Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 V4 Club
- Thread starter birdman14
- Start date
Quiet in here, but I found what is appears to be a modified early 70s V4. It has the metal knobs and switches, but looks like a master volume was added. I haven't seen any that look like this one (not to mention it's a different knob), so I assume it's modded. Would there be any advantage to this?
Last edited:
Depends on the price and how the master was added circuitwise… I love mine, V4 also, non-B. The one pictured is not a Magnavox era so earlier than mine (‘74). Faceplate is… rough
.I’ve paid 800 CAD for mine back in 2020 (roughly 600 USD). It should also be checked by a tech for future reliability. It looks the power tubes are newer also, good point (probably 6L6GC’s or modern 7027´s).
Be aware that the preamp compactron tube is pricey if it tests bad, no modern replacement. I have two spares personnaly!
Last edited:
Seller says it had a full mechanical cleaning, testing, recap and retube about 10 years ago and light home use since and is asking $875 cad, but it's been up for over a year so I'm prepared to offer closer to $700. It's also missing the back panel.
Two prong outlet is 72 or earlier, the patent pending is usually seen on 70-71 models. I believe the black painted chassis starts mid-70 or so, I’ve had a number of ampeg models from 69/70 where the chassis is unpainted, it’s rare to see a V4 with the non-black chassis.
The master volume mod was common, lets you get more gain from the preamp if you want. Ampeg also sold an external master volume which was basically just a pot in a box which connected to the pre/power jacks on the back. The master volume mod here is likely in the same location.
Fliptops can make you a replacement back panel, they’ve made a few for me. $700 CAD is a good price, though large/vintage tube amp prices have been dropping.
I bought a used V4 amp back in 1987. It was my first ever bass amp and I bought it as a beginner bass player when I joined a metal band fresh out of high school.
I had zero knowledge of bass gear and had no idea that it was actually a high quality amp. As far as I knew, it was an old, obsolete piece of junk. The guitarist recommended that I save up for a nice, new solid state amp, like a Peavey TKO combo amp and ditch that antiquated monster.
Unfortunately, the decision was made for me when some "friends" of my band were partying in our practice place and decided to use our gear when we weren't there, and blew up my Ampeg V4 head. (they admitted it).
One of them had the idea to try to replicate the Tom Sholz "Boston" sound, where he takes the DI out from one amp and runs it into the input of another amp (stacked preamps) to get an exceptionally rich overdriven tone.
Except these geniuses didn't understand the difference between a DI out and a speaker out, so they ran the full speaker output of a 100 watt Marshall tube amp into the input of my Ampeg.
They told me it sounded "glorious" for about three seconds.
I sold the dead amp to a local guitar shop for $50 trade in value towards a new SS amp, which somehow didn't sound anywhere near as good as the Ampeg.
I had zero knowledge of bass gear and had no idea that it was actually a high quality amp. As far as I knew, it was an old, obsolete piece of junk. The guitarist recommended that I save up for a nice, new solid state amp, like a Peavey TKO combo amp and ditch that antiquated monster.
Unfortunately, the decision was made for me when some "friends" of my band were partying in our practice place and decided to use our gear when we weren't there, and blew up my Ampeg V4 head. (they admitted it).
One of them had the idea to try to replicate the Tom Sholz "Boston" sound, where he takes the DI out from one amp and runs it into the input of another amp (stacked preamps) to get an exceptionally rich overdriven tone.
Except these geniuses didn't understand the difference between a DI out and a speaker out, so they ran the full speaker output of a 100 watt Marshall tube amp into the input of my Ampeg.
They told me it sounded "glorious" for about three seconds.
I sold the dead amp to a local guitar shop for $50 trade in value towards a new SS amp, which somehow didn't sound anywhere near as good as the Ampeg.
Wow, that’s a shame. I have the reissue V4B-H made in the mid 90s and it’s sweet connected to my SVT410-HLF. But not very portable!
Last edited:
That's the argument my guitarist used back then. He said that it was old and heavy, and a new, solid state amp would bebetter. .
Picked up up this VT-22 a few years ago and have slowly been working on refurbishing it:
-Made a new head case for it to ditch the 2x12 combo cabinet.
-Made a nice 2x15 using Faital 15PR400 drivers.
-Full electronic refurbishment.
I think it's a 76. 72-75 had the bat-type switches and from what I can tell, they dropped the polarity switch in 77 (as well as adding a distortion circuit). I'l check the date codes next time I have it open.
It's surprisingly clean and loud, with noise levels quite low overall.
The only thing I'm not sure whether it's normal is the standby switch: When the standby switch is flipped, there's a pretty loud "pop" through the speakers as well as a loud hum that goes away in a few seconds.
Is this normal for these amps? My '68 Bassman doesn't make any sort of noises when I flip the standby.
-Made a new head case for it to ditch the 2x12 combo cabinet.
-Made a nice 2x15 using Faital 15PR400 drivers.
-Full electronic refurbishment.
I think it's a 76. 72-75 had the bat-type switches and from what I can tell, they dropped the polarity switch in 77 (as well as adding a distortion circuit). I'l check the date codes next time I have it open.
It's surprisingly clean and loud, with noise levels quite low overall.
The only thing I'm not sure whether it's normal is the standby switch: When the standby switch is flipped, there's a pretty loud "pop" through the speakers as well as a loud hum that goes away in a few seconds.
Is this normal for these amps? My '68 Bassman doesn't make any sort of noises when I flip the standby.
Not necessarily a pop but generally with the V series there is a big thump as you hit the standby. Mine don’t hum as they warm up, though. The way the power supply is designed on these the standby disconnects the ground side of the bias supply, when you flip the standby the bias charges and the amp begins to operate. The hum could be related to that if the tubes hum a bit as the bias charges.
My ‘76 V4B, which looks almost identical except that it lacks the polarity switch in front, makes a pop when standby is engaged. The hum is only momentary after that.
Can i get a number please? Picked up a non working 1977 v4 on marketplace for $350. opened it up and found that the internal 10a fuse was not connected and had a bad triode on V1. connect the fuse and replaced a 12ax7 and now living in sonic bliss. Holy crap this thing is loud. the power tubes have been converted to EL34 for better or worse. this thing sounds great on bass and or guitar. its gonna be my home rig since i dont want to move this thing unless i have to. gonna sit on a 6x10HLF with a matching av grill if the av fabric ever becomes available. I love it when its an easy fix! not fully pictured is a ampeg gemini I sitting on top which is also a killer sounding rig for guitar. I also have a v4b reissue as well ( hence the 2x12 cab) from what i can tell the v4b is more docile than the v4. The v4 is almost double the weight of the v4b and assuming that, the extra tranny weight comes through as more headroom maybe. only gripe is the width of headshell doesnt match anything i have.
