EVH 5150 III LBX Lunchbox Tube Amplifier Head

[Bishop5150]

Saw this on American Musical Supply website today.
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-EVH-2256000-LIST

 

[Findthetone1]

I don't understand why they did two gain channels. Both of which are very high gain. I'd rather have that with a green and blue channel.

 

[Bishop5150]

I don't understand why they did two gain channels. Both of which are very high gain. I'd rather have that with a green and blue channel.

Agreed. Very disappointed. Was hoping for green and blue as well.

 

[evhfan]

I'll snag one as a backup, when they're $110 on the bay...(lol)

 

[Salos]

Woah $700.... I haven't been really following the mini release, but I'm guessing this price point has been known for a while?

Jeez, you can get a used 50 watter in good or better condition for $700.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

What everyone else has said, two super high gain channels? Why bother. Also price point is silly when as mentioned , you can get a real deal fifty watter used for that. The mini lunchbox thing hasn't totally captivated me yet. Maybe those mini jcm800 or plexis but they had stupid prices too.

 

[Findthetone1]

IMO they'd been better off spending their R&D time and money into finding a way to make the power scaling fit into the 50 watt head and then offering a retrofit to owners that have one without it.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

IMO they'd been better off spending their R&D time in money into finding a way to make the power scaling fit into the 50 watt head and then offering a retrofit to owners that have one without it.

Agree with that

 

[KentC]

I think it makes sense. I read all the time about how people are not happy about the green channel isnt clean enough, or jsut the way it sounds in general. I know I never was every time I played the amp. 50 watt, 100 watt, it doesnt matter, I have never liked the green on these amps. I wouldn't miss it one bit. FWIW, I'd be willing to bet that over 50% of the players of this amp are only using it for the gain channels anyway. Probably because they don't need a clean channel, or they don't like the way the green sounds. I'd be curious to know how the EL-84's are going to sound in this. And the price is horrible. No thanks!

 

[Bishop5150]

If I didn't need a clean channel I would be all over this.

 

[Findthetone1]

I think it makes sense. I read all the time about how people are not happy about the green channel isnt clean enough, or jsut the way it sounds in general. I know I never was every time I played the amp. 50 watt, 100 watt, it doesnt matter, I have never liked the green on these amps. I wouldn't miss it one bit. FWIW, I'd be willing to bet that over 50% of the players of this amp are only using it for the gain channels anyway. Probably because they don't need a clean channel, or they don't like the way the green sounds. I'd be curious to know how the EL-84's are going to sound in this. And the price is horrible. No thanks!

I see that reasoning for sure. I guess my opinions just go on my own experiences with the 50 watt and while yes, the green channels clean is mediocre at best, I rarely used red just because it's just too much gain. My thinking was use the green with gain higher for low to mid crunch and blue for all else and boost if needed.

 

[Lampshade1973]

Its goota be better than that POS 6505 mini that broke down on me twice in 2 months, because of that I have a credit at sweetwater for 450, I might try this out....

 

[Chubtone]

I think that the Blue channel on the 50w cleans up with my volume knob into this beautiful, killer clean tone. It's not this pristine, super ultra clean but just a really cool clean tone. If this does that and the blue channel sounds good, I'm getting one for sure.

 

[Speeddemon]

I see that reasoning for sure. I guess my opinions just go on my own experiences with the 50 watt and while yes, the green channels clean is mediocre at best, I rarely used red just because it's just too much gain. My thinking was use the green with gain higher for low to mid crunch and blue for all else and boost if needed.

Do you have a guitar with splittable humbuckers?
If so, try the Green/Blue gain at 6 (aka 1 'o clock), and while on the green channel, split your neck humbucker.
Voila, instant jangly clean.

I rarely used red just because it's just too much gain.

Throw in 1 or 2 lower gain (e.g. ECC82 or 5751) tubes somewhere in V2, V3 or V4; problem solved.

You guys gotta think in challenges and solutions instead of limitations, issues or shortcomings.
That being said, why are the EVH heads without a (digital) reverb?! The main ingredient for an EVH tone (given that the phaser and flanger are not an always-on thing for him. Had to buy a HOF Mini to get my EVH on.
Oh, and I hated the oval EVH logo, so I fixed that myself...

 

[MrDowntown]

That being said, why are the EVH heads without a (digital) reverb?! The main ingredient for an EVH tone (given that the phaser and flanger are not an always-on thing for him. Had to buy a HOF Mini to get my EVH on.

Lot of truth regarding the verb...
got a HOF mini looped to my 5153 as well. Would love to know how you got your mini settings.

 

[Speeddemon]

That being said, why are the EVH heads without a (digital) reverb?! The main ingredient for an EVH tone (given that the phaser and flanger are not an always-on thing for him. Had to buy a HOF Mini to get my EVH on.

Lot of truth regarding the verb...
got a HOF mini looped to my 5153 as well. Would love to know how you got your mini settings.

I forgot the exact patch, but it's a sort of darkish room/plate intermediate. Not too long, but reasonably thick sounding. I usually set the knob at 10 'o clock and crank it to 2 or 3 for the EVH/Malmsteen drenches.

 

[mniel8195]

I think this would have been a home run with a clean ch. + a blue ch with a footswitchable boost for the front end. The other features i can honestly live with ought so i wont comment on them. You can pick up a used 50 watt for the same price so it does not make a ton of sense for me.

 

[Gitfiddler]

Will this be loud enough to play over drums?

 

[alainarose]

Yeah kind of disappointed as well. When originally listed, this was going to have the same power soak control as on the combo units.

I am so glad I snagged a 50 watt version as I can run out the headphone out into my Axe FX 2 into a Matrix power amp in order to achieve the same power level control functionality. A ghetto type Torpedo live but it works very well.

 

[jinch0]

Here is a demo
https://youtu.be/PWrtNIvEWBE