Ampeg PF500/PF350 - part 3, I think

[fivestringgecko]

Open... I admit, The fx loop is the one feature I don't use. I've tried it a couple times, but I just run my board into the front input. I use a tuner at the front of my board as a mute and for silent tuning, so I just never really bother with the fx loop I guess.

Ok, just so I don't have to re-read the entire thread, question: are the shut-down problems isolated to the PF500, or have there been problems with the PF350 also?
Thanks.

I can't speak to any PF350 cutting out issues people might be having, but my problem with my PF500 was due to user error, my own fault. It's my first amp with an on-board compressor and I would leave it dialed up while I set the gain, which can lead to overloading the preamp. After emailing Ampeg and getting that explanation, I make turning the compressor off before setting the gain knob part of my pregame ritual and haven't had the problem since.

5sg.

 

[mellotron]

... It's my first amp with an on-board compressor and I would leave it dialed up while I set the gain, which can lead to overloading the preamp. After emailing Ampeg and getting that explanation, I make turning the compressor off before setting the gain knob part of my pregame ritual and haven't had the problem since.

5sg.

I have never had the cutting-out problem, but I now follow Ampeg's advice via 5sg's posts - just to be safe.

 

[Latanza Heist]

I bought the PF500 and a PF115.

I want to get a 2nd cab. So do I get the 210 or the 115?

 

[Slackerprince]

I bought the PF500 and a PF115.

I want to get a 2nd cab. So do I get the 210 or the 115?

Common wisdom is to go with matching cabs, from what I've learned here.

S

 

[SkiFor3]

I bought the PF500 and a PF115.

I want to get a 2nd cab. So do I get the 210 or the 115?

I've got the 210 and just ordered another one. I was tempted to go with the 115 due to all of the love it has been getting but figured i'd stick with matching cabs. A lot of people like having the 2 x pf-115 so that's the way i would go.

 

[JimmyM]

Ya, I've heard that the 210 and 115 go well together, but I don't take any chances, and they both sound so similar that there's nothing to be gained by mixing them.

 

[fivestringgecko]

I have never had the cutting-out problem, but I now follow Ampeg's advice via 5sg's posts - just to be safe.

I guess it's actually written in the manual for an older Ampeg amp to do it that way. I forget which amp it is, but someone posted about it in this thread. Not sure why they didn't put it in the PF500 manual if it could cause an issue.

I bought the PF500 and a PF115.

I want to get a 2nd cab. So do I get the 210 or the 115?

I debated about getting a 210 or another 115... I liked my first PF115 so much that I decided to go with another for a full 2x115 stack (aka. matching cabs like others have mentioned) or "so I have a backup." While I'm sure the 2x10 is good... I can tell you, the 2x115 stack is pretty frickin' killer. Huge warm low end, but still capable of good modern spank.

If you're interested, I played a recent gig with my full Portaflex setup and have a few of the tracks posted to my Soundcloud page. Check out our version of Come Together below to hear hear it best. I've got a solo at 3:08 and we also did some trades towards the end. I was playing my '06 MIA Jazz V (Quarter Pounders and Audere JZ3) with no effects on, and recorded the show with just my Zoom H4n on a small tripod by the soundboard. I wish it was a nice mic on the rig, but it'll give you and idea.

Please forgive the rough edges, it was a pickup gig and we had a total of about 1 1/2 hours of rehearsal time and had never played together before ! The keyboardist put the gig together and she was, um..... less than organized. lol

5sg.

 

[timber22]

Well, unfortunately I joined the PF500 problem club today. Was just playing it here at home for about an hour and all of a sudden it cuts out, the fault light comes on and nothing. I shut it down, waited a while, tried to fire it back up, but still got the fault light and no sound. I've had it less than 2 weeks and it hasn't left my house.

I received my replacement pf500 head today. Fired it up and worked up to normal volume and EQ settings very carefully. This one seems to be working fine. Crossing my fingers that I have no more issues.

 

[SkiFor3]

Fyi. Someone just posted in the hot deals thread that amazon.com is selling the pf-115 for $305. Good opportunity to get that second cab.

 

[Latanza Heist]

Fyi. Someone just posted in the hot deals thread that amazon.com is selling the pf-115 for $305. Good opportunity to get that second cab.

I'm in the UK and I paid £317 for the cab which is $490.05!!! I guess Ampeg/Fender are much, much cheaper in the USA.

The first gig I played was in a 350 person hall. Didn't need to go through PA. Ran that sucker with the master at 3 o'clock. Everyone commented on how beautiful it sounded. Clear, crisp with growl and a lot of low end balls.

 

[AREA]

Went to the Musicstore today... I was GAS ing for a new Head. I have bought the t.c.electronic BH500 Head, but i didn't liked it at all. Sounds very sterile in my Ears and the tweetertone did something with the Highs..... Didn't liked it, so I gave it back.

Tried a few Lightweight Heads and I came Home with the Ampeg PF500 Really great warm, round Tone, Easy to handle and was just a few Moments and I've had my Tone.

My Bandmates from the Rehearsal this Evening liked it too. They said also it sounded much better, more natural that the t.c.. One of the Guitarists said..."The Ampeg Tone", but it's my first Ampeg Head, so I can't verify this...

