Pre-Vietnam Ampeg

[Pickinator]

Hi:
I am looking to purchase a new bass amp but I will not pay Ampeg prices for Vietnam goods. I hope I am not offending anyone, but I'd rather buy used Ampeg made in the good-old USA.

Does anyone know when the factory moved over there. I'm leaning towards the newest USA made SVT pro 4.

Any opinions about this amp and the made in the US preference would be appreciated.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by Pickinator

Hi:
I am looking to purchase a new bass amp but I will not pay Ampeg prices for Vietnam goods. I hope I am not offending anyone, but I'd rather buy used Ampeg made in the good-old USA.

Does anyone know when the factory moved over there. I'm leaning towards the newest USA made SVT pro 4.

Any opinions about this amp and the made in the US preference would be appreciated.

The SVT CL and Heritage B-15N's are built in the USA, beyond that there's no information on the Ampeg site that I can find. I'm sure that Jimmy will chime in with better information. There's only one thing to remember, once you get down to the component level, virtually everything is manufactured overseas. IMHO there is no way to avoid it. I believe the factory moved overseas in 2006, because I was able to score a NOS transformer for my B-15N(C) through a mutual friend when they shipped all the remaining parts stores from SLM overseas.

Ric

[Turock]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

The SVT CL and Heritage B-15N's are built in the USA,

The SVT CL is not made in USA. The Ampeg Heritage SVT-CL is made in USA.

[JimmyM]

LOUD moved high end Ampeg production to Vietnam in 2007, and moved them out of Vietnam and into S. Korea in mid-2008. And as stated, the Heritage line is assembled in the USA.

I always tell people to vote with their dollars if they feel strongly about it, but I'd much rather have a newer plywood cab made in S. Korea than the American OSB cabs. The heads sound the same to me, but the cabs are much improved, both build-wise and tonally. I've always believed the team that took over LOUD in late 2008 got a raw deal from the former head idiot with this move, and are trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Just my opinion.

[Tim1]

Just to balance things, I have had fewer problems (none!) with my Vietnam SVT VR than I ever had with other USA made Ampeg gear.

[ItsMichaelYeah]

I think some people take the "made in America" thing too far. Most if not all the parts are made overseas. I own 2 USA ampegs but have used the Vietnam ones before and didn't think that they were worse. The only thing I see different is the actual parts from the older SVT's to the new ones.

[PWV]

I picked up my 2010 SVT-VR new in the fall of that year. Several gigs and over a year later the number of issues and problems I've had with it total...... *wait for it*.....Zero. It kills.

Based on my experience, Ampeg or (Nampeg) turned it around when LOUD took over and I don't think you can go wrong with this head now. Just my 2 cents...

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Ampeg in it's latter US ownership was almost run into the ground.

Also, for cabs, they were made by poorer quality materials compared to how they are made now.

[TylerDurdenPSSC]

Honestly, I don't think you can take a wrong turn as long as the logo says "Ampeg."

I'm considering building my own valve amp this upcoming year... Origin plate will have the date of completion preceded by "Hand-wired on Mars."

[stiles72]

Even though Ampeg has improved their QC and is currently producing amps just as good as the ones made in the states, there is nothing wrong with buying a good used American made Ampeg. For some folks, it's a pride thing - and I get that. The easiest way to tell if it's a USA model or not is by simply looking at the back of the unit. If you are shopping on GC's used site or Evil bay or Music Go Round, just ask them to check for you or snap a pic of the back. It will be clearly labled "MADE IN USA". Ampegs were designed to be good road worthy gear, and to last a long time. Even the ones in roughest of cosmetic shape can often be made pretty again, and you can save a lot of cash up front even if you may need to put a little TLC into maintaing the unit down the road.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Ampeg in it's latter US ownership was almost run into the ground.

Also, for cabs, they were made by poorer quality materials compared to how they are made now.

The latter years of the Ampeg legacy owned by St. Louis, Music Supply with their factories in Arkansas, didn't exactly produce the best amps. There was the whole Portabass line that was an attempt to go Class D, but frankly Loud got it right with the new PF 350, PF 500, PF 115, and PF 210. The B100R and BR 200R are nice amps. Unfortunately, the BA series Ampegs are just what they are, a budget line with budget sound. The B15R was very much a horse of a different color, from either the B-15N's or the Heritage B-15N's. So if you want to go with a "Assembled in America" amp then the Heritage line has two choices.

Ric

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Ric Vice

The latter years of the Ampeg legacy owned by St. Louis, Music Supply with their factories in Arkansas, didn't exactly produce the best amps. There was the whole Portabass line that was an attempt to go Class D, but frankly Loud got it right with the new PF 350, PF 500, PF 115, and PF 210. The B100R and BR 200R are nice amps. Unfortunately, the BA series Ampegs are just what they are, a budget line with budget sound. The B15R was very much a horse of a different color, from either the B-15N's or the Heritage B-15N's. So if you want to go with a "Assembled in America" amp then the Heritage line has two choices.

