• 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 SVT 50th Anniversary Edtition

Status
Not open for further replies.
#61
greengoblin said:
I guess I never really sat down at thought out the signal path like this and instead concentrated too much on the tube designations rather than the sum of all parts. I was aware of the internals for the 12xx7 series, but not the 6c4. So really then, it would be nice to have a more original layout like the Skunkworks HD or original SVT, basically nothing with newer IC's and such. Go back to the tone roots.
Click to expand...

The Skunk is true to the original signal path and you can easily convert it to 12DW7 to reestablish the original gain characteristics. I believe @bobyoung53 did the resistor swap with his Skunk and noted no significant change in tone.

I have rolled 12DW7s in a couple of amps and only noted slight changes in gain. I suspect this may be because there is not a lot of tonal variance in the tubes, but it could be the circuit designs as well. In rolling 12AX7s, some circuits show a fairly significant shift in voicing, while other circuits show little tonal variation.

I plan to leave my Skunk running whatever tube type it currently has...I think it has 12AX7s, but a previous owner may have done the resistor mod. Regardless...it definitely sounds like an SVT should (IMHO).
 
#62
Wasnex said:
The Skunk is true to the original signal path and you can easily convert it to 12DW7 to reestablish the original gain characteristics. I believe @bobyoung53 did the resistor swap with his Skunk and noted no significant change in tone.

I have rolled 12DW7s in a couple of amps and only noted slight changes in gain. I suspect this may be because there is not a lot of tonal variance in the tubes, but it could be the circuit designs as well. In rolling 12AX7s, some circuits show a fairly significant shift in voicing, while other circuits show little tonal variation.

I plan to leave my Skunk running whatever tube type it currently has...I think it has 12AX7s, but a previous owner may have done the resistor mod. Regardless...it definitely sounds like an SVT should (IMHO).
Click to expand...

My '70 SVT had been swapped to 12ax7's amd I swapped it back as I want to keep it original. Having quite a few 12dw7's, you may save me some time from tube rolling! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: cerrem and Wasnex
#63
greengoblin said:
My '70 SVT had been swapped to 12ax7's amd I swapped it back as I want to keep it original. Having quite a few 12dw7's, you may save me some time from tube rolling! :)
Click to expand...


I doesn't hurt to try...I went through two brands of NOS (Raytheon and GE) and two current production tubes (JJ and EHX). I wound up leaving the JJs in. The NOS tubes sounded slightly better, but the tonal difference was extremely small (verging on imperceptible).

Since then I have added Philips, Mullard, Japanese Mullard clones, Telefunken, and Yugo Telefunken clones to my collection.
 
#64
greengoblin said:
My '70 SVT had been swapped to 12ax7's amd I swapped it back as I want to keep it original. Having quite a few 12dw7's, you may save me some time from tube rolling! :)
Click to expand...
That's a swap back I would have made just to keep it period correct, but I wouldn't do it unless it was that way originally. So much easier to find good 12ax7's and au7's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: greengoblin
#66
InhumanResource said:
For a while country of origin was cited as a difference. To appeal to those who want to make amplifiers great again I guess.
Click to expand...
Do you really want to pay top dollar for a Rolex or Rolls Royce that was made in China? It is mostly brand name and marketing. The Heritage models only appeared AFTER some of the Ampeg artist roster and dealers insisted that LOUD offer a domestic made (assembled) model... but why they choose the Classic instead of the VR still baffels me!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arthur U. Poon and Tim1
#67
RobbieNuke said:
Do you really want to pay top dollar for a Rolex or Rolls Royce that was made in China? It is mostly brand name and marketing. The Heritage models only appeared AFTER some of the Ampeg artist roster and dealers insisted that LOUD offer a domestic made (assembled) model... but why they choose the Classic instead of the VR still baffels me!
Click to expand...

If they were actually made by Rolex, who cares?

