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Early '70s Ampeg V-4B Impressions

#62
I've been looking at that pic and am at a loss as to why you'd even think about redoing tolex on this.

Picture7.png


It looks like a Linden from '70-'72 to me. Metal toggles.
 
#63
fivestringgecko said:
So... mods. Do you guys have any opinions on modifying a V-4B? Would that be blasphemy? I've got this little scheme that I want to build a 1x15 cab to go with this amp and (re)skin both in Ampeg Blue Diamond Tolex. I'm thinking about doing a metal grille or clear "window" instead of grille cloth and seeing if the amp tech I know can put some lights inside to make the tubes all pretty. ;)
5sg.

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I agree with John - I wouldn't mod the amp in any way that couldn't be 100% reversed. However, if you have to have your amp pimped out in Diamond Blue with a matching 15", I would build a new head box for the amp head rather than retolexing the original. Then you can use the plexi front (have it engraved like a portaflex?) and mount your LED lights to the inside of the new head box - not in the amp brain itself. Line the inside with something metallic and use christmas lights or something and plug them in seperate. Corny? Sure to some. But others will oooh and ahhh over it, and you can always put the amp back in the original housing to preserve it's value.
 
#64
nysbob said:
I've been looking at that pic and am at a loss as to why you'd even think about redoing tolex on this.
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Never fear, recent comments have already convinced me not to mod this amp! :) :cool:

stiles72 said:
I would build a new head box for the amp head...
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Hmm... an interesting idea! But I'm starting to think a completely different amp is the way to go for a project. Maybe I'll see if I can find a newer (non-vintage) used Traynor or something.

5sg.
 
#65
fivestringgecko said:
Out of curiosity, would redoing the tolex in the same style devalue it? Not that it really needs it, just curious. What if I treated this amp as more of a restoration project like I've read about with Tom Bowlus' B-15 restoration, for example? You know, redo the tolex in the same black it has, replace some of the little rusty bits here and there...[/IMG]
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I think you should do it. The more ****ed up "restored" v4s there are out there the more my 100% original one is worth :)
 
#66
joshwilkesbooth said:
I think you should do it. The more ****ed up "restored" v4s there are out there the more my 100% original one is worth :)
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lol. I guess I'm going to bring down the value for everyone then... I'll say it one last time, NOT going to do anything with the amp, other than maybe a visit to an amp tech. ;)

This is my first vintage ANYTHING, so I'm still getting used to that mindset, you know? I guess I should've learned something from checking out old B-15's and the prices that even the beat to crap ones get. I guess it just puzzles me how something beat up, ripped and rusty can still be worth SO much. :hiding: LOL

As a young Jedi, I still have much to learn. :)

5sg.
 
#68
fivestringgecko said:
lol. I guess I'm going to bring down the value for everyone then... I'll say it one last time, NOT going to do anything with the amp, other than maybe a visit to an amp tech. ;)

This is my first vintage ANYTHING, so I'm still getting used to that mindset, you know? I guess I should've learned something from checking out old B-15's and the prices that even the beat to crap ones get. I guess it just puzzles me how something beat up, ripped and rusty can still be worth SO much. :hiding: LOL

As a young Jedi, I still have much to learn. :)

5sg.
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good decision. you're learning quickly, grasshopper. ;)
 
#70
JimmyM said:
btw, i see in those pics a couple black line v4's with the logo on them. missed it the first time i read this thread. and it's the first time i ever saw that logo on a black line. i had a black line that never had a logo, and if i'm not mistaken, the cousin i bought it from said it was from 73. so i'm thinking there must have been a transitional period where selmer used the black line faceplates and added a logo.
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Its possible that the black line is a replacement plate. There are some heads out there modded with these new plates. They are not 100% accurate to original, but close enough.

I've got a v4 not sure of precise year but it is a linden. One feature that is just SO nice on v4's is the selectable ohm setting- 2-4-8. I use mine with 4 and 8 ohm cabs. Everything from eden 210xlt, bag end 15 or 210, berg 215, or svt 810. I have not found a bad tone yet. They do run out of headroom with cabs that are not matched well to your gigspace but you should be able to compensate with another or different cab or pa.
 
