Peavey 5150 and 6505 Retube Kits

The Peavey 5150 and 6505 amps use the exact same tube lineup and power tube combinations. The kits we offer here are the most distinctive in tonal character, forged from many years of research. Every kit is configured to provide a specific sound/experience.

These amps are fixed bias so all of our available Retube kits are plug and play.

The default power tubes for all the Peavey 5150 and 6505 kits are the JJ 6L6GC’s. The JJ 6L6GC tubes follow the classic 6L6GC sonic archetype with big lows, smooth mids and crystalline highs. What sets them apart is their low end clarity, mid-range detail and very clear highs without being overbearing or harsh.

Other 6L6 family options include the JJ 5881’s. The JJ 5881’s are a Classic 23 watt 5881 in a traditional stubby bottle. They have a great high end presence and a very warm full tone. Right in-between the JJ 6L6GC and the JJ 6V6S in power.

We also offer a few Integrated Quads for the Peavey 5150 / 6505. You can select from an Integrated Quad of 6L6GC/KT66’s, of a Quad of 6L6GC/6550, or a Quad of 6L6GC/KT88’s. The tubes are run is pairs with the big bottle tubes running in the outside two sockets.

A note about “V” numbers. Some wise guy at Peavey decided to randomly label the preamp tubes, so the V numbers that are listed on the schematic starting from the first position which is closest to the input jack starts with V1, then V2, V5, V3 and V4. The small minority of players who venture into reading the schematics have discovered this and ask why? Good question… They also ask why we refer to the tubes as V1 thru V5 starting with the preamp tube closest to the input jack or the edge of the amp.

The Answer? It’s MUCH easier and less time consuming to explain this to a very small number of players than to explain to hundreds if not thousands of players that you count 1, 2, 5, 3 and 4… So we refer to the V numbers as V1 thru V5!

The Standard Retube Kit is as close to OEM as possible. Maintaining the amps stock level of headroom and gain while providing a warm but even handed overall sound. The kit includes one matched quad of JJ 6L6GC’s by default, one Balanced JJ ECC83S for the phase inverter (V5, closest to the power tubes), and four Standard JJ ECC83S’s for V1 – V2 – V3 – V4.

The Gold Pin Retube Kit uses the JJ ECC83S Gold Pin variants to provide a smoother, creamier, and more singing overall sound. This option is less aggressive and has less “teeth” when driven hard. If you like a classic raunchy gritty overdriven tone, we recommend looking to the Standard or High Gain option. If sweet, open, and more refined is what you’re after this kit will do it. The kit includes one matched quad of JJ 6L6GC’s by default, one Balanced JJ ECC83S Gold Pin for the phase inverter (V5, closest to the power tubes), and four Standard JJ Gold Pin ECC83S’s for V1 – V2 – V3 – V4.

The High Gain Retube Kit uses our hand picked high gain selected JJ ECC83S’s. If you’re looking for maximum crunch and grind this is where you want to be. Sonically this setup is very similar to our Standard Retube Kit but with a little extra gain on tap. The kit includes one matched quad of JJ 6L6GC’s by default, one Balanced High Gain JJ ECC83S for the phase inverter (V5, closest to the power tubes), and four Handpicked High Gain JJ ECC83S’s for V1 – V2 – V3 – V4.

The Low Gain Option Retube Kit Quit a few of our 5150 / 6505 customers like to reduce the gain in the drive channels and in the Low Gain kit we use two JJ ECC832’s in V2 and V3 sockets. The kit includes one matched quad of JJ 6L6GC’s by default, one Balanced JJ ECC83S for the phase inverter (V5, closest to the power tubes), two Standard JJ ECC832’s for V2 – V3 and two Standard JJ ECC83S for V1 (closest to input jack) and V4.

The Low Gain Gold Pin Option Retube Kit This is for players who want to reduce the gain in the drive channels but want the smooth rich tonal qualities the Gold Pin tubes provide. The kit includes one matched quad of JJ 6L6GC’s by default, one Balanced Gold Pin JJ ECC83S for the phase inverter (V5, closest to the power tubes), two Standard Gold Pin JJ ECC832’s for V2 – V3 and two Standard Gold Pin JJ ECC83S for V1 (closest to input jack) and V4.

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The bias is fixed at a very cold level on these amps but even in stock form there are tubes and combinations of tubes that will add warmth, definition and even some thunder! We have a long history with the 5150 amps clear back to August of 2000 when Bob introduced the 5150ex which was modded to be a test bed for Integrated Quads.

Over the years we have tubed hundreds if not thousands of original 5150 and 6505 amps with the JJ 6L6GC’s and several different Integrated Quads. These quads use a pair of the JJ 6L6GC’s in a very hot grade for the middle two sockets and pair of KT66’s, KT88’s or even 6550’s in the outside two sockets. These all run with the stock bias circuit and NO mods!