EVH 5150 III

[Mailman1971]

Any you guys have or owned or played thru these?
What you think?
Can they cover it all??
I read where Testament recorded the new album with one.
I owned the original 5150 Block letter and a 6505 plus.

Been leaning on going back to ENGL but maybe might try the 5150 III.
Any thoughts?

 

[stratotone]

Any you guys have or owned or played thru these?
What you think?
Can they cover it all??
I read where Testament recorded the new album with one.
I owned the original 5150 Block letter and a 6505 plus.

Been leaning on going back to ENGL but maybe might try the 5150 III.
Any thoughts?

Stick with your Randall. You've been here before Dan!

 

[Mailman1971]

Any you guys have or owned or played thru these?
What you think?
Can they cover it all??
I read where Testament recorded the new album with one.
I owned the original 5150 Block letter and a 6505 plus.

Been leaning on going back to ENGL but maybe might try the 5150 III.
Any thoughts?

Stick with your Randall. You've been here before Dan!

hahaha
I know........I know.....
Just the GAS...its BURNING!!
And my Randall is sounding better then ever these days!!

 

[glpg80]

the 5150 III has been growing on me. they record better than they sound live i believe. but i agree with what pete said - its a great amplifier but there are better out there. if i had the cash to blow i wouldnt mind one. i thought about getting one once upon a time but then i came home and played mine and decided it wasnt worth it for me.

 

[glassjaw7]

I'm going to be the one that says "go for it!"
I love the III's. I gigged my buddy's for a few nights and loved it. I find all three channels very usable and ch.3 perfect for high-gain meltdown. I didn't even have to turn the gain past 11:00-12:00 and didn't need a boost to keep it tight and clear.

Some people think ch2 needs a bit more gain but I disagree. It had a great classic rock to old metal sound. Ch3 picked up from there. Oh, and the clean is very nice and useable.

 

[Mailman1971]

Usually I just jump on a amp I am interested in, but this year my finances kinda took a dive and I have to be choosey with the gear I buy since I need to sell FIRST now before I buy.
But for the most part alot of amps I bought never really cut it and I just kept flipping them.
Lot of people brag up the 5150 III and lot of them say it sucks.
Wish I had a chance to play one in person insteading of buying first then re-selling if I didnt like it.

 

[goldwing68nv]

I'm going to be the one that says "go for it!"
I love the III's. I gigged my buddy's for a few nights and loved it. I find all three channels very usable and ch.3 perfect for high-gain meltdown. I didn't even have to turn the gain past 11:00-12:00 and didn't need a boost to keep it tight and clear.

Some people think ch2 needs a bit more gain but I disagree. It had a great classic rock to old metal sound. Ch3 picked up from there. Oh, and the clean is very nice and useable.

+1 on the channel descriptions.it's a very good all-around amp

 

[meanstreet]

I absolutely LOVE mine (I mainly play hard rock and some metal). I've gigged out about 4-5 times a month with it since May 2008 and there isn't a show that goes by that someone isn't coming up to me raving about my tone. I have a 6505+ also, but I think the III is just on another level for what I like. I've had a TON of other amps, including a Powerball, Cobra, Eggie TOL100, JSX, DSL100 and rack setups, and the III just does it for ME more than any of those amps. The clean is nice as long as you keep the gain set low (otherwise it will start to break up). Channel 2 is great for rock rhythms and leads, and channel 3 slams for heavy stuff and solos. It also takes pedals well. As far as channel 2, I've played a few in stores that didn't have quite enough gain for me for what I like on that channel and I played a few that 3:00 on channel 2 was perfect for what I like. The difference I've seen between those was the tubes (Sovtek vs. JJ). The Sovtek loaded heads seem to have more gain to them. Mine is loaded with Sovteks. Channel 3 has more gain than ANYONE would ever need and mine never goes past 12:00 on the gain knob. I'm running it through a Bogner 4x12 and I'm loving it. YMMV!

 

[Mailman1971]

It does sound like a great package. I owned a slew of amps in the past as well.
I am now using a modified Randall RM100 that takes the modules. I have alot of custom modules and the amp sounds GREAT but I just get on these kicks where I want to get something new or different. The EVH sounds like it has the goods.
We play alot of AC/DC and older Kiss but we also do Slayer and Metallica to Pro-pain and Testament. That is when I read that the last Testament album was recorded with a EVH 5150 III and it sparked a interest.
Thanks for all the input guys. One of these desicions that I will be stewing over for awhile.

 

[simbasa]

Testament used a few amps on the album, I heard. Scolnick was using a Marshall Mode 4 as well. I don't really hear the 5150 III stand out on the album. Someone would have to point to the exact tracks it's used on for me.

I had the 5150 III when it first came out. Cool amp but IMO it's more of a hard rock amp. There are other amps I like more for metal tones but it can do metal. It really does the hard rock thing great and tons of crazy harmonics, like Eddie likes it.

