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Botique SVT Killer?

Which head will survive the end of the world?

  • Reeves

    Votes: 19 17.0%

  • Hiwatt

    Votes: 10 8.9%

  • Matamp

    Votes: 3 2.7%

  • Aguilar

    Votes: 26 23.2%

  • Orange(?)

    Votes: 10 8.9%

  • Suck it up get an SVT and knock on wood

    Votes: 33 29.5%

  • Other (Please post any other I missed)

    Votes: 11 9.8%
  • Total voters
    112
#41
Pat C. said:
You may need to really consider what tone you want for most of your playing time. A dirty sound for intros and maybe solos is a very small percentage of actual playing. If I were you I'd consider what "foundational tone" you want and then add onto that with an applicable overdrive. It's possible many of the hybrid amps out there will suit your purposes, along with a VT Bass or other preamp/OD pedal that supplies the distortion you want.

If you want both a clean and dirty tone, you're gonna need to really on a dual channel amp, amp/pedal combo or A/B amp (stereo) setup that can be pedal switched at will.
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+1. you might want to reconsider taking a pedal off that bike and putting it on your rig. tube amps have to be so cranked to distort the right way that unless you're playing doom, most venues will balk at you being so loud. plus all the stuff pat says about the switchers.

btw, do you live in england/europe? if you do, i'd almost certainly go for a hiwatt or orange instead of an ampeg. or even a marshall, but most likely i'd get a hiwatt. ampegs are ridiculous over there.
 
#42
tb420 said:
Indie is a broad term. Think Arctic Monkeys and the Strokes. Lots of cleans but I need a dirty sound for solos and intros ect.
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Seriously man, some of these guys have a point. I've toured with some serious **** and you realize that the "live sound" is never as specific. For solos and intros, a Sansamp VT would easily get what you want, and at the click of a button just as needed.

Plus, these sound even better:
http://www.runoffgroove.com/flipster.html

Anyways, just thought I'd bring it up. Unless you're thinking of doing nonstop studio work with these guys, you don't really need something so serious. If you're just talking live, I'd say pump your money into a really nice 8x10 cab (if you haven't already) and get a head that emulates the sound you want but isn't $3000, and then get a pedal or two for your breakup sounds.
 
#44
gratt said:
Whoops, looks like a few beat me to it. Sorry.
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No worries at all, man. I have a feeling that may of us are on the same page. I can't count how many times I've listen to a bassist's tone and said to myself, "man , that sounds awesome, I gotta have that!". Only to realize that I would only need that actual tone about 1% of the time that I play, if even that. The musical world and reality are sometimes completely different. JMO.

It's rare that that I've heard a talented bassist in any genre play with a tone that I can't appreciate. Doesn't necessarily mean I can apply it in my particular playing situation(s). Again, JMO.
 
#46
This is easy....the Reeves. It should last a lifetime. I made this same decision late last year. If one of these should ever suffer a melt down, any amp tech should be able to affect a repair. No proprietary circuit boards. Super clean with a ton of headroom, and it'll break up, if so desired. Easily shipped to Cinci if need be, and not to Britain, (Hiwatt) etc. Second place, Matamp. Now, if the AD200 was a MK II.....the current MK III (well this PCB construction style has been covered many times) is over priced for the inherent value, IMO. But, it's very expensive to manufacture any kind of product in the UK. One could have a MK III gutted and reworked with turret boards etc.
 
#47
JimmyM said:
which i'm really not ;) well look munji, i'll still buy a vintage svt any day over a new one, but lately i've had nothing but good experiences with loud ampegs when renting. the cabs are definitely better than the last batch of slm cabs. so what can i tell you? will some of them have issues? probably. but so will some db751's.
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True. Even my WT-800 had an issue, if you can believe that.
 
#48
Well I'm going to take this thread in a positive light and assume those posting negative remarks are just trying to help me. So, thank you.

The point of shopping for a boutique head is not for some miraculous "tone" (I personally don't care what I sound like, its my mates that want the sound to fit) or to make my playing instantly better. Its to save me the headache and hassle of gear breaking down. That's as simple as I can say it.

This thread has had a lot of good info and I will look into an older SVT if I can find a local tech that I can trust.

So my list has come down to

Reeves
Aguilar
70's SVT
Orange MK-2

Thanks for all the help guys.
 
