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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2

#2,141
Got it. I would imagine the PF500 might give you more clean volume, but not sure you'd get much in absolute volume. Blown away how far that 100w V4B will take you!

That PF500 is a cool little amp, but I can see why you'd want to feed it the V4B pre in the event of emergency. It sounds good, not great - I guess a trade off for the portability it provides. I've been thinking of picking one up (or a TH500) as backup, too. Funny, I got the V4B as a "backup" to my Fender Super Bassman. They're tied for #1 now (and I'm certainty not hauling two tube heads to a gig!)
 
#2,143
rodl2005 said:
Tied for no.1 for me too. Fender Super Bassman & Ampeg V4B. The Super B. is just so THICK & lush sounding, but the V4B has its place too. Simple. Great sounding and only 41lbs. What's not to like?
Click to expand...
Yep. The the V4B pushed into overdrive is the best bass tone I could only imagine. But that SB300 is ridiculous. Fat, lush, thick. Amazing to have choices like that...
 
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#2,144
I am *this* close to ordering one. Going to sleep on it one more night. The long and short of it is that I sold my Super Bassman 300 a few months ago. It (and a 100T I'd sold previously to upgrade to the SB 300) represented my first foray into tube-land. A beautiful land I quickly realized I was born to live in. Crap, I loved that SB 300. But the shlep was already starting to wear on me when, one day, I came very close to actually straining my 55-year-old back moving it. So I reluctantly sold her.

Well, you can guess the rest. I miss tube-land so much. (And it doesn't help that the rehearsal space of one my bands has the guitar player's vintage VB4, and oh how sweet it sounds.) I have no illusions that the V4B will give me everything the SB 300 did (or even the guitar player's vintage V4B does), but I'm thinking it will get me back "home" damn well enough. And I have found there's a big difference for me between 40 pounds and 60. I can do 40 without much of a problem.

I do think the amp is quite expensive, or rather a bit more than it should be. But if I go for the Sweetwater three-years-without-interest deal, I won't even feel it.

Thoughts to put me over the line on this?
 
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#2,145
soxhats said:
I am *this* close to ordering one. Going to sleep on it one more night. The long and short of it is that I sold my Super Bassman 300 a few months ago. It (and a 100T I'd sold previously to upgrade to the SB 300) represented my first foray into tube-land. A beautiful land I quickly realized I was born to live in. Crap, I loved that SB 300. But the shlep was already starting to wear on me when, one day, I came very close to actually straining my 55-year-old back moving it. So I reluctantly sold her.

Well, you can guess the rest. I miss tube-land so much. (And it doesn't help that the rehearsal space of one my bands has the guitar player's vintage VB4, and oh how sweet it sounds.) I have no illusions that the V4B will give me everything the SB 300 did (or even the guitar player's vintage V4B does), but I'm thinking it will get me back "home" damn well enough. And I have found there's a big difference for me between 40 pounds and 60. I can do 40 without much of a problem.

I do think the amp is quite expensive, or rather a bit more than it should be. But if I go for the Sweetwater three-years-without-interest deal, I won't even feel it.

Thoughts to put me over the line on this?
Click to expand...
The SB300 is maybe a little more feature-laden than the V4B, but if your guitar player has a V4B, you pretty much know what the new one will do. Now I haven't had a vintage V4B in 25 years, but I spent the first 10 years of my playing career with one as my only amp, and to me the new one sounds just like the old one. If there are any differences, they're very minor.
 
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#2,148
soxhats said:
I am *this* close to ordering one. Going to sleep on it one more night. The long and short of it is that I sold my Super Bassman 300 a few months ago. It (and a 100T I'd sold previously to upgrade to the SB 300) represented my first foray into tube-land. A beautiful land I quickly realized I was born to live in. Crap, I loved that SB 300. But the shlep was already starting to wear on me when, one day, I came very close to actually straining my 55-year-old back moving it. So I reluctantly sold her.

Well, you can guess the rest. I miss tube-land so much. (And it doesn't help that the rehearsal space of one my bands has the guitar player's vintage VB4, and oh how sweet it sounds.) I have no illusions that the V4B will give me everything the SB 300 did (or even the guitar player's vintage V4B does), but I'm thinking it will get me back "home" damn well enough. And I have found there's a big difference for me between 40 pounds and 60. I can do 40 without much of a problem.

I do think the amp is quite expensive, or rather a bit more than it should be. But if I go for the Sweetwater three-years-without-interest deal, I won't even feel it.

