EVH 5150 Iconic Series 80W Head, Black

EVH 5150 Iconic Series 80W Head, Black Overview

Few guitarists are as iconic as Eddie Van Halen, who is as renowned for his incendiary tone as he is his incredible playing. The EVH Iconic series is an evolution of the acclaimed 5150III series and condenses Eddie’s powerful valve sound into a rugged and affordable package. This version of the Iconic Series is an 80W head and packs a serious punch when paired with the matching 4x12 cab.

Plenty Of Pedigree

The EVH 5150 Iconic Series head was designed by James Brown, a genius amp engineer who worked with Eddie Van Halen on the original 5150. If anyone’s a true expert on Eddie’s tone, it’s James Brown. At the heart of the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head are a pair of JJ 6L6 power valves, which are driven by two JJ ECC83S preamp valves. Armed with these impressive power and preamp sections, the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head packs plenty of sonic firepower.

True Versatility

You have two channels at your disposal, which range from bold, pristine cleans to molten, articulate gain - Green and Red. Each channel boasts individual gain and volume controls, for effortless level matching when switching between channels, and two distinct voicings. The Green channel goes from clean to overdrive at the press of a button whilst the Red channel features a Burn mode that’s primed for red-hot leads. These extra voice modes make the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head one seriously versatile beast, you can leave your gain pedals at home because this amp will have you covered.

Transparent Noise Gate

Channel 2 is also equipped with a transparent noise gate, which is easily dialled in thanks to a streamlined one-knob design. The noise gate’s quick attack is a very handy tool when you’re playing fast, staccato riffs at high gain settings and can keep
hiss at bay.

Hands-Free Control

Alongside the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head, you also receive a 2-button footswitch. This nifty footswitch lets you alternate between the channels hands-free and engage a 10dB Boost when you want your solo to cut through the mix.

Easy Tweaking

In addition to an effective 3-Band EQ section (Low, Mid & High), the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head also features global Presence and Resonance controls so you can tailor your sound to the room with ease.

Crank It Up

The EVH 5150 Iconic Series head is kitted out with a 1/4 power switch, reducing the wattage and getting the valves cooking at a much lower volume. This feature is a major advantage if you want the flexibility of going full tilt at a rehearsal or gig and still want to enjoy a cranked-up tone at home.

Ready For Effects

The high-quality Reverb effect instantly adds a lush space and texture to your tone. If you prefer to use external effects, you can hook them up to the effects loop and use them alongside the gain channels.

Modern Age

Output-wise, the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head is bestowed with dual parallel speaker output jacks when you want to connect an external cab and a speaker-emulated DI XLR out with power amp mute. The XLR out is a huge asset to have in today’s modern gigging and recording environments, as you can experience pure EVH valve tone when recording into your interface or direct into a PA system.

Stylish Looks

There’s no doubt that the 5150 Iconic Series head is a sleek, stylish piece of gear, with its black textured vinyl, black cloth front grille and silver-on-black EVH & 5150 badges. Rounding out this amp’s sophisticated aesthetic are the classic chicken-head knobs, brushed aluminium top panel and robust carry handle for easy transport.

Perfect Pairing

Whilst you can use the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head with any compatible cab of your choosing, we highly recommend pairing it up with the matching 4x12. The EVH Iconic Series 4x12 cab features four custom-designed EVH 12” Celestion speakers, which have been carefully voiced to perfectly compliment the tone of the amp’s preamp circuit. The cabinet the speakers are housed in is constructed from sturdy MDF and special internal plywood baffling, which tightens up low-end.

When you combine the EVH 5150 Iconic Series head with the matched cab, the result is a tight, clear and articulate tone with exceptional bass response.

EVH’s 5150 Iconic Series head also comes in a stunning Ivory. The 5150 Iconic Series amp is available as a 40-watt combo in Black & Ivory if you need a simpler, all-in-one solution and don’t require something as powerful as the head.

You don’t need to be an Eddie Van Halen fan to love the versatility, flexible features and gut-busting tone of the 5150 Iconic Series. Throw in an attractive price and you have one of the best road-ready guitar amps around.