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Ampeg Serial Number Date Code

#21
Anderbass wrote:
Digit 4 = Country Code where:
U = U.K.
D = domestic U.S.
W = worldwide
Y = Europe

I am expecting svt-cl head from UK and I'm from central Europe. What are differences between uk and eur model...?
 
#23
Shouldn't be any, really, unless you all have a different power voltage. That's the big difference in models made for overseas...the transformer accomodating higher voltages.
 
#25
NKUSigEp said:
Europe uses 220V, 50 Hz power whereas the US and Canada uses 110V, 60 Hz as standard. You can't just plug in an electronic device in Europe that was made for the US (and vice-versa) without some sort of converter.
Click to expand...
I believe that is the very reason that in 1969 , The Rolling Stones went on tour with Ampeg SVT's.
Their amps (english Hi Watts I beleve) blew up when plugged in here in the states.
The rest is history.
 
#26
Does anyone know when the speakon jacks would have become standard on Ampeg cabs?

I own two 410HE's, one with them and one without--ADPDKI0053 and BKIDO40012.

According to the dating scheme posted earlier, the first is from 1998 and the second is from 2002, so it must have been between those years that the speakons were introduced.


My head, a 450-H, however is numbered DJCD8B0055, which if the year code continues to Z before going into numbers would imply that the head was made in 2022, which I'm pretty sure it was not.

Even if that was possible, I bought this head new in June of 2007, and the month code indicates that it was made in December, presumably of 2006, so I'm going to go with an 8 in the year field meaning '06.

That would then indicate that there is either a gap in the alphabet or some other anomaly in the dating code (sounds like the matrix is at work). If the code continued using letters, 2006 would be S.

But since 2006 is 8, then it must start using numbers starting in 1999 with the number 1.

This seems kind strange...they would have run out of 1-digit numbers in 2007 if that was the case. Maybe there's another explanation?
 
#28
instead of posting a new thread, i figured it better to add on to this one... i have two ampeg 810's, both of which are craigslist specials... crudely refinished, no serial numbers, painted, weird upholstery, new grill cloth, etc. I figured the best way to date them was by the speakers.

Cab 1 (my fav)
-Plastic Ampeg logo (might not be original)
-only one 1/4" jack
-kickback/towel bar, but the cab doesn't look like two 4x10's: there are little triangles of wood on the sides where the cross bar would be
-Square back speakers w/ numbers on back of magnet
-top #580155-2
-Bottom #67-7905

Cab 2
-Metal Ampeg logo and plastic Classic logo on bottom right
-only one 1/4" jack
-kickback/towel bar, looks like two 4x10's when grill is off
-round back speakers w/ number on sticker on the side of the magnets
-big #86-023-10
-top small #10324
-bottom small #67-94501053
-G2 is written on far right hand side
-top number on speaker cone back #45610-1
-bottom... #464

sorry, most of the info here is for dating cabs based on jack plate serial number. any info would be appreciated. there are so many numbers, that i don't know where to start.
 
#32
I realize this is a bass forum, but I can't find much info on Ampeg guitar cabs, so hopefully one of you fine folks can give me some direction -
I have a V412BV cab (4X12 with Celestion Vintage 30s) The serial number - C4VBE50014 - does not follow the scheme of the post 84 serial number scheme listed in this thread. Do any of you know how to date an Ampeg guitar cab? Thanks in advance.
 
#35
Now I see why my Ampeg combo (B3) isn't very common in the US... I'm assuming the "country code" is the "destination market code", and my B3's serial is #BFJWLA0082, which means "worldwide", 1999, november. And it says "made in USA" on the back.
 
#37
Interestingly my VR which I bought in May last year has a serial number which dates it to January 2007 (EFXUTA...), which I think should mean it was still being made in the USA, yet it states made in Vietnam. Not an issue to me as the amp has been faultless.
 
#38
PolkaHero said:
Glad this thread popped up again. I'm able to date my SVT-VR/810 to May of 2006 which is quite some time before Ampeg shut their USA factory and started making them overseas. I've got a good one!:D
Click to expand...
you've got a good one because slm quit making them out of chipboard by then. trust me...there are plenty of bad ones made by slm. being made in the usa is no guarantee of quality, just like being made in korea or veitnam is no guarantee it's going to suck. i would much rather have a new one made in korea than one of those chipboard 810e's.
 
#40
JimmyM said:
you've got a good one because slm quit making them out of chipboard by then. trust me...there are plenty of bad ones made by slm. being made in the usa is no guarantee of quality, just like being made in korea or veitnam is no guarantee it's going to suck. i would much rather have a new one made in korea than one of those chipboard 810e's.
Click to expand...

Jimmy, I was talking more about the amp, sounds like you're talking about the cabinet. How does one tell what the cabinet is made out of?
 

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