Rosewood fretboard
with jumbo frets
19: 1 ratio tuners
Getting classic thrash and power-metal
tones was simple . . . I brought in more
midrange and panned to the bridge
pickup for a brash, Lemmy-type tone.
the treble, and brought in more midrange
to taste. Getting classic thrash and power-metal tones was simple, too: I brought in
more midrange and panned to the bridge
pickup for a brash, Lemmy-type tone.
Speaking of midrange, while the Void’s
EQ controls are voiced to cover a wide
range over their respective frequencies, the
Midrange control stood out as the most
useful and pleasant sounding of the bunch.
Peavey hit just the right range when voicing
this control. Even at its maximum settings, it
stayed just a hair away from being too nasal
or shrill, dishing out an array of midrange-infused snarl that was a blast to play with.
However, with 12 dB of boost and cut, I had
to be careful not to let the potent EQ knobs
distort the front end of the amp when they
got too close to being maxed out. Thankfully,
the tremendous range of the controls meant
there really wasn’t a need for extreme adjustments—minor nudges were all that were necessary to significantly shape the tone.
Feel the Noise
The Void’s feel took some getting used
to, mostly due to its large body and wide
neck. It’s a touch bulky whether standing
up or sitting down, and reaching for low
notes from the 5th fret down took a bit
more reach and effort than I’m used to.
The frets felt as if they were further away
than normal, requiring me to really stretch
when laying down grooves in the fretboard’s
lower territories. And putting that extra
effort into grabbing low notes while standing put some strain on my shoulder after
awhile. With all that said, most metal bassists wear their instruments low. And when
worn low, the neck is naturally raised higher
than the body, allowing easier access to that
part of the fretboard. It’s simply a different
body style that takes some getting used to.
The Void may be a stretch for bassists with
smaller statures, smaller hands, or a traditional stance—I’m right at 5' 11"—but for
bassists with a longer reach or those who
wear it low, it will fit quite nicely.
The Verdict
For rock and metal bassists who want the
grit and grind that modern heavy music
demands, the Peavey Void is a worthwhile
choice. Its impressive onboard EQ is simple
to use, and its humbuckers kick out assertive, aggressive tones with clarity. If you’re
in the market for a solid metal machine
that’s capable of grabbing the audience’s
attention both audibly and visually, it’s certainly worth checking out.
Rating:
Buy If...
you need cutting, aggressive
tones and a lot of tonal options
for rock and metal.
Skip If...
subdued, smoother tones are
your bag, or you prefer a more
compact body style that can
be worn high or low.
Peavey Electronics
Street $499
peavey.com
or use a mobile device to watch a
video review of the bass at
CLICKHere…
