Current state of Peavey Parts Department

[Leo_Gnardo]

I know, Enzo's told us numerous times "just call 'em up, they're fast, friendly, easy to deal with."

Recently I was given a defunct Triumph 60 head to revive. Everything looks OK, except the power transformer has an open primary winding. So, it's terminally kaput. Google led me to Reverb, and Reverb showed me two PT's that had been pried from junked Triumph 60's, excellent prices, BUT "sorry, this item has been sold." So off to Peavey I went. An email inquiry got a response a day later (no complaint about response time ... yet) indeed p/n 70518718 is available, "limited stock". Well I only need one so let's get on with it. At Peavey, so I understand, standard practice is they take parts orders only by phone. A couple weeks, and a couple phone calls later, I have yet to receive a response. So, I'm wondering if any of you MEFsters have encountered the same at Peavey's apparently moribund parts department in recent times. It is especially vexing to hear the item is in the warehouse, but nobody's there to handle the business of selling it.

Of course if anybody here happens to have one of those transformers I sure would like to hear about it.

And one smart way of fixing the problem is closed to me. The customer doesn't want a replacement, he wants his repaired. Meanwhile there's a Trumph 60 head available on Reverb for $270 plus $50 shipping. No... that would be too simple a solution. And likely cheaper than the repair would be. Phooey.

[The Dude]

I haven't had the need for any Peavey parts for quite a while, so can't comment on your situation. I have emailed Grant a few times in the past year for documentation. Recent emails were returned by someone other than Grant. They were still very helpful, but I wonder about Grant. He was always awesome to deal with- friendly, prompt, and very knowledgeable. I hope he's ok.

[drewl]

Wait, so can't you buy the one and swap the trans?

[The Dude]

He probably could if he wanted to spend $320 just to pull the transformer.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Wait, so can't you buy the one and swap the trans?

Mmm.. now there's an idea. $320 for the working amp, plus extra labor for unassing the PT from the working amp besides whatever else needs to be done to fix the demised amp. I'll run it past the amp's owner, maybe he'll go for it. Nothing else makes sense, why should this?

FWIW Peavey's quoted price for the PT is $129.99 . I'm sure shipping will be extra, figure around $30.

From here on in, I may refuse to work on any Peaveys that I can't fix with generic parts.

[The Dude]

You could pop the end bells and see if it might be just a thermal one shot fuse that needs replacing?

[Enzo]

Peavey used to be tops all around. Now especially after COVID, they have fallen apart. And Mississippi is the lowest or at least in the bottom five of state vaccination rates. I think also part of it is Hartley is not steering the ship on a daily basis any longer. The guy is 80 years old.

How many folks they have on the job I don't know. I do know the best time to call is right when they open in the morning, they are on Central Time.

I'm actually surprised they still have the transformer for that 30+ year old amp.

Grant was a good guy, he did me a few favors and I did one for him even. But he is like the department head or some such, not a line employee.


And I agree, the transformer has to come out anyway, so take the bells off and see if it isn't just a blown thermal fuse.

[Jon Snell]

It must ba a localised issue. Here in the UK spares are plentiful through the main dealership and as there are no more specifically manufactured parts, most everything is obtainable through the usual trusted sources, RS, Farnel. CPC or Mouser to name a few.
Older spares become obsolescent after 5 or so years and obsolete after 7 years so transformers can be rewound if required or there are spares to be had if you deem it a worthwhile repair.

[Leo_Gnardo]

You could pop the end bells and see if it might be just a thermal one shot fuse that needs replacing?

I thought of that - this is one of those Peavey transformers that has a big weld running across the lams, including the bells. Base welded on too, with a bead securing the bells and lams to a thick steel base as well. It's clear they don't want anybody to get inside. Yes, I s'pose I could maul it with a big cold chisel and sledge. Then what do I do with that smashed, bent mess when it come time for reassembly... Built like the brick outhouse, heck even tougher.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Peavey used to be tops all around. Now especially after COVID, they have fallen apart. And Mississippi is the lowest or at least in the bottom five of state vaccination rates. I think also part of it is Hartley is not steering the ship on a daily basis any longer. The guy is 80 years old.

How many folks they have on the job I don't know. I do know the best time to call is right when they open in the morning, they are on Central Time.

I'm actually surprised they still have the transformer for that 30+ year old amp.

Grant was a good guy, he did me a few favors and I did one for him even. But he is like the department head or some such, not a line employee.


And I agree, the transformer has to come out anyway, so take the bells off and see if it isn't just a blown thermal fuse.

I've called various times of day, all I get is a recorded message. The speaker on the message identifies himself as Roger Cran(?) .

My understanding is that son-of-Hartley is steering the ship, sort of. Maybe like the guy that drove the Exxon Valdez. Also, the archipelago of manufacturing plants in Mississippi is long since shut down, employees numbering 15,000 out of work. Work's done in China now. I expect all that's left in USA is an office and warehouse. As they say deep in Dixie, "sic transit gloria." Ha - no they don't...

[mikeydee77]

Peavey parts supply in the UK used to be amongst the best. First name terms with the staff... looking around warehouse for hard to find parts and then low prices...

Contrast that with today and https://spares.bandm.co.uk/peavey.html

Here we find pots for like £7.

Such a shame for repairers

[TomCarlos]

Who saw the episode of Undercover Boss with Courtland Gray, Chief Operating Officer and heir-to-the-throne of Peavey Electronics? It aired back in 2015 (give or take). That episode of UB painted a grim forecast for Peavey. The company took a real dive since Hartley handed the company to Junior - I believe Courtland is Hartley's step son.

Pre Covid, I wrote to Customer Service several times and even called, only to get a recorded message. I gave up.

[DrGonz78]

I had to think of the last time I called Peavey for a parts order. It was back around April 2019. Got a woman on the phone and ordered up all my parts. So sometime after that things had to have gone down hill. It’s a shame really.

[nosaj]

Who saw the episode of Undercover Boss with Courtland Gray, Chief Operating Officer and heir-to-the-throne of Peavey Electronics? It aired back in 2015 (give or take). That episode of UB painted a grim forecast for Peavey. The company took a real dive since Hartley handed the company to Junior - I believe Courtland is Hartley's step son.

Pre Covid, I wrote to Customer Service several times and even called, only to get a recorded message. I gave up.

Yea I saw that sort of screwed that one worker they talked into staying just to let him go. Put a bad taste in my mouth as far as current peavey stuff. But it is the global economy an you have to do what you have to do . But the promise they gave that guy was just a bit much. My wife watched it with me and thought it was really wrong also.
nosaj

[Leo_Gnardo]

But it is the global economy an you have to do what you have to do .

Yes, my attention was drawn to those Undercover Boss episodes, and l'affaire Peavey left a - very negative - impression on me. Jump to the current day, if they're not going to support their products, then I'm going to consider Peavey and the companies they own as making disposable items. And I won't waste my time trying to fix them. Neither will I recommend them. In fact, I will recommend avoiding them entirely. It's the global economy and I do what I have to do. Not that it will make any difference, I'm sure Poppa Peavey and Junior have enough wealth to last a thousand lifetimes. Good for them.