# EVH 5150 III reliability?



## GreatWhiteYeti (Jun 1, 2013)

I have a possibility of snagging the 100 watt version at a local store, but the fellow guitarist in my band claims his brother owns the same model and has terrible problems with it. His claim to put it bluntly is that it is a costly amp to gig/practice with on a weekly basis (blowing tubes and that it was expensive to constantly bias the new tubes). I also have heard of reliability issues and didn't know if there was any thing I should look for when giving it a second look over? Thanks for any help!


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## Seanthesheep (Jun 1, 2013)

supposedly the first few batches of this amp werent the most reliable but I think if the serial number is over 5000 it should be as solid as a rock


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## Loganator259 (Jun 2, 2013)

I have the 50 watt, and it is solid, not a single issue so far. I turned mine on without a speaker load a couple times too, and one time the speaker got unplugged when I was playing at band volumes (damn vocalist running behind my amp) and no issues thus far. My friend has a 100 watt version and has had it for about a year and a half I think and not a single problem either.


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## mcsalty (Jun 2, 2013)

i've never had a single issue with mine, i've had it going on a year now and it's just perfect


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 2, 2013)

My 5150iii 100w (2009) developed an issue when I moved states. It became quite noisy so I had a tech go over it and he improved it substantially. Other than that it was fine. My 5150iii 50w has not missed a beat.


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## leonardo7 (Jun 2, 2013)

I am actually having an issue with my Mini 50w. I cant use two cabs with it anymore. I can plug one 8ohm cab to either of the two speaker outs no problem, but when I have two cabs running(at 4ohm), one of the output jacks sends no signal out. It did work when I first got it, but all of a sudden I cannot use two cabs with it. Im thinking about hitting them up this week and asking why and seeing about the warranty. Otherwise its the best amp ever.


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 2, 2013)

Man! I had that issue the other day! Totally forgot.
I was trying to use two 8 ohm cabs and one didn't work initially. I jiggled the cord a bit and then it did. Sounded brutal mixing 4 G12k-100s and 2 V30s.


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Jun 2, 2013)

Thanks guys. His brother said he blew through tubes all the time and it ended up costing him the amp? I'm glad to hear you guys have good luck with yours.


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## Underworld (Jun 2, 2013)

Mine is a little noisy on channel 3, but that's probably the f-ing high-gain chinese tube I put in...! Otherwise, no problem with my 50 watts version since I bought it in january 2012. My band's other guitar player has the 100 watts version, no problems either.


Edit - since when does ss.org have a crude language corrector?!?


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## Seanthesheep (Jun 2, 2013)

Btw guys who own the 50 watter, is it noisy on the red channel? I mean enough so to need a noise gate


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 2, 2013)

Nope! Very quiet considering how much gain is pulsing through it.


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Jun 3, 2013)

I am looking at getting a used 100 watt version. I'm just worried that at if it were to be true and looking at the way my band plays I'd be up the creek.


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## Suitable (Jun 3, 2013)

I've used mine for about 3 months now... The 1 major problem I have is my house shakes heaps when I use it... I don't think its a fault in the amp though


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## reckoner (Jun 3, 2013)

Seanthesheep said:


> supposedly the first few batches of this amp werent the most reliable but I think if the serial number is over 5000 it should be as solid as a rock



Yeah that's what I heard too. It's been what... 6 years now since they introduced the III? I bought mine used, it's a 2012 model. No problems yet.


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Jun 3, 2013)

Suitable said:


> I've used mine for about 3 months now... The 1 major problem I have is my house shakes heaps when I use it... I don't think its a fault in the amp though



Interesting indeed, well I'm going to go down today and try and hagglin' the "poor salesman". Thanks for the re-assurances.


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## guy in latvia (Jun 3, 2013)

I've got the mini, it appears solid enough to be shot at with an automatic rifle and still work, much more so than the Engls I've owned before.


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## Symbol (Jun 3, 2013)

My 50 watts' channel 3 had no sound suddenly one day ): Still haven't get it fixed yet though haha!


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## TheShreddinHand (Jun 3, 2013)

Other guitarist in my band has a mini that he bought a couple months ago and he gets a very loud pop whenever he engages or disengages the effects loop with the footswitch. Fender told him to take it to a tech to check it out but he hasn't had a chance to yet.


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## mcrdsd911 (Jun 3, 2013)

I have the same popping sound on my mini too ! Its in the shop now


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## leonardo7 (Jun 3, 2013)

I get the pop on my mini when I turn standby off


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## SkullCrusher (Jun 3, 2013)

Ive played mine for around 1 hour and had no issues so far.


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## Suitable (Jun 3, 2013)

I aggree with the pop with the channel/fx pedal, I find letting the amp warm up longer (3 mins or so) before turning the standby on stops the pops when channel switching (100w head)  also make sure EVERYTHING is properly connected before turning the amp on at all. Aaaannndddd play around on channel 1 for a bit (2-3 mins) before switching channels helps too, by a phaser, delay and a flanger and have a cone, seems to help with popping and you can get some really tripped out shit happening with these pedals! Great for a build up to face melting time 

Oh and check the serial no like others have said. Also if its from a shop they should have at least a 1 month warranty on secondhand goods, just check you can return it if there's any problems with it as you'll find out within a week if there is and its a lower serial no...


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## mcrdsd911 (Jun 3, 2013)

Suitable said:


> I aggree with the pop with the channel/fx pedal, I find letting the amp warm up longer (3 mins or so) before turning the standby on stops the pops when channel switching (100w head)  also make sure EVERYTHING is properly connected before turning the amp on at all. Aaaannndddd play around on channel 1 for a bit (2-3 mins) before switching channels helps too, by a phaser, delay and a flanger and have a cone, seems to help with popping and you can get some really tripped out shit happening with these pedals! Great for a build up to face melting time
> 
> Oh and check the serial no like others have said. Also if its from a shop they should have at least a 1 month warranty on secondhand goods, just check you can return it if there's any problems with it as you'll find out within a week if there is and its a lower serial no...


