Peavey Patriot Bass

USA Peavey Patriot Bass two-piece neck. 21 fret neck 4 string. cream color has been sanded to reveal tight wood grain on both the front and back. The re-finish looks good though. I think the bridge was replaced with a dinky little 4 saddle Fender style bridge. one volume one tone one Peavey 'super ferrite' pickup. Passive electronics, high output. P-bass style body. Exposed gear tuners. Very fast neck. $160 shipped from ebay with hardshell case. Not too many features, but the thing sounds great! This is a 'less is more' kind of instrument. So I give it a 10.

This thing, I kid you not, sounds like a Stingray! It has that springy Stingray sound. This bass is great for slap because of the pickup placement. I considered putting a different bridge on it, but I don't want to change the tone at all. I have played this through my vintabe GK 400b and it is a perfect match. The pots are not scratchy and I would use this instrument without a backup. I like it better than every post CBS Fender bass that I have ever played.

When it came in the mail, it needed a neck adjustment. After the adjustment, it sounded fine. No dead spots, no problems. I have not needed to move the pickup. The frets are still in great shape. the refinish is of no concern to me, it is not a collector's piece, it is a player! The pickguard screws are not original, I will eventually replace them. Peavey is good about that sort of thing. I wrote them a letter once back in 1994 asking them if they could send me some pickguard screws for my Fury bass and they sent them to me free of charge.

This thing is solid as a rock. I am probably gonna put better strap buttons on it. After the neck adjustment, I don't think that two-piece neck is going anywhere. I would gig with this bass but I always bring my Stingray 5 to every gig. From now on, I am leaving my vintage G&L at home. This is my new 4 string weapon of choice.

Peavey is the best company for customer service, ever.

I have been playing for 16 years. My first bass was a used Peavey Fury. For some stupid reason, I sold it. I bought this bass because I missed my Fury so much. This bass is a close second. I actually like some of the tonal nuances better than the Fury. The Fury was merely a P-bass clone, this bass is something more.

Got mine three weeks ogo as a project and took me untill today to find out what it was, It had been sanded down and no markings remained, I was convinced it was a jap made T-20 with the single pickup but made a little differently. What a relief!

E string needs some fine tuning, buzz on open A, I think the nut is cracked.

the frets seem to poke out of the side of the neck, If you play it too much it causes wear on your palm by your thumb.

refinished myself so I hope it lasts, I got 4 coats of poly on the body.

no warranty

I traded an old broken snowmobile for the bass, which I got for free!!!!

Mid 80s vintage Peavey. Made in USA with a 2 piece maple neck (many people think it's 1 piece but there is clearly a seam running down the center of the neck). Microtilt neck joint - NICE. Requires a Gibson-style 5/16" truss rod wrench - Fender-type hex wrenches will not work. Single V/T with the Super Ferrite pickup, common Fender-style bridge.

It's got everything a P-bass has plus the microtilt neck. +1 for that.

Very aggressive, very bright, very high output. I'm playing with DR Hi-Beams. I keep the tone knob at zero or under 2. Different strings would surely sound darker.

Overall I really like the sound, but being high output and very bright, beginners would probably struggle to sound good. Not a good first instrument, but if you're looking for a very aggressive bite that ranks up with a MM Stingray or the brightest of P-basses, this is a competitor.

Would not choose this bass for Motown or anything that needs a big low thump. However with flats it might be bright and fun to play with the necessary low end.

-1 for lacking versatility in sound, but +1 because I personally like the sound. It could easily be an unpopular sound.

This is a very well American made instrument and it shows. The body is contoured and very small, sorta like a US Masters bass. I love the pickup placement - out of the way for slap, but right under your fingertips for plucking.

The frets are quite small for a bass guitar, and I like this very much.

-1 because the headstock actually angles FORWARD a little bit, and as a result the A and E strings are loose behind the nut. If the strings are carefully wound, this is no problem, but otherwise you'll get a rattling sound when you play open E and A. Maybe after 20 years the headstock has warped?? It seems unlikely to me (the rest of the instrument is in excellent to like-new condition) but possible.

Overall - a little head dive, but an AWESOME neck shape and fretwork - P-bass style with small frets. I'm a BIG fan of this bass.

It's just like a P-bass in features. The tuners are partially enclosed. Never gig without a backup but I'm confident this could gig every weekend for a year without needing the backup.

