Opinions wanted on a combo or head? EVH Marshall Blackstar

[gbsmusic]

As I stated in a previous thread last year was a rough year for me and I sold all my gear, everything has worked out great and life is beautiful again so now I'm going to be able to get back into playing and buying a few things but I'm not going to go crazy and spend a ton of money because I just play at home and it's senseless to chase the greatest amp of all time anymore, I've had a lot of fun doing that but also lost a lot of money. I was going to go the Fractal route again but after you buy the monitors and the Fractal unit itself you're well over $2,000. I am looking at the EVH Iconic combo or the 5150 iii EL34 combo or head. If you've owned or played both which one did you prefer the iconic definitely has the price point but I do want a great sounding amp. I also thought about the Marshall Jubilee which is still a possibility. Believe it or not I'm also considering the Black Star Club 50 Mk ii head. I'm open to other ideas also. Any opinions would be appreciated thank you in advance!

 

[GOHOINC]

A coworker of mine got an iconic combo last year and he loves it. He runs it in stereo with the 20 watt DSL and couldnt be happier... No experience myself, my coworker is an 80s metal guy and for him the pair nails what he is after.

 

[the rossness]

I haven't loved the Iconic when I've played it. Lots of top end but not a ton of chunk. I don't want to get flamed, but if that's the tone you want, Maybe try a clean amp and an MXR 5150 distortion pedal. That is another route to go- Get your fav dirt pedals and run them through a clean amp.

I'm not big on the HT series. The Series 1, maybe.

How much are Kempers going for these days? Can you find a used one in your budget? They're great!

 

[Findthetone1]

There's some good combos out there. I have a DSL20CR that sounds pretty good. Took the 70/80 out and put a V30 I had lying around and it really helped it. Another option is to look into the Mojotone 1x12 cabinets. I have a Canyon model with a Neo-creamback so it's light as hell. Pair that witha EVH LBX or 6505MH or similar and you've got one hell of a portable and great sounding rig.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

I haven't loved the Iconic when I've played it. Lots of top end but not a ton of chunk. I don't want to get flamed, but if that's the tone you want, Maybe try a clean amp and an MXR 5150 distortion pedal. That is another route to go- Get your fav dirt pedals and run them through a clean amp.

I'm not big on the HT series. The Series 1, maybe.

How much are Kempers going for these days? Can you find a used one in your budget? They're great!

If your experience with the Iconic was that it didn't have enough low end, you were playing through the wrong cab. The amp has a ton of low end.

Like "Pixar Mom" amounts of low end.

 

[gbsmusic]

I'll be headed back home to the Portland area within a month or so maybe I'll take a little extra time and try some different amps out. I talked to one of my sales guys and he said the Blackstar is possibly the best sounding one of the three. He said the iconic sounds incredible but they're made out of some material and he said he doesn't think they're going to hold up over time that the material will start falling apart.

 

[glpg80]

Marshall SC20 head with a 1x12 cab of your choice. Stick an SD-1 in the front and you’re in heaven.

Iconic combo since it has power scaling and reverb built in.

5150 LBXIIS with the green and blue channels. It’s 15W of greatness. Just grab a 1x12 or 2x12 of your choice

Less common but equally badass, an old 5150 OG 2x12. All tube, tube buffered spring reverb, and they sound great.

 

[gbsmusic]

Marshall SC20 head with a 1x12 cab of your choice. Stick an SD-1 in the front and you’re in heaven.

Iconic combo since it has power scaling and reverb built in.

5150 LBXIIS with the green and blue channels. It’s 15W of greatness. Just grab a 1x12 or 2x12 of your choice

Less common but equally badass, an old 5150 OG 2x12. All tube, tube buffered spring reverb, and they sound great.

If I could get my hands on an old 5150 2-12 combo I would love to I had a couple over the years they are heavy as hell but put out great sound!

 

[glpg80]

If I could get my hands on an old 5150 2-12 combo I would love to I had a couple over the years they are heavy as hell but put out great sound!

They’re less commonly recommended but they’re the best sounding even today of the 5150 series IMO.

I’d love to convert a combo into a 120W chassis with doner OG transformers and power boards.

 

[gbsmusic]

The Black Star HT Club 50 head mkii looks very intriguing. I've watched a ton of videos and it actually sounds really good.

 

[bubbastain]

I'll be headed back home to the Portland area within a month or so maybe I'll take a little extra time and try some different amps out. I talked to one of my sales guys and he said the Blackstar is possibly the best sounding one of the three. He said the iconic sounds incredible but they're made out of some material and he said he doesn't think they're going to hold up over time that the material will start falling apart.

I wouldn't worry about the material of the cab too much since you said your only playing at home. The Iconic sounds pretty damn good to me. Or at least the head does. I think all combos sound like ass compared to running a separate closed back cab. I wish they made the 40 watt Iconic in a head format.

 

[gbsmusic]

I wouldn't worry about the material of the cab too much since you said your only playing at home. The Iconic sounds pretty damn good to me. Or at least the head does. I think all combos sound like ass compared to running a separate closed back cab. I wish they made the 40 watt Iconic in a head format.

Hey good to hear from you I hope you're doing well I agree with you if they had it in a 40-watt head I would be all over it because I do not need the 80 watts of power I live in a tiny place 40 watts would be way too much, but I do want to have something that sounds good. Are you still playing through the EVH 50 watt el34?

 

[Racerxrated]

For around a grand I’d roll with a Jubilee 25 combo. Add a 212 later.
But all the choices mentioned here will work just fine. I just prefer the jubilee tone vs the DSLs, EVHs of the world.

 

[bubbastain]

Hey good to hear from you I hope you're doing well I agree with you if they had it in a 40-watt head I would be all over it because I do not need the 80 watts of power I live in a tiny place 40 watts would be way too much, but I do want to have something that sounds good. Are you still playing through the EVH 50 watt el34?

I actually sold off all my tube amps close to two years ago. Emergency cat vet bill was the main culprit. Up until recently I was playing a full solid state pedalboard rig with my Mosvalve power amp. About a couple of months ago I picked up another Peavey VTM. Still running two 4x12's. Always gotta have two 412's. Haha!

 

[romanianreaper]

I had an EVH 5150-III EL34 50-watt and never gelled with it at all. I was always adjusting settings and something was just "off". A year ago I got an EVH 5150-III 6L6 50 watt head and love it!! I'm planning on getting the stealth soon.