I Can Finally Say I Played Through An Ampeg

[fenderhutz]

Almost all rock concert's I attend and watch on Palladia TV have an SVT tube head and fridge on stage. There is a reason for this.

Ampeg likes to buy stage space and has the money to do so.

Most musicians are too poor to turn down cheaper gear that can easily be replaced worldwide if broken.

 

[DeepBass9]

Almost all rock concert's I attend and watch on Palladia TV have an SVT tube head and fridge on stage. There is a reason for this.

Yeah...they have roadies!!!

 

[Surly]

If you like an Ampeg hybrid, just wait til you play a real SVT...I played through the SVT4 and CL at GC. I decided to save a lot of money and get an old SVT and I couldn't be happier with the tone either practicing or in the mix.

 

[allexcosta]

Almost all rock concert's I attend and watch on Palladia TV have an SVT tube head and fridge on stage. There is a reason for this.

To look cool and because rock is so centered on guitar that producers and singers want the bass to sound mud?

 

[fenderhutz]

To look cool and because rock is so centered on guitar that producers and singers want the bass to sound mud?

Ampeg mud = myth

 

[edbass]

I played a gig a few months ago at which I used the rig of the bassist for the headliner band - an original, well-maintained 1971 SVT - 300 watts of all-tube power atop a big 8X10" cab. Big, glowing tubes visible through the back, and that old-school smell....

I had my Modulus Q5, and I asked the guy where I should limit the vloume - he said "turn it up as much as you want - it can take it". I turned it up until it hit a sweet spot, just amazing, thunderous lows with a clear round midrange, and an overall tone that I just can't quite describe. It's one of those things you just have to experience. I play old-school rock music, mostly with a 2mm pick, and the grind and growl from that rig was bitchin'. I played a whole set through it, and it sounded better than any other stand-alone rig I have ever used. My own full rig can get a bit more ultra-low end depth, but the overall effect of the SVT was of a powerful rounded richness that was immensely satisfying. There is a difference between SS LOUD and all-tube LOUD.

I immediately wanted one.

Most tube amps don't start to get thick and rich until they get a little power tube saturation going on.
It's not like Hi-Fi sound reproduction, or transistor power amps where you are looking for < 1% THD, "all tube" circuits like to be pushed. A good dose (8%-15% ish) of harmonic distortion is what makes an all tube musical instrument amp, well..."tubey".
Solid state amps are fine, but transistors just plain don't sound good when they clip, they get real harsh, which is one of the reasons that SS amps generally require much more power for a similar application (i.e.; SVT-6 vs SVT CL).

 

[pedro]

To look cool and because rock is so centered on guitar that producers and singers want the bass to sound mud?

One man's mud is another man's warmth and one man's clear is another man's sterile.

 

[pedro]

My eyes aren't as quick as they used to be and so I can't see exactly what this young fellow is playing thru but I will say that when I saw him a few years back he was using Ampeg gear.



Personally I'm not even remotely interested in that sound but I can't imagine describing it as 'mud'.

 

[Eric Perry]

One man's mud is another man's warmth and one man's clear is another man's sterile.

Oh so true!

 

[Ampeg SVT]

My eyes aren't as quick as they used to be and so I can't see exactly what this young fellow is playing thru but I will say that when I saw him a few years back he was using Ampeg gear.



Personally I'm not even remotely interested in that sound but I can't imagine describing it as 'mud'.

I cant tell either, it sure doesnt sound like Ampeg.

 

[JimmyM]

I cant tell either, it sure doesnt sound like Ampeg.

Thank you. That should end at least one aspect of the nonsense that anti-Ampeggers like to spew, and that's "Everyone sounds the same through Ampeg." Balderdash, poppycock, and hoo-ha!

 

[Jim Powers]

I too have the SVT-CL and SVT-810E set, and every time I play it I walk away without GAS for anything else. It does have a lot of inherent bass so I set my Ric up high on the bridge PUP to get crisp treble attack. For our normal practice sessions I run it about 3-4, and it just goes up from there. It is plenty loud, at 5 it is overwhelming the band. Loudness is somewhat subjective IMHO, you may be comfortable in front of this on stage but 1/4 mile away it is still thumping at these low frequencies. And there's something about the guitard coming over and facing off in front of one for the first time, feeling the hot air blowing out the front of the head on him, that puts a damper on volume wars; it will go as high as you'll ever need to. You know, I kinda like it

 

[allexcosta]

My eyes aren't as quick as they used to be and so I can't see exactly what this young fellow is playing thru but I will say that when I saw him a few years back he was using Ampeg gear.



Personally I'm not even remotely interested in that sound but I can't imagine describing it as 'mud'.

Do you really think that when you go to a show you're actually hearing the bassist's amp?

 

[allexcosta]

Oh, Ampeg...

 

[DanRJBrasil]

Not really.

As much as people want to argue tube watts are better than solid state watts, the 300 watt tube head isn't going to give you the headroom of that 1100 watt amp.

The Ampeg SVT will give you great tone however. Industry standard rock tone. Panty melting tone.

+1

 

[fenderhutz]

If you want one, buy one before Loud decides to stop making them.

Do a google search for Loud Technologies Restructure.

 

[JimmyM]

Do you really think that when you go to a show you're actually hearing the bassist's amp?

Do you really think that it means the house sound and the amp sound are diametrically opposed if you're not?

Funny, but I've been to a lot of shows where I can actually hear the amps, and at the best shows, the house sound is very similar to the amp sound.

 

[sedan_dad]

You need to hunt down and play through a old SVT and a 810. You thoughts afterwards would be of great interest to me.

 

[Eric Perry]

...at the best shows, the house sound is very similar to the amp sound.

Just like it should be!

 

[GregC]

One man's mud is another man's warmth and one man's clear is another man's sterile.

Amen!

Oh, Ampeg...

What point are you trying to make by posting these?