EVH 5150 III 50w amp head

[sonoragazzo]

Have any of you tried the EVH 5150 III 50w amp head? :?:
If yes, what are your overall thoughts?
Is the amp really worth it?

thanks for any reply

 

[DelRei]

Never tryied, but watching Youtube videos, it seems to be very good!! Beautiful tone!!!

I was considering buying this amp... But three things made me give up.

The first is that it has 50W without attenuator and I want something at maximum 20-25W because I only have a 1x12" cabinet "with V30 (60W). To use a 50W amp would have to use at least 2x12". I do not want to have to be carrying too much weight. 1x12" is great. :mrgreen:

The second is there is a difference in volume between the channels complicating live use.

And the third is that there are MANY complaints about problems in the foot.

 

[sonoragazzo]

I actually own one and I really like it, I have already recorded some tracks with my band and guitars really sound awesome. I am just throwing the question out due to I am thinking on selling it cause I would like to get the mini mark v and want to hear from the board if this change is really worth it.

More comments related are very welcome, before I make a decision

Thanks

 

[Nitrobattery]

I had a 50 watt 5150 III head for a while and wasn't really a fan. It was very, very compressed. I infinitely prefer the Peavey version.

As far as the Mark V 25, I'd definitely take one of those over the 5150...but they're very different amps.

 

[letterpool]

Op posted this a few months ago, but I'll throw in my 2 cents anyhow.

I took home a brand new 50w 5150iii and returned it as soon as I had the chance. Maybe it was the cab which was a Peavey filled with v30's.
In theory it should have sounded fine. I think it sounded too much like bees (only way to describe it) didn't like the distortion on itanyhow and once heard it couldn't be unheard.

I actually traded in my Mesa rectoverb 50w that was in really good shape but the effects loop sucked on it.

Ended up getting my RK v1. :twisted:

 

[Brad737]

I have one with the matching 212 cabinet. I think they're amazing amps for the money. There's a YouTube video of the 100-watt 5153 vs. a Bogner. Most of the comments preferred the EVH over the Bogner.

 

[abe]

I have the 2x12 50 watt combo. That one has the attenuator that brings it down to one watt. The volume jump between channels 1 & 2 only really happens at low volumes and even then isn't bad. The only issue I see with it is that channnels one and two are shared, so you have to keep the gain down if you want clean, and it's not like you get a Fender clean. It is a good ton, just not real clean.

Also, the footswitch isues are related to the crappy cable the provide. The good news is that it is a standard guitar cable.

My Stiletto has been collecting dust since I got this amp.

 

[kdorsey]

I demo'ed one for several hours and was knocked out! That scooped tone couldn't be dialed out, but it really was fantastic. Touch sensitive and responsive when setup properly. But there's no Boogie feel or tone to be found...completely different animal.

 

[sonoragazzo]

I demo'ed one for several hours and was knocked out! That scooped tone couldn't be dialed out, but it really was fantastic. Touch sensitive and responsive when setup properly. But there's no Boogie feel or tone to be found...completely different animal.

I agree, its another animal

 

[goaltender46]

I had a 5150III 50 watt. It was very compressed I just wasn't into it. Compared to my Mark series amps it felt tight and Mark amps are very tight feeling themselves. It did have a nice mid range to it and a good clean channel. The red channel had over the top gain. Overall I could never bond with it. My Mark iii I found to be a better amp overall. Plus I read that the build quality wasn't up to par and my Mesas have always been rock solid. I feel they have a some what generic tone too. It didn't allow my guitars natural tone to come through it always sounded like 5150...

 

[dmcguitar]

Resurrecting the thread!

I own one, and a Mark V. I had a 5150ii with a recto 4x12 prior to downsizing to the 3 ( i wanted a small more portable head to move to practice) I also downsized from the 4x12 to a mesa openback widebody w/c90 (and a vertical 2x12, which is normally paired with the Mark V)

I've had no reliabiltiy issues, other than tubes and the knobs were screwed on to tight and the cracked off (so they send me replacements) Oddly i really started to dig the c90 cab with the 5150 3, but i would still like to get a GB style speaker for it. FWIW I use it to play VH style rock.. so naturally it works. Channel 2 is way better than the peavey's (crunch), I like the lead on the peavey a little better ( i used that as my crunch / ryhym channel) i may be the only person that like the "clean sound" that came from the peavey version.

overall i like the 3 more though.

Regarding the compression... well every modern amp is is compressed, most of them overly so, but thats the sound we like, or we'd all be playing JTM45/100's

To compare it to a mark V, sound not feature set, the mark is the typical tight metal (thrash) sound, a la metallica, dream theater, john sykes.. and the evh 5150 is more 80's marshall, maybe smoother less percussive. When i play VH on the Mark it never feels right.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Never tryied, but watching Youtube videos, it seems to be very good!! Beautiful tone!!!

I was considering buying this amp... But three things made me give up.

The first is that it has 50W without attenuator and I want something at maximum 20-25W because I only have a 1x12" cabinet "with V30 (60W). To use a 50W amp would have to use at least 2x12". I do not want to have to be carrying too much weight. 1x12" is great. :mrgreen:

The second is there is a difference in volume between the channels complicating live use.

And the third is that there are MANY complaints about problems in the foot.

Power rating wise, should work just fine with a single V30. 60W is not like the definite maximum. They do factor in some tolerance. Besides, you are probably not going to crank the amp on full to ever reach that 60W output. I've used 100W amps through a cab rated for so called a maximum of 60W. So far even a fairly loud volumes, the cab is fine. Like I've said, no one really runs their amps wide open anymore

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Resurrecting the thread!

I own one, and a Mark V. I had a 5150ii with a recto 4x12 prior to downsizing to the 3 ( i wanted a small more portable head to move to practice) I also downsized from the 4x12 to a mesa openback widebody w/c90 (and a vertical 2x12, which is normally paired with the Mark V)

I've had no reliabiltiy issues, other than tubes and the knobs were screwed on to tight and the cracked off (so they send me replacements) Oddly i really started to dig the c90 cab with the 5150 3, but i would still like to get a GB style speaker for it. FWIW I use it to play VH style rock.. so naturally it works. Channel 2 is way better than the peavey's (crunch), I like the lead on the peavey a little better ( i used that as my crunch / ryhym channel) i may be the only person that like the "clean sound" that came from the peavey version.

overall i like the 3 more though.

Regarding the compression... well every modern amp is is compressed, most of them overly so, but thats the sound we like, or we'd all be playing JTM45/100's

To compare it to a mark V, sound not feature set, the mark is the typical tight metal (thrash) sound, a la metallica, dream theater, john sykes.. and the evh 5150 is more 80's marshall, maybe smoother less percussive. When i play VH on the Mark it never feels right.

I have a Peavey 5150 that has been revalved with an assortment of Sovtek preamp valves, and GT 5881s. I really dig the 5881s, but I might consider a full revalve for both preamp and poweramp valves to Tung Sol ones if I ever get the spare cash to do so

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I have one with the matching 212 cabinet. I think they're amazing amps for the money. There's a YouTube video of the 100-watt 5153 vs. a Bogner. Most of the comments preferred the EVH over the Bogner.

I sure hope it's not the Premier Guitar comparison. Many of the demoes really sounded poor :|