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Ampeg Vietnamese Cabs - Run away!
- Thread starter Baird6869
- Start date
- Status
Some production, if not all, has moved to China. I just purchased a BA112. On the back it says "Made in China".
Honestly, I got a good deal on it or I wouldn't have bought it. I just got it so I have to see if it holds up as well as my American Ampegs (V4BH and B100R).
a few of my local shops have dropped Ampeg.. and about Ampeg cabs being MDF, i've seen some that have plywood exteriors and baffles, but the interior of the cab is OSB or MDF..
i feel Ampeg is in a sad state.. but, like everyone else said, most likely they will be far better than the recent MIA Ampegs..
it's sad to see yet another company leave the USA..
i feel Ampeg is in a sad state.. but, like everyone else said, most likely they will be far better than the recent MIA Ampegs..
it's sad to see yet another company leave the USA..
That series was ALREADY in china, never was in Vietnam.
The information is probably in an old closed (or deleted) thread........ but only the SVT series was in Vietnam.
Well I went to another Ampeg dealer in VA and he had a mix of the old US and the new import SVT cabs.
Differences you ask? They had less wood, less plys probably or a different wood altogether, they wood was about 1/4 smaller around the edges. Sound? Same tone, pretty much. The import cabs at higher volumes lost definition though. I tried a few of the SVT cabs and it was the same across the board. My control head was an American SVT CL, Sounded killer through a US 610HLF, through the Import 410 and 15 it lacked omph, it sounded like ampeg at low volumes, but the lowered mass of the cabs affected the low end.
Just my .02
Differences you ask? They had less wood, less plys probably or a different wood altogether, they wood was about 1/4 smaller around the edges. Sound? Same tone, pretty much. The import cabs at higher volumes lost definition though. I tried a few of the SVT cabs and it was the same across the board. My control head was an American SVT CL, Sounded killer through a US 610HLF, through the Import 410 and 15 it lacked omph, it sounded like ampeg at low volumes, but the lowered mass of the cabs affected the low end.
Just my .02
I used to work for the largest independent furniture retailer
here in the good old U.S.A. and one thing the president taught
us was that ' pissed off customers vote with their feet if they
feel they got burned after pulling out their wallets in your
place of buisness.'
The same applies to a brand names at the retail level.
I can remember recomending for instance a very good quality
television to a customer but they refused to buy the t.v.
in question because the particular brand did have a run of
lemons like 10 years earlier and this guy had bought one of
them. In his mind the brand was ruined as a maker of junk
and he didn't care how well the new stuff was being made.
I don't have a problem with Chinese manufaturing as I do
own an Ibanez Artcore jazz style archtop electric guitar that
is one hell of a nice guitar for the money. If LOUD handles
the Ampeg brand poorly in terms of the quality of the goods
they have contracted to be made as well as customer service
they won't be in the amp making biz for long.
It's the rules of buisness that if you piss a lot of folks
off they won't buy from you anymore and they'll make sure to
tell a lot of other folks as well to stay way clear of a certain
brand name of product as surely as they'll tell others not to
shop at a particular place of buisness where they got bad
service. Time will tell if LOUD can deliver in the end with this
new chapter in the history of the Ampeg name and brand.
After all it's the customers who decide if any buisness
stands or fails and not the owners or the executive board.
It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out.
here in the good old U.S.A. and one thing the president taught
us was that ' pissed off customers vote with their feet if they
feel they got burned after pulling out their wallets in your
place of buisness.'
The same applies to a brand names at the retail level.
I can remember recomending for instance a very good quality
television to a customer but they refused to buy the t.v.
in question because the particular brand did have a run of
lemons like 10 years earlier and this guy had bought one of
them. In his mind the brand was ruined as a maker of junk
and he didn't care how well the new stuff was being made.
I don't have a problem with Chinese manufaturing as I do
own an Ibanez Artcore jazz style archtop electric guitar that
is one hell of a nice guitar for the money. If LOUD handles
the Ampeg brand poorly in terms of the quality of the goods
they have contracted to be made as well as customer service
they won't be in the amp making biz for long.
It's the rules of buisness that if you piss a lot of folks
off they won't buy from you anymore and they'll make sure to
tell a lot of other folks as well to stay way clear of a certain
brand name of product as surely as they'll tell others not to
shop at a particular place of buisness where they got bad
service. Time will tell if LOUD can deliver in the end with this
new chapter in the history of the Ampeg name and brand.
