Funny, that was my immediate impression too.
I also got that impression, but it could be that kiss-of-death single top handle.
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Ampeg B-100r Rocket Aficionados
- Thread starter barroso
- Start date
I have a B200R (USA). That count?
PS: never had a problem with the handle in 3 years use with lots of travel.
PS: never had a problem with the handle in 3 years use with lots of travel.
You don't have a problem with the handle; you have a problem with your back...because of the handle.
[vid. Fender "Twin Amp," back killer of all time.]
That IS a great price. Even used they go for $300 or so. Got no idea if the tone stack is flat or not, but it comes across that way to me. I don't own one but I've played them several times at the store.OK: Flat, boosts off. I can do that!
So, is the tone stack pretty flat on these? Amazingly, I've never used this more than a half hour or so since I bought it new for $269 a few years back at a Guitar Center sale. Great price, couldn't pass it up.
I agree that compared to the BA115 it doesn't have a lot of bottom, but neither do the early B-15's. I like it, personally. That's my thing rather than a giant low end.
To my ears, there's a pretty big hole in the upper mids, but you're not likely to hear it unless you play a super modern-sounding bass.
A hole in the upper mids implies that the cab has a tweeter. It doesn't. What you're hearing is the beaming phenomenon, where upper mids and highs coming out of a large driver will be way more directional than a small one. They're there, you just can't hear them standing off to the side. Typical for 15"s.
It's remarkable how extreme this can be,too.
I totally fooled myself a couple of months ago with this business.
And with this amp, now that I think about it.
I understand beaming -- my cabs are Bag End S15s -- but I first noticed the B100-R's missing upper mids while kneeling directly in front of the amp, learning a gospel tune in my carpeted living room on an Alembic strung with DR Hi-Beams.
Wasn't dissing the way the amp is voiced by any means -- I sold my B100-R five years ago and still miss it enough to entertain thoughts of replacing it -- but that hole exists. Nothing whatsoever to do with tweeters, which I haven't used since 2000, or small-diameter speakers, which I swore off soon after.
You know what? I'm going to have to correct myself on that. I didn't even think about my 77 B-15N which has a hole in the upper mids and doesn't have a tweeter. I can't say that I noticed a hole in the upper mids in the B100R, but you're absolutely right that a cab can have a hole in that range without having a tweeter. Never mind...and feel free to dis Ampeg. Lord knows LOUD has done enough to deserve dissing.
The handle is only to be used to get the amp onto your upper leg (with the help of your other hand on one of the bottom/side edges) until you can get it into proper carrying position, which is against your chest with both hands supporting the left/right bottom edges. It is a heavy sucker, isn't it? I do wish the EQ was a bit less fiddly, but it is a nice sounding amp.You don't have a problem with the handle; you have a problem with your back...because of the handle.
I'm sorry, but the correct carrying position is "in the care of your road crew."
That handle is placed for maximum spinal insult even just to get the amp hoisted up.
There should be a federal law prohibiting the sale of amps or cabs over 40# without swing-out side handles, with vicious penalties for violators.
Nothing compared to a Fender "Twin Amp" nearing 100# with only one, badly-placed, thin handle on top.
It's amazing how so many of the late-'90s ones simply had resulting case failure until they beefed up the cab in the current model.
OK,
So along the lines of quality, I have an issue. I REALLY like the sound/tone of the B-100R; however, I'm on the 3rd one!
First, let me say that I did some checking around and in my area (Anchorage, Alaska) there are no authorized Ampeg dealers. The closest thing was BestBuy and they said they are only able to carry 2 models of Ampeg (BA-115 and another similar one). So to get my B-100R, I had to order it online (I combed Craigslist for awhile but no one was selling).
I thought I'd save a few bucks and get a B-stock/refurbished one from Musician's Friend. I lasted for 1 hour then the power supply died. OK, my bad...I shouldn't have messed with a refurb. Then, I returned it and bought a NEW amp. It showed up with a busted knob!
I returned it (at MF's expense). The 2nd new one just arrived yesterday...FOUR of the 6 knobs are cracked!
Also, to be honest, the overall fit & finish of the amp isn't what you would expect for an amp that goes for around $600. I wonder if this is a problem with them being foreign made.
As far as all these cracked pots (couldn't resist the pun
), I don't know if UPS is dropping these things out of the plane from 30,000 feet, if the warehouse guys at Musician's Friend are playing soccer with them, or what the deal is; but I'm pretty disappointed.
I mean, what's the likelihood of getting 2 bad BRAND NEW amps in a row?!
So along the lines of quality, I have an issue. I REALLY like the sound/tone of the B-100R; however, I'm on the 3rd one!
First, let me say that I did some checking around and in my area (Anchorage, Alaska) there are no authorized Ampeg dealers. The closest thing was BestBuy and they said they are only able to carry 2 models of Ampeg (BA-115 and another similar one). So to get my B-100R, I had to order it online (I combed Craigslist for awhile but no one was selling).
I thought I'd save a few bucks and get a B-stock/refurbished one from Musician's Friend. I lasted for 1 hour then the power supply died. OK, my bad...I shouldn't have messed with a refurb. Then, I returned it and bought a NEW amp. It showed up with a busted knob!
I returned it (at MF's expense). The 2nd new one just arrived yesterday...FOUR of the 6 knobs are cracked!
Also, to be honest, the overall fit & finish of the amp isn't what you would expect for an amp that goes for around $600. I wonder if this is a problem with them being foreign made.
