metron's absurd amp dilemma thread

metron · #1 01-11-2011, 10:41 AM

I have a ridiculous too-many-amps dilemma on my hands and it is starting to induce GAS. This is dangerous territory for me so I am requesting advice from hopefully more reasonable folks in the TB amps forum.

I have three rigs that I leave at different places:

GK MB200 with a GK neo 112 I leave at my girlfriends apartment. Since I spend most of my time there it gets the most use. Nice sounding with amazing portability.

GK 1001RB-II I use with an SWR 115 that I leave at my friends house where we have band practice. When we play a rare show this is usually what I use since it's pretty high power, versatile, and fairly portable. I like this amp a lot but I have thought about getting something different more than once.

Vintage SVT and Bergantino NV 610 thats in my basement collecting dust.

I really love the SVT. Nothing sounds like it and IMO it is among the baddest bass amps ever made. Sadly it's too much for my current band so it gets very little play time. I have kept it so far in hopes that I find a use for it in the future. Yes that's right... I have an SVT I don't need or use.

To be honest ever since I got my 3 lb MB200 and found that it can do a good portion of the clean SPLs that the SVT can, I have wondered to myself why I have the SVT or if I will ever have a need for it.

Sure it has THE sound but overall it's pretty unpractical. I'm not really a bass gear collector so I don't tend to keep many things I don't use. The SVT has been an exception so far.

So here is my dilemma, I can do one of three things:

1. Sell the SVT to free up some cash for something I will use like a new bass.
2. Sell the SVT and 1001RB-II and get a really nice new amp I will use with my band like an Aguilar DB 750/751 or Mesa M9.
3. Keep everything because I am a stupid dumb idiot for thinking about offing a vintage SVT.

What would you do?

Randall · #2 01-11-2011, 11:31 AM

Take svt and berg to band practice space. Use Gk for shows. Easy peasy

BassmanPaul · #3 01-11-2011, 11:37 AM

The SVT is indeed a classic amp. However if you never use it and it's collecting dust it's time for it to go to someone who will love, cherish and USE it. I'm a little in the same boat. I have a '63 P bass that just lives in its case. It's time for it to go for the reasons I just outlined. However I bought it used in '68 and it's been with me for so long!! <sigh>

JimmyM · #4 01-11-2011, 11:43 AM

i'll give you $500 for the 63 p right now!

anyway, my answer for metron is #3. it might be too much right now, but there will be a day...

christw · #5 01-11-2011, 11:45 AM

I have an SVT-II and Genz Benz 610 that are currently my bedroom practice rig and nothing more. I am between acts but it's still overkill. It's like having a sport bike in the winter. I cannot bring myself to sell them even if they won't see use soon. The tooooooooone!

I'm hanging onto it. If you'll regret selling it, don't.

superdick2112 · #6 01-11-2011, 12:46 PM

Keep it all. Someday, you may need it - same reason I hang on to all this crud, even though I'm between bands right now...

lomo · #7 01-11-2011, 01:00 PM

[quote=JimmyM;10262112]i'll give you $500 for the 63 p right now!

QUOTE]

Gotta love Jimmy....always willing to help

impactwrench · #8 01-11-2011, 01:24 PM

I don't think twice about selling whatever I don't use. Unless the SVT is going to go up in value dramatically, I'd hock it. Its way heavier than I'd ever want to gig with, and too loud to practice with. IMO. If I can get 90% of the tone with 5% of the weight...easy decision.

Jesuguru · #9 01-11-2011, 01:42 PM

One of the newer higher-power micro-amps with multiple tubes (GK fusion, GB streamliner) will put out considerably more power/SPL than your MB200 and almost that of your GK1001, and better emulate (but not match) the tube-iness of your SVT. With an enormous weight (and cost) savings.
While don't want to lose a lot of money, at the end of the day, (most) instruments/amps are meant to be played not displayed. A '63 P-bass, on the other hand...

GaryLC · #10 01-11-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i'll give you $500 for the 63 p right now!

anyway, my answer for metron is #3. it might be too much right now, but there will be a day...

+1 to Number 3!!

BassmanPaul · #11 01-11-2011, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i'll give you $500 for the 63 p right now!

anyway, my answer for metron is #3. it might be too much right now, but there will be a day...

Hey Jimmy, if I could I would! Retirement is a bitch finacially!

