Ampeg SVT into Bag End cabs?

[the_hook]

A week ago I dropped into a music store with a work buddy and he went off to check out guitars and I visited the bass room. While trying stuff out I noticed an Ampeg SVT (1970's) amp and 8x10 fridge for sale. Up to this point I've never used an all tube amp. I was pretty floored once the beast warmed up and I began playing. Awesome tone, you could feel it right in your gut. There were a few other guys playing in the room so I never got a chance to really test it out.

I have a set of Bag End cabs (2x10 4 ohm, 1x18 8 ohm) that I run out of a 2 channel power amp into a Yamaha PB-1 preamp. My rig sounds good, but this Ampeg tone was killer.

I'm going back today to see if the Ampeg amp is still for sale and what it's history and condition is. Would I be ok in running it through the Bag End cabs? Just wondering if this is an ideal setup, or too much of a mismatch.

[panama]

Technically speaking...I bet it will sound like butter.

[the_hook]

Finally got some info. It's not a 1970's amp head, it's made in Vietnam, and it's an SVT CL. Turns out it's from the rentals and has some scuffs and rips, but overall doesn't look too bad.

I plugged in a passive Jazz and P-bass. I love the tone, and had to scale back the Bass knob, the room was shaking.

[sirdugh]

I'm sure some of the folks that are more knowledgeable on the topic will chime in, but I'll give it a shot until they find the thread.

Tube amps are picky about ohms. SVTs like to see an overall resistance of either 2 or 4 ohms (selectable). Your cab configuration would result in an overall resistance of 2.66 ohms. That may be close enough to 2 but I'm not sure.

Also, your 210 will be louder as it has less resistance than the 18.

[DanRJBrasil]

how much they are asking for it?
take a look at the classifieds section, there's some good deals here in tb

[panama]

like smooth, rumbling butter?

[the_hook]

sirdugh: that's one thing I was concerned about, the off ohm output.

DanRJBrasil: it's $1250 (Cdn).

panama: funny thing is there was a new Traynor YBA200 nearby. I plugged into that, no comparision. It sounded weak and thin compared to the SVT. I plug back into the Ampeg, the tone is just so much thicker and the bass just sounds better.

[panama]

1250cdn is decent.

[Freddels]

I've plugged my SVT-II (non-pro) into a pair of Bag End 15's and it sounds incredible.

[PSPookie]

I used a pair of S15-D's with my V4BH and it sounded awesome.

Get another 4 ohm 210 and you'll be in business, but keep in mind that the Bag Ends are going to sound significantly different from the Ampeg 810.