I run it at a TC BC212 Cab and it sounds great. I have another one in our other Rehearsal Room with the other Band. So I can run it@8 Ohms in Rehearsals and small Gigs and on bigger Venues i'll take both BC212 Cabs to run it @4 Ohms

Great: I've had an old Case from an AKG Wireless System and the Head fits in perfekt, so it's easy to carry.

 

[DalibortheBeast]

I got news today that my head is being replaced with a brand new one. I had the cutting out problems that some others are having with the 500.

Anyway, I'm thinking of adding another 15" cab. When looking for a matching cab should it be the exact same. I have the pf115 but I found an older b115 for cheap. Does it matter that the b115 can only handle 200w.

 

[Wes Whitmore]

Can anyone say something about the "Power-Rating" of the PF500? I've read some Statements, that say for the rated 500 Watts the Amp would not be loud enough? Is that so?

I'm planing to run this little Head with one or two 8Ohms 2x12" Cabs...

I have the pf-500 and a GK MB500 (the new one). I have no means to do any scientific testing, but I just tried a non-scientific test between the two. I cranked both volumes all the way up ("volume" on the ampeg and the clean "master" on the GK), then I plugged my bass directly into the efx return of each amp. I just turned the bass guitar volume up a little, and left it (enought to hear it, but not enough to blow the 1x10). I plugged a speaker cable from each speaker into the cab, and took turns switching speaker and instrument cables and playing for a while. I can't hear any volume differences. The output of the amps are really close.

It's all in the preamps and the voltages and EQing. Who knows what is going on there. They are built very differently. The sound drastically different.

What I was very surprised to hear was that even in the effects return, they didn't sound the same. The GK still sounded like a GK, and the Ampeg has a warmer sound to it. The GK was a bit hissy when cranked, and I could hear more fret noise and clank than the smoother Ampeg. So there is still some sound shaping being done with at least one or both of these amps, even at the efx return. Oh, the Ampeg sounds the same with the bass plugged right into the amp in connection as well. You just can't control the volume with the amp anymore.

I really love this PF-500.
Wes

 

[JimmyM]

I got news today that my head is being replaced with a brand new one. I had the cutting out problems that some others are having with the 500.

Anyway, I'm thinking of adding another 15" cab. When looking for a matching cab should it be the exact same. I have the pf115 but I found an older b115 for cheap. Does it matter that the b115 can only handle 200w.

I believe they should be the exact same, yes. The b115 uses a different speaker and is voiced differently. The power handling is fairly irrelevant, but the possibility of introducing phasing issues is pretty high with two differently voiced cabs coming out of the same head. So I'd say get two of the same. It's a little more expensive (although Amazon is having a year end blowout with them apparently), but worth it in the long run.

AREA, I've been using Ampegs pretty much all my life, and the PF heads are, indeed, Ampeg tone.

 

[ddbassGA]

Fyi. Someone just posted in the hot deals thread that amazon.com is selling the pf-115 for $305. Good opportunity to get that second cab.

I could not get that price to come up on Amazon. I'm actually in the market for a 2nd pf115. MF has lightly used/return ones for 319 and honoring the 15% off, but I'm wary of a used cab unless they'll warranty it.

 

[SkiFor3]

I could not get that price to come up on Amazon. I'm actually in the market for a 2nd pf115. MF has lightly used/return ones for 319 and honoring the 15% off, but I'm wary of a used cab unless they'll warranty it.

Yea i went and looked and couldn't get that price either. whoever posted it on the other thread removed it as well. Amazon will frequently lower the price then bring it back up after one is bought. So maybe that is what happened.

So, My PF-210 came in last night. I got it from MF and got a great price on it with the coupons they were doing. So I open up the box and it is a returned cab. You can see that a PF-500 was attached to it at one point as there is holes in the tolex. Also when I took the lid off there was a power cable, speaker cable and the attachment screws where in there loose stuck to the magnets of the drivers. I am not very happy about it. There was no indication that this was a used or returned cab.

 

[AREA]

Really great Head the PF500 I love how it sounds... Any Issues about the Reliability?

Seems to be solid buildt.... but now it has to pass the Test of Time...

 

[MrM]

Fyi. Someone just posted in the hot deals thread that amazon.com is selling the pf-115 for $305. Good opportunity to get that second cab.

I got one from Amazon for $309.31 yesterday. It is back to $399.99. When I placed my order it said there were 11 in stock. Now there are 10 in stock. So it appears SkiFor3 may be correct, after someone buys they go back to the original price.

 

[iDylan]

i've been using an SVT400T through an ampeg 810 for touring regularly. was heavy as balls and lately hasn't been very dependable. decided yesterday that i was over hauling that many pounds of unreliable amp around, so traded it in at GC and picked up a PF500. i haven't even gotten to play it through my rig yet but we are headed to canada in a couple days for some shows so i hope to be able to comment on it then!

here is a picture with the PF500 in my rack along with a power conditioner and a couple of "rackmounted" pedals. The whole package is SO much lighter than before!

 

[ddbassGA]

I got one from Amazon for $309.31 yesterday. It is back to $399.99. When I placed my order it said there were 11 in stock. Now there are 10 in stock. So it appears SkiFor3 may be correct, after someone buys they go back to the original price.

Good for you! Glad someone here scored the loss leader. MF is 15% off right now and I'm sorely tempted at $340, but it would be sweet to find one even cheaper.