Thing about tube amps is that they have to be powered up regularly to stay healthy. An example is my B15. I'd not used it for quite a while. I recently went to use it nada, not a thing. Now i've got to fix it!

metron · #12 01-11-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

The SVT is indeed a classic amp. However if you never use it and it's collecting dust it's time for it to go to someone who will love, cherish and USE it. I'm a little in the same boat. I have a '63 P bass that just lives in its case. It's time for it to go for the reasons I just outlined. However I bought it used in '68 and it's been with me for so long!! <sigh>

Wow tough decision!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

anyway, my answer for metron is #3. it might be too much right now, but there will be a day...

It's like I have dueling voices in my head saying "keep it you'll regret selling it and you'll GAS for one once you do" and "sell it you'll never use it and if you do use it you will be sorry you have to carry it."

Ridiculous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by superdick2112

Keep it all. Someday, you may need it - same reason I hang on to all this crud, even though I'm between bands right now...

SD... part of what started my gas is Taurus 3! I needs me some T3 because my Mini OS isn't bassy enough.

metron · #13 01-11-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by impactwrench

I don't think twice about selling whatever I don't use. Unless the SVT is going to go up in value dramatically, I'd hock it. Its way heavier than I'd ever want to gig with, and too loud to practice with. IMO. If I can get 90% of the tone with 5% of the weight...easy decision.

Yeah this is one of the voices in my head. Though to be fair, the MB200 gives maybe 70 or 80% of the "clean" volume of the SVT but tone is a different story. MB200 sounds good but it's no SVT.

**Chef** · #14 01-11-2011, 03:47 PM

I don't know that selling the SVT to get a DB750 makes much sense.
Not lots of weight savings, and it's a beast in terms of power too.

M9, you save some weight. Completely different tone spectrum than svt or db750.

You might consider the MB-Fusion 550 or upcoming MB-Fusion 800, or the GB Streamliner; or, a Mesa Walkabout.

RickenBoogie · #15 01-11-2011, 05:16 PM

I agree, keep what you have. Regret is lifelong. And superdick2112, you and I have very similar gear- lovin' your Lil Phatty/Dave Smith synth rig, (and the Taurus pedals). I'm a "mini-you", with the Phatty as my big synth, and a DS MoPho on top. Nice stuff.

onosson · #16 01-11-2011, 05:29 PM

What would I do? Sell it immediately... I love SVTs, but it's a totally impractical setup for me (I typically use my Avatar 210 cab for 60-70% of my gigs, my Marshall 410 is more than enough power for any situation I find myself in).

I don't tend to keep much gear that I don't use often, especially if it's large. In just the past 6-7 years I have sold or otherwise disposed of: 2 Rhodes Mark I pianos, a Wurlitzer Electric Piano, 2 Hammond M-series organs, my double bass, and at least a couple of guitars (they weren't so much large, just unused).

I don't regret any of it. I miss the Rhodes the most, but when I go to my friend's studio, whom I sold it to, to record some tracks, I remember exactly how impractical it is, and why I got rid of it.

Sartori · #17 01-11-2011, 06:05 PM

Why not just keep the SVT at the rehearsal spot?

metron · #18 01-11-2011, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef

I don't know that selling the SVT to get a DB750 makes much sense.
Not lots of weight savings, and it's a beast in terms of power too.

I actually had a DB 750 for a short period years ago before I got the SVT. My impression is that the Aggie has a bunch more clean volume. I dunno though... 50% weight savings is pretty good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sartori

Why not just keep the SVT at the rehearsal spot?

I used to. In face I had a Peavey Classic 400 for a while.

As a group we frequently have problems with creeping volume and decreasing dynamics. SVT doesn't help this at all so I switched up with the GK/SWR rig and we started sounding cleaner.

paganjack · #19 01-11-2011, 11:05 PM

If you were looking for a chorus of people telling you to sell stuff, I think you're in the wrong place.

I wouldn't bother selling the SVT right now either, but more for the reason that you won't really get as much $$ out of it with people's current spending habits. Who knows where you'll be in a year or two- maybe you'll have some use for it then?

metron · #20 01-11-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paganjack

If you were looking for a chorus of people telling you to sell stuff, I think you're in the wrong place.

I wouldn't bother selling the SVT right now either, but more for the reason that you won't really get as much $$ out of it with people's current spending habits. Who knows where you'll be in a year or two- maybe you'll have some use for it then?

I know I know.

Good point about the selling market though. I hadn't thought about that. Ok folks I'm keeping the SVT. Maybe I'll try to sneak it into my next band practice.