Unpopular opinion - high end amps aren't comparatively that expensive

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Slightly unrelated, but speaking of 5150s, I’ve never owned or played one. What’s the best version to get?
 
The problem with amps for me is I always want something else after a long period of time which is not the case with guitars .
 
From an economic standpoint, I’d have to say an amp is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it. And in that regard, if we take into consideration supply and demand dynamics and then find the minimum price point where the amp seller is willing to sell and the maximum price point where the amp buyer is willing to pay, you’d find a point between those two extremes where the profit of the amp seller will be maximised and that will be the price which the amp will be sold at.

So is the amp seller playing a volume game? Or a value game? How exactly they position the amp in the market could win them the prize or force them to sell the farm. For example, bourgeoise guitar players love their boutique gear and claim that nothing will be able to replicate that 5-10% of tone they’re getting out of it. But less affluent guitarists may eschew the 5-10% in favour of the 80% of tone that gets them where they want to go. So the amp manufacturer has to determine which segment of the market he wants to focus on.

But that 80% is so easy to replicate, you have companies like Bugera stealing circuits of amps like the Mesa Triple Rectifier, which cost over 2000 new and selling it at a fraction of the price because they know that with lower R&D and production costs, higher volumes at a lower price minus those costs of would garner them immense rewards.

And people do buy those Bugeras. And with digital, a lot of people don’t even look at amps anymore, it’s becoming a depressed market again after a couple of years of hype furled by bloated wallets thanks to Covid-19 stimulus handouts. So amp sellers are forced to price according to the new market normal.

So yes, $5k is a lot of money for an amp. Even comparing it to a car is ludicrous, just think how many things you can do with one and how little you can do with an amp as just a layman or a hobby musician.

I’d want a $5k Wizard for sure though, I just don’t have the money to justify one. And a friend of mine is selling a Bogner Twin Jet. And I suddenly see a bunch of Fryette Ultra Leads cropping up on Reverb.

So yeah, for an amp, $5k does seem to be a bridge too far for most people and that is reflected in their prices.
 
pipboy90 said:
Slightly unrelated, but speaking of 5150s, I’ve never owned or played one. What’s the best version to get?
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Of all the versions, I prefer the EVH 5150 III 6L6 100 watt version. More balanced than the Peavey versions. And IMHO, the Stealth versions are just over the top gain-wise.
 
pipboy90 said:
Slightly unrelated, but speaking of 5150s, I’ve never owned or played one. What’s the best version to get?
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I love the Stealth 120 . Does rock go metal. I use it love to get Fear Factory Demanufacture type tone . I’ve had them all and some would disagree but I love this thing . And it’s have Hermansoms and Wizards too . IMO it’s great and built tough
 
SFW said:
Of all the versions, I prefer the EVH 5150 III 6L6 100 watt version. More balanced than the Peavey versions. And IMHO, the Stealth versions are just over the top gain-wise.
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I love stealth . Really do . But I like them all
 
pipboy90 said:
Slightly unrelated, but speaking of 5150s, I’ve never owned or played one. What’s the best version to get?
Click to expand...
If I was in the market for one I would get the 6505 1992. I've owned 2 6505+, a 5150 sig, and a 6505. I've also had the EVH 5150 LBX2. The 5150/6505 are my favorite. I've tried the EVH and they are fun but for me they are fatiguing after a bit.

I'm actually thinking about selling my US made 6505 and getting the 1992
 
ClintN667 said:
If I was in the market for one I would get the 6505 1992. I've owned 2 6505+, a 5150 sig, and a 6505. I've also had the EVH 5150 LBX2. The 5150/6505 are my favorite. I've tried the EVH and they are fun but for me they are fatiguing after a bit.

I'm actually thinking about selling my US made 6505 and getting the 1992
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Do the Peavy 5150s have that cocked wah midrange sound? I’m not a fan of that.
 
ccn said:
The problem with amps for me is I always want something else after a long period of time which is not the case with guitars .
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Modelers are great for this. Don’t sell your amps but an AXE setup at home through a pair of great studio monitors really scratches that itch.
 
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pipboy90 said:
Do the Peavy 5150s have that cocked wah midrange sound? I’m not a fan of that.
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They do. That’s part of their sound. I still think they sound good, but there are better amps out there if budget isn't as much of a factor
 
pipboy90 said:
Do you recommend the EVH series?
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Only if you’re on a certain budget, but I think they’re good for the price. They have an overall good voicing and feel, but when you compare them to better amps they just IME come off sounding a bit plastic-y, filtered, just comparatively lacking imho, but can be impressive on their own. I get though why many guys like them a lot, especially the stealth versions
 
braintheory said:
Only if you’re on a certain budget, but I think they’re good for the price. They have an overall good voicing and feel, but when you compare them to better amps they just IME come off sounding a bit plastic-y, filtered, just comparatively lacking imho, but can be impressive on their own. I get though why many guys like them a lot, especially the stealth versions
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What better amps do you prefer? I think we have a similar ear.
 
pipboy90 said:
What better amps do you prefer? I think we have a similar ear.
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Well it may not be exactly apples to apples in flavor, but for the various areas where a EVH Stealth can excel I would choose over it many of the Cameron modded Marshall's I've had, a boosted Naylor, boosted early Rev Recto's, Hermansson, Dino, Mark IIC+ or OG Uberschall. Those are some of my favorite high gain amps. Yes, rare and expensive, but that's my answer for some "better" amps

There are I guess also imo in between stuff of EVH and those amps in quality like other solid modded vintage Marshall's, Mezzabarba's, Mark III's, IV's and Rev Green Uber's, but I don't like to think about next best or alternatives lol
 
I think you may have to try as many as you can get your hands on.

I still really want to try an Iconic
 
braintheory said:
For that, I’d say get a Cameron modded Marshall, Naylor, a good stock ‘70’s Marshall JMP2203 boosted, Mark IIC+ (or 3 or 4), Rev F or earlier Recto, Wizard
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Never had a Cameron anything (and I’m ok w that) but I find any classification of amps that has a 2203/Wizard next to a IIc/Recto a bit suspect. Talk about different amps
 
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