#71
JimmyM said:
btw, i see in those pics a couple black line v4's with the logo on them. missed it the first time i read this thread. and it's the first time i ever saw that logo on a black line. i had a black line that never had a logo, and if i'm not mistaken, the cousin i bought it from said it was from 73. so i'm thinking there must have been a transitional period where selmer used the black line faceplates and added a logo.
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Jimmy,
I bought my V4B from the original owner approx. 35 years ago and it is serial #36473. It has a black grill and kill button switches for off/on, standby, and polarity (not rockers) and no name plate.
The amp is really clean with original tubes. Could this be an unmodified transitional amp? It is for sale in the TB classifieds and there was a post suggesting that the grill cloth was replaced although if looks as though it is an untouched survivor.
 

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#73
Hmmm,
Will have to take this one apart and look for extra staple holes from a grill cloth change out
When you say black switches, do you mean rockers?
The amp in the photo defineately came from the factory with a round hole, kill button, type switch
 
#74
Only mods i'm going is getting rid of the death cap, and putting a proper grounded power cord on it.... i grabbed the speaker cable once.... "The amp was OFF" (or at least it was supposed to be) and my hand was tingly for a bit after that. :hyper:
 
#75
Jim C said:
Hmmm,
Will have to take this one apart and look for extra staple holes from a grill cloth change out
When you say black switches, do you mean rockers?
The amp in the photo defineately came from the factory with a round hole, kill button, type switch
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never have seen a kill switch, but i'm taking about black toggles (power, standby, polarity).
 
#76
johnk_10 said:
Jim,
they NEVER had black grill cloth.
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Unless the guy you bought it from had spray-painted it black:

IMG00071-20100929-1530.jpg


:rollno: :rollno: :rollno: :rollno: :rollno:

FWIW, when we rebuilt my B-15N in issue #4, the amp & driver went into an entirely new Vintage Blue enclosure, and I kept the original enclosure "intact":

051.jpg
 
#78
Man, I know I'm a gear whore, but I'm in awe of you guys! You all know a LOT more about specific Ampeg details than I could imagine. Specific grille cloths, what year heads had the Ampeg nameplate, black vs. blue line, Linden vs. MTI... !@#$%! Makes my head swim. :confused: lol I had no idea there was so much to it. All I was thinking when I bought that V-4B was "vintage!" and "tube amp!" Lol

5sg.
 
#79
Jefenator said:
That input sensitivity switch would be nice to have - the volume control on mine is pretty touchy. (10 o'clock too soft - 10:30 way hot!!)

Whatever - I'm really loving the way it sounds with the P-bass. With a tasty drummer, no headroom issues tonight. :bassist:
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The reason is that Ampeg used a Linear volume pot rather than an audio volume pot. The Linear pot as you can imagine is a straight line from full to rated resistance. The audio volume pot has a curve.

I had complained to my tech that there was a very narrow sweet spot with my amp. He had some vintage Ampeg audio pots and suggested putting them in. I agreed and now I have a wide range of available volume levels.

On another note, the thing I like about the V4B and SVT is the tube output. I have an Orange Bass Terror that sounds great but doesn't have that 'push' power. I liken it to the difference between driving a front wheel drive car and a rear wheel drive car, the Ampeg/Tube output stage being the latter.

Anyone hear play through a Music Man HD 130? I imagine that would have the same kind of tube output stage 'push' I am talking about.
 
#80
fivestringgecko said:
Man, I know I'm a gear whore, but I'm in awe of you guys! You all know a LOT more about specific Ampeg details than I could imagine. Specific grille cloths, what year heads had the Ampeg nameplate, black vs. blue line, Linden vs. MTI... !@#$%! Makes my head swim. :confused: lol I had no idea there was so much to it. All I was thinking when I bought that V-4B was "vintage!" and "tube amp!" Lol

5sg.
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Best part is that they never did screw up the tone even with different owners or manufacturing plants with the possible exception of the B15R (which I think is OK but some will disagree)
 

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