Peavey Classic 20, 6505MH & Invective MH - A Guitarist’s Buyers Guide

[@mrpaiute9013]

Thanks for the video, I narrowed down my choice to all 3

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

You and me both

[@Jaysteenn]

👍👍👍 Classic 20 head has been my main head for years now.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

Nice!

[@naserbagherpour5509]

Is it good for 80s metal or thrash

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

@@naserbagherpour5509 it wouldn't be my choice...I'd go for the 6505. Lots of thrash bands have done so.

[@sthirumstudios2164]

How is the Quality of the XLR out to run direct to the FOH. Is it good and usable. ?

[@2Plus2isChicken2013]

@@naserbagherpour5509 It definitely can be. Mine gives a pretty convincing thrash tone with the mids scooped a bit and a Tubescreamer boosting it.

[@soulcraft79]

One of the KZbin videos that convinced me to get the Classic 20MH. The quality, tone and amount of gain sold me on it. The cleans were a known given. Always preferred higher gain amps (6505, Marshall JVM410H). But the Classic 20MH has the overall core character I've always been looking for. Couldn't be happier with this purchase.

[@tommydiehl6794]

Most helpful video for this comparison...a lot of people are jamming them out with backing tracks and drums. This, along with the nicely labeled sections, allowed me to click back and forth between each 'my favorite clean tone' and compare directly in seconds. I have a 6505+ and need to downsize, and mainly utilize pedals...this video showed me the Classic will be my new jam for that amazing clean tone. I can dirty up the rest with pedals. Thanks Sean!

[@dw1784]

I think the Classic 20 is severely underrated. I think people lean towards the 6505 due to it's black appearance. It looks more like a rock amp. I'm not crazy about the look/colour of the Classic models but I own two of them and I'm a huge rock/hard rock fan. I have the Classic 20 head in this video, and I also have a Classic 50 2x12 combo. I do see these amps increasing in price though so maybe they are finally getting recognized. Brand new, I paid about $585 CAD for my 20W. I see them online now for over $1000 CAD. The 50 W 2x12 has also gone up a lot in price when I bought mine 4 years ago. I love that they take pedals so well. That's the biggest reason I got into them.

[@jdbertel33]

Love my classic 20. It does all the clean and breakup tones I need. I can run a drive in front and it sounds fantastic. It does a great mid high gain rock sound as you point out. I have a helix stomp xl in 4 cable, so if I really need to shred I can use a 5150 preamp model into the tube power amp of the classic 20 anyway!

[@siwy7867]

Enaught power to play gigs with drum?

[@gustavoloebel]

@@siwy7867 yes if you dont need pristine clean sound, I use mine for gigs and it is enough

[@ShadyLurk3r92]

Brilliant video!

[@KB-uw6zv]

This is how all reviews should be. Covering features/knobs and playing. So much of one or the other.

[@Prettynoise]

I’m 63 years old and for some reason I really like the Invective.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

It actually has some REALLY good sounds that aren’t metal in it! I have a more in depth demo of it on the channel as well. Check that out!

[@larrylaffer6015]

Peavey also made a valveking mini which is a very good amp as well for blues and rock, not quite the gain of the 6505 or invective but still a very useful amp. The invective is based on the 6505 mini with some bells and whistles. I have the valveking and classic amps, very pleased with them. Am looking to purchase the 6505 soon. The early ones had overheating issues but believe that has been sorted out. Good video. Rock on!

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

Thanks for checking out the video. I remember that Valveking Mini vaguely. The larger Valvekings were quite good.

[@rosswilliam2472]

I have the Classic 20 mh. Really good pedal platform. Takes pedals very well.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

@@rosswilliam2472 indeed it does! Great little amp

[@jameslanclos568]

Actually, this video is perfect because I'm considering all 3 of these amps and I'm trying to decide which one to get. Of course I'd like to have all 3...maybe later!

[@izzey0729]

Hey brother, i’m hoping you’re able to read this. I’d love for you to try the peavey classic 50 head. I bought a peavey classic 50 4x10 combo sometime last year & it’s an absolute beast. Awesome playing btw 😁.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

thanks! I don't know if I'll be getting to do that but I hope to do some more with Peavey in the future.

