GASing for a Peavey 5150 (I, II, III)

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mortega76

mortega76

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I've been GASing for a Peavey 5150 (I, II, III), but I don't know which one of all the bunch is the best bang for the buck... I'd really appreciate some input... Thanks!

P.S. Then what about the 6505, 6505+, etc?!?
 
When you decide I have a 5150 III for sale. I think it's the best of all of them!
 
I owned a 6505+ for 4 years and a block letter 5150 for 2 weeks durning the same time. I have only played a 5150 III at GC. Best bang for the buck? 5150 imo. I do really like what i'm hearing from the III though. I'd rather own a 5150 III but prices are too high.
 
5150 III's didnt have enough low end for me. more of a studio recording amplifier in my opinion. i like the girth and solid low end that a 5150 carries over the 5150 III's

i will say that solo's and playing in general are more responsive and alot easier to pull off on a 5150 III. a very well balanced amplifier front to back and very well engineered and just overall a very fun amplifier to play. just turn it on - dial it up, and have fun. 5150 block letters and 5150 II's are very skiddish of what tubes you use, how you play, what volume you play at (they have to be cranked to sound good) along with alot of other things i care not to mention here.

you can go 5150 if you dont care for a dedicated clean channel with its own EQ. the 5150 II has a dedicated clean and lead EQ, but the EQ of the clean and crunch is shared. the 5150 III has a dedicated EQ for clean, crunch, and lead. how you dial in the 5150 II in is up to you and your tube choice.

IMHO, for a well balanced amplifier and a great all around for at home use, studio recording, and gig's - id get the 5150 III. but having already owned a 5150 II, i dont see it worth giving up my low end and high headroom and dedicated EQ for either a 5150 or 5150 III - i like the II. ive had it for 6 years now. i also owned a block letter 5150 made in march of 1992. 5150's werent release until january of 1992 after the concert in the summer of 1991 to promote F.U.C.K. where eddie used the 5150 combo's live.

id like to own a 5150 III, but for $1500 used i dont like it THAT much.
 
Damn!!! A lot of great info guys! Thanks... How do the 6505 relate to the 5150 line of amps? Are they EVH amps as well? Which one is the best to have modded?
 
mortega76":1x4ibazb said:
Which one is the best to have modded?
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if all you're going to do is modify it get a 6505 or a 5150 signature series. cheap and easy to find. should serve you well.
 
IMO, a 5150 or 6505 is an amp you get when you intend to keep it stock. I would buy a 5150II or 6505+ if modding was my intention.
 
6505 is the 5150 and the 6505+ is the 5150 II. They just renamed them when Eddie left.

I don't even consider the 5150 III the same series of amp since it is not a Peavey amp, and is like $1500 more.
 
Shask":34w5b4qe said:
6505 is the 5150 and the 6505+ is the 5150 II. They just renamed them when Eddie left.

I don't even consider the 5150 III the same series of amp since it is not a Peavey amp, and is like $1500 more.
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Wow... I never knew that... great info, thanks!
 
mortega76":2pld5tnw said:
Shask":2pld5tnw said:
6505 is the 5150 and the 6505+ is the 5150 II. They just renamed them when Eddie left.

I don't even consider the 5150 III the same series of amp since it is not a Peavey amp, and is like $1500 more.
Click to expand...
Wow... I never knew that... great info, thanks!
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bet you didnt know this!

6505 means 1965-2005 - the 40 year anniversary of peavey when eddie left - which is why they named it 6505 and 6505+.

the 6534 was named because it runs EL34's stock for a british flavour :cheers:
 
Those 5150 IIIs don't sound like the old 5150s at all, IMO. It depends on what your playing, but I prefer the original 5150/6505 for what I do.
 
I've not had the chance to play the 6534s yet. I've not even seen one in person. How do they compare to the original 5150s?
 
I've had 'em all.

My favorite was the 5150 combo, followed by the 5150 head. The combo was just a wicked machine, it weighed at least 7,500 pounds though :lol: :LOL: .

5150 II was ok, lead channel was not as cool as the original, and the rest sort of sucked, like the original.

Fender EVH 5150 III. Blech. People get them, love them, sell them. Of course some guys really dig them, but they are so vastly different than the Peavey amps that it hardly bears a comparison.

If I were to ever get one again it would be the 5150/6505.
 
Rayneman":utems2nk said:
I've had 'em all.

My favorite was the 5150 combo, followed by the 5150 head. The combo was just a wicked machine, it weighed at least 7,500 pounds though :lol: :LOL: .

5150 II was ok, lead channel was not as cool as the original, and the rest sort of sucked, like the original.

Fender EVH 5150 III. Blech. People get them, love them, sell them. Of course some guys really dig them, but they are so vastly different than the Peavey amps that it hardly bears a comparison.

If I were to ever get one again it would be the 5150/6505.
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the combo is one hell of a machine. i played one through two of splawns small block speakers and it ripped!

having owned a 5150 II and a 5150 block letter i kept the 5150 II. i hated retubing my 5150 block letter because your damn tone would change so drastically from tube change to tube change. i hate the layout of that amplifier electrically.
 
I have a 5150 combo and a III. They are different amps in my opinion. I think the combo is more brutal, especially when I use the extension cab out into my Mesa 4x12. However, the versatility and tone of the EVH works much better for what I do. The combo is too buzzy for me, the III is a smoother amp.
 
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