ampeg svt roots?

[foamingowl]

Hey everyone,
i've recently come into possession of this ampeg svt. I was told it's an 80's model and i've heard of the MTi versions and skunkworks versions, however this particular amp has a square front and a serial number sticker HD-1058. Can't seem to find any country of origin.
Any info regarding the exact date of this amp would be great.
thanks!
Jim

 

[Vanni]

It seems an MTI, made in Japan...

 

[foamingowl]

yes, it does...but does that mean all MTi versions have square fronts and if it's got an HD serial number doesn't that mean it's an HD version?

 

[Tom Howland]

I have a friend who has one of these.

It's sounds great.

I dig the look too.

 

[JimmyM]

If it wasn't for the box, I'd say it was a Skunkworks. Everything else checks out. The HD serial #, the logo plate being under the jacks instead of the on-off switches. But all the Skunkworks heads I've seen have been in slanted boxes.

 

[foamingowl]

thanks for all the replies so far,
here's a view of the entire back...it would it have the brass plate if it was a skunkworks, right?

 

[RickenBoogie]

Good looking amp reguardless, huh? Sounds good too I assume?

 

[foamingowl]

it has replaced my svt 6 pro...and just doesn't compare, ridiculously sick.

 

[thumpbass1]

Looks like an MTI box to me. Still a pretty fine head if this ends up being an MTI era
SVT. There are quite a few players who love them.

 

[ggunn]

Hey everyone,
i've recently come into possession of this ampeg svt. I was told it's an 80's model and i've heard of the MTi versions and skunkworks versions, however this particular amp has a square front and a serial number sticker HD-1058. Can't seem to find any country of origin.
Any info regarding the exact date of this amp would be great.
thanks!
Jim

From what I can tell in here it looks just like mine. Mine is an MTI, I am told. I love the sound but hate the hassle of moving it around. It pretty much never leaves my studio.

 

[jarrod cunningham]

unless someone has changed the head box its a mti . BUT !!! , take the front grill off and take / post pics of the guts of the amp . from what ive read and been told all of the mti heads had 5 elna caps black in color . the skunks has silver looking caps . however , ther were a hand full of heads that ampeg assembled in the usa from left over parts shipped back from japan . i had one , but mine said in the silkscreen made in the usa . do a seach and maybe you can find my old thread about it . i had a lot of posts and good info .....

 

[Jerrold Tiers]

Yep, Elna caps = MTI.

If you look at it and are familiar with older Japanese electronics, the MTI units scream "Japanese electronics" . Totally typical.....

 

[foamingowl]

yes thanks...i'll go have a look and post the pics.

 

[foamingowl]

So here's the inside...the fan says 1986. The tubes are GE.
What is it????
also there are 4 black caps one says Elna one says Japan and there's one grey cap.

 

[foamingowl]

like this...

 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

It looks like a VERY early SLM-assembled model made of leftover MTI parts stock. Can you get the serial numbers off of the transformers?

 

[foamingowl]

the one on the right front says:
320829-1
2 142-TK

 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I can't get any of those numbers to cross on my EIA reference. I could be missing it, but I'd say it's because your filament tranny is Japanese in origin. BTW, where on the transformer did you get those numbers? I have an MTI and its filament tranny serial numbers aren't visible at all from the front.

 

[jarrod cunningham]

it looks like a regular mti to me . the transformers look like the lighter color which are the mti era . the caps are definately japan mti elna caps . it all looks right to be a mti and from what i can gather all slm assembled mti svt's had assembled in the usa or made in the usa in the right rear label box . mine did .

 

[jarrod cunningham]

heres the thread i did a while ago about my suspicious svt i.d. problem ... theres a lot of good info you need ..... www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328381