Peavey stuff used to be great, especially from the late 70s through the early 2000s. Those early block letter 5150s were the loudest fucking things on earth. Even their solid state stuff was good in a time where solid stuff kinda sucked. But I think by now they've moved from being mostly American made to completely Chinese made, so $1500 seems like a steep asking price when you can hop on Reverb and find some classic vintage Peavey stuff for cheaper.
I remember scouring Craigslist for a block 5150 back in 09 while on tour. Never did find one I got to take home. My great while buffalo amp
2nd around that same time was the 6505+
Never got one either sadly. The 5150 head with a Marshall cab was basically standard issue in a metal band back in the 90s and 2000s.
I'm still using a Peavey Classic 50 2x12 from the 90s and that shit is ear splitting past 2.
> I remember scouring Craigslist for a block 5150
does anyone remember harmony central? i managed to get my block letter 5150 from a guy in the late 90s for $250. he clearly had no idea what he had, and was selling cheap because he had written his band name on the side of the head.
i still have it, though it isn't part of my rig for playing out anymore because as /u/whiskeyblackout pointed out, it is the loudest fucking thing on earth. it is a great amp to have in the stable for studio stuff, and i'll never part with it.
for sure! my first tube amp was the Classic 50 4x10 model. even those classic series amps could sound proper heavy when ran thru a 4x12. hell, even my 4x10 driving an extra closed back 112 sounded like a monster.
For the most part the US doesn't have the child labor issues China does. Despite forbidding children under 16 from working it's been reported that the law isn't enforced very well, and that up to ten to twenty million kids sixteen and under are still working in Chinese factories, many in intolerable conditions.
https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/under-16-and-working-16-hours-a-daychinese-clothes-factories-import-cheap-child-labour-from-across-china/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043951X1630061X
Also, while some components may be outsourced (usually the tubes) that trend has lessened over the years as most factories that made the (mostly Soviet-era) tubes have closed. There's less and less reliance on outsourcing andin general it's better to support businesses closer to where you live, anyways.
All of the older Peavey stuff was manufactured in America, electronics included. Even the tubes they shipped with were made in the US by Sylvania for many years. Whether that's important to you or not is a matter of prerogative, I suppose, but the quality and reliability of their Made in the USA stuff is pretty much solidified.
The build quality of the 6505 is terrible. The whole thing rattles. The original 5150 was very well built. But as you say a bad amp could be built anywhere.
A lot of performing musicians don't like playing signature gear on stage. Arguably the 6505 is its own amp now, with it's own reputation, and doesn't have Eddie's name plastered all over it.
It's still very close to the original 5150/6505 amps with some slight revisions (like new output transformers). Sounds [very similar](https://youtu.be/npb0w64vITo?t=234) to me.
Sound wise I think it sounds exactly what I expect from a 5150 but I hope this time it been made from anything but the cheapest components known to man.
When released? Absolutely not. Maybe next year when the price has dropped post-hype (and they fix that one QA issue that's bound to surface). If it doesn't have a wattage switch (I didn't look), then not at all, as I have no reason for a 120w tube head. I'll wait for the inevitable 6505mh II to drop below post-hype prices.
I still run my 2000-era Bandit red stripe 212 anyway, which is above awesome.
It sounds like you have had a lot of experience with the Peavey line of amplifiers, and I'm sure many people would be interested in getting their hands on the new 6505. There has been a lot of anticipation building around this new amp, and I'm sure Peavey has put a lot of effort into making sure it is of the highest quality. Have you heard any previews or comparisons to the previous versions?
Peavey stuff used to be great, especially from the late 70s through the early 2000s. Those early block letter 5150s were the loudest fucking things on earth. Even their solid state stuff was good in a time where solid stuff kinda sucked. But I think by now they've moved from being mostly American made to completely Chinese made, so $1500 seems like a steep asking price when you can hop on Reverb and find some classic vintage Peavey stuff for cheaper.
