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Ampeg going down the tubes ?

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#6
Mod Kelly is VERY particular about Ampeg threads.

I can tell you however, the quality is not as good as the St. Louis Music era, but Loud is in it's infancy with Ampeg and have been really outgoing in dealing with issues. The tolex sucks, the fit and finish is sub par, and it sounds different. Call it Chinese plywood, I don't know.

I can say I won't own any Ampeg Vietnam/China gear, but it seems like Loud is at least trying to make right on the Ampeg name between Dino and Kevin Van Pamel answering issues.
 
#7
I dont see whats wrong with the new stuff either, i tried a whole bunch of the new MIV stuff and it sounded just as good as the US stuff


either way that would be a major shame if Ampeg did go down the tube
 
#9
fenderhutz said:
I disagree. At band volumes the import stuff sounds horrible. Better than Behringer, but not Ampeg quality.
Click to expand...

I read some of your comments on how they sound at loud volumes, i haven't gotten a chance to play a rig at band volume, low volume sounds good however I found the 610 to be a lot tighter sounding then the 810E.
 
#10
I have only been playing Ampeg for 20+ years so what do I know?

One thing I do know is that the Viet Nam made gear is not even close in sound as the USA stuff. I own tons of Ampeg.. but all MIA.

I will never buy any non-USA Ampeg.

P.S. I am not even being patriotic as I am Canadian!
 
#11
The B200R I've had for 10 months, and is the first piece of Ampeg gear I've ever owned after 30 years of lusting, sounds so good, but is so rife with QC issues, that it makes me more unhappy then if the amp plain sucked from the get-go.

It means someone is awake and alive in the sound engineering department, but asleep in the manufacturing department. The outcome: undependable amps with the burden of high brand recognition, setting Ampeg up for failing miserably in full view of a world of expectant bass players who associate the brand with something great.

It takes years to establish a great brand, but in this case, it may only take a fraction of that to ruin it.
And I think that is just plain sad.
 
#13
Where are these "tubes?" Where do they go? Why are they plural? Can there be just one? Can everything go down just one tube or does it have to be more than one? ;) (Let's see if anybody can spot where that came from.)

FWIW, I think that this thread may qualify as different than the other "quality" threads in that it is questioning the continued existence of the "Ampeg" brand rather than a decline in quality. If I understand correctly, the OP is asking if anyone else has heard that Loud may discontinue Ampeg or go under completely, not if the new products are the same quality as the old.
 
#16
fenderhutz said:
I disagree. At band volumes the import stuff sounds horrible. Better than Behringer, but not Ampeg quality.
Click to expand...

To me, this is an absurd statement. ii've been playing bass since 1965 and currently own both a '69 SVT and a new VN SVT-VR, and a USA SVT610HLF and a VN SVT410HLF. the VR head is just as powerful at stage volume and sounds as good or better than my '69 and the VN SVT410HLF cab is built ALOT better and sounds better than my USA SVT610HLF.

Having owned nine SVT heads over the past 43 years, the new VR holds its own with any other one that i've had.

Now as far as Ampeg, going under, that would be a real shame but I personally don't think that they will as they are still one of the most popular makers of bass amps. However, if they do go under, i don't think that it would be due to making sub-par products, but rather poor management, but alot of the false statements like the one above isn't going to help them either.
 
#17
I've noticed that the MIV cabs have quite a bit thinner wood than the MIA cabs. Anyone have any factual information to back this up other than my vision?

I thought that however, since they moved production to a cheaper location if they started using real wood again, because for a while when they were MIA weren't they made out of MDF?

Not facts for sure, just things I thought I'd heard and seen in various places.
 
#18
I remember calling Ampeg and getting helpful friendly advice in the past. But last year, (after the move) I called about 4 diff. times, I never got to talk to anyone, just a machine message as I recall . Really pissed me off, I did not realize there had been a move decided to sell my Ampeg after realizing they had went overseas. It is apparent a lot of people could care less where their equipment is made, I am damn sure not one of them, personally I am feed up with everything being sent overseas to increase profit margins. Sooner or later we will all be sorry for supporting overseas asian companies... My 2cents
 
#20
are you sure the one that is MIA isn't MDF?

there is quite a difference in the durability of MDF and Particle board.

There could be a lot of the differences in sound people are noting, because plywood and MDF sound very different (IMO/IME).

So if you think about it, they may not really be making much more money since moving production, since they are using good wood instead of particle board or mdf.
:ninja:
 
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