Advice on a new buy, Ampeg SVT VR, 300 W

[Kaspergreenday]

Hi Talkbass!

I have been playing a small combo for years now, but it doesnt fit my demands anymore. I have been playing bass for about 5 years now, but my amp knowledge is nonexistent.

I was looking in to buy an used amp, and i stumbled across this one..


http://www.dba.dk/basanlaeg-ampeg-sv...43/billeder/1/

Its an Ampeg SVT VR, 300 W
with an 8x10 cabinet.
Hes selling it for about half the 'new' price.
(13.000 in danish, and 2400 in USD)
Its 2,5 years old.

Heres the article, most of it is in danish, but if you may.. Basanlæg, Ampeg SVT VR, 300 W – dba.dk – Køb og Salg af Nyt og Brugt

Im playing in a farely loud playing band, and im planning to use it on small gigs, im betting on it to play loud enough so the drummer wont 'drown' the bass. Im not a tone snob, but a good tone and reliablity wont hurt.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it a bad amp, or good? Will it play loud enough? General thoughts...

THANKS IN ADVANCE! Hope you can help me!
-Kasper

[JMac4strngr]

Looks like a darned nice rig(IMO). I am not familiar with how new pricing runs on them in Your country, but here in the USA that price is a bit on the high side. Go try it out, and if it works for You tone and mobility wise (I know for sure it'd work for Me). Then go for it.
I will forwarn You that there are Guys on here that will tell You that the SVT/810 is too big and heavy, but IMO if that is the tone You want and You have the means to afford and move it. By all means You have My blessing (for what that's worth, HA HA).
That rig is (for Me) tonal bliss, and IMO is what most tube emulators and some modern amps try to sound like, but fall way short.

[WalWarrior]

Not too bad of a price if it's in new condition. As you see here
Ampeg SVT-VR Bass Amplifier Head (300 Watts) at zZounds

zZounds wants $2100.00 US for the head alone. The 8X10 for an additional 300 US is a really good price.

Go for it. Great Amp!

[Kaspergreenday]

Thanks for the quick answers! The mobility problem is not that big for me, but the problem on the other hand is, that the seller lives on the other side of the country! Guess i jut gotta go for the ride maybe..

[JMac4strngr]

Yep. Roadtripp'n for gear is a pain, but sometimes it has to be done. How far is it? Just guessing (as I know nothing of the lay of the land where You are) but, I'd go as far as to say I have probably driven further for less satisfaction (monetary and/or other). Downside could be You drive all that way and come home with nothing, but then again You could come home with an SVT....

[Kaspergreenday]

Its about 415 kilometers

[WhiteNinja]

Go for it, that combo kills. I play the exact same setup. One thing you need to be careful about though, is that it has no master volume, and it is VERY loud. I can hardly turn the volume(s) up past 10 and it is already too loud for band practice. It's also very heavy, so unless you only move it around for gigs, it's going to be a pain to move.

But once you plug in your bass and hit the first note, you'll know that all those things don't matter anymore.

[username1]

You'll never be drowned out by any drummer with that set up.

[beans-on-toast]

It is a fantastic, iconic amp, based on the original SVT. It is very loud, more than enough to make your drummer sweat trying to keep up with you. You might want to consider if it is too much amp for small gigs. It does have a volume control which helps here but you might not be able to push the amp into distortion at lower levels. It depends on the volume level, your playing style, and the tone settings.

I think that the price is fair. It looks like it is in excellent condition. This is a good sign that it hasn't been abused.

Questions to ask the seller include:
Are there any issues with the amp?
Has it been serviced?
If yes, what work was done?
Have the tubes been changed?
Can the owner estimate how many hours the amp has been used? Do they think that it is time to change the tubes?
Are all the speakers working properly?
Do any make a rubbing or distorted sound when you are playing through them at low volume levels?
Is the speaker cabinet made out of plywood or a composite board? I think you should have a plywood cabinet. Some people prefer one or the other. This has been discussed in several threads here so you can do your homework and find out what the issues are before you buy. The seller might not know this, the only way to tell is to remove a speaker and look inside the cabinet.

When you test the amp, it helps to have someone else play while you try all the tone and switch settings and listen carefully. Make sure everything works.

If you buy the amp, it is always a good idea, when you can afford it, to have a tech check it out to ensure that it is performing up to specifications. If the amp is noisy, you might need to replace some of the tubes. This is the cost of buying a used amp. Even the new SVT-VR's can sometimes be improved, in terms of hum and noise, by changing some of the tubes.