I'll take the CL all day long should I decide to spring for a tube amp. It's less money and meets the sane requirements. I also prefer MIJ Fenders. What's the problem?
 
Last edited:
#69
RobbieNuke said:
Do you really want to pay top dollar for a Rolex or Rolls Royce that was made in China? It is mostly brand name and marketing. The Heritage models only appeared AFTER some of the Ampeg artist roster and dealers insisted that LOUD offer a domestic made (assembled) model... but why they choose the Classic instead of the VR still baffels me!
Click to expand...
I love my Heritage CL but ever since the Heritage line started, people were wanting LOUD to do a Heritage 2-channel single volume SVT, and that must have baffled some folks at Yamaha, too, because that's the first thing they did.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blues Marvel, GregC, Arthur U. Poon and 3 others
#70
greengoblin said:
My '70 SVT had been swapped to 12ax7's amd I swapped it back as I want to keep it original. Having quite a few 12dw7's, you may save me some time from tube rolling! :)
Click to expand...

I think I did that years ago when 12DW7's were scarce and I do think IIRC that it made a difference in the sound of that amp and not for the better, it was a 6550 blueline. I did swap a Skunkworks head over to 12DW7's as someone else mentioned here and it didn't sound much different to me. The 70's SVT's have a lot more gain than the Skunkworks heads did and I like the hot amps better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: greengoblin
#75
Ampeg’s year long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the SVT seems to be more about press releases than getting a product out.

  • No information if this is a limited run or a new product in the lineup.
  • A fuzzy mid summer delivery date.
  • No information on street price.
  • No third party reviews.
  • They’ve shown a working prototype but didn’t demo it in the video.
  • No mention of a flatback Heritage 810 cabinet to go with it.

I’m as anxious as everyone else to find out more. They may only have this product available in the last few months of the year.

I wish that they’d pick up the ball and provide some more information. It’s like getting a postdated cheque on your birthday.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Haroldo, Jwood, SactoBass and 1 other person
#76
beans-on-toast said:
Ampeg’s year long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the SVT seems to be more about press releases than getting a product out.

  • No information if this is a limited run or a new product in the lineup.
  • A fuzzy mid summer delivery date.
  • No information on street price.
  • No third party reviews.
  • They’ve shown a working prototype but didn’t demo it in the video.
  • No mention of a flatback Heritage 810 cabinet to go with it.

I’m as anxious as everyone else to find out more. They may only have this product available in the last few months of the year.

I wish that they’d pick up the ball and provide some more information. It’s like getting a postdated cheque on your birthday.
Click to expand...

My recollection from what I overheard at NAMM was essentially that Yamaha is mindful of Ampeg's history and tradition and wanted to get something out for the NAMM show to honor the SVT's 50th anniversary. So you're right to surmise that was the focus rather than the details the buying public needs. I suppose the silver lining (or silver grill cloth?:D) is that Yamaha cares about Ampeg's history and that the answers we seek will eventually come later this year.

Edit: I asked about street price by the way. No one could tell me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyM, beans-on-toast and SactoBass
#78
Mastermold said:
My recollection from what I overheard at NAMM was essentially that Yamaha is mindful of Ampeg's history and tradition and wanted to get something out for the NAMM show to honor the SVT's 50th anniversary. So you're right to surmise that was the focus rather than the details the buying public needs. I suppose the silver lining (or silver grill cloth?:D) is that Yamaha cares about Ampeg's history and that the answers we seek will eventually come later this year.

Edit: I asked about street price by the way. No one could tell me.
Click to expand...
I can at least tell you that the street price will not be the same as it is for a micro VR :-) but the SVT anniversary is this year, and in all practicality, Yamaha has only had seven months to develop it, probably less when you consider all the other stuff that they had to do at the same time when they bought Ampeg. So it was a bit of a rush to get it ready to present at NAMM for sure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lizardking837, beans-on-toast, Mastermold and 1 other person
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back