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Ampeg V-4B —???????

BlackDog Music

BlackDog Music

Oct 4, 2016
76
143
#1
Hey, Kooky Kats -
I posted a while back about Bongos and got a great field of responses - I ended up getting one and it’s now one of my main two gigging basses.
My next piece of gear I’m lusting after is an Ampeg V-4B. I have a fliptop and LOVE the tone, but I’ve found that unless I’m playing small places with an acoustic band it just can’t keep up. I currently use a GK 500W head and it’s got more than enough power, but man do I miss that Ampeg tone.
Now, realistically, I’d love to just say F*** it and go for the SVT, but honestly, I’m not interested in embarking a second glorious hernia surgery (no joke) and that much tube power for the places I play is ridiculous. Cool, but ridiculous.
So, does anyone have one? Love it? Hate it? Good for medium venues? Loud enough?
 
#3
I like having options, so I have a B15, B25, V4, and SVT among others. If I had to go with one and only one of those amps it would be the V4. For me, with the right cabs, I've not needed more volume, but I also don't mind a little hair on my tone and use pedals for drive when I want that. If you want huge clean volume 100 watt tube amps probably would be my first choice.
 
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#6
I love my V-4 and had a V-4b that I ran it in stereo with for a while. They’re great amps that work with pretty much any instrument or cab you want to throw at them. Mine keeps up with loud punk and metal bands with an efficient 215 on bass, and I use it for guitar in another on a 412. For most settings I feel like a V4 and a 212 or 115 that’s reasonably efficient would be fine volume wise.
 
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#8
Love mine....this was my setup at an outdoor Halloween gig a few months ago...
YS9uhgQ.jpg
 
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#9
FWIW, I was shopping for an Ampeg head late last year and the V-4B was my fav, but I ultimately ended up with a PF-800. My heart was with the V-4B, but my head (and back) won out - easier maintenance, can throw it in a bag, more wattage, able to easily do gigs without PA support, etc. I had a gig last weekend with the PF-800 and it was glorious, that little dude had headroom to spare and got me a perfect tone in the mix.

But I still want a V-4B :woot:
 
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#10
I just picked up a V4 this week. I was a die hard SVT guy all through the 90's. 20 year bass hiatus (back to guitar, engineering and producing through the 2000's w/ minimal bass playing, then virtually nothing the past few years). Back in December had an offer to do an upcoming 20 yr reunion show from my old band. Agreed to do it and decided to round up a bass rig. I played through everything I could find in the stores. I've realized that I'm not a Class D power amp guy :( I understand the appeal for certain bass styles, but I couldn't find anything that I liked, and I played a bunch. Found a great deal on a VT 500 amp that was in the SVT ballpark, but that didn't do the trick.

The SVT was too heavy 20 years ago, so surely would be overkill now. I tried every make of amp out there. I plugged in a V4, and the tone was 90% there immediately. The Ampeg PF series were the closest I could find for a class D amp. I'm guessing it's probably a similar tone stack. I like GK's too, but not quite the tube tone I was looking for. They do their own thing in a very musical way. When we'd fly to gigs without a guaranteed backline (many years ago), I'd always bring my GK RB 800. Great tone..... and pre-911 when you could throw it in your carry on.

I've only had an hour to play with the V4, but the tone is fantastic. I really believe it's the sag/tube compression that makes this and the SVT so special. When you dig in and hit it harder, the dynamics are perfect. It gives when you push, and backs up when you take it lighter. Very similar response to an SVT. All of the Class D's I played had a sterile scoop at the root frequency.... almost a phasey sound. At 1/2 the weight of an SVT, it was a no brainer for me. I really wish I could have found an 8 lb. Class D amp that did the trick for me (for 100's less), but I could not. The quality seems very good. The only negative that I can report is the white rocker switches feel looser/cheaper than what I remember on my SVT's. They work fine.... at least for now! Very impressed so far....
 
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#11
I have two main rigs, one being the V-4B and 212 and I really love it. Matched with the 212, it sounds as great as it looks. Can't ever imagine getting rid of it. It sounds great and is loud. Surprisingly loud. Likely plenty loud enough for most people's needs (maybe not wants if trying to impress 14 yr olds). I just can't say anything bad about it and would get another one if it something happened to it.
 
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#13
BlackDog Music said:
Hey, Kooky Kats -
I posted a while back about Bongos and got a great field of responses - I ended up getting one and it’s now one of my main two gigging basses.
My next piece of gear I’m lusting after is an Ampeg V-4B. I have a fliptop and LOVE the tone, but I’ve found that unless I’m playing small places with an acoustic band it just can’t keep up. I currently use a GK 500W head and it’s got more than enough power, but man do I miss that Ampeg tone.
Now, realistically, I’d love to just say F*** it and go for the SVT, but honestly, I’m not interested in embarking a second glorious hernia surgery (no joke) and that much tube power for the places I play is ridiculous. Cool, but ridiculous.
So, does anyone have one? Love it? Hate it? Good for medium venues? Loud enough?
Click to expand...


Love it. Plenty loud for all situations I've encountered. I have a late 70s V4B and also a B-15 and SB-12. The fliptops are great for practices and general farting around, but for bigger shows, the V4B is it. The speaker cab I've currently settled on is a VT-22 extension cab with two Eminence Beta 12s in it. That, for me, is the perfect balance between plenty of volume and not too ridiculously heavy.

One thing to consider: The older V4Bs are 26" wide. It seems the standard for most Ampeg cabs is 24" (that's one reason I sought out the VT-22 cab.) The reissue V4Bs are 24".
 
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#15
I had a V-4B back in the mid 80's. I wish I never got rid of it.
It sounded GREAT but also needed new tubes, which after they would have been changed out I bet it would have been REALLY great, but the cost of it all was more than I could afford at the time so I sold it.
 
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#16
yaryaryaryar said:
One thing to consider: The older V4Bs are 26" wide. It seems the standard for most Ampeg cabs is 24" (that's one reason I sought out the VT-22 cab.) The reissue V4Bs are 24".
Click to expand...

+1

I had a 70's-era V4B about 10 years ago. I wanted a 26" wide 410 cab to match up with that amp. I discovered that Fliptops makes 410 cabs that are 26" wide for that very purpose (fully loaded with speakers), so I ordered one and I was a happy camper with that rig! :thumbsup:
 
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#18
I have had two SVT experiences. A friend owned one and he was playing a supper club with it. Obviously it was throttled way back as a B15 of any version could have been overkill in this place. The SVT was off stage (a two foot riser) behind the stage so maybe that blocked a couple of speakers. I played for a set so he could hear it. As an aside it was a great little band and later in life my band got the keys/guit/vocal lady. The second experience was the same SVT , one night he decided to disassemble it and clean everything. Some of the cleaner probably had not dried off and when he fired it up it blew a hole the size of a nickel in one of the circuit boards. We all had a good laugh as he was not too bummed out.

My favorite V4B sound was V4B+Bt140 cab. Very close second V4B and a Sunn 200S cab.
 

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