Peavey 6505 vs 6505+, what's the difference?

[HerbalDude420]

Can you write or know of a tutorial to perform those mods on my 6505+ finally found clips showing the difference on another site tone wise it's the same but the thump or feel is different very bottom heavy which you could tighten to taste versus being stuck with 6505+ original tightness.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Can you write or know of a tutorial to perform those mods on my 6505+ finally found clips showing the difference on another site tone wise it's the same but the thump or feel is different very bottom heavy which you could tighten to taste versus being stuck with 6505+ original tightness.

@amptweaker He might see this and comment. Or you can private message him.

 

[Fretwreck]

Screw all these cats, get a 6534+.

Yup. Kick ass head.

 

[KailM]

Can you write or know of a tutorial to perform those mods on my 6505+ finally found clips showing the difference on another site tone wise it's the same but the thump or feel is different very bottom heavy which you could tighten to taste versus being stuck with 6505+ original tightness.

Here's the site I used to mod my 6505+ lead channel to original 5150 specs. You'll have to pull up a schematic of the amp to help find the components. It works best to completely remove the PCB from the chassis and solder the components from the bottom, but it can be done by clipping the old components from the top and soldering the new components to the old leads. Beware, there are lethal doses of voltage housed in these things, so be sure you know how to discharge it properly before performing the mods. Since the components are pretty cheap (you'll spend less than $5, you might as well get the best components such as Sprague Orange Drop capacitors. Anyway, here's that site:

http://www.audunmelbye.no/2012/10/10/peavey-5150-6505-series-mods/

You're right about being able to dial back in that tightness. IMO there is such a thing as "too" tight and the looseness of those original 5150 specs is kind of desirable to me. However, with my EQ pedal and cutting some additional bass with my OD pedal I can get the lead channel back to sounding like a 6505+, basically. But I could never get it quite as brutal and thick the other way around before I did the mod, even by cranking the bass and resonance and an EQ pedal.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Here's the site I used to mod my 6505+ lead channel to original 5150 specs. You'll have to pull up a schematic of the amp to help find the components. It works best to completely remove the PCB from the chassis and solder the components from the bottom, but it can be done by clipping the old components from the top and soldering the new components to the old leads. Beware, there are lethal doses of voltage housed in these things, so be sure you know how to discharge it properly before performing the mods. Since the components are pretty cheap (you'll spend less than $5, you might as well get the best components such as Sprague Orange Drop capacitors. Anyway, here's that site:

http://www.audunmelbye.no/2012/10/10/peavey-5150-6505-series-mods/

You're right about being able to dial back in that tightness. IMO there is such a thing as "too" tight and the looseness of those original 5150 specs is kind of desirable to me. However, with my EQ pedal and cutting some additional bass with my OD pedal I can get the lead channel back to sounding like a 6505+, basically. But I could never get it quite as brutal and thick the other way around before I did the mod, even by cranking the bass and resonance and an EQ pedal.

Absolutely DO NOT clip the old components and solder the new components to the old leads. Either do it right, or don't do it at all.

 

[KailM]

Absolutely DO NOT clip the old components and solder the new components to the old leads. Either do it right, or don't do it at all.

While I won't say you aren't right that it's better to do the job properly-- I don't see the problem if you do a clean job. When I did my mod, I clipped the old parts and soldered to the old leads so that I could reverse the mod quickly if I didn't like it. I intended to go back and do it right but never got around to it. Never had a problem with it and that was years ago.

 

[DudeManBrother]

I'm definitely in the "pull the board and solder wick the old shit out; and replace" camp. But it's not my amp...
Chimed in again just to give a tip on draining filter caps: when the amp is on, and standby is off, so the guitar can produce sound; just flip the power switch off without hitting the standby first. This will quickly drain the voltage. Obviously unplug the amp and check everything with a multi meter; but it works quickly and you don't need to make little grounding leads with resistors going one by one.

 

[MatsA]

According to James Brown:

"Yes....very few people know that, but the 5150/6505 is different than the rest of the 5150s. Originally we had a bit thicker attack with more buzziness, but during the combo R&D, Eddie kept wanting it tighter and I made some adjustments to tighten up the CHUNK. That tweak ended up in all the rest of the line after that, but we never changed the original one [5150/6505].

"After we came out with the 5150II, I constantly had guys asking me how to change the lead channel back, because they wanted that thicker tone. It was only 3 components different and a very simple mod, but made a dramatic difference to the attack."