 

How funny, just got a call from the tech and explained too me this exact solution ! Shit, should have just asked here instead of wasting money.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 3, 2013)

If the amp is eating power tubes, I wonder what the power situation is. Just thinking out loud here, but if someone told me their amp was having an issue like that I'd look into how it's being run before jumping to the conclusion that it's the amp and not an outside factor.


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## Seanthesheep (Jun 3, 2013)

Symbol said:


> My 50 watts' channel 3 had no sound suddenly one day ): Still haven't get it fixed yet though haha!



most likely tubes. I had that happen one day on my old 6534+. turned out the Preamp tube that was the Phase Inverter (PI) and V6 died at the same time. but a couple spare 12AX7s and swap them around. If your lucky it will just be that. Worst (probable) case is the powertubes are done and need to be replaced. at most thats 50$ plus the cost of a bias job



leonardo7 said:


> I get the pop on my mini when I turn standby off



might be a static thing, similar to footswitch popping on mesa rectos and 6505s for a short while after taking the amp off standby?


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## guy in latvia (Jun 4, 2013)

Oh shit, I get the fx loop pop too, I always assumed it was the g-major acting up...

Anyone got a workaround for that?


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## Suitable (Jun 4, 2013)

Read page 1...


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## viesczy (Jun 4, 2013)

I believe the amps made in Vietnam had a problem, but not so bad since production was moved to Mexico. 'Least that is what I have heard on the interwebs.

My 50 watt on the red channel isn't as noise as many of my other higher gain amps. 

I'm not needing a noise gate, I just roll the volume down when not playing it where others (like my VH100R with the boost engaged) is ungodly noisy even with the volume rolled.

Now the noise gates do a give a great percussive attack though... 

Derek


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## Handbanana (Jun 4, 2013)

Mines pretty noisy at high levels. But then again I always have way too much gain and have yet to get a gate.


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## BeyondDan (Jun 4, 2013)

viesczy said:


> I believe the amps made in Vietnam had a problem, but not so bad since production was moved to Mexico. 'Least that is what I have heard on the interwebs.
> 
> My 50 watt on the red channel isn't as noise as many of my other higher gain amps.
> 
> ...



Damn...those things are not even made in USA for that price???


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 5, 2013)

The 100w versions have always been made in Mexico. 
The 50w started production in Vietnam but they couldn't supply demand so it was also moved to Mexico. 

The pop in switching channels on the 100w is a noted problem. When I had mine in for repairs my tech showed me on the schematic for the amp how the timer that's associated with eliminating the noisey pop is not synchronised correctly.


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## SkullCrusher (Jun 5, 2013)

I've just got my Mexican 50 watt head. 

It pops when switching channel but not when I put it on standby.

Does this need to be fixed? Or is it normal?


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 5, 2013)

BeyondDan said:


> Damn...those things are not even made in USA for that price???



I can't think of many companies that make amps in the USA that sell for those kinds of prices. I'm talking about full size, independent multi-channel, 100+ watt, tube amps. 

That said, the 5150 III is a LOT of amp for $1800. It's not like Mexico is that bad (FMIC has been putting out great stuff from there for quite some time.), and it's not like these are in the well over $2k bracket. 

I think the price is plenty justified, in my opinion of course.


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## BeyondDan (Jun 5, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I can't think of many companies that make amps in the USA that sell for those kinds of prices. I'm talking about full size, independent multi-channel, 100+ watt, tube amps.
> 
> That said, the 5150 III is a LOT of amp for $1800. It's not like Mexico is that bad (FMIC has been putting out great stuff from there for quite some time.), and it's not like these are in the well over $2k bracket.
> 
> I think the price is plenty justified, in my opinion of course.



Yeah you're right, but you can also get a Peavey 6505 made in USA for 999$ or the 6505+ for 1299$....not a clean as good as the EVH but...


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## TheShreddinHand (Jun 12, 2013)

TheShreddinHand said:


> Other guitarist in my band has a mini that he bought a couple months ago and he gets a very loud pop whenever he engages or disengages the effects loop with the footswitch. Fender told him to take it to a tech to check it out but he hasn't had a chance to yet.



As an update to this. We had the 5150 iii in a guy's studio all weekend and the efx loop didn't make a popping sound once. I think my other guitarist's apartment must just have dirty power or something at his place.


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## SkullCrusher (Jun 12, 2013)

I have been talking to the head engineer from fender/evh

He says that all 5150 iii amps have a pop theres nothing you can do without slowing down the switching speed.


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## MrFighter (Jul 31, 2013)

Houston, we have a problem.


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## leonardo7 (Aug 4, 2013)

All of a sudden mine produces through the cab a high pitch, squeal, scratchy loud noise. It goes away when I turn the volume knob on the guitar off. As soon as I roll the volume on, the sound appears. I had the sound the other day then it went away. Now its back for good. Im not sure what it is. Does anyone have any ideas?


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## leonardo7 (Aug 5, 2013)

In response to my above post, now the problem went away again


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## SkullCrusher (Aug 5, 2013)

The amp that fixes itself.

My buzzed like mad for 2 hours. (the buzz was louder that the guitar noise from it)

A day later it was gone...


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## GreatWhiteYeti (Aug 5, 2013)

I bought mine a couple weeks ago from Sweetwater. If mine does that stuff I'll definitely post something about it.


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