Please help me pick my first "real" amp

[Deadpool_25]

For home playing I'd rather put my money in a Fractal FM3/FM9/Axe-Fx 3 or Line6 Helix Rack/Floor/LT/HX Stomp and a good pair of studio monitors. It's easier to get great tones at lower volume and it would be the only rig you need rather than having to get effects and whatnot as well.

Saying this as someone who has a very expensive real amp and cab rig. It's fun but it's not cost effective or practical at home.

Guy is already playing through his computer and is talking about wanting a real amp and gave some reasons why. Although modelers are a great answer to many questions, I don’t think suggesting modelers makes the most sense here.

And I don’t really agree that the modeler setup is necessarily more cost effective or practical at home than the real amp setup. I’d argue that’s actually more applicable to gigging.

 

[will_shred]

Just get a kemper and call it a day.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

If you are willing to spend a bit more, and are willing to hear a different but complementary sound to a 5150, I suggest a Mesa Badlander or Triple Crown. They both have 50w and 100w heads and are better at doing low-volume playing. Badlander has a low wattage variac setting and 20w switch. While the TC has a power sponge that can go as far down as 3 watts. They sound different but not too far from a 5150.

I vote Badlander since it also has a digital cab-sim built-in.

 

[DeathByButterslax]

I would not over think this. You can't really go wrong with any of the 5153s. They may not be everyone's perfect amp but if a person is truly unhappy with one then I suspect they just don't like the sound of electric guitar.

Bigger cabs do tend to sound better to me (warmer, more thump, even at lower volumes), but plenty of 112s sound fine.

The digital rigs now sound unbelievably good if you're willing to use them and resist endlessly fussing with it. The 5153/cab would be immediate gratification.

100% agreed with this, you don’t need to get too specific with this, you will get in the same ballpark with any of the 5153 variants, enough to make you happy. Honestly don’t worry about the nitpicking you see about the amps, that’s what the dials are for, and if you still can’t get it where you want, get a GEQ

 

[efiltsohg]

you can get a decent used 412 for less money than a new ppc112