The Incredible Peavey T-60 Solid Body Guitar

In 1978, as a high school sophomore, I begged my parents for a solid body guitar. I had always respected Peavey for their great amps so petitioned them for this new product, the T-60.

I remember the price tag was $300 and this was a considerable amount back then... probably a bit more than a good week's pay for a well paid parent. They took the chance and got it for my birthday. I played that guitar hard and solid for 16 years, but reluctantly sold it to pay bills in 1994. The music store I sold it to was almost completely unfamiliar with the guitar (which was the love of my musical life.)

Now they are commanding big money on ebay and are finally getting the respect they deserve. They were heavy and didn't give you tons of tone options. However the actual sound, action and quality of build was well, well beyond anything out there for even twice the money.

When I have a few bucks, I will buy the best representative of that guitar I can find. Man, I loved that guitar!

Some interesting stuff about the T-60...looks to be a pretty cool guitar.

I had the natural wood model.

Believe it or not, I used it primarily for Jazz. I eventually bought an X-170 which I accidentally ruined by storing in a house heated by a wood stove.

The Peavey T-60 was versatile and the sound was warm and very controllable, but it could scream if you needed it to. I understand that this guitar is now showing up in country session play and this is driving the cost up.

If you're a collector, I recommend grabbing one while their still around the $1,000 mark and holding on to it. If you can bear to sell it 15 years from now, it will bring huge money.

Yeah, I remember the T-60. Almost bought one when I was looking for my first good electric, back in the late seventies.
It was a close call between the T-60, a Japanese Washburn Falcon, a Guild M80 and an S300-D.
I ended up with the S300-D. (Not the one I have now, like you I once had to sell guitars to pay bills)

beinhard

I have an old Peavey Preditor...like a Strat...USA model...5 way switch, rails in the bridge...close your eyes and .....its a Strat... great bargain guitar too. Steffan

I had a natural finish T-60 that I bought new around 1979, but let it go dirt cheap in 1983...just couldn't pick up the knack of playing lead, like I thought I could....now, how I wish I had kept that axe....

They're out there cheap. As soon as I finish paying for the restoration on my X-500 I think I'll be saving for one.

Which T-60s are commanding big bucks? I see there are a bunch on ebay for around 400 bucks.

Sounds to me like somebody's trolling to drive T-60 prices up.

They are outstanding guitars with unique qualities, but most in good condition go for $300-$400, unless they have an unusual factory finish or color. I got my natural finish T-60 with OHSC from a guy in the Atlanta area for about $350 six or seven years ago. Like Guilds, they are somewhat undervalued, but they are not $1,000 guitars in the current market.

FNG said:

Which T-60s are commanding big bucks? I see there are a bunch on ebay for around 400 bucks.

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Generally, the sunbursts get the bigger money, as do the ones with rosewood fretboards. But you can definitely find a decent one for under $300 if you are patient. Before I became hooked on Guild solidbodies, I used to have a number of Peaveys, including four T-60s. Without question the most underrated American made guitars.



Something I might add. The T-60 has the innovative coil-splitting pickups (turn the tone knob up from 7 to 10 to get single coil flavors, from 7 down to 0 for humbucking tones), a phase-selector switch and the 25.5-inch scale neck. But if you prefer the Gibsonesque 24.75-inch scale neck, the T-25 and T-27 models sport that scale, and also have the coil-splitting pickups but no phase switch. The T-25 has two humbuckers and the T-27 has two single coils and a coil-splittable humbucker.

T-25s and T-27s run cheaper than T-60s.

And in case you're wondering (top row, left to right: '79 T-60, '82 T-15, '82 T-60, '82 T-27, '82 T-25, '83 T-60, '83 T-25, '83 T-60, '84 T-25 Special, '86 Falcon, '94 Impact Milano, '98 Cropper Classic)

I have now seen a few in the $400 range. This is good news for buyers. Here's one for $900.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1979-T-60-Peavey-/400192007588?pt=Guitar&hash=item5d2d4d6da4#ht_1517wt_907