5150 is the people's champion. It's affordable

@TheShrike616

Жыл бұрын

In 1998 I passed on a Block 5150 for 200 bucks. Stupid 18 year old that I was...

@goodgriefitssimon

Жыл бұрын

WAS affordable 😢

@Metaldad87

Жыл бұрын

Used to be until Eddie died, now people are jacking the price up of anything associated with him just because of that

@dmgd509

Жыл бұрын

*Used to be

@FastMikeysGarage

Жыл бұрын

I bought my block letter brand spanking new and sold it a year later due to hard time. I bought it back from my buddy about 5 years later and kept it ever since. I’ve replaced the pots and tubes a couple years back. Can’t imagine parting with it ever again.

I still remember hearing the 5150 full stack in a local musicstore in Holland 1993 and i was stoked!...but didn't have the money. I convinced my dad (old rocker!) that my Peavey Bandit 112 wasn't good enough and asked him to come and listen in the musicstore. I had the seller demo the 5150 because he was a much better guitar player so I could convince my dad more easily, it didn't take much to convince my dad! He bought the amp and a 4x12 slant cabinet! To this day I use this set and will never get rid of it... Dad, i hope you can still hear my 5150 up there in heaven?...but I guess that's not too hard with this loud beast! ;)

I was too poor for a 5150 back in the 90s so I suffered with trying to make decent tone without it. By the time I could afford one I had other options. I finally played through one in the 2000's and realized I should have sold a kidney back in the 90's.

@christopherhuff3123

Жыл бұрын

I worked a shit load of overtime and bought a used one for 6 hundred dollars from a mom and pop music store right before Guitar Center took over. They weren't even out for a year. It was GLORIOUS. I kept it at the end of my bed . It was the first thing I saw every time I woke up.

Let just take a moment to thank Mike Soldano for all this.

@keveb4724

Жыл бұрын

Thank the Fender Princeton for Mesa, thank the Fender Bassman for Marshall and thank both Mesa and Fender for Soldano and subsequently the 5150

@skaldlouiscyphre2453

Жыл бұрын

Why? James Brown designed it.

@UncleBensRice

Жыл бұрын

@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 Because the 5150 is basically a modded SLO leadchannel with a couple more gainstages. The Rectifier is almost a 1:1 copy of the preamp but the poweramp makes it sound much different because it doesn't use nfb in modern mode.

@skaldlouiscyphre2453

Жыл бұрын

@@UncleBensRice They're all basically modified Marshall circuits (which are a modified Bassman at their heart). James Brown's design is an evolution of the VTM and Butcher and owes as much to Jose Arredondo and Lee Jackson as it does to Mike Soldano. If you believe James Brown, he never saw Eddie's Jose modded Marshall. I'm not sure I believe him though. The differences between those three amps that contribute to their distinct voicings go deeper than you describe though. They use different rectifiers, for starters.

Ill NEVER forget the first review of the Dual Rectifier in Guitar World. The author wrote something to the effect of "I wish everyone could plug in to this magazine so they could hear it- it's THAT good. " The 5150 was cheaper so I bought one of those .

I remember just a few years ago you could still get the 5150 for $400 at pawn. Less than 5 or so years. Great Video

@Johnnyboy414

Жыл бұрын

I actually got mine about 5 years ago for $400! Now i see it going for $1200 on reverb lol

Over the holidays I recently upgraded my amps (a DSL40 and Katana) to a block letter 5150 + an old Laney cab that I bought from a friend's studio. I was lucky enough to have access to EVH heads, used Mesas, and even spend more for an ENGL but man lemme tell you nothing made me smile like plugging in to that OG 5150 for the first time. It was the sound of about 80% of my favorite records and it was right here in my hands. This amp will always be awesome, will always be important, and will always stand for something so incredible for the everyday player. This video was on point and made me appreciate my little half stack even more.

I was in my last year of high school when the 5150 came out. I remember my best friend was working at a local music store that was the main Peavey dealer in our city. I went in to check it out and he plugged me in to a full stack they had there. I was 17 and HOLY SHIT IT WAS IN SANE! I don't even think I could get the master past 2 and even then it was squealing like crazy from me never have played with that much gain! It was GLORIOUS!!

Can't wait for the Line 6 Spider mini doc in 10 years

@bls8959

Жыл бұрын

Lol those amps were awful..

I remember the 5150hitting stores as well. It was the darling. BUT peavey was on top of its game. At about the same time they also had the the ultra 60/120 heads with active eq and TONS of gain on tap with three channels. These morphed into the Ultra Plus. I still regret selling off my plus, but toured for years with my blue line after that and thankfully still have mine. If you were a rack person, the rock master pre and a 120/120 power Amp was the epitome of guitar violence. Team that up with some peavey cabs loaded with the celestion 1285 speakers and you were a force to be reckoned with.

