Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

TwofacePimp

TwofacePimp

New member
My GAS to replace my Mesa stuff is finally over (at least for a little while ;)). I got rid of my mesa single rectifier half stack a few months ago, bought a splawn 4x12 cabinet, and have been looking for a head ever since. I stumbled upon a good condition used 5150 today, and quickly snatched it up.

This head rules! It seems to respond in a way that is very complimentary to my playing style, and after playing it for 2 hours I know that I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do. The clean channel isn't even that bad, it seems to distort a little, but not an offensive amount by any means. And I got a great deal too! Sweet! :)
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

Sweet, I think they are great sounding amps, also very solid.
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

:cool3: Glad to hear you got a good deal! I've got one too (well the 5150 II) and it rocks. :headbang:
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

I bet that just rips thru the Splawn cab you got. You promised me a review of it, so....what do you think? Construction, appearance, tone...let me have it. I have to go to Scott's shop this week to pick up my guitar that they're doing a setup on.
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

Jeff_H said:
I bet that just rips thru the Splawn cab you got. You promised me a review of it, so....what do you think? Construction, appearance, tone...let me have it. I have to go to Scott's shop this week to pick up my guitar that they're doing a setup on.
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Oh yeah, sorry Jeff. Well here goes:

The Splawn 4x12 is that best cab that I've ever owned. The thing that keeps coming to mind about the Splawn cab is that there is nothing wrong with it. This sounds negative, but it's actually really good. I've had criticisms about most of the other guitar cabs that I've owned, but I can't find a bad thing to say about this one. The construction and appearance is impeccable, and he'll make it with many different options for no extra charge (mine was made with black tolex, a brown sugar grill and white piping). He uses metal handles, and even puts one of thoes special locking 1/4" jacks in the back (the one with the little red latch). Scott also packed it like a man possessed. I also really like how the cab is completely straight, not slightly angled like most "straight" 4x12's are.

Tone will largely depend on what kind of speakers that you order it with, and Scott was very happy to discuss speaker choices with me on the phone. I finally decided on 2 Eminence Guv'nors (the V30 copy) and 2 Celestion G12T-75's in an x pattern. Apart from the speakers, I can say that the cab feels like it resonates just enough, like everything moves as one. (A mesa recto that I had before felt like only the speakers were moving and the cab wasn't resonating at all, and a marshall feels like it resonates so much that it loses focus and dampens the sound. I know that's a strange observation, but that's what I think ;)). The Splawn also doesn't have the annoying woofiness that my standard recto cab had, and it's a little smaller and lighter than mesa's concoction.

So as you can see, I really like my Splawn cab. I might experiment with different speakers down the road (like maybe changing to all of one type of speaker), but as for right now I am very happy with it, waiting to see how it develops as the speakers break in. Scott Splawn is also a stand-up guy, one of the nicest you'll ever talk to. I've played one of his modded JCM800 heads around here, and it's one of the best marshall-type tones that I've heard. I would recommend his wares without reservation.
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

TwoFace - does Splawn let you pick the speakers you want for no extra charge?

Also, how is the 5150 in the midrange department? Never played one, but is the distortion more scooped or mid-focused?
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

Mine was very scooped sounding, even with the mid knob dimed.
 
Re: Woohoo! Just picked up a 5150

joelap said:
TwoFace - does Splawn let you pick the speakers you want for no extra charge?

Also, how is the 5150 in the midrange department? Never played one, but is the distortion more scooped or mid-focused?
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Yes he does. Each cab is built to order, and they all cost the same as far as I know.

As for the 5150, I'm pretty bad at explaining tone, but I'll try. The amp is a pretty scooped sounding, modern, high-gain amp. I think that the mid knob is more focused in the high-mid department, which will probably leave a semi-scooped sound no matter where the mid knob is (maybe EVH wanted it like this?). But I like the voicing of this amp a lot better than the mesa recto, as the highs are not as annoying and buzzy, and the overall tone of the amp is fuller and less harsh, which are not typical sound qualities of mid-scooped amps.

I'd love to hear any more info on the 5150 if anyone knows more about its voicing and how it works... :)
 
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