Peavey Celebrates 60 years
Peavey® Electronics is celebrating its 60th anniversary! Six decades is a milestone for any business, but in the manufacturing of musical instruments and audio equipment, it is truly extraordinary. Six decades under one man’s leadership is on a whole other level. It’s not only impressive, it’s practically unprecedented. Hartley Peavey’s distinctive vision was the key that started it all in Meridian, Mississippi, and he’s the catalyst that keeps Peavey cruising ahead in the fast lane towards the future.
Hartley Peavey received his first patent for a unique speaker enclosure in 1964. However, it wasn’t until after graduating college that he founded Peavey Electronics Corporation in 1965. What started as a one-man shop above his father’s ex-music store grew into one of the largest independently owned manufacturers in the music and sound industry.
Hartley famously said, "In order to be better, by definition you must be different." Peavey’s unmatched history of innovation has continued since its beginning and has led to more than 180 patents being issued worldwide with new patents now in process. Peavey went from a one-man startup to a major manufacturer by adhering to Hartley’s prime directive: “top-notch gear at a fair price”. A significant number of aspiring artists, who might not have had the chance otherwise, were able to pursue performing careers thanks to the affordability and accessibility of Peavey gear. Long before the advent of the internet and easy access to everything from everywhere, Peavey was the brand that numerous professional artists, as well as those striving to become pros, trusted most.
It wasn’t just the artists that were directly impacted by the visions of Peavey. Hartley’s efforts changed how the whole industry operates. Peavey’s unique approach helped dealers and distributors around the world build businesses and thrive with fair pricing and innovative product solutions. This vision of collaboration is what has helped build Peavey into the global icon it is today.
Learning to play an instrument with a Peavey amp has almost become a “rite of passage”. But that wasn’t enough for Peavey. Always a leader in innovation, Peavey’s TransTube® technology released in 1982 changed how all quality solid-state guitar amplifiers sound and is still a “benchmark” to this day. Peavey’s roadworthy gear kept working musicians cranking up without breaking down. In garages across America, most bands started out with great performing and reliable Peavey amplifiers. Peavey’s established record of innovation provided top level performance at fair prices and provided professional performance to artists and groups at the highest level all the way down to beginners. As an example of this, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) revealed that one of Peavey’s smaller amps from the 1980s (the Decade) was “key” to the Queens’ sound. Decades went from a student amp to setting the second-hand amp market on fire! For this reason, Peavey will be releasing an updated version of this iconic little amplifier in 2025.
Peavey was the first to build electric guitars in the mid-'70s on CNC (computerized numerical control) equipment when others said it couldn’t be done. Today, most guitar manufacturers utilize the same methods that Peavey pioneered. Finding inspiration from firearms in the way they were precisely mass produced, Hartley correctly surmised that the same machine used to make gun stocks could make guitar necks and bodies. Peavey could produce them quickly and at a reduced cost. Peavey’s pioneering broke down barriers and kick-started the hot-rod guitar market of the awesome ’80s, opening the doors for a myriad of new guitar brands and artists alike. Peavey’s decades of experience have helped in developing high end professional gear and has resulted in its use by many iconic artists and bands.
Peavey led the charge in the evolution of power amplifiers, as the first company to break the “dollar per watt threshold” with the legendary CS 800. Peavey continues to break ground on the fronts of pure power and “bang for the buck”. Peavey’s revolution in power amp technology continued in 2010 with the introduction of IPR switching power amplifiers. IPRs utilized advanced class D designs that allowed Peavey engineers to dramatically reduce weight while increasing output power, reliability and thermal efficiency—starting at 2,000 watts at under 7 lbs., and just pennies per watt.
Hartley’s frustration with so-called high-end loudspeaker suppliers resulted in Peavey designing its own ranges of high-performance pro loudspeakers. Its Black Widow® and Scorpion® speakers have the feature of field replaceable baskets/voice coil assemblies. This exclusive feature enables the user to eliminate expensive and tedious reconing while preserving factory specifications.
Perhaps the biggest, but often unseen, Peavey innovation started in 1993 when its MediaMatrix® system revolutionized pro audio in large pro venues. MediaMatrix® was the first digitally configured and controlled audio networking system that is now utilized in over 10,000 commercial installations globally, including many international airports, casinos, cruise ships, and other large pro applications.
Far from its humble beginnings, Peavey is now one of the largest makers and suppliers of musical instruments, amplifiers, and professional audio systems in the world—distributing more than 2,000 products in 136 countries. Headline artists of all genres and pro audio installations use Peavey equipment.
Peavey is both proud and grateful for the support it has received from artists, dealers and end users for the past six decades. Peavey, in cooperation with its customers, has continued to find workable solutions for artists of all types in all situations at affordable prices. Whether you work in a club, auditorium, or church, Peavey is there for you. Music is a most rewarding activity, and a “gift” that continues to give for as long as we live.
The core values that Peavey was founded on 60 years ago are still intact today, and they will continue to be what drives this company both now and, in the future… simply put, “The party is still going on!”
To learn more about Peavey, please visit www.Peavey.com.
Visit Peavey at NAMM in Room 210A
About Peavey Electronics®
Founded in 1965, Peavey® is one of the world's largest manufacturers and suppliers of musical instruments and professional sound equipment. Peavey has earned more than 180 patents and distributes to more than 130 countries. Peavey and its MediaMatrix®, Architectural Acoustics®, Crest Audio®, Composite Acoustics®, Budda®, and Trace Elliot® brands and affiliates can be found on concert stages and in airports, stadiums, theme parks, and other venues around the world. Chief Operating Officer Courtland Gray says, “We are striving every day to produce the world’s finest music and audio equipment.”