Can someone explain the "S" in 5150 products? WTF?

romanianreaper

Well-known member
I'm confused as shit and shouldn't be. I have a 5150-III S EL34 combo. I've seen the 100 watt EL34 head has an "S" but not the 50 watt EL34 head. What does this stand for?
 
I'm confused as shit and shouldn't be. I have a 5150-III S EL34 combo. I've seen the 100 watt EL34 head has an "S" but not the 50 watt EL34 head. What does this stand for?
It's odd, indeed. The 100 watt EL34, (non-Stealth) is an EVH 5150 III "S", but the 50 watt EL34 isn't. Combo is as well, none are Stealth, but all EL34.
 
The "S" stands for "Stealth."

It came about when Eddie decided he wanted a 5150 III with, in his words, "a little more juice in the tank" for the Blue channel and a smoothed out Red channel for the 100w amps, probably because the 50w 6L6 had recently come out and had those same tweaks, and Eddie liked them enough to have them applied to the EVH 100w platform, which ultimately resulted in the 100w Stealth.

For the 100w amps, the "Stealth" denotation basically means that. A hotter Blue channel and less honky Red channel. This includes the Stealth 100w and EL34 100w.

The Stealth label on the 50w amps makes less sense though because they kind of all have those same tweaks to the OG 5150 III preamp design, more or less. In these cases I think the Stealth label is arbitrary. Actually, the official "Stealth" 50w amp really isn't different from the v2 6L6 50w (the one with the concentric pots) except that it's all black and has exposed bias points and maybe some very, very subtle tweaks to the Blue channel at very extreme settings.
 
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The "S" stands for "Stealth."

It came about when Eddie decided he wanted a 5150 III with, in his words, "a little more juice in the tank" for the Blue channel and a smoothed out Red channel for the 100w amps, probably because the 50w 6L6 had recently come out and had those same tweaks, and Eddie liked them enough to have them applied to the EVH 100w platform, which ultimately resulted in the 100w Stealth.

For the 100w amps, the "Stealth" denotation basically means that. A hotter Blue channel and less honky Red channel. This includes the Stealth 100w and EL34 100w.

The Stealth label on the 50w amps makes less sense though because they kind of all have those same tweaks to the OG 5150 III preamp design, more or less. In these cases I think the Stealth label is arbitrary. Actually, the official "Stealth" 50w amp really isn't different from the v2 6L6 50w (the one with the concentric pots) except that it's all black and has exposed bias points and maybe some very, very subtle tweaks to the Blue channel at very extreme settings.
The original Stealth Mod took the first gain stage of the red channel and used it as a replacement of the original green/blue first tube stage. That made the green/blue a little hotter, with a little more pre-gain bass cut.
 
I'm confused as shit and shouldn't be. I have a 5150-III S EL34 combo. I've seen the 100 watt EL34 head has an "S" but not the 50 watt EL34 head. What does this stand for?
"S" basically means Stealth, as otherrs have said. However, it has gotten all blurred from the 100W heads, 50W heads, and the combos.
 
I thought it was a Stealth but when I mentioned it here months ago, someone said that is impossible. That would make sense though because I have tons of gain. I can set the blue at 8-9 o'clock and easy hard rock/metal territory
 
I thought it was a Stealth but when I mentioned it here months ago, someone said that is impossible. That would make sense though because I have tons of gain. I can set the blue at 8-9 o'clock and easy hard rock/metal territory
That sounds like Stealth levels of gain. On my regular 6L6 50w, The blue gain about 1-3 oclock is the 80's style hair/metal sounds.
 
I thought it was a Stealth but when I mentioned it here months ago, someone said that is impossible. That would make sense though because I have tons of gain. I can set the blue at 8-9 o'clock and easy hard rock/metal territory
 
There you go. I probably have a stealth and didn't even realize. Lol
I just played my 6L6 for a bit, and played with this. The blue channel with the gain at 9 oclock is like early Led Zeppelin levels of gain. You have to get the gain knob up past noon to start getting into the 80's.
 
"S" basically means Stealth, as otherrs have said. However, it has gotten all blurred from the 100W heads, 50W heads, and the combos.
So, why's the EL34 combo an "S", but not the 50 watt head? They should be identical preamps.
 
So, why's the EL34 combo an "S", but not the 50 watt head? They should be identical preamps.
No necessarily. Maybe they offer the "S" in the combo to offer the Stealth option in a combo? They have the Stealth 100 obviously and 50 watt EL34, so maybe the combo is another option?

Definitely have a ton of gain. Like I said, I can do heavy stuff at 8 or 9 o'clock easy, and this is with Motor City lower output pickups
 
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