FJA 5150 mods...?

[ChadVanHalen]

So recently there've been some things I've noticed with my 5150 that need tweaking...

I've got a great distortion tone going with some chorus/delay and Maxon for my boost, it's just perfect for what I need.

But the "clean" channel is something I'm still struggling with... It's alright practicing and I get pretty even volumes with the lead on about 3 and clean close to dime'd so when I turn it up louder live the cleans get lost to me, not sure if it's like that out in the mix. And recently when I noticed a hum and some scratchy pots I decided I need to give it a good once over by some pros and looking at FJA mods there are a few I could use... But damn that's pricey...

So here's the question... I adore the 5150 since it's my first "high end" head but if I dropped $700 on the head and drop another $400ish for mods to make it sound good I'd be over $1000... Which I could get a stock amp that does all that anyway...

Should I ditch the 5150 and use the money I'd mod it with and go for something like a DSL or JVM? Can I get a good stock clean sound drenched in 80's delay and chorus from those or should I just send it to FJA to clean her up a bit?

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I don't think a DSL or JVM is a clear step up from the 5150- in fact, I'd rather have the 5150.
But the clean ability in live situations is an issue. I'm all up for modding, but maybe a 5153? Similar gains, but with a better clean...though you'll need the clean mod to get the volume right for live

I'd give Kyle Rhodes a pm, he has some reasonable prices and delivers excellent work. Cool dude too

 

[ChadVanHalen]

I don't think a DSL or JVM is a clear step up from the 5150- in fact, I'd rather have the 5150.
But the clean ability in live situations is an issue. I'm all up for modding, but maybe a 5153? Similar gains, but with a better clean...though you'll need the clean mod to get the volume right for live

I'd give Kyle Rhodes a pm, he has some reasonable prices and delivers excellent work. Cool dude too

The cleans are super quiet on that one too? I don't play too much clean, but there a few songs in the set like Bringin On The Heartbreak by Leppard that need loud enough cleans and not having me tap dance going in and out of a verse...

If I stick with the 5150 I'm gonna have to send it somewhere and have it cleaned and might as well see if they can help me out with my clean situation

I know the Quick Rod is about double what the 5150 + mods was/are... Is it double the quality enough to save up and dump the 5150 for?

 

[Mailman1971]

I had a 5150 modded by FJA and its well worth the costs once you get it back.
The one I had crushed alot of 2k amps. I owned just about every amp under the sun and you get him to mod it...you will love it.
The Crunch on it will kill and the Metal channel the same.
Right now I have a FJA modded Mesa Dual recto. I just like the voice better then the 5150 for what I play. But everyone that played/heard the FJA 5150 in person loved it.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

The 5153 seems to have people upset that ch1 &2 are shared. Ch1 can be a great clean, ch2 a great crunch, but not delivered at mutual settings. There is a mod that will fix it.
I always thought the Quick Rod was a friendlier sounding amp (good for pink guitars) whereas 5150 is more low mid vicious.
It depends on the material as they are different. I'd mod your amp, but choosing who to do it is a tough one, plenty of great options out there. I'd also look for a used modded amp as the resale value is usually great for a buyer.

 

[Little B]

Have you heard/ tried the new limited 5150iii stealth?.Lots a buzz bout it.

 

[bpetersen]

FJA's mods are well worth it. I would mod it, if you are that unhappy with the clean channel or trade for a 6505+. In my opinion, the cleans are more usable on the 6505+ than on the 5150/6505.

 

[bwgintegra]

Have you heard/ tried the new limited 5150iii stealth?.Lots a buzz bout it.

+1
I think these are limited but if you get a used 5150 III 100S Stealth, I played one recently and it killed

 

[the4thlast1]

I would say a EVH regular or stealth both have better clean channels... The 6505+ or 5150 II has a better clean tone as well. With these amps mentioned you will lose a touch of that aggressive grunt the regular 5150 has in the low mids but you will gain a tighter smoother distortion and a clean channel with more headroom.

 

[yngzaklynch]

Jerry will improve the 5150 across all the channels if you get his Metal Mod. I doubt i will ever sell mine

 

[Little B]

Have you heard/ tried the new limited 5150iii stealth?.Lots a buzz bout it.

+1
I think these are limited but if you get a used 5150 III 100S Stealth, I played one recently and it killed

...Ive heard them and really like what I hear.Cant wait to play one.Definitely better the whole way around than anything of past 5150.....cant wait to play one..cant wait to buy one...cant wait for my tax return!!!!!!

 

[NITROHOLIC]

mod a 5150. . . .

for better cleans? . . .

