Ampeg V-4B gigworthy?

[Alex Huddleston]

I did.

I guess I should say "most" people don't buy it for the clean tone, although it is amazing I feel like it is marketed as more of a "dirty" amp, or the SVTs little brother that's easier to push into a power tube distortion.

The point I'm trying to make is it's going to be plenty of volume for most people (out of the right cab/s). There is even plenty of clean headroom on tap with the volume dimed and using the gain as a volume control for me. I do run through a SVT410HE and a SVT1510HE though.

on a side note, I was never a fan of fuzz until I ran a big muff through the V-4B. So much dynamic and articulation that I was never able to get out of any of my solid state amps!

 

[Son of Wobble]

I guess I should say "most" people don't buy it for the clean tone, although it is amazing I feel like it is marketed as more of a "dirty" amp, or the SVTs little brother that's easier to push into a power tube distortion.

The point I'm trying to make is it's going to be plenty of volume for most people (out of the right cab/s). There is even plenty of clean headroom on tap with the volume dimed and using the gain as a volume control for me. I do run through a SVT410HE and a SVT1510HE though.

on a side note, I was never a fan of fuzz until I ran a big muff through the V-4B. So much dynamic and articulation that I was never able to get out of any of my solid state amps!

Which fuzz pedal rules them all in combination with the amp, in your opinion?

 

[JimmyM]

I guess I should say "most" people don't buy it for the clean tone, although it is amazing I feel like it is marketed as more of a "dirty" amp, or the SVTs little brother that's easier to push into a power tube distortion.

The point I'm trying to make is it's going to be plenty of volume for most people (out of the right cab/s). There is even plenty of clean headroom on tap with the volume dimed and using the gain as a volume control for me. I do run through a SVT410HE and a SVT1510HE though.

on a side note, I was never a fan of fuzz until I ran a big muff through the V-4B. So much dynamic and articulation that I was never able to get out of any of my solid state amps!

I agree with everything you said except the first paragraph. Ampeg markets them as amps that will do both clean and dirty tones. The idea that any company markets tube bass amps solely for people who like dirt is a creation of the internet. Sometime ago, someone saw a video of someone cranking a tube bass amp way up, that person said in Bass Player Magazine that he likes to crank them, and the uninformed on the internet ran with that idea and spread it so far and wide that many people think it's gospel, when nothing can be further from the truth. Sure, people do like to do it, and as you said it sounds fantastic. But many of us are old enough to remember a time when dirt was to be avoided (what were we thinking???) and we bought SVT's and V4B's for the sole purpose of playing loud and clean. That was why they were invented, too. The coolness of the power tube distortion was very much an afterthought.

 

[bassgrackle]

I agree with everything you said except the first paragraph. Ampeg markets them as amps that will do both clean and dirty tones. The idea that any company markets tube bass amps solely for people who like dirt is a creation of the internet. Sometime ago, someone saw a video of someone cranking a tube bass amp way up, that person said in Bass Player Magazine that he likes to crank them, and the uninformed on the internet ran with that idea and spread it so far and wide that many people think it's gospel, when nothing can be further from the truth. Sure, people do like to do it, and as you said it sounds fantastic. But many of us are old enough to remember a time when dirt was to be avoided (what were we thinking???) and we bought SVT's and V4B's for the sole purpose of playing loud and clean. That was why they were invented, too. The coolness of the power tube distortion was very much an afterthought.

I actually have a hard time getting mine to get distorted. But then again my tubes maybe in need of replacement. (Not sure how old they are. I got the amp second hand).

 

[JimmyM]

I actually have a hard time getting mine to get distorted. But then again my tubes maybe in need of replacement. (Not sure how old they are. I got the amp second hand).

Really? Mine goes into power tube distortion with the master cranked all the way up and gain past 11:00 using a P. Now it doesn't go into preamp distortion until I hit about 2:30 on the gain and it stays kind of mild, but it will do it.

 

[bassgrackle]

Really? Mine goes into power tube distortion with the master cranked all the way up and gain past 11:00 using a P. Now it doesn't go into preamp distortion until I hit about 2:30 on the gain and it stays kind of mild, but it will do it.

I drove the gain all the way up and then brought in the master to get the volume I needed with a 1960 CS Fender J and a 1979 Stingray both with flats and neither would break up. Am I doing something wrong, or are my tubes on there way out?

 

[Basshappi]

........ But many of us are old enough to remember a time when dirt was to be avoided (what were we thinking???) .......

I know, right?! So glad I got over it!

 

[JimmyM]

I drove the gain all the way up and then brought in the master to get the volume I needed with a 1960 CS Fender J and a 1979 Stingray both with flats and neither would break up. Am I doing something wrong, or are my tubes on there way out?

I don't rightly know. Gain all the way up should get you something, though. Won't be much but it's something. Tomorrow I will try mine out and see what kind of results I get, but I'm pretty sure it works well to do that.

 

[Korladis]

I guess I should say "most" people don't buy it for the clean tone, although it is amazing I feel like it is marketed as more of a "dirty" amp, or the SVTs little brother that's easier to push into a power tube distortion.

The point I'm trying to make is it's going to be plenty of volume for most people (out of the right cab/s). There is even plenty of clean headroom on tap with the volume dimed and using the gain as a volume control for me. I do run through a SVT410HE and a SVT1510HE though.

on a side note, I was never a fan of fuzz until I ran a big muff through the V-4B. So much dynamic and articulation that I was never able to get out of any of my solid state amps!

Tube power amps respond way differently to fuzz pedals, in my experience. I don't get the same fatness with them through solid state amps as through tube amps.

