized I haven't plugged my Sadowsky into it yet - something to fix on my lunch break!
 
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#7
Peavey bass amps from the late 70’s - early 90’s are some of the best amps ever made imo. Punchy, uncolored, clear and LOUD. Pedals sound great through them. I played a Mark IV paired with a 2X15 BW from 91’ until the early 2000’s. Still regret selling it. Had the same Minx as you for a bedroom amp.
I currently rock a Combo 300. Any volume past 2 will shake the entire house.
Congrats on an awesome score!
 
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#8
blacktocomm said:
Peavey bass amps from the late 70’s - early 90’s are some of the best amps ever made imo. Punchy, uncolored, clear and LOUD. Pedals sound great through them. I played a Mark IV paired with a 2X15 BW from 91’ until the early 2000’s. Still regret selling it. Had the same Minx as you for a bedroom amp.
I currently rock a Combo 300. Any volume past 2 will shake the entire house.
Congrats on an awesome score!
Click to expand...
Peavey Mark III into Ampeg 2x15 will always be the rig that I’ll scratch my head about moving along. I was a teenager, and went to a GK 800RB, but still.
 
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#9
nickpc said:
As good as the T40 sounds through it, I'd have to say it was designed to pair with the T20. My Foundation isn't quite as good - I like the T40 through it better - but there's something about that Super Ferrite pickup, at that location, on the T20 that just sings with this amp.

I just realized I haven't plugged my Sadowsky into it yet - something to fix on my lunch break!
Click to expand...
Your NAD inspired me to see how my ‘84 Fury, essentially a T-20 with a slimmed down body, sounded through my older TKO80 (I’m in the middle of Oregon’s blistering heat wave and don’t spend much time in the garage right now). Yes, that Super Ferrite pickup and that amp were literally made for each other. And I might have even fixed my Mark IV!
 
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#11
That was my first amp back in ‘84 or ‘85. Bulletproof, great tone, and surprisingly loud.

In the early ‘90s I sold it to fund an SWR Workingman’s 12 combo … which sounded like crap and had less usable volume. Live and learn.
 
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