After all it's the customers who decide if any buisness
stands or fails and not the owners or the executive board.
It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out.
I used to work for the largest independent furniture retailer
here in the good old U.S.A. and one thing the president taught
us was that ' pissed off customers vote with their feet if they
feel they got burned after pulling out their wallets in your
place of buisness.'
The same applies to a brand names at the retail level.
I can remember recomending for instance a very good quality
television to a customer but they refused to buy the t.v.
in question because the particular brand did have a run of
lemons like 10 years earlier and this guy had bought one of
them. In his mind the brand was ruined as a maker of junk
and he didn't care how well the new stuff was being made.
I don't have a problem with Chinese manufaturing as I do
own an Ibanez Artcore jazz style archtop electric guitar that
is one hell of a nice guitar for the money. If LOUD handles
the Ampeg brand poorly in terms of the quality of the goods
they have contracted to be made as well as customer service
they won't be in the amp making biz for long.
It's the rules of buisness that if you piss a lot of folks
off they won't buy from you anymore and they'll make sure to
tell a lot of other folks as well to stay way clear of a certain
brand name of product as surely as they'll tell others not to
shop at a particular place of buisness where they got bad
service. Time will tell if LOUD can deliver in the end with this
new chapter in the history of the Ampeg name and brand.
After all it's the customers who decide if any buisness
stands or fails and not the owners or the executive board.
It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Case in point; B.C. Rich.
...another local Owner/Dealer in my area who's been around a long time at the beach (Alpha Music) told me yesterday he's not carrying Ampeg anymore. I bought a lot of stuff from him over the years. He said he was upset over the whole deal and felt "it was being run into the ground". He's movin all his old 'Made in USA' stock (needless to say I picked up a USA SVT 3 at a great price). Thanks Eddie!
Yes, I still dig the Ampeg tone but I'm still really really sad and frustrated about this....
Jimmyjo
Yes, I still dig the Ampeg tone but I'm still really really sad and frustrated about this....
Jimmyjo
Hopefully a large enough number will NOT buy ampeg now with the lower quality+same price. and hopefully there plan will backfire in there faces.
I would rather see the ampeg line go under then produce garbage for premium prices, in fact i would feel good about them going under.
It seems like they are out for the big profits for themselves rather than the musicans who love the products, and who are also proud of the history of the brand. the AMERICAN made brand.
To me its a slap in the face to market a SVT amp, thats been made in the U.S.A for over 30 years. and then all of a sudden, make garbage made in china,vietnam, etc.. with lower quality, etc, and try to trick people into thinking nothing has changed and charge the same price. thats Bravo sierra and a major scumbag thing to do.
perhaps if they had buissness people with BRAINS they would continue to produce the American Ampeg line as a premium brand and THEN introduce a sub line made overseas that would be a different story..
But this is like Fender making a usa precision bass for year and years... currently selling for what $999 give or take...
then taking a $199 squire, slapping a fender decal on it and trying to pass it off as the real thing for the same $999...without telling anyone.
But the kicker again is the arrogant attitude about it!!!
to do somthing like this (especially with american workers getting the boot.)is a kick in the teeth and i HOPE this new current abomination of ampeg goes out of business.
This is what happens with scumbag "suits" with no passion about the products should get AND deserve.
I would rather see the ampeg line go under then produce garbage for premium prices, in fact i would feel good about them going under.
It seems like they are out for the big profits for themselves rather than the musicans who love the products, and who are also proud of the history of the brand. the AMERICAN made brand.
To me its a slap in the face to market a SVT amp, thats been made in the U.S.A for over 30 years. and then all of a sudden, make garbage made in china,vietnam, etc.. with lower quality, etc, and try to trick people into thinking nothing has changed and charge the same price. thats Bravo sierra and a major scumbag thing to do.
perhaps if they had buissness people with BRAINS they would continue to produce the American Ampeg line as a premium brand and THEN introduce a sub line made overseas that would be a different story..
But this is like Fender making a usa precision bass for year and years... currently selling for what $999 give or take...
then taking a $199 squire, slapping a fender decal on it and trying to pass it off as the real thing for the same $999...without telling anyone.
But the kicker again is the arrogant attitude about it!!!
to do somthing like this (especially with american workers getting the boot.)is a kick in the teeth and i HOPE this new current abomination of ampeg goes out of business.
This is what happens with scumbag "suits" with no passion about the products should get AND deserve.
