Peavey JSX for A Block 5150.. Thoughts?

[ZachK]

I've had my amp up for trade or sale for a while now (Peavey JSX head), and have gotten a couple offers, drums, a Charvel Custom Guitar, and Crates. Lots of Blue Voodoos.

But now an offer has come up I actually think I'll entertain: A Block Letter 5150.

Now, I had the 6505+, but I got bored of the sounds.

Then I picked up a 7 and fell in love with it again.

At this point in negotiations it looks like it's a straight trade across, I've got two pictures of it right now that I'll post when tinypic starts working.

Thoughts? SHould I do it?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

If you're tired of the JSX and want to go for the 5150 sound again, go for it.

 

[Wings of Obsidian]

In my opinion, you really can't go wrong with a 5150 of any model (this includes the latter adaptations into the 6505 models, which are the same thing, just rebranded under a different name since EVH left the factory.)

Dude...there is a reason 5150s (I's, II's, III's, and the 6505s) are THE most popular amp in metal today.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Because they're extremely common and cheap used?

 

[oneblackened]

Get it. The 5150/6505 is more aggressive than the 5150 II/6505+, and I much prefer it because of that.

 

[kmanick]

I went from a 5150 combo to a JSX to a 5150 head then to another Jsx and to a 5150 II and then to mesa's.
rhythm guitar wise the 5150 will sound much bigger and thicker an dmeanner than the JSX. lead wise, it's a little stiffer and there is not all that much "variation" available.
if you like one sound and it's the 5150 sound I'd do it.
I liked the 5150II better because IMO it's a better lead players amp, but if you're not a shredder wanna be, he 5150 should put a big ass smile on your face.

 

[viesczy]

I currently have a 50 watt 5150 III, a XXX 212 and 333XL 212 (Bugera's JSC knock off).

Honestly, the 5150 III is the least capable amp.

Don't get me wrong, they all sound great, but I find (and found) that the 5150 is a little sonically limited.

I'd say to swamp out some tubes into you JSX to get that tube's flavor and the greater capability of the JSX.

YMMV

Derek

 

[Choop]

As long as you don't think you'd get bored of it again then it may be a good idea! I personally love the 5150 tone, but I've always been curious to try a JSX with some KT77 tubes...obviously that would be another expense, and I'd personally prefer the 5150 over the stock JSX. It really just comes down to taste since the trade value is pretty close and both are formidable amps.

 

[xCaptainx]

DO IT! I love block letter 5150s!

 

[MikeSweeney]

There is no diff from the block to the non block evh its just the tubes that they came with

 

[kmanick]

I ran my jsx heads with KT-77s.
IMO it definitely helped to thicken out the tone a bit and smooth out any "honk" but the 5150 is a much "thicker" bigger sounding beast, but it is a lot more one dimensional.

 

[7 Dying Trees]

Do it. JSX is a bit bland I find, but the 5150 has balls! I currently have both, the JSX gets zero playtime, the 5150 gets busted out on a regular basis!

I just found the JSX sounded very neutered overall, I mean, doesn't sound bad, but is more a middle of the road rock amp that plays it safe which was a shame, as it's a good looking amp!

5150 block letter may or may not be different from the later 5150's, but I love mine. Brilliant amp, and definitely has character!

I'd go for it personally!

 

[GizmoGardens]

If I was ever going back to a tube amp and I wasn't prepared to spend a f$ck t$n of money, I'd get another JSX. I've never owned a 5150, but I did own a 6505+ and for me there was no comparison between the two... JSX hands down. I mainly play metal and I dabble in it's 10,000 sub-genres and I felt like the 6505+ was either OOOONNNN or off, where the JSX seemed to have a fair amount of usable range between a tight crunchy kind of distortion to full on heavy distortion. Definitely needs a boost out front though, which I didn't feel like I needed with the 6505+.

 

[NinjaRaf]

Trade values pretty even...just depends on what tone(s) you want/need. I pretty much use 1 tone, so the 5150 is like a dream for me. Luckily, I love its tone, too. I actually traded my JSX for a 5150 years ago. Ended up trading the 5150 for a 6505+ about a week later. I shoulda kept the JSX, I think. Just suited me better than either of the heads did.

 

[ZachK]

Thanks for all the perspectives guys!

The dude also said he;d throw in a set of brand new JJ tubes. Which sweetens the deal of course.

 

[vick1000]

Keep the JSX. Put some better tubes in it, you will be suprised.

 

[GizmoGardens]

Keep the JSX. Put some better tubes in it, you will be suprised.

This too. I had all JJ's in mine for a while and I wasn't in love with it... Swapped em out for Doug from Doug's Tubes little "not so secret" recipe and it made a noticeable difference.

 

[MikeSweeney]

the 5150 can get tons of tone you just need to EQ it right and get a few pedals

 

[warlock7strEMG]

Go with the trade!! 5150/6505 smokes the JSX Any day. 5150's have a nice thickness and are so mean sounding!! Whereas the JSX to me sounds fizzy and thin in comparison

 

[ZachK]

I'm going to go test out the amp two weeks from tomorrow once he gets the new tubes.

I have a feeling I'll have a NAD thread too.