I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

[SpaceShipOne]

I've been saving for a 5150 for a while and I finally have enough thanks to graduation. Right after graduation I went to GC to see if they at least had one I could try out(never have). Now, I know these amps KICK and are wonderful sounding. I could only find a 6505+ and the only cab they had was a marshall mg cab with those stock celestions. Through it, the thing was NASTY. Bright and brittle and the head didn't seem to have nearly as much gain as I've heard. Is it just a bad combination of crappy cab and crappy model of the head or what? I'd be running it through a Marshall 1960A with V30's. Will I get a much much different sound out of a 5150 standard and my cab?

 

[ksmith63]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

marshall mg cabinets suck. its that simple. was that the only cab they had at guitar center? get one of the sales guys to hook it up to a different cabinet for you. remember those guys are getting paid commission for what you buy so make them work for it.

the 6505 will sound 10x better with your marshall 1960

 

[Loserchief]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

The 6505+ is more like a 5150II and is voice differently than the regular 5150/6505. IIRC it's not as gainy and brighter, but i'm no expert on the different models.
But the Marshall MG cabs seriously suck bigtime. The 1960a with V30s should sound even better than a regular 5150 cab(i don't like sheffield speakers)

 

[SpaceShipOne]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

SHeffields SUCK. We played with a band that used 2 5150's with the cabs and they were nasty bright. But yes, all they really had was crappy cabs there. I made em work for me...told him what guitar I wanted, a seat, and a 4/12 of the best they had. He was an idiot....he kept calling the preamp knob the "presence". Nuff said.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

SHeffields SUCK. We played with a band that used 2 5150's with the cabs and they were nasty bright. But yes, all they really had was crappy cabs there. I made em work for me...told him what guitar I wanted, a seat, and a 4/12 of the best they had. He was an idiot....he kept calling the preamp knob the "presence". Nuff said.

see if you can find another store with a 5150/6550. if your town is large enough to have a guitar center there is probably a smaller store that has one in stock. wouldnt want to spend that much money on something you arent completely satisfied with

 

[Farkus]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

THE 5150 tone is the 5150 I/6550. If that's what you want, certainly don't settle for the 5150 II, which I myself didn't like, but I love the 5150.

To give a little comparision on cabs, I when I still had my 5150, I jammed with a band where the other guitarist used the 5150 head and cab, where I used the the head and a Marshall 1960A. His tone was way too bright for my taste. The Marshall cab gave me a much darker 'euro metal' tone that I preferred 10x over his. My 1960 had the 75's but I'm sure that the vintage 30's would sound great with the 5150 (and way better than the 5150 cab unless you want the Carnal Knowledge tone exactly).

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

If they don't have your exact cab, you're insane if you don't take yours in.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

If they don't have your exact cab, you're insane if you don't take yours in.

+100000000...... take YOUR guitar, your effects if any and your cab. If they want a sale they'll accomodate you. I've been a bit of an idiot over the years and have had to learn THAT very lesson of trying amps with my guitars and effects, and try potential guitars with my amps. Don't get home or to rehearsal and find that something is "NOT QUITE RIGHT!!". All the best.

 

[Motorcop71]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

I owned the original 5150 back in the day, and I recently tried a 6505 in a store for nostalgia sake. If I were you, I would get a clean used 5150. That is the one to have in my opinion.

 

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

Dude, I just ordered a 5150 from Guitar Center... it's being drop shipped from Michigan to my door. Mint condition, and only 650 after shipping and tax!

But seriously, It's the MG and the 6505+ that's your problem. The II/+'s really aren't as good as the original, and the MG cab blows.

That said, Peavey stock cabinets aren't that bad, at all. The Sheffields are higher-wattage Greenback clones, and actually sound really good with that amp when tweaked right. Hell, the JSX sounds killer with it's stock cab, as well. I wouldn't use one for recording, or choose one over my Mesa 4x12, but they're not bad by any means at all.

The other thing to watch out for is your settings... you're going to want to keep those mids down around 2-3 or it'll get reeeeally honky, really fast. Also, it helps a lot to keep the treble at 4 or so, and use the presence knob to control the highend from there.

I owned the original 5150 back in the day, and I recently tried a 6505 in a store for nostalgia sake. If I were you, I would get a clean used 5150. That is the one to have in my opinion.

They're the exact same amp.

 

[VTM Mike]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

I have had my 6505+ for a month now, and I love it! To say that that is part of the problem, I don't agree. I use my VTM cabs with 85's and it kills! Less gain than a 5150? I can't use what this has now, what the hell would anyone need more gain for? I can't speak for the newer Peavey cabs but mine sound really similar to a Marshall 1960, I have played through a few. Use your guitar and cab and give the 6505+ a try. It was between that and the JSX, which is awesome as well, I just fell in love with the gain and character of the 6505. It's all what your ear tells you. But definately use your guitar and a different cab.:usa2:

 

[WhoFan]

Re: I need the 5150,6505, people to chime in please

I use an old 5150 half stack.... standard 5150 cab, beat to snot and an early first year issue Original head...

The 5150 is not bright and thin sounding by any means... I enjoy the stock 5150 cab.. it works for me.. Marshalls are much brighter sounding to my years but a 1960 cab should work just fine.... in fact a lot of 5150 users prefer a Marshall cab for their 5150 heads....

I use my 5150 head thru a Marshall 1912 1x12 cab that has a 150 watt speaker in it sometimes for smaller spaces... It sounds great... i find i crank the Lows a little more... that low filter Controll knob on the end specially helps move some air thru the cab!

The 5150's push in buttons like Crunch and Bright greatly effect tone and dirt....

I'm on the hunt for more 6105's and 5150's... The original design not the II version...

Marshall MG series stuff sucks... that cab you were using i'm sure was cheap junk