Ampeg bummer

Probably not the answer you wanted, but try the PF800 instead. Very few reports of problems on here...mine's been solid for almost a year now.

 

I hate to say this..... but.... do a search on the PF-500 problems.
Your gonna find LOTS of threads on this head and it's woes.....
I personally had two of them burn out on me.

 

Hope it ends well for you OP but LOUD did a good job of souring me on Ampeg products. I had a BA300 that was in and out of repair before I finally demanded my money back. Replaced it with an SVT6-Pro... until it developed issues. I bought an American SVT after that, it served me well until I got rid of it. I wouldn't even consider owning another LOUD Ampeg product unless something seriously drastic changes there.

 

You said cutting out. Does this mean that the fault light was coming on and the amp cutting out or the sound was coming out the speaker intermittently and the fault light didn't come on. If it's the fault light, they clearly didn't fix the issue properly. It could be the board that they changed or an issue with the connection to or from it. If the fault light isn't going on, I would test the amp with a different cabinet and cable.

In any event, I would return the amp and cabinet so that they can see it running as a unit.

 

Tales of Ampeg woe are rampant. Many of the disgruntled former Ampegers are now happy Fender Rumble owners.

 

I'm a disgruntled Ampeger and I'm now a Genz Benz owner.. and a Traynor owner.. and a Roland owner.. but certainly not a Fender Rumble owner. I'd be interested in seeing how many people actually switched from ampeg to fender. I bet its waaaay less than you allude to.

 

I am starting to think you like the Fender Rumble

 

Well, you would be wrong. We are talking the entire bass playing population of planet Earth and not just this forum.

 

Oh, I see. You're agreeing that basically no one that switched from Ampeg to Fender since we're including the entire populous of the bass players in the world and not just TB.

where is that ducking head smiley face..

 

Well, I would like to point out that the OP bought a used PF500 / 210HE.
That might have something to do with it.
By the way, if the OP stated a used Genz Benz, Trace Elliot or XYZ, it wouldn't have created so much commotion, is my humble guess...

 

I think you missed what the commotion is about.

 

Happened to me 3 times with brand new pf500 heads each time. I decided against the pf line in the end. Problem
Solved. It did sound Stellar when it worked tho.

 

PF800 owner here - over a year no issues - sounds awesome

 

I left "Ampeg" for G-K quite a while ago and absolutely no desire to revisit Fender products.

 

Name 'em...

 

Had the same situation with PF 350 and the 500. Found that the output transformer or transistors kept popping. I have found that they like running into the speakon connector OR the 1/4"- not both. The PF had many cold solder joints and has since been traded out. Knock on wood I still use the PF500 even outside in 50-60 degree weather, although it does get unhappy when the temps fluctuate.

 

Bought the same setup a few months after they came out and they've worked for me since. I agree with Jimmy's suggestion if you have the available funds and like the sound of the PF-500 get a PF-800, they seem to have far fewer reported issues. They're great sounding amps for the price but I wouldn't buy one used unless it came with a solid warranty.

 

Early PF500's are fairly well-documented dogs. Get a PF800 if you like the sound, never heard of one of them failing.

 

Been gigging with a PF-500 for a couple of years now (and I drive it pretty hard.) No issues at all. Maybe I got one of the later ones. Anyway, I dig it. Good tone.