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Peavey 6505 1992 Original 120-watt Tube Head Certified Open Box

120-watt, 2-channel Tube Head with 3-band EQ, Resonance and Presence Controls, Pre-Gain and Post-Gain Controls, Crunch and Bright Switches, Effects Loop, and 2-button Footswitch
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Item ID: 65051992HDd1
Peavey 6505 1992 Original 120-watt Tube Head
Peavey 6505 1992 Original 120-watt Tube Head

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New for $1,699.99

Condition Notes:

This returned item is in excellent condition and is in perfect working order. Some of the original accessories are missing, such as the manual. This item ships in its original packaging which shows signs of wear.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. The images shown do not necessarily represent the condition of this particular item.

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The High-gain Behemoth That Started It All

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their iconic high-gain amp head, Peavey unveils the 6505 1992 Original. Armed with five 12AX7 preamp tubes, a 6L6GC-fueled power section, and a custom-built output transformer, this 120-watt fire-breather is a spot-on re-creation of the early-'90s classic. This footswitchable 2-channel tube head includes everything you need to cultivate its notorious tone, including a shared 3-band EQ, Presence and Resonance controls, and per-channel Pre-Gain and Post-Gain controls. Beyond that, the Rhythm channel flaunts Bright and Crunch switches, enabling you to shift from spanking cleans to Burn My Eyes-style high-gain without missing a beat. A Preamp Out jack and an effects loop round out the 6505 1992 Original's arena-ready features. If you've been chasing the unmistakable high-gain overdrive used by rock, hardcore, and metal guitarists for the past three decades, the Peavey 6505 1992 Original serves it to you on a multiplatinum platter.

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120 watts of stadium-filling brutality

The 6505 1992 Original delivers a range of sounds that harken back to Peavey's original high-gain heavyweight (the one named after the code for California's involuntary psychiatric hold). This guitar amplifier head's preamp section is loaded with five 12AX7 tubes, while its 120-watt power section contains four 6L6GC tubes. The secret to the 6505 1992 Original's period-correct tonality, however, is its custom-designed output transformer. After countless hours of A/B comparisons, conversations with users and artists, and deep dives into the amplifier at a component level, Peavey engineers formulated the perfect design; one that's able to accurately re-create the magical, crushing sound that, to quote Guitar Player magazine, "defined a generation of guitar tone."

Take command of the raging beast

The Peavey 6505 1992 Original offers more than mere brute strength. In fact, it's jam-packed with tantalizing tones. To begin with, you get footswitchable Lead and Rhythm channels. The channels feature a shared 3-band EQ for basic sonic sculpting. The amplifier's power section contains Resonance and Presence controls. You also get per-channel Pre-Gain and Post-Gain knobs that give rise to near-infinite gain staging. The guitarists here at Sweetwater really appreciate the 6505 1992 Original's Crunch switch; it takes the amplifier's Rhythm channel from crystalline cleans to throaty grind. The Rhythm channel also includes a Bright switch for added sonic versatility.

Tons of arena-worthy features

Incorporating the 6505 1992 Original into your stage or studio guitar rig is easy, thanks to its many pro-friendly features. A Preamp Out jack makes slaving to a second amplifier a piece of cake; crafting a wet/dry setup has never been easier. This jack is also great for connecting to a power amp/cabinet emulator, for mic-free recording or for piping your tone straight to front of house. The 6505 1992 Original boasts a top-quality effects loop for easy integration with your stompboxes and other external processors. A 2-button footswitch is included for Lead/Rhythm channel and effects loop switching. To top it off, the 6505 1992 Original works with 16-, 8-, and 4-ohm speakers.

Peavey 6505 1992 Original 120W 2-channel Tube Head Features:

  • Marks the 30th anniversary of one of metal's most iconic guitar amplifiers
  • A spot-on re-creation of the early-'90s classic
  • Loaded with 5 x 12AX7 preamp tubes and 4 x 6L6GC power tubes
  • Custom-designed output transformer accurately re-create the sound of the original 6505
  • Footswitchable Lead and Rhythm channels
  • Shared 3-band EQ for basic sonic sculpting
  • Power section contains Resonance and Presence controls for fine-tuning your sound
  • Per-channel Pre-Gain and Post-Gain knobs give rise to near-infinite gain staging
  • Crunch switch takes the Rhythm channel from crystalline cleans to throaty grind
  • Rhythm channel includes a Bright switch for added sonic versatility
  • Preamp Out jack makes slaving to a second amplifier effortless
  • Top-quality effects loop for easy integration with your stompboxes and external processors
  • 2-button footswitch is included for Lead/Rhythm channel and effects loop switching
  • Works with 16-, 8-, and 4-ohm speakers
What is Certified Open Box Gear?

At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call "Certified Open Box" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

Certified Open Box (also known as a demo) means we’ve had it out of the box for our YouTube channel, displayed at events, tested in our studio, or maybe it was in a customer’s hands for a few days and isn’t ‘factory fresh’ as a result. Every Certified Open Box item we sell has Sweetwater’s 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty and has been tested and verified up to ‘new’ specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it’s in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

When you buy a Certified Open Box item at Sweetwater, you get:
  • 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!
  • Products inspected and tested by our factory-authorized techs, guaranteed to function like new (or better)!
  • FREE shipping on most items
  • Equipment that will MEET or EXCEED your expectations!

