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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2

#2,281
Finally got a chance to play my new/old V4/VT-22 with the band and any concerns I had regarding having sufficient volume with *only* 100 watts are gone. I wasn't pushing it hard at all and had plenty of volume. I initially had the master maxed out and the channel volume about 9 o'clock, but I found that I had slightly better sound lowering the master to about half and running the input volume around 11 o'clock. That gave me a sound that could be relatively clean or growly depending on my attack.
I was running it through a pair of GK NEO cabinets, but I plan to sell those in favour of a 2x15 loaded with Faital 15PR400's in the near future.
 
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#2,282
I have an Orange AD200 and i miss the Ampeg sound, i love distorted sound but i don't know if 100 watts would be enough. I use an ampeg 810 i guess i should be fine... I play Fender P bass BEAD tuning stoner metal. loud drummer, two guitars (5150 and a JCM 800)
I've tried the V-4B and i love it but not in my band context so i don't know. I usually play medium sized clubs
Does anybody use this amp for similar music/context?
 
#2,283
MoWBass said:
I have an Orange AD200 and i miss the Ampeg sound, i love distorted sound but i don't know if 100 watts would be enough. I use an ampeg 810 i guess i should be fine... I play Fender P bass BEAD tuning stoner metal. loud drummer, two guitars (5150 and a JCM 800)
I've tried the V-4B and i love it but not in my band context so i don't know. I usually play medium sized clubs
Does anybody use this amp for similar music/context?
Click to expand...

I have played my V4B through both my 810e and vintage flatback. Unbelievably loud through an 810. Honestly, and this is just me, but I don't notice too much headroom difference between my V4 and my SVT's (running through a fridge). That may be in part to just not needing to run them full bore to have all volume I need....and this is with 2 loud guitarists and a hard hitting drummer.
 
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#2,284
Sounded great, soxhats! Cool band you got. Love accordion when it's not playing polkas :D

MoW, the way I describe the difference in volume between the two is through an 810, a V4B will go loud enough when you crank it to be way too loud for a respectable joint, and an SVT will make you nauseous. I know you stoner metal types love to go for the puke-inducing volumes, so I might go SVT in your case.
 
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#2,285
Thanks, Jimmy! That's Crispy Bess, a one-time member of the great band Southern Culture on the Skids. He usually plays organ and guitar in our band (surf, soul and exotica instrumentals), but got it in his head to play this set on 'cordeen.


JimmyM said:
Sounded great, soxhats! Cool band you got. Love accordion when it's not playing polkas :D

MoW, the way I describe the difference in volume between the two is through an 810, a V4B will go loud enough when you crank it to be way too loud for a respectable joint, and an SVT will make you nauseous. I know you stoner metal types love to go for the puke-inducing volumes, so I might go SVT in your case.
Click to expand...
 
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#2,286
MoWBass said:
I have an Orange AD200 and i miss the Ampeg sound, i love distorted sound but i don't know if 100 watts would be enough. I use an ampeg 810 i guess i should be fine... I play Fender P bass BEAD tuning stoner metal. loud drummer, two guitars (5150 and a JCM 800)
I've tried the V-4B and i love it but not in my band context so i don't know. I usually play medium sized clubs
Does anybody use this amp for similar music/context?
Click to expand...

Not sure if you'd miss that much, the AD200 is only rated to something like 160 or 170 watts. The V4 is a bit brighter and cuts through a little more. Might not be as thick in the lows at full distorted volume.
 
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#2,288
coreyfyfe said:
Not sure if you'd miss that much, the AD200 is only rated to something like 160 or 170 watts. The V4 is a bit brighter and cuts through a little more. Might not be as thick in the lows at full distorted volume.
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True. But as someone who owns both I can assure you the AD200 is clearly louder than the V4B and has considerably more weight to the notes (as you say:)). And I like clean volume, so I am not talking distortion. The AD200 does actually sound like 200 watts, even if it only gets there with a bit of grit.Both wonderful amps, but if MoW Bass likes the AD200 I doubt that the V4B will replace it for him on the volume front - maybe look to a SVT CL or VR. Or he should do the obvious and try a V4B out with his 810 in a band situation - on reflection you may be right since he says he loves distorted sound. I know...just negated my own post...:rolleyes:
 
