Peavey is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its 6505 Series guitar amp line.
“The Peavey 6505 Series has earned its place in rock history as the guitar amplifiers of choice for a wide range of top rock and metal artists,” said Hartley Peavey, founder and CEO of Peavey Electronics.
The Peavey 6505 has helped define the down-tuned sound of modern metal in the arsenals of artists like Machine Head and producers such as Colin Richardson, Andy Sneap and Jason Suecof, who have produced the most enduring metal and hard rock albums of the past two decades.
“The 6505 was the first amp you could plug into for that heavier, thrashier tone,” Sneap said.
One of the keys to bringing metal’s new lows to the masses was Peavey’s patented Resonance circuit, which keeps the extreme low-end tight where other amps cannot. Resonance causes dramatic changes to the low-end response and allows the speaker to recreate the extended low frequencies with clarity and punch. Resonance is still a key ingredient of the 6505 sound today.
Machine Head’s Robb Flynn has used the amp since the recording sessions for his band’s debut, Burn My Eyes, in the early ‘90s. “We were trying to get a modern, heavy tone,” he said. “And when we came across [the 6505], it was crushing. It’s got a really incredible midrange growl that works so well. That guitar tone has pretty much defined a generation of guitar tone.”
The 6505 legacy continues today with an artist roster that includes Bullet For My Valentine, Asking Alexandria, All That Remains, Black Veil Brides, The Devil Wears Prada, Bring Me The Horizon, August Burns Red and more.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
The Peavey 6505 Series includes the original 6505 head; the 6505 Plus, which features two independent channels; the 6534 Plus, outfitted with EL34 tubes for a more British-sounding tone; and two combo versions of the 6505 Plus, a 1x12 and a 2x12.
Learn more about the Peavey 6505 and check out artist videos and sound clips at peavey.com/6505.
Since 1980, Guitar World has been the ultimate resource for guitarists. Whether you want to learn the techniques employed by your guitar heroes, read about their latest projects or simply need to know which guitar is the right one to buy, Guitar World is the place to look.
