2008 Ampeg SVT-CL - $600, should I buy it?

Eskimo Spy · #1 12-16-2010, 02:29 PM

Okay, there's a guy selling a 2008 (Vietnamese) Ampeg SVT-CL for $600. He claims that it only needs to be retubed, nothing else wrong with it. I asked him if he would accept a return if a repair shop said something else was wrong with it, and he said yes, either a return or he would adjust the price accordingly, as long as I had some proof of the additional problem.

I have to buy this, right? I mean, an SVT head, regardless of where it was made, for $600?!?!

coreyfyfe · #2 12-16-2010, 02:30 PM

I would. That's a pretty darn good price for an SVT-CL. Certainly one you could recoup if you don't like the head.

tdub0199 · #3 12-16-2010, 02:32 PM

I would buy if retubing is the only problem....

MingusBass · #4 12-16-2010, 02:33 PM

Hell yes. Do it.

micahturner · #5 12-16-2010, 02:33 PM

Buy it. I love my SVT-CL.

Scrappersa · #6 12-16-2010, 02:40 PM

Make sure that retubing is the only problem. I bought an SVT-2 (American, Late 80s) about two weeks ago for cheap. It seemed like the only problem was that it needed a re-tubing. When I got it home and turned it on, all of a sudden, none of the tubes lit up. I brought it to my amp tech and he opened it up. One of the small components was completely fried out. He replaced the piece and retubed the whole thing (because it needed to be re-tubed and it ended up costing me a lot of money. You can get a used SVT-CL for about $800 from GC/epay. If you end up having to replace all of the tubes, it could potentially cost a couple of hundred dollars depending on the brand/type.

On the other hand, you would be getting a whole new set of tubes which could be the way to go. My tech cleaned it, made sure everything was working, and replaced it with extremely nice tubes. In the end, it cost about the average price of a used SVT-2 but it's like new now from the 80s.

If you have the cash, know that it could cost more than the initial payment, but that you will basically be getting a new amp after repairs. (And it's totally worth it! The amp sounds amazing!)

Eskimo Spy · #7 12-16-2010, 02:43 PM

Yeah, I just called my tech, he said the tubes would be around $240 plus labor, and they could check it out to amke sure nothing else was wrong with it. So, for $600 plus shipping, then about $320 for retubing and a checkup...

So, it would cost me about $1,010 all said and done.

Still worth it?

Jonyak · #8 12-16-2010, 02:43 PM

DanRJBrasil · #9 12-16-2010, 03:10 PM

is teh avarage price of a shipped all working cl around here , , the guy can not be so honest once he got the money

Eskimo Spy · #10 12-16-2010, 03:11 PM

That is what worries me. I'm thinking I may have to back away from this deal and buy one from a fellow TB'er or from a shop that will back up their product.

Jonyak · #11 12-16-2010, 03:16 PM

and to tell you the truth an SVT that old should not need to be retubed.

where are you located?

Eskimo Spy · #12 12-16-2010, 03:17 PM

In the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Jonyak · #13 12-16-2010, 03:18 PM

hehe, too bad. but ya, ay SVT that needs to be retubed after 2 years of use would worry me.

unless it had been on the road 365 days a year played every night for hours. in which case it would probably look pretty scruffy as well.

Eskimo Spy · #14 12-16-2010, 03:19 PM

The more I look at this deal, the more I think it's not a good deal.

okcrum · #15 12-16-2010, 03:52 PM

I would pass on this.

Jim C · #16 12-16-2010, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eskimo Spy

Yeah, I just called my tech, he said the tubes would be around $240 plus labor, and they could check it out to amke sure nothing else was wrong with it. So, for $600 plus shipping, then about $320 for retubing and a checkup...

So, it would cost me about $1,010 all said and done.

Still worth it?

Too much risk for me in that if there is a problem you've got to deal with the guy
Then again $1K for a freshly tubed SVT is a fair price; have him get the work done at a mutualy agreed upon shop

Eskimo Spy · #17 12-16-2010, 04:57 PM

I passed on it, he was kind of a putz about it, so I'm glad I did.

ColtBass96 · #18 12-16-2010, 05:04 PM

With the costs of tubes, I'd say just find another one

coreyfyfe · #19 12-16-2010, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColtBass96

With the costs of tubes, I'd say just find another one

That will probably need tubes within a year or purchase. Like I said before, $1000 total for a freshly tubed, up-to-spec SVT-CL wouldn't be a bad deal. Not fantastic, but considering at that point it would be set to run for years, not a bad deal at all.

Eskimo Spy · #20 12-16-2010, 11:26 PM

That's assuming that there was nothing else wrong with it, and based on his reaction when I declined, I have a feeling...