And with one of those amps (Heritage B-15), it might as well be labeled "Made in the USA" since the only parts that aren't USA made are the power tubes and a handful of resistors.

BTW, I keep hearing rumors about the Heritage line expanding, but nobody will talk to me about it at Ampeg. I've tried

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

And with one of those amps (Heritage B-15), it might as well be labeled "Made in the USA" since the only parts that aren't USA made are the power tubes and a handful of resistors.

+1
Jimmy, Personally, I think we'd have to go back a very long way in the way back machine to find an amplifier that was built in the U.S. from entirely U.S. made parts, and frankly I don't see the point.

Originally Posted by JimmyM

BTW, I keep hearing rumors about the Heritage line expanding, but nobody will talk to me about it at Ampeg. I've tried

Well,
Keep listening and maybe something will come out, I've always found out my best information from the custodial staff, and the folks in the cafeteria. They seem to know more than the board members do.

Ric

[randysmojo]

How can you tell if an Ampeg cab is made of plywood or mdf, or other stuff? Is it certain years or places of manufacter, etc?

[JimmyM]

I thought up until today it was SLM cabs made between 98 and 06 that were OSB, but then ampegfuzz posted a pic of a 96 cab that was made of OSB, so now I'm not sure what the start date for OSB was. I know it ended shortly before the LOUD sale, and all LOUD cabs are made with plywood.

[randysmojo]

Thanks, JimmyM!

[Bullitt5135]

I just returned from the repair shop after dropping off my busted Ampeg B4R (solid state, bought it used/untested off CL). The tech was a wealth of information about Ampeg, and was more than happy to share it with me. He stressed that the biggest factor in the "made in USA is better than the Asian ones" is if it's an earlier model built with lead-based solder (which is apparently better than the newer, brittle non-lead stuff). Given that my amp was made in USA and looked to be one of the early versions of the B4R, he was optimistic that he might be able to locate and repair the loose solders without having to replace the entire core. Had it been one of newer Asian versions, he probably would have advised me to cut my losses and shop for another amp. His reasoning was highly technical, and had nothing to do with "bleeding red, white & blue."

I also asked him which tube heads he liked. He said he likes the SVT Classic and loves the Peavey VB2. He also said that the SVT Pro IV is really nice, but can be finicky. He also pointed at a Gallien Kreuger 212 combo on the floor and said they are pretty killer amps for the money/weight (even though they are a different animal entirely).

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5135

I just returned from the repair shop after dropping off my busted Ampeg B4R (solid state, bought it used/untested off CL). The tech was a wealth of information about Ampeg, and was more than happy to share it with me. He stressed that the biggest factor in the "made in USA is better than the Asian ones" is if it's an earlier model built with lead-based solder (which is apparently better than the newer, brittle non-lead stuff). Given that my amp was made in USA and looked to be one of the early versions of the B4R, he was optimistic that he might be able to locate and repair the loose solders without having to replace the entire core. Had it been one of newer Asian versions, he probably would have advised me to cut my losses and shop for another amp. His reasoning was highly technical, and had nothing to do with "bleeding red, white & blue."

Only problem with that explanation is that SLM was using lead free solder, too. I seem to remember Jerrold saying they started using it in the 90's to comply with Europe's laws. I can't tell you exactly when they did, but I know they used lead free solder for quite a while when they owned Ampeg.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5135

I just returned from the repair shop after dropping off my busted Ampeg B4R (solid state, bought it used/untested off CL). The tech was a wealth of information about Ampeg, and was more than happy to share it with me. He stressed that the biggest factor in the "made in USA is better than the Asian ones" is if it's an earlier model built with lead-based solder (which is apparently better than the newer, brittle non-lead stuff). Given that my amp was made in USA and looked to be one of the early versions of the B4R, he was optimistic that he might be able to locate and repair the loose solders without having to replace the entire core. Had it been one of newer Asian versions, he probably would have advised me to cut my losses and shop for another amp. His reasoning was highly technical, and had nothing to do with "bleeding red, white & blue."

I also asked him which tube heads he liked. He said he likes the SVT Classic and loves the Peavey VB2. He also said that the SVT Pro IV is really nice, but can be finicky. He also pointed at a Gallien Kreuger 212 combo on the floor and said they are pretty killer amps for the money/weight (even though they are a different animal entirely).

Sound like you found a tech that can find his hinnie without using any hands He did miss the solder flux issue after the move from lead/tin solder though. Keep his number handy!

[grendle]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I thought up until today it was SLM cabs made between 98 and 06 that were OSB, but then ampegfuzz posted a pic of a 96 cab that was made of OSB, so now I'm not sure what the start date for OSB was. I know it ended shortly before the LOUD sale, and all LOUD cabs are made with plywood.

Mine is a 92 and is Osb. Sounds good though.