Tell me about the 5150 III.

[fluff191]

Thinking I want the EVH to be my next amp purchase. Does it need a boost to be tight? Cleans decent (not looking for Fender cleans)? Is it reliable?

Give me some input and THANK YOU ahead of time!

 

[Code001]

I boost it because I play death metal, but it doesn't need a boost like a Recto does. Cleans are decent; nothing amazing, but they can definitely get the job done, especially with a compressor in front. Been reliable for me, but I haven't gigged with it.

 

[bionicmark]

Thinking I want the EVH to be my next amp purchase. Does it need a boost to be tight? Cleans decent (not looking for Fender cleans)? Is it reliable?

Give me some input and THANK YOU ahead of time!

here's your next purchase:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=107405

 

[supersonic]

Had one for a year, no reliability issues. The very early units had some dodgy output valves. You hear of some with footswtch problems. After a while the tone of the amp grated my ears and had to sell it, the mids were too thick and the third channel had way too much preamp gain for my liking. All round good value for the money if it's a tone you can live with.

 

[fluff191]

That FJA modded EVH looks delicious. Didn't know there is normally popping between switched channels.

 

[wIsEbLooD]

cleans just ok
channel 2 sounds great, could use a touch more gain imo.
channel three sounds like a 5152 lead channel.

if i did not have the 5152 i would get one.

 

[bionicmark]

That FJA modded EVH looks delicious. Didn't know there is normally popping between switched channels.

thanks! no footswitch issues on this one!

 

[nevusofota]

Thinking I want the EVH to be my next amp purchase. Does it need a boost to be tight? Cleans decent (not looking for Fender cleans)? Is it reliable?

Give me some input and THANK YOU ahead of time!

Channel 2 doesn't need a boost to be tight but I think channel 3 does.

Channel 2 is the highlight of the amp. When people demo it they jump right to the high gain channel missing the essence of the amp (especially in a band setting). I boost channel 2 with a Maxon OD9 not for tightness but to increase gain/sustain. Very urgent in-your-face tone here. Channel 2 gain stages are different than channel 3. The EVH is almost 2 different amps in 1. Channel 1 and 2 share the same tonal structure and Channel 3 is totally different.

Channel 3 is saturated and doesn't jump out of the mix when used as a rhythm channel IMO. Sounds great for leads. I crank the mids past noon.

Channel 1 clean is more than decent when 2 things are done 1) crank the volume 2) use an EQ pedal. It's just OK otherwise.

The EVH has been my main gigging amp for 4 years and have never had major issues besides a blown preamp tube and a bad footswitch cable. I even have one of the dreaded "early" models (internet folklore )

I run it midi and channel switching is TOTALLY silent and instant.

 

[fluff191]

Thinking I want the EVH to be my next amp purchase. Does it need a boost to be tight? Cleans decent (not looking for Fender cleans)? Is it reliable?

Give me some input and THANK YOU ahead of time!

Channel 2 doesn't need a boost to be tight but I think channel 3 does.

Channel 2 is the highlight of the amp. When people demo it they jump right to the high gain channel missing the essence of the amp (especially in a band setting). I boost channel 2 with a Maxon OD9 not for tightness but to increase gain/sustain. Very urgent in-your-face tone here. Channel 2 gain stages are different than channel 3. The EVH is almost 2 different amps in 1. Channel 1 and 2 share the same tonal structure and Channel 3 is totally different.

Channel 3 is saturated and doesn't jump out of the mix when used as a rhythm channel IMO. Sounds great for leads. I crank the mids past noon.

Channel 1 clean is more than decent when 2 things are done 1) crank the volume 2) use an EQ pedal. It's just OK otherwise.

The EVH has been my main gigging amp for 4 years and have never had major issues besides a blown preamp tube and a bad footswitch cable. I even have one of the dreaded "early" models (internet folklore )

I run it midi and channel switching is TOTALLY silent and instant.

Dude thank you for taking the time to type all that. The info you provided is exactly what I wanted to know!

 

[nevusofota]

Thinking I want the EVH to be my next amp purchase. Does it need a boost to be tight? Cleans decent (not looking for Fender cleans)? Is it reliable?

Give me some input and THANK YOU ahead of time!

Channel 2 doesn't need a boost to be tight but I think channel 3 does.

Channel 2 is the highlight of the amp. When people demo it they jump right to the high gain channel missing the essence of the amp (especially in a band setting). I boost channel 2 with a Maxon OD9 not for tightness but to increase gain/sustain. Very urgent in-your-face tone here. Channel 2 gain stages are different than channel 3. The EVH is almost 2 different amps in 1. Channel 1 and 2 share the same tonal structure and Channel 3 is totally different.

Channel 3 is saturated and doesn't jump out of the mix when used as a rhythm channel IMO. Sounds great for leads. I crank the mids past noon.

Channel 1 clean is more than decent when 2 things are done 1) crank the volume 2) use an EQ pedal. It's just OK otherwise.

The EVH has been my main gigging amp for 4 years and have never had major issues besides a blown preamp tube and a bad footswitch cable. I even have one of the dreaded "early" models (internet folklore )

I run it midi and channel switching is TOTALLY silent and instant.

Dude thank you for taking the time to type all that. The info you provided is exactly what I wanted to know!

No problem. I think I know very little about a lot of gear but know a lot about 1 piece of gear I've spent many hours with the amp so it's really the only piece of gear I feel comfortable writing in detail about (at least my experience with it).

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I posted a thread saying that I'm looking at the 5153, Yeti/Chupa, JVM210/205, Splawn, ENGL Blackmore.

I've had a Modded DSL (Voodoo), JCM800, and Budda SD30 (I'm an EL34 guy, but loved this amp otherwise).

I just keep coming back to the 5153 for some reason: it's a weird feeling I have. When I played it at GC, I really liked it. I couldn't crank it, but the low volume tones were pretty rad. I agree that you could simply goose Channel 2 with a good OD and then switch to Channel 3 for leads.

I'm really interested in hearing what the 50 watt can do.

 

[Bishop5150]

I love mine. Got 2 of them. A black halfstack and an ivory halfstack and another ivory head on layaway at Guitar autographed by EVH himself. I leave one at home to gig with and the other at our rehearsal room unless I bring both to run stereo for bigger shows. I've been using them since 09' gigging 2-3 times a month and have never had any issues besides having a preamp tube go out. I use the G-System and an RJM mini amp gizmo for my channel switching and it's instant and silent. One of the amps I recently put new power amp tubes in and had my amp guy bias it a little hotter and I realy dig it now. I think its a great amp. The fx loop is superb. I use it with a G-System and run stereo with a 5150 combo most shows. I have a TC Nova Drive that I hit the front of it with. Depending on my mood I'll use channel 2 for rhythms with the Nova Drive on for extra OD and use channel 3 for leads or sometimes just use channel 3 for rhythms and leads and use the Nova drive for a little extra boost and the G-System set for a mid boost for leads. I dig the clean channel a lot as well. I can't say enough about the 5150 III cabs also. I think they sound great and are rock solid. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Audioholic]

I was holding out for the 50 water but time ran out. I now have the big guy en route and should get here on Friday. I am super excited and will post clips and review as well

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Awesome! I checked out a clip last night of the 5153 on youtube and it just smoked. That's the thing...A good number of the youtube clips I hear of this amp make it sounds great. I can't wait to play one again before making my decision.