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Ampeg B-15 thread... first ever?

#181
BG6654 said:
I've been craving a more powerful tube amp not as large as SVT but could handle a moderate band format if need be.
I've not played thru or heard live the new B15R but was hoping at 100 watts w/ext cab it would be answer. The attraction was mostly the watts and newer features, XLR out, etc..
Anyone have this set-up that likes it??
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a B15R and ext cab. The B15R by itself can keep up with two guitarists playing 2x12 combos and a moderate rock drummer, and it's well more than enough volume for any blues band. With the extension cab it really fills it out more.
Like Main_sale, I also switched my tubes out to EL34's, it immensly changed the tone to sound more vintage like the original, it's very easy to cop the tone of the original now.
You can still easily find the B15R new or used, but it is near-impossible to get extension cabs anymore since they discontinued them back in '02/03.
It has been my favorite recording and small gig amp for a few years now.

DSC01139.gif
 
#183
Where could I possibly find the original knobs (4 of em) for my '68 B15N? Fliptops.net is out of stock. I currently have chickenhead knobs for both bass and treble on both channels. Also, would it not be possible to play this in a club type setting as long as you miked it? Southern rock/blues type stuff, not a loud drummer...All I need is to hear myself, right? Love the tone! Forgive me as I am new to the low wattage/miked cab thing!

Ok, heres a pic!

b15 special.jpg
 
#184
denton57 said:
Where could I possibly find the original knobs (4 of em) for my '68 B15N? Fliptops.net is out of stock. I currently have chickenhead knobs for both bass and treble on both channels. Also, would it not be possible to play this in a club type setting as long as you miked it? Southern rock/blues type stuff, not a loud drummer...All I need is to hear myself, right? Love the tone! Forgive me as I am new to the low wattage/miked cab thing!

Ok, heres a pic!

View attachment 64669
Click to expand...

nice portaflex.

I have no idea as to where you can get the knobs, but as for using it live, you could mic it, or you could get yourself a DI box, (e.g. radial jdi) which will allow you to use it two ways:

1. as a direct send to the board between your bass and your amp. This will not sound exactly like the portaflex. it will be completely accurate with no coloration. This allows the sound guy to have more flexibility with the acoustics of the space.

2. you can use the second ext. output on the portaflex (make sure your primary connection to the cabinet is hooked up) and plug that into the JDI. then use the JDI's outs to send the signal to the board.

no mics, no power concerns since the JDI is passive.
 
#186
I've long wanted a B15N head and cab for practice and recording. As they never seem to come up in decent condition and price here, I've been thinking about doing a clone and getting my mate to build some furniture grade cabs as he owes me from the last job I did for him.

Does anyone have the dimensions, porting etc of the later theile cab? I have a variety of drivers on hand, incl D130, K140 and a few others I could try.

I also have all the amp parts except the OPT, though I have plenty that would substitute, or if I feel active enough, I'd fire up the winder and make some. I'll email Heyboer too and see if they do a RI.

Should make a fun 'it's winter and I'm bored' project.
 
#187
denton57 said:
Option #2 sounds good. I have yet to play this on any gig. I just bought some NOS 6L6GC RCA blackplates for it, and this thing just sounds sweet!
Click to expand...

I hope you got a great deal on those tubes.

re: the DI box, I re read the manual and you may want to use the "EXT. AMP" output instead of the "EXT. SPEAKER." According to the manual, the JDI will mimic a 12" speaker, if you use it that way.

Instead, just go from the EXT. AMP jack to the JDI input and press the 15db switch.
 
#188
A9X said:
I've long wanted a B15N head and cab for practice and recording. As they never seem to come up in decent condition and price here, I've been thinking about doing a clone and getting my mate to build some furniture grade cabs as he owes me from the last job I did for him.

Does anyone have the dimensions, porting etc of the later theile cab? I have a variety of drivers on hand, incl D130, K140 and a few others I could try.

I also have all the amp parts except the OPT, though I have plenty that would substitute, or if I feel active enough, I'd fire up the winder and make some. I'll email Heyboer too and see if they do a RI.