No comment. I currently have mixed feelings about the Peavey corp.

20+ years of playing, experience in working bands, not a professional musician. I also own a MIA Fender PJ, a MIA G&L SB2, a Squier Tele, and have previously owned a MIM Jazz, plus a bunch of other stuff. Plenty to compare the Patriot against.

This is a real closet gem. They were sold as entry-level instruments and are little more than a P-bass in features, but they're very well made. Wrap your E and A string properly, practice up your funk, deal with a little head dive, and enjoy a real alternative to a Fender.

I got mine for $50 with a case, and the previous owner said it hadn't been played in 15 years. Cleaning out the attic. I like the high output, clear, solid tone. Value wise, one of the best instruments I've bought.

OK you read all the reviews you know what a Peavey Patriot is. It is a full size bass with minimal features. Mine is an '86 (from what I have heard Peavey only made this model for a few years from like 85-87 I think.)I bought it brand new as my first bass. I have since owned Fender and Ibanez, but I find I keep coming back to this one. Other bass players are blown away at how easy it plays and how great it sounds.It came with the case that will go through hell and come out unscathed!!!! Sure it has only 2 knobs, one volume, one tone, But you really don't need more. Huge Tuning pegs which hold the strings in tune for what seems like forever.

This is my favorite bass of the 4 I currently own(Fender Jazz Fretless,Fender 5 string P bass and an Ibanez SoundGear.)I play Hard Rock in one band and Blues in the other.....This bass handles both perfectly.I have also played Classic Rock,alternative, new rock and country(although I don't recommend this for Country)
I play through a GK now, but used a Peavey markIV head and 1X15 cab for years. two totally different rigs but this guitar sounds great through both. I wouldn't get rid of this guitar for anything. I have set it down for even a year or more over the past 20 years , but it is so easy to play I always come back to it.I was worried about it only having one pick up.... but this sigle pickup speaks for itself. but I find I have to adjust my amp settings when I use this one, where the other guitars all sound ok with out changing anything....but I think thats because I want this one to have a specific sound after all the years playing it.

I have never had a problem with the set up, right out of the factory it was good , but over the years I have tweaked it as needed. You really can't change anything for the pickup....but you really don't have too. The pick guard seems to all break right around the jack, nowhere else.(I have looked them up over the years and they all seem to have a cracked or broken guard in the same spot)The paint still looks new on mine after 20 years!!! Its freakin incredible!! I haven't always been overly protective of it either, and it is nicked and scratched , but after 20 years what would you expect. On thedown side CHANGE THE STRAP PEGS!! They are to small and dont actually hold a strap real well. New Strap Locks fixed that though.

I have played this out MANY times over the years and every new guitar I take on stage this has been the backup. It is the most dependable sounding guitar I have ever head.I don't take a back up when I use this one unless I m switching back and forth with the 5 string Fender.

Strangely enough I have never had to use Peaveys Customer Support for this or my head and Cabs!! Peavey is Solid stuff!!

I would without a doubt replace this with another one if it was ever stolen(I will not lose it though!! The one thing I don't like is my son is learning to play now(he's 10) and has decided to announce that WHEN I DIE, he wants this guitar!! I am actually looking to see if I can find him his own in a different color for a cheap price. There are a bunch on ebay at a steal of a price!! I realize this sounds like a to good to be true guitar , but I can't help it, I can't find anything thats really bad.

this is a usa-made bass mid 80s model 4 strings light weight ash body painted white well done black pick guard one pick-up schaller tuners one volume knob one tone knob sleek like ibanez soundgear which ibanez copied!

great stage bass for classic rock i use fender , crate & acoustic amps no effects i get some noise from pick-up but a swr amp will fix that someday (i hope!) sounds powerful & bright!-twice as much than my MIM fender p-bass!

this bass was bought second-hand but action is good the white finish is great no fading unlike my fender this bass is lite and well-balanced

this bass does not have that "throw-away" bic lighter vibe unlike its squier cousins good hardware solid finish nothing cheap about this bass last of its made in usa kind at a good price

ive used peavey amps with no problems in the past all were well-made but too heavy to move (yet heavy duty!) but everything peavey makes seems to cry "made with pride in the usa" so i hope for and expect the best dont knock em if you havent tried em! i havent had to call em yet

I love this axe! if lost or stolen would find another (already have!) and buy it its that good too bad peavey gets a second -rate status by those who are hung-up on "icon" brand name basses oh well thats their loss-we will see whos laughing 20 years from now when these no longer U.S.made under-rated axes get their due!