#49
epic! said:
verellen meat smoke. if i had money for a tube amp, this is the one id buy

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
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I like how that thing looks "put together". Although from the pic it looks like you'd have to hit the stomp switches at a more forward angle than is natural. Line up the switches with a heel to toe press from a size 10 or 11. Those of us with 13's can use it without breaking it and those with 7's and 8's can make it function comfortably as well. May just be the pic, who knows?

Never heard it but I like the idea of simple pimple controls and good circuitry rather than a half dozen knobs and you can't find an even point to start from, always have to "fix" something compared to the natural signal.
 
#51
tb420 said:
The point of shopping for a boutique head is not for some miraculous "tone" (I personally don't care what I sound like, its my mates that want the sound to fit) or to make my playing instantly better. Its to save me the headache and hassle of gear breaking down. That's as simple as I can say it.
Click to expand...
Emphasis is mine.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that tube amps in general are going to be less reliable than a solid-state or hybrid amp of similar capability. That is, they are going to to require more caring for than a SS amp. If you're absolutely set on getting a tube-like tone - from an SVT or otherwise - you will not get it from anything other than a tube amp that produces that tone.

However, if you are just looking to get "close" to that tone, and want to have more versatility with the sound you produce...AND have the most reliable rig possible...then you should be looking at a quality hybrid-or-SS amp/OD pedal combination.

It just seems that what you're saying, what you want and what your mates want are three different things. I'm just giving feedback based on that.

No matter what, make sure you're transporting your amps in ATA-rated racks or cases, preferably shock/foam mounted - particularly if you decide to go the all-tube route. The constant handling from frequent gigging or touring can wreck havoc on amps that are not properly protected.
 
#52
I play and have played Ampeg, Orange, & Divided by 13 for the last 6 years or so..
I've probably played through every amp out there, tube, solid state and hybrids..
If you're a tube guy..
Most wont believe this, but I can pretty much get it all in the Divided by 13 TBL 200.. tonally
Unfortunately, it's not like you can walk in a store and try one though..

I use multiple heads live to cover various tones and styles using a head switcher..Basically because I've been doing large tours for the most part for the last several years.. And I don't have to move my gear..
I have heads that I can use locally for smaller stuff that I use and think will cover the specific gig or vibe.. Orange, 65 Amps, etc..Both lighter than SVT..
And yes, that matters..
If I were to be held to one and only I'd go with the TBL 200
Not as heavy as an SVT or as expensive to re tube and covers every range of tones I would use from Rock, Soul, Funk, Blues, Punk, alt..
If you can check it out give it a shot..
It's 200 watts.. Yes, 100 watts less than the SVT..
But I've never turned the Master vol past 3/4 of the way ever in any situation..
good luck!
 
#54
kind of sucks you can find tons of divided by 13 guitar amp clips on youtube and not one bass clip. can't say they seem all that interested in us. but i'm always interested in hearing a new bass amp. al, you don't have any youtube clips or sound clips that might feature it, do you?
 
#56
ya, apparently rusty was instrumental in helping him get his guitar amps together. i could never buy one but i do like to keep up with what's happening out there, so go buy one and record it and we'll all live vicariously through you once again :bassist:
 
#57
johnk_10 said:
I've seen and /restored/serviced zillions of amps and, IME that Reeves is as good as it gets. its attention to detail and quality of build reminds me of the old Hiwatts. it should run almost forever and if it ever did need repairs, it super simple to get to everything without tearing the whole amp apart.
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Took the word's right out of my mouth. If I had the dough the new Reeves are King. Used, vintage Hiwatts right there with them. But right now, I guess I'll have to do with my under achieving SVT CL:smug:
 
#58
tb420 said:
Hey
Time to tour and an SVT seems like more trouble than its worth. So I'm looking for something that will last till I die.

I've got it down to

Reeves
Hiwatt
Matamp
Aguilar

This is for my new Indie band. Tone needs to be huge and punchy and just on the edge of tube break up. I'm afraid the Aguilar will be too clean, but I don't know. Also, I was lookinga t the Orange AD-200 but I'm afraid it will have the same issues as an SVT.....

Thanks
Click to expand...

No links, no songs, no band, no tour.

Prove it! :)
 
#59
I am guessing that if you are gonna tour with this indie band you are gonna be in a van with a trailer - maybe a trailer. Think about how you are gonna haul a heavy tube amp before you buy one. Not trying to steer you away from those amps, I have four older SVT'S. If you do go the tube amp route get a good roadcase for it. I really don't think you are ready for the SVT yet.
 

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