Should make a fun 'it's winter and I'm bored' project.
Click to expand...

you'll probably spend a lot more money building one yourself than if you buy a good condition one on ebay. However, I am not trying to dissuade you from your project. I'll see about measuring the cab. I kind of want to make another myself.
 
#189
madlee said:
you'll probably spend a lot more money building one yourself than if you buy a good condition one on ebay. However, I am not trying to dissuade you from your project. I'll see about measuring the cab. I kind of want to make another myself.
Click to expand...
They're rare in Australia in decent condition and cost, and I already have almost all the parts and can gat a cab for timber cost alone. There are a few detail circuit changes I'd make too in a DIY, that I wouldn't do in a vintage amp (resale).

I'd appreciate the dimensions for the cab if you can post them. Cheers.
 
#191
madlee said:
I hope you got a great deal on those tubes.

re: the DI box, I re read the manual and you may want to use the "EXT. AMP" output instead of the "EXT. SPEAKER." According to the manual, the JDI will mimic a 12" speaker, if you use it that way.

Instead, just go from the EXT. AMP jack to the JDI input and press the 15db switch.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I got a matched pair off ebay. It arrived with 6L6WGB's in it, which sounded great but a little midrangey and a little shy on the low end.
 
#193
Psycho Bass Guy said:
I avoid plain 6SL7's for that very reason. I think they're ALL microphonic. There is a stash of about 50 NOS 6SL7's from the 40's and 50's locally and I want no part of them. I've had VERY good luck with 6SL7WGT's, the military shock rated version, which have shorter plates and better supports. Of course there's always the 5691.... ;)
Click to expand...

I've heard that the sylvania brown base are especially good. PBG, do you have any suggestions as to which 6SL7-WGT is preferable?
 
#195
I guess I can throw in my two cents worth. I've had my 60's B15N for a number of years now. It too came with the stock CTS speaker which had been newly reconed. The amp had a fair amount of hum indicating a re-cap job on the filters. As I had the required multicap in stock I soon had this done. Much quieter, however the output stage was very unstable. After a little use one or the other 6L6 would glow cherry red accompanied by a loud hum. A change of tubes revealed exactly the same problem. I traced this down to the grid leak resistors (270K) for the output tubes. They were OK but my RCA tube manual gives a maximum of 100K for a 6L6GC in fixed bias. I replaced the resistors with 100K and the amp has been perfect ever since. At the same time I doubled the size of the caps feeding the grids to maintain (roughly) the time constant of the network.

A short power cut caused the 5AR4 to light up like a christmas tree and blow the fuse. I added a 25 ohm 10W power resistor between the rectifier cathode and the 30mfd main filter and that solved that problem.

I think that the differencce between the 115V that the amp was designed for and the 126V that I get in my home was probably causing some of the problems. IMHO anyone who owns one of these amps should do the mods that I did to ensure stability.

I replaced the stock speaker with a JBL 2225 and the difference was night and day. It really sounds nice but nowhere near loud enough to gig with.

Paul
 
#196
I am REALLY interested in the B-15R!!! That extension cab is cool too, did NOT know about that!

Stupid question: does the extension give more volume, tone, or what??

Now, here is the rub for me: I have the Ampeg B200R and B100R and love these combos. The B-15R is supposed to be AMAZING in the tone department, what being tube and all, but those tubes on top all exposed, that just makes me nervous. Is that casing stable???

Also, it seems more folks use the B-15 for recording more than anything (not a bad thing, it would be worth having one for that reason alone) but how are they for live playing? Would it just make sense to have one to record with (sans extension cab) and stick to the B200R for live, which I love already?
 
#198
Check out my Avatar!!! Oceanwaves Studios in Nashville...nice sounds B-15N. I also owned one for a period of a year that I bought in Bham for a steal at $450...it was a steal because it had a Pyle Driver 15" speaker in it and then needed a cap job and new power tubes...so there was the rest of the money.

Amazing Amps!!! GAS GAS GAS!!!
 
#199
I should be picking one up in Tennessee on Saturday. It is a 60's blue diamond tolex B-15. It has replacement speaker in it, but I am getting it for $450, so I can't complain. There is a local tube amp wizard named Richie Hall and I am going to have him go through it and get it as close to stock as possible, including the right speaker if I can find one.
Any ideas where to start looking?
 

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