• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ampeg Heritage Line

#263
ishouldbeking said:
i think it's pretty fascinating to see people getting upset over Ampeg offering exactly what folks have been whining and pleading for the last few years. And you're surprised its more expensive? OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE. That's why they moved production in the first place. US production had become far too expensive to maintain a profit without raising the price by a large amount, and they were well aware Joe Consumer probably wouldn't keep buying Ampeg at a higher price point. So then they moved it overseas, and the bitching began. The complaints that they didn't lower price, even though it seems to me that the overseas move was a desperate attempt to MAINTAIN the original price. Unless I missed something, and i admit i didn't read all 13 pages of this thread, these new USA ampegs are being offered IN ADDITION to the overseas models. SO WHY WOULD ANYONE COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT?!

If you want a cheaper overseas ampeg, buy one. For those that all along just wanted a better SVT, hopefully this will be it, and they can pony up the extra several hundred bucks and get one. How is this any different than Fender having a USA series and MIM series?

In all seriousness though, it never ceases to amaze me, the capacity to whine about anything and everything on this board. You're being given MORE CHOICES... horrible, isn't it?
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. It's always something for people to complain about. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Then production will stop and we won't have a choice, again. I am reconsidering my earlier post. It is alot of money, but it is built here!
 
#265
JimmyM said:
if the goal was to recreate the 70's ampegs for the skunkworks heads, they wouldn't have used the mti redesigned circuit subbing 12ax7's and 12au7's for 12dw7's.

anyway, i don't work for ampeg, so what do i care, but i do like the fact that they're trying to do the right thing after 4 years of that idiot jaime engen.
Click to expand...

They try to make people believe, that thay do it right.
And it seems they succeed if I read around here.

No 12AU7 worked in a Skunkworks SVT. It was just 3x12AX7 directly substituting the 12DW7. Exactly 2 resistors were soldered in the 100% original 70s circuit. There were just no 12DW7 around that time. Neither JJ manufacturing them nor too many NOS supplies.
Many 70s SVTs in those times where modified the same way.

Desoldering these two resistors takes 5 minutes. So I did with my Skunkworks SVT - put in JJ 12DW7 and it was just like my 74 SVT - using 3x12DW7, 1x12AX7, 1x6C4, 2x12BH7 and 6x6550. No reissue comes that close. The MTI used different transformers and the VR uses different tubes and now even different transformers and god knows what else.

Still I believe they have no reason to change their asian iron supply for the heritage SVTs. Whether they are assemled in US, China or India. Why would they? And why would not mention if they did?

I am looking forward for the first test magazin deboweling one of those heritages and comparing the innerts to the stock Chinas.
Curious if the ONLY difference - as announced in the add - is...
...the tubes.
:D
 
#266
dDaddybass said:
I agree 100%. It's always something for people to complain about. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Then production will stop and we won't have a choice, again. I am reconsidering my earlier post. It is alot of money, but it is built here!
Click to expand...
ya, i did the same thing for the same reason. it's not a perfect plan at the moment, but it's better than nothing.
 
#267
sedan_dad said:
Lets see what gets shoved out at us.
The Cl isn't bad , but it's different.
The AV is the same as the above.
The VR is interesting but it's just that , a reissue.
(Notice I didn't call any of them a SVT)
An original SVT is an original SVT. Anything can be fixed (short of a new board) in the old heads.
Click to expand...


Ok, I am a little late to this thread, but what Sedan Dad says!? If this going to be a US built CL with upgraded tubes and a different look, it doesn't mean it's going to sound like a vintage SVT. I have owned a US built CL with upgraded tubes, it doesn't sound like a vintage SVT. Not a bad amp, but it's not a vintage SVT. They were a lot closer with the VR. Am I missing something? I read through 14 pages. Why would they be focusing on the CL? IMO, the VR is better sounding head than the CL even with upgraded tubes. The tone isn't there with the CL, in comparison to a vintage SVT. Folks who have owned them both know exactly what I am talking about. This isn't some imagined difference. The tone is different. Much better to my ear. I have to be missing something with this Heritage line.
 
#271
My bet: these are nothing but American assembly of the same components that get assembled overseas, with premium tubes instead of Sovteks. Makes me pleased that I own a US made CL.

