5150 III 50 watt....Why shouldn't I buy one?

[mctallica1]

Hey Guys.

I have been checking out the posts on this amp and for the most part they are all very positive.

Also checked out quite a few videos and they sound pretty good to me. It sounds like it can do a modern thrashy tone in spades.

Have not had a chance to play one at a music store, but will if possible.

With all that said, for those of you who have owned or spent a decent amount of time on one and DID NOT care for it....why?

Even though it is billed as a 3 channel amp, I tend to hate shared controls, so my initial intention would be to run it using channel 1 and channel 3...super clean and the brootz

If I buy one, I am leaning toward picking up the 2x12 cab too. For $1500 combined price, it seems like a steal.

Thanks!
T

 

[Steinmetzify]

Got one out for delivery today bro....I played it a couple weeks ago at high volume for awhile and it was fantastic; low volume was good enough to make me order one. Closest I've seen to the modded Mesa in a production amp. Mostly a brootz guy so I'll be spending most of my time on 2-3, but I can copy the review I'm gonna do for Dan the Mailman to you if you want.

 

[mctallica1]

Got one out for delivery today bro....I played it a couple weeks ago at high volume for awhile and it was fantastic; low volume was good enough to make me order one. Closest I've seen to the modded Mesa in a production amp. Mostly a brootz guy so I'll be spending most of my time on 2-3, but I can copy the review I'm gonna do for Dan the Mailman to you if you want.

Thanks Bud.

Please do if you wouldn't mind.


I am not looking to replace anything I have, but this thing has really caught my attention....along with the Randall RD45 head. Hell, I could buy both for a lot less than some of the individual amps I do and have owned and they both seem to be getting a lot of praise.

 

[EVHpickdust]

I've got the combo, 50w head thru a 2x12EVH and thru a 1x12 Bogner, and 100 watt head thru an EVH 4x12. All voiced a bit differently. It's an great sounding versatile amp for the money. Buy it from Guitar Center locally, that way you can return it if you don't like it no questions asked.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I can't think of a legit reason NOT to buy one.

 

[SandyRavage]

No reason. They sound great, cut through, and can be played at low volumes....and reasonably priced. That being said I still love my older peavey but have been wanting one of the III for a while.

 

[moronmountain]

I would get the 100 watt so I could have the full 3 channels.

 

[Bishop5150]

I have the 50 watt and matching 2x12 and 2 100 watts and matching 4x12's. Only drawback on the 50 watt is the shared volume for channels 1&2 but not really an issue for me.

 

[mniel8195]

I would check if the amp your getting has issues on ch2 besides the volume. Mine flubs out and sounds strange when playing lower notes! I am going to have to bring it to a tech. It seems like a documented issue so make sure your does not!

 

[Chubtone]

The amp is worth buying for channel 2 alone. Love it!

 

[H Golf Sport]

The amp is worth buying for channel 2 alone. Love it!

+1!!!

And a certain someone has some pretty decent pricing on them.

 

[Viesczy]

I would get the 100 watt so I could have the full 3 channels.

Has a good point. I love my 5150 III 50, even custom painted her up too, but the lack of 3 full & independent channels is limiting in a live situation unless you're going the midi route.

On their own the green, the blue, and the red channels sound FANTAB!

Derek

 

[ejecta]

The amp is worth buying for channel 2 alone. Love it!

Yep!!

 

[Stramm8]

The amp is worth buying for channel 2 alone. Love it!

Word. Channel 2 is where it's at for me...

 

[::fred::]

We always enjoy this amp when we have it in stock. I'm really surprised it doesn't get the attention it deserves. It has OK cleans (for a multichannel high gainer that is, remember the crap cleans in the original 5150s?), decent crunch and an absolutely wonderful rich distortion tone. Small, lightweight, even manages to sound better than most other amps at lower volumes. Priced fairly. What could you possibly want more? A bj, perhaps.

 

[lessarti]

Well if i can add my two cents, i purchased one weeks ago and have zero regrets! I play E flat tuning, megadeth/metallica thrashy stuff and it rocks. Blue channel is very hard rock/ classic rock marshally tones and red channel is perfect slo kind of tones and really sounds amazing sonically. I initially had no intentions of picking this thing up until i happened to walk into the local L&M months ago and decided to try it out. I was blown away.. absolutely how good it sounded at low volumes... put it on my backburner "neat amps to try someday" list and eventually gave in after moving some gear around.

Honestly, it is reminicent of a bogner xtc with less chewiness/blanket over speaker and more tight modern modded marshall tones but similar to SLO at the same time... hard to explain but i used to own a xtc a few yrs back and i swear this evh amp sounds darn close tonally. Feel is tighter on the evh but make no mistake VERY similar freq sonic stomping grounds when you factor out the brighter evh/bogner darker diff etc.

Just my 2 cents.. BEST AMP on the market PERIOD for the price and tones it offers... beats out MANY big names and boutique builders.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

The only reason to not buy the 50 watt is to buy the 100 watt instead.

 

[Ventura]

I know nothing about this amp.

 

[TX6Strings]

I just bought a 50 watt...get the 100 with the fully independent 3 channels.

 

[Orvillain]

I do wish I'd gotten the 3 channel version. Not being able to use all three channels in a live setting is really starting to piss me off. I had to buy an AMT pedal to work around it! Annoying.