[@SageOfQRtet]

Great review! All three sound good, but if I have to choose one, that would be invective - it suits my main music style. Classic would be my second pick to expand into cleaner and more classic territory.

[@Bassguitarist1985]

Great feature of all three heads. My only gripe is the foot switch choice. You have to buy two of the 2 button footswitch with LEDs to operate all the features. Surprised Peavey never came out with a 4 button for the MH and Series 2 variants of all these heads. The only way you can get such a foot switch is from Switch Doctor in CA...to wich I have one on order my VK100 MK II head!

[@73prd]

Great review i actually love the sound of the classic to be honest and the the incentive, are these heads loud enough through a 412 cab for a 3 piece punk band for rehearsal or live if i didnt want to mic the cab

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

I would say so. I ran them thru 2x12s (one Peavey w/ Greenbacks and an Orange w/ Vintage 30s) and they sounded plenty loud to me.

[@martintucker2825]

The classic 20 sounds as good as it looks stunning, great for blues and rock.

[@constantinranis]

Do you need a load box to use those without a speaker for studio purposes ?

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

No you don’t need one

[@joshuaenyart5570]

On the classic 20, can you utilize both footswitch locations at the same time?

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

Yes. But the included foot switch is only two buttons so it’ll only control one Jack or the other

[@SJ_FB25]

Any difference between the current and old 6505mh? I see the logos are different and missing text below the input jack

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

I have no idea. I never played the older version. I would suspect it’s only cosmetic since the whole 6505 series got a cosmetic revamp.

[@SwedenWitchcraft]

Did you try connecting one of the amplifiers directly to the computer via USB?

[@larslevinberget9558]

I always thought the Classic tweed series had everything that the 6505 doesn't and vice versa :)

[@vonclod123]

I'm looking at the 6505, just saw one today. I'm going be living in a small apartment, I'm liking the thought of plugging in some headphones, or into the computer. But the Invective looks interesting, I play around with a baritone sometimes, and love the chug!!! Did you play around with the emulation at all? for either of the high gain amps?

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

The 6505 and Invective are a HUGE matchup. Both could work very easily. I did try the cab sim and I wasn't crazy about it. But in a pinch it could work just fine. I found it to be a little dark.

[@vonclod123]

@@SeanPierceJohnson Awesome, thx for the reply!

[@nicholasstorer3580]

All the heads sound really good. There is one criticism that goes towards them, though. With so many switching option, instead of using two 1/4 inch jacks to control the switches, peavey should have used a midi jack and supplied a four button switch. With the advancement on digital technology and how many pedals can be midi controllable, I'm surprised that a lot of the amp companies aren't moving towards midi switching.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

The big brother Invective has MIDI. But as a guitarist who isn't great with MIDI I like the simplicity that the footswitch jacks offer

[@TVoltG]

I used a Peavey Classic 50 head for my main amp during the late 90's. It was a great amp for some good hard rock grunge tones with a couple of right pedals.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

although all three of these amps took pedals well the Classic was the best!

[@97warlock]

I will ADMIT the Classic 20 ,for rock,classic rock Sounds Good. Reminds me of the Transtube Bandit .... ..... Had the 6505mh, lasted a month, never again. .....That Invective .... Has Moved into the #1 spot I had reserved for a 5150 III 15W

[@blistersonmyfingers9321]

THEY COME WITH THE FOOT SWITCH?!?! I AM SOLD ON ALL 3!

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

i know right?

[@97warlock]

If I had to pick 2 Id throw out the 6505 & keep the Classic & that Invective, Best of both worlds.!! dont get me wrong, 6505 sounds goopd, but Invective just sounds "better" to my ears

[@xorbe07]

Should have included the peavey valve king micro 20 head too, just for fun. Don't know why they discontinued it , it's great.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

Well this video was made in partnership w/ Peavey so since it’s discontinued it wasn’t included. I remember the Valve King series. Very underrated and had a HUGE bang-for-buck factor.

[@Bassguitarist1985]

@@SeanPierceJohnson not sure why they discontinued it. I have the VK100 II head. very underrated.

[@larrylaffer6015]

Agreed....... The valveking mini is a very good amp!

[@denofearthundertheeverlast5138]

More like you cant judge a book by its Tweed cover...lol

[@martijn_yt]

No criticism = no review ;)

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

As I said, treat this video as a buyer’s guide and not a review