Hmm,.. i just checked out the ampeg website too.. is it just me or is it hard to find any email addys' to email them now? I would og liked to email them letting them know about how many pissed off customers they have.
I think we need to start a push here and fight this. perhaps they might learn there lesson. or cut prices by atleast HALF.
I think we need to start a push here and fight this. perhaps they might learn there lesson. or cut prices by atleast HALF.
I hate this SOOOOOOOOOOO much because about 81% of all my favourite artists where ampeg users, if LOUD is still in i will NEVER get a new U.S.A ampeg EVER 
it makes me soooo angry
it makes me soooo angry as i said just then i will never get a NEW one, yes used is an option but i wanted a new one and the USA used ones will start to go up up, and up in price till the price is just silly.
Yep. Just like Leo, Ampeg founder (and bassist) Everett Hull used to load his car with two or three amps and take them out to players up and down the Jersey shore for opinions. Probably a testimonial to why both companies became so successful. I doubt any of those players said "It sounds okay, but it should cost a premium while using cheaper parts that can peel or fall off".
...are doomed to repeat it. I guess if there is any solace here, Ampeg didn't stay long overseas when MTI had the company (6 years I think). So, as soon as sales drop, the company may be up for grabs, then hopefully back in good hands rather than with the clueless beancounters.
There is hope afterall.
Jimmyjo
There is hope afterall.
Jimmyjo
This thread caused me to buy a near-mint St Louis made 810E to go with my black n' blue SVP-Pro 
Might be tough to find these in a few years.
Might be tough to find these in a few years.
There are 2 great names is bass gear-They stand far above all the rest -
Fender and Ampeg.
Since their foundings both have gone through ownership changes. CBS spelled the death of Fender in some people's opinion, but they're still around, making a wide range of gear, from cheap beginner's kits to the Custom Shop.
Ampeg's been through some changes too, and only time will tell what LOUD will do. Improve? Become crap? Sell to another company? Then what?
I'm a big fan of the brand and have been since I owned a B-15 as my first "pro" rig.
I'm sad to see the production move, that's a fact, but I'm not COMPLETELY convinced that all the new product is NG yet.
I think that some reactions are overblown and word-of-mouth instead of being based on the actual performance of the gear. I'm saying some-not all.
Crimson's post suggesting a premium USA-made
line, along with an import selection, is fantastic, and hopefully, if LOUD see's a resulting drop in sales, and explores WHY, they may do something like that.
Or, they may want to give it up, and then we can hope that there's an entity that would want to make Ampeg among the very best gear around. It really deserves that.
I wouldn't hold my breath as far as MusicMan buying the line- not a bad concept insofar as how well they build their product, but I think that they "sleep" with MarkBass" at least for now!
So far, GK. Aguilar, Peavey, and a few select other bass Amp mfrs. (Help me out here!
) have managed to remain domestic and stay profitable I assume.
If that's what it takes for Ampeg to stick aound, I hope somehow that happens.
It would be a shame to see one of the great names disappear.
Fender and Ampeg.
Since their foundings both have gone through ownership changes. CBS spelled the death of Fender in some people's opinion, but they're still around, making a wide range of gear, from cheap beginner's kits to the Custom Shop.
Ampeg's been through some changes too, and only time will tell what LOUD will do. Improve? Become crap? Sell to another company? Then what?
I'm a big fan of the brand and have been since I owned a B-15 as my first "pro" rig.
I'm sad to see the production move, that's a fact, but I'm not COMPLETELY convinced that all the new product is NG yet.
I think that some reactions are overblown and word-of-mouth instead of being based on the actual performance of the gear. I'm saying some-not all.
Crimson's post suggesting a premium USA-made
line, along with an import selection, is fantastic, and hopefully, if LOUD see's a resulting drop in sales, and explores WHY, they may do something like that.
Or, they may want to give it up, and then we can hope that there's an entity that would want to make Ampeg among the very best gear around. It really deserves that.
I wouldn't hold my breath as far as MusicMan buying the line- not a bad concept insofar as how well they build their product, but I think that they "sleep" with MarkBass" at least for now!
So far, GK. Aguilar, Peavey, and a few select other bass Amp mfrs. (Help me out here!
) have managed to remain domestic and stay profitable I assume.If that's what it takes for Ampeg to stick aound, I hope somehow that happens.
It would be a shame to see one of the great names disappear.
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