Hartley Peavey began building amplifiers, in 1965; the first real boost came when in 1968 when he saw a gap in the market for a portable PA system, and introduced the PA-3. Success continued with the Peavey Classic and Peavey Vintage amplifiers between 1972-1973, followed by the Peavey Bandit, which became the world's top-selling amplifier. 1976 saw the CS-800 power amp, and the first mass-produced electric guitars. Then followed Peavey's own range of loudspeakers, beginning with the Black Widow.
In the 1980s, Peavey began the foundations of a digital programme that continues to this day, and in 1984 introduced its first digital power amps, the DECA Series, which became the ultra-lightweight DPC Series. Benefiting from continued R&D in the digital domain, the company was well placed to take advantage of the rapid integration of audio and communications systems, which led to it setting up its Architectural Acoustics division in 1989.
In the '90s, expansion continued unabated. 1993 saw the opening of a pan-European distribution facility at the company's UK headquarters in Corby, and also the setting up of the MediaMatrix arm - now established as a well-known sound control system for large-scale installations worldwide.
In what was to be the saddest year for Hartley Peavey, his wife and business partner, Melia Peavey, died in 1998. "More than anybody else, she made Peavey what it is today," he says. Coming to terms with the new decade, having lost his wife, his father and his mother in a single year, Peavey was more determined than ever. The formation of PVDJ aimed to provide DJs with high quality, technically advanced products they could afford - such as the DAI, launched in 2004 - the first stable hardware and software package to allow DJs to loop digital audio and remix it in real time.
As Peavey enters its 40th year of production, Hartley, now happily remarried to Mary Peavey, who brings much to her role of company president, still has big plans - perhaps the biggest yet. He comments: "I am not, by any means, content with what we've achieved so far."