By the way, my VR showed up at my gig last week. I let it warm up, set up the bias and balance, and the tone was fabulous. HOWEVER... it hummed like there was an open jack when there wasn't anything plugged in. I took it back. Now I'm sad because I loved the tone of this monster, but it had an unacceptable amount of hum. I'm in Canada, and that amp cost me $2200. No amp should make that much noise, and especially not any amp worth $2200.

I guess Ampeg is going to ask me to pay an premium to have some quality control person in the US to test it before it gets shipped to me, because otherwise I seriously doubt there's going to be any difference in components.

Oh, one last thing. Someone earlier mentioned "point to point" wiring like the old SVTs. They were never built with point to point wiring. They always had circuit boards.
 
#272
I would have loved to have seen a Heritage VR released now as well.

I ordered an SVT-VR in late August. Loud was out of stock at their US distribution centres at the time. As of a few weeks ago, they still haven't been able to supply a Korean made unit. I wish I could get an answer as to when they will have them available. I was hoping that there would be some word coming out of NAMM.

I suspect that their goal with the Heritage CL is to test the market and see what they can get away with in terms of price. The VR is going to be even more expensive. If they started with that model, there would have been too much sticker shock. With the CL, they can ease into it.
 
#273
derridiandrift said:
My bet: these are nothing but American assembly of the same components that get assembled overseas, with premium tubes instead of Sovteks.

Oh, one last thing. Someone earlier mentioned "point to point" wiring like the old SVTs. They were never built with point to point wiring. They always had circuit boards.
Click to expand...

Thats my words... :D

Point to point:
Read post No. 224!
 
#276
Its funny how people criticize about stuff beign done out of the US... Hoss you are in Austria, would it be cheap if Ampegs where made in Austria since they wouldnt be made in the US anymore? would you not buy it? comeon this whole made in where got on my nerves allready..
 
#277
Lalo said:
Its funny how people criticize about stuff beign done out of the US... Hoss you are in Austria, would it be cheap if Ampegs where made in Austria since they wouldnt be made in the US anymore? would you not buy it? comeon this whole made in where got on my nerves allready..
Click to expand...

This discussion has been covered in SO many threads here.
Lets stick to the Heritage Ampegs, how they look, how they are built and how they compare to the "stock" AssembledInSomewhere Ampegs.

Of course it would NOT be cheap to produce it in Austria.
But who wants a cheap amp when looking for an all tube Ampeg?

If I want a cheap amp, then I go for Behringer or Hartke.
 
#278
We heard the new Ampeg gear yesterday, and I was honestly impressed. The Heritage head and cabs do sound really great. I'm not sure how much was the head and how much was the cab, but I do think that folks who are really into Ampeg will hear a difference.

The Pro Neo line of cabs was also impressive. They are made in the USA by EAW, and they rocked with the SVT 8Pro!

We'll have pics and video up soon.
 
#279
Hoss said:
This discussion has been covered in SO many threads here.
Lets stick to the Heritage Ampegs, how they look, how they are built and how they compare to the "stock" AssembledInSomewhere Ampegs.

Of course it would NOT be cheap to produce it in Austria.
But who wants a cheap amp when looking for an all tube Ampeg?

If I want a cheap amp, then I go for Behringer or Hartke.
Click to expand...

I do know that has been covered everywhere that is why im so tired of people reffering to such..
Sure it wouldnt be cheap to produce in Austria but it wouldnt be US made anymore, the whole point is that if it does sound good to you and it makes it for you then that is great no matter where it was made at or assembled at..
 
#280
tombowlus said:
We heard the new Ampeg gear yesterday, and I was honestly impressed. The Heritage head and cabs do sound really great. I'm not sure how much was the head and how much was the cab, but I do think that folks who are really into Ampeg will hear a difference.

The Pro Neo line of cabs was also impressive. They are made in the USA by EAW, and they rocked with the SVT 8Pro!

We'll have pics and video up soon.
Click to expand...

That's great news! The pro neo 15 is looking pretty intriguing... i wonder how it'd do as a standalone cab for small-club indie-rock gigs... My Orange 115 might just have to wait til i hear one. end derail, sorry :)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back