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Anyone NOT like the SVT?

#102
Liked my Pro-II more than any of the -CLs I've messed around with, but they may have needed some TLC (Guitar Center, but then so was my II). Haven't played a vintage one, or a VR, or a Heritage. The CL didn't do much for me. Didn't keep the 2 forever though, I liked it but used Mesa of Fender more so I traded it for some awesome cabs.

It ain't the weight, I don't complain about my 400PS. Not hating on Ampeg, the B-15 is just about perfect.
 
#103
AwkwardLoudness said:
If an SVT doesn't sound great, then it's either not turned up loud enough, needs a different cab, needs maintenance/biasing, or needs tubes swapped. They are plenty versatile in my opinion.


Close...
J/J Electronics is located in Slovakia, not Czech Republic.

Shuguang tubes and the re-branded Shuguang tubes (Mesa, Groove Tubes, etc) are made in China. There's another factory in China (forget the name), but I don't think they export much.

New Sensor tubes (Sovtek, Tung-Sol, Gold Lion) are made in Saratov, Russia. Winged Cs =C= are made in St. Petersburg, Russia.

I think that covers the big manufacturers. There are some small boutique tube shops scattered throughout the world.

In the good ole days, tubes were made in USA, Britain, Canada, Holland, Germany, and Japan.
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Ummm, the Mesa 12AX7s I have here say "Russian 2" on them, FYI...


- georgestrings
 
#105
I'm an Eden guy myself, but anyone who claims that an Ampeg SVT + 810 cab is only capable of sounding muddy is out of their mind or doesn't understand how to use the EQ section on that amp. With proper gain and EQ adjustment, an SVT rig can sound like anything you want it to - from hi-fi to muddy (if that happens to be your thing) and all points in between.

I was tempted to go the SVT route at one point, but I just don't gig enough to justify having that monster around.

The only complaint I have about an SVT is the weight and retubing expense. When you're talking tone, there's a reason why this rig is still widely used over 40 years after its introduction....it sounds AMAZING and christ it's LOUD!

Cheers,
Duff2
 
#107
Get a Fender Bassman 300 Pro and you can get ANY sound you want HA!

Just kidding, but not really. Seriously, with active EQ on the bass and that head and right cab, I can get SVT, Markbass, SWR, or anything out there.

But I agree that no one size amp, cabb, or bass fits all. :bassist:
 
#108
JoshuaTSP said:
:confused:

Have any of you tried/bought the SVT and not liked it?

Do most opt out of the SVT world because of weight?

Seems like the be all/end all bass rig?
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I've heard lots and lots and lots of them. So I don't have to buy one to know it's not for me.

No offense to all the SVT lovers out there, but I just never could get into that muddy, lo-fi grunt. My tonal ideal is closer to an Alembic being played through something hi-fi, like a Phil Jones big rig. And you know there's not much in common with that sound and the sound of the SVT... :ninja:

MM
 
#109
MysticMichael said:
No offense to all the SVT lovers out there, but I just never could get into that muddy, lo-fi grunt. My tonal ideal is closer to an Alembic being played through something hi-fi, like a Phil Jones big rig. And you know there's not much in common with that sound and the sound of the SVT... :ninja:
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well that all depends on what cab you use with it. the head itself is seriously hi fi, like about as hi as fi gets imho. plug a phil jones cab into one sometime if you don't believe me.
 
#110
I have an early St Lous Music SVT-III pro, from back when they first came out. It's fantastic, bullet proof as well pushing seventeen years old! I have A/B'd it with newer models and mine was far superior in tone. As far as hybrid amps go I love it to death but there are definately some other good ones out there.
 
#112
JimmyM said:
and on another note unrelated to this particular post, i think it's high time we call bs on this "one sound" nonsense. and not just about ampegs but all amps. last i checked, all amps have knobs and switches that you can turn to get a myriad of different tones out of them. the svt is no exception. i see a lot of people love to call amps they don't like "one trick ponies." if someone can't get more than one sound out of any amp, it's them, not the amp. and i would say that about any amp on the market, including amps i despise.
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I have to disagree a bit with you there, Jimmy. For example, you can often twist knobs to your heart's delight on a Marshall guitar amp, and it's still going to "sound like a Marshall." I don't know if I'd call a Marshall a one trick pony per say, but the average Marshall is nowhere near as versatile, IMO, as a Mesa Mark 5.
 
#113
LiquidMidnight said:
I have to disagree a bit with you there, Jimmy. For example, you can often twist knobs to your heart's delight on a Marshall guitar amp, and it's still going to "sound like a Marshall." I don't know if I'd call a Marshall a one trick pony per say, but the average Marshall is nowhere near as versatile, IMO, as a Mesa Mark 5.
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our old guitarist has a jcm900 combo, and it's capable of a ton of different sounds you wouldn't ordinarily associate with marshall. some of his tones were downright fendery.
 
#114
JoshuaTSP said:
:confused:

Have any of you tried/bought the SVT and not liked it?

