The EVH 5150III 15W LBX-S Head packs legendary tone into a diminutive 15-watt amp.
A crossbreed between the LBXI and the LBXII, the seductively dark stealth LBX-S blends the Green "clean" channel with the Red "full burn" channel for a sonically diverse soundscape - from pristine cleans that soar to that sizzling modern Brit sound with high-gain attitude.
Armed with four JJ ECC83S (12AX7) preamp tubes and two JJ EL84 power tubes, this easy-to-carry lunchbox head also includes dual-concentric gain and volume controls for precise and independent control of each channel, as well as shared EQ presence and resonance controls.
Dial in a crystal clean tone or turn the gain up for a bluesier counterpart on the Green channel, and hit the one-button footswitch to select the Red channel for a no-nonsense, scorching overdriven tone that sets leads ablaze with sustain for days.
Bedroom players can utilize the 1/4-power switch to reduce the head to 3.5 watts and avoid disturbing the rest of the household, while studio and live musicians can leverage this same feature to turn up the head for a squeezed and spongy tone. This amp is also equipped with dual parallel speaker output jacks, effects loop and one-button footswitch.
Boasting exceptional construction, fierce tone and distinctive style, the wildly fun LBX-S Head features a black front panel and black metal grill cage with the Stealth EVH-striped motif. Unique to the LBX-S, this head also has internal LED backlighting that illuminates the cage in either green or red to match the selected channel. And just like all Stealth models, the LBX-S has been modded to include an adjustable bias control port.
Crystal Cleans And Blistering Bite
This pint-sized, easily-portable head packs Eddie's legendary tone and attitude with two distinct channels. The Green channel sings with pristine and sparkling cleans or even punchy gain for bluesy vibes, while the Red channel revs things up with modern liquid gain and scorching overdriven tone that's ideal for blistering leads.
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Product SKU:
ev2256020000
Community Notes
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Sale Price does not include sale prices at Amazon unless a deal was posted by a community member.
I bought this amp about 6 months ago to replace my Marshall DS1, and it awesome in every way! The main channel sounds so big and fat, no one would suspect it was a lunch box amp.
Would this be an upgrade for me? I have a black star ht5r mk2. Really great amp and I use a lot of pedals, but no totally happy with the clean channel. Plus I'd rather have a taller amp so I don't have to crouch all the time to change settings. Is this a good peda platform
I have to agree! My ears are not the best at my age, but I can still hear the difference with tube amps. Solid State has come a long way, and im sure someday we wont be able to tell the difference between tube and solid state, but that day is not today!
We have passed being able to get good tone from any method. Not including first try gear. Your best options are mixes of them and I do not mean just hybrids mixed. I do mean more for your money. I'm not a collector; but I could be.
Horses for courses but I currently like the Monoprice [correction: SR (Stage Right)] 15W all tube amp; which was on sale for $202 shipped NEW.
Plus, a new $35 Cube Baby Multi FX, amp and IR pedal (or your fav multi device or devices) for the no tube parts; kept low cost to avoid large lost obsolescence costs.
For a starter the Katana 100 or the MP 15W, with a Cube Baby (or the device you like). Those are the best choices.
From bedroom to stage. Add maybe add a looper Great for practice.
Why buy an amp that requires attenuation? At least that is not a cost effective value or slick deal. But you do you.
All for tone.
But you can't play without practice.
Add: Amp repair techs do not like lunchbox amps as they are much more notoriously difficult to get into and repair. More obsolescence?
Last edited by NeoSlick August 7, 2023 at 02:17 PM.
I have to agree! My ears are not the best at my age, but I can still hear the difference with tube amps. Solid State has come a long way, and im sure someday we wont be able to tell the difference between tube and solid state, but that day is not today!
We have passed being able to get good tone from any method. Not including first try gear. Your best options are mixes of them and I do not mean just hybrids mixed. I do mean more for your money. I'm not a collector; but I could be.
Horses for courses but I currently like the Monoprice AR 15W all tube amp; which was on sale for $202 shipped NEW.
Plus a new $35 Cube Baby Multi FX, amp and IR pedal for the none tube parts; kept low cost to avoid lost obsolescence costs.
For a starter the Katana 100 or the MP 15W, plus Cube Baby or the device you like. Those are the best choices.
From bedroom to stage. Maybe add a looper.
Why buy an amp that requires attenuation?
All for tone.
But you can't play without practice.
I agree with some of this - especially about *practice* - and the Monoprice I tried was a surprisingly sweet amp, but you lost me at Cube Baby. I'm not a cork sniffer by any means. I was lucky enough to have a friend gift me an "old amp that was laying around in his basement" 35 years ago…a 1965 Deluxe Reverb… but I don't overspend for effects with little to no discernible difference from "big name" or boutique versions. For the little amount I use phase, a cheap Kmize Vintage Phase does the job. And I've seen "aficionados" fail a blind A-B between a Klon and a Caline Pegasus (which I also have). But I couldn't get a usable sound out of the Cube Baby I bought for the life of me. It seems like in every amp post someone comes along - or maybe it's always you (no offense) and says "all anyone needs is a Monoprice and a Cube Baby." So just to offer another real life perspective, even at the deal price of $22 I paid for the Cube Baby on Amazon in 2021, it wasn't worth keeping around and I returned it.
