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Ampeg V4 Club

#722
chrissquire said:
Hi guys. It's been awhile since I posted. I was robbed of a bunch of gear last fall and the theft was so below the belt that I sunk into a depression and didn't play for months. But I've started to move on and have managed to save some money and started buying gear again. I realize this is all way off topic and I apologize for that, but I promise this is all leading up to an issue I'm having with an Ampeg V4 I'm caring for. So, after the theft of TWO GK800RBs I had been ampless for several months. Fortunately they didn't get any of my cabinets. Recently the owner of the club I work at acquired an Ampeg V4 with a matching Ampeg 4x12 bass cab. The rig sounds beautiful. Every bass player from any band who has come through and used our backline has wanted to take it home with him. As the house sound man and stage manager I've taken liberties with the amp and have been using it until I can afford a new amp of my own. I also have first dibs on this should he ever sell it. A few weeks ago I started noticing a troubling "chirpy" sound in the first input jack, and eventually just used the 2nd input instead. Then the 2nd input started chirping. Then it was just a really loud, non-stop painful chirping noise whenever I plug into either input.

My first question is, what do you think it could be?

My second question, being that I'm not really a guitar amp tech, though I've had good luck so far in fixing both of the two solid state amps I opened up and improvised repair jobs on, do you think it's unwise to attempt to dismantle the V4 on my own and poke around myself to try and figure out what's wrong and if I can fix it myself? I've already started and, admittedly, I'm becoming apprehensive. Taking this apart will not be an easy task. But my goal is to learn how to fix amps, so I figured, "why not?"
Click to expand...
A chirpy sound suggests to me a microphonic tube. However, don't take my word for it since I'm not a tech. But that would be the fist thing I'd check for.

Sorry your stuff got stolen, but good for you getting back on the horse. I've had it happen and it sucks bad. But they can't take your abilities, so don't let it get you down too much.
 
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#728
StuartV said:
How does the B25-B sound compared to an 810 flatback? Is the B25-B sealed? The pic I was just looking at looked like it had a couple of small ports to one side, between the two drivers.
Click to expand...

I'm sure someone answered this by now, but I used to run my V4 through a B25B cab with replacement EV speakers. Tons punch in the low end, but not much else. I sold it to a friend when I bought an early 70s flatback with the original speakers and I love the flatback, but honestly they're just two completely different cabs. Not exactly comparable IMO. My personal favorite tone is my flatback with my V4, then I run a Peavey Mark IV as well into either a borrowed 2x15 or modern 8x10, or if I'm lucky, another flatback
 
#729
Additionally, here is my V4. Early 70s (either '71 or '72, I was told) which I run into an early 70's flatback 8x10 with original speakers. The flatback to the left is not mine, but it is awfully nice having two in the same room.

1675dvq.jpg
 
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#730
z11111 said:
Additionally, here is my V4. Early 70s (either '71 or '72, I was told) which I run into an early 70's flatback 8x10 with original speakers. The flatback to the left is not mine, but it is awfully nice having two in the same room.

1675dvq.jpg
Click to expand...

can't wait for lovechild!

i'd really like to talk gear with you sometime, your rig has always blown me away
 
#732
Hey guys,

I am not sure if this club is still active, but I picked up what I think is a '72 V4B in May and scored a V4 cab this summer. I tried to attach a photo, but it needs a link. (It's my first photo, so it will take me a while to figure out)

I have grill cloth from Fliptops and the question is, is there a front/back to the grill cloth? My hope is to convert the cab for bass, but reading other threads, it is likely to be expensive!

Oh, and are there still numbers for this club?

(For the record, because it is interesting to track the current pricing, it was $600 for the head (recapped, serviced, 3 original+1 era power tube, original preamp tubes) and $250 for the cab (original CTS speakers))

kim.
 
#733
Steve Marquez said:
Can I join? I just got it yesterday! It's my first tube amp and I love it. Does anyone have an idea what year it is?
Click to expand...

z11111 said:
Additionally, here is my V4. Early 70s (either '71 or '72, I was told) which I run into an early 70's flatback 8x10 with original speakers. The flatback to the left is not mine, but it is awfully nice having two in the same room.

1675dvq.jpg
Click to expand...

saxman_singcan said:
Hey guys,

I am not sure if this club is still active, but I picked up what I think is a '72 V4B in May and scored a V4 cab this summer. I tried to attach a photo, but it needs a link. (It's my first photo, so it will take me a while to figure out)

I have grill cloth from Fliptops and the question is, is there a front/back to the grill cloth? My hope is to convert the cab for bass, but reading other threads, it is likely to be expensive!

Oh, and are there still numbers for this club?

(For the record, because it is interesting to track the current pricing, it was $600 for the head (recapped, serviced, 3 original+1 era power tube, original preamp tubes) and $250 for the cab (original CTS speakers))

kim.
Click to expand...

