Ampeg SVT-II appreciation thread

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Well, 'bout time I started this, these amps are great and I dont think they are known that well generally, in comparison to other SVTs.

Im not going to go into anymore detail, because, well, ive done that enough and im sure everyone else is getting sick of it .


Bagsies #1 in the "club" !

[brothernewt]

Yeah yeah! Me too...

I'm number two... I've owned two of them... its the SVT-II... coincidence?

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I think it could be

[ninerfan]

All right! Sign me up as #3 if the spots not full already. Thanks Newt and Mohawk for helping me decide on the II. It does kinda seem like the forgotten head. People are always talking about blue lines or later 70's, Skunkworks, CL, or 2 pro. The II has got to be the best bang for the buck as far as all tube Ampegs go.

[jellymax]

sign me up

this amp takes me back to reminiscing about my first
'real' amp. in 1977 i bought a used hot rodded fender
bassman head. orig 50w 2-6L6, it had 4-6L6's for approx
100watts. really great tone! after a few years of hard
rock the tubes were glowing blue when signal was present!
it finally blew up & i picked an Acoustic 370 used.
since then my only tube amps have been
b15n fliptop--(sold it)
kalamazoo bass 30-(still have it)

[sincity]

I'm in at #5.

Ampeg SVT-II with my Bergantino NV610 or Trace Elliot 1524 (2x15).

What I like about the Ampeg SVT-II is it sounds great with any passive or active basses I've used. Does not discriminate.

[Peg_legs]

I guess I'm #6. Using an SVT II with a Berg NV425

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Im really envious of you berg users, i'd love to try mine with a berg cab, especially an NV610!

[brothernewt]

lifted from a tber's site

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Hernia anyone??!!!

[Luckydog]

I have three SVT-II non-pro that I've used for a long time. None of them has ever failed me in any way...I wonder why I need three of them......Use them with different cab combos- Eden, Bag End, and of course the Ampeg fridge. Heavy, yeah, but small price to pay for great tone.

[lo-end]

Hooray!

I am also in thee club. What SVT-II worshiping thread would be complete without yours truly?

[Willem]

Maybe you guys should all make a little review about it. So nonowners can read why you all like it! So we know what we can expect from it!

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The SVT-II, is in the same vein as the original SVTs, very similar sounding, and very similar control layout (the SVT II also has a graphic EQ which is bypassable). They have that sound which is much fuller and meatier than the SVT- CL and 2-Pro (IMO). These are very old school ampeg sounding. Brothernewt can confirm how similar they SVT-II sounds to the SVT-VR (which has the same preamp design as the original SVTs).

The overdriven sound on these things is great, but trying to get there without blowing your eardrums is a problem!

Dont know what else to say about these, they tend to be reliable as hell, they are pretty hefty tho, which is a problem for some.

[brothernewt]

Originally Posted by Willem

Maybe you guys should all make a little review about it. So nonowners can read why you all like it! So we know what we can expect from it!

I'd have thought we fluffed it enough to make most sick!

It's a slow night at work and I'm bored so here's how my love affair began:

I bought one second hand from a guy who was in a fairly successful 80's hair metal band (for about $400 IIRC and the matching cab for another $200). I had it for a long while... used it hard and it always sounded great. I dragged that thing all over the US more than once. Plugged it into questionable power outlets, wrong impedance loads, gave it no warm up/cool down time, even dropped it from waist high onto a brick sidewalk outside of Satyricon (Portland guys will no that place!). The only problem ever: guitar player stepped on my cable and the input jacks needed re-soldered.

Great amp... but then I got all whiney and didn't want to move it 'cause it's heavy. I was convinced I could find another amp that sounded as good and weighed less. I tried almost every major non-boutique ss and hybrid brand available and never did. I eventually got tired of Mohawk bragging on his and went out and bought another. I finally sound "right" again.

It's a much better sounding amp (to my ears) than the SVT-CL and II Pro but gets lumped in with them based on the model number. I find more clarity, but also more depth and roundness. It sounds very similar to the VR (and therefore in theory to the vintage "holy grail" SVT) but you also get a footswitchable EQ (nice option if you need/like it) and a balanced line out.

I'll be keeping this one 'till I cannot physically lift it (barring homelessness).

[mattvon]

Yep yep...got mine as a gift from my brother, who'd played all over L.A. with it for years.

Heavy, but then again, so is the tone. It's all that the "original" SVT is, with the slight advantage of being rack-mountable. I'll be keeping mine forever.

Why? Best sounding amp I've ever owned. Currently just marking time until the tolex nv610s come out.

[Luckydog]

"I'll be keeping mine forever."

agree with one minor change...I'll give my setup to my son when I go to the Great Gig In The Sky! And hopefully I'll meet Clare Torry when I'm there!!

[jvdb]

"These are very old school ampeg sounding. Brothernewt can confirm how similar they SVT-II sounds to the SVT-VR (which has the same preamp design as the original SVTs)"

My 70's SVT's both have 14 tube's, the VR has 12. Guess there might be a sound difference.

[SUNNyday r.]

I wish I kept the one I had. But, I have the other oddball, MTI SVT, and I do love it. There was a SVT II local for $700 recently. Don't know if it sold but I was considering questionable methods of aquiring the money to buy it.

[Danm]

So I Guess I'll claim about number 15?????

If no-one has any objections that is.....

Rock out with your cock out!!!!!!!!