But as you say, horses for courses.
Last edited by infamouscrunchy August 6, 2023 at 08:09 PM.
I agree with some of this - especially about *practice* - and the Monoprice I tried was a surprisingly sweet amp, but you lost me at Cube Baby. I'm not a cork sniffer by any means. I was lucky enough to have a friend gift me an "old amp that was laying around in his basement" 35 years ago…a 1965 Deluxe Reverb… but I don't overspend for effects with little to no discernible difference from "big name" or boutique versions. For the little amount I use phase, a cheap Kmize Vintage Phase does the job. And I've seen "aficionados" fail a blind A-B between a Klon and a Caline Pegasus (which I also have). But I couldn't get a usable sound out of the Cube Baby I bought for the life of me. It seems like in every amp post someone comes along - or maybe it's always you (no offense) and says "all anyone needs is a Monoprice and a Cube Baby." So just to offer another real life perspective, even at the deal price of $22 I paid for the Cube Baby on Amazon in 2021, it wasn't worth keeping around and I returned it.
But as you say, horses for courses
You don't have to like the Cube Baby, that's cool. It's not an HX stomp; but it's like a similar $35 one. I'm thinking of starter gear and the Cube Baby alone out modes practice amps; if you have headphones or any decent amplified speakers. Even some nicer high end computer speaker (for home). I'm a fan of the all tube combo; but that does not dictate I don't like the rest. I think the best value gear is a mash up. The CB lets me have USB out, from any classic tube combo.
You said you can't get a good sound out of the Cube Baby; however I have been able to get great AB, blind tested compared tones out of it. It's kinda the point, with even more amps/gain and with IR matching too. More than the much; that the MP 15W combo does all by its self. It's a Marshall type-design combo; but I can get AC30 tones easily with the CB. I can also use it's (default ON) Tubscreamer preset for typical Metal tones. Or the reverse, dial one of the first clean amps for nuances in country tone style. And crunch in the middle.
The CB is A LOT, for $35 (today's inflation) and the models have changed. Notably the newest model can edit your presets after you select them; without going to the manual mode and where ever the knobs are. You can add and remove flange, for example. Keeping all other settings, or tweak anything. So you don't have to have many presets. In fact just running manual is just like a tube amp, with FX. If you were deciding between a Katana 100, and the MP 15W combo then the CB gives you most major effects without a string of pedals and power supplies. For less. Katana is great though. It's just when the the Cube Baby gets improved then you're only out $35.
Example: I bought the Cube Baby and another with editing. I'm out just $70 and use both of them. That's $272 with the MP 15W combo. If I bought the Katana 100 Mk2 and new EX model then I'd be out about $700! More if I'd bought the MkI. And if I sold off the old then I'd have depreciation, only with the used Katana; by to much. Around $150 loss; in about two years. That's more than twice what both CB's cost. Point being keep the fast changing stuff at low cost.
Anything that does a whole lot need to be understood. Some do not understand the Cube Baby's clean amp #1 (PowerZone Clean, like a Koch Powertone amp) is not OFF, or pass through for pedals. The clean amp setting will stomp out any dirt pedals before it in your signal chain. Therefore one could turn all amps OFF, for pass through; but then there no boost. However you can get boost and setup clean for pedals by selecting about amp #4 (Doctor B; like The Dr. Z'a MAZ38 on the B channel) and adjust the gain knob (range difference for each amp choice) for excellent Cube Baby pedal taking. And it is important to note that on the Cab IR's then position 1 is really OFF, unlike the amps knob. This way you can still have a wide ranging reverb; even with cab off. Like when into a real, nice 4x12. Or with other cab IR's, you only want one or it will over compress.
What human nature does is say to oneself; that $35 can't do all that. But you'd be wrong. It's very flexible and is a new, great sounding device.
It may be important to note the original Cube Baby would be running old firmware, until flashed. A new one now will already have the new firmware and improvements. But never flash any device unless there's a significant advantage.
OK so Cube Baby EVH type tones: (in Manual knob mode)
AMP #5 (Cali JP A, like a Marshall type Mesa Boogie JP2C Channel A)
Gain full
Tone maybe 1 O'Clock.
Mod: Optionally (song?) slightly to the right for Phaser
Mix, FB(Feedback echo) and Time set all Left to 9 O'Clock. A tape like fast echo.
Reverb high about 1 O'Clock
Volume as boost where required.
Set up any combo used, for pedals as clean. But you can experiment with mixing pre-amps gains.
Have fun!
Last edited by NeoSlick August 7, 2023 at 12:00 AM.
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I absolutely hate the Katana, but the 50w Katana can get loud enough to keep up with a loud drummer, the 15w 5153 absolutely won't.
