Ampeg help!!! urgent

Mikaelbass · #1 05-29-2011, 02:00 AM

Well i know there are a billion of these but I haven't been able to find a thread which addresses this issue directly, or sufficiently enough. I am looking to buy an ampeg rig, most likely the SVT VR or SVT 2 pro, id prefer the VR but ive read and heard that it has no circuit/tube protection? is this a big flaw? or is it not that important. Would a powerboard which stops power surges eliminate this concern?
Cheers

derridiandrift · #2 05-29-2011, 06:15 AM

Hmm. Maybe I'm reading your post wrong, but I'm wondering if you're mixing up two different things: surge protection like you would use on your computer, and a circuit that allows a tube amp to continue to function with one or more dead or missing power tubes. As far as I know, these amps have neither of those features, but I'm no amp tech, so I'll defer to those who actually know the answer. But I own an SVT-VR and I can tell you that it is a very robust and reliable amp that sounds amazing.

The only issues that I've experienced with my SVT-VR are these:

1. Difficulty coming out of standby with low mains voltage. This problem is fixed using JohnK's mod.
2. Sketchy quality control on the very first bunch of these amps that came from their contracted Asian manufacturer. It appears that they've sorted all of that out.

Mikaelbass · #3 05-29-2011, 06:20 AM

More or less I just dont want to drop a crap load of money ($3150 here in Australia) for a head and have it blow up or something go wrong from a power surge or something. We have 240v here I believe? so maybe it isnt as much of an issue regarding the standby problem. I'll be making sure it is a 2011 model I buy...along with a Berg NV610..yummy. I am no amp tech and wouldnt be comfortable doing the JohnK mod, would a tech do that for me? or would that register it as void of warranty?

rmkesler · #4 05-29-2011, 06:30 AM

Some good info here from a former Ampeg employee.

Importing Ampeg to Aus

derridiandrift · #5 05-29-2011, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikaelbass

More or less I just dont want to drop a crap load of money ($3150 here in Australia) for a head and have it blow up or something go wrong from a power surge or something. We have 240v here I believe? so maybe it isnt as much of an issue regarding the standby problem. I'll be making sure it is a 2011 model I buy...along with a Berg NV610..yummy. I am no amp tech and wouldnt be comfortable doing the JohnK mod, would a tech do that for me? or would that register it as void of warranty?

I get what you're saying. That sounds like a lot of money but I have no idea how that translates. The SVT-VR sells for about $2200 here in Canada. Our dollar is at par with the US dollar. I bought mine used, but in mint condition, for much less than that. It has been very reliable, and if you match it with a Berg NV610 it will be be simply amazing.

I've never known anyone to have a tube amp damaged by a power surge, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. If you're going to spend that kind of money on a rig, it might be worth your peace of mind to plug it into a surge protector. I don't do that with mine though.

I did the JohnK mod myself. It's easy. I recently discovered that JohnK's mod is easier to for 240V. Apparently you simply move one spade jack on the power supply board. It probably voids the warranty if you do any work yourself. I didn't worry about that because mine was already out of warranty when I bought it.

Mikaelbass · #6 05-29-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derridiandrift

I get what you're saying. That sounds like a lot of money but I have no idea how that translates. The SVT-VR sells for about $2200 here in Canada. Our dollar is at par with the US dollar. I bought mine used, but in mint condition, for much less than that. It has been very reliable, and if you match it with a Berg NV610 it will be be simply amazing.

I've never known anyone to have a tube amp damaged by a power surge, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. If you're going to spend that kind of money on a rig, it might be worth your peace of mind to plug it into a surge protector. I don't do that with mine though.

I did the JohnK mod myself. It's easy. I recently discovered that JohnK's mod is easier to for 240V. Apparently you simply move one spade jack on the power supply board. It probably voids the warranty if you do any work yourself. I didn't worry about that because mine was already out of warranty when I bought it.

Cheers for your help. I was only concerned because I didn't know if it was an issue or not. I am pretty excited for the rig. If I encounter the standby issue i will do the JohnK mod because i can't afford for a fault like that while on stage.
Any other tips for the SVT VR?

Tim1 · #7 05-29-2011, 01:10 PM

Hi Mikaelbass, I have a VR and am in New Zealand (240 volts). The Johnk mod still needs doing but is even easier to do for 240 volts as you do not need to make up a splitter lead. You simply move the wire across from J26 to whichever of J27 or J28 is not used (J28 on mine). They are push on connectors and the whole thing took me less than 20 minutes.

Selta · #8 05-29-2011, 01:26 PM

Explain how this is some urgent issue that you needed looked at?
Any piece of electrical equipment can be damaged by an electrical surge. This isn't some magical bad thing that only happens to tube amps.
Otherwise, the only other thing you may want to do is the stand by mod.

DrowningBrian · #9 05-29-2011, 01:32 PM

just buy a 70s-80s model ampeg svt. you can usually find them on craigslist for about $800.

bigbottomend · #10 05-29-2011, 02:06 PM

I bought an old one, best thing i've ever done.

