Ampeg V4B Reissue vs SVT-CL pros and cons...

[bobyoung53]

Not my experience. But I like to ride the edge between clean and driving and bigger amps would often be louder than I wanted.

If headroom is yer thing they yes bigger = better.

I get most of my sound by the way I play the bass, I like an amp that doesn't get more distorted rather than louder at a certain point. You can get a nice overdrive out of an SVT but as you say they're too loud at that point usually.

 

[bobyoung53]

I had the exact same setup with a V4-B reissue and a 212AV cab. It never sounded as good as an SVT to me and I eventually moved on. Sounds like you're digging it, but to my ears, an SVT always sounded better. Notes carry a certain "weight" with an SVT that the V4 just couldn't replicate.

SVT's have the big sound I've never gotten out of anything else, if I hit a loud low note I want it to punch, not mush. I owned an early V4-B years ago and used it mostly for rehearsal, at least that one didn't sound a lot like an SVT but I still wish I had it, one of the ones with the metal knobs, probably early 70's..

 

[rodl2005]

For what you are describing the V4B is it.

 

[Synh]

I'm a little annoyed because I would like to be able to use the clean sound of the head and sometimes dirty the sound a little. Without fiddling with the head in the middle of the game. I guess I just need a drive pedal? I'd like to keep having some kind of solution that pushes the gain of the head while reducing the master... Any idea?

 

[Stylee Mousse]

For me the charm of the head is that I can go from clean (reasonably) to drive with playing dynamics. Easy to do with a high output G&L bass.

Just my preference. I never wanted drive pedals.

 

[Synh]

For me the charm of the head is that I can go from clean (reasonably) to drive with playing dynamics. Easy to do with a high output G&L bass.

Just my preference. I never wanted drive pedals.

I play Grunge with a dingwall NG3 but i need more than the capacity of my fingers or pick.

 

[Stylee Mousse]

Surely! Different needs for different uses!

 

[Wasnex]

I'm a little annoyed because I would like to be able to use the clean sound of the head and sometimes dirty the sound a little. Without fiddling with the head in the middle of the game.

SVT and V4B are more set it and forget it type amps. Pedals would do what you want, or you could use an amp with a built in switchable distortion channel like a Fender Super Bassman.

 

[rodl2005]

SVT and V4B are more set it and forget it type amps. Pedals would do what you want, or you could use an amp with a built in switchable distortion channel like a Fender Super Bassman.

Yep, the Super Bassman will do this nicely. It'll take a li'l time to get both channels at the desired comparable volume. but then it's party time