PRO AUDIO
The “Peavey Monitor” podcast returns with a brand-new episode featuring another key player and personality behind Peavey Electronics® products. On Episode 4, General Manager Fred Poole sits down with Freddie Eaves, Supervisor, PC Board Operations, to discuss the magic behind Peavey products, and to reminisce about a time when circuit boards were designed without the use of computers. Eaves shares some of the fundamentals he’s learned along the way, and reflects on Peavey’s evolution over the past 36 years he’s worked for the company.
It’s one thing to have an idea, but it’s an entirely different thing to take an idea and turn it into a reality that solves a problem in the music industry. Problem solving in pursuit of better products is exactly what Freddie Eaves has done during his nearly four-decade tenure at Peavey Electronics. When Eaves arrived at the company in 1983, CEO Hartley Peavey and Chief Engineer Jack Sondermeyer were still mapping out circuit boards manually in a process known as hand-taping. Eaves was at the forefront of the company’s groundbreaking upgrade to a computer program that could quickly design the schematics with cleaner, more accurate lines.
More than three decades later, Eaves is still helping to design some of the most intricate circuit boards of Peavey’s most advanced digital products, including the MediaMatrix® line. Some of today’s high-speed digital units have 12-layer boards that are engineered in a way that surrounds and grounds sensitive signals to prevent hum or noise.
“That’s one thing I enjoy about my job—it’s like getting paid to put puzzles together all day,” said Eaves. “We duplicate a schematic in 3D by actually connecting components together to form a circuit board and a certain function of the circuit board.”
Like in the early days, Peavey still handles every project from start to finish, unlike competitors who may only handle certain steps and patch together different components from other manufacturers. The in-house design process ensures that each component is purpose-built for the application and operates as harmoniously as possible.
“Uniquely, Peavey has always taken the time to do every step of a project. Every product you get is 100% a unique design to Peavey Electronics,” Poole added.
When Eaves is not designing circuit boards, he’s keeping time as a gigging drummer. He’s one of many Peavey employees that pursues music as a passion, and it’s a point of pride that his band uses all Peavey gear. Eaves feels a similar sense of accomplishment when he watches awards shows or concerts, and recognizes products he’s helped build. Beyond his contributions to Peavey products, Eaves’s favorite part of his job is interacting with his colleagues.
“If you had to pick one thing that keeps somebody at a job, it’s the people,” Eaves said. “It’s a good atmosphere. We’ve always had a great group of guys in engineering, and a bunch of musicians, so we always have a lot of common stories.”
What prank did Freddie Eaves pull on Jack Sondermeyer before a big NAMM Show, and how did he earn the award of “Interior Decorator of the Year” at Peavey? Find out on Episode 4 of the “Peavey Monitor” podcast.
Visit your preferred listening channel or https://anchor.fm/peavey.