I drove the gain all the way up and then brought in the master to get the volume I needed with a 1960 CS Fender J and a 1979 Stingray both with flats and neither would break up. Am I doing something wrong, or are my tubes on there way out?

Maybe not hitting the strings hard enough?

 

[somebrains]

I know, right?! So glad I got over it!

Oh man, the whole "sounds like my bass" sterile and balls out loud thing.
I like SVTs and tube gear in general for the overtones my hands produce.
Modern solid state gear can get close, but they're approximations of a narrow ideal electronic phenomenon.

I like the interactions of my entire signal chain thru analog gear.
It's not as sterile as flooring a Infiniti G37.

There's a visceral thing when you hit the sweetspot on your tube gear.
It's a lot like running a carb'd car thru the top of it's torque curve.

 

[murphy]

Every show I have played through tube rigs were memorable....for greatness....except dirty sounding Traynor YB200 through a 210 outdoors

Every other show , not so much

But lazy and tired and in pain me, takes my micros to every gig

 

[Alex Huddleston]

Which fuzz pedal rules them all in combination with the amp, in your opinion?

I only have a EHX Bass Big Muff at the moment. It sounds great through the V-4B, especially with my Darkglass B7K stacked after it. I use the B7K as an always on boost/overdrive with a lower drive setting and a slight bump in the mids. It really adds definition and tightens up the fuzz when I click it on.

I'm really wanting to try out the Fuzz Master General, Erupter and Cloven Hoof by Earthquaker Devices. Seems like all of the effects they make are really musical and unique.

 

[Korladis]

I only have a EHX Bass Big Muff at the moment. It sounds great through the V-4B, especially with my Darkglass B7K stacked after it. I use the B7K as an always on boost/overdrive with a lower drive setting and a slight bump in the mids. It really adds definition and tightens up the fuzz when I click it on.

I'm really wanting to try out the Fuzz Master General, Erupter and Cloven Hoof by Earthquaker Devices. Seems like all of the effects they make are really musical and unique.

I use a Dunwich Du-95 for my fuzz needs. It works nicely going into an already somewhat overdriven amp (or another overdrive pedal).

 

[rodl2005]

I did.

I did too

I do use it's power the od sometimes, and very occasionally, it's pre amp drive, but primarily for its goodie gorgeous clean tone.
It's why I got my Fender Super Bassman too. Both amps are just sublime run clean. drooldrooldrool

 

[rodl2005]

I don't rightly know. Gain all the way up should get you something, though. Won't be much but it's something. Tomorrow I will try mine out and see what kind of results I get, but I'm pretty sure it works well to do that.

You ain't plugged into the active/padded input?
Stingrays and Jazz's often both have less output than the good ol Precision.

P basses will overdrive a tube amp pretty early ime, but if ya really wanna bring the dirt, my Gibson EB4 2014 model with the dual humbuckers (a la T-bird) will get it filthy real early on.

 

[Billy Dutton]

I don't know for sure. I have experienced similar results and years ago I remember reading about some "law of diminishing returns" with speaker doubling and efficiency gains...but I don't remember the specifics, or if its an actual thing.

Also have you considered the volume drop may be perceived up close but not at a distance. Given two identical speakers: Right next to the speaker (in the pressure zone) I think you would notice a drop in volume because the speaker is getting half the power. However with twice the speaker area (and a rather large area at that), the system is coupling with the air to convert mechanical energy to sound much more efficiently. Outside of the pressure zone, you may still find a gain in SPL. I am not an engineer, so this is supposition.

Hey Wasnex, do you know if (and is it a good idea) to put 3 8 ohm speakers staked with the new V-4B reissue? Thinking about the Mesa powerhouse cabs, 2 115's and 1 810.

 

[Wasnex]

Hey Wasnex, do you know if (and is it a good idea) to put 3 8 ohm speakers staked with the new V-4B reissue? Thinking about the Mesa powerhouse cabs, 2 115's and 1 810.

That represents a bit of an impedance mismatch as the resultant load is 2.7ohms. A mismatch is going to be a bit harder on the amp and tubes, and also lower the amount of power the amp produces.

I would go with either the 810 or the pair of 115s instead of running all three cabs. IMHO one of these options will sound better and produce more volume, and also provide the expected load for your amp

If you really want to try running all three, it would be best to contact Ampeg to see if there are any concerns running a 2.7ohm load and whether the 2 or 4 ohm tap should be used. The answer regarding which tap to use varies by amp.

 

[Billy Dutton]

That represents a bit of an impedance mismatch as the resultant load is 2.7ohms. A mismatch is going to be a bit harder on the amp and tubes, and also lower the amount of power the amp produces.

I would go with either the 810 or the pair of 115s instead of running all three cabs. IMHO one of these options will sound better and produce more volume, and also provide the expected load for your amp

If you really want to try running all three, it would be best to contact Ampeg to see if there are any concerns running a 2.7ohm load and whether the 2 or 4 ohm tap should be used. The answer regarding which tap to use varies by amp.

Roger that. I'm leaning on going with 2 Traditional Powerhouse 115's for flexibility on gig size but saw a used 410 that got me scratching my head.....but 2 115's should be the ticket me thinks.

 

[Wasnex]

Roger that. I'm leaning on going with 2 Traditional Powerhouse 115's for flexibility on gig size but saw a used 410 that got me scratching my head.....but 2 115's should be the ticket me thinks.

Whenever I have auditioned Mesa PH cabs, the 15s were my favorites by a long shot. I would try what you have. If you find you like the 810 better than the 15s, consider the 410.

 

[baxter_x]

That represents a bit of an impedance mismatch as the resultant load is 2.7ohms.

My guess is it shouldn't be a problem with the amp set to 2 ohms. But it's just my guess....