NAD: BAD SLO100 & Cab Question

[VanMalmsteen]

Sometimes I wish that the Mark Series and Rectifier Series were made by two different brands.
Unless you've played them side by side it's hard to appreciate just how different they are.


Me and buds got in the habit of using Boogie to refer to the Marks, and Mesa for the Recs.
Avoids the confusion like what happened a bit in this thread.

Two totally different amps. Opposites. When I think Mesa I think Mark series. EVERYTHING else is Mesas broadening amps.

 

[VanMalmsteen]

Maybe what NWM said is partially true; that Ed was waiting on a modded Marshall that never showed and in the end gave Peavey one of his SLOs. There are some differences but just like the Recto the 5150 pre is very close to the SLO preamp.

Agreed. Had I been James Brown and Van Halen wanted a sound….give it to him. He’s been liking this newer SLO thing? Well ahit, let’s get that sound with his name on it.
I would have loved to see a EVH Marshall with an attenuator in his printed headshell, would have sold eternally. Not that anything is wrong with Peavey, but c’mon EVH and Marshall are two pinnacle in their worlds. EVH and Peavey not quite.

 

[Racerxrated]

Agreed. Had I been James Brown and Van Halen wanted a sound….give it to him. He’s been liking this newer SLO thing? Well ahit, let’s get that sound with his name on it.
I would have loved to see a EVH Marshall with an attenuator in his printed headshell, would have sold eternally. Not that anything is wrong with Peavey, but c’mon EVH and Marshall are two pinnacle in their worlds. EVH and Peavey not quite.

Agree totally...Marshall dropped the ball on that; it would keep them in business for years. Hell, they should reach out to Wolf and ask him. The price point wouldn’t compete with the EVH line as I’m sure this would be at least a 3500 amp if not more. I’d start selling stuff to get ready lol

 

[Donnie B.]

EVH and Peavey not quite.

When that was first announced I think rock guitarists everywhere
got one of those quick shooting pains through their head.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Maybe what NWM said is partially true; that Ed was waiting on a modded Marshall that never showed and in the end gave Peavey one of his SLOs. There are some differences but just like the Recto the 5150 pre is very close to the SLO preamp.

I’m just directly quoting the story that James Brown told. He said that EVH had a Marshall that Jose worked up for him, and he (EVH) was shopping around to companies that could make an affordable production version of it. Apparently he was making his rounds to lots of companies. James said the thing that mattered a lot to EVH was being able to affordably produce that amp so that the average player could afford it and get his sound.

When he signed the deal with Peavey, he was supposed to provide that amp to them to copy, but they waited for months and it never showed up. James said he was actually a little disappointed he was going to copy an amp instead of designing one. When the amp never showed up, Harley Peavey finally told James to get working on it and they started with the VTM and such like above.

Apparently that particular amp EVH wanted copied was a mystery. Dave Friedman saw it at one point at EVH’s place back in the day, but Peavey never received it. It’s since disappeared and no one has any clue what happened to it.

It might actually be in that Tone Talk video posted above. I don’t recall the exact interview where he was telling the story.

 

[Racerxrated]

I’m just directly quoting the story that James Brown told. He said that EVH had a Marshall that Jose worked up for him, and he (EVH) was shopping around to companies that could make an affordable production version of it. Apparently he was making his rounds to lots of companies. James said the thing that mattered a lot to EVH was being able to affordably produce that amp so that the average player could afford it and get his sound.

When he signed the deal with Peavey, he was supposed to provide that amp to them to copy, but they waited for months and it never showed up. James said he was actually a little disappointed he was going to copy an amp instead of designing one. When the amp never showed up, Harley Peavey finally told James to get working on it and they started with the VTM and such like above.

Apparently that particular amp EVH wanted copied was a mystery. Dave Friedman saw it at one point at EVH’s place back in the day, but Peavey never received it. It’s since disappeared and no one has any clue what happened to it.

It might actually be in that Tone Talk video posted above. I don’t recall the exact interview where he was telling the story.

I have no doubt you are right...but I have doubts whether or not Mr Brown is being totally honest about the VTM thing vs the SLO plagiarism. There’s just too many similarities.

 

[jasonP]

IF you have a look at the 5150 and SLO schematics, you can see that they are close enough to see what is going on and that while there are some differences just like the rectifier, the 5150 is another amp that was lifted from the SLO circuit.

 

[Racerxrated]

IF you have a look at the 5150 and SLO schematics, you can see that they are close enough to see what is going on and that while there are some differences just like the rectifier, the 5150 is another amp that was lifted from the SLO circuit.

