2 Half Wits Blow Up A Peavey 5150 

That's note a block letter. Its the second series 5150 with the signature on it. I've had one for over 20 years and it's blows every year or two without fail.

We thought it was going to be Paul who couldn't handle the 5150, but it was the 5150 which couldn't handle Paul 😄

I’m glad you posted this, I’ve never blown up an amp, so I wanted to see how the Pro’s do it.

Isn’t this a script model as opposed to a block? On the grounds that it has Eddie’s signature rather than the “block” EVH?

Can we gave a video of the repair process? 😁

Sounded awesome for a minute!

Well done lads! It takes a rare and skilled talent to smoke an EVH designed amp. Eddie would be so proud! Thanks for sharing and all the best!

This is brilliant! 🤩

Just clicked to say, the title of this one brought out a laugh. Thanks for that.

Hello guys, this event cracked me up. Still hard to believe how this can even happen! Keep on going,…..

Screen grid resistor on mine just fried on one side of the power section. Works fine now but yeah these things are showing their age if they haven’t been serviced regularly. Still love it but it is a 30+ year old amp with some components that aren’t terrible but aren’t the best. 30+ years on original components especially electrolytic caps is asking too much of most any amp though regardless of how well it’s built or not. Glad to hear you’re getting it fixed though, these are modern classics in my opinion.

The return of the Amp Killers, coming to a RU-vid channel soon!!!!!!!!

Never played through one. That would be really cool.

😂 sounds great to me. I own the Peavey 2x12 combo version and love mine. What did you use in the chain to record this video and effects? I would love to get one of the two notes things, to expensive for me at the moment. Great Job guys! Oh, James how about a future eleven rack video, I still think about that for my pod bean replacement.

One of the secrets sauces from the 90s is to run it with a rackmount BBE Sonic Maximizer in the effects loop. Especially if using the original 5150 cab with those horrible stock speakers.

I have my original from 1992. I get very nervous when my sons use it. Lol.

Lead Red on 3 to 4 Max, played loud, it comes alive. Less mushy. They were my gigging amps for 15 years.

Can only imagine how you felt when you heard it Paul. 🤣 My god that amp was a monster not to mention insanely loud. 🎧🤣🎸

I rather enjoyed that ‘just-on-the-cusp-of-frying’ tone. Can you add that to your capture pack please?

I love it!!!

I feel you're pain, when I was 19 I got to play at a local festival and I blew my friends dad's vintage ac30 in the middle of a set. It literally burst into flames. Still never sacrificed a guitar though 😂

Oh, blowing up amps is tight!

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable amount of gain :-)

Paul and James I hope you read this and it helps you out. Had this happen to me on a 6505 Check the Electrolytic Capacitors I don't remember which locations it was (I think it was C33, C37 and C36) but I had two of them go bad so I replaced them all doesn't hurt that if one or two go bad then replace them all to ward off the same thing happening again. It is not uncommon but it's also not really a problem thats really that common. Good Luck guys. I love your vids. Would love to see a video and hear your thoughts on the Engl Gigmaster 15 or the 30.

Damn i was hoping to see some FIYAH !!

Paul looked visibly uncomfortable when playing his guitar 😂

Well, you have a capture of what it sounds like before you blew it up.....don't you right?

I did wonder how the hell you had the master on 6! Lol I can barely get mine past 1 at home. 😂

I’ve played through many of these, the output level you had this at should have filled an arena. I’ve never had to push one past 4 with an extremely loud drummer playing with triggered kicks.

There is gain... and then there is GAIN!

SMOKIN !!!!

Sounded great though.

Is that a "block letter"? Isn't that the "signature" version?

At least while there was a sound it was a good sound! Peavey is really an underappreciated amp company. I own a Peavey JSX and it does a similar thing to the 5150 with its gain but it has an actual clean channel, and is my favorite amp I’ve owned. If you have an opportunity to check one out that might make for a good video. I did have to get mine recapped, though, so look out!

I had one of these back in the day but sold it. Regrettable sale.

I wish there was an assignment at the end of the video claiming "No Original Mark I Peavey made in America 5150 block Letter amps have been harm in this footage".

I should also add that the actual circuit is no different. The EVH 'block letter' makes it more collectable.

So what happened? Did the power tubes go?

I’ve seen more Peavey amps blow up than any others. One reason I stay clear of them .

Why’d it blow up, it didn’t warm up enough?

came to watch an amp die, sad it did and hope it can be repaired, but not disappointed (except no captures 😵)... saw it coming when the power led dimmed, new output transformer or power tubes should get that going though.

