Peavey 5150

Feature-wise this amp leaves a lot to be desired; channel switching is all it has. No reverb. One eq for both channels. I understand EVH doesnt like reverb, maybe this is why that was left out.

Let me start out by saying I have the following: mesa boogie mark III, trem-o-verb, marshall DLS 2000, and a peavey vtm 60. This amp, the 5150 absolutely crushes them in terms of tone. The amp plays WITH you, you can feel the sound; lead passages articulate like nothing I have heard. I had been trying to play one EVH riff and it consistently sounded like shit until the 5150 came along and I found it wasnt me. I do have one complaint; the bass response is kinda mushy, and you just don't get the marshall "knock" and tightness; at least I haven't been able to eq it yet to accomplish this. The marshall 2000 might be better for pure rhythm, but the 5150 will kill it for leads. I dont mean to put down the other amps I mentioned either; they have their own voice and a lot of people like their particular sound. For me, I have always loved Eddie's tone, and now I am as close to it as I probably ever will be. I have come as close to it as I think I ever will.

I have had the peavey vtm 60 for 10 years or so, and it hasnt had a problem. I don't think peavey uses real high quality parts, hence the lower cost.

Some people have complained about peavey's customer support; I have emailed them twice for help (with my Wolfgang guitar, yes I am TOTALLY peavey now) and have had prompt responses both times.

I am in a four piece band, and have to have several different tones. This amp gives me the lead tone I have longed for. Email me if you think I'm wrong about any of this, I'm interested to hear others.

The amp is very cool. It would be great if there was seperate EQ's for both channels,plus there is no reverb or chorus, but overall it's very solid. I love the fact that there is a presence AND a resonance.

I use two Gibson Les pauls, and they sound unbelievable, They are fucking lethal if you crank the gain and scoop the sound. I play a very heavy style of music with lots of palm mutting, so this amp is a dream come true. Beats the shit out of a Marshall any day of the week. It's a little tough to get a clean sound. This is were seperate EQ's would have been perfect.If you want to play clean with high gain pickups, turn the presence and rersonance controls down, then turn the gain down. A lot of people just turn down the gain and don't touch the pres. or res., but they will definently cut back on most of the distortion if you do.The lead channel has a lot of balls to it also, but the rhythem channel is absolutley killer.The sound and the distortion is very brutal.

The only thing I've ever had to do to this was change tubes because my old one's wore out because I played it so much.

I have yet to deal with the company, so I can't be any help.

I would absolutley buy it again. I would love to see them make a head that is basically ther same, only have a clean channel, and then their killer, brutally awsome rhythrm channel, and then just have a gain boost for when you want to solo, instead of having an independent lead channel. Also, two EQ channels would be very cool. But even if they didn't, i would buy this again.

You can read the other reviews here. Although there are two channels, the EQ is shared, and the rhythm channel really can't get a clean sound. The effects loop works pretty well, but the level is designed for pedal effects, meaning the send level is really low. Someone wondered if Peavey would make a 50-60 watt version of this amp... well you can take out two of the power tubes to halve the power. But you MUST set the impedance selector to half the rating of your cab. If the tubes from the back are numbered 1-2-3-4, you can remove 1+3, 2+4, 1+4, or 2+3. DO NOT remove 1+2 or 3+4. If your cab is 8 ohms, set the selector to 4 ohms. If your cab is 16 ohms, set it to 8 ohms. This amp comes with five Chinese 12AX7s, and four Chinese 6L6s.

A lot of gain for sure. The lead channel is great. The rhythm channel has tons of gain also, and is a little fatter, but not as harmonically rich as the lead channel To get a clean sound, you have to keep the preamp gain below three for single coils, and below two for humbuckers. You won't be able to get a clean sound at high volumes. The gained out tones are great though. This amp really screams. There is a paper tearing, shred quality to the tone that you can't dial out with the EQ. You either love it or hate it.

