EVH 5150 III 50W Head (Ivory) Reviews

4.9/5.0 based on 8 customer reviews

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Customer Reviews

Curt
from Port richey florida
April 22, 2013Music Background:
Classic rock, metal, hardcore, deathcore, experimental guitarist

Beastly

I originally ordered this amp through another popular website because a had a 15 % off promo code. The back order date kept getting pushed back and I was getting very impatient so I started calling around all the competitors to see if they could match my price. A few could match the price but had the same backorder dates. I decided to stayput but sweet water kept calling me back to keep me updated. They displayed great customer service and manors. They ended up getting it first and shipped it in a very timely manor. A bag of candy even came in the box.

The amp sounds superb! The over all tone is very crisp and in your face. The clean Chanel chimes like a fender should. The one down side is that channel one and two share volumes and this causes channel 2 to become way louder and over power channel one. My way around it is to use channel three for my crunch channel and channel 2 for my solo boost channel. Channel three has massive amounts of gain. It could easily be an amazing death metal amp. I don't pass 3 on the gain too often. Channel 2 sounds good it is just so darn loud that I don't use it often. I have heard a lot of people say channel 2 is where this amp shines but it just doesn't work for my band because I need to use the clean channel a lot.

I'm very pleased with the amp dispite the volume jump issue. The tone that this thing produces is the one I've been wanting to hear and it can make a huge variety of sounds. Sweet water made it even better. Shouts outs to Matt my sweetwater telephone representative!

Eric Parks
from Knoxville, PA
March 14, 2013Music Background:
Part-time gigging musician.

Freakin' Fantastic

I just picked this up and I'm totally blown away by it. I went the AxeFX route for awhile, tried out the Kemper, but I just missed playing a raw tube amp.
What I play a lot of right now is 80's, 90's, and current rock/punk/pop songs for a cover band. Also recently a lot of 80's metal. I'm also always big into the current metal style (ABR, MMF, there's an endless list).
I'm convinced you can't buy a better amp for the money, especially for any type of rock/metal or anything along those lines. The clean channel is crisp and bright, it's no Shiva clean, but it's really damn good. The crunch channel is exactly what you're probably expecting. There's plenty of gain to play just about anything, and it cleans up well for some classic rock.
The lead channel is ridiculous. I have the gain set at about 9:30 (3-3.5) and it's searing. There is so much gain on tap, but it still remains articulate.

Oh, this is amp is loud. REALLY loud.

The shared volume between clean and crunch is my only gripe, but it really is not that big of a deal. It's definitely not as big of a jump as some might have you expect.

If you're considering this amp even the slightest bit, you won't be disappointed with it. Everyone at practice was just as excited to hear it as I was. Get this amp and get rockin' already!

JP
from United States
February 14, 2013Music Background:
Hobby band guitar guy. Been at it 25 years now. Know all 7 notes:)

EVH 5150 lll 50watt head W/ EVH 1/12 cab

I have owned a lot of amps. Right now I'm mostly using old VHT pittbulls

I bought this EVH because I found some fairly impressive demo vids. I didn't expect it to be as good as it is. It's very dynamic which is very important to me, I use my guitar volume and softer or harder picking for my clean to crunch sounds. This amp is very good at that.
The clean channel is nice - enough about that:)
The crunch channel is awesome! Set the gain at three or so and get some really bluesy type lead tones that clean right up with softer picking. Dial a bit more gain and straight up AC/DC comes out.

The lead channel feels a bit like my wah is on to be honest. Turn up the highs and lows and zero the mids and it sounds fairly scooped. There is a ton a gain avaliable but you wont need much of it. Once you set your eq's I can't imaine most people not being happy. It's tight and articulate with very good bass and no shrill highs. Maybe not Pantera but definitely heavy Me likey.

All in all it is a kick *** buy for the money or for twice money.
FYI I was mostly playing through a 70 les paul with a JB bridge and APH1-Neck. The other guitar was a old Ibanez RG550 with duncans as well. I play mostly hard rock AIC, Slash and throw in some Hendrixy type stuff for fun.

So in closing it would be hard to go wrong with this amp. It also comes with a speaker cable so don't go buying one like I did.

Bret
from VA
October 21, 2012

EVH 5150 III 50W Head

The EVH Head sounds great. Very dynamic range. Clear, articulated, and definable, even at high gain settings. I was mostly blown away by the Sweetwater customer service department. Great group of people. You've earned "all" my future business. Thanks for an exceptional shopping experience.

Zach
from Central Illinois
October 19, 2012Music Background:
12 Years Experience

Straight Foward High Quality Workhorse

I own a Mesa/Boogie Mark V, two Mark IV's and now this. I bought this amp as more of a plug in and go amp instead of having to fight the Mesa/Boogies all the time. This thing deliver that in spades! Channel three on this baby blows away my Mark V for metal chunk. For leads, it's classic EVH, but I prefer the "liquid" lead of the Boogies. The clean channel on this amp is just okay, and channel two is easily on par with the Mark V's channel 2. This is the quietest amp I own, even running single coils into the lead channel with the gain cranked is playable! The thing I love about this amp is that it has a lot of versatility and quality packed under a smallish hood. All the great reviews about this amp are true. Great price, made by Fender, super high quality, can't go wrong. Just check out the jacks on this thing....it's like they're made of 1/2" hardened steel and then powder coated! I've never seen such quality jacks in my life! Schumaker Transformers I'm sure have a lot to do with the super low noise-level, and high quality sound.

Nick Briggs
from Burnsville N.C.
October 11, 2012Music Background:
working musician

The Best amp I have ever used

This amp is awesome for rock, and killer for metal. Sounds very good at low volumes but is killer when you let her eat at higher volumes. The evh 2x12 cab is best with this amp. I ran it therw V30's at first, but they where to harsh to me. I love the V30's for my orange amp, but the G12H 30w speakers in the evh cab lets you get better tones out of the amp. It will go from clean and blues to more gain than you have ever seen in a amp without a boost pedal in front of it. I have been playing for 25years now and this amp blowed me away. I like Marshall , Mesa and Orange and this amp is right there with them all, if not better! It is a real pro tube amp. It takes pedals better than any amp I have ever played. If you are looking for a high gain amp this is it!!!!

Jason
from Minneapolis, MN
September 21, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist, Home Recordings

Amazing

From crystal cleans to brutal metal this thing delivers. I have a Peavey 6505+ that I love but wanted more clarity and articulation and this is exactly what I needed. What I don't like is the power and standby switches are on the back of the amp as well as the resonance knob is on the back. I think the resonance control should atleast but up with the rest of the tone controls. Otherwise amazing amp.

Dale Collins
from United States
March 21, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist

Great Rock Amp

Great clean channel that can get an awesome crunch sound when the gain it turned up.
Unbelievably awesome second channel that was just made for rock.
Then you have the hot-rodded third channel which is great for lead tones or metal.
3 great channels, what more could you ask for? It even sound good at low volumes.