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EVH 5150III 50W EL34 Demo

EVH 5150III 50W EL34 Demo

Playing the Jackson American Virtuoso through the EVH 5150III 50W Amp Head

Playing the Jackson American Virtuoso through the EVH 5150III 50W Amp Head

EVH

Description

The EVH 5150III 50W EL34 tube guitar amplifier head opens up a world of tonal possibilities for players seeking a flexible, gig-ready amp solution. Packed with features and the hallmark Eddie Van Halen sound, this amp delivers everything from sparkling cleans to face-melting distortion. Powered by EL34 tubes, the 5150III 50W EL34 produces a throaty British-influenced tone with rich harmonics, increased headroom and punchy low end.

Three Fully Independent Channels Provide a Wealth of Tones

The 5150III 50W EL34 features three channels—clean, crunch and lead—each with independent volume and gain controls. Dial in shimmering cleans, classic rock crunch or blistering high-gain lead tones with the twist of a knob. A global presence control and resonance switch shape your tone even further by adjusting high- and low-frequency response.

Flexible Features for Stage and Studio

Wrapped in EVH's signature black and gold motif, the 5150III 50W EL34 is a rugged road warrior equipped for any gig. It provides an effects loop, preamp out and MIDI in along with parallel speaker outs to drive multiple cabs. The built-in line out and headphone jack make recording or silent practice a breeze. A footswitch is also included to seamlessly switch between channels on the fly.

Iconic High-Gain Tone in a Smaller Package

The 5150III 50W EL34 delivers the same lethal high-gain tone and looks of the 100-watt 5150III in a more compact, lower-wattage head. Perfect for smaller venues or recording, this amp still provides more than enough power and volume for most musical applications. Experience the EVH sound and feel the excitement of plugging into an amp born from Eddie Van Halen's pursuit of the ultimate rock tone.

EVH 5150III 50W EL34 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head Black
EVH 5150III 50W EL34 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head Black
EVH 5150III 50W EL34 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head Black

Specs

  • Power: 50W (tube)
  • Tubes: seven 12AX7 (preamp); two EL34 (power amp)
  • Three channels
  • Single input
  • Impedance: 4-ohm minimum
  • Controls: (Channel 1) Independent Volume and Gain with shared Low, Mid and High; (Channel 2) Independent Volume and Gain with shared Low, Mid and High; (Channel 3) Independent Volume, Gain, Low, Mid and High EQ with Global Presence and Resonance for all
  • Cabinet material: Birch ply
  • Covering: Black textured vinyl
  • Color: Black and gold motif
  • Handle: Molded plastic strap with black powder-coated caps
  • Jewel light: Red LED jewel

Featured Articles

Reviews

4.58

38 Reviews

90%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Great tube amp
Could be Great - but has Quality issues.
I Finally Bought One and I'm Glad I Did
Complete beast, everything you could need.
LOVE THIS EVH el34 AMP HEAD
Professional tone in a travel friendly size
A must have amp!

Most Liked Positive Review

5

Covers tonal bases

Best amp I've ever bought! I primarily use the blue channel for Blues and Blues rock. If I need to change gears. This amp will handle my Fuzzferatu pedal extremely well. This amp has very sweet and sharp miss. It sustains clarity throughout gain and fuzz. What shines about this amp is versatility. Light knob tweaks on guitar, amp, pedals etc., then BOOM you are creating different tones and sonic textures. This amp is is sensitive to your adjustments. I have to be honest, I am NOT a Van Halen fan. I played this amp but by seeing one in-store and gave it a try. This amp really inspired how I played riffs/leads and gave them a "new" perspective. Get this amp and trek to the Riff Filled Land.? Genres I use it for Blues/Blues-rock a la Howlin Wolf, Muddy waters ZZ Top, Stoner Metal, a la Sleep, Down, kyuss Metal (mix), Entombed, Planet of Zeus, Black Sanbath,

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

1

Can't express the disappointment

Absolutely not a rip on Guitar Center... they've been great! I owned the 100 watt EL-34 version since it's release. $2300 amp. Loved it! Kicked tail!!! But getting the 50 watt version seemed like a great idea as I gig with the original 50 watt EVH. Love how easy it is to carry around as opposed to the weight of the 100 watt. But, I honestly thought the 50 watt EL-34 I got was a dud! Blue channel sounded like I had the middle pickup position on. 100 watt blue channel was all I used. Incredible let down. Red was ok, but not mind blowing. Clean was exciting. Was excited to have that clean sound. So nice! So, I take it back and they had a brand new ( I bought used) one in the store. I plug in and same thing happens. I can't believe ANYONE is happy about that blue channel. I love Eddie and have been using EVH amps since '09, but that channel is terrible. SO worthless. Can't even imagine Eddie let that out the door saying, " Wow! People are gonna go crazy for that!" Sorry Eddie...but I was disappointed in an EVH amp for the first time. Still love you though.

