OK,I've got 5150 fever

[everybody's x]

OK, fellas, I finally got around to recording a 5150. It didn't take long to realize that is the sound I am tweaking all my guitar tracks to sound like, right out of the box. Now I simply must have one. The guy I'm recording wont part with his (damnit)
questions.
Which one do I want?
Which to avoid?
Is the 6505 the same?
Is the 5150 II a peice o' shit?
Does the combo have a speaker out jack? Does it sound good.

educate me

 

[ochants76]

Which one do I want?
Block letter and signature are the same other than stock tubes.

Which to avoid?
Overpriced ones

Is the 6505 the same?
Exactly other than the cosmetics.

Is the 5150 II a peice o' shit?
Depends...most people tend to like the 5150 better. The obvious difference is that it has a clean channel. Some say the lead channel is a little more tame/voiced differently.

Does the combo have a speaker out jack? Does it sound good.
Yes.
Sounds great...just a 60 watt version of the head with reverb.

 

[colonel kurtz]

i've been struck with the same affliction myself...

too bad i'm fucking broke!

 

[Metaltastic]

A caveat about the speaker out jack on the combo though: it's minimum 16 ohms, meaning a 4x12, cuz most 2x12's are 8 ohms. So that kinda limits your options for ext. cabs.

 

[C_F_H_13]

Welcome to the club man!

I got to use one about 4-5 months ago ( I do alot of mixing/reamping), and after about 10 minutes with it I went on ebay. A couple months later I got a 5150 signature for around 700. I love it, and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[ochants76]

A caveat about the speaker out jack on the combo though: it's minimum 16 ohms, meaning a 4x12, cuz most 2x12's are 8 ohms. So that kinda limits your options for ext. cabs.

But keep in mind it has a 2x12 built in...and when you use the speaker out they are disabled. Why bother plugging it in to a different 2x12? I know there are a few reasons..but it isn't too realistic.
Then again the speakers do suck on the combos...

 

[KeithRT99]

all the clips in my signature are from a 5150 combo ( shameless plug)

 

[AudioPhile777]

You should get this one... more commonly known as the "Block Letter" lol...

 

[egan.]

If you need a clean channel get a II. They sound a little different but IMO they are fantastic amps. If you don't need a clean channel get the I-- you'll save some $.

 

[Gnash]

Get a new 6505 (not the +) at MF, if you know someone. Mine cost around $760(brand new, not a broken one). They sound identical to the originals, and they're NEW. The + is a real fizzy sounding head. The regular just rules. I use a Maxon od808 in front. FWIW, I just seen SOTU, and nearly every band had 6505s, Shadows Fall(Krank), Goatwhore (Framus), ETIT had a Bogner Uber, and a couple others had Marshalls, but most had the 6505 head, and they sounded just identical to mine. ANDY AND COLIN USE THEM, DUDE.

 

[everybody's x]

man Im glad you said that, I DO know someone and I forgot about it until now

 

[HeadCrusher]

If you need a clean channel get a II.

I never get it when people say that the I doesn't have a clean channel compared to the II. Having never used a 5150/6505 myself I can't tell but for sure but from what I can imagine the I should give the same options like the II in a recording situation, wouldn't it? I mean the same EQ for two channels is definitely not the most versatile option but you can change the settings from take to take anyway so...
Or am I getting something completely and Channel 1 is totally different on the I and II?? Please make me smarter...

 

[Mood Bender]

you're correct... in a studio situation 5150-II doesn't really offer advantages. I owned a 5150-II for several years and now have a 5150. I prefer the 5150's voicing over the 5150-II

now live use (flexibility) is a different matter...

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

5150 had a horrid clean chanell (if you even want to call it that).

To me it's a 3 chanell amp that they forgot to add the first chanell to (if that makes sense)

So pretty much it's a crunch and lead head.

 

[ochants76]

If you turn the green channel pre gain down almost all the way and keep the post pretty low you can get a clean sound without breakup. But it is pretty lifeless and not loud enough to be usable in a band setting. I prefer just rolling back the volume knob on the guitar. It has a little breakup but it is pretty responsive to touch.(depending on your pickups)

 

[colonel kurtz]

when you use the speaker out they are disabled

are you sure? i had some guitar tracks recorded a few years ago through a 5150 combo, which was slaved out to a mesa cab, and both the amp and cab were blaring.

 

[ochants76]

Actually now that you mention it I think it has two outputs. What I did was unplug the cable going to the speakers and plugged the extension cab into that same output. It has been a long time since I have messed with one though.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

No I know the 5150 has a "clean" if you want to call it that, but it sounds like crap.

I would never use it in a studio situation, it's pretty lifeless and honky so yuck.

 

[Metaltastic]

No I know the 5150 has a "clean" if you want to call it that, but it sounds like crap.

I would never use it in a studio situation, it's pretty lifeless and honky so yuck.

I concur wholeheartedly; yes, it is possible to make the green channel clean, but it sounds like such lifeless garbage that it's really not even worth considering.

 

[ochants76]

ya...thats...what I said. Hence the word useless.