#2,289
Tim1 said:
True. But as someone who owns both I can assure you the AD200 is clearly louder than the V4B and has considerably more weight to the notes (as you say:)). And I like clean volume, so I am not talking distortion. The AD200 does actually sound like 200 watts, even if it only gets there with a bit of grit.Both wonderful amps, but if MoW Bass likes the AD200 I doubt that the V4B will replace it for him on the volume front - maybe look to a SVT CL or VR. Or he should do the obvious and try a V4B out with his 810 in a band situation - on reflection you may be right since he says he loves distorted sound. I know...just negated my own post...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I think you talked yourself into the point I was trying to make ;)

As far as hearing yourself an amp that cuts through a mix better might not be much of a change. I had a sound city L120 for a while. The SVT had a better fullness/presence, you could feel the low end when you played, but that L120 could mow down children at 100 yards despite the lower power rating. Never had a bottom end I liked (it was a "lead" amp) and I traded it for a V4. I feel about the same with my other lower wattage amps versus the SVT, I can hear myself just fine with less power but as you scale back you lose a bit on the "filling the room" end of things without using a lot of cab. I haven't compared a vintage V4 with the new ones so I can't say for sure they'd be the same, and it's been a long time since I played an AD200, so take it all with a grain of whatever.
 
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#2,291
The thing is that before the AD200 I used to have a SVT CL and in terms of overdrive distortion it wasn't that agressive. I am sure the VR is different. Is the v4b more of a "smaller" VR/old svt than a CL/AV right?

I am going to try to borrow a v4b, i know someone that has a '75. Not the same as the reissue but in terms of testing the volume, it might work. what do you think?
 
#2,293
MoWBass said:
The thing is that before the AD200 I used to have a SVT CL and in terms of overdrive distortion it wasn't that agressive. I am sure the VR is different. Is the v4b more of a "smaller" VR/old svt than a CL/AV right?
Click to expand...
Depends on how you get the overdrive. Cranking the gain to get it, I would probably agree with you. Cranking the master and using the gain to control how much juice the power tubes get, I probably wouldn't agree. I think the typical Ampeg cranked sound is a little less ratty around the edges than Orange, but to me, both the VR and CL versions of the SVT are quite aggressive, as well as new and old V4B's. Bass Gear Mag recently did a review on old and new V4B's, and said that the old ones get slightly more aggressive than the newer ones, but not by much at all.

I am going to try to borrow a v4b, i know someone that has a '75. Not the same as the reissue but in terms of testing the volume, it might work. what do you think?
Click to expand...
I think they would be comparable, yes. Been a long time since I plugged into an old one, but I used a 73 V4B all through the 80's and I think the new one sounds just like it.
 
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#2,294
I recently had a 76 V4 and now I've a new RI V4B. The old one gets similar in total volume but hits overdrive in a faster way.. write a quick transition from clean to OD on the older one I had.
This new V4B has a far smoother transition into power tube OD. And the new one's power tube drive is a bit smoother too. I liked the old one better but only by a little and the bonuses of the reissue outweigh the old one- for my needs. Weight, DI, Gain control. ...
If I had a residency somewhere and I could leave my rig. ...it'd be the vintage V4 & 810. Great fun rig that.
 
#2,295
Tadaaaaa! Freshly unpacked:

V4B212.jpg


I think I've found my Amp! I love the tone so far.
I need some more EQ and gain master training. Gain/Master is very different on this head. I'm used to my SVT7.
What are your settings for:
1) huge clean
2) grit and growl
3) Dirt / drive
 
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#2,297
Huge clean...master all the way up, gain to set volume. Grit and growl...turn up the gain a little and turn down the master. Dirt/drive...higher gain, or master all the way up and gain cranked past 11:00. The second way sounds better but the higher gain way makes the volume more controllable, even if it's not as dramatic sounding.
 
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#2,300
Agree with what JimmyM said above. In addition, I find this rig sounds great with the deep switch on and mids at 3PM when practicing solo/jamming along with a record. At rehearsal, I turn the deep switch off and up the bass to 2PM (keeping the mids at 3PM). At louder gig volumes, everything is flat.

Yes - all combinations sound amazing!
 
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