I remember our local guitar shop stocking a 5150 halfstack, it was massive and impressive.

I'm roughly the same age as you, and I had a very similar experience with hearing a 5150 for the first time in a music shop. I'll never forget hearing "that sound" for the first time, absolutely mindblowing at a formative age.

I remember hearing both of these amps when they came out. The low-end thump was immediately noticeable when seeing a band live back then.

man the fist time i ever hear a 5150 face to face was on a local show and man the tones from that amp i still love it and i think there's no better high gain metal sound than a 5150

I remember when I first heard a 5150 played live around 1997. The crunch was just so special compared to everything else I had heard before this. Absolutely epic sound for the masses!!

I remember hearing one locally at a gig and I knew that was want I wanted. Fast forward years later after saving my money, I got a train into Sydney to buy one from the only Peavey Dealer I knew near me and when I got there… they had just sold it. I was super bummed but I tried out a Peavey XXX and a H&K Warp T, and after an hour or so of bad playing 😂😂 I went with the XXX. It is such a great amplifier and will never sell that. For years of it being the one that got away and learning more as the internet became what it is today, I learned about the Block Letter and Signature debates and always said I will hold out for a Block Letter. Fast forward til NYE just gone and after having multiple Block Letters fall through the last 2 years when they occasionally pop up in Australia. I seen one for sale an hour away and immediately grabbed it. It is everything I hoped for and such a goddamn good feeling knowing I have a part of history and something that was a very important in my own guitar playing journey as it really motivated me to want to play when hearing that live for the first time. To think it shaped metal as we know it today, is quite the legacy for Eddie, John and Peavey.

Ryan, as a HUGE EVH fanboi, i loved your retrospective. You NAILED the way i remember hearing it for the first time back in the day :P Thank you for such a fantastic reminder of the insanely iconic work of Edward, James and Hartley

I remember back in the day a Local music store had these, I was to caught up in the " Randall" vs "Marshall" back then to give it the time of day. I should have plugged in back then and gave it a try. What a Killer Amp it is and how it changed the Guitar community. Thanks Eddie for all you gave us! Rip.

I bought a full stack, block lettered 5150 in 1996 at Black Market Music in NorCal for $750 out the door.. I was in love. Not just for the high gain, although it was brilliant, but I dug the crunch as well. I was fortunate to have a Mesa Tremoverb as well at that time. Which was brilliant as well.

I still have my Peavey Supreme 160 full stack amp l purchased back in 92. At the time I only knew solid state. Just got into tubes and I have to say I love them. Keep up the good work Fluff.

I think the first time I saw the 5150 was at a local show maybe in 97 that a friends band was playing and the guitarist had this amp. I fell in love and have been playing them since

I still own a block letter 5150. I bought it used in 1994 for $250 from a shop in Arizona. It was missing the rear grill which I since replaced. Built like a tank, still works today like new. I don't really use it anymore but I just can't bring myself to sell it.

I don’t think Peavey gets enough love. Affordable and made in the USA are usually things that do not go hand in hand.

@singleproppilot

Жыл бұрын

Yeah. Too bad those days are in the past.

@TYLERtheMAGGOT1

Жыл бұрын

Companies got too greedy and would rather use some cheap labor overseas to build their products instead of regular american workers who would do a better job making the products. Sad world to live in

@TylerJohnstonGuitar

Жыл бұрын

@@TYLERtheMAGGOT1 Agreed man. Overseas labor makes shit so cheap that nobody strives to make great products anymore.

I remember wanting a 5150 or a 6505 I guess when I was 14. I had a 1994 Peavey Bandit and I boosted it but for the money Peavey was awesome. They were also the most reliable piece of kit that I had.

I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to realize how important a tube screamer was for the 5150.

My first High-Gain Amp was a Mesa Son of Boogie (S.O.B.) Man I miss that Amp, despite the permanent hearing loss.

Hey, awesome video, I was just talking about this not long ago and you laid it out super clearly and I love it. 92-93 was a huge turning point for amps - ENGL Savage, VHT Pittbull, Marshall 6100, and not long after the Diezel VH4, Bogner Ecstasy, and LM version of the Marshall 6100 came along. I think the only other pre-92 high gain amp the average player might run into would be a Mesa Mk III, or maybe the Mk IV which came out in '90. Either way it was a lot of high end stuff - we're really spoiled for choice these days even in the budget category for great sounding amps. Cheers!