Roadtrips can be fun! Enjoy the drive. The trip is possible in a single day.

[Kaspergreenday]

Great! Didnt except so good feedback! One question regarding the tubes, as it May be my first tube amp, i dont know anything about tubes.

If i want to replace the tubes, what tubes should i get?
Do amps need special ones, or are there many varieties for every amp? (just like bass strings, and so on..)

thanks

[WhiteNinja]

Unless the tubes are broken, I wouldn't change them. Since you say you're new to tube amps, I doubt you'll know which ones you want, tone-wise. I say stick with those already in there, and just have them changed if something's wrong.

The SVT-VR uses 12AX7's and 12AU7's in the preamp and drive stage (eight in total), and six 6550 tubes in the Power stage (14 tubes in total). The Power tubes are larger and more expensive.

[JimmyM]

WhiteNinja is right. Don't worry about swapping out tubes right away. Learn more about different tubes first.

And yes, it is THE best amp on the market IMHO, bar none, has been since 1969, and the SVT-VR's are very much the equal of the old ones.

[beans-on-toast]

Yes, only change tubes if they need to be replaced. A tech can tell you what condition they are in. My comment was more to have them checked out. Some people install better quality tubes and they find that it helps with noise, hum, and tone. It is a way to improve the amp. BUT it is expensive to start doing this. Especially if you don't need to. You should take the time to educate yourself, get to know the amp, then in the future, consider these sort of things.

Sometimes when someone sells an amp, they swap in older worn out tubes and keep the good ones for themselves. You never know what you are getting which is why I raised this issue and suggested that a tech should check out the amp some time after you have purchased it since your experience is limited.

As for what types of tubes are good. There are newly manufactured and there are what are called New Old Stock (NOS) tubes. NOS are tubes that were manufactured many years ago but are either unused or test as new. On the positive side, they are built to a higher standard than most modern tubes and have what many consider to have good tone and performance. On the negative side, NOS tubes are much more expensive than the newly manufactured tubes. The better NOS tubes are manufactured in North America, Europe, and Japan. Look for brands such as Telefunken, Philips, Mullard, GE, RCA, Sylvania, the list goes on and prices vary based on demand for certain makes. There are also very good newly manufactured tubes. Most are based on NOS models. For instance, the SED Winged C 6550 is a power tube that can be used in the SVT-VR. It is based on the original GE 6550A tube manufactured in the US that many people have used in the older SVT amps. There are other very good alternatives as well in new tubes. Prices vary and so does tone and quality, and you tend to pay for what you get. Antique Electrons Antique Electronics is a good source in the US. Type in "6550" at the top right search window, the select "sextet" for quantity. The VR requires a matched set of six power tubes if all are being replaced. You can see the different makes and prices. Also check out 12AX7 and 12AU7 for small signal tubes. In Europe, check out Eurotubes. In general, tubes should last many many years.

[AMJBASS]

Tubes also tend to last far longer than some make it seem. You can get many years out of a set(espeically preamp tubes). If you have the money, and want the Ampeg SVT sound, I wouldn't hesitate. Its worth a round trip of 800 kms!

[Bassmec]

Thats the industry standard tool for the job, right there!, I second getting it before someone else does. good luck!.

[Rob L]

Originally Posted by Kaspergreenday

Hi Talkbass!

What are your thoughts on this? Is it a bad amp, or good? Will it play loud enough? General thoughts...

THANKS IN ADVANCE! Hope you can help me!
-Kasper

I have this rig also and it is a monster. Just a great amp and cabinet. It can be very loud, plenty! You will have no problems hearing your rig over the drummer (although the drummer might have a problem).

I don't think you will have any worries after buying the amp. It's not a vintage one so If you think something up with the tubes it's just a matter of replacement.

[Tim1]

Go for it. My Vietnam made VR has performed fabulously from day one. I agree with Jimmy, it is the best amp on the market, bar none.

[johnk_10]

Originally Posted by Tim1

Go for it. My Vietnam made VR has performed fabulously from day one. I agree with Jimmy, it is the best amp on the market, bar none.

+1.

[Kaspergreenday]

Great to hear that people like this amp afterall! I wrote to the seller, asking him the questions beans-on-toast mentioned, hope to hear from him soon Again, thanks for the great feedback! Lots more than i expected!

[Kaspergreenday]

I just got the very bad news that the seller just sold the gear.. Since i got in love with it, i really hope a similar offer comes up! Thanks for all the advice! I will definetly use it, and try to find the same Top, and maybe cap to. Thanks alot.