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Ampeg dissatisfaction

#41
Waltsdog said:
I have the same experience with a non tube Ampeg (svt pro 5 I think) and an 8x10 just couldn't get a tone I really liked even after spending ages fiddling and reading the manual. I assume it's something I don't like about the built in tone combined with being a dullard with the knobs on the Ampeg, when I use my GK head with the same cab I find it difficult to get a tone I don't like. There may be nothing wrong with your amp at all.
BTW I play punk and some rock.
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Yeah. I'm kind of wondering that, too. I've heavily considered making the switch to GK here recently. Could be that the Ampeg needs some TLC, but I'd hate to put money into repairs only to find out that it still isn't what I'm looking for
 
#42
My opinion is the 810e comes alive with more power and volume and a svt3 just doesn't have it. It's a great head for smaller cabs but really the 810e sounds a bit lifeless with smaller amps and even big aMos at lower volumes. It's when you have a powerful amp and can really crank it where it comes to life. These days I use a 410he with the same speakers as the 810e and people are shocked at how loud I still am even with cab half the size. I crank the heck out of them. If you have a decent compressor or hpf you can get those cabs shockingly loud. And I've been cranking ampeg cabs since 2001 and have yet to have a single issue, no blown speakers, no cone creasing. They hold up great.


Caleb Mills said:
Alright, so I'm on a thread posting tear today because I just discovered how to post new threads!

So, right now, I'm playing either my Fender MIA Jazz bass, or a Fender MIM P bass with Duncan 1/4 pounder pickups into an Ampeg SVT-3 Pro and an Ampeg 8x10 cab. Honestly, I'm really just not impressed.

I've read a lot of threads on here about the SVT-3 Pro's lack of volume/power, but it's not really the volume that I'm dissatisfied with. I've tried just about every tone setting I can think of, but nothing really seems to give me that "oh, yeah" sound. Is this because the SVT-3 Pro just isn't "my" amp?

Sometimes I feel like maybe it's the cab, but then again, it's a 8x10 cab... which is like, the holy grail of bass cabs. Plus it looks awesome sitting up on stage towering over everyone else's gear. =P

I used to own this little Ampeg combo amp. It was a 115 of some sort, and even it used to rattle my pants off. Heck, I even used to play on an old old old Peavey 115 combo, and it would give me a headache from how much awesome low end I could get. Ever since I switched to this "professional" stack, it haven't been able to get back that chest thumping sound.

after doing my own research and spending hours here on TB, I think it's either the SVT-3 Pro that just isn't cutting it, or it's the cab. Maybe I need to put together a 4x10 cab on top of a 115 cab stack?

I play worship music at my church, and I play out in indie/alternative rock, and punk rock bands. Totally open to any EQ suggestions, gear suggestions, whatever. Just help get that "yeah" sound. Keep in mind that I'm getting married in 3 months, so I really can't afford ridiculously priced boutique amps and cabs. Thanks, dudes!
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#44
Caleb Mills said:
Here's something that is probably better suited for a different thread, but I'm going to say anyway... Maybe I need to switch to active basses? Like I said, I used to get that face-tingling low end with combo amps, and I've never used an active bass. But maybe that's an option that should be considered now? Seems like doing that would be just a short-term remedy to the real problem though...
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When i played as a drummer in a cover band our bassist used a Warwick active with a small Hartke amp. He once showed us how different his bass sounded like when he switched it to passive - the diff was huge....active sound was big and warm compared to the passive sound which was thin.
 
#49
Unhappy with my Ampeg SVT 4 PRO and 810e cab, I brought my stack into my local music shop and played through every combination of my head with different cabs or different heads paired with the 810. I settled on getting rid of all my Ampeg gear since I couldn't get any clarity if either piece was involved in the setup. I ended up trading my stack across for a brand new Mesa M6 head and Epifani UL2 2x12 cab. The store was happy receiving my old head and cab since Ampeg stuff sells like crazy, thanks to their popularity, and I was happy to upgrade tonally. Some years later, after selling almost all my gear for rent money while in university, I revisited trying to make combinations of Ampeg gear (SVT and SVT PRO heads, assorted cabs) work for me, but it was all so mediocre at best. Ampeg gear was impressive to look upon (especially the 810), at first, but underwhelming when listening to it perform and even more so when compared to many other things. I would recommend Mesa M6, or GK rb-II series from my experience.
 
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#50
I did a service on one a couple of months ago. While re-tubing it i noticed it was all 12AX7s in there. There is, from memory meant to be 1 x 12AU7 in the output stage but it had a 12AX7 in there too.
This is the way ampeg delivered it (i know because it was my amp originally from new and the person who brought it from me had never opened it up).

The 12AU7 delivers lower gain but higher current and made a small but noticeable difference in there.

Also, i found you are best to ignore the clip light on the input. Crank the gain a bit more and let the red light glow. It sounds way better with the red light on;).

So i would 1. check the tubes and 2 .crank the gain a bit more.

If i had have done this earlier i may not have sold it after 2 months...
 
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#52
If you get your amp checked out, there is nothing wrong with it and you still don't like the tone then go to your local music store and find what you like best. You can ask people all day but they don't have your ears. I love my SVT-CL + 8x10 but that doesn't mean you will.

You mentioned John Mayer and ever live gig I have seen the player (mostly Pino) was using an SVT-VR and 8x10.
 
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#53
Caleb Mills said:
Yeah. I'm kind of wondering that, too. I've heavily considered making the switch to GK here recently. Could be that the Ampeg needs some TLC, but I'd hate to put money into repairs only to find out that it still isn't what I'm looking for
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I A/B tested Ampeg against GK and to me the Ampeg was better. If I didn't play Ampeg I would play Hartke.

But the Ampeg 8x10 cab is not my favorite cab.
 
#54
Also I can 100% guarantee jimmy is not paid to play Ampeg gear nor is he paid to come on here. That is a very insulting thing to say to someone that basically their opinion is for sale. Don't blame him that his talent brought him something a lot of people would love to have. If they called me I would gladly take a discount and early access to gear.
 
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#57
Caleb Mills said:
It's just too midrange and high for me. It's either that or ridiculously muddy. It never sounds smooth and deep. It has this snappy, bright quality that I really don't like. I've played both my P with rosewood fingerboard and my jazz with maple and both just sound like absolute garbage. Really tinny and snappy and just gross.
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Perhaps its not the amp fr you then. I love mine.. But like I said, I like a midrangy, HiFi tone.

Good luck with your quest for tone either way!
 
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#58
Slpbass81 said:
Also I can 100% guarantee jimmy is not paid to play Ampeg gear nor is he paid to come on here. That is a very insulting thing to say to someone that basically their opinion is for sale. Don't blame him that his talent brought him something a lot of people would love to have. If they called me I would gladly take a discount and early access to gear.
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Thank you and Bass 45 for the kind comments.
 
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#59
Have you used this setup on a gig? If you have been used to small combo amps then the difference is huge to suddenly get these speakers up near your ears. I'd be surprised if that low end wasn't there but you are now hearing lots more mid and highs. If you cannot get something usable in a gig setting then I'd suggest something in the signal chain is faulty.
 
#60
I'd put your head up for sale and when it sells, take the cash and put it towards an SVT CL. That 810 was designed to do 1 thing......deliver the boomy goodness that only an Ampeg all tube head can give you.

Don't take my word or anyone else's for it either. Call around and see who has an 810 and a SVT CL, VR and got give her a test drive.

One other thing, when I switched to SVT gear, I also ended up switching strings. Thomastik jazz strings do amazing things through my rigs. The clear lows, punch, boom and all around tone those strings brought into my life was a game changer.
 
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