is ampeg portalflex tube amp overprice?

Flounder102Bass · #1 06-26-2011, 12:58 AM

i went to gc to try out a few basses there and i seen the amp. dont get me wrong the amp was badass but the price shock me at $4000. so do think its worth the 4 grand?

fourstringburn · #2 06-26-2011, 01:15 AM

No!

As much as I would like one I can't justify that kind of money. For those fortunate too have high incomes, then money is no object. It seems Ampeg is going after the gear collectors with the bottomless wallets. The rest of us can only dream.

$4000 can buy a lot more gear than just one little amp. You could buy an SVT rig with 2-810 cabs and blow that little thing out of the water and still have a little money leftover
.
Many people say the Ampeg bass rocket combos do a fine job emulating one of these and so does the VT Bass preamp pedal for recording and for thousands of dollars less!

If I had the means, then yes I would buy one!

JimmyM · #3 06-26-2011, 01:42 AM

If I had the money, I would already have one in my living room, and I would have a matching extension cab for it, too. But I can't swing $4000 either. Fortunately, I have a 64 B-15N, so that helps ease the pain

Great little rig if you can swing it. Ampeg makes a lot of cheaper stuff that sounds a lot like the B-15 at a lower price. But nothing on earth sounds quite like the real thing.

rodl2005 · #4 06-26-2011, 04:37 AM

Me too! If it's $4k in the USA, imagine the price in Aus??? hoots!!!
Probably about $7k or $8k. Man If money was no problem, then, I, too would have a couple sitting around the house. & yep, the ext. cab too.
I was close to buying a nice one an Aussie bassist was selling a short time ago. Luckily $$ wasn't available, because a couple of weeks later I was diagnosed with pretty serious back probs. :-(
Would STILL love one, even if it was just for siting around the house. At least I'd have the best living room tone around ;-)

C.Linton · #5 06-26-2011, 05:13 AM

As these are not meant for the typical consumer, and more for the collector/musician with a good deal of disposable income, as a means of promoting Ampeg, No, I do not believe it is overpriced.

okcrum · #6 06-26-2011, 05:39 AM

Well, $4k is about $600 in mid-1960s dollars, when a regular B15 was about $400.

So a full production B15 would run around $2700 in present day dollars when it was new.

rodl2005 · #7 06-26-2011, 05:41 AM

Still $4k is $4k, & how many units were actually made?

okcrum · #8 06-26-2011, 05:42 AM

EDIT: 50, I believe.

Flounder102Bass · #9 01-16-2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

$4000 can buy a lot more gear than just one little amp.

thats true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodl2005

Would STILL love one, even if it was just for siting around the house. At least I'd have the best living room tone around ;-)

**fuzzy beard** · #10 01-16-2012, 06:27 PM

They are also like 2 heads in one. Voicing for 2 different eras of fliptops if i am not wrong! So take okcrums logic of 2700 then add some money for 2cd voicing then a limited collector run of only 50. And no they are not overpriced.

And just so it is clear i have a 66 SB-12. And if i was to buy a B-15 it would be a vintage one! So its just aimed at a different market.

On second thought for 4 grand i would buy a B-12, B-15, and a B18 and have all the sizes LOL

tekdiver500ft · #11 01-16-2012, 06:46 PM

Yes, they're worth it. Awesome little amps. If I had the money to spare, I'd have one.

pfschim · #12 01-16-2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flounder102Bass

i went to gc to try out a few basses there and i seen the amp. dont get me wrong the amp was badass but the price shock me at $4000. so do think its worth the 4 grand?

with all the other great gear out there today at reasonable prices

NO FLIPPN' WAY

heck, you can get 4 of what JimmyM is always so fired up about for 4 g's, so what would induce anyone to buy one of these except the "secret sauce" wretched excess of insanity ?

but all you "collectors" out there with unlimited bank, please do feel free to be fleeced by Ampeg.

and as always ...

enjoy!

just to be clear .. this of course, as always is IMHO

Spencer! · #13 01-16-2012, 09:52 PM

I don't regret buying one. Compare it to any other hand-wired, USA-made tube amp and the price starts to look pretty reasonable.

Slackerprince · #14 01-16-2012, 10:04 PM

I can't believe GC had one out on the floor.