The build quality of this amp is o.k. The pc board with the preamp tubes is a little flimsy and flexes a lot when you change tubes. The components are pretty cheap - resistors are pretty much all carbon, 1/4W. 5% tolerances. The power amp circuit board is a bitch to service. The circuit layout isn't the greatest, but things are spaced out pretty well and the innards aren't too congested. This amp is probably pretty reliable.

I don't know where some people's comments come from. I got a new manual and schematics in a couple days with one quick phone call. However, they practically never answer email. I asked the techs how Peavey guarantees an acceptable bias from the factory and they never answered. Well, basically the answer is they don't. The bias is fixed, not adjustable, and their Chinese 6L6 quartets are not matched. I think they set the bias cold so that for most tubes you put in, nothing is going to fry.

I think for this price new it is hard to beat this amp for high gain stuff. I modified mine to run two EL34s in the power amp section, and I also put in an adjustable bias. I can switch between 6L6s and EL34s just by rebiasing. This mod doesn't make much of a difference in tone at low volumes. I have had and still have a bunch of other stuff (A couple of Marshall 30ths, a couple of Bogner Ecstacys, a Marshall Jubilee, Mesa TriAxis, Marshall JMP-1) and I still think this amp kicks for high gain at a low price. This amp is really aggressive. I wanted to have an amp around that was relatively cheap and that I wasn't afraid to modify. I don't think I could really gig with this amp due to the lack of a useable clean channel.

This is a basic amp. The biggest problem I have with it is the shared EQ for rythym and lead. It'd also be nice if the "crunch" on the rythym channel was foot-switchable.

I'm using a G&L Climax Plus (basically a Strat body w/ Floyd, 2 HB's and a middle single pole)through a Peavy 4-12 slant(NOT the 5150 bottom) loaded with Sheffields. I've put a custom wrapped Scrazz humbucker in the bridge position. With this guit and amp, I've achieved things I never thought possible, and I've been playing for over 30 years. Right now I'm in a 3 piece heavy progresive band, doing all originals. When I first got this amp, I couldn't get shit but massive distortion from it. Then I couldn't hear my leads. I'm thinking "Whaddaf*ck". My setup was T-10 M-3 B-10 P-6 R-10, lead ch, pre-8 post-4, clean pre-6, post-7 (crunch off, bright on). After going insane trying to get some usability and dynamics from this beast, I settled on: T-8 M-8 B-9 P-8 R-10 lead pre-4 post-7 clean pre-7 post-5 (crunch off, bright on)
HUGE dynamics, rolling off on the guit volume pot to about 6, into the lead channel creates almost a Tom Sholz sound (early Boston), but deadlier and darker, with a slight apparent drop in volume rolling up to 10 (actually melt-down distortion, thus the percieved vol drop).
I also use a Boss MetalZone stomp box through the clean channel. Can you say "Hurt Me, Mistress"?
The damn thing does hum, so what? It's a TUBE amp, it's supposed to!!
I will hunt down the person that steals this amp, and kill him with a pliers. It is far and away the best I ever used, and I've used them all.

Can you say "Boat Anchor"? I don't use a backup rig. I've owned it for about 6 months, bought it new.

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Get one NOW. Get TWO. It grinds all the Marshalls I've used over the years to dust. I also have a '62 Fender Bassman 50w, for home pratice use. It would be cool if Peavey built a 50w version of the 5150. If stolen, I would definitely replace it.

No reverb or chorus, guess that's to keep the price down. Shared EQ, it really needs seperate EQs.. It's pretty damn loud (120 watts!), maybe too loud for me..

Using with an Ibanez Solidbody and a Les Paul, I found the tone to be horrible.. very toppy, midrange was lacking even with the control pumped up to 10, I really don't like the sound.. very nasal and thin. Good for squealing harmonics though, and did get better when I used my Boss Metal Zone. The clean channel is total bullshit, i've seen tiny crate 10" amps that can kill this clean channel. Not a versitile amp IMHO.

