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Ampeg replacement parts / SVT 2 pro

galore

galore

Supporting Member
May 10, 2006
355
139
EU
#1
Today I got this pretty well preserved SVT 2 Pro. Unfortunately someone decided to drill holes in the top metal plate. I would like to restore it to original condition. The top plate has a bent part on the back side so I can’t just swap it with bottom plate. Does anyone know where I could get a replacement top plate? Fliptops page doesn’t have it listed.

Also, all the bottom rubber feet are missing, I would need those, too.

Thanks in advance.


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#2
Whoever did that did an excellent job… BUT it violates safety standards because the holes are large enough for a piece of conductive material to enter.

It’s a custom top, what about epoxying a metal screen cloth flat to the underside of the cover where the holes are? That’s how a manufacturer would address large openings, or punch code appropriate sized holes in the first place.
 
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#3
Thank you for suggestion. The plate is already touching the transformers so adding another sheet underneath it would bent it even more. I would also like it to be aesthetically unaltered and the amp will not be placed in a rack case so full plate would help to prevent any debris entering the amp.
 
#6
If the top is already touching the transformers, that’s not right… were the transformers replaced with non-stock parts???

There should be a thin rubber sheet between the transformer and the sheet metal to prevent mechanical noise.

I think there’s more to this story than you know about.
 
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#8
Gervais Cote said:
I saw something similar before but the guy glued a metal window screen mesh underneath to impair fingers to get inside. He then sprayed the whole cover with a can of satin black paint.
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There’s woven metal screen that’s slightly flattened that some manufacturers use. I that we used it on the M-2000. That might give you an idea.
 
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#13
I used to get custom speaker grilled from Reliable Hardware, but it seems like they've stopped providing that service.

If you don't have any luck finding an intact replacement lid, you could order a perforated steel panel to match the size of the top you have, then attach it to the underside of the lid.

This pattern would match the back of the amp - and it looks like you could have it trimmed to size:
www.mcnichols.com

Hexagonal - Perforated - Carbon Steel - 16642722 | McNICHOLS®

1664272231, 16642722M2, 16642722M3 McNICHOLS® stocks Perforated Hex Pattern, Carbon Steel/Cold Rolled, 22 Gauge, Mill Finish, 1/4" Holes on 9/32" Staggered Centers, 79% Open Area, Each, Minimum Solid Margin on Both Edges. Call or email us for a quote today.
www.mcnichols.com www.mcnichols.com

The feet are probably a standard Penn-Elcom style. I'd suggest large feet for a heavy amp like that.
Ampeg should be able to tell you what screw size to use.

Most importantly, Ampeg can specify what LENGTH screws to use - you do NOT want to use a screw that's too long.
If the screws poke too far into the amp enclosure, they could short out against something carrying lethal voltage.
 
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#15
groovaholic said:
I used to get custom speaker grilled from Reliable Hardware, but it seems like they've stopped providing that service.

If you don't have any luck finding an intact replacement lid, you could order a perforated steel panel to match the size of the top you have, then attach it to the underside of the lid.

This pattern would match the back of the amp - and it looks like you could have it trimmed to size:
www.mcnichols.com

Hexagonal - Perforated - Carbon Steel - 16642722 | McNICHOLS®

1664272231, 16642722M2, 16642722M3 McNICHOLS® stocks Perforated Hex Pattern, Carbon Steel/Cold Rolled, 22 Gauge, Mill Finish, 1/4" Holes on 9/32" Staggered Centers, 79% Open Area, Each, Minimum Solid Margin on Both Edges. Call or email us for a quote today.
www.mcnichols.com www.mcnichols.com

The feet are probably a standard Penn-Elcom style. I'd suggest large feet for a heavy amp like that.
Ampeg should be able to tell you what screw size to use.

Most importantly, Ampeg can specify what LENGTH screws to use - you do NOT want to use a screw that's too long.
If the screws poke too far into the amp enclosure, they could short out against something carrying lethal voltage.
Click to expand...

The SVT-III (not the 3 Pro) had a service bulletin back around ‘93, partly caused by me, because of the length of the screws for the feet. I was rack-mounting my amp in the top section of the SVR-215 cab, and the holes of course didn’t line up with the feet attached. I removed the feet and, not knowing whether those screws held anything else together, put them back into the case. I started having noise issues, and blew a circuit breaker. Took it to the dealer for service and of course put the feet back on before I did, figuring it would be sitting on a bench. They could find nothing wrong. Sent it to Ampeg who also found nothing wrong. Long story short, another SVT-III owner with the same problem, and who also put the screws back in place without the feet, found that one of the screws contacted the mains terminal inside, putting the whole chassis at potential! Contacted Ampeg, who still had my amp on their bench, and got an “ahhhh, now this makes sense!” response. They immediately shortened the length of foot attachment screws in production and issued a TSB explaining the issue and clarifying that the screws are not needed if the feet are not being used.
 
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#16
Don't mean to derail the thread too much but do any of you have an idea about how big a rack should the SVT II Pro have? It will fit in a 4U or something but does it keep it's cool if it's crammed in the rack?
 
#17
leonard said:
Don't mean to derail the thread too much but do any of you have an idea about how big a rack should the SVT II Pro have? It will fit in a 4U or something but does it keep it's cool if it's crammed in the rack?
Click to expand...
Yes, 4U is the size I believe. If you have it crammed in a rack there’s a hack, just drill some holes in the top plate to keep it venting, or we can trade top plates 😆 joke aside, I assume the amp was designed for front-to-back cross flow with back plate perforated and the position of the fan.
 
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#18
galore said:
Yes, 4U is the size I believe. If you have it crammed in a rack there’s a hack, just drill some holes in the top plate to keep it venting, or we can trade top plates 😆 joke aside, I assume the amp was designed for front-to-back cross flow with back plate perforated and the position of the fan.
Click to expand...
I don’t think so, it’s not front to back because the front panel is solid.

There were several versions, some had no fan and some had an odd bottom to top fan. I haven’t seen any others.

Because of this, I would expect that an extra unit above would be helpful since these amps run pretty hot.
 
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#19
galore said:
Yes, 4U is the size I believe. If you have it crammed in a rack there’s a hack, just drill some holes in the top plate to keep it venting, or we can trade top plates 😆 joke aside, I assume the amp was designed for front-to-back cross flow with back plate perforated and the position of the fan.
Click to expand...
Everything explained above.
Mine sits in a 5U rack.
I might use a 4U rack one day for convinience but I'll add another fan on the back of the amp to pull the air off the inside.
 
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