Icon and the Iconic

[skoora]

Got to play a Block Letter 5150 today (hadn’t played a 90’s 5150 in many years) and was digging it but it was very sensitive to too much input on sounding it’s best. An SG with kind of low output was very good but then a LP made the amp too mushy and even with the lead Pre on 1 was still too gainy and loose. But anyway, was messing around on it for a while and then decided what the hell, let me try the Iconic they also had and just couldn’t deny that it was as good and in some cases better than the OG. Much better taper on the volumes and gain controls. More effective EQ. A good clean. Possibly better crunch and better taper on level of gain on the lead channel. Plus the gate on the lead channel was killer. The noise on the OG was quite high. Also it had a boost for solo’s.
I’d played the Iconic before and thought it was pretty decent. Getting to play the OG right before it was an eye opener. The Iconic also didn’t need the moderate volume the OG needed to tighten up or lose some of the fizz.
So getting the OG would require pre amp tube rolling to tailor the gain level to your guitar, a separate noise gate for sure, an attenuator if you needed to play quietly and sound good and who knows what failures waiting to happen on 31 year old amp. Plus the Iconic was brand new with warranty for less money. As much as my nostalgia (played one for several years in the mid 90’s) wanted the OG, I couldn’t deny that the Iconic would probably be the better buy. It was really seeing an evolution of a design into a better amp. Actually made me a little sad…?
Anyone ran an Iconic for a while and found it to be a keeper or did it reveal shortcomings after lengthy use vs a more OG model?

 

[glpg80]

OG models need the bias mod to tighten them up and make them the true monsters they are.

The OGs were made to be played at obscene levels - levels that the iconic will not shine at IMO. If you’re a bedroom player or a mic’d cab guy then the iconic is a better investment. If you have the need for headroom or run multiple cabs I recommend fixing the small shortcomings of the original and go OG.

Also at 30+ years the OG is due for a full recap which requires removing the main board. Not impossible but not for the novice to do.

I personally also prefer to change out the OTs on the originals and install a choke since they come with resistors.

At band levels you’d see a large difference favoring the OG and virtually no fizz in the OG as well. For features/cleans and low volume stuff, the iconic is a good buy.

Personally I liked playing the iconic but it didn’t wow me. I turned on my 5150 II and jacked the volume and it’s a total wow sensation every time. That amps a monster.

 

[8len8]

I’ve had an Iconic head for about a year now. Played it at home and stage.

It did have a circuit reliability issue that a tech had to fix under warranty (heater resistors blew since they were mounted under the PCB).

The amp is very unforgiving, almost like a solid state amp without any sag. It’s definitely not as “classic rock” sounding as a Marshall 800 or DSL.

Some say it doesn’t cut through a mix, but I never had that problem.

 

[skoora]

OG models need the bias mod to tighten them up and make them the true monsters they are.

The OGs were made to be played at obscene levels - levels that the iconic will not shine at IMO. If you’re a bedroom player or a mic’d cab guy then the iconic is a better investment. If you have the need for headroom or run multiple cabs I recommend fixing the small shortcomings of the original and go OG.

Also at 30+ years the OG is due for a full recap which requires removing the main board. Not impossible but not for the novice to do.

I personally also prefer to change out the OTs on the originals and install a choke since they come with resistors.

At band levels you’d see a large difference favoring the OG and virtually no fizz in the OG as well. For features/cleans and low volume stuff, the iconic is a good buy.

Personally I liked playing the iconic but it didn’t wow me. I turned on my 5150 II and jacked the volume and it’s a total wow sensation every time. That amps a monster.

More so the II than the 1st Gen, I could never gibe with the cocked mid thing it tends to have. I know they leaned out the gain on the II a little to make it tighter but they also made that midrange thing happen where I prefer the 1st Gen. I hear you on volume. Without using an attenuator in the store I don’t know how the Iconic would be with some volume. Might be where the transformers tell the tale. Emotionally I want to get the OG, but my ears tried to tell my brain, my emotions are for shit…lol

 

[skoora]

I’ve had an Iconic head for about a year now. Played it at home and stage.

It did have a circuit reliability issue that a tech had to fix under warranty (heater resistors blew since they were mounted under the PCB).

The amp is very unforgiving, almost like a solid state amp without any sag. It’s definitely not as “classic rock” sounding as a Marshall 800 or DSL.

Some say it doesn’t cut through a mix, but I never had that problem.

I liked that I could dial it to what I wanted no matter the guitar. The OG, not so much. The OG’s are already at prices I’m not super comfortable with and the thought of spending hundreds on a gate and a bias mod (not mandatory) and possible FC’s, maintenance etc, it gets crazy. Plus it would be a basement Queen getting played every now and then….and I got bills to pay! ? South Park just killed it with the Member berries as they’re hitting pretty strong. Last time I used one was in a band, so it was always at volume and sounded pretty spectacular, straight in, no boost.