I love this style of video. Keep up the good work, Fluff!

Informative. It's good to hear history and context like this.

I love these kinds of videos with a history lesson. Haha I was playing a fender combo in 1994 and that thing had quite a bit of gain on it... Then I moved on to a 4x12 with a H&H head with a MetalZone for a few years cause I couldn't afford a 5150. Good times lol.

Fella, this is the best speak about the 5150. I was in the U.S. Army in Germany at the time and 25 years old. The previous year, 1991, I had bought the Peavy Bravo 112 combo, still have it, cost me about $300 American. I had to finance that amp and my Gibson Studio Les Paul at a local music store in Bremerhaven Germany. The following year I saw that peavy had released the 5150. I could not get it in Germany at that time. But I still enjoyed my Bravo 112. I love the older Peavy tube amps. My Bravo has the original 12AX7 and EL84 tubes in it.

All true....BUT.....back in those pre-5150 days, we were all doing the rack thang. ADA MP-1s and the copycats hit around 1988 and ruled the day. An MP-1 into a JCM 800 was the “secret sauce” being used by the high gain aficionados. I got my first MP-1 in ‘89 and still have one in my effects rack to this day. I’ve never been a Mesa guy.....but 5150s have been fair game. They really are great amps!

@caca_spaniel_1239

Жыл бұрын

Rocktron preamps were also highgain staples

@skaldlouiscyphre2453

Жыл бұрын

Racks really make more sense anyways, although I'd say at this point one can build a 'rack-like' setup from pedals that'll be even better.

Thx for this vid Fluff… really! You make my mind come back to the 90s and my first approach to guitar and alternative/punk music! Thx for sharing with us your remembers and sensations as a young guitarist!

Really enjoyed this video man!

Hey Fluff, what about the Mesa Mark IV? Is it in the “write check and send it to Mesa and wait” category like a IIc+? It was out in ‘89 or ‘90, correct? I’m unfamiliar with the cost of it new when they came out.

I won't ever claim to be a pioneer, but I remember when my brother and I turned up to a gig with matching brand new block letter 5150s and both guitarists in the other band playing started giving us a load of abuse for our "pussy hard rock amps" and asking us if we were going to play Hot for Teacher. The reason for this abuse is because we were in death metal bands, at that point you had a boosted JCM900, maybe with an ADA MP-1 in front of it if you were lucky.

In 1992, I was very happy with my Rat pedal in a Sovtek Mig 100 (not the H version, the first one)... Great to play Morbid Angel/Obituary... The Recto Rev D I've played later (I don't know about the C btw) is still one of my favorite grain

@tbirdpunk

Жыл бұрын

I had the same rig in 97. Paid 400 bucks for the head and matching cab used. Still have the Mig 100 head.

The first real amp I got was a Peavey 5150 2x12 combo. I was so blown away that I was able to have Eddie's tone and it was affordable at the time for me.

@davedavid7061

Жыл бұрын

theres one for sale on our market place for a grand. Thoughts?

@Jman3302

Жыл бұрын

@davedavid7061 about 5 years ago I got lucky and found a guy selling one that had only 10hrs of play and original tubes for $400! However, after Ed's death, the prices skyrocketed

@Ottophil

Жыл бұрын

@@Jman3302thats why the 6505 is better. Same amp, no eddie tax

@Jman3302

Жыл бұрын

@Ottophil True. Best bang for the buck I liked was the 6505 mh. Only issues was only being 20 watts, playing live with drums it would be drowned out.

I remember those days. The closest I could get to a high gain tone in the UK was a Marshall jcm 800 or guvnor pedal.

Great video. Love this stuff, this era. VH140c also came out that year, humbly I’d say included that one if you are looking to complete the stack of legends

Love the Botch t-shirt nod...when I saw them the guitarist was using a Dual Rec/5150 stereo setup!

Even the Mesa's weren't really that readily available until the later 90s. I remember most of us were stuck with Crate's or Marshall Valvestates until we were older and finally saved up for a Dual Rec.

@RiffsAndBeards

Жыл бұрын

This is 100% accurate

Nice work Fluff

Man lol be your video I was just 16 in 94 when I started really playing . My dad had always played so I was always around music my hole life . Now 45 lol my dad had always had peavey amps I'm not a huge fan of them but yes they're where widely available everywhere. So that's what most people had in homes . I wish I could go back to 94 when I first started playing what some times there where . A lot of good memories then now I play only on Mesa boogie amps that started 10 years ago and man I can't find anything else that can sound as good as one or close to that . I had seen Mesa boogie in my music store way back in the day but could not afford them . We are so spoiled now and days vrs back then with all the options out there now it's amazing .