Blows tubes pretty easily, I wouldn't use without backup. For such a goddamn heavy head, it's kinda fragile.

People at Peavey couldn't really help me with schematics or replacement tubes, and it took over 2 months for a new manual to show up.

I also own a Marshall Plexi Head, the Marshll destroys this Peavey. I had to buy mail order because I couldn't find one, and went on basis of reviews here, I was incredibly disappointed. I will not buy another 5150 again, and would advise other shoppers looking for a high-gain amp (I.E Marshall DSL, Mesa/Boogie, Soldano). More $$$ but better product.

This amp screams when it has to and walks the EV talk all the way. I use an ART 2000 processor and I find myself turning down the gain or even switching over to the clean channel. The reason I bought the amp was for the gain, but you got to HOLD ON FOR THE RIDE if you use it in crunch mode. Two channels - one clean w/ good gain, Crunch- go for the magic carpet ride (super gain). Has effects loop, but no reverb, add that it gets a 10. 8 tubes, count them screaming from hell. 4 preamp, 4 power. Played through 5150 4X12 better than a Marshal.

I am using an LP and Strat w/ lace pickups. The lace pickups make a big difference compared to Strats other pickups. A lot of feedback w/ the non lace. I play EV and heavy metal so this amp was biult for my style. This amp has sustain that goes on forever and I get harmonic on all strings. The distortion if it isn't already, will be world reknowned to the point of scary.

I have had no problems so far. It was purchased in 1995 so it's still green compared to my other amps. I have retired from performing so it does not get a beatting like its peers.

I have dealt with the company's tech "Mark". Very helpful and he gave me great ideas to maximize my effects by the correct order of effects into the effects loop. I purchased new tubes and a cover over the phone through Peavy's Internet Home Page. WWW.Peavy.com

I have been playing 26 years and have alot of gear, but this amp is a hot rod. I have a 75 Fender twin reverb and a Vox 100w amp plus 5 electric guitars. I have an assortment of pedals which I don't use because the ART 2000 processor replaced them all. If that bad boy were stolen I would go right out and buy another. I started out looking for the classic Marshal half stack and ended falling in lover with this MONSTER.

The 5150 features a lead and rhythm channel backed by five 12AX7's in the preamp, one EQ for both channels (needs two), a pressence and a 'resonance' knob. The resonance is like the pressence,but it works to enhance the low frequencies by working with the natural 'resonance' of your cabinet. Works great with the 5150 cabs!

The sound on this monster is awesome! I've heard people complain that the amp has 'background hum' but that has everything to do with your pickups and high voltage electrical devices you are close to (I've tested it). Once you've figured that one out, the chainsaw lead, and the blueslike clean really shine!

I find it to be extremely reliable. Although I try not to abuse it, you get to where you push these things from time to time and 'she' must love me because she takes it without any signs of trouble!

It stands alone. If you want a sound that will distinguish you from any one else and sound good, buy this one! I'd buy another tomorrow if I lost this one. It's great! I've got .wav files of it in action on my website at www.netcom.com/~isaac6/index.htm

I wish it had a seperate eq for each channel. I play it through a Sonic 2x12" cabinet and it will definitely blow away the JCM900 that our other guitarist uses. It doesn't sound quite as blusey, but with the right guitar, it comes close. I also have a Digitech Valve FX that will not work with this amp, there is a ton of feedback when using any of the gain altering effects. This is my first tube head, so it may just be the way that it is supposed to work.

I'm using an Ibanez S-470 with two HBs and 1 Single Coil. I have read that some people get a lot of sqeal from their amp, I get it ocasionally, but ony when using the singel coil pickup. I play mostly 80s Rock and Blues. I can get every sound that I want, everything from Thrash Metal to blues to a nice Tele sounding country sound (although I really don't use it for that, too often! :-) ) The distortion is incredible!! The other guy in our band with the JCM900 is always complaining that their is too much distortion. (I think he's just jealous!!)

