Re: Boosting a tube amp??
I have yet to be able to crank my EVH past 3 in my house
Keywords there... "in my HOUSE". I'm definitely not one of these gear-snobs who'd ever be so opinionated that is over the top to the point where they're spending more time talking down about every other guys rig, than they are actually PLAYING their own... And I gotta give you props for getting up here and being honest enough in your reply to have said "I just wanted one"!!! When I read that, 2 things went through my head at the same time... 1-Good for this dude (because I'm of a similar mindset), and 2- "OUCH" the "elitists" (a.k.a.- legend in their own mind) and ego-maniac tone police are gonna have fun when they see this one!!
Fact- 50 tube watts IS infact, WAY too much for use within a house. And even when the wife and kids are gone and you do get to turn it up ever so slightly, well, let's just say you most likely (unless you lucked out) aren't helping the neighbors see you in a positive light. Especially if they're elderly, because rock n roll is the devil's spawn, and if you happen to be the one playing it, well then, now you're just satan himself!
Another FACT- listen up all you guys out there who are void of acceptance and/or humility!!! Because this one supercedes anything n everything else when it comes to gear any one man may or may not choose to purchase, (and this pertains to guitar gear AND every other material thing out there) that choice is for that individual and that individual alone to make. Whether it's a guy just beginning who buys a Plexi and full-stack, or an expert who plays a chibson through a solid-state combo who may also, when the mood strikes him, run a behringer overdrive through his effects loop! It's the human right of ANY person to buy WHATEVER they want. That's the beauty of music, it's in the ears of the beholder! I hated boy bands in high school (that's a thing that hasn't changed to this day) but that didnt stop them from going multi-platinum, multiple times! Being unable to personally connect with any one thing does not make that thing any less valid, to the next man or in general.
Sorry I've gone out in left field. But in the past month, it seems EVERY SINGLE TIME Ive made an attempt to use this or ANY other forum for the purpose(s) in which they were intended, I've found myself plagued at every turn by individuals who make EVERYTHING they come across about THEM, and as opposed to helping someone with their question, by stating facts or offering suggestions, they choose instead to condescend by writing replies aimed at making someone feel foolish or less-than, because of the nature of the question, or the question in and of itself, or because gear mentioned in a person's thread/question either isn't up to their "standards" or maybe it great gear but someone's gotta put it down because they're just salty n butt-hurt that they can't afford it. Either way, every last bit of that type of thing is pure BS.
The 5150lll is great (100 and 50 watt, 6L6 and EL34 versions) While I despised Van Halen when I was coming up (still not a big fan now, of the band as a whole) there is absolutely NO denying the FACT that Eddie is one of the true greats of all time and a master at his craft, and I have the utmost respect for the fact that, while the man does seem extremely ego driven and full of himself (though lately it seems to have been toned down a notch or two), he still continues to PRACTICE and LEARN and push the boundaries. From the inception of VanHalen, to the partnership with PEAVEY and the original 5150 and the "brown sound", to breaking ties with Peavey and partnering with Fender which ushered in the 5150lll (and the many variants to follow), Eddie himself has been a shining example of the "beauty is in the ears of the beholder" mantra. We like what we like, and then down the road.... What we like changes. If the 5150lll's sounded like a 5150, the only time one would be sold is when a guys 5150 finally craps out and he can't find another.
Good on ya for playing what you want because you wanted to. I've got a 6505+ and a cab I put together myself, and I couldn't be happier!
If you look into attenuators, you may find one of those to be a great aid in allowing you to get the tone you've otherwise fallen short of due to the constraints of your jammin' area. These awesome little guys allow you to crank your signal, which will in turn push your tubes to their sweet-spot, but at the same time, allow you to do so while not irritating the wife/kids with the volume levels which otherwise go hand-in-hand with a pushed tube amplifier. I'd call it something between a solid improvement and a miracle!
