5150 III

[MYLILSS]

it is definately an awesome amp .... i love mine. i totally agree with you on the eq settings, you have to eq with your ears not with your eyes.

i am having one small problem though with mine. when i have the channel switcher plugged in i can go through the blue and red channel and switch the effects loop on or off, but when i try and turn on the green channel (clean), the footswitch lights up the green channel LED and effects loop LED, and the channel just goes back to wherever it was previously ... so i have to leave the footswitch unplugged to get the clean channel to work

 

[aftec]

it is definately an awesome amp .... i love mine. i totally agree with you on the eq settings, you have to eq with your ears not with your eyes.

i am having one small problem though with mine. when i have the channel switcher plugged in i can go through the blue and red channel and switch the effects loop on or off, but when i try and turn on the green channel (clean), the footswitch lights up the green channel LED and effects loop LED, and the channel just goes back to wherever it was previously ... so i have to leave the footswitch unplugged to get the clean channel to work

That sounds quite bad. The switching system is quite funky in this head. If you have a RJM Amp Gizmo around with the proper cable, you can test if it's the footswitch or the switching circuit.

 

[MYLILSS]

imma pop the chassis open tonight and take a look around. i bought the amp used, and it works great, aside from this issue. i am gonna check to make sure something didnt come loose inside the amp .. it was shipped from new york all the way down here to south texas, so it could be something loose, or at least i am hoping.

 

[aftec]

According the schematics, the Fx loop and Channel one pins are right next to each other on the socket, check for shorts.
Although I would not recommend opening it, unless you know how to properly discharge the amp.

 

[MYLILSS]

According the schematics, the Fx loop and Channel one pins are right next to each other on the socket, check for shorts.
Although I would not recommend opening it, unless you know how to properly discharge the amp.

yeah i checked it ... nothing looks bad. i will say one thing about it. when i pick up the cable from the switch to the amp it starts making a crackling noise and actually sounds like when you drag a mic on the ground, so i am hoping the cable just got damaged in the shipping, and it isnt anything else. i gonna head to the local shop right now to pick up a new cable and try it out. thanks

edit:: after handling the footswitch cable ... the effects loop will now not turn off or on anymore .. so i am seriousl thinking (hoping) it is the cable

 

[droptrd]

Safe bets its the cable - hopefully

 

[prsdiezel]

I know they have a lot of problems. The 2 people I know who owned them have had problems. Plus all the issues everyone posts online about them.

Weird problems like the 3rd channel won't even come on. Or they won't switch channels at all. Plus they blow fuses and tubes alot.

I heard they are made in Mexico.

Don't know if this is true maybe someone can clairify this.

They sound really good when I played them but reliability issues have kept me way.

 

[nevusofota]

According the schematics, the Fx loop and Channel one pins are right next to each other on the socket, check for shorts.
Although I would not recommend opening it, unless you know how to properly discharge the amp.

yeah i checked it ... nothing looks bad. i will say one thing about it. when i pick up the cable from the switch to the amp it starts making a crackling noise and actually sounds like when you drag a mic on the ground, so i am hoping the cable just got damaged in the shipping, and it isnt anything else. i gonna head to the local shop right now to pick up a new cable and try it out. thanks

edit:: after handling the footswitch cable ... the effects loop will now not turn off or on anymore .. so i am seriousl thinking (hoping) it is the cable

This exact same thing happened to me (when I used to use the footswitch and before my rjm mini amp gizmo). I went to the music store and borrowed another cable and everything was fine. I then took my original cable and found that the screw in the connector was loose. Tightening it seemed to help the problem. I returned the borrowed cable to the music store, then not too long after, I started using the gizmo so I haven't had any problems since. The midi cable the amp comes with seems really cheap.

 

[nevusofota]

I know they have a lot of problems. The 2 people I know who owned them have had problems. Plus all the issues everyone posts online about them.

Weird problems like the 3rd channel won't even come on. Or they won't switch channels at all. Plus they blow fuses and tubes alot.

I heard they are made in Mexico.

Don't know if this is true maybe someone can clairify this.

They sound really good when I played them but reliability issues have kept me way.

