5150 LBX II Live.

[LilDreamer81]

Hello Halenites/Guitarists, I may be performing live in a bar in a few months and my lone amp currently is a 5150 LBX II with 2x12 EVH cab. We are playing classic rock shit but the drummer whom I’ve played with since we were kids, were always loud. Which nothing is “too loud” when it’s done properly and the style of music calls for that, it’s Halen, Zeppelin, Cream etc. My question is for years I used a 100 watt Marshall half stack live with the guys I’m playing with (we had a band in our early twenties and are now 43). Will the lunchbox be enough power with everything on 10? As far as competing with a live drummer and playing raw with no house PA to plug into. It’s a drunken Halloween party if that helps. I appreciate your insight. Thanks!

[nobozos]

I have the same setup, and I play live with it, outdoors, and it is loud enough. In fact, I don't think I've had to turn it up past 5. On the LBX II, I've noticed that once you get the volume up to about 7.5, it doesn't seem to get much louder, and gets more saturated, with only a slight bump in volume past that. Of course, all that depends on your gain settings and how wet your effects are, but I've never had an issue being heard.

[LilDreamer81]

Wow thanks so much! I feel confident now! Thank you!!

[nobozos]

You should feel better than confident. It's my belief that the LBX is a great choice to gig with. I like the sound of it because it forces you to turn the volume up, which engages more of the character of the power tubes and it gives it a great tone. On higher wattage amps, I've gigged with the volume set at about 3 and no higher than 4, which means you hear more of the pre-amp than anything else. Most amps don't come alive until you hit 5 or 6 on the volume. The LBX occupies a sweet spot where you can get the good Power Tube saturation without making everyone's ears bleed. The side benefit is that it's very light and portable.

If you haven't tried it yet, try treating it as a "single channel" amp on the green channel for a while, with the gain at about 8 or 9. Use your volume to control the clean or dirt of your signal, and put a blues driver in front of the amp for higher gain stuff.

Oh, and BTW. For a lead boost, I put a MXR MC401 CAE Boost/Line Driver in the effects loop last in the chain. I set it at 9 O'clock or just below, and kick it on for a lead boost. Since it is right before the power tubes, it gives a true volume boost to the signal. Sometimes when I'm playing clean, I will kick it on as well, in order to compensate. Works extremely well at adding an extremely transparent volume boost to your signal.

[LilDreamer81]

Wow! Thanks for all that info!!! Awesome! I’m gonna go check that MXR pedal out on Reverb! Thank you!

[joezlo]

I've been using a LBX ii through an old Peavey 5150 4x12 straight cabinet (with v30's, & G12h's) running volume @ 12o'clock.
Gain is on 9o'clock.
Its pretty spiffy.

I love the LBX ii so much, I used it and nothing else on my new record.

My only warning is if you don't have a lot of stage room I get stupid feedback if I'm closer than 3 1/2 feet in front of the amp.

PS - I don't run any noise gates.

[LilDreamer81]

JoeZlo thank you, it’ll be a tight space so I should grab a noise gate I guess. Thanks for sharing!

[joezlo]

JoeZlo thank you, it’ll be a tight space so I should grab a noise gate I guess. Thanks for sharing!

No problem!

I know Ed used an MXR smart gate in his fx loop with it barely on with the iii's.
Its in a guitar world interview some where from the final tour.

[nobozos]

Hey LilDreamer81, Have you played with it live yet? Just did an outdoor gig with mine, and never got the masters above 10 o'clock.

[LilDreamer81]

NoBozos, out of fear I ended up selling it and getting a 50 watt EVH head. I’m due to play live with it in October.🎸