I played a 5150 Iconic Head today.....

japetus

japetus

Moderator
My buddy was at GC returning an amp, so I walked around and saw a 5150 Iconic in the "GEAR LOCKER VAULT" room. It was all ready to go, so I decided to crank it up. I have to say, it's a pretty damn good sounding amp. I could easily gig it or play it with a band. It's pretty damn aggressive, metalheads will love this amp. I could see guys playing really heavy shit REALLY liking it. It is a very, very tight feeling amp. I will be honest, I didn't take it through it's paces as far as EQ options as much as I should have due to time, I kinda just dialed in the regular ole tones. The cleans sounded really good (green). Boosted it sounded pretty hard rock. The Red channel sounded like a classic 5150 type tone to me. I did not like the "burn" button. It made it sound really harsh to my ears. I have to say for the price, I was pretty impressed.
I know this is a shit review but, I expected the amp to suck, but it really does sound pretty good.
 
My buddy, who uses an original Peavey in his band, bought an Iconic for his practice space. He digs it.

I gave it a good playthrough and thought it had some good sounds.
I wish that the clean and overdrive on the green channel were split into 2 separate channels.
Red channel doesn't do much for me. Burn button is pointless.
Overall, I find it it be a limited functioning amp. For a few more bills, the Stealth 50w overshadows the Iconic in every way, imo.
 
LPMojoGL said:
My buddy, who uses an original Peavey in his band, bought an Iconic for his practice space. He digs it.

I gave it a good playthrough and thought it had some good sounds.
I wish that the clean and overdrive on the green channel were split into 2 separate channels.
Red channel doesn't do much for me. Burn button is pointless.
Overall, I find it it be a limited functioning amp. For a few more bills, the Stealth 50w overshadows the Iconic in every way, imo.
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Burn button REALLY ruined the OD, it felt like throwing on a shit harsh pedal onto it. Now that you say the 2 split channels on the green..totally agree. I would like to try a 10 band EQ in the loop with the red channel with the gain down. I do think the clean tone was pretty decent though. It's not an amp that I would ever really play (I don't play hard rock or metal), I usually play Fender Bassman and low gain shit, but for what it was..I think you could do worse..especially if you were a young metal head just looking to get something that doesn't sound like total dogshit.
 
japetus said:
Burn button REALLY ruined the OD, it felt like throwing on a shit harsh pedal onto it. Now that you say the 2 split channels on the green..totally agree. I would like to try a 10 band EQ in the loop with the red channel with the gain down. I do think the clean tone was pretty decent though. It's not an amp that I would ever really play (I don't play hard rock or metal), I usually play Fender Bassman and low gain shit, but for what it was..I think you could do worse..especially if you were a young metal head just looking to get something that doesn't sound like total dogshit.
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Yes, would be a great first amp, or just amp, for a metal head wanting to riff.
I still miss my 69 SF Bassman. That thing cranked, hit with a Tube Screamer was killer. Clean to bluesy to EVH, it did it good. But was too loud for my mostly home playing.
 
LPMojoGL said:
Yes, would be a great first amp, or just amp, for a metal head wanting to riff.
I still miss my 69 SF Bassman. That thing cranked, hit with a Tube Screamer was killer. Clean to bluesy to EVH, it did it good. But was too loud for my mostly home playing.
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Read my mind lol
B507B294-F01F-42F2-9DDE-6E689D05FD16.jpeg
 
The Iconic is a great sounding amp, the Green channel OD mode in particular.

I bought one and almost kept it but there was so much overlap between it and my EVH 100w Stealth and 100w EL34 that I just couldn't justify it. The differences between those amps and the Iconic is extremely small, way more slight than I'd have thought. I happened to prefer the EVH's I already had but only by a hair. I wouldn't even call them flat out "better" even, just very slightly different in a way I felt more used to.

I'd absolutely recommend an Iconic to anybody interested in one.
 
Can anyone comment on the burn button being the reason the amp exhibits a fury type of gain character? Is it ever raw and defined gain?

I’m looking at an EL34 stealth or the iconic next. I want another grab and go channel switcher.
 
glpg80 said:
Can anyone comment on the burn button being the reason the amp exhibits a fury type of gain character? Is it ever raw and defined gain?

I’m looking at an EL34 stealth or the iconic next. I want another grab and go channel switcher.
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The Iconic isn’t grab and go. It’s big and heavy. Has the largest iron I’ve seen in a while.
 
glpg80 said:
Can anyone comment on the burn button being the reason the amp exhibits a fury type of gain character? Is it ever raw and defined gain?

I’m looking at an EL34 stealth or the iconic next. I want another grab and go channel switcher.
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I have to head back there tomorrow, if it's still there, I will take a short iphone clip of both channels for you.
 
Kelly said:
2 preamp tubes, pi is not tube.
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Heres what JB had to say about the amp

I took out the input tube, and replaced it with a high voltage transistor circuit....it's the tube that's the most problematic for tube feedback. Then we combined some stages between Ch1 and 2, and ended up with just 2-12AX7's for the preamp. The effects loop is solid state, and finally the Phase inverter is also a high voltage transistor circuit. So the most important parts for the sound...namely the 4 tube stages inside the preamp and the power tubes....are all tubes. I made sure it all curves the same as the various older and newer 5150's that we were trying to match it up to, and it's been a big hit with all kinds of players.

thanks
James B
 
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My wife and I went into a Guitar Center recently and I got all happy when I saw the combo. I turned it on and plugged in and no sound. Got a new guitar and still nothing. New cord, nothing. I finally gave up before hearing a note. Got frustrated and just gave up. I'm sure I'd like it but dig my 5150-III 6L6 50watt.
 
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