Yep. The VTM, while a cool amp (I’ve had 3, 1 modded) is basically a JCM 800 2203 circuit with the ability to shape/mod with those dip switches

 

[VanMalmsteen]

Agree totally...Marshall dropped the ball on that; it would keep them in business for years. Hell, they should reach out to Wolf and ask him. The price point wouldn’t compete with the EVH line as I’m sure this would be at least a 3500 amp if not more. I’d start selling stuff to get ready lol

I would too. God forbid they do 51 50 watt Marshall’s as a limited in his Tolex then a production version. Those 51 would sell for whatever they want. It is such a small number that they could collaborate with Wolfe and salvage some parts, or use something genuinely original to Ed in them or picks he used as a collectors thing, something. Would be an instant classic.
And for the 100 watt, the only thing above 5150? Bocephus mode.
Too bad I’m already doing it…..

 

[Samhain]

IF you have a look at the 5150 and SLO schematics, you can see that they are close enough to see what is going on and that while there are some differences just like the rectifier, the 5150 is another amp that was lifted from the SLO circuit.

Thats always been my understanding for decades.
Don't know why some here are trying to re-write history.
Before Peavey it was Ernie Ball/Music Man & Soldano.
The 5150 amps are hardly an original design.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Thats always been my understanding for decades.
Don't know why some here are trying to re-write history.
Before Peavey it was Ernie Ball/Music Man & Soldano.
The 5150 amps are hardly an original design.

The reason EVH left Music Man was because they weren’t producing enough guitars annually that Eddie wanted them to. He was already at Peavey with the 5150, and Hartley told EVH he could make as many guitars for him as Eddie wanted. That’s the story I remember hearing/reading. And yeah, the 5150 is HEAVILY influenced by the SLO.

 

[Samhain]

Multitudes of reasons why Ed hippity hopped companies # 1 $$$$ moolah, 2nd Ed was a PITA to deal with.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

IF you have a look at the 5150 and SLO schematics, you can see that they are close enough to see what is going on and that while there are some differences just like the rectifier, the 5150 is another amp that was lifted from the SLO circuit.

That’s not true. At no point did EVH tell Peavey he wanted his signature amp based on a Soldano, nor was it based on a Soldano.

The 5150 was supposed to be based on a Marshall that Jose modded that EVH was going to provide, but the amp never showed up. He was looking for a company to put that amp into production at an affordable price. Signed a deal with Peavey, and they waited months for the amp to show up, but it never did.

Peavey finally had to get going after months of waiting, so they started the build based on the Peavey VTM (which EVH had tried and liked, which was oddly enough itself based on a Jose Marshall), added the Resonance/Presence features from their line of power amps, etc. Hartley (Peavey) suggested they try to make some tweaks based on amps they knew had at the time, and that’s where they tried to incorporate bits from the SLO, Marshall Super Leads, etc. But the platform was a Peavey VTM with some features from their power amp line.

Not sure where the internet rumors came from originally that he wanted some company to make him an SLO style amp, but it’s false.

Never heard the 5150 being based on a Marshall story. The preamp of the 5150 is similar to the SLO. What I have heard from several people familiar with the history, is that Eddie pulled the OT/PT out of one of his SLOs and showed them to JB as Eddie really like the sound or something about the DeYoung OT/PT. Obviously PV didn't/couldn't clone the DeYoung OT/PT but went for a DeYoung sound/concept on a budget. A cheap budget as the 5150 OT/PT are glue to the metal bases... not even one piece bell ends. Super Cheap.

So besides the preamp circuit being very similar, we have 6L6GCs in the SLO... which were never used in any Marshalls. Always EL34s or 6550 from that period. You can also easily see the front panel of the 5150 with the numbers from 1-10 around each pot... which again mimics the SLO. So exactly how much influence did the SLO play in the 5150 design? A lot imho.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Never heard the 5150 being based on a Marshall story. The preamp of the 5150 is similar to the SLO. What I have heard from several people familiar with the history, is that Eddie pulled the OT/PT out of one of his SLOs and showed them to JB as Eddie really like the sound or something about the DeYoung OT/PT. Obviously PV didn't/couldn't clone the DeYoung OT/PT but went for a DeYoung sound/concept on a budget. A cheap budget as the 5150 OT/PT are glue to the metal bases... not even one piece bell ends. Super Cheap.

