AMPEG Vintage Blue Line VS. Blue Line VR

[Jerrold Tiers]

I doubt that. Electrical Windings, the company that made the transformers, went out of business.

I think they actually got bought out and ended up absorbed by Magnetek, but it amounts to the same thing.

The more recent transformers were made by Schumacher, after EW (TMI) got ridiculously expensive. That includes ALL USA VRs. The first run of Vietnam VRs were supposed to have them, but they might have been put in 2 pros or CLs instead, for all I know. The source changed, but the parts were made the same. it took some work to QC the samples and make sure.

Some asian parts have been used since then. I don't have a single clue where in china they are made.

PBG: are you saying the unit got a lot lighter? That seems odd, since it would be hard to get the same performance with significantly lighter parts........ Oh, yeah, never mind.....

if Loud is allowing the VR to be messed with to that extent, then that's about it, folks....... PBG, do you have actual weights? The power transformers probably COULD be lightened without harm, possibly by as much as 10%. I would be very dubious of an output transformer change....

BTW, we were, prior to getting the boot, tossing around an idea to offer a lighter SVT.... We figured to replace the power transformers with a switchmode supply, and leave the output transformer exactly as before. Weight would have been about 60% or so of existing units.

It wasn't pursued, partly because we figured it would not be "believed", and partly because Loud was obviously NOT interested.

 

[JimmyM]

You know, I think the most successful musical instrument companies are successful because of their love for the products they make first, and their business acumen second. I think LOUD are all business acumen. But Leo was all love of music, even though he revolutionized assembly line guitar making and didn't really play an instrument. And Everett Hull and Jess were definitely music lovers first, and the guys from Unimusic were definitely into the creative side. Even Gene Kornblum, for all his marketing savvy, was into making good products first, or at least gave that appearance. LOUD is all money and no heart. They really don't seem to care if the stuff doesn't sound as good as the original stuff as long as they can sell it. Which they seem to be having a hard time with because they're not taking care of the priority...enjoying music.

 

[GregC]

A good amount of info.. I know that the vintage is cheaper, but now, how much would you be expected to pay for one? I know the VR's are $2000, and i know it's for a brand spankin new one, and I would be the only owner, and prolly never get rid of it..... BUT, is new always the best way to go? just trying to weigh my options for a tube amp that I would be using all the time, to take the place of my SVT 4pro on stage... I'm an ampeg guy, I recorded through a blue line, and the sound was amazing.. I want that up on stage too..

i got my VR brand new in the box last november for $1500.00 which i thought was a reasonable price for one. i can check to see if he has any more of them.

Just for comparison's sake, I watch eBay a fair bit, and I've seen quite a few '70s SVTs go for $1200-$1400 these days. Of course, many of them may need to be serviced first.

 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Speaking of "Bluelines"
Did all vintage bluelines have an etched panel?
I figured I'd ask while I had the experts in.

Don't know about all of them, but mine does. I just checked.

 

[JimmyM]

Mine does too.

 

[sedan_dad]

I seen that Fliptops sells a new panel for the older heads that has blue print on it but they also state that it's not etched.
It made me wonder if some bluelines were not etched.

 

[timv]

My blue line is etched but I've seen some old blue line ampegs with the writing mostly gone, these were V4 though so maybe all SVT's were???

 

[musicman1]

The one that I'm interested in, the guy wants $1750 for it. I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, but just trying to weigh my options, and what the best rout to go would be. I bought a music man hd-130 amp, and it sounds like ****. I should have done research on it first, but I'm going to bite my tongue, bring it to a tech and see why it farts out when the volume is passed 2.

I want that classic sound, and if I'm dishing out the money for it, i want to know which way would be the best way.

 

[metron]

Etched blue line SVTs have superior tone to non-etched blue lines, black lines, MTI lines, skunk lines, and the fabled uber rare MTIskunk line. They are the holy grail.



There... lets see how long it takes for that to circulate to ebay then back here.

 

[sedan_dad]

Great. Now you done it.
They'll be 4 grand by the end of the month.