Thx. HEY! FLUFF thank you for the video. It took me to school, briefly.

5150 will always be the GOAT. I couldn’t live without my Stealth 5150 head

Crazy when it was 900 bucks back in 92', that was still considered expensive 30 years ago, now that they're rereleasing a near replica of that head for 1,300 bucks today that's considered a steal.

Great video man.

1988 the Carvin X100B worked for me. perfect gain for 80's thrash. Boost in front got you almost modern high gain for even back then. Carvins were cheap and built like tanks. And they had incredible clean tone. I always wanted a MESA but could never afford them. When I think 5150 I think Carcass. The first time I saw a 5150 was watching carcass live early 90's

I had a 5150 block letter in 2003 and was playing in screamo and hard-core bands with it. I really miss that head. BTW sick botch shirt maybe I'll see you and the reunion show in Seattle in February!

Fluff....I'd love to see a video on the Sunn)) Model T100 original or re-issue (90's i believe) Which I played on live for years in the '90's in the One Eye Jack's in San Francisco. As far as your video here I totally remember going to Coast Music in Costa Mesa during the Cuckoo's Nest days when we were starting Moral Sin ( Later became Uniform Choice ) and hearing the Boss Distortion pedal which I purchased along with a Yamaha 12" combo amp that had crappy distortion but with the Boss it made our early shows sound good. It was years before I finally got my first Marshall then years later Mesa Mark IV then the Rectifiers. Never played the 5150's but it was decades waiting for good distortion amplifiers and the points you made here are so true and I think kinda weird it took so long for high gain amps to come to a more common place. Great content as always......dave nOwheRe marriott

According to Mike Soldano, the Dual Rectifier's preamp schematic is an EXACT COPY of the SLO.

@rlm4471

2 ай бұрын

Dave Friedman has confirmed that on his podcast. He said they even copied the values of incidental components that they didn't need to copy to get the same sound.

Botch shirt ftw!! Great video, I wonder what the jcm 800s sold for back in the 80s.

1000$ in 1994 is 2058.77$ in today's $$ . I have the LBX-S. I paid 550$ in today's money. I love it. Thanks Eddie!

These are definitely iconic amplifiers, but personally I would go with the peavey 5150. Especially since I’m a huge peavey fan. I’ve always like these amps for its raw and heavy tones.

Still loving my $400 100watt peavey 5150 and my $225 2x12 5150 combo to this day...haha

5150 always gets it done, it has a certain low mid and fizz that makes it great to mix with other amps i.e. Elmwood M60 or Dual Rec

My friend Mike bought a 5150 60W 212 combo when they were first released. I was very impressed. Lots of low end chunk but still defined and clear. I liked the sealed speaker cabinet idea but it was also very heavy (weight wise).

This was rad - I'd watch more of these.

@Hello1982

Жыл бұрын

Briefly

I have both these in my living room too :) Ref F and a block letter 🤘

Back in 2010 ish I could find 5150 heads all day on craigslist for $500 - $700. Wish I had picked one up.....

And the Mesa DR and 5150 sound amazing when played together in a band setting. Between myself and my buddies we play Mesa Dual Rectifiers, Mesa Nomad 100 (really good amp regardless of the haters), Peavy 6505s, EVH 5150s, and Victory Krakens. Personally love the Mesas for Rhythm and 5150/6505 for lead. They just mesh well in a mix

Can't wait for your video on the 6505 ii

Ahhhhhhhhhh the 90's were such a great time.

I dont know about the build quality, but for me the sound of 5150 is the best for metal.

It's funny, I had the rectifier and loved it, but I vividly remember the 1st time I played a 5150 in store when it was new and messed with the resonance knob and I was like OH, this is gonna big for dudes that play metal.....

Thanks Ed!

nice 👍🏽 video dude.

...and now interested to see/hear the new "1992" that Peavey has coming out **one day**

When I first started playing Guitar (about 23 yrs ago) I drooled over the Dual Rectifier, and couldn't wait to own one. Fast forward roughly a year or two later when I tried one out I really didn't like it lol Peavey Amps/Heads were the ones that actually surprised me the most(even Marshall too), but Boogie Oversized Cabs I swore by.

Solid State Randall was very popular due to Pantera and every band that they mentored.

@ddcraun

Жыл бұрын

That is THE Crowbar sound. Brutal.

I picked up a 5150II half stack all original in mint condition barely played for $950 a month ago. I already have an 5150 Iconic playing through 2x12 Mesa but could not pass on that deal.

I got a block letter EVH sounds amazing!!!

