EVH 5150iiis 100W EL34 Head Black 230V Eur

Historical Context and Positioning in the Range

The 5150IIIS EL34 is rooted in the DNA of EVH amps designed for Eddie Van Halen's playing style, with a modern approach to big tone, musical compression, and sustain. This "EL34" version stands out within the 5150III family by its rounder and smoother character, inspired by the classic behavior of EL34 tubes: a velvety grain, a "sag" feel, and saturation that thickens easily, while maintaining the precision and authority expected from a 100W head built for the stage.

Who This Amp Is For

This head is ideal for intermediate to advanced guitarists who want a high-end all-tube foundation capable of covering rehearsals and gigs with real power reserve. It excels in hard rock, metal, and all styles seeking articulated high-gain, but remains very credible for more classic tones thanks to its Clean channel and EQ range. In the studio, it suits musicians looking for a responsive amp with natural compression and dynamics that "stick" to the playing, especially for tight rhythms and singing leads.

Features and Innovations

The EVH 5150IIIS EL34 Head offers three channels clearly performance-oriented: channel 1 is designed for finer, compressed clean tones, followed by two channels dedicated to gain increase (Crunch and Lead) offering more saturation and compression for dense palm-mutes and easily sustained solos. The EQ (Bass, Middle, Treble) and Gain and Volume controls allow quick sound shaping, while the channel selection facilitates real-time switching.

The major strength of this head is the Presence and Resonance available for each channel : you can tailor brightness, attack, and bass response depending on the cabinet, room, and style (tighter modern rhythms, broader leads, lower tunings, etc.). Finally, the bias test port and adjustment simplify power tube monitoring and allow more convenient adjustment when changing tube sets.

The Sound

This is a tube guitar amp head with a strong character, driven by EL34s that provide rich saturation, expressive mids, and a softer playing feel often associated with a modern "British" aesthetic. The Clean channel favors a tight and slightly compressed sound: perfect for arpeggios that stay in the mix or as a platform for pedals (overdrive, fuzz, delay). The Crunch and Lead channels ramp up quickly: the grain remains dense and singing, with natural compression that facilitates legato, tapping, and bends while maintaining excellent attack clarity. With Presence/Resonance settings per channel, you can go from very controlled low end (modern rhythm) to a broader, more "breathing" foundation (wide lead) without losing the 5150 identity: gain, sustain, and a snappy response under the fingers.

Technical specifications

Category	Guitar amp head	Number of channels	3
Technology	Tubes	EQ	3 channels
Effects loop	Yes	Color	Gold
Amp tubes	4 x EL34	Finishing	Black tolex
Pre-amp tubes	8 x ECC83	Power output	100 W
Category	Amplifier

Power	100 Watts	Input	6.35mm Jack
Type	all-tube amp head	Line out	6.35mm Jack
Rectifier	transistor	Footswitch	7-pin DIN
Power tubes	4 x JJ EL34 Apex Matched	Other connections	Bias
Preamp tubes	8 x JJ ECC83S (12AX7)	Impedance	4, 8, or 16 ohms
Channels	3 (Clean, Crunch, Lead)	Dimensions	305 x 279 x 762 mm
Controls	Gain	Weight	30.8 kg