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Home Studio24
  2. Performances22
  3. Outdoor Events / Games13
  4. Professional Recording12
  5. Amateur Recording11
Cons
  1. Poor Manufacturing1
  2. Poor Sound Quality1
  3. Weak1
  4. Bad set of power tubes1
  5. Noisy1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced25
  2. Professional Musician6
  3. Novice1
Pros
  1. Good Power Output30
  2. Excellent Sound29
  3. Easy To Use26
  4. Warm / Comfy25
  5. Portable21

Reviewed by 38 customers

  • i like all these 50w evh heads

    5

    submitted5 months ago

    byBrandon

    fromHouston

    Found myself using these 50w evh heads every time i went to GC to try out guitars. The gain channels are both great, red ch i have gain maybe 50%, a little more with detuned guitars. like the fx loop on FS, all i let try it says its the best sounding high gain sound from an amp alone

  • I will never part with this amp!

    5

    submitted6 months ago

    byRob

    fromPensacola

    After doing the C137 mod on the blue channel, this is absolutely my favorite amp, and I've owned dozens of amps. I bought this amp because I also own the 6L6 Stealth and it has done nothing but impress me, but I always wished it was just a touch more British voiced. The EL34 version does just that. The blue channel is a little dark until you cut that c137. I put it on a toggle switch so I can turn it off and on if I choose to. I love all 3 channels. There's no sound this amp can't deliver. Awesome master volume too. I have a bunch of amps, but if I could only keep one, it'd be this one and this is the one I paid the least for!

  • Great tube amp

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    byGary

    fromLA, California

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    I don't gig, I just play at my home. I love the sound this amp delivers. Very rich, and clean with the warmth only tubes can deliver.

  • It does the thing very well

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted2 years ago

    byWill

    fromColumbus, Ohio

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    The red channel on this amp does the sound we all know and love very well, with very little tweaking. The blue channel is definitely different, but it's cool to have tonal options if you need. I may end up doing the c13 mod on it, but I'm not sure yet. Very pleased so far with this one

  • Could be Great - but has Quality issues.

    2

    submitted2 years ago

    bySurr

    fromRSM, CA

    Too many issues for this price: Barely used (less than 3 hours) experiencing crackling Blue channel volume surge and drop (unstable) Red channel way too noisy (gets louder with volume) Noise (speaker thud) when channel switching

  • I Finally Bought One and I'm Glad I Did

    5

    submitted3 years ago

    byTommy

    fromNorth Houston, TX

    I'm freaking loving this thing. The Clean Channel (channel 1/green) is pristine to my ear and sounds as good as my Fender amp. Channel 2 (blue channel) has so many different tones you can get out of it from crunchy and bluesy to absolute chug with or without an OD pedal. Channel 3 (red channel) for me works great as a boost for leads/solos and I can set it louder than channel 2 which I use for rhythm. You do not need to set the gain very high on channel 3. I have mine around 10:00 or 11:00. This model allows you to dial in your gain and volume separately for both channel 1 and channel 2. I'm using some modulation in the FX Loop and occasionally a TS808 in the front but I'm so impressed by the sounds and tones I can get directly from this amp. Right now it serves all my needs and checks all the boxes. It's plenty loud and powerful (haven't turned the volume up past Noon yet) and it also sounds good and can be played at low volumes. I cannot think of any cons. I'm having a great time playing different guitars through it and fine tuning/tweaking the EQ's. Don't forget about the resonance knob in the back = )

Q&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • submitted4 years ago

    asked byPaul

    fromLoganville GA

    Does this come with the footswitch shown in the demo video?

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Foot switch not included

  • submitted4 years ago

    asked byRobby

    fromDelray Beach, FL

    Do you offer a cover for the 50W EL34 EVH head ??

    Open Reply - Thomas
    Please see "EVH 5150 III Amp Head Cover"

  • submitted6 years ago

    asked byMike

    fromMcveytown PA

    It states you have this head in stock EVH 5150III 50W EL34 50W Tube Guitar Amp Head Black , so you have this at your store Now??

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Please contact your local store for specific inquiries regarding their inventory

  • submitted6 years ago

    asked byAl

    fromCo

    Hi- does this amp come w the foot switch? If not, can you tell me which one it needs? Thank you

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Switch not included. Please contact a Sales Agent for Special Order placement

  • submitted7 years ago

    asked byRick

    fromMassachsetts

    what does open box mean and does it still have the same guarantee, warranty and return policy as new unopened box

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Open box is a used item. It will have a 45 day return period and not have the factory warranty

  • submitted7 years ago

    asked byTom

    fromOrland park Il

    Does amp head come with power cord and footswitch?

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    This comes with a power cable, not footswitch