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Ampeg PF500/PF350 Pt II.5

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#361
JimmyM said:
Thinking about using my 210av's with the PF350 tonight. Not sure yet...I guess I'll make that decision when the time comes. I will, however, bust out the old Radio Shack violin bass.

It's times like this I wish TB had a "like" button ;)
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I know it's technically not about a PF500 or PF350, but I used two SVT-210AV's last night with a Mirco-VR (un-modified, but not cranked up too high) at the first practice with the AC/DC tribute band I just joined, and man, it just totally killed! The other guys in the band kept commenting on how cool it looked and how great it sounded. :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
 
#363
tombowlus said:
I know it's technically not about a PF500 or PF350, but I used two SVT-210AV's last night with a Mirco-VR (un-modified, but not cranked up too high) at the first practice with the AC/DC tribute band I just joined, and man, it just totally killed! The other guys in the band kept commenting on how cool it looked and how great it sounded. :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
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Still can't get over you playing with an AC/DC tribute band. That's the coolest!

Anyway, you have put me over the top with this idea...Going to load all this stuff in the van now...
 
#364
You're all going to hate me for asking 5000 posts into this, but does anyone, beyond issues of volume output, find the relatively spartan feature-set of the 350 limiting, or is it just as quick to dial in the good tones like the 500? I would imagine the basic eq is identical, but still....

I am not a knob-twiddler (have a 79 SVT and a Hartke lh500, basic baby), just before I take the plunge on a smaller cafe-rig, am I truly missing something by opting for the 350 over the 500? Is there something the 500 just has over it tone wise?
 
#365
The 350 makes me quite happy. Sure, you have to twist knobs, but the important Ampeg sounds are in there. However, that mid control in the PF500 sure is nice and adds a few extra tones that are cool.
 
#367
hover said:
I am not a knob-twiddler (have a 79 SVT and a Hartke lh500, basic baby), just before I take the plunge on a smaller cafe-rig, am I truly missing something by opting for the 350 over the 500? Is there something the 500 just has over it tone wise?
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I'd go with the 500 if it were me - and by that I mean I went for the 500 :D

Seriously for the extra $100 you get a compressor, foot switchable effects loop with mix adjust, mid-freq adjust, pre/post switching, ground lift, and pad on the DI, high/low boosts, and an extra 150 watts. Will you need all that? Probably not. But if you've got the extra cash it really gives you more flexibility. I had a micro-VR and while the micro-VR (same pre-amp as the PF-350 apparently) can really cop the grunt of a driven SVT, I think the PF-500 is overall smoother sounding and has a little more low mid presence.
 
#368
Much appreciated gents. I just find the allure of a head you can shove in a gig bag for the smaller gigs (and I take it, some much bigger gigs) too great to ignore....call it laziness, call it the writing on the wall, but I am so into smaller rigs these days. Most I've played lately is cafe and med-club size gigs, and already have a go-to "big" rig options...(if you consider a 410 hlf big) but yeah, a single 15 and a pocket head that actually sounds "Ampeg"?? Sounds like a great idea to me!
 
#369
I opted for the PF-350 for a few of reasons. One it is smaller and lighter than the 500. Another is that it does have fewer controls and I was looking for something simple and easy. Also GC didn't have the 500 in stock and I got a great deal on the 350! I would still like to have a PF-500 eventually but at this time it is just a want not a need.
 
#370
hover said:
Much appreciated gents. I just find the allure of a head you can shove in a gig bag for the smaller gigs (and I take it, some much bigger gigs) too great to ignore....call it laziness, call it the writing on the wall, but I am so into smaller rigs these days. Most I've played lately is cafe and med-club size gigs, and already have a go-to "big" rig options...(if you consider a 410 hlf big) but yeah, a single 15 and a pocket head that actually sounds "Ampeg"?? Sounds like a great idea to me!
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And remember, the two heads don't have a large power difference, at 8 ohms.
 
#372
hover said:
Much appreciated gents. I just find the allure of a head you can shove in a gig bag for the smaller gigs (and I take it, some much bigger gigs) too great to ignore....call it laziness, call it the writing on the wall, but I am so into smaller rigs these days. Most I've played lately is cafe and med-club size gigs, and already have a go-to "big" rig options...(if you consider a 410 hlf big) but yeah, a single 15 and a pocket head that actually sounds "Ampeg"?? Sounds like a great idea to me!
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If you get the PF-115 you can fit either of them under the lid ;)

I put my 500 in a laptop bag and sling it over my shoulder.
 
#373
PaperbackRyder said:
Damn you all! ....I'm going to put my Walkabout up for sale and get me back to some Ampeg.
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Now I am definitely an Ampeg fan, but before you sell your WalkAbout, you gotta try this setup:

40thetc008.jpg


The WalkAbout really, really kills with two 210AV's! :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
 
#374
tombowlus said:
Now I am definitely an Ampeg fan, but before you sell your WalkAbout, you gotta try this setup:

The WalkAbout really, really kills with two 210AV's! :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
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Me too. Big Ampeg fan! Got a 7 Pro a month ago & am loving it.

BUT the Walkabout is SUCH a sweet amp. I feel I can make it DO the Ampeg tone with the right eq adjustments, if that's what I feel like.

The Walkabout sounds simply great into many diff cabs, & into the 2 210AV's looks great.
 
#375
The two 210av's ruled my world tonight. Unbelievable. OK, well it was believable because it was doing it, but that Realistic violin bass and the upright sounded as good as I've ever heard them sound. Those cabs really come to life in vertical stack form. Really good dispersion, too. I walked out into the crowd a couple times and checked it, and I could hear the mids and most of the highs all across the dance floor. Totally even response yet every note jumped out and hit you in the balls. And the PF350 looked pretty good on top of the 210av's, too. Tomorrow night I'm going to use my modded Precision with it. I'll try to get a pic.
 
#377
JimmyM said:
I've owned an LMII, but while I don't own a PF500, I have a PF350 and I've played the PF500 loudly a few times. Loudness and headroom are about the same to me. But the PF500 has an EQ that's way more suited to dialing in Ampeggy sounds, and it does a great mild distortion, whereas the LMII only does clean and will clip very harshly if you try to get some grind.

I still have respect for the performance of the LMII/III. It definitely made the world take notice of micro amps. But I judge every amp by how well it cops the sound of the B-15 and SVT, and the LMII did better than most, but it always left me wanting more. The PF500 and PF350 nail it, as you can hear in the clips I just posted ;)
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I have the pf 500 and I love it but I can't seem to get mine to "mildly distort" like you said in your post. Well I can "sort of" when playing through headphones but through my MusicMan 210 it's not apparent.
Where do you set your gain to get the mild grind you speak of ?
 
#378
1. PF350/500. Used to have an LMII. Liked it quite well at the time. Thought it sounded pretty tubey for a clean amp. But the PF stuff is quite a bit warmer and tubier to me. Plus it'll do a great mild overdrive when you crank the gain as well as doing clean tones.

2. It would sound like a slightly less tubey sounding SVT run through a Schroeder Mini 12+L ;) It would also totally rule in your Audiokinesis cab.
 
#379
belgabass said:
I have the pf 500 and I love it but I can't seem to get mine to "mildly distort" like you said in your post. Well I can "sort of" when playing through headphones but through my MusicMan 210 it's not apparent.
Where do you set your gain to get the mild grind you speak of ?
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Really hot, like around 3:00 or 4:00 if you want it to be noticeable. The amount you'll get varies with how hot your bass is, but I used a Danelectro Longhorn a few days ago on a gig and got noticeable overdrive with it, and that's not a very hot bass at all.
 
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