I remember scouring Craigslist for a block 5150 back in 09 while on tour. Never did find one I got to take home. My great while buffalo amp 2nd around that same time was the 6505+
Never got one either sadly. The 5150 head with a Marshall cab was basically standard issue in a metal band back in the 90s and 2000s. I'm still using a Peavey Classic 50 2x12 from the 90s and that shit is ear splitting past 2.
> I remember scouring Craigslist for a block 5150 does anyone remember harmony central? i managed to get my block letter 5150 from a guy in the late 90s for $250. he clearly had no idea what he had, and was selling cheap because he had written his band name on the side of the head. i still have it, though it isn't part of my rig for playing out anymore because as /u/whiskeyblackout pointed out, it is the loudest fucking thing on earth. it is a great amp to have in the stable for studio stuff, and i'll never part with it.
I definitely have nostalgia for that 80s and 90s Peavey stuff. Just super well made and affordable.
for sure! my first tube amp was the Classic 50 4x10 model. even those classic series amps could sound proper heavy when ran thru a 4x12. hell, even my 4x10 driving an extra closed back 112 sounded like a monster.
[great white buffalo…](https://youtu.be/I0Sxxibos-I?t=30)
Knew what it was before the click.
Never understood this whole American made argument. You do realise all the components would have been from Asia and then just assembled in America?
For the most part the US doesn't have the child labor issues China does. Despite forbidding children under 16 from working it's been reported that the law isn't enforced very well, and that up to ten to twenty million kids sixteen and under are still working in Chinese factories, many in intolerable conditions. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/under-16-and-working-16-hours-a-daychinese-clothes-factories-import-cheap-child-labour-from-across-china/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043951X1630061X Also, while some components may be outsourced (usually the tubes) that trend has lessened over the years as most factories that made the (mostly Soviet-era) tubes have closed. There's less and less reliance on outsourcing andin general it's better to support businesses closer to where you live, anyways.
All of the older Peavey stuff was manufactured in America, electronics included. Even the tubes they shipped with were made in the US by Sylvania for many years. Whether that's important to you or not is a matter of prerogative, I suppose, but the quality and reliability of their Made in the USA stuff is pretty much solidified.
The build quality of the 6505 is terrible. The whole thing rattles. The original 5150 was very well built. But as you say a bad amp could be built anywhere.
Yes. And mass produced on the cheap in the US is not any better than mass produced on the cheap in China.
Are there any musical instrument companies that mass produce on the cheap in the US?
Gibson apparently. But they're not selling cheap.
Is it meant to be any different from the various EVH 5150s floating around now?
A lot of performing musicians don't like playing signature gear on stage. Arguably the 6505 is its own amp now, with it's own reputation, and doesn't have Eddie's name plastered all over it.
Does it sound that much different now though? I feel like I haven't heard a 6505 since they first came out.
The output transformer swap will affect the mids. They say it is a correction, I say they're catering to the modern ear.
It's still very close to the original 5150/6505 amps with some slight revisions (like new output transformers). Sounds [very similar](https://youtu.be/npb0w64vITo?t=234) to me.
Sound wise I think it sounds exactly what I expect from a 5150 but I hope this time it been made from anything but the cheapest components known to man.
When released? Absolutely not. Maybe next year when the price has dropped post-hype (and they fix that one QA issue that's bound to surface). If it doesn't have a wattage switch (I didn't look), then not at all, as I have no reason for a 120w tube head. I'll wait for the inevitable 6505mh II to drop below post-hype prices. I still run my 2000-era Bandit red stripe 212 anyway, which is above awesome.
It sounds like you have had a lot of experience with the Peavey line of amplifiers, and I'm sure many people would be interested in getting their hands on the new 6505. There has been a lot of anticipation building around this new amp, and I'm sure Peavey has put a lot of effort into making sure it is of the highest quality. Have you heard any previews or comparisons to the previous versions?
I have only heard what's on YouTube now. However I friend was given a demo to play with and he said it was a much warmer amp than the original 6505.