I gotta stop drinkin. . . .

buy bassman + 2 volume pedlols. BAM bast tone scenario evar.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

^that's a great idea if you can swing it, just grab a Fender combo and a quality a/b box
Total pain in the ass to set up if you gig a lot, but that's a great pro approach to super tone

 

[Charvel_King]

So recently there've been some things I've noticed with my 5150 that need tweaking...

I've got a great distortion tone going with some chorus/delay and Maxon for my boost, it's just perfect for what I need.

But the "clean" channel is something I'm still struggling with... It's alright practicing and I get pretty even volumes with the lead on about 3 and clean close to dime'd so when I turn it up louder live the cleans get lost to me, not sure if it's like that out in the mix. And recently when I noticed a hum and some scratchy pots I decided I need to give it a good once over by some pros and looking at FJA mods there are a few I could use... But damn that's pricey...

So here's the question... I adore the 5150 since it's my first "high end" head but if I dropped $700 on the head and drop another $400ish for mods to make it sound good I'd be over $1000... Which I could get a stock amp that does all that anyway...

Should I ditch the 5150 and use the money I'd mod it with and go for something like a DSL or JVM? Can I get a good stock clean sound drenched in 80's delay and chorus from those or should I just send it to FJA to clean her up a bit?

JVM will solve all your problems. They have an excellent clean and I have no problem balancing levels with the OD. Plus they have other useful features the 5150 doesn't.

 

[Anonymous]

aside from modding, there isnt MUCH you can do to fix a stock 5150/6505 clean channel.

you can try a compression pedal in front of your amp for your cleans, it might clean your input signal up enough that it's passable live.

maybe try to do what rob did from machinehead and use the lead channel for your cleans and the rhy channel for everything else. i tried it that way, didnt like it.

i ended up researching and modding my own amp....at 400$ for a script logo 5150i, what was there to lose really?
but if you're not comfy with a soldering iron inside your 700$ amp, then that ends that.

one other option i would suggest thatmay solve some of your issues (but CAN be pickup dependant too as in active vs passive) is to roll some different tubes.
definitely i would suggest right off the bat, trying a 12at7 in slots v1 and v4. if you're not sure which tubes those are, they are the two preamp tubes furthest from each other....v1 is the input tube for both channels. v4 is the PI tube. current production mullard cv4024 are phenomenal tubes if you dont wanna go the NOS/VOS route for about 20$ each. i like them for playing rock/classic rock and they helped my clean channel issues a bit before i modded my amp.

if you decide to mod your amp yourself and save the hassle of shipping and wait times, i can walk you through the mods i did to mine. shoot me a pm if you're interested in that route.

 

[ChadVanHalen]

That's what I figured... Man I wish I had enough money to have the 5150 around cause that distortion tone is just mwah but it's the same reason I haven't been looking to a JCM800 as my #1 since I need more than just a single channel amp, too many songs I play have cleans bit in it, cleaner than lowering the volume on the guitar can do and it doesn't sound like mods will bring forth this miracle tone from something not meant for it... I might have to pick up a JVM205 as a road amp and eventually get the 5150 or 800 back to keep at home down the road if I ever have a few hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket again...

 

[7 Stringer]

I also agree by going the 6505+ route or 5153, depending on your budget. Both are awesome, I own both.

But let me add that you might want to check out the 6534+, I just got one and it's an awesome amp! the cleans have been improved a lot over the 6505+, and I used to really like that clean! not the warmest in the world but still very good. The 34 warms it up nicely.

Just a thought as nobody ever mentions the 6534, it is an overlooked amp big time.

Chris

 

[Mudder]

IMHO you'd be better served by picking up a Silverface Bassman and use it for cleans with a a/b/y switch.

 

[Schaf]

That's what I figured... Man I wish I had enough money to have the 5150 around cause that distortion tone is just mwah but it's the same reason I haven't been looking to a JCM800 as my #1 since I need more than just a single channel amp, too many songs I play have cleans bit in it, cleaner than lowering the volume on the guitar can do and it doesn't sound like mods will bring forth this miracle tone from something not meant for it... I might have to pick up a JVM205 as a road amp and eventually get the 5150 or 800 back to keep at home down the road if I ever have a few hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket again...

If the loop is good, you can just get an RP1000 or gsp1101 and run it 4CM. Just run a clean model like the twin reverb for cleans. I do this with my JCM800. I think it sounds really good. You can pick up a RP for a couple hundred bucks. I got rid of my complete pedal board when I got mine. OD,s, delays and chorus's are pretty good too.

 

[ChadVanHalen]

I think getting a second amp is way too much of a hassle... Buy another couple pedals/fx unit, another mic which means the band has to get a bigger board...

I'm gonna have to ditch it and go for a JVM2... Probably 50 watt