The only thing that i have ever had go wrong was two of the tubes blew. I only run two at a time, to get 60 watts from the power section. This, as I have found out, is really hard on the tubes. I will be replacing all 4 with Mesa Boogie Tubes, in the future and will just play at a neighbor friendly level.

I bought the amp used and emailed Peavey for a manual and some other information. They were excellent!! They sent me a new manual and even told me what date the amp was made and shipped. This help greatly to determine how old it was, before I bought it. I just wish Digitech was that good!!

I have owned this amp since June and would not hesitate to purchase it again. The only amp that I have played that I liked better is the Mesa Boogie Dual and Triple Rectified head, but I don't have $2000.00 for one, so the 5150 is a steal!!

The 5150 has 2 channels (rhythm and lead) and all the rest (the crunch switch, bright switch, resonance and presence controls) are all nice. EQ is good, but separate EQ for both channels would be better, because i want my clean channel brighter.

I use a PRS CE-22 and with the 5150, i can get a lot of different sounds, from the Wallflowers overdrive to Randy Rhoads midrangy lead crunch. It suits my style fine. It can get noisy, but its expected from an amp with FIVE 12AX7s. The clean channels stays pretty clean, the distortion is over-the-top (i never go over 4, and usually only use 3!) As i said earlier i do like the clean channel to be brighter, but a Boss CE-5 chorus makes it a little brighter and wider-sounding, and does wonders for the lead channel...tightens up the distortion, and makes the channel cut through a little more. the resonance control is nice to make a good BOOM with, but i dotn go very high...only to 2 and a half, with the bass up to 7, and presence at 8. Mid at 3, and treble at 5. Pre-gain on lead channel at 3 usually...saturated enough for me. much more than that and it gets too muddy for my tastes. good sustain.

This amp is solid! I was in a car accident and nothing happened to it except that the rhythm pre-gain knob got broken off...but no biggie...it was set at two and i like it there. Not to mention that i can turn the volume on my guitar down too. no tubes broke, no wires dissconnected. its been banged a little against the wall, a guitar or two has hit it. ive had it for almost a year or more and no problems at all! very solidly made. i looked inside it and all the wiring is very clean. very well made...and made in america! Id use it without a backup, no problem!

I havent talked to the company, but i went to the website and sent some email and got replies back the next day. they also sent me literature on their products and their magazine...very nice! all for free! just great for a poor guitarist like me. with service like that, they must be customer oriented.

Ive been playing for 7 years...this is the second head ive owned...first was a Laney AOR 100 mark II...i sold it, kept one of the cabs, and bought the 5150. great amp, cheap, many options, but my Boss Chorus doesnt sound too good through the efx loop...oh well. it sounds good straight into the head. If this amp were stolen i would probably buy the combo...it would be easier to carry places, and not as loud. sides, i could hook it up to my Laney 4x12 and have a good setup. I love it for an all around good amp, all tube, for a good price. I dont like that the clean channel isnt as bright as id want it...maybe i could get someone to modify that for me. I didnt compare it, but i had played through it before, and liked what i heard, so i got it, and it was a good price. I wish it had seperate EQ, and a level control on the efx loop. I like the preamp out. i wish it had a footswitchable option for the crunch switch on the clean channel. all in all, a very good, pretty versatile amp. very well built.

I liked It a lot at first. It has a ton of gain and power to it and some massive distortion. It can blow the hell out of a Marshall. But you cant really get a good clean sound out of the thing. I have a have stack of 5150's and the amp would be so much better if it had to independent channels, each with it's ow EQ settings. Then, use an independent knob for the volume boost, similiar to what the TRamp by Trace Elliot has. Then it would be a great amp. But it has really beefy tone to it and is perfect for heavy rock or metal.

It feeds back a lot if you are using the lead channel, and it has a lot of hiss. Using a noise suprressor for this amp is a must. But it has Massivly brutal distortion.

Changing the tubes is the only thing I've had to do. Pretty reliable.

no problems

If you like distortion, forget Marshall. This amps for you.