5150 combo

[sdjacksonlover]

anything????, thinking about getting one, but really have no info

[Metalcop]

Re: 5150 combo

I've got one, and I love it! It has great crunch, unlimited gain, and it is very warm sounding. Everything bad you have ever read about a 5150 head, everybody always says that they didn't experience any of the same problems with the combo. I don't own a head, so I will have to take their word for it. There is no real clean channel, but you can sufficiently clean up the Normal channel. This is good enough for the amount of clean needed for typical metal music. No where near Fender clean, though. However, clean tones are not why you should buy this amp! The Gain channel is fantastic, it goes from Marshall crunch to Swedish death metal at the turn of the gain knob. I am extremely happy with mine, the only effect I use is a bit of delay.

There are a couple of negative things, though. This thing is noisy! It hisses like a desert sand storm, and on clean it has more snap, crackles, and pops than your breakfast cereal. When you're playing, this extra noise is indiscernable. I read that you can replace one of the 12AX7 tubes to help out with the hiss? Any tube junkies out there (Pete) know what this is all about? The other complaint I have is that the reverb sucks. It is extremely weak, and I can't hardly tell when it is on or not, without rocking the amp back and forth to listen for the springs.

Overall, it is a great sound for a bargain price. Even if you swapped out all of the tubes, put in a better reverb and swapped out the speakers for Celestion Vintage 30's (not necessary), you would still save money over a Boogie, Soldano or Bogner and still get a great tone. Some people have a hard time getting past the stigma of playing a Peavey amp. If you want a great tone, and a budget price, I highly recommend it.

[ November 28, 2002, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: Metalcop ]

[sdjacksonlover]

Re: 5150 combo

Great Revew, so what is a fair price on a used one in excellent condition, need so info to bargain around with, swapping tubes sounds like the trick ...

[horns666]

Re: 5150 combo

5150s are the best bang for the buck.. To hell with that Peavy status.....The 5150 and the Wolfgang is Top notch stuff!!!

John and I had Many 5150s through the years and they always treated us well at that time.

The 5150 120 wt combo is cool I don't like the 60 wt version . I played one not to long ago with John and it sounded like total crap when pushed to lower than band level....DON'T get the 60 , unless you just like playing in the living room

Bill Z Bub

[Metalcop]

Re: 5150 combo

Bill - So you have to play it loud, and that's a problem?! Seriously, mine is a 60 watt and I cannot play it at respectable 'bedroom' volume. In this amp, low volume simply does not exist. Its either very loud or even louder. I usually play mine with the master at between 1-2 and to my ears, it sounds great, but there is no doubt, this is no bedroom practice amp! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[horns666]

Re: 5150 combo

Hey Metalcop what's up
...I was playing one not too long ago and was suprised of the lack of volume I could get out of it . I immediately assumed it was 120 watts and didn't even know they made a 60 version at that time. When I learned it was a 60 , I quickly wrote it off as a horrible band rehersal amp. Either John and I play REALLY Loud (our drummer pummels his set like a gorilla) or maybe the thing was messed up , but I had enough 5150s to notice a problem...I would assume [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

I finally got myself an Uber (Very Loud) and still believe that for the money and dependabilty 5150 heads are the best bang for the buck!!

Please note I'm very partial to at least a half stack because Low end is very important to my style and tone.

I NEVER NEVER had a combo In my life that I was satisfied with in a band envirement. I had a Marshall JCM 800 100 wt.lead series 2 12 that nailed early Van Halen like nothing I ever heard. But when I cranked it up it was fairly loud midrangy and had no bottom end chunk to it at all. Sure I could of just plugged in another 2 12 cab but the hell with it. I sold it and got a 5150 half stack and my chunk problem was solved and then some

Those combos sound great in low to moderate volume levels or for recording IMO , but nothing beats a 4 12 cab or four 4 12 cabs for that matter......I gotta have it [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Maybe I'm just deaf or retarded [img]graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

Talk to ya Later

Bill Z

[ November 29, 2002, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: horns666 ]

[Riffmeister]

Re: 5150 combo

Metal cop is definately right about one thing. They are noisy as hell and feedback like a mother. I had to buy my brother a Hush just cause I was tired of hearing all that noise when he wasn't playing.

You cannot use this thing for any type of top 40 type clean stuff.Any tones like Creed , or Fuel as far as their clean tones are unreachable. My brother also had to get an EQ cause it didn't have any kind of bottom end to it, as Bill said.

[Chuckracer]

Re: 5150 combo

I hear that, Bill. Pun intended!
My SLO ONLY sounds awesome thru two straight front 4x12s.
With one cab it just sounds great!
But seriously, I need two cabs to get the acoustic "thump" I'm looking for. A lot of amps that seem to lack a little something in the bass department, getting more bass out of the amp usually isn't the answer. A second cab will generaly solve the problem.

The 5150 combos rock in a serious way. I wouldn't mind having one.

[metalcriminal]

Re: 5150 combo

i just tried one out today. it seemed really nice and it seemd to be a steal. it was right next to a XXX combo too. The XXX seemed nice too so i'm kinda wondering which to get myself. right now i'm leaning to the 5150 unless anyone can offer some huge piece of information that would make me change my mind. i'd be content with either but i want the best