This is a fun great home practice, and potentially recording amp. But you're not gigging with this unless you know you're getting mic'd.
I don't really get the hate for Katana. I have a 100 watt Katana I use as my practice amp every day and I really kind of love it. When I play with my band the solid state Katana doesn't really "cut through", I admit, but as a practice amp I get a variety of tones at a manageable volume and it's very satisfying. I WOULD however, do an acoustic gig with the Katana's acoustic setting with no hesitation.
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Horses for courses but I currently like the Monoprice [correction: SR (Stage Right)] 15W all tube amp; which was on sale for $202 shipped NEW.
Plus, a new $35 Cube Baby Multi FX, amp and IR pedal (or your fav multi device or devices) for the no tube parts; kept low cost to avoid large lost obsolescence costs.
For a starter the Katana 100 or the MP 15W, with a Cube Baby (or the device you like). Those are the best choices.
From bedroom to stage. Add maybe add a looper Great for practice.
Why buy an amp that requires attenuation? At least that is not a cost effective value or slick deal. But you do you.
All for tone.
But you can't play without practice.
Add: Amp repair techs do not like lunchbox amps as they are much more notoriously difficult to get into and repair. More obsolescence?
This is a fun great home practice, and potentially recording amp. But you're not gigging with this unless you know you're getting mic'd.
Horses for courses but I currently like the Monoprice AR 15W all tube amp; which was on sale for $202 shipped NEW.
Plus a new $35 Cube Baby Multi FX, amp and IR pedal for the none tube parts; kept low cost to avoid lost obsolescence costs.
For a starter the Katana 100 or the MP 15W, plus Cube Baby or the device you like. Those are the best choices.
From bedroom to stage. Maybe add a looper.
Why buy an amp that requires attenuation?
All for tone.
But you can't play without practice.
But as you say, horses for courses.
But as you say, horses for courses
You said you can't get a good sound out of the Cube Baby; however I have been able to get great AB, blind tested compared tones out of it. It's kinda the point, with even more amps/gain and with IR matching too. More than the much; that the MP 15W combo does all by its self. It's a Marshall type-design combo; but I can get AC30 tones easily with the CB. I can also use it's (default ON) Tubscreamer preset for typical Metal tones. Or the reverse, dial one of the first clean amps for nuances in country tone style. And crunch in the middle.
The CB is A LOT, for $35 (today's inflation) and the models have changed. Notably the newest model can edit your presets after you select them; without going to the manual mode and where ever the knobs are. You can add and remove flange, for example. Keeping all other settings, or tweak anything. So you don't have to have many presets. In fact just running manual is just like a tube amp, with FX. If you were deciding between a Katana 100, and the MP 15W combo then the CB gives you most major effects without a string of pedals and power supplies. For less. Katana is great though. It's just when the the Cube Baby gets improved then you're only out $35.
Example: I bought the Cube Baby and another with editing. I'm out just $70 and use both of them. That's $272 with the MP 15W combo. If I bought the Katana 100 Mk2 and new EX model then I'd be out about $700! More if I'd bought the MkI. And if I sold off the old then I'd have depreciation, only with the used Katana; by to much. Around $150 loss; in about two years. That's more than twice what both CB's cost. Point being keep the fast changing stuff at low cost.
Anything that does a whole lot need to be understood. Some do not understand the Cube Baby's clean amp #1 (PowerZone Clean, like a Koch Powertone amp) is not OFF, or pass through for pedals. The clean amp setting will stomp out any dirt pedals before it in your signal chain. Therefore one could turn all amps OFF, for pass through; but then there no boost. However you can get boost and setup clean for pedals by selecting about amp #4 (Doctor B; like The Dr. Z'a MAZ38 on the B channel) and adjust the gain knob (range difference for each amp choice) for excellent Cube Baby pedal taking. And it is important to note that on the Cab IR's then position 1 is really OFF, unlike the amps knob. This way you can still have a wide ranging reverb; even with cab off. Like when into a real, nice 4x12. Or with other cab IR's, you only want one or it will over compress.
What human nature does is say to oneself; that $35 can't do all that. But you'd be wrong. It's very flexible and is a new, great sounding device.
It may be important to note the original Cube Baby would be running old firmware, until flashed. A new one now will already have the new firmware and improvements. But never flash any device unless there's a significant advantage.
OK so Cube Baby EVH type tones: (in Manual knob mode)
AMP #5 (Cali JP A, like a Marshall type Mesa Boogie JP2C Channel A)
Gain full
Tone maybe 1 O'Clock.
Mod: Optionally (song?) slightly to the right for Phaser
Mix, FB(Feedback echo) and Time set all Left to 9 O'Clock. A tape like fast echo.
Reverb high about 1 O'Clock
Volume as boost where required.
Set up any combo used, for pedals as clean. But you can experiment with mixing pre-amps gains.
Have fun!
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This is a fun great home practice, and potentially recording amp. But you're not gigging with this unless you know you're getting mic'd.
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!