Gear News

Blast from the Past: Peavey Electronics Brings Back the Legendary 1992 6505 Amplifier

Peavey Electronics unveils the 6505 1992 Original, marking the 30th anniversary of one of the most influential and imitated guitar amplifiers of all time. Frequently credited as helping to create an entire genre of music, the reissued 6505 1992 Original is the result of extensive research and development to produce the ultimate rock ‘n roll guitar amp. Players looking to experience super rock crunch, harmonic-rich sustain, and screaming metal drive will be drawn to the 6505 1992 Original, a tribute to the music and fans that pushed Peavey amps to new heights. 

Contrary to much folklore since the 6505 Series inception, Peavey’s formula has remained virtually unchanged. However, over the course of time, component suppliers changed ownership, altering their manufacturing processes and ultimately influencing tone and unit-to-unit consistency. The 6505 1992 Original is the product of countless hours of A/B comparisons, conversations with scores of users and artists, and deep dives into the amplifiers at a component level. Studying the original design, Peavey’s engineers identified some items that had drifted, in particular one of the most important components — the output transformer. The changes over the years resulted in a midrange that varied from amp to amp. After determining the problem, the team retreated to an undisclosed location and got to work developing a top-secret output transformer, successfully improving performance, and mimicking the magical crushing tone of the original 6505.

Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey
Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey

The specifications of the 6505 1992 Original are tried-and-true with 120 W RMS into 16, 8, or 4 ohms. The High gain input has twice the gain of the Normal input and should be used when maximum overdrive is desired. Located on the opposite end of the back panel, two paralleled quarter-inch output jacks enable connection of the speaker enclosure to the amplifier. The adjacent Impedance Selector switch provides adjustment for the appropriate impedance of the speaker.

Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey
Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey

Users can switch between the Rhythm and Lead channel, both offering Pre and Post Gain. A Bright switch is available for the Rhythm channel, while a Crunch Select switch boosts the gain of the Rhythm to create a second “lead” channel. The equalization block features passive Low, Mid, and High EQ. The 6505 1992 Original also features the once-patented Resonance control, which controls the low frequency damping of the speakers for dialing in the perfect „chug”.  The Presence control works in a similar manner to alter high frequencies. Players can experiment with their particular speaker and adjust according to personal tastes. A Standby switch puts the 6505 in a non-operational stand mode, so the tubes remain hot and ready for instantaneous operation, eliminating warm-up time. The built-in Ground switch helps to minimize hum and noise.

Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey
Peavey 6505 1992 Original Guitar Amplifier, credit: Peavey

The 6505 1992 Original patches together the Effects Send output and the Effects Return input with quarter-inch phono jacks. Players can use the included footswitch to remotely select the outboard effects devices or to toggle the Lead or Rhythm channel. The Preamp Out provides connection to a mixing console or tape recorder.

Imitation may be considered the highest form of flattery, and the 6505 Series has had many admirers. However, there’s nothing quite like the original. Peavey is proud to reissue the 6505 1992 Original, reinvigorating this amp’s rock ‘n roll spirit and inspiring a new generation of players.

List $1899.99

Street $1299.99

Learn more about the 6505 1992 Original and get a closer look at www.peavey.com.

TopGuitar

Published since 2005 as a printed magazine, TopGuitar is a magazine of opinion for professional and amateur musicians. Since 2020 on a digital platform. Contain reviews of various guitar-related musical gear, interviews and original articles on world’s most popular artists, music reviews, event reports, guitar workshops and tips, the latest products and artist news. The Editor-in-Chief is Dr. Dariusz Domanski, a guitarist and academic teacher, doctor of musical arts.