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AMPEG Decision **Please help!!!**

Which with my 610HLF?

  • Total voters
    45
  • Poll closed .
Daywalker

Daywalker

Apr 13, 2005
1,679
16
48
SOCAL
#1
I played my first live gig last weekend, and I didn't have enough juice to cut through the mix quite enough. Please check my sig for details on rig. Anyways, I wanna upgrade heads to either an SVT-CL, SVT-6PRO, or SVT-4PRO. I need all the info I can get on the pros and cons of each. All I keep hearing is "if you can afford tube, go tube." I really don't wanna spend $400 a year replacing tubes (what I've been told) if I can help it. The 4PRO sounded great in Guitar Center yesterday, and so did the 6PRO. I can get a brand new 6PRO for $850, a brand new 4PRO for $1000, or a used (in mint/like new condition) SVT-CL from a local guy for $1100. I'm pretty sure that I can talk the local guy down to $1000 though, he's desperate. :p So, just how reliable are all tube heads? Am I really gonna have to spend $400 a year on tubes? Which head would you go with and why. Please be specific, thanks a lot everyone...
 
#2
Daywalker said:
tube." I really don't wanna spend $400 a year replacing tubes (what I've been told) if I can help it. Am I really gonna have to spend $400 a year on tubes?
Click to expand...

Whoever told you that is insane. You want tube and can afford tube and are responsible enough to own tube, then go tube. You treat it right, and they will treat you right.

fwiw, My friend dropped his SVTIII a year ago from about 5 feet (this thing wieghs 90 pounds almost) and it has been working, without incident or even checkup since that time for many a gig.

Oh, and the CL if you wanna mimic vintage, or 4pro if you want rack mount. the 6 is too much. are you playing stadiums? If so, go for the 6.
 
#3
Im a junior Audio engineer for a company. Ive been the assistant at a few very high scale gigs. Im talking gigs that pull in 100k a night...

And for all of them the classic was always the bass players choice or the engineer mixing that night made sure it was the amp being used.

Its for a reason, it lays a very high quallity fat bass layer for everything. Its simply made so less chances of it crashing. And the sound is simple and usually doesnt even need to be touched on the desk because its so sweet.

My only concern would be maintainence as in changing the tubes. I personally wouldnt want to pay that much ever year or so. And also the weight.

But as a bassist and an engineer this amp is what a bass amp should be.
 
#5
Don't fret the tubes man.....err..no pun intended..


I personally don't have any experience with an all tube head, so I'm just killing time until one of our knowledgable guys comes along.

In the meantime, I recommend checking the stickied posts at the top of this forum. Specifically the one that contains links to other threads. I'm almost certain there is a good link about tube heads in there.

Whoever gave you info about replacing tubes every year is wrong from everything that i've heard on this site.

There are guys on here with vintage heads still running original factory tubes.

Of course thats not normal....I think average life expectancy is around 4 years? This is a guess, I'm probably wrong, but I do know they last more than 1 year easily.

sorry I couldn't be more help
 
#7
to put it into perpective, I run only tube amps. I have a 76 that has only had its tubes changed once (by me). The other is a Silvertone (Sears & Roebuck special) that still has original tubes in it. I had to replace a leaky cap, but the tubes are just fine. After sitting in a basement for 30 years.

As for maintennance, it depends on the amp. read the owner's manuals. you can usually find them online free...often at the manu. site.

www.ampeg.com if you feel like looking.

my maintennance? I clean the outisde, shoot pot. cleaner in the pots every 6-12 months, and blow any dust accumulations off the chassis every year or so. Not to hard, and cost me 5 bucks for the pot cleaner 4 years ago...
 
#8
Mon Rominee said:
my maintennance? I clean the outisde, shoot pot. cleaner in the pots every 6-12 months, and blow any dust accumulations off the chassis every year or so. Not to hard, and cost me 5 bucks for the pot cleaner 4 years ago...
Click to expand...


But honestly, how many people here are willing to make that kind of financial commitment?

Money don't grow on trees......
 
#11
I'm serious!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:







oh wait.....no I'm not..... :cool:


to the subject. I'd get the tube amp. Now that i've got my pre/power rack my focus is on saving for a new bass and a tube amp. So therefore, that's what I recommend....because I want one. You're like one of those beauty pagent kids...I'd be like your old haggered mom and I'd be living my dream through you.

......ok, I don't have a valid reason for you to go tube, but it sounds like you made more than a good arguement too in regards to your early post about their sound.

Big Fluffy Huffy Tooby Gooby Goodness
 
#12
Im going to recommend something different, the SVT II (non pro) model is really nice, and they can be had pretty cheaply on ebay, its all valve, and ive just spent £180 getting mine completelly revalved (pre, driver and power sections) and having a tech look over and check everything on it.

Im looking at the Eurotubes site right now . . . $54 for the preamp/driver section (including balanced tubes for the driver section, which isnt nessicary), and $207 for the power tubes, thats $261, which is a fair bit cheaper than $400, and JJ's are excellent quality tubes, and you wouldnt have to change them every year at all.

When i got mine, it had been used as a workhourse, and used on large festival stages for whole days, and it was still working, altho on the way out, however, as i think mine is from '89, one revalve in 16 years aint half bad . . .

The recommendation of having the power section revalved once a year and the pre/driver section revalved every 5 years is a bit over the top, and pretty much unnessisary!
 
#16
I have fiddled with it quite a bit actually. I was able to get the tone I want out of the 6PRO/4PRO with ease. They both just blew the 3PRO away by far. But if that "should" be enough juice, then I'll look into it further for sure. But that 6PRO/4PRO tone was mighty tasty! I may upgrade to the 4PRO or CL anyways, and then add another 610HLF later. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, toooooooooooooone...
 
#17
I had a CL and it was very nice. I would recomment it if you dont mind carrying an 85 lb head. Dont worry about maintenance. You might replace the tubes once or twice total. Or as mohawk suggested, the II or II pro for a tube amp with more flexibility. Get the 4-pro if you want high power and less weight. I sold my CL for a decent amount less than $1k. If you are patient you may be able to find a better deal.
 
#19
metron said:
I had a CL and it was very nice. I would recomment it if you dont mind carrying an 85 lb head. Dont worry about maintenance. You might replace the tubes once or twice total. Or as mohawk suggested, the II or II pro for a tube amp with more flexibility. Get the 4-pro if you want high power and less weight. I sold my CL for a decent amount less than $1k. If you are patient you may be able to find a better deal.
Click to expand...
The II isnt more flexable really (the non-pro) its just a damned nicer sounding amp :)
 

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