PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS

  • Peavey Predator Plus (1999-2002) electric guitar
    Peavey Predator Plus (1999-2002)

Overview

Brand name: 

Product: 

  • electric guitars

Series name: 

Variant of: 

Dates of manufacture: 

1999 to 2002

PEAVEY produced the PREDATOR PLUS between 1999 and 2002. The design was a combination of stratocaster and Wolfgang.  The Peavey Predator Plus had a short 3-on-a-side headstock with ergonomic tuner placement and straight string pull.  To balance up the reduced neck weight, the solid poplar body was styled for better ergonomics and balance by reducing the length of the lower body horn. Other features included:

  • Wide top pole piece single coil pickups for bigger string window with more focus
  • Bridge humbucker with coil tap in 2nd position
  • Five-way pickup selector (hum cancelling in bridge, 2nd and 4th position)
  • Power Bend III tremolo bridge, with large diameter tremolo arm
  • Schaller™ locking tuners
  • Master volume and tone controls

In addition to the standard HSS Predator Plus model with rosewood fingerboard there were other Predator Plus variants available from 1999-2002 including the Predator Plus left handed, the HB (with two humbuckers), a 7 string model and Maple Neck model..

Specifications (19)

Controls

Pickup selector controls5-way selector switch
Tone controls1 tone control
Volume controls1 volume control

Electronics

Pickups configuration2 single coil pickups and 1 humbucker pickup

General

Finish colorsblack finish, blue finish, red finish, titanium finish
Finish effectsmetallic finish, sunburst finish
Made inKorea, Vietnam
Number of strings6 strings
Scale length25.5 inches scale-length

Body

Body materialpoplar body
Body shape featuresdouble cutaway
Pickguard materialpearloid pickguard

Hardware

BridgePower Bend III tremolo
Hardware colorchrome hardware
TunersSchaller locking tuners

Neck

Neck jointbolt on neck
Neck materialmaple neck
Number of frets21 fret
Tuner layoutthree-each-side

Prices (16)

DatePriceConditionNameComments
2014£80excellent
2015$75wornDavid J. PogoffRequired $116 in repair. Replaced pickup selector switch and output jack. Found new tremolo bar since it was missing. Repaired broken wood inside back tremolo cover.
2017$160excellentCame with 15 watt amp.
2017$125excellentRob in KCExcellent guitar i got on a trade and ended up with $125 in value in the guitar. I ended up having the Tone Control converted to a blend knob and put a SH4-JB in the bridge to spice it up.. The feel of this guitar is AMAZING, the neck compares to my Hamer Daytona and my Fender Johnny Marr.. I love it.. I was going to buy it for my niece until i realized what find it was. Thats when i decided to do the upgrades.
2001$250new
2002$95excellent
2003$850excellent
2017£70excellentgarybest gutiar ive used. haveing tried gibson/fender ect this is magic number 00120379
2017£70excellentgarybest gutiar ive used. haveing tried gibson/fender ect this is magic number 00120379
2002$350excellent
2017kr1000goodSofusNever regretted buying this. And for this price its a steal.
2017$00720223good
2018$50goodsg
2002€800good
2017$25poor
2017$76goodENExcellent and very solid guitar, it sounds much much better than I expected. Have Gover locking tuners in mine.

Reviews (7)

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by Sofus

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
What can one say other than, this is a gem. It has the best sounding singlecoil strat pickups i have ever heard. I have tried to sell it for a "better" guitar, but always ended up thanking no to new strats and finally figured out that I have the Strat right here. Its easy to stand with and the locking tuners work like a charm. Only thing i miss is a stable tremolo, but this goes for almost all fender guitars as well. If you find one, get it, if not for you, then a friend or you kid(s).

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by MICHAEL G.

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
This guitar is my main axe! I found it in a pawn shop around 2004 or so. I didn't purchase it because of the puck ups, it was the neck that I fell in love with. The speed and action plus the price! EXCELLENT ! I used the stock pick ups for years before I modded. IF YOU SEE ONE GET IT . You won't be disappointed.

