Modify Peavey 6505 Head to Combo Specs

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Bottom line up front:
Has anyone every modified a Peavey 6505/6505+ head to match the Peavey 6505 2x12 combo specs? If so, what components did you change?

The longer story:
I own both the Peavey 6505 and Peavey 6505+ heads and have been relatively happy with them. I recently purchased a Peavey 6505 2x12 combo and I prefer the tight and articulate picking response of the combo MUCH more than the head versions. I've read that the combo's lead channel circuit supposedly resembles that of the Peavey 6505+. However, I've looked at both schematics and I do see some interesting differences. Here are my questions:
1. Does anyone share the opinion that the combo feels tighter?
2. Has anyone tried modifying the Peavey 6505/6505+ head to match the tone of the combo? If so, what parts of the circuit did you modify?
3. Does anyone have any pointers on what part of the combo's circuit might be responsible for such difference in tone / feel?

I'm considering this modification because I would much rather gig with the head version (as you all know, the combo is very heavy and awkward to move).

Thank you for your help!
 
Can't help with the mods, but I thought the story was Eddie was touring with the 5150 combo (I think I read with a slight tweak from James Brown) and the 5152 was made to try to replicate that (by tweaking the 5150 head).

I kinda assume if they easily could have just made the 5152 more like the combo, they would have done it (since that seems to have been the intent).
 
Thanks for the response, cardinal. I wasn't aware that Eddie toured with the combo and that the the 5150 II was modeled after that modded combo.
 
there definitely is something with those combos, i know a few people that prefer them
 
The magic in the 2x12 combo is in the second cathode follower buffering the reverb tank. The built in reverb really changed the combo tone and feel even disengaged since it’s completely tube buffered. A trick of the combo is to engage the reverb but keep the knob turned to zero. It’s insane how great it sounds.

I actually prefer the tone and feel of the 2x12 combo but I absolutely will not haul one around.

I’d love to make a 120W version of the 2x12 combo in head form. It would stomp all over the new iconic line.
 
i've had a few of them over the years. i loved em. first thing i always did was put some celestions or WGS in it, not that the original speakers are horrible or anything, but lets face it, there are better options. They could keep up with a loud drummer no problem, and still sounded good without an extension cab because its basically a head fused to a closed back 2x12 cabinet. They used to be super affordable too, idk how it is now.
 
It's been my understanding that the combo was actually biased much warmer, achieving what most attempted to do with the original 5150 with the bias mod. The combo, indeed, sounds better IMO. I loved that amp, but the 85lbs. was always a deal-breaker.
 
Peavey has made a mistake not releasing the 60 watt 6505 as a head given the success of the 5153 50-watt heads. But Peavey can't seem to even deliver its current product range.
 
The combo is absolutely tighter than the head

Maybe you should consider converting the combo amp in to a head; lots of people do that.

I also have a 5150 2x12 combo so I know the pain of moving that son of a bitch well :LOL:
 
cardinal said:
Peavey has made a mistake not releasing the 60 watt 6505 as a head given the success of the 5153 50-watt heads. But Peavey can't seem to even deliver its current product range.
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Amen! I had a 6505+ head that I sold to get a Kemper thinking it would be like having every amp. Ended up trading the Kemper for 2 Splawn heads and I eventually bought a 5150 sig for like $600 right at the start of covid and sold it a few months later after getting my Mark IV thinking I could just buy another used one for $600 once I had some spare cash. So yeah that was a mistake.

Anyway with the current prices I ordered a 6505 head in October for shipping the first week of January then it went to January the 14th then it went to "on backorder". I have called every retailer that I deal with trying to get one and even contacted Peavey and none of them could give me a ship date so I cancelled my order and bought a used one.

Even getting a used one is a pain cause after reverb charges tax then shipping it ends up costing as much as a new one. I ordered a head from Guitar Center that didnt have pics on the ad so I asked them to send me pics before they shipped it. then I got an email from them saying "we noticed it was a combo as we were getting pics for you...." I then tried 4 different times to order used from Guitar Center and they sell as soon as you click on them. Music Go Round had a used 6505+ for sale for $999.

I finally got one on order today for $670 after 3 months of trying. Sure there are ones listed on Facebook but most ads stated local pickup only and I don't feel like haggling with someone to ship. I really think Peavey could very easily get back to the top of the game IF they would re release some of their older amps like the VTM, JSX/XXX now that people have started learning how awesome those amps can be. BTW I saw a VTM 120 on Reverb for $2200 and then the closest one after that was at $900. I love that amp but you gotta be smoking crack to pay more than $400 for one.
 
ClintN667 said:
Amen! I had a 6505+ head that I sold to get a Kemper thinking it would be like having every amp. Ended up trading the Kemper for 2 Splawn heads and I eventually bought a 5150 sig for like $600 right at the start of covid and sold it a few months later after getting my Mark IV thinking I could just buy another used one for $600 once I had some spare cash. So yeah that was a mistake.

Anyway with the current prices I ordered a 6505 head in October for shipping the first week of January then it went to January the 14th then it went to "on backorder". I have called every retailer that I deal with trying to get one and even contacted Peavey and none of them could give me a ship date so I cancelled my order and bought a used one.

Even getting a used one is a pain cause after reverb charges tax then shipping it ends up costing as much as a new one. I ordered a head from Guitar Center that didnt have pics on the ad so I asked them to send me pics before they shipped it. then I got an email from them saying "we noticed it was a combo as we were getting pics for you...." I then tried 4 different times to order used from Guitar Center and they sell as soon as you click on them. Music Go Round had a used 6505+ for sale for $999.