Was the original not a copy of Mike Soldano’s SLO?

It happens!

I don't want to be 'that guy' but that isn't a 'block letter' also I love you guys... my wife, not so much if you catch my meaning! Keep it up guys!

the brown sound refers to the burnt circuit boards created by it .....

Looks like April fools' day came a bit late for you two! 😂 Any idea yet of what went wrong?

Brilliant! Ha!

5:39 Fuzz!

A moment of silence for the video that almost was. We hardly knew ye.

That's what happens if you lower the gain on a 5150!😆

So you blew it up by turning the dials? What? Or did something else cause it?

All the other things covered the note written right at the end.

would like to hear the conversation off camera!🙊

That’s not how to blow up an amp. I have a Marshall 2204 I bought in 1979 and it always sounded better and louder than all my mates Marshall’s. When the master was on 4 it sounded like other Marshall’s on 10. Unfortunately if I put the volume above 5 it would catch fire( output transformer even though it was with a stock 4x12 that was matched). So end of every gig I would walk up the master for a lively gig ending. Spent a small fortune on output transformers though. Good news now I am old and cured of my wayward antics I sent the amp to Marshall for proper repairs and it now sounds like all the other classic jmp mk2’s which suits me just fine in my old age.

"This is the block letter version" said twice in the introduction while pointing clearly at the script logo.

Any amp of this age will require service. If it has not been re-capped and you plan on putting it into regular service, it needs to be done along with new valves and a full gone through. At least it can be serviced unlike most of the digital crap today that just will turn into landfill. Did you even have it checked out before turning it on?

Block letter? I see his signature on the panel, not block letters. Lol.

That's not a block letter 5150. Still, sounds great...until it doesnt 😂

Sounded pretty good till it went….Up in Smoke. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully it’s just a tube gone bad.

Old amps with cheap components and panel board. They weren't made to last for decades, were industrial products - especially Peavey -. The 5150's external house is made out of MDF, internal with the cheapest iron ever - it rusts! -. They are not heavy because the overwound transformers, but because the crapest elements are used. However it might be just a power amp. But for sure it has a hype that's way to big. You can find a lot of better made amps made nowaday.

“Made in USA” 😂

Send it to me, Ill fix it! ;)

What happened?

Blew up another one? That's annoying haha!

WRONG! Most people buy this amp for the clean channel in the crunch mode! All metal players agree that Green on crunch mode is where is at and use it boosted!

dude

Well I guess that’s what you get for buying second hand rejects 😂

Not a block letter

Here's a tip. Modern high gain amps (yes modern, the 5150 is an early 90's amp with a MODERN design) don't need to be cranked to 6 or 8 on the master dial. That's stupid. It's not a plexi. All of its tone and gain happens in the preamp. Most poweramps in modern high gain amps are meant to be run relatively clean, like a good stereo to amplify the preamp. If you're going to crank it, then crank it to maybe 3 or 4. That's about as loud as the volume goes. Anything higher than that isn't going to make it louder, it's just going to distort and stress the power tubes more, which this amp is not really voiced or designed for. Again, it's not a plexi. Even pro metal producers who record these things all the time don't turn the master volume higher than 3 or 4. Use your head and use your ears. You could easily hear the poweramp distortion, which sounds very different than 5150's preamp distortion, coming through in the video. Don't do that.

Block Letter “era” but not a true block letter…. How are you sitting 3 feet from a 5150 and not getting uncontrolled feedback? You probably didn’t cook the amp, you probably just fried the easily friable JJ or GT or Mesa tubes that are likely in there…. I put in some vintage 1950s ElectroHarmonix 12AX7s in mine that i pulled from a Dynaco stereo tuner and this amp is indestructible….Remember guys, Eddie tested this amp by getting it to feedback in a room and letting it feed back for a week!!! I highly doubt your 3 minutes of noodling killed the amp… Junk tubes = tons of problems for you and nice cheap (or free) killer amps for me on the used market.

Script not Block letter

That is not the "block letter". That one is the "script". Basically the same amp tho. And yeah, they are not that reliable. Especially the older ones that have seen years of abuse. You might as well send it off to a good amp tech, so he can go through it. It probably needs a re-cap job, and other work. You can buy a new version, but they are all "made in China" now. Pity.

Not my cup of tea

Ha oh dear ,I had the burgera version of this amp, lasted ages ... Hope it's fixable..🫣.

thats not a BLOCK letter amp, the block letter refers to where the signiture is near the standby switch, the early amps had EVH where the signiture is on your amp