The AMT Bricks P-Lead is a preamp pedal from AMT Electronics that emulates the tube preamp of the Peavey 5150/6505. It is part of AMT's Bricks series of compact preamp pedals, and AMT lists it as available now1. Despite a body AMT describes as Snickers-sized, it carries a full set of Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass and Volume knobs, and runs its tube stage at a high anode voltage of +250 to 300V1.
What it does to your signal
AMT describes the P-Lead as an analog preamp with Clean, Low gain and High gain modes, aimed at the 5150/6505 voicing2. Beyond the gain stages, the pedal includes an IR cab sim with one IR for both left and right channels per preset, a Power Amp block with nine types, and a global Noise Gate setting3. That combination means it can serve as a complete preamp into a power amp or an effects return, or as a drive pedal into a normal amp input.
The tube is not decorative. AMT specifies a really high anode voltage of +250 to 300V, and describes the circuit as either full tube or hybrid, tube plus semiconductors, with semiconductor components efficiently emulating vacuum triode cascades1. AMT lists the accepted tube types as AMT-12AX7WS, 12AX7, ECC83, or another 12AX7-compatible tube1.
Two ways to hook it up
AMT gives the pedal two roles, and the connection point determines which one you get1:
- Preamp mode: connected to the amp's Return, using the pedal's overloaded channels as the preamp itself.
- Drive pedal mode: connected to the amp's Input, working like a drive pedal in front of your amp's own preamp.
AMT notes that names used in its documentation are trademarks of their respective owners and are in no way associated or affiliated with AMT Electronics. Peavey, 5150 and 6505 are referenced as the voicing being emulated, not as AMT products1.
CTRL A and CTRL B
For players building a switching rig, the P-Lead has special CTRL A and CTRL B connectors that let the pedal control other devices or be controlled by other devices1. In practice that means a loop switcher or controller can change the P-Lead's modes in step with the rest of a board, rather than the pedal living on its own footswitch.
Where it sits in the Bricks range
The P-Lead is one of several lead-voiced preamps in the AMT Bricks line. Others in the series include the AMT Bricks X-Lead, AMT Bricks Vt-LEAD, AMT Bricks M-Lead, AMT Bricks R/S-lead and AMT Bricks F-Clean, each aimed at a different amp voicing1. For a broader look at the category, see Preamp Pedals.
AMT's media center has posted demo material for the pedal, including a no-talking tube preamp demo focused on the 5150/6505 emulation4 and a review video dated 28 July 20222.
Videos
Kyle Bull
Sounder
Ivan Demichev
Questions
Which tubes work in the AMT Bricks P-Lead?
AMT says the preamp can be equipped with a tube of one of the following types: AMT-12AX7WS, 12AX7, ECC83, or another 12AX7-compatible tube. These are all the same family of dual triode preamp tubes, so any standard 12AX7/ECC83 type or AMT's own AMT-12AX7WS will work, which makes swapping tubes for different feel straightforward.
Is the AMT P-Lead a real tube preamp or a hybrid?
It can be either. AMT describes the circuit design as either full tube or hybrid, meaning tube plus semiconductors, with semiconductor components efficiently emulating vacuum triode cascades. The pedal does carry a real tube running at a high anode voltage of +250 to 300V, so it is not a solid-state pedal with a token tube.
Can the P-Lead go into an amp's effects return?
Yes. AMT lists two ways to use it: in preamp mode, connected to the amp's Return, where it replaces the amp's own preamp, or in drive pedal mode, connected to the amp's Input, where it acts as an overdrive or distortion stage in front of the amp.
Is the AMT P-Lead true bypass?
AMT states that when other preamps in a chain are switched on, they are switched to TRUE BYPASS mode. So in a multi-preamp setup, the pedals not in use are taken out of the signal path entirely.
What do the CTRL A and CTRL B connectors do?
AMT says the pedal has special CTRL A and CTRL B connectors that let it control other devices or be controlled by other devices. That lets the P-Lead sit in a larger rig where a switcher or controller changes its channels along with everything else.
Where can I find the AMT Bricks P-Lead manual?
AMT's media center links the English user's manual, shared with the X-Lead and X-Clean, at amtelectronics.com/new/manuals/AMT_X-LEAD_X-CLEAN_AMT-Bricks_(ENG).pdf.
Sources (4)
- AMT P-lead, AMT Electronics, 2026
- AMT Bricks P-Lead, Media center of AMT Electronics, 2022-07-28
- AMT Bricks P-Lead Тест, Media center of AMT Electronics
- AMT Bricks P-Lead (Peavey 5150/6505 Emulates) tube preamp DEMO (no talking), Media center of AMT Electronics