So besides the preamp circuit being very similar, we have 6L6GCs in the SLO... which were never used in any Marshalls. Always EL34s or 6550 from that period. You can also easily see the front panel of the 5150 with the numbers from 1-10 around each pot... which again mimics the SLO. So exactly how much influence did the SLO play in the 5150 design? A lot imho.

James Brown stated that after they started with the VTM mashed up with the Resonance/Presence from the Peavey power amp line, I believe it was Hartley (Peavey) that recommended they tweak from there by using the amps they knew EVH had used around that time, like the SLO and Super Lead. He noted that he got an SLO and checked it over, they copped some gain staging from it, hated the loop (who doesn’t), etc.

What I was getting at was based on his story, all of the internet conjecture around EVH and SLOs and EVH wanting to copy it or base the 5150 on it and etc...seems way off base. What EVH actually wanted was a Jose modded amp of his put into production, but it was never provided to Peavey. He gave them nothing to work with, which is why they started with the VTM and worked from there. They started with the VTM because it was the Peavey that EVH tried and liked best.

I was noting the interesting aspect of EVH wanting to produce a Jose modded amp, never providing the original to work from, and then subsequently having the 5150 start life as a VTM, which is - funny enough - based on a Jose Marshall It came full circle.

James Brown acknowledged that he bought an SLO and they copped a few things from it, but stated that was of their own accord trying to figure out what EVH would like without guidance, not because it’s what EVH said he wanted, as what he wanted and approached all the companies about was something different.

James Brown seems like a solid guy, and his story could be easily refuted by any number of amp companies that EVH approached at that time with his request. Don’t see what he would stand to gain by making up false stories 30 years later that could easily be disputed about a product and company he’s long since walked away from. Possible? Sure, but wouldn’t make much sense to me.

 

[Samhain]

Question : what do you call a Soldano SLO with 3 extra preamp tubes ?


Answer : a fiddy-won-fiddy.

20 + years ago a friend had a 5150. He sounded great by himself but in the band mix all that low end & lower mids were not audible at all.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Question : what do you call a Soldano SLO with 3 extra preamp tubes ?


Answer : a fiddy-won-fiddy.

20 + years ago a friend had a 5150. He sounded great by himself but in the band mix all that low end & lower mids were not audible at all.

I think the 5150 is the most widely varying amp I ever heard in a band context when it comes to sounding great versus sounding terrible. I’ve heard some guys sound absolutely killer with them. And I’ve also heard guys sounds just awful through them. I guessing the guys that sound terrible are sucking the mids and pumping the bass. I’ve heard some guys just sound beastly though it though.

 

[Samhain]

I think the 5150 is the most widely varying amp I ever heard in a band context when it comes to sounding great versus sounding terrible. I’ve heard some guys sound absolutely killer with them. And I’ve also heard guys sounds just awful through them. I guessing the guys that sound terrible are sucking the mids and pumping the bass. I’ve heard some guys just sound beastly though it though.

I concur, ive heard some drop-tune stuff that was earth shaking.
But an upper mid bark the 5150 is not.
The amp could probably go from 7 or 8 preamp slots to 4 or 5 and not miss much.
Over Engineered.

 

[Bad.Seed]

I concur, ive heard some drop-tune stuff that was earth shaking.
But an upper mid bark the 5150 is not.
The amp could probably go from 7 or 8 preamp slots to 4 or 5 and not miss much.
Over Engineered.

Only widely considered one of the best amps for metal since it's inception, and is also one of the most popular recording amps on metal albums because of the way it sits in a mix, but yeah, sure.

Also, the original Peavey 5150 only has 5 preamp slots. Not 7 or 8.

 

[VanMalmsteen]

Only widely considered one of the best amps for metal since it's inception, and is also one of the most popular recording amps on metal albums because of the way it sits in a mix, but yeah, sure.

Also, the original Peavey 5150 only has 5 preamp slots. Not 7 or 8.

I think price point plays a big role here.
Some people sound great with them, they have plenty of great sounds recorded on them. We could say that for most amps, though.
It was once I had to do some maintenance on it that I realized I needed to get rid of it

 

[Samhain]

Only widely considered one of the best amps for metal since it's inception, and is also one of the most popular recording amps on metal albums because of the way it sits in a mix, but yeah, sure.

Also, the original Peavey 5150 only has 5 preamp slots. Not 7 or 8.

That sounds right. I was thinking the Fender EVH has like 7 pre's.
I haven't seen an original 5150 in a long time. Those amps are getting old.
Aren't we all ha.