I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this info. And no offense to anyone else in the thread, but whatever other jibber jabber is going on, James Brown's comments hold more weight with me. Again, no offense, but he did put the thing together, so...

I know it’s an old thread but with the 5150/6505 being different to the rest of the 5150’s what does that mean? Is after they changed the name to 6505 they are different? Or is it 5150’s that are different to the earlier ones? If so when did the change happen?

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

I know it’s an old thread but with the 5150/6505 being different to the rest of the 5150’s what does that mean? Is after they changed the name to 6505 they are different? Or is it 5150’s that are different to the earlier ones? If so when did the change happen?

It means the 5150 and 6505 are basically the same, but are different from the 5150 II/6505+.

 

[sleewell]

People who have owned both: can a boost get the 6505 into the + territory?

I really like my 6505 but have never played the 6505+.


I really don't mind the shared eq but i guess having them separate would be nice. I just love how organic and raw it sounds. Really fun amp to play.

 

[MatsA]

Thanks!
Ok, but is there any difference between the 5150 and the 6505? Some say There are differencies some it was only a name change.

 

[KailM]

Thanks!
Ok, but is there any difference between the 5150 and the 6505? Some say There are differencies some it was only a name change.

Google Image Result for https://media3.giphy.com/media/6pJNYBYSMFod2/giphy.gif

 

[KailM]

People who have owned both: can a boost get the 6505 into the + territory?

I really like my 6505 but have never played the 6505+.


I really don't mind the shared eq but i guess having them separate would be nice. I just love how organic and raw it sounds. Really fun amp to play.

Yes, a boost will get it there on the lead channel, especially one that has some control over the amount of bass cut (you may have to cut a little more bass than a standard Tubescreamer does).

The green channels on both amps are completely different animals, however— really hard to get them to sound alike.

 

[MatsA]

It means the 5150 and 6505 are basically the same, but are different from the 5150 II/6505+.

It means the 5150 and 6505 are basically the same, but are different from the 5150 II/6505+.

Thanks!
Ok, but is there any difference between the 5150 and the 6505? Some say There are differencies some it was only a name change.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Thanks!
Ok, but is there any difference between the 5150 and the 6505? Some say There are differencies some it was only a name change.

It was only a name change and a difference in what brand of tubes came stock, and after this long the stock tubes probably aren’t / probably shouldn’t be in a used version of whatever you buy.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Thanks!
Ok, but is there any difference between the 5150 and the 6505? Some say There are differencies some it was only a name change.

Honestly these days, who knows?

There was supposed to be no difference. It was a name change because EVH owned the "5150" trademark.

...then again, Peavey themselves decided to muddy the waters by claiming their new 6505II and 5150 1992 Editions are bulilt to the exact specs of the 5150/5150II, which goes against even what THEY said before about the 6505 sounding exactly like the 5150.

I know Kyle Bull got a hold of a 6505II and compared it to a 6505+ and there were some differences.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

People who have owned both: can a boost get the 6505 into the + territory?

I really like my 6505 but have never played the 6505+.


I really don't mind the shared eq but i guess having them separate would be nice. I just love how organic and raw it sounds. Really fun amp to play.

Can probably get close with an EQ pedal in front. Dump some lows and boost some mids.

 

[sevenfoxes]

Man, i hate the 6505+.

The 6505, on the other hand, is one of my all time favorite amps that I’ll never part with.

 

[Deadpool_25]

The 6505 is, for all intents and purposes, the same as the 5150. There are some minor differences like (IIRC) the transformers are a little different but “within a gnat’s ass.” I’ve had both and they’re the same as far as I can tell.

The 6505+ (I’ve had that too) seems significantly different. Other people have used it with great success and I’ve heard it sound amazing in recordings but I didn’t really like it very much. It was bad exactly, but I much preferred the rawness and powerful feel of the 6505 (which I still have).

I’d guess you could get them sounding similar with a boost and some EQ, but I didn’t try that so I’m not positive.

 

[MatsA]

Honestly these days, who knows?

There was supposed to be no difference. It was a name change because EVH owned the "5150" trademark.

...then again, Peavey themselves decided to muddy the waters by claiming their new 6505II and 5150 1992 Editions are bulilt to the exact specs of the 5150/5150II, which goes against even what THEY said before about the 6505 sounding exactly like the 5150.

I know Kyle Bull got a hold of a 6505II and compared it to a 6505+ and there were some differences.

So Peavey have released a 5150 1992 Edition and a 6505 II! I didn’t know that.