As far as all these cracked pots (couldn't resist the pun
), I don't know if UPS is dropping these things out of the plane from 30,000 feet, if the warehouse guys at Musician's Friend are playing soccer with them, or what the deal is; but I'm pretty disappointed.I mean, what's the likelihood of getting 2 bad BRAND NEW amps in a row?!
I have had my B100r for about 5 years. I used it last night into the PA and it kicked with a nice fat growl. The line out was not noisy at all. I just ordered a B200r.
As for your issues, maybe it is the new company? I am hoping that my forthcoming B200r does not have the same quality issues I have recently heard about (and what you are describing).
My B100r is from SLM and it has been rock solid (except for the ports falling off inside of the amp LOL!).
The amp sounds so good that I have thought about just removing the head itself and trying it as a stand alone head with different cabs.
There is definitely a bit of compression going on to get the emulated tube tone, but that is part of the B100r magic that just works.
As for your issues, maybe it is the new company? I am hoping that my forthcoming B200r does not have the same quality issues I have recently heard about (and what you are describing).
My B100r is from SLM and it has been rock solid (except for the ports falling off inside of the amp LOL!).
The amp sounds so good that I have thought about just removing the head itself and trying it as a stand alone head with different cabs.
There is definitely a bit of compression going on to get the emulated tube tone, but that is part of the B100r magic that just works.
Yeah,
My amps have been the new Loud Technology, Inc. amps. The box says Made in China. I don't really know anything about the SLM manufacture. As I understand it, Ampeg was sold to the overseas company around 2007. So, I guess you're amp is too old to be plagued with some of these quality issues.
I must be a glutton for punishment because I returned the 2nd *new* broken amp for a 3rd one. I talked with the MF sales person for awhile and figured out that all the amps that I had were from the same lot/shipment. They are getting a new lot/shipment in a week or so. I hope that the problem was just a bad lot. If that's the case, I might end up with a good amp this time around.
I haven't read any other posts about people having quality issues with the new Loud Technology Ampegs so I'm assuming that I just bumped into a bum lot. So, I'm hopeful.
My amps have been the new Loud Technology, Inc. amps. The box says Made in China. I don't really know anything about the SLM manufacture. As I understand it, Ampeg was sold to the overseas company around 2007. So, I guess you're amp is too old to be plagued with some of these quality issues.
I must be a glutton for punishment because I returned the 2nd *new* broken amp for a 3rd one. I talked with the MF sales person for awhile and figured out that all the amps that I had were from the same lot/shipment. They are getting a new lot/shipment in a week or so. I hope that the problem was just a bad lot. If that's the case, I might end up with a good amp this time around.
I haven't read any other posts about people having quality issues with the new Loud Technology Ampegs so I'm assuming that I just bumped into a bum lot. So, I'm hopeful.
Yeah, I read alot of complaints about the weight before I bought one so I was expecting a real monster.
After getting it and picking it up...uh...well..."The B100r could stand to be a bit lighter"???
This amp is not heavy. I picked it up with the handle only and lifted it up to shoulder height with ONE arm. Granted, I'm not a tiny tike (5'-9" 180lbs) but I'm not the Incredible Hulk either. Not trying to harrass you but I really expected this amp to kick my arse based on the complaints that I've read around the forums.
Sorry...this just ISN'T a heavy amp. It's not even over 60lbs. BTW, having returned three of these via UPS I have seen these on the scale. The 65lbs listing is generous and includeds the packing material. This amp really only weighs maybe 55 lbs. or so. I actually saw the whole thing in it's factory packaging (double boxed, etc.) tilt the scale at 57lbs.
I'm just like you guys. All I want to do is play music all the time too...but sometimes it helps to lift a weight or do a pushup.
...and the chicks kinda dig it too.
Unless you have serious back issues like fused vertibrae and have had back surgery, you should be able to handle this amp without a complaint. One cool thing is that it *does* comes with sockets to put coaster wheels on it if you want those...of course you'll have to wear a dress to the gig!
Less beer more pushups.
oh man i love that amp dont use any other but that i will never find a head that sounds as clean as my b-100r made in the usa the new ones suck though.
I'm not saying it is just too heavy to move, just the weight/power ratio is not like some of the other current combos (less than 50 pounds pushing more watts).
I ordered a B200r, so it will be interesting to compare the build quality (and of course the tone) with my older B100r.
I ordered a B200r, so it will be interesting to compare the build quality (and of course the tone) with my older B100r.
Yeah, I read alot of complaints about the weight before I bought one so I was expecting a real monster.
After getting it and picking it up...uh...well..."The B100r could stand to be a bit lighter"???
This amp is not heavy. I picked it up with the handle only and lifted it up to shoulder height with ONE arm. Granted, I'm not a tiny tike (5'-9" 180lbs) but I'm not the Incredible Hulk either. Not trying to harrass you but I really expected this amp to kick my arse based on the complaints that I've read around the forums.
Sorry...this just ISN'T a heavy amp. It's not even over 60lbs. BTW, having returned three of these via UPS I have seen these on the scale. The 65lbs listing is generous and includeds the packing material. This amp really only weighs maybe 55 lbs. or so. I actually saw the whole thing in it's factory packaging (double boxed, etc.) tilt the scale at 57lbs.
I'm just like you guys. All I want to do is play music all the time too...but sometimes it helps to lift a weight or do a pushup.
...and the chicks kinda dig it too.
Unless you have serious back issues like fused vertibrae and have had back surgery, you should be able to handle this amp without a complaint. One cool thing is that it *does* comes with sockets to put coaster wheels on it if you want those...of course you'll have to wear a dress to the gig!
Less beer more pushups.