Do most opt out of the SVT world because of weight?

Seems like the be all/end all bass rig?
Click to expand...


I own the stv-4 pro... it's a mighty powerhouse, but nothing more.. i like the fact that it has all the power i'll ever need regardless if I use two 8x10s and two 1x15's in a stereo config.. it is still super loud and retains it tone (does not get fuzzy or bad sounding like other underpowered amps)...

However I do have to say it is very "TONE DEAF"... well what I mean is, it isn't too customizable.. it just sounds "generic" like every other bassist who uses them... just your basic low, mid, highs, and a very cheap eq.. you can't really dial into any specific tone if your looking for customization or "a sound of your own"...

so in other words, it's just a poweramp and nothing more.

However, if you want to bring some clarity and personalization to your sound (along with some earth shaking rumble) I recommend getting at least a BBE Sonic Maximizer if you ever use one.. doesn't matter if it's the foot pedal version or the rack unit, they all have the same controls and sound.. it will improve it's tone and sound dramatically and give you the missing tone controls you want (just make sure to use it through the effects loop so it can be processed with the amp and not before...

That or get any preamp..


Also... if you do get one, be prepared to get a workout when loading and unloading and setting up your gear.. it is a beast, especially if you use it with other rack gear.

Not a joke.. I seriously and very stupidly injured myself attempting to carry my stv-4 rack alone into my truck bed... and due to the sheer weight of the 10 space rack (stv4, bbe sonic maximizer, alesis eq, aphex aurial exciter, rocktron hush, furman power, custom lighting, etc..) along with the "width/bulk of the case (hard to grab the handels on either side.. I actually injured myself.. I got a very sharp pain in my abdomen and caused me to drop the rack box...

The equipment was fine thanks to Road Ready's strong boxes with zero damage to the box itself too other than a scrape or two to the metal edges which don't show up much int he chrome;
but as for me, lets just say within a week after my failed attempt to move my equipment alone. I started to notice a bulge in my abdomen where the pain was.. it turned out to be a Hernia..
in other words, my intestines were popping out through a tear in my inner abdominal wall... not pretty, and not pleasant feeling (not too painful, but very discomforting).. it required surgery to repair..:rollno:
at least I got a 2-3 month vacation from any physical labor at work due to it, lol.

Mind you, I was just 120-130 lbs at the time and the rack weighed in about 65-75ish... most of it the STV.

But I blame it on the awkward carrying position how the rack made me pick it up (it's literally designed for 2-person carry as it has two handles on each side).

But in any case, beware :D!

even if you've done it successfully in the past (which i have done too on other occasions).. i guess the STV was not to blame xD! whatever...
 
#115
I think there are those that just don't like the SVT and those that don't like Ampeg, but like JimmyM says, it's got so many different sounds, so what's The SVT sound that people speak of, if you can actually adjust an amp to be muddy then I think that's a bonus?. Apart from my Burman, I have never played a more tone adjustable amp, turn a control a 1/4 turn and you've missed so much in between.

Weight!!!, so what's a 410 without casters then.
 
#116
I like 'em. I like most amps. They all process the bass at least one or two ways that's cool to play with. Like most amps there are two layers of "tone shaping". One is based on gain structure front and back. The other is based on EQ. The SVT is pretty strong in either regard compared to say a master-only Fender Bassman which has no pregain postgain control, and a pretty simple and somewhat confounding tone stack for many people. At least the SVT has a variety of midband centers available. And Baxandall/James is better at shaping things for different needs.

I will note it's good at clean tube tones if you are smart enough to suss things out. I dont expect an SVT to be something other than it is though. I just enjoy it when I'm around it.
 
#118
I'm pretty sure the 8x10 is the major limiting factor on the 'SVT sound'. I do totally wish more valve amps went for tone stacks other than the Fender style 3 band. I think people are impressed by having a knob with 'mid' written on, even if none of the knobs actually do very much. I'd agree with the above mention of the Bassman 300, I've played with a Sunn 1200S (same pre section, SS power) and there is a huge amount of tone shaping that is pretty effective. Course, after saying that, I use a Vtype pre with a Fender tone stack.
 
#120
Here's a good comparison:
Hiwatts are great amps - they are classic looking, beautifully executed pieces of art, and are as bulletproof as a tube amp can get. I have two combos that I use for guitar, and I love them. I also had a DR103 that I used as a bass amp for awhile. My band loved it. But you know what? I far preferred the sound of my V4B and SVT. Why? Ampegs have a signature growl, a soft edge - some "give" - that was missing in the Hiwatt. My guess is that bassists who don't like Ampegs usually prefer the "bark" of a Hiwatt (or other amp), simply because of that unyielding attack. IMO, the key is in the Baxandall tone stack that is found in Ampegs, as well as most Oranges. To me it's a more "natural" sound for bass. Oddly, that "active" tone circuit is also found in alot of old hi-fi equipment.
 

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