New Amp???

Right, I think I am sick of my amp.
I have a Laney vc 50 (2x12, all tube). It just doesnt give me the balls I want.

So now I just want some suggestions of amps that I may wanna look at...I want a high gain amp...but not a half stack...I have no need for summin that big. Even a 1x12 would do.
So far I am rather keen on a Peavey 5150 (old stock) that I have found in a store, and a Genz Benz El Diablo 60/30 watt head I found in the same store.
I reckon I am keen on the Genz Benz and putting it on a 2x12 cab.
any thoughts?
anything else I may wanna try.
(I dont neccessarily need a high gain amp...I have a Pod which I am hapopy with, and many other distortion and gain pedals, that I dont really use, but could pull outta retiremeny...I just think it would be nice to have a really raunchy amp, to get that organic distortion that I find the Pod misses.)

I've got a 5150 combo and love it! It's cleans are much better than the head version. They can be nice and clean or you can make them nice and gritty. Plus, between the crunch setting on the clean channel and the lead channel, you've got everything from light crunch to face melting metal gain. It's quite a versatile amp in my opinion. I've never played or heard the Diablo, but have heard some good things about it. It would probably be a bit easier to transport than the 5150 combo. The 5150 weighs close to 90 pounds! If at all possible, play them side by side.

It will be easily possible to play them side by side...and I have no intenetion of parting with any cash until I have done so...repeatedly...and with many other amps as well...I am the bane of guitar store salesmen...they hate me I'm sure.

I am very attracted to the 5150 (2x12)...only problem being that it is a big 2x12 and a heavy bitch...which is a hassle, but not a real problem.
I tried to check out the Peavey website, but it was down for a while...
are the 6550 and the 5150 exactly the same, just without Eddies seal of approval?
do you happen to know some of the specs of your 5150? what tubes are stock? etc?
thanks for you help Playa...think I have finally learnt how to attatch pictures to these things, so for anyone who hasnt got a myspace account, or wasnt bothered to see my new baby, here she is...

The 5150 and 6505 are supposed to be exactly the same, just slightly different cosmetics. I'm not sure what brand tubes come stock, but the types are 6L6's for the power tubes and 12ax7's for the pre's. Mine has all JJ tubes, but I'm not too crazy about them in the pre's. The JJ 6L6GC's are great power tubes though. I love the way my PRS sounds through the 5150. The amp is bright, and the guitar is dark, so they meet very nicely in the middle. I run it through the high gain input.

Here are my settings IIRC: (all settings in o'clock) Rythm Pre: 9-12 depending on desired cleanliness or grittiness, bright in, crunch out ; Lead Pre: 10-12 ; Bass: 2-3 ; Mid: 11-12 ; Treb: 10-12 ; Resonance: 9 ; Presance: 7-8 ; Post: around 12 if possible.

Those settings sound great in my drummers big room, but I have to do a bit of adjusting for it to sound right in my much smaller living room. Again, those are just my general settings, which vary slightly each time I play :rolleyes:. I also have to use different settings if I use my Schecter. Very different tones between the two guitars.

Good luck with your search!

thanks dude, I will be heading out to try the Genz Benz against the 5150 asap.
any other ideas of cool amps I may wanna try?

You might also want to try out one of the Peavey XXX or JSX combo's. I had the head version of the XXX, and it was a very nice sounding amp. The 5150 just suited me better. If you can find one, see if you can try out a Mesa Rectoverb or Tremoverb. They're supposed to be the best sounding Recto's that mesa made/makes. A bit pricey, but Engle makes some nice high gain combo's as well. Be sure to let me know what all you try out, and/or decide on. I'm a sucker for this kinda stuff :rolleyes:

I sent in a mail order for a XXX combo a few days ago... I'm still waiting for a confirmation from musician's friend that they recieved the order... if they don't call or e-mail me by friday, I'm calling them and figuring out where my $500 is!

but when I get the amp in a few weeks at most, I'll let you know how it is!

thanks dude, I will let you know what I decide on and try...and consult you before I buy...but I will retain my veto power...hehe

I played many a Mesa in England and they are awesome...especially the Rectoverb and Lonestar...unfortunately we cant get those in South Africa, and even if we could, they are hellish expensive even in England.

Engl are also not avail in Sa, tho I tried one the shop where I used to work in London and it blew me away...

Looking most keenly at the 5150...

oh, by the way, Playa, does the 5150 have a master vol?

The combo's control layout is as follows:

Rythm Pre - Lead Pre - Bass - Mid - Treble - Reverb - Rythm Post - Lead Post - Resonance - Presance

So, it doesn't have a master volume that controlls both channels at the same time. The Pre's pretty much control the gain, and the Post's pretty much control the output volume. I was used to having that, but I really don't miss it at all.

If you do decide on the 5150 combo, I would highly suggest you install a set of casters on it. Either that or get an amp dolly/cart.

musicians friend just sent me a ship confirmation on my XXX, so I should have it early next week. I'll let you know how it is.

btw, I know someone who has the head version of a 5150, it sounds pretty sick(the good kind) but I haven't used it myself, but I heard him using it... then again, this guy is really good and sounds good no matter what he's using.

Hi, just thought I'd say that I have a Laney LC50 which is the 1x12 version, I was getting more and more frustrated with the sound, it just couldn't give me what I was after, until recently when I had it serviced and re-valved with svetlana 6L6's and also (as luck would have it) spied a 4x10 matching Laney cab in the same shop which I managed to pick up for £150!! Anyway the sound I get now from the full rig is spot on, the cab has opened up the sound loads, and the amp seems to be fulfilling its power potential!! Just thought i'd post to stick up for the classic British Laney!!!

yea, I am starting to think that maybe I should just put in new pre amp tubes and see how it goes...I put in new poweramp tubes a few months ago, so they should be fine.
currently the amp has 12ax7`s...are there any alternatives to 12ax7`s? I dunno of any, bt i'm sure there must be...

i dunno, guess I gotta shop around

different brands of 12ax7's sound different from each other. Also, they can come in different gain ratings.

okay, well I guess I'll check out at a few places and see what different tubes can do...

Ok, so if I do get new pre amp tubes, (I need six) can I just buy em and install them myself? or must I send my amp away and get it biased etc?
sorry for my ignorance, I know nothing about amp care...

Preamp tubes are just plug-n-play, no need to adjust anything. Changing power tubes is when you need to adjust/check the bias.

and would I only have to do that if I change from El34's to another type of power tube? or anytime I change them?

The bias needs to be checked any time the power tubes are changed to be safe, but especially when switching tube types (if you amp is made so that it can do that).

genz-benz el diablo is totally sic! the best combo out there if you got the cash!