Click HERE to browse our current inventory of Certified Open Box equipment. Purchasing Certified Open Box gear from Sweetwater is a smart and safe way to save!

Resources

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Tube
  • Number of Channels: 2
  • Preamp Tubes: 5 x 12AX7
  • Power Tubes: 4 x 6L6GC
  • EQ: 3-band EQ
  • Inputs: 2 x 1/4" (normal, high gain)
  • Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (preamp out), 2 x 1/4" (4/8/16 ohm)
  • Effects Loop: Yes
  • Footswitch I/O: 1 x 1/4" (Rhythm/Lead, effects loop)
  • Footswitch Included: Yes, 2-button footswitch
  • Power Source: Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height: 10"
  • Width: 26.63"
  • Depth: 11.75"
  • Weight: 48.3 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 03619250

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Reviews

5.0

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Awesome
This amp is awesome. Turn all the way up the presence and resonance . I use a sd-1 with level to 10 drive O. It keeps it tight. With greenbacks. Its fun.
by Steven Hesse from Plano, TX on
Awesome
Top amplifier. Its awesome. Takes pedals. I use a cab with vintage 30's and greenbacks. On 4 ohms. Cabinets are very important for this head.
by Steven Hesse from Plano, TX on
Still the Greatest Amp Tone Ever
I have been playing a 5150 signature version for well over a decade, so when I saw this amp was in the works that is based on the original version created for Van Halen, including the original transformer and with apparently higher-quality parts in general, I preordered it as soon as it was available. To me, the original 5150 is the greatest tube amp tone ever created, and this new version sounds absolutely amazing. I have been playing it for months now, and that familiar beast of a tone is there, but perhaps with something just a little more beefy. This thing sounds GOOD, and if you have been a fan of the OG versions, I highly recommend picking one up. My setup: ESP LTD H-401QM with EMG-81/85 pickups in open C tuning > Boss NS-10 > High Gain input > Roland GP-100 in the effects loop (for reverb, delay, etc.).
by Adam C. from Fargo, ND on
Music background: Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter in metal bands for many years
THAT Sound
Got this amp a little over a month ago. I've been a 5150 player for a few years but I've only ever played the EVH stuff. My personal EVH go to is my 100 Watt Stealth. I bought the 6505 to be a companion to it and I feel as though I have the starting line and finish line and needless to say the two complete each other. I didn't expect this one to be better because the Stealth is a hard amp to beat (not to mention where King Edward finished his personal testament to the legacy of the amps he created). But on the other, hand I didn't expect it to be inferior per se. After spending the last month and a half w/ this amp, I've come to find not only is this amp able to hang w/ the Stealth, but do so w/o breaking a sweat and giving the Stealth a little competition. The amps to me are equally as good as one another in their own rights. They are different beasts though. The Stealth is a little tighter, and extremely aggressive (and I'm not gonna be cliche and call it an already boosted 5150), whereas the 6505 has that original wall of sound and is as equally aggressive. They just take different approaches. But the 6505 has THAT sound. And you hear it on countless records. It might not seem relevant to compare the two amps in this review, but I'm doing it to put it into perspective for anybody who might've played EVH or other more modern high gain amps. I'd also like to point out the amp came to me in tip top shape and worked perfectly just in case anybody out there might be hesitant about it being made in China. The QC was perfect and the amp is identical to an original 5150 apart from the namesake. All having it made in China does is it make it wayyyyy more accessible. Peavey did it! They brought back the original 5150 and they did it w/ as much bang for buck as you can get.
by Ethan Hawks on
Music background: Wannabe Professional
Peavey 6505 1992 Original.
I'm really surprised there are no more reviews on this head. After watching several demos, I thought I'd give it a go. My sales engineer Auston Childress sent me one, and to be honest, I really wasn't expecting much from it since I already knew what it was capable of, and boy was I wrong. First of all, the sounds that come out of this thing are absolutely amazing. It goes from really nice cleans to full on nuclear assault with ease. The tone is super organic and grainy in a really, really good way. It can do every single style of heavy music you throw at it and in all honesty, it is super addictive and fun to play. I had it go toe to toe with an ENGL Fireball 100 (an absolute beast of an amp) and I just kept gravitating more to the 6505. While the ENGL sounds a tad more modern and HI-FI, the 6505 is a bit darker and slower in response but that is exactly what made it sound a lot heavier IMHO. It also felt just slightly less compressed than the ENGL. At the end of the day, I wish I could've kept them both since the ENGL has more of a JCM 800 vibe to it, but the 6505 just felt like it checked all the boxes I was looking for in an amp. Overall. I'm super pleased with it and for the price point it's just a terrific value.
by Serge Espitis from New Jersey on
Music background: Professional Recording-Mastering Engineer at Tiny Thunder Audio
See also: Amp Heads, Peavey, Peavey Guitar Amp Heads