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by Doug in VA

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Black/white and in excellent to mint shape. Missing 1 chrome tuner lock knob and the rear tremolo plate and that is all ! It was used and with a padded 'bass guitar' bag brand new at a SamAsh and was $99. I found Schaller made the locking tuners and a lock knob will cost maybe $10 and a cover plate maybe 8-15 dollars. I have to locate a trem bar, if desired, but the bridge is unusually well chromed with rectangle solid saddles. Top notch in every way and basically free of any dents, chips, scrapes ...anywhere ! If you find one, it is one of those real killer deals and the bridge humbucker would be easily replaced with a used Duncan or Fralin at very reduced cost.

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by H West

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Great guitar fast action great sound been my go to guitar for over 10 years would not part with it

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by Anonymous

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Owned mine for 17 years. Plays as good as any. Aminimum of doctoring and up with the best . Have owned and played all top of range guits ,but this one is forever . It really is that good. Just picked up another one. So made up.

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by Terry H

5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
For a so called inexpensive guitar it is quite surprising. Fit and finish is excellent, pickups are very responsive, neck is fantastic, satin finish and, FAST, super comfortable to play it is thinner than most of all the other guitars that I own. Schaller locking tuners are Great, Trem is not a cheap made unit, 2 screw mount and, hardware used on it is heavy duty. Mine has the transparent Red finish with white pearloid pickguard and, it is beautiful to say the least. Very balanced with a strap, no neck dive. I have adjusted the action extremely low and, no fret buzz. The headstock is in the Wolfgang design, really cool looking. These guitars are hard to find but, if you come across one grab it immediately B4 it's gone. There's a reason why you don't see very many of these out in the market and, it's not because that not many of these were made. Guitar players love them and, they are not turning them loose.

PEAVEY PREDATOR PLUS reviewed by Anonymous

4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
An excellent playing guitar with great Strat tones and really good humbucker tones in the bridge and combined.

Gallery (0)

Players (0)

4 Comments

Great guitar, if you can find it.

Unlike most of the Predator series, which are essentially strat copies, the Predator Plus was a rather unique "fat strat" that was styled after the Peavey Wolfgang.  While it doesn't match the features of it's more expensive cousin, it's a significant upgrade from the base-line Predator guitars.

It features a Fender-style knife tremolo bridge with locking tuners, H-S-S pickups, and is wired with a single master volume and a single master tone knob.  All had translucent finishes (in sunburst, cherry red, or apple green) and white pearloid pickguards.  The neck is quite thin compared to a Stratocaster.

Most (all the ones I've seen) were made in Korea, though it's been reported that the last few batches were made in Vietnam before the line was discontinued.  The Korean models are said to be generally better-made. 

The single-coil neck & middle pickup provide a luscious strat sound, but if you are picky about tone, the humbucker leaves a bit to be desired.  I highly recommend swapping in the bridge humbucker of your choice, which in my case is the Seymour Duncan JB.

These guitars don't seem to have a lot of collector value, but they also don't show up on the market very often because most owners tend to hang on to them.  If you have the opportunity to get one for around the price of a Mexican Fender, jump on it.

Very nice guitar.

Just picked one up for 120 bucks at a used music store and it is truly an awesome lil' axe. Like a Strat on serios steroids and stays in tune great thanks to the locking tuners. Great action and sound, although I agree the humbucker sounds more warm than hot. It just moved to my main guitar, just ahead of my Ibanez rt-450, which in itself is a really good guitar.

Great Guitar

      I have one of these in transparent red and, it is really a great instrument. Fantastic features in an instrument in this price range. To bad they are not made anymore. If you can locate one I would definately jump on it. Great sound, looks, and, playability, probably the best feeling neck on any guitar that I own.

Peavey Predator Plus (Fat Strat)

I bought (literally) the dirtiest, dust ridden guitar at the local Goodwill of all places. Even though I couldn't tell what it was, the $40 price tag along with a vintage early '80s amplifier thrown in was a no brainer! For the past few years, I've made quite a bit of money buying and refurbishing instruments on the side. I immediately took it home, wiped off the dust and cleaned up the contact points and all that good stuff, I had one of these. I was not familiar with the particular guitar, which is super rare, but I liked the Fat Strat feel and the weight /neck. I decided to give her a go, and I immediately became hooked to this amazing guitar! I say this because I have in my personal collection a '63 ES-335, a' 67 Danelecro Longhorn 12 string, and quite a few guitars my late father acquired from years of running a pawn shop. With all of those goodies at my fingertips, this Peavey is my go-to guitar now. I couldn't have asked for a better axe, and to think...! She found ME!