5150

[taphappy]

Why do so many people hate 5150 amps? I've never used them, but the best guitarist ever, Eddie Van Halen created them, so they must be good. What's your opinions?

[Duke of Metal]

Re: 5150

People say they hate them for the following reasons:
- Too Noisey
- Gain has a fuzzy characterist and useless as soon as you set the gain knob pass 5 or 6
- Harsh highend
and other reasons.

I remember when I tried my friend's 5150, it sounded excellent. None of those things were part of what people say about the amp. So, I dont know. I remember I played it with his Gibson LesPaul standard with stock pickups, dunlop crybaby and into the amp.

No Noise gate was used and it was quiet.


Duke

[Farkus]

Re: 5150

Why do so many people hate 5150 amps? I've never used them, but the best guitarist ever, Eddie Van Halen created them, so they must be good. What's your opinions?

I think that the 5150 kicks serious butt. I've had several Marshalls; 800 series, DSL included and I've played through some of the 900 series amps as well. The 5150 ripped all these amps apart. Is it noisy...well, yes it is. That's a good reason to flip the standby switch when you're not using it. Is it buzzy...yep, that too. It has a barrel of gain. If you back the gain down, it is very solid, though. I played METAL on this amp with FENDER SINGLE COILS and had the gain on 6 and it was plenty. The amp was very organic sounding to me. I found a tape last month that I'd made about 5 years ago when I was using the 5150...I couldn't believe my ears. That amp got some...liquid refreshment...spilled in it while it was on. It actually smoked before the loud 'honk' that was it's death rattle. Being a traditionalist, I replaced that amp with a JCM 800, then a DSL 2000 when the 800 got sold. All I can say is, when I put another group together, the DSL 2000 is either going to be sold or is going to be a backup, I'm getting another 5150, baby !!

BTW, 2 comments. First, this was a 5150 I, not the newer 5150 II, which I haven't tried. Other comment, I used the 5150 head with a JCM 900 Marshall 4 x 12 cab. Used with the 5150 cab it sounds too much like the Carnal Knowledge tone to suit me. The Marshall cab is much thicker and warmer.

Hope this helps
Farkus

[Imp]

Re: 5150

i was using the 5150 yesterday and didnt have those kind of problems...

admittedly, a high output pup can mud out at times, but its just getting used to it heh

[Mr Wolf]

Re: 5150

I tend to hire 5150s in the rehearsal studios with my band and im using one in my next gig on the 6th. The amp has sooooo much gain! I have the preamp on about 5-6 aswell and power amp on 5 on the lead channel. I use this as my basic metal rhythm. Like this i get a good tone. Have a GE-7 in the loop for my lead boost and im set. I used to get lots of feedback, but that was when i was overdoing the gain. Now i use alot less and its plenty. Brutal sound, and i cant wait to use it live!

[TheMist]

Re: 5150

I like the 5150. Peavey makes some great tube amps. like the 5150,5150II,Classic and the XXX. But I must say the XXX kills the 5150. Also I can't wait to try the new JSX amps.

[Shnook]

Re: 5150

I've owned the 5150 Combo for about 5 years now and it's a solid rock amp. It sounds best LOUD. At lower volumes, it does sound like a hornets nest though. From my years of 5150 experimentation, I've found that it sounds best when matched with a guitar with medium output pups. Something to tone the gain down a little. I have no intention of parting with my 5150, cause it does what it does very well. ROCK!

[ganjaseed]

Re: 5150

5150 is a great metal amp but : the clean sucks ,it can be buzzy and basically is a one trick pony.
Great for the money but there are way more versatile and better sounding hi gain amps on the market,

[Duke of Metal]

Re: 5150

I agree about the clean not being the best on it, but actully.. if you do the bias mod on it and bias it a little warmer, the overall sound can get better on the cleans and distortion.


Duke

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 5150

Like that amp alot...never had anything but fun with it.

[Shnook]

Re: 5150

The 5150 doesn't have a 'clean channel.' Lead and Rhythm, no 'clean.'