Looking for a new amp, choices are JCM800 20W, EVH 5150 III, and EVH 5150 III EL34.

[Randy_Lahey]

Would try to pick up used, to save some $, but market is very bare around me, so could possibly have to buy new.

Looking for tones to cover what I like to play. AC/DC, Classic/Makeup/Ace Frehley era KISS, early 80s Motley Crue, Ratt, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Metallica and that sorta heavy metal/Hard rock genre.

For cabs, well I have some beaters, but am likely at pairing with a newer/used EVH 2x12 or something in that $400-500 range. I have 2 x 4x12's now, but not in total love with them. Although an experiment tonight has me hopeful. Made a full stack with my Bugera 6262 infinium amp and boy both those cabs rocking sound decent. One is loaded with china Celestion V30's and other has knockoff Greenbacks in it. Together they seem to compliment the issues I have with each one. Maybe try mixing speakers in each cab? I dunno. Anyway, I'll get a legit 2x12 cab, at least what I consider to be a decent/legit 212 cab. Then play around with what setups I like best. I eventually want to gig, so the 2x12 seems much more realistic to move about.

Anyone with feedback or have played both to give me some insight?

 

[KStopper65]

JCM800 20W

 

[rich85]

The EVH amps are either clean or high gain. They sound amazing but for what you want they are just straight up the wrong amp. A 20 Watt JCM800 will do what you are after. Or a DSL 20 watt if you want a 2 channel amp. There really isn’t much between them sound wise, if anything.

The EL34 EVH is so good but it’s for basically high gain metal tones. Not an amp I would ever own. The DSL20 is pretty much a bargain for what you get and you can really dial in perfect gain levels between the 2 channels. Personally that’s what I would go with but the JCM800 is obviously great also.

 

[hbucker]

I've got a 5153 50 watt 6l6 head. I will respectfully disagree with the above post that says this amp is either clean or high gain.

My clean channel can go from crystal clean to crunchy. And it takes pedals impressively. The second channel has plenty of gain on tap, but turn the gain down low and lots of lower gain Classic Rock is there. The third channel is clearly a high gain lead channel, but there is nothing stopping anyone from using it as rhythm for modern stuff. With both of the overdrive channels there is "too much" gain on tap, but they are very adjustable and nothing requires the player to use all that gain.

There is no accounting for subtle differences between styles of tone between the different brands you mention - personal preference. But my 5153 head is the most versatile tube amp I've ever owned. Period.

My impression is that the EL34 version is more of a straight up Metal tone. But I've never played one.

FWIW

Good luck with your search.

 

[rich85]

I've got a 5153 50 watt 6l6 head. I will respectfully disagree with the above post that says this amp is either clean or high gain.

My clean channel can go from crystal clean to crunchy. And it takes pedals impressively. The second channel has plenty of gain on tap, but turn the gain down low and lots of lower gain Classic Rock is there. The third channel is clearly a high gain lead channel, but there is nothing stopping anyone from using it as rhythm for modern stuff. With both of the overdrive channels there is "too much" gain on tap, but they are very adjustable and nothing requires the player to use all that gain.

There is no accounting for subtle differences between styles of tone between the different brands you mention - personal preference. But my 5153 head is the most versatile tube amp I've ever owned. Period.

My impression is that the EL34 version is more of a straight up Metal tone. But I've never played one.

FWIW

Good luck with your search.

Is that without pedals? I honestly couldn't get any crunch tones from the 50 watt heads. With the clean channel gain on full it was still pretty damn clean then chanel 2 with the gain low as possible i found it to be high gain still. But.....I am in Australia with 240v power transformer amps. The circuit is obviously designed around 110v power so maybe changing it to 240v plus changes to get it approved for Aus. Safety specs (Revv is still waiting for their 120 watt heads to get approved for sale here)

 

[cybermgk]

One is loaded with china Celestion V30's and other has knockoff Greenbacks in it. Together they seem to compliment the issues I have with each one. Maybe try mixing speakers in each cab? I dunno.

Yes Greenbacks and V30s work well in the same CAB. Either Greenbacks in top two spots, or, imho, put one of each, top and bottom, in diagonal pairs.

 

[pmonk]

Budget?

For the music you listed, the obvious choice would be the JCM800 20W

 

[hbucker]

Is that without pedals? I honestly couldn't get any crunch tones from the 50 watt heads. With the clean channel gain on full it was still pretty damn clean then chanel 2 with the gain low as possible i found it to be high gain still. But.....I am in Australia with 240v power transformer amps. The circuit is obviously designed around 110v power so maybe changing it to 240v plus changes to get it approved for Aus. Safety specs (Revv is still waiting for their 120 watt heads to get approved for sale here)

Yes. Without pedals.

Not sure why you had the experience you had, but on my clean, if I turn the gain up past half way, it starts getting gritty. Gain full up it's in AC/DC territory. Second channel more or less picks up here with the gain as far down as possible. It's a little crunchier with a different characteristic, but still usable in that AC/DC context. Obviously, there is more gain than needed on channels two and three. But that's nice in a context of getting it just where I want it.