Of course this page is active, there is now a reissue of this incredible amp!!! We should be seeing an influx of new members in a few months ;) To post a picture, take the http link and add
after the link.

z111111: I love that rig! I bet it must just kill. Did you get a chance to run both of the amps together?

Updated list:
#1: Birdman14; V4B
#2: Floridabwoy; V4
#3: Phoenix Crush; V4
#4: Silenttodd; VT22
#5: SwansonEricJohn
#6: lowend1; V4, V4B
#7: nouroog; V4B
#8: Pedro; V4B
#9: Nashvillebill; V4
#10: coreyfyfe; V4
#11: BobbyXIII; V4, V4B
#12: Bassics; V4B
#13: J-O; V4B
#14: tapehead Ted
#15: tombowlus; V4B
#16: JimmyM
#17: paidtheprice; V4, VT22
#18: lazyone2; V4B
#19: StuardV; V4
#20: JvN; V4B
#21: JMac4strngr; V4
#22: 68Goldfish; V4B
#23: anderbass; V4
#24: wartonbass; V4BH
#25: Turock; V4BH
#26: Kramerbassfan; V4
#27: 2behead; VT22
#28: big stubby; V4B
#29: tallchris; V4B, VT22
#30: 3l3phantstomp; V4B
#31: themacinator; V4B
#32: ampegfuzz; V4B
#33: RockBobby; V4
#34: Hamerguy; V4BH
#35: zanzibar jorge; V4B
#36: karter2000; V4
#37: LowerBeef; V4BH
#38: Billy-Bob; V4
#39: Coughdrops; V4
#40: jbass62; V4
#41: Spinal Tapper; V4B
#42: 2behead; V4
#43: bassbobh; V4BH
#44: LH1000; V4B
#45: Bert Slide; V4B
#46: Epidrake; V4
#47: TheCush; V4
#48: subbasshz; V2
#49: Jazz_bass2664; V4
#50: throbbinnut; V4B
#51: Alex1984; V4
#52: Stiles72; V4BH
#53: gastric; V4
#54: Birdbrain; V4B
#55: Dave44; V4B
#56: the dude; V4
#57: jumbodbassman; V4
#58: FenderLove; V4BH
#59: denton57; V4B
#60: bsmithgrind23; V4B
#61: CoopNasty; V4B
#62: 68PBassDave; V4B
#63: Bass 45; V4, VT-22
#64: Old Fart; Vt-22
#65: TussinBot; V4B
#66: debris; V4
#67: astack; V4B
#68: Groovy_Gravy; V4B
#69: BassSurfer; V4
#70: 3mrrhythm; VT-22
#71: christw; VT-22
#72: Henko; V4B
#73: j_rod; V4B
#74: seventhsunbass; V4
#75: dubstylee; V4
#76: matthewcowley; V4B
#77: Ang1970; V4B
#78: Glenn Taylor; V4
#79: doudoubasse; V4
#80: Ben714; V4
#81: sedan_dad; V4BH
#82: dukeisdog; V4BH
#83: nayisthereason; V4B
#84: LordRyan; V4, V4B, BT-25
#85: Steve Marquez; V4B
#86: z11111; V4
#87: saxman_singcan; V4B
#88: lyla1953; V4BH
#89: bigtexashonk; V4B
#90: bsuttonbass; V4B
#91: Vintagefiend; V4B
 
#735
Okay, here goes. I will try to upload, but only as an attachment for now. (It's just a quick iPad photo, so I could only do landscape...in case anybody was wondering:))

~'72 V4B with 'matching' cab.

Going to be changing the grill cloth when I figure out which side of the new material is the front. Also, you probably noticed that the metal A badge on the cab is on the on the wrong side. I will be fixing it up when I change the cloth. At some point, someone took off the cloth and reversed the frame. I also remember reading that this year of V4B didn't have the logo on the head, but I have bought one and will be adding that too.

This is my new gigging head. I realize that this head is an absolute beast to lug around but I love the tone. Besides, my other amp is an SWR Mo'Bass in a rack with a power conditioner, so it's just about as heavy.

I will post updated pics when I do the work.

kim.
 

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#737
It's all good, Saxman. An old V4B is heavier but it's still a V4B. Wouldn't bother with the logo, though. As you said, it wasn't included on your model, plus there's no way to mount it on the grill frame properly. The grills with the logo have wood under the logo to hold the screws in.
 
#739
saxman_singcan said:
At some point, someone took off the cloth and reversed the frame. I also remember reading that this year of V4B didn't have the logo on the head, but I have bought one and will be adding that too.
Click to expand...

My flatback 8x10 is the same way, but there are no holes on the back size of the frame so it looks like it must have come that way. Or it's a repro frame that was made backwards? Either way, I've seen a few with logos on the "opposite" side so maybe we aren't alone.
 

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