 

[yngzaklynch]

I sold my first Marshall Vintage Modern so I could buy a 5153. Worst move I ever made. I damn near hated the 5153. The clean channel was ok. The crunch channle needed more gain. The high gain channel... probably the most hairy high gain channel I ever heard. Nothing I really like about that amp. Sold within a month.

 

[Mailman1971]

I sold my first Marshall Vintage Modern so I could buy a 5153. Worst move I ever made. I damn near heted the 5153. The clean channel was ok. The crunch channle needed more gain. The high gain channel... probably the most hairy high gain channel I ever heard. Nothing I really like about that amp. Sold within a month.

Wow....and I know that you and I dig the same type of music too.
You made some videos with that amp didnt you?
Seems people love that amp or hate it.
From the clips I hear it sounds like TOTALLY different amps pending on what clips I hear.
Wish I could check one out in person.

 

[yngzaklynch]

I sold my first Marshall Vintage Modern so I could buy a 5153. Worst move I ever made. I damn near heted the 5153. The clean channel was ok. The crunch channle needed more gain. The high gain channel... probably the most hairy high gain channel I ever heard. Nothing I really like about that amp. Sold within a month.

Wow....and I know that you and I dig the same type of music too.
You made some videos with that amp didnt you?
Seems people love that amp or hate it.
From the clips I hear it sounds like TOTALLY different amps pending on what clips I hear.
Wish I could check one out in person.

At the end of the day I'm a boosted Marshall fan. Amps I'd recommend are.... The Mesa Mk IV, Engl Powerball, Any Bogner (whichever fits your needs), Soldano SLO if you can make use of the volume, Laney VH100R, VHT 50CL, and of course any decent Marshall. Especially the Marshall Vintage Modern.

 

[Mailman1971]

I sold my first Marshall Vintage Modern so I could buy a 5153. Worst move I ever made. I damn near heted the 5153. The clean channel was ok. The crunch channle needed more gain. The high gain channel... probably the most hairy high gain channel I ever heard. Nothing I really like about that amp. Sold within a month.

Wow....and I know that you and I dig the same type of music too.
You made some videos with that amp didnt you?
Seems people love that amp or hate it.
From the clips I hear it sounds like TOTALLY different amps pending on what clips I hear.
Wish I could check one out in person.

At the end of the day I'm a boosted Marshall fan. Amps I'd recommend are.... The Mesa Mk IV, Engl Powerball, Any Bogner (whichever fits your needs), Soldano SLO if you can make use of the volume, Laney VH100R, VHT 50CL, and of course any decent Marshall. Especially the Marshall Vintage Modern.

I am still using my Modded MTS amp with some tricked out modules. Sounds great.
I am just gassing. Had a Engl Invader in the past and plenty of modded Marshalls and Metaltronix, Splawn, WANT A SLO though........
but just gassing for something new/different. Wanted to check out the new Fireball 100. But a buddy mentioned the 5150 III and started me thinking.
Guess I need to do like the add says....SHUT UP AND PLAY!
I get the GAS bug WAAAAAAY to much and always listen to what the devil tells me to do!
You sell off the MTS amp?
I am still diggin mine. Maybe should just spring for a new module?

 

[yngzaklynch]

I still have my Randall RM100KH, but I much prefer my Marshall.

 

[TX6Strings]

I've tried the 5153 several times and have come REAL close to pulling the trigger on it but the one thing that I shy away from is the versatility. I EQed the channels a few different ways to try to get different sounds and I always got kind of a.....well...VH sound...go figure Great sounding amp but I'd just be afraid I'd get board with it after a while.

BTW - It sounds (TO ME) much better through a Marshall cab with the dreaded 75s....not so much VH to it at that point.

 

[glpg80]

I've tried the 5153 several times and have come REAL close to pulling the trigger on it but the one thing that I shy away from is the versatility. I EQed the channels a few different ways to try to get different sounds and I always got kind of a.....well...VH sound...go figure Great sounding amp but I'd just be afraid I'd get board with it after a while.

BTW - It sounds (TO ME) much better through a Marshall cab with the dreaded 75s....not so much VH to it at that point.

+1 i thought the same thing. theres something i dislike about the tone that comes from lead channel but i cant put my finger on it. the cleans are great and the volume cleans up well too. all i know is that its a great amplifier, but just not for me.

 

[gbsmusic]

I agree with almost every one here, it sounds good but there is much better out there. My 5150 III lasted a month and a half.

 

[Lance-a-not]

I am in the love it camp, I have owned 3, and now the second one again... I just traded a Budda SD45 to get my 2nd 5150III back.

The only reason I have sold any was for funds and then I would get a different amp and it just won't work as well for what I do. I do prefer it with a Genz G-Flex though.

Here is the thread with the EVH compared to the Budda from a couple days ago:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54038

Best amp I have owned, for my stuff... But I like a lot of other amps a LOT

 

[Anonymous]

Amazing amp!

I own one and I am still getting a feel for it but i really dig it...

It's a little grainier than I am used to but it has some great tones in it...

I really didnt need the amp at all and got it in a trade...I still prefer my orange rockerverb..

I am in michigan so maybe you could check it out sometime?