Friedman Brit-50 50-watt Tube Head

EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 50-watt Amplifier Head - Black Stealth

50W, 3-channel Tube Guitar Amp Head with Selectable Impedance, FX Loop, Line Out, and Footswitch - Black Stealth
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Item ID: 51506L6HSpc
EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 50-watt Amplifier Head - Black Stealth
Price:$1,649 and 99 cents
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EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 50-watt Amplifier Head - Black Stealth
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EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 50-watt Amplifier Head - Black Stealth
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Arena-filling Volume

Don’t let the EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head’s size fool you: it packs a serious punch. Featuring updates to the 50-watt 5150 as requested by Eddie Van Halen himself, this head’s seven 12AX7 preamp tubes and two 6L6 power tubes deliver enough arena-filling volume and copious tonal attitude to rattle the windows and shake the rafters. Three modified channels with comprehensive tone-sculpting control supply you with plenty of sonic possibilities. Dial up shimmering cleans for rhythm work, hit the included footswitch to call up tasty crunch, then hit it again for face-melting lead tones. For massive volume and tone, convenient portability, and sleek and stylish aesthetics, check out EVH’s 5150III 50S 6L6 Head.

Big volume in a scaled-down chassis

The EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head gives you bone-crunching, arena-filling volume in a compact, lightweight chassis. If loud is your band’s jam, then the 5150III’s two Shuguang 6L6s – in place of the traditional JJ tubes – are only too happy to oblige, pumping out 50 watts into 16-, 8-, or 4-ohm loads. This gives you lots of freedom when considering speaker cabinets to build your rig. Whether you choose EVH’s compact 212, 112, or traditional straight-front 412 cab, one thing’s for sure: your bandmates (and audience) will have a hard time believing the EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head is only a 50-watt amp!

Three fantastic channels with versatile controls

With the EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head, you get an invitation to an all-you-can-eat buffet of tantalizing tones. But it’s not all about how much stage volume it spits out — once you come to grips with how loud it is, you’ll realize that this compact head gives you an amazing degree of tone-sculpting control courtesy of three updated channels. This stealth version reintroduces the beloved Sparkle Clean setting for crystal clear chime on Channel 1 and increased gain on Channel 2 for a thicker, fuller grit. Kick on Channel 3, and you’ll bask in high-gain heaven — perfect for hard, heavy riffs and blistering solos. The Resonance control tailors the amp to different cabs, and the Presence control dials in the perfect amount of bite. You also get a shared 3-band EQ for Channels 1 and 2 and an independent 3-band EQ for Channel 3. Channels 1 and 2 feature dual-concentric Gain and Volume controls for independent control of each channel. From glassy cleans to full-on pyroclastic surge, the EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head is a tone monster.

A classic American amp

The EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head is based on a classic amp that also happens to be a favorite among many of Sweetwater's hard-rock and metal guitar players: the legendary EVH 5150. As Eddie Van Halen’s personal statement on guitar tone, the basic design has been rocking stages around the globe since the early ’90s. Now in its third iteration, the 5150III has been refined and updated with the latest technology and is available in the original 100-watt version as well as the amazingly loud and compact 50-watt model.

EVH 5150III 50S 6L6 Head Features:

  • 3-ch, 50W compact guitar head with 6L6 power tubes
  • Resonance and Presence controls tailor the amp to your favorite cab
  • Shared 3-band EQ for Channels 1 and 2 and independent 3-band EQ for Channel 3
  • Channels 1 and 2 feature dual-concentric Gain and Volume controls for independent control of each channel
  • FX loop for integrating your pedalboard and other processors
  • Headphone jack available to practice quietly
  • 2 parallel speaker output jacks with selectable impedance (4, 8, or 16 ohms) make cabinet matching easy
  • Bias ports with trim adjust on the rear panel simplify power tube replacement and diagnostics
  • Included 4-button footswitch has 1/4-in. input jack; also accommodates MIDI footswitching

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Tube
  • Number of Channels: 3
  • Output Power: 50W
  • Preamp Tubes: 7 x 12AX7
  • Power Tubes: 2 x Shuguang 6L6
  • EQ: 3-band EQ, Resonance Control
  • Inputs: 1 x 1/4"
  • Outputs: 2 x 1/4" (4/8/16 ohm), 1 x 1/4" (preamp out)
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/4"
  • Effects Loop: Yes
  • MIDI I/O: In
  • Footswitch I/O: 1 x 1/4" (channel, FX loop)
  • Footswitch Included: Yes, 4-button Footswitch
  • Bias Type: Adjustable Fixed
  • Construction Material: 7-ply 5/8" Birch Plywood Cab with Black Stealth Finish
  • Power Source: Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height: 8.5"
  • Width: 20"
  • Depth: 12"
  • Weight: 35 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 2253070000

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Reviews

Rocks my socks off!
Fix your bias if you're disappointed in the amp and lack of punch, mine was 39 and 60 is max, so sit somewhere around 58. Super easy fix and makes a world of difference.

Onto the actual review, I was severely disappointed for the first week or so thinking I made the wrong purchase. I watched numerous review videos and tried so many settings. Nothing was getting me the sound I wanted or like the videos, mind you this is paired with a Mesa Boogie Rectifier so it should be the holy grail combo. Everything was so thin with so much gain, not the ideal tone kind. So what does everyone recommend, putting a tube screamer in front of it which helped but was still lacking. I finally stumbled across the one person in the entire world who was also disappointed in this amp and they mentioned tweaking the bias so I gave it a try. FINALLY, an amp that has some ballz and will chug your clothes off, I absolutely love it! The tube screamer is now optional, in fact I don't use one now.
Love this amp.
Great high gain tones, a little darker and more dry than your standard 5150 iii but I like it. Surprisingly good clean tones, also takes pedals great. Very versatile amp overall, if you're playing modern rock or metal you should probably be plugging into this!
I love this amp
Tons and tons of gain! Sounds darker a bit dryer than the standard 5150iii but personally I like that, my main guitar tends to be on the bright side anyways. I can't believe how good the clean channel is, I suppose that's what a fender built product always gets right! Takes pedals wonderfully too.
Amazing modern metal amp; an improvement over the original
For some context: I've been using the original 5150 III 50w (without the QOL improvements like the concentric pots) since 2017. Mostly recording and bedroom playing, and a handful of live shows. I typically play metalcore, post-hardcore, djent, and progressive metal. The 50w stealth is a definite improvement. The volume taper is way better (on the OG, setting it to 2/10 was insanely loud), the concentric pots are great, and the overall aesthetics are awesome too. Tone wise, it's like a 15% - 20% improvement. Most of that is happening on the blue and green channels. Blue has more gain on tap, and a more modern, compressed tone with a lower mids growl. Green channel has been improved too (it's actually clean and chimey!). Overall, if you like the sound of the original and want more of the same except better, go for this amp.
Music background: Amateur Guitarist
Somehow Even Better Than the Original
I've been using the OG 5150 III 50w since 2017, so roughly 6 years. I've used it extensively recording, and a few times out live. It's always sounded great. I'm playing a lot of Metalcore/Post-Hardcore/Djent to give you an idea of where I'm coming from. The Stealth somehow sounds even more amazing and modern. I'd say it's like a 15% - 20% sound improvement, but it makes all the difference. Definitely a bit more compressed and with a tad more cut, with this low end growl the original doesn't have. Not to mention the concentric pots and the much more useable volume taper compared to the original (at 2/10 on the volume the OG was too loud). Overall, if you're a fan of the 5150 III, this is definitely worth it.
Music background: Amateur Guitarist