Question for 5150 combo owners

**cam-5150** · 10.04.06, 06:04 PM

I recently got a nice used 5150 combo, and I love the tone that I can get out of it. But, does anyone else find this amp to be a bit noisy when it's on the lead channel? I've been thinking about getting a noise suppressor, but I'm worried that it will suck some of my tone. Anybody have this pedal? http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...dal?sku=151331

**Majestic** · 10.04.06, 06:25 PM

The Lead channel was always a bit too squished & buzzy for me. Yeah, it's noisy.

You can use the rythm channel and still have a**loads more gain than most other amps.

**SactoFan** · 10.04.06, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Majestic

The Lead channel was always a bit too squished & buzzy for me. Yeah, it's noisy.

You can use the rythm channel and still have a**loads more gain than most other amps.

I did this and used a noise gate...

**fast98dodge** · 10.04.06, 07:20 PM

I have never had a problem with the lead channel being noisy...

**DoHalen5150** · 10.04.06, 07:39 PM

to be honest, I never get to unleash the beast above 2...which at my house, that is plenty loud enough.

it can be noisy, but I just assummed with any amp with all the gain you're gonna get some noise.
\\m//

**Brett** · 10.04.06, 09:53 PM

I have a 5150 half-stack with a Marshall but I'll answer anyway. It's a very noisy amp, I use a Boss NS-2 to suppress the noise and feedback. Works well.

**HipCat5** · 10.05.06, 05:00 AM

I had the same viewpoint when I first got my 5150 combo. I was a long-time modeler user so going to a real tube amp was a bit of culture shock. Here's a few tips...

Start by putting a noise gate on the effects loop. I put a Boss NS-2 on the loop. Set it so that the gate is very sensitive to your touch and that it doesn't clamp down too hard. You want the gate to do its job but not get in the way.

THe other thing I did was to put a device on the loop which has input level and output level controls. For me, it was a cheap Alesis micro-effects unit (one of the half rack size effects processors). What this allows you to do is crank the master volume on the amp to 7 or 8 and then, by using the controls on the effects unit as level controls, you can get that SWEET tone everyone talks about with control over volume. If you look at the schematic on the 5150, the master volume actually comes BEFORE the loop SEND, that's why this works as well as it does.

Anyways, just a few things I discovered. Hope it helps.

**DaleT** · 10.05.06, 06:43 AM

I have 5150II half stack, and oddly enough my lead channel is noise free, but the rhythm channel has a very annoying buzz and hizz. I normally use the lead channel anyway, with a pre-gain of 2.5 and post of 8 going into a THD hot plate. This allows me to get that great tone from those tubes really heating up, but at a realistic and managable volume.