I will say this amp is very sensitive to pickups. If you had very low output pickups I can maybe imagine why you had your results?

Sorry about that.

 

[redking]

I've heard the newer EVH amps have a stupid amount of gain on tap - so much that they are difficult to use - it's either off or blistering but nothing in between. I have also heard the Marshall 20 watters weren't very good. (I think those comments came from Dave Friedman on his live chat who has had a number of them brought in to be Modded)

Here is an amp I have been wanting to check out - the REVV G20 - seems like lots of gain but also versatile enough to knock back the gain a bit. Also has some technology on board to play silently through your computer if you need that. Not bad for $1,200.

 

[dwagar]

To me the obvious choice would be the SC20H.

But, where do you play? If fairly large rooms, do you mic through a PA? If you don't need the power, I think it's better to buy something you can actually crank up a bit.

 

[hbucker]

I've heard the newer EVH amps have a stupid amount of gain on tap - so much that they are difficult to use - it's either off or blistering but nothing in between.

Please see my experience with my 5153 6l6 50 watt above.

 

[rich85]

I played the Revv G20 and D20 during the week

G20: High gain monster. The gain can be off and it’s still high gain. It saturates a bit more but all sounded the same once you went past 3. I forgot to bother with clean channel. It sounded great but yeah.

D20: Unique tone.You can’t scoop out the mids to get a 60’s Fender tone though. It is a Blues Rock machine. Clean to AC/DC gain levels with the boost knob. With a Strat it was instant SRV. And it weighs nothing with built in Two notes. I want one haha

 

[Randy_Lahey]

Budget?

For the music you listed, the obvious choice would be the JCM800 20W

For budget. I guess I'd say $1200 new, but prefer used and I'd try to find a deal. The JCM's tend to be pricey, so the EVH's are tempting at the $700 used mark

 

[Randy_Lahey]

Well I ended up finding a Marshall JVM 205H on the forums here which hopefully works for my needs!!!

 

[cherrysunburst00]

Congrats I hope it works for you

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

Ampeg SVT.

 

[Pwrmac7600]

The EVH amps are either clean or high gain. They sound amazing but for what you want they are just straight up the wrong amp. A 20 Watt JCM800 will do what you are after. Or a DSL 20 watt if you want a 2 channel amp. There really isn’t much between them sound wise, if anything.

The EL34 EVH is so good but it’s for basically high gain metal tones. Not an amp I would ever own. The DSL20 is pretty much a bargain for what you get and you can really dial in perfect gain levels between the 2 channels. Personally that’s what I would go with but the JCM800 is obviously great also.

Don't agree with this at all.
I just purchased a EVH 5150 III EL34 and it is not just a high gain amp at all.
The blue channel has so much in it, at lower gain settings you get a really nice, all be it more modern sounding, but a nice Old school rock tone for the genres he is describing. The amp has much more than the red channel in it. Just curious, have you ever played one?
Forgive the slop in this, but IMO this covers what he is looking for.
https://soundcloud.com/mike-herwig%2Fevh-test-2

 

[Pwrmac7600]

My impression is that the EL34 version is more of a straight up Metal tone. But I've never played one

Not at all, actually most of the metal guys are disappointed with the El34 version. The low end on the blue channel isn't as tight as on the 6l6 version. There is an additional cap in the preamp section in the blue channel that darkens the channel up and adds some flub. Most guys are clipping that cap and stating it turns the blue channel back into the same channel as the 6l6 version. It's called the c137 mod.

 

[rich85]

Don't agree with this at all.
I just purchased a EVH 5150 III EL34 and it is not just a high gain amp at all.
The blue channel has so much in it, at lower gain settings you get a really nice, all be it more modern sounding, but a nice Old school rock tone for the genres he is describing. The amp has much more than the red channel in it. Just curious, have you ever played one?
Forgive the slop in this, but IMO this covers what he is looking for.
https://soundcloud.com/mike-herwig%2Fevh-test-2

If you scroll down I explained I am in Australia with 240v transformers which might be making a difference.

I have played through version 1 and version 2 of the 50 watt. The EL34 50 watt. The Stealth 50 watt. And the 50 watt combo. The combo was the only amp I could get a crunch sound from as it had power scaling so I put the volume and gain on 10 on the clean channel and that was the only time I got a crunch style sound.

Yes. I have tried them extensively. A mate that owns one says the exact same thing about his 50 watt head. It's either clean or high gain.

 

[Randy_Lahey]

Well I got an EVH 5150 III EL34 50w head too.
loving it so far. Blue is very tuneable for classic rock sounds. Eq is very sensitive though and the resonance knob in the back of off the amp make it sound flubby if up too high. Red is a beast channel. Loving it so far. Will be a blast to compare to the JVM 205H Marshall that’s coming as well.

PS cab has 3x Celestion V30’s and one eminence governor 75w 16ohm.