YouTube - ‪Ampeg SVT 1973 + Fender Jazz Bass‬&rlm;

benmoore88 · #11 05-30-2011, 02:12 AM

I have an ampeg VR in Australia. i have never had any issues with it. I agree that it is a very robust amp.

I'm fairly certain that no power board is going to protect any of this style of equipment from a REALLY big surge.
unless it is the insurance value offered with them you are talking about?

magic papa · #12 05-30-2011, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benmoore88

I have an ampeg VR in Australia. i have never had any issues with it. I agree that it is a very robust amp.

I'm fairly certain that no power board is going to protect any of this style of equipment from a REALLY big surge.
unless it is the insurance value offered with them you are talking about?

Same here, I've got AU version of VR, no issues with the power. I had however to do the following:

Replace all preamp tubes (the stock ones were trerrible - hiss)
Replace the fan, the stock one was noisy as hell. Not a biggie of you play full blast, but a biggie if you don't.
Get an amp tech to replace some wire with the shielded one to eliminate hum in second channel.

None of them were warranty repairs, so I had some out of pocket expenses (~350 AUD). Considering the price of the amp is not that flash.

But it works beautifully now. I love it.

Tim1 · #13 05-30-2011, 04:30 AM

That's interesting. My Vietnam VR was brought out new to New Zealand from Australian stock two years ago and I have never had a single issue with it, the fan and preamp tubes are quiet although I have done the Johnk standby mod. I'd be pretty pissed if I had to replace them and warranty did not cover it though. I tried a new CL at the same time as I bought the VR and sent that back for exactly those reasons - noisy fan and preamp.

pig · #14 05-30-2011, 08:53 AM

If you're going to get a VR prepare to baby it. I own one and have talked to a few touring musicians who own them about how the VR's are big babies. Dont get me wrong they sound like a million bucks but they can be trouble some. I was at a gig once, did sound check everything was fine ten decided to move my amp to the opposite side of the stage after I did channel one wouldn't work anymore. Apparently all the channel 1 preamp tubes blew when I moved it. It's only a year old and I've had to change the power tubes already because one exploded in the amp. So just be careful with it if you get it.

Tim1 · #15 05-30-2011, 01:09 PM

I don't think the VRs need "babying" any more than any other all tube SVT. IMO if you have a good one it is a good one and should perform without a problem. There was a small time space around the final USA run and the early Vietnam run where QC appears to have been a problem, and it appears that this applied as much to the Classics as to the VR. We seem to hear less about faulty Classics, probably because it has been around longer and there are so many more in good use. VRs from the later Vietnam runs and Korea seem to be fine - bearing in mind you still should do Johnk's relay mod. Preamp tubes are not necessarily an Ampeg manufacturing problem, presumably they worked fine when the amp left the factory and it is impossible to predict reliability on these. You would think that Ampeg might consider a different tube brand though if they are becoming a regular problem. Certainly my VR has actually been more reliable than my old 80s SVT2nonpro (although to be fair it has not done the same mileage yet but it has been moved around regularly).

Selta · #16 05-30-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim1

I don't think the VRs need "babying" any more than any other all tube SVT. IMO if you have a good one it is a good one and should perform without a problem. There was a small time space around the final USA run and the early Vietnam run where QC appears to have been a problem, and it appears that this applied as much to the Classics as to the VR. We seem to hear less about faulty Classics, probably because it has been around longer and there are so many more in good use. VRs from the later Vietnam runs and Korea seem to be fine - bearing in mind you still should do Johnk's relay mod. Preamp tubes are not necessarily an Ampeg manufacturing problem, presumably they worked fine when the amp left the factory and it is impossible to predict reliability on these. You would think that Ampeg might consider a different tube brand though if they are becoming a regular problem. Certainly my VR has actually been more reliable than my old 80s SVT2nonpro (although to be fair it has not done the same mileage yet but it has been moved around regularly).

Basically all of this. Tubes are not near as fragile as some people try to make them out to be. Just like with anything else, you can get a dud and there were some QC issues from time to time with all SVTs (show me one bass amp that didn't have any issues, ever). As much abuse and mis-use as I've put my few SVTs through over the years, I can only roll my eyes and smile when I see someone saying that tube amps need "babied".

magic papa · #17 05-30-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim1

That's interesting. My Vietnam VR was brought out new to New Zealand from Australian stock two years ago and I have never had a single issue with it, the fan and preamp tubes are quiet although I have done the Johnk standby mod. I'd be pretty pissed if I had to replace them and warranty did not cover it though. I tried a new CL at the same time as I bought the VR and sent that back for exactly those reasons - noisy fan and preamp.

Yeah, pissed off I was. But here most of the deals are of "take it or leave it" type. I've never been into a shop that had two amps of the same model in stock

. So rather than sending it back (and geting probably nothing in return for months) I decided to do the mods. It 's been working great since then. I put JJ and Tung-sol preamp tubes in and apart from the noise they are much better sounding ones that the stock ones EHX. Notmally EHX aren't that bad, but these ones were shocking.