S

JimmyM · #15 01-16-2012, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfschim

with all the other great gear out there today at reasonable prices

NO FLIPPN' WAY

heck, you can get 4 of what JimmyM is always so fired up about for 4 g's, so what would induce anyone to buy one of these except the "secret sauce" wretched excess of insanity ?

but all you "collectors" out there with unlimited bank, please do feel free to be fleeced by Ampeg.

and as always ...

enjoy!

just to be clear .. this of course, as always is IMHO

Actually, you can't get 4 of the model I'm most fired up about (the 64 B-15NC) for $1000 each unless they're beaters that need servicing and rattle chasing. You also can't get one that's got two distinct classic B-15 circuits, a much more roadworthy cab that doesn't rattle, handmade with p2p wiring, and brand new and shiny for $1000. I ultimately decided I couldn't afford one and became satisfied with mine, but if I had $4000 disposable to spend on one, you bet your ass I'd have one. People with $4000 to spend on an amp don't care that it's $4000, and that's who the Heritage B-15 targeted...and it worked. Can't get one now until the new batch comes out.

BogeyBass · #16 01-16-2012, 10:35 PM

Well the new B15 has 4x6L6 output tubes and a 12A pre.

pretty cool idea I guess, a hot rodded B15.

But really if i wanted a hot rod B15 it still needs the original pre.
output wise, I like the coolness of having extra power with a Pair of tubes not a Quad. 100watts with 4x6L6 is a amazing sound.

But for the hot rod concept for a B15 i think it needs to remain a pair of tubes so maybe a 100watt 6550 pair.

Their is so much Romance and history in that 4000$ price,

I would want to put more tube romance in it, and still have the original 6SN7 tube pre. Making a huge difference at all is arguable , but its the legend and history the price is selling. So that tube romance has got to be their.

One sitting on the floor at GC i guess is rare they only made 50 "new ones" but they did make thousands of old ones.

pfschim · #17 01-16-2012, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Actually, you can't get 4 of the model I'm most fired up about (the 64 B-15NC) for $1000 each unless they're beaters that need servicing and rattle chasing. You also can't get one that's got two distinct classic B-15 circuits, a much more roadworthy cab that doesn't rattle, handmade with p2p wiring, and brand new and shiny for $1000. I ultimately decided I couldn't afford one and became satisfied with mine, but if I had $4000 disposable to spend on one, you bet your ass I'd have one. People with $4000 to spend on an amp don't care that it's $4000, and that's who the Heritage B-15 targeted...and it worked. Can't get one now until the new batch comes out.

You know JimmyM, I would not dispute with you lightly on anything related to your beloved fliptops, but it has not been so long that even the elusive B-15NCs were shown and bought for ~$1k. Even if they were up to $1500 in these days of miracles and wonder, you could still have 2 of the original holy grails of bass amps for a kilobuck less than the Heritage is running.

Personally I do not give a good gosh darn if these Heritage amps were wired between the thighs of virgins with Jess Oliver's own precious DNA wrapped in leads of unobtainium, it's very hard to justify $4k for any amp when there are so many other great options.

And as for those who do not care about the $$'s ... "a fool and his money ... "

but that's one of the great things about America, if you can afford it, you can buy it and enjoy it to your hearts content.

but the OP asked if we thought it was worth it, I just am emphatically (but politely) offering my own opinion.

John D · #18 01-16-2012, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BogeyBass

Well the new B15 has 4x6L6 output tubes and a 12A pre.

pretty cool idea I guess, a hot rodded B15.

But really if i wanted a hot rod B15 it still needs the original pre.
output wise, I like the coolness of having extra power with a Pair of tubes not a Quad. 100watts with 4x6L6 is a amazing sound.

But for the hot rod concept for a B15 i think it needs to remain a pair of tubes so maybe a 100watt 6550 pair.

Their is so much Romance and history in that 4000$ price,

I would want to put more tube romance in it, and still have the original 6SN7 tube pre. Making a huge difference at all is arguable , but its the legend and history the price is selling. So that tube romance has got to be their.

One sitting on the floor at GC i guess is rare they only made 50 "new ones" but they did make thousands of old ones.

I think you are describing the B15R. The B-15 Heritage, which is $4K, has the 6SN7 pre and two 6L6 output tubes.

Edit: http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/Heritage_B-15_OM.PDF

JimmyM · #19 01-16-2012, 11:05 PM

6SL7, John...sorry to correct you

And yes, Bogey, you were speaking of the B-15R, not the Heritage B-15.

And you'd be off about the price of B-15NC's and earlier, PF. They've gone up since the Heritage came out, and usually go for between $1500 and $2000 depending on condition. Not saying you can't find one in decent shape for a grand or less, but those are usually sold by someone who has no idea what they're worth and just wants to get rid of it.

jungleheat · #20 01-17-2012, 12:11 AM

Pretty much everything Ampeg has put out is overpriced, unless you get it used from someone with a healthy sense of reality. 4000 for a low wattage combo that you could probably accurately reproduce in your garage for $500 if you had the electronics know how and took the time to do it? I dont know, is 800% markup "overpriced"?