1987 Patriot, made in good old USA. 21 frets, 4 string. One volume knob, one tone...one peavey Super Ferrite soapbar-looking single coil pickup. Ash body (nice weight), 2 piece maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Black, with black triple ply pickguard, and matching black headstock. The finish is what sold me on this beast, it just looks badass. P-bass style body, but with its own character. Simple fender standard style bridge, SMOOTH 24:1 open gear tuners. 34in scale, awesome thin jazz bass type neck, really fast. Came with original peavey hardshell case that looks like it could get dropped off a cliff and be fine.

I play rock, metal, funk/blues-rock, and some progressive. This is where this bass shines. I bought this bass cause it was cheap and made in the USA, but the sound really suprised me. I would put it up against a USA Fender anyday. I was expecting a P-bass type sound, but it is very versatile. If you turn down the tone knob theres almost too much low end, turn it up all the way and you can get a bright Jazz bass type tone. The Super Ferrite is awesome and really hot for a passive pickup. Slaps great with some EQ-ing. I play through a Crate BX-160 combo, no effects. The bass is not noisy through a good quality amp, just a tiny bit of hum with the tone knob all the way up, but shit its a single coil...what did you expect! Besides, a little compression solves that.

Ok I ran into some trouble here...the action looked good when I got the bass, but it had light gauge strings on it that looked as old as the bass itself. So I put on my prefered string gauge (45-105) and the action went way high. So I go to adjust the truss rod and I find out I need a special wrench from Peavey. SO after much cursing I called Peavey parts department and to my delight they had the part in stock and I ordered one for a stupid cheap 5 bucks.

It took me like an hour to set the damn thing up. Theres a neck tilt adjustment that I find is more trouble than its worth. However once you finally dial in the action its right on the money. Im anal with my setups so thats probably why it was such a pain in the ass, but action and intonation are now flawless and it plays like a wet dream.

This bass can and will withstand hard live playing. First rate construction and built like a friggin tiger tank. Stays in tune forever. I havent gigged it yet but it holds up perfectly during hours long jams and practices. This bass will probably last longer than me. The finish has some dings and scratches cause its damn near 20 years old, but hey it gives character! Strap buttons look a little shady, the one on the top horn is at a weird angle, I wouldnt wanna play live without some straplocks as I get pretty animated at performances. Shouldnt need a setup for awhile but only time will tell. Would gig without a backup, with fresh strings that is.

Peavey customer support is the best in the buisiness. They had the part I was looking for, were able to tell me what year the bass was made with a simple E-mail, and I was able to download and print out the original owners manual off of their website! When its time for me to upgrade to a cab and head I plan to buy from Peavey.

Ive been playing about 4 years, I own a yamaha BB200 that is a good bass but the Peavey kicks it ass. If it was lost/stolen I would look for another old USA peavey, maybe the monster T-40. I got this bass cause it looked great, was made in the USA and inexpensive. I was NOT expecting it to be this good. Old USA peaveys are all over Ebay for really cheap because not alot of people know about them. You can get the quality of a USA Fender for about a third of the price.

I think is a USA made one, about 90'. It's 4 string n' 24 fret. Nice solid maple wood neck, plastic red finish. 1 tone and 1 volume nob only. One humbucker pickup. Huge machine-heads. Looks cool. Nice feel!

Nice rock guitar. Smooth at playing slow songs + hard metal one too. I use a 30W Vox amp and the guitar can really pack a punch! No fretbuzz and sounds nice and rich even on high bass setting. Nice full sound, clear and warm sound. Not alot of varity with the tone nob but nice sounds out of it anyway! Haven;t tried it on any amp bigger but would use it all the time, cool sounds!!

Nice set up. The actions good on it. One pickup up but nicely set up, i don't think it's ever been changed or moved. The grips around the tone and volume knob have come off but who cares?

Very reliable, tough as old nails! Never dints or scratchs. The finish is very durable. The strap buttons hold it perfectly. Very trustworthy. No need for a backup!!!!!

Never tried, not need to, don't want to!!