Thoughts to put me over the line on this?
Click to expand...
Though it isn't as fat sounding as the SB300, I do find the V4B to be warmer and more rich. Not only is it lighter, but a much simpler user interface, IMO. One of the (few) things I don't like on the SB300 is that it isn't very intuitive to use. The V4B doesn't have a fan and is dead quiet in normal use - you'll never even know it's on just by listening to it (until you start playing it of course!). The only trade off in my mind has to do with its power rating. It's loud for 100W and plenty for most situations I encounter (in a moderately loud rock band) with 4 12s. It is awesome in that I can get some of that sweet power tube overdrive at reasonable volume. The downside is that if I need lots of clean headroom or expect the volume demands to be high (especially outside), I'll reach for that SB300...
 
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#2,149
soxhats said:
I am *this* close to ordering one. Going to sleep on it one more night. The long and short of it is that I sold my Super Bassman 300 a few months ago. It (and a 100T I'd sold previously to upgrade to the SB 300) represented my first foray into tube-land. A beautiful land I quickly realized I was born to live in. Crap, I loved that SB 300. But the shlep was already starting to wear on me when, one day, I came very close to actually straining my 55-year-old back moving it. So I reluctantly sold her.

Well, you can guess the rest. I miss tube-land so much. (And it doesn't help that the rehearsal space of one my bands has the guitar player's vintage VB4, and oh how sweet it sounds.) I have no illusions that the V4B will give me everything the SB 300 did (or even the guitar player's vintage V4B does), but I'm thinking it will get me back "home" damn well enough. And I have found there's a big difference for me between 40 pounds and 60. I can do 40 without much of a problem.

I do think the amp is quite expensive, or rather a bit more than it should be. But if I go for the Sweetwater three-years-without-interest deal, I won't even feel it.

Thoughts to put me over the line on this?
Click to expand...
Yeah. ....I've got both the SB300 & the V4B RI. Love em both! The 60lbs of the SB300 isn't a problem for me and I love is pure tubey thickness. I can't see me letting go of it. Especially for funk/soul gigs - just having that CLEAN tube tone on tap is lovely. Something the v4 can't match of course being only 100w.
It's a lovely dilemma to have...... The Super Bassman or the V4B?? Hmmmm:bassist:
 
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#2,151
@Jwood Don't get me wrong... I love ALL the Ampeg tube amps. I was gonna get a SVT-VR but was steered towards the Super Bassman by a very well known TB'er and that it was nearly $1000 cheaper here in Australia, I went with the Fender. I'd've been happy with either , but am very pleased with my choice.
Again tho, I also love having the 100w V4b for what it brings too.
 
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#2,152
If clean headroom is a concern, try placing a 5751 in V1. A 5751 has the same structure as a 12AX7 but with 70% of the gain. Another tip is to max the volume control and use the gain to set your overall volume. I like a lot of clean headroom and I get the growl I want when I change my playing style. This has worked great for me.
 
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#2,157
Ouch jimmy....too soon. :D

Well, I'm impressed all over again with my ri-V4B+2x112AV's. We hosted the monthly blues jam at one of Houston's premier blues clubs last Thursday nite. Guitardist says "don't bring your good rig since guys will prolly trash it". Well I know this club and the jams can attract some very monster bassists/bands to show up.......and they did.

Couple dudes I know as TBers and some strangers to me bassists showed up with 4/5/6 string, active/passive basses. We did opening act and I let them move knobs as needed to get their sound. I sat on a stool at the bar at the back of this med-sized, club that was packed with people. I hoped my short rig was gona be enough w/o PA support and two loud tube guitar amps on stage. All the bassist' told me afterwards the rig sounded great and I knew this for first hand by getting to listen most all nite at the back of the room.
Sean, with his active 5er was thumping/slapping to get a real nice modern funk sound in his set. TBer Larry with a 4 string, unknown to me bass and I failed to ask, laid down some very nice n gooey thick blues. One of the last bands up, a sort of zydeco/RnB/funk band, had a 5 string Peavey (?) bass and he had this thing dialed in with so much loud, low end I felt sure one of the 112AV's would burst soon. It sounded to me like what I've heard from two 410's before.

My short stack took all they gave it and I finished the nite with my '08 Am St P5 w/nylon flats and the rig just barely broke a sweat it seems. I rarely use this rig mostly cause the hot summers here near Houston make me lazy to haul it out to gigs. I've mostly taken my GB NX2-212T, GB 12.2 and various active/passive 5ers to all my gigs last few months. I was actually thinking of selling my V4B as I wasn't feeling the necessity to gig it anymore after the little time I'd used it since I bought it a few months ago.

NOT NOW! It's getting cooler, less heat and humidity in H-town area. So less breaking a sweat just moving my gear in/out of venues. I'll start using the V4B w/2x112's or single 212AV or all three cabs for my gigs again.

Now, after all this praise, I just got booked to do gigs next to weekends with a nearby, variety band at small-ish clubs. I'll prolly use my TC-E BG250 combo for those two gigs. No sense in bringing a cannon to a knife fight. :smug:
Peace y'all. ernie
 
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