I finally got one on order today for $670 after 3 months of trying. Sure there are ones listed on Facebook but most ads stated local pickup only and I don't feel like haggling with someone to ship. I really think Peavey could very easily get back to the top of the game IF they would re release some of their older amps like the VTM, JSX/XXX now that people have started learning how awesome those amps can be. BTW I saw a VTM 120 on Reverb for $2200 and then the closest one after that was at $900. I love that amp but you gotta be smoking crack to pay more than $400 for one.
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I'm hoping at this point that the 6505(+) inventory dried up because Peavey turning to the 6505 '92/II production instead which supposedly is a bit different than the prior versions.

But I'm not holding my breath. Sad to see the company that can't seem to get out of its own way. They have some great amps in their line up with the 6505 and Classic range, plus they could maybe bring back the VTM or something like that. But you can't make money without stuff to sell, so... where are the amps?
 
cardinal said:
Can't help with the mods, but I thought the story was Eddie was touring with the 5150 combo (I think I read with a slight tweak from James Brown) and the 5152 was made to try to replicate that (by tweaking the 5150 head).

I kinda assume if they easily could have just made the 5152 more like the combo, they would have done it (since that seems to have been the intent).
Click to expand...
I remember reading this, too. 5150 combo through a Marshall 4x12 with Greenbacks. Killer tone!

Just convert the combo to a head and be done with it :cool:
 
cardinal said:
I'm hoping at this point that the 6505(+) inventory dried up because Peavey turning to the 6505 '92/II production instead which supposedly is a bit different than the prior versions.

But I'm not holding my breath. Sad to see the company that can't seem to get out of its own way. They have some great amps in their line up with the 6505 and Classic range, plus they could maybe bring back the VTM or something like that. But you can't make money without stuff to sell, so... where are the amps?
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You know when Kyle posted the 6505ii vids I got excited and I was going to hold out for one but then I figured its probably going to be a good bit more than I want to pay(maybe not). But yeah I was kind of thinking that they were done shipping the standard versions once sweetwater said they were discontinued plus them letting a few people demo the new one. The only thing they would need to do is come out with 6505 60 watt- and 120 watt heads, VTM60 and 120 reissues, and JSX 50/100 watt reissues then they would be on everyone's radar again. Nowadays a lot of the legacy brands have seemed to have given up. Peavey, Randall, Marshall... At least Marshall has made some what of attempt to stay relevant but I dont understand how they can charge 3k for a JCM800 reissue.
 
ClintN667 said:
You know when Kyle posted the 6505ii vids I got excited and I was going to hold out for one but then I figured its probably going to be a good bit more than I want to pay(maybe not). But yeah I was kind of thinking that they were done shipping the standard versions once sweetwater said they were discontinued plus them letting a few people demo the new one. The only thing they would need to do is come out with 6505 60 watt- and 120 watt heads, VTM60 and 120 reissues, and JSX 50/100 watt reissues then they would be on everyone's radar again. Nowadays a lot of the legacy brands have seemed to have given up. Peavey, Randall, Marshall... At least Marshall has made some what of attempt to stay relevant but I dont understand how they can charge 3k for a JCM800 reissue.
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When Kyle had that 6505II, I'd asked him if he could send a message back to Peavey that they really needed to just put the 6505 combo into a head and watch it sell sell sell, and Kyle said that he could reveal anything but that Peavey did have plans to introduce a much more exciting line up of amps. So we'll see I guess.

Marshall has a hit it seems with the 20 watt amps. It's a bit shocking to see a 2203x is (in the US) significantly more expensive than something like a Mark V, but part of that is import issues.
 
cardinal said:
When Kyle had that 6505II, I'd asked him if he could send a message back to Peavey that they really needed to just put the 6505 combo into a head and watch it sell sell sell, and Kyle said that he could reveal anything but that Peavey did have plans to introduce a much more exciting line up of amps. So we'll see I guess.

Marshall has a hit it seems with the 20 watt amps. It's a bit shocking to see a 2203x is (in the US) significantly more expensive than something like a Mark V, but part of that is import issues.
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The problem is Peavey's aesthetics can be really, really bad.

The 5105/6505 amp is in my opinion still one of the best looking amps every made. And it amazes me that Hartley hated the silver face plate and hated the modern Peavey logo. That's why as soon as Ed left he went back to the old logo. The thing is, during the James Brown era, there was some amazing amps coming out of Peavey from the VTM to the Classic series. They were just killing it. And of course the purists just couldn't accept that Peavey, was producing great product. I mean I can't count how many times in the Harmony Central days or early Rig Talk that the 5150's, XXX's etc.. were just shit on. Now look.

Agreed with @ClintN667 and others - redesign and release the VTM series. Get the loop on the back and instead of the DIP switches something easier to switch and put it in a nice head shell.

Get 60 watt versions of the 6505 series out there. Get a head version of the combo out there. Redesign the front face plate of the XXX and JSX and get those out there. Not the variants they released years ago but the originals. The trucker girls killed the XXX in terms of moving past the small market. The 5150 series, VTM, Ultra Plus, XXX and JSX...just great amps from an American company.

Better yet, note to Peavey - hire James Brown back and let him work.
 
I have a VTM60 too and to be honest it's one of the best sounding amps I've ever heard. It really is retarded they never re-issued them
 
Yeah of all the amps I’ve had and sold, the 5150 combo is the one I miss most. It’s not just that it’s tighter than the 5150, it also cuts better but still sounds meaner and ballsier than the 5150 II. It was brighter than a 5150 head, which could be good or bad depending on your taste, but once you dial it in right and give it some volume it seemed just right.

I bought it for $400 back in 2014 I think. ?
 
the classic 50 head kicks ass for sure. got one for $200 once back in the day. sold it eventually, but it was no joke, tone wise. i was happy with it when i had it. rivals a mesa maverick, easily.
 
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