This is an amazing bass. the best one i've ever played with, the only one i actually own though, with great sounds, durablity, no faults and fun to play with, a good buy!

i think this was an 82 patriot but i dont know... usa made 23 frets... 4 string bass one volume one tone knob... and one super ferrite pickup... maple neck... in a solid black finish... i got it with the most durable hard case i have ever seen in my life.. not alot of features but i like them

i love this bass... i am mainly a slap player and this think has that thump that everyone looks for... i plug into a peave 50w amp or a crate 150w... the bass will play any sound you need...

everything with the action is still good to this day

4 words and 4 words only... MOST DURABILE BASS EVER!!!

never talked with customer support... dont need to with this bass

i love this bass and i wouldnt trade it for the world... the only flaw is that it is a 4 string... and i love 5 strings but if i had to play a 4 it would be this one

I just recently purchased this bass on eBay as a first bass (in 2003). It is probably a mid-to-late-80's production and probably made in the USA as all Peaveys were up until recently, even though it is not marked as being made in the USA anywhere but on the pickup. The bass is a standard full-scale 4-string with a very comfortable fretted P-style neck. Not too thick around, but the strings are all a good distance apart. Tuners are the elephant-ear style. Cool black headstock, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, and black body with black pickguard. Two controls (volume and tone) and single Peavey Super-Ferrite pickup. The bass came with a cheap used gig bag. The bass is not at all heavy -- it's actually lighter than the Peavey Foundation.

This bass has a great deep, rumbly, bass from hell sound that I just love. I'm playing through a screwed up old Ampeg G-100 guitar amp that my boyfriend used as a bass amp for years, but I've also played a Peavey Foundation and a Mexican Fender Jazz through the same amp and they're nowhere near as deep and rumbly. This bass suits my style (low-end saturated punk, influenced by Rudimentary Peni, Pere Ubu, Swans) perfectly. I have no idea why someone who doesn't like a sound like this would even be playing a bass. The bass isn't noisy at all, it's a nice clean rumble.

This bass is *very* used and obviously hasn't been too well taken care of. I don't know anything about it's history since I bought it on eBay, but the pickguard is completely warped from heat. The body is scratched and chipped. But amazingly, it's still completely playable, the neck is perfectly straight, and the action is fine.

The fact that this bass is not only still in one piece, but still in good shape with how much it seems to have been used over the past 15-20 years speaks for its reliability. From a distance this bass still looks brand new, even though it's black and therefore scratches and damage show up easier and even though the pickguard is completely shot. The problem with the strap falling off the buttons seems to be common with Peaveys. . .I've had this problem with the Foundation (which has the buttons in the same place) I was borrowing before. I would definetly depend on this bass and use it with no backup.

I've recently contacted Peavey to ask about getting a new pickguard but haven't yet recieved a reply. I have heard good things about Peavey customer support, though.

I honestly bought this bass since I wanted to get the cheapest P-style black bass I could find. It was $77 but I easily would have spend $100 more for it. I've been pleasantly surprised by everything about this bass. I have only been playing for a few months and learning on a Peavey Foundation which I didn't like as much due to the skinnier J-style neck. I originally intended just to play this until I destroyed it or had the money to buy something better, but I think I'll keep it for a long time. I recommend that any starting bassists without a lot of money buy a good used 80's Peavey. . .they're the best deal in their price range.

I got my Peavey Patriot in the early 90's but I think it was a late 80's production. It came with a standard maple or alder neck and Ok action with big clumsy tunners. It is passive and looks like a P bass with a lousy bridge.

Sound is nice and deep. I think its perfect for jazz or ska or rock. Not alot of high end but a aguilar outboard pre-amp fixes that problem. Full sounding with warm qualities. Used it for both live and studio. The supper Ferret pickup is a little noisy but a good quality amp like SWR will resolve that.

The action was no good. However, I have just changed the neck to a Carvin fretless and now it plays like a dream. The wood in the body is exotic paduk a very nice red/dark wood. This is the best quality of the bass. Now with the new carvin neck the action is awesome.

Like every one say's, the thing is a tank. Does not get out of tune easily. Very heavy..... and ya the strap buttons are not that good. The strap can easily fall. I have no problem using this as my all purpose bass.

I got the bass from a friend who got it from a friend who heard it was messing around.

If you have any of the exotic wood models like Paduk or KOA then your in luck. The body is nice. I replaced the neck with a carvin fretless and the bridge to a gotoch standard string through body conversion. In my opion if you have a model with nice body wood then you got something you can work with and make a nice clone. The black pickguard it kind of ugly but I've seen worst. Definetly a workable bass.