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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2

#341
I got to try a Mesa Prodigy out at a shop in San Antonio last week through Traditional Powerhouse 2x10 and 1x15 cabs. Sounded really good...really good. Better than my V-4B? No, IMHO. To me, and I know how this stuff is purely subjective, it lacked a depth and richness that my V-4B has. Guitar player friend of mine that was with me said that my Ampeg gear sounded better to him as well. Good thing, it squashed some developing GAS I had for the Prodigy. Viva la V-4B!
 
#343
I got to play around with a friends V4BR (he bought it after playing mine) attached to his new 212 over the weekend. In a word, FANTASTIC! I would put it somewhere halfway in between the sound of a 60's B-15 and the Heritage 810. It was nice and warm but still had plenty of slam and growl. A really great cab!

I didn't try it with the tweeter on but for the life of me can't imagine why anyone would use it that way.
 
#348
I'm not 100% sold on my new T-bone look, but 3 hours of testing the Ampeg with my Barefaced cabinet were enough to send the amp home with me. I don't have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to describe how happy I am with the tone.


Ampeg Barefaced.jpeg

:hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper:
 
#349
I used my V4B on a jazz gig yesterday and I was very pleased with the tone and the feedback-less headroom. The gig was fairly low volume background instrumental music at an art festival - no PA.

The SVT-4 is still my favorite amp for upright mostly due to the numerous eq'ing options - but I continue to be pleased with my V4B purchase.

I took a photo with a set of vintage aluminum knobs installed earlier:D. What do you all think (same size pot shaft as the early models btw)?

I wanted to add - the amp/cab sounded really good playing music with my Iphone (as pictured) during our breaks!
 

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#353
So, I've played out about 4 times with this rig now, and I've been taking my usual setup, to include my pedal board. The thing is...I haven't used anything other than my volume pedal since using this amp. While my board has a few "effects" (fuzz, phaser, delay, etc), my most used pedals are my compressor, preamp, and tuner, but aside from the tuner, I haven't used any of them. Most of what I did with pedals was try to make my solid state rig sound like a tube rig, but obviously that's no longer necessary. I think it's time to cut the cord and get back to bass > cable > amp. Our front man just got a korg unit for synths, so I don't think I 'll need the true effects anymore either.

Hooray for lessening the load in/out!

I'm absolutely in love with this amp. I think a headstock tuner will go into the bass case, and then the only thing I'll need to come to terms with is tweaking knobs on the amp when switching between fingers and pick.
 
#355
ijump206 said:
I'm not 100% sold on my new T-bone look, but 3 hours of testing the Ampeg with my Barefaced cabinet were enough to send the amp home with me. I don't have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to describe how happy I am with the tone.


View attachment 402286

:hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper:
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Respect to Alex and Barefaced. What cab is that and why does it have Fender grillcloth? ;)
 
#356
Bass 45 said:
I used my V4B on a jazz gig yesterday and I was very pleased with the tone and the feedback-less headroom. The gig was fairly low volume background instrumental music at an art festival - no PA.

The SVT-4 is still my favorite amp for upright mostly due to the numerous eq'ing options - but I continue to be pleased with my V4B purchase.

I took a photo with a set of vintage aluminum knobs installed earlier:D. What do you all think (same size pot shaft as the early models btw)?

I wanted to add - the amp/cab sounded really good playing music with my Iphone (as pictured) during our breaks!
Click to expand...

I love the knobs thanks for the picture I was trying to picture how it would look in my head. I just pulled the trigger on the V4B and a 212AV should be here Tuesday can't wait.
 
#357
I use to have a certain ritual for turning my SVT on and off but I forgot it I think I use to put it on standby before I turned it off? and I can't remember if the standby overrides the on and off switch? I was always terrified of blowing that amp up which is one of the reasons I sold it.I can have OCD pretty bad at times and that amp gave me fits I would plug and unplug the speaker cable just to make sure it was snug enough I read all the horror stories about not having a load attached to the amp :) I will take any advice from my TB brothers and sisters to help ease my nerves I've already filled Jimmy's inbox up (sorry Jimmy) and my good friend Laurent's inbox with questions if anyone has a list of "do's" and "don'ts" I would appreciate it.
 
#358
Check your speaker inputs every time for the right impedance, don't drop it, don't spill drinks on it, don't stick your finger in a tube socket while it's plugged in.

Other than that, it's very much like any other amp, except now and then you might have to change a tube, so don't wig out on us...you can handle it.
 
#360
JimmyM said:
Check your speaker inputs every time for the right impedance, don't drop it, don't spill drinks on it, don't stick your finger in a tube socket while it's plugged in.

Other than that, it's very much like any other amp, except now and then you might have to change a tube, so don't wig out on us...you can handle it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jimmy I was more afraid of that SVT than I was my ex-wife :) I remember unplugging it, waiting a day then putting on rubber gloves just to change a preamp tube I was thinking no way was I getting electrocuted and winning a Darwin Award :)
 
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