I miss my SVT rigs....

[henryjurstin13]

I've not had a regular gig in quite sometime... my old band gets together about 2-4 times a year for fun. I've got plenty of stuff I can gig with, and don't "need" an amp.... but, I find myself looking at SVT pics a lot lately. And it's really unfortunate that I keep coming across the picture below, which are both of my old stacks.... band hiatus + no job = SOLD for cash.

I really got tired of lugging this stuff around by myself, and opted for lighter/easier... now I'm (foolishly?) considering tracking down a stack to live in my music room - or maybe, even take to the occasional big stage gig.

I figured lots of us have been in this situation, feeling nostalgic & missing the great gear of our glory days. Buy? Keep daydreaming? Spray paint my markbass rig with Ampeg logos?

 

[beans-on-toast]

I regret selling every amp that I loved. It always seemed like a good idea at the time. Usually because of space. It always costs way more to reacquire an old rig. At one point, I stopped selling my stuff so I no longer have postpartum distress.

 

[Jim C]

I kept the SVT head and use it with a ported cabinet.
Not the same but close enough to keep me happy.
OTOH, it's just too heavy for simple bar gigs...

 

[Jefenator]

I’ve never owned an SVT. I did have a V-4b, though. I eventually sold it. I don’t miss the way my back used to feel after lugging that thing out.
I thought I would miss the tone & feel, but I find my 50 watt tube heads are filling that void quite nicely. They won’t fill a large noisy barroom by themselves but they will keep up with a loud drummer & provide all the stage volume I need on larger concerts with PA support.
Something to think about, anyway. If 300 tube watts is overkill, there are good alternatives.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I did have a V-4b, though. I eventually sold it. I don’t miss the way my back used to feel after lugging that thing out.

The V4B is an awkward 64 lbs to carry. The SVT was 85 lbs.

 

[SJan3]

I've not had a regular gig in quite sometime... my old band gets together about 2-4 times a year for fun. I've got plenty of stuff I can gig with, and don't "need" an amp.... but, I find myself looking at SVT pics a lot lately. And it's really unfortunate that I keep coming across the picture below, which are both of my old stacks.... band hiatus + no job = SOLD for cash.

I really got tired of lugging this stuff around by myself, and opted for lighter/easier... now I'm (foolishly?) considering tracking down a stack to live in my music room - or maybe, even take to the occasional big stage gig.

I figured lots of us have been in this situation, feeling nostalgic & missing the great gear of our glory days. Buy? Keep daydreaming? Spray paint my markbass rig with Ampeg logos?

I don't miss the fridge at all! Markbass for me!

 

[Jim C]

I’ve never owned an SVT. I did have a V-4b, though. I eventually sold it. I don’t miss the way my back used to feel after lugging that thing out.
I thought I would miss the tone & feel, but I find my 50 watt tube heads are filling that void quite nicely. They won’t fill a large noisy barroom by themselves but they will keep up with a loud drummer & provide all the stage volume I need on larger concerts with PA support.
Something to think about, anyway. If 300 tube watts is overkill, there are good alternatives.

To tell you the truth, I always liked the way my V4B sounded better than the SVT and I had both at the same time. I just couldn't get enough clean headroom with 100 watts but if a little distortion is OK, I could see how it would work.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I've not had a regular gig in quite sometime... my old band gets together about 2-4 times a year for fun. I've got plenty of stuff I can gig with, and don't "need" an amp.... but, I find myself looking at SVT pics a lot lately. And it's really unfortunate that I keep coming across the picture below, which are both of my old stacks.... band hiatus + no job = SOLD for cash.

I really got tired of lugging this stuff around by myself, and opted for lighter/easier... now I'm (foolishly?) considering tracking down a stack to live in my music room - or maybe, even take to the occasional big stage gig.

I figured lots of us have been in this situation, feeling nostalgic & missing the great gear of our glory days. Buy? Keep daydreaming? Spray paint my markbass rig with Ampeg logos?

I had an SVT back in the 70s. I traded an Acoustic 370 head to get it. Used it with several different cabs form different manufacturers before settling on the Ampeg V4B 2-15 reflex cab.

