Jimmy, what happened to your avatar and perfect punctuation? Thankfully we still have your Ampeg brain. 
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IDing a SVT - MTI in wrong case? Now with pics!
- Thread starter feckn_eejit
- Start date
avatar is gone with my subscription.
punctuation is still pretty darn good, thank you, but capitalization went by the wayside when i develpoed a mild case of cts a few weeks ago. for as much about technique as i am on the bass to prevent injury, that doesn't carry over to typing. so for now i'm not doing caps because that stretch really hurts after pending way too long on here.
but the ampeg brain is turning to mush with this question...how could an svt with skunkworks styling be made in elkhart?
punctuation is still pretty darn good, thank you, but capitalization went by the wayside when i develpoed a mild case of cts a few weeks ago. for as much about technique as i am on the bass to prevent injury, that doesn't carry over to typing. so for now i'm not doing caps because that stretch really hurts after pending way too long on here.
but the ampeg brain is turning to mush with this question...how could an svt with skunkworks styling be made in elkhart?
This is what has me thinking it's either an MTI transition model built with a leftover selmer headbox or the headbox was replaced at one point.
Or is the elkhart sticker on the cab and no reference on the head?
Turns out we won't get to figure this one out - someone else showed up and threw down the cash for it while I was stalling to figure out what the damn thing was.
Major bummer if it is actually a Skunkworks, but I'm almost positive it isn't. It did sound really nice, but I'd prefer not to own something that's a questionable mongrel. Not to mention it's way too much rig for me, what I really want is a V4/NV610! Speaking of which, there's a Selmer-era V4 (not B) for sale locally... I recall reading the guitar V4s are not undesirable for bass... thoughts on value for one that's been converted to use 6550s?
Thanks for all the theories guys!
Major bummer if it is actually a Skunkworks, but I'm almost positive it isn't. It did sound really nice, but I'd prefer not to own something that's a questionable mongrel. Not to mention it's way too much rig for me, what I really want is a V4/NV610! Speaking of which, there's a Selmer-era V4 (not B) for sale locally... I recall reading the guitar V4s are not undesirable for bass... thoughts on value for one that's been converted to use 6550s?
Thanks for all the theories guys!
As long as the conversion was done well, it shouldn't be worth much less than one still running 7027s. Mine runs 6550s, sounds pretty good. TBer BassmanPaul frequently says that 6550s in this head can lead to shortened power transformer life, but how much shorter? Don't know. I've had mine for a few years, and it was running 6550s when I got it, still runs like a champ. Plus 6550s are listed as a "performance upgrade" for the V4/B in later 70s ampeg literature, so I'm not really concerned, but something you should look out for I suppose.
Gotcha.
Sounds like the conversion was done well, