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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I'm curious also if it's something I can get fixed or upgraded now before it takes out the entire amp that would be a great help. I also don't care where a product is made if the QC is not good the product is worthless.
That's really unfortunate, these seemed like a nice product and the roll out seemed to be going smoothly.
I agree about QC. I'm sure Ampeg is also having one of those *** moments about these failures too. This is something that just happens from time to time with any mass produced product. It's how a manufacturer handles it that separates the good ones from the not so good ones.
cheezewiz I don't blame you one bit for that. The three strike rule is big I my book too. I'm sure that Ampeg had a bad run that slipped through QC and will get it fixed but you shouldn't have to suffer for it.
I hope you find another tube head that works for you. Keep us updated.
Believe me, I get it that stuff happens in manufacturing, and it is harder to keep strict QC when the manufacturer is overseas. I'm not completey turned off to Ampeg. I love my SVT212AV cab. I may get another Ampeg head, BUT I am done with the V4B for now.
If your amp is working, I wouldn't worry about the possibility of some hidden defect. We have seen that either it works out of the box or it doesn't. Chances are, either something was wired wrong in the current batch or they installed a part with an issue. They'll sort it out.
I don't blame you for feeling frustrated. It makes sense to take a step back and collect your thoughts.
It was a good amp before this bad run. It'll be a good amp when they resolve this issue.
The Fender 100T is getting great reviews and has Ampeg style EQ. The Bugera 1960 is stoopid cheap if you can deal with the Fender style EQ. Both have auto bias.
FWIW the (early ?) Micro VR heads would freak out when driving two of the SVT210AV cabs (dunno if that was ever fixed?) and there's a current thread here about a Micro VR that goes DC every once in a while and smoked the cab drivers - and Ampeg can't/won't fix it or cover the smoked cab 
so the poster is stuck with $600 worth of trash 
.
so the poster is stuck with $600 worth of trash .
I agree with you. I love Ampeg but if I decide to pull the trigger on a lighter tube amp it will be the Mesa Prodigy. I can't believe they would let a whole run of defective amps sell to customers. For all your trouble they should have Sweetwater give it to you at cost and they will pick up the rest of the tab.
We have isolated the problem and are in the process of containing it and tracking down all of the affected amps. No hidden issues in the amp, no QC problems with the manufacturer, just a mistake (though a poopy one). My initial diagnosis was that the amps were wired for 240 volts and mislabeled, and that turned out to be the exact case. A batch of units were relabeled earlier this year from our warehouse so we could balance our inventory between US and EU units. Guess what? Someone forgot to tell someone else that the wiring needed to be changed. We'll be reworking anything in our warehouse, one of our service centers is already working on some of Sweetwater's stock. So there you go. This has been a non-official announcement.
Well, Pat, you still have one that will be coming back to you from Pro Tec. You probably don't want to play it before you send it back to Sweetwater, or you might not want to give it back!
We've contacted Pro-Tec , I'm hoping that they'll quickly turn it around for you, as they've already been appraised of the situation.
We've contacted Pro-Tec , I'm hoping that they'll quickly turn it around for you, as they've already been appraised of the situation.
Using my amazing powers of 20/20 hindsight I bet it would have been cheaper to have a 120/240 switch on them amps than what it's going to cost them in lost reputation and to rewire them and ship them all over the place back and forth - maybe they can take it all out of their bean-counter's salaries (yah right 
) ?
) ?
I've been considering the V4-B reissue for awhile now. I currently have a PF-800 w/410HLF. I miss my 70s SVT (long gone but not forgotten), but don't want the weight. How does the V4-B compare with the PF-800? If this is the wrong place to post this question, please direct me elsewhere. Thanks!