For decades after it my “home” sound standard. About 12 years ago I ran into Eden, and that killed that romance. No knock on the SVT head, but IMO, a lot of that magic came from the 8 speaker Fridge.

 

[Marko 1]

If the actual cost isn't an issue, and it's just a matter of whether or not you need it or will use it much...

buy it.

Your reaction to the pics is clear- it stirs feelings. If you have it, and every time you walk into the room just seeing it give you a bit of joy, and distracts you from other life stresses, then it literally adds to the quality and longevity of your life. Like medicine.

My music room mancave is the happiest place in the world for me, and just sitting here with all my stuff (most of which I rarely actually use) is a joy for me.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[Dave W]

SVT! There is nothing like em'

Look for a Bergantino NV610, or any combination of Barefaced Two10/Four10/Six10 cabs if you want to find something that's easier to move around. I've been rocking a pair of Two10S cabs for a few months now and they're excellent with my SVTs and V4B RI. I've also got the NV610T, it's my favorite cab with the SVT.

 

[meatwad]

Even though this thing has no power section, I had to have it, just to have that "old" SVT vibe in the room.

 

[rashrader]

If I didn’t have to carry it, I’d go with an SVT and 810.

 

[logdrum]

Had the head as well but never the fridge. It did not sound as good with my mesa 210 and 115, compared to the Mesa 400 (6550) so I sold it. The Mesa is lighter.

 

[sylvanbass]

I've been feeling the same as of late recently. GC near me has a used fridge in fantastic condition for $499. I'm seriously thinking of going back this weekend to get it. If it's still there (which it probably won't be), then I'll get it. If it's already gone, i'll take that as a sign it wasn't meant to be. I have absolutely no need for it, doubt I'll ever use it outside of my little jam room, but will purely be cause I want. I got my first 810 in 1992. I had been playing for two years and just started high school. My parents recognized that me playing bass wasn't something that was just a fad for a youngster, and saw that I loved it and bought me one as an 8th grade graduation present. They probably paid around the same price for my new one back in 92 that this is selling for now used.

I had that original 810 cab until I was about 24, so I got 12 good years out of it. Only reason I didn't have it after that, is that I was moving and buddy tried to unload it from his truck bed while in the bed itself, and didn't judge the weight right. It was like one of those videos of an old smoke stack being demolished and falling over on its side. It fell about 3 feet forward straight down and just exploded lol. I still have the badge from that cab, and used the speakers in something else, can't remember.

 

[gstaats]

The audience will never know the difference. Big stage gigs don't need them either - foh is all you need. Big iron is dead. Love my b-15r &b-15e for nostalgia only. They suck to transport. My pedal board into a crown xls-1502 to one or two barefaced bb3 cabs will smoke rigs really fast. The mic level di from my mesa subway di+ pedal goes to foh. Consistent sound at gigs and super simple setup.

 

[Zak TMD]

Yea, I gotta say (still using a big, if slightly smaller than an SVT head) there's nothing like it. Get you a case with wheels and a more modern neo cab. Do you need it? Nah. Is it the best? Yea.

 

[TNCreature]

I loved playing through mine, but I cannot move these things any more.
Having one at home or in a permanent practice space was my option.
But I needed gigging flexibility, so out the door it went!

 

[bylar13]

I split the difference:

Heavy Head and a light cabinet.

My rig from last nights gig:

 

[StyleOverShow]

Miss the look as much as the crunchy punch (and agree the V4B was prolly a better head) of the SVT’s of yore.

Love it when I find one in the backline nowadays but wouldn’t give up my more versatile and portable D Class heads and Neo cabs. It’s a brand new day and has been for a while

 

[Wasnex]

I would consider owning an SVT more of a luxury than a necessity. For most people it's not a very practical rig.

Guess I am lucky. I love the way a full SVT rig looks, but the sound really doesn't work for me very well. So I am free to choose a much lighter and more compact rig.

I can totally understand your dilemma though as millions of people think the full SVT experience is ideal. If you can afford one and are willing to deal with the weight, go for it.