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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue
- Thread starter z11111
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I ran a similar rig - V4B/SVT810 - from 75-85. 10 years of club gigs with not one single fail. Never even had to replace the tubes! I still say it was the best tone I've ever gotten from an amp rig!
I decided to downsize in the late 80s and sold the amp and cab. I'm actually embarrased to say what I downsized to
. If this new V4 sounds like the old one I'M IN! Looking forward to your review JimmyM!
I ran a similar rig - V4B/SVT810 - from 75-85. 10 years of club gigs with not one single fail. Never even had to replace the tubes! I still say it was the best tone I've ever gotten from an amp rig!
I decided to downsize in the late 80s and sold the amp and cab. I'm actually embarrased to say what I downsized to
If this new V4 sounds like the old one I'M IN! Looking forward to your review JimmyM!
Same here. 72 V4B thru first 2 b15 cabs, then v4 EV cab, then a squareback. Best sounding amp i ever had. Preferred it to my 76ish SVT except when i really needed the headroom...then i would use the squareback and the V4 cab.
I loved my V4 and the squareback cab. It was a great pair. I traded the V4 for a similar year SVT and love that amp equally but differently as I'm sure you understand.
I have a V4BH paired with an Ampeg LGS 215 (Simmons/JBL) cab, and have had many sound men tell me it's insanely loud. A couple thought it was an SVT - not a V4B(H). I run a clean deep tone, not just a grungey high/mid distorted tone - and I think the cab you pair it with makes all the difference. if the cab is big and efficient, the V4BH can do wonders.
I'll be really curious to see (real world) how the new one stacks up against the V4BH. I checked out Dino's video, and the tones are right on pace with my V4BH. Can't tell any discernable difference. The tube compliment looks the same, as well as having a gain & master. Only real difference I can see is the 2 ohm capability and the fact the new V4B mid rocker switch lacks two of the mid freqs avaialble on the V4BH. As with any Ampeg, I think it will come down to how you set your gain structure, and what cab you pair it with that will make the biggest differences. Either way, it's good to see another tube option from Ampeg!
Can we get some gut shots as well?
I am really interested to see if it is truely on par with a 70's v4b...Wonder if the midrange is voiced with caps along the lines of an svt or true v4b since they say its a mini svt...
I got the SVT810 shortly after getting the V4B, but for a short time I ran my V4B through a B40 cab. Not sure what amp that cab was designed to go with, but it sounded pretty darn good with the V4. 4-10/no tweeter configuration - 1/2 a Fridge. After hearing the 810, it was all over though. Carried many clubs with no FOH with that v4B/810 setup!
Here's a gutshot Ampeg posted on Facebook when Dawn the engineer put it together on a cart:
I only see one transformer and I suspect the other one is hiding behind the front transformer, but it looks pretty good sized.
I only see one transformer and I suspect the other one is hiding behind the front transformer, but it looks pretty good sized.
I have a late '70's Ampeg catalog with the B-40 in it. Here is some info:
The B40 cab had a counterpart B-40 120 watt solid state bass amplifier. Other recommended amplifiers (to be used with the B-40 speaker cab) were: V4, V2, G-60,V6B and the SVT or V9 (when used with four enclosures and two speaker Y - adapters).
Here's a gutshot Ampeg posted on Facebook when Dawn the engineer put it together on a cart:
I only see one transformer and I suspect the other one is hiding behind the front transformer, but it looks pretty good sized.
That is awesome! What a dream job that would be. Push the cart in "hey guys look what I just built!" Too bad much cant be told by that pic...
Can we get pics of Dawn? ;-p hehe
Here's a gutshot Ampeg posted on Facebook when Dawn the engineer put it together on a cart:
I only see one transformer and I suspect the other one is hiding behind the front transformer, but it looks pretty good sized.
I guess that's how they got the weight down . . . by using a lightweight plywood.
I think there's a pic of Dawn on the Ampeg website. If you click on the Products tag, she's on the left side of the page pointing to the Heritage Series.
From the video it showed no bias light or adjustments on the back so it looks like it will probably be fixed bias like the original unless it is on the guts...
This is all not true. Please be more specific. At first 7027A and 6L6GC are the same tubes (!!!) with except for pinout that is different, but in old V4's and V4B's this does not matter, beause that different pins are not used by that ampeg amps. So you can choose every 6L6GC that you want and put it there.
Second, 6L6 and 6L6GC are different tubes. Jus like 7027 and 7027A. So its more like 6L6=7027, 6L6GC=7027A. And maybe its like you said that the developed 7027A because 6L6 were not up to high specs of the amps. OK. But 6L6GC probably went to the production at the same time because this is essentially the same tube, inside.
Third, JJ is making 7027A tubes which are easily available everywhere in the world and are in constant production. I've tried them in '76 v4b and they are medicore (just as their 6L6GC - the same tubes). If you want the best tone in vintage V4B use TAD 6L6GC-STR "Black Plate" that are produced especially by TAD (these are not rebranded tubes!). They have lots of clean power and great when pushed, plus they sound so open and huge. Great tubes, the best I had in V4B. Its like night and day comparing to 7027A's by JJ, which are narrow sounding, harsh when breakup and low on power (yes, the bias were set right for both sets).
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