Luv the channel. So what is your opinion of engl? Rock on 🤔👍👍✌️

What about a JCM800 plus an OD?

@umanile

Жыл бұрын

@AnonLab2 a used one in 1992, was pretty cheap.

@umanile

Жыл бұрын

@AnonLab2 Dunno, a JCM800 with boost sounds pretty heavy to me... Reign In Blood was JCM800 and ts808.

@jacobgarcia2660

Жыл бұрын

@@umanile I believe Kerry and Jeff used a mxr 10 band to boost their sound

@umanile

Жыл бұрын

@@jacobgarcia2660 yeah probably a mid boost setting, it is more or less what a TS does.

Mesa boogie are the og's of high gain!!! However much respect to peavey for making incredible amps at a reasonable price plus kim thayil from Soundgarden used a peavey vtm 120 on badmotorfinger his tone on that album is the best high gain tone of all time!!!

Super weird coincidence that I spent so much time yesterday researching amps and pedals from 1992 yesterday. I was born that year and am wanting to build a full 1992 rig

That 5150 sounds like the pedal running through the loop of another amp would actually sound better. That pedal rules.

Can’t beat a solid Peavey!

I don't miss the 90's but I do miss being a kid.

the peavey ultra 60/120, butcher, and vtm 60/120 we available viable options as well and not too far off the 5150.

@skaldlouiscyphre2453

Жыл бұрын

VTMs are awesome sounding, just listen to His Hero Is Gone.

@danosoprano5853

Жыл бұрын

Kim thayil from Soundgarden used a peavey vtm 120 on badmotorfinger and his tone on that record is the best high gain of all time!!!!

Peavey is supposed to be re-issuing them As "6505/1992"s.. I want to hear a side by side.. Was hoping that's what this was..

@KevinTheMetalhead

Жыл бұрын

According to the 6505 1992 page on the Peavey website they're expected on March 10th.

And both are essentially takes on the SLO

Would love to hear about the solid state amps like Ampeg and Crate amps used by early death metal and florida death metal

Listen up kids! True story right here! 🤘🏾

Have you ever played a Peavey Rockmaster 😳 Massive heavy tones 💪

@scottanderson4175

Жыл бұрын

@@KD-7705 agreed

I remember in the UK around that time we had the Peavey Bandit. It was an awful amp and I think because of that it had an impact of the 5150 in the UK. It took a while for it to take off because Peavey had to first get rid of the name it had got for the shit that was the bandit. I had a TSL100, DSL50 because it was the UK and Marshall. But towards the end of the 90s I got a Mesa Boogie Quad and Studio Pre Amp. The Duel Rec and Triaxis were totally out of any ones plans back then. I did get a Mesa MK3 and that thing was a monster. Its really interesting how this high gain story played out in the UK and the US.

Laney AOR should get an honourable mention

Thanx for the story

Ed's the GOAT on so many levels

Is there a modern version of the 5150?

Soooooo 90’s 🤘❤️🎸

I worked at Band aid music in lynnwood Wa in 94. Ever stop in fluff?

@RiffsAndBeards

Жыл бұрын

Oh yeah I sure did!

Bandit 65 was all I could afford in 92. And I had to mug a load of grannies just for that.

Yooo! comin in with that Botch shirt

🤘

I only use real american tube amps. No modelling. No digitizing , fender twin for cleans. Peavey half stack for distorted

@Sardonicuss

Жыл бұрын

A bald eagle wielding two M4s is saluting you.

@Ottophil

Жыл бұрын

@@SardonicussI’m not patriotic at all. I just like nice gear.

Mesa MKIII, MK IV, 50 Cal, studio Pre and Quad Pre were available in a boogie dealer stores before these guys came out. Funnily enough, many today would still prefer a 2204/3 Marshall with a boost. I remember when the recto first came out, I was about 22. It just seemed like a bit of wooly mess. Too much low mid and bass emphasis with a sizzly top end. Was not a fan. I rocked a Sig 5150 in 95-96 and it was much better plug and play heavy amp. Les Paul in drop C and it was fantastic. Eventually went back to Marshall with some detours into “boutique” here and there. Ironically, I now play mostly Boogie but they made amps since then that work for me pretty good.

The Peavey 5150 was my 2nd tube amp bought in 1996 for about 500.00 brand new when I was about 18yrs old and remember playing on a few dual rectos around that time and just thought they sounded thin and low gain? Little did I know that I did not know how the tone controls worked and just moved on the something that are more user friendly. Flash forward to today and I own 10 mesa rectos!!! lol

I miss my block letter and my dual rec. hold on to your treasures kids