To answer your question, yes they are made in Mexico. I don't think that the problem I have had (blowing a preamp tube) is because of where it is made, but more of how the amp is designed. But I think this design is why it sounds so good. All the switching problems I have heard about tend to be in the cable (it is cheap).

 

[tnourse]

This amp is strange, cause i've read really good reviews and really bad reviews. All I know is that Testament used them on their last recording and it sounds kick ass to me!

 

[MYLILSS]

This amp is strange, cause i've read really good reviews and really bad reviews. All I know is that Testament used them on their last recording and it sounds kick ass to me!

the amp does sound insane. i have a 6505+ as well and it doesnt even compare to the tone out of the 5150 III ... i went to my local music store, and they didnt have one, but could order one if i really needed it ... WTF ?? i asked for it so i must really need it

 

[MYLILSS]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

 

[lolzgreg]

5150 III is win. One of my favorite amps, BY FAR. If anyone tells you otherwise, they're either deaf, or have bad taste

 

[lolzgreg]

This amp is strange, cause i've read really good reviews and really bad reviews. All I know is that Testament used them on their last recording and it sounds kick ass to me!

the amp does sound insane. i have a 6505+ as well and it doesnt even compare to the tone out of the 5150 III ... i went to my local music store, and they didnt have one, but could order one if i really needed it ... WTF ?? i asked for it so i must really need it

You'd be surprised how similar the three sound under a microphone.

 

[nevusofota]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

NO! Don't use a 7 pin midi cable, it's custom for the amp. The amp does NOT send midi commands. Try what I suggested in the previous post. Tighten down the connector screws first to see if it resolves the problem.

 

[nevusofota]

This amp is strange, cause i've read really good reviews and really bad reviews. All I know is that Testament used them on their last recording and it sounds kick ass to me!

the amp does sound insane. i have a 6505+ as well and it doesnt even compare to the tone out of the 5150 III ... i went to my local music store, and they didnt have one, but could order one if i really needed it ... WTF ?? i asked for it so i must really need it

You'd be surprised how similar the three sound under a microphone.

They do sound somewhat similar under a microphone (ear specific) but I still think the EVH sounds better IMO. However, the EVH feels much better while playing (in sustain and harmonic response), which, at least in my case, makes playing more enjoyable and musical.

 

[MYLILSS]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

NO! Don't use a 7 pin midi cable, it's custom for the amp. The amp does NOT send midi commands. Try what I suggested in the previous post. Tighten down the connector screws first to see if it resolves the problem.

it didnt work. i have tried everything, it is definately a cable problem i just need to find one now... who else makes them besides the original manufacturer cuz the cable they come with seems really cheap ...

 

[Superunknown]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

NO! Don't use a 7 pin midi cable, it's custom for the amp. The amp does NOT send midi commands. Try what I suggested in the previous post. Tighten down the connector screws first to see if it resolves the problem.

it didnt work. i have tried everything, it is definately a cable problem i just need to find one now... who else makes them besides the original manufacturer cuz the cable they come with seems really cheap ...

I might have an extra cable as I don't have the 5150 III anymore. Let me check when I get home and get back to you.

Todd

 

[nevusofota]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

NO! Don't use a 7 pin midi cable, it's custom for the amp. The amp does NOT send midi commands. Try what I suggested in the previous post. Tighten down the connector screws first to see if it resolves the problem.

it didnt work. i have tried everything, it is definately a cable problem i just need to find one now... who else makes them besides the original manufacturer cuz the cable they come with seems really cheap ...

rjm sells them (the same people that make the mini amp gizmo)

 

[aftec]

hopefully someone can help me out, but i just need a 7 pin midi cable to operate the footswitch dont i ?? or is it something specific i need for this amp ??

NO! Don't use a 7 pin midi cable, it's custom for the amp. The amp does NOT send midi commands. Try what I suggested in the previous post. Tighten down the connector screws first to see if it resolves the problem.

it didnt work. i have tried everything, it is definately a cable problem i just need to find one now... who else makes them besides the original manufacturer cuz the cable they come with seems really cheap ...

If you are not afraid of the soldering iron, you can make your own. Schematics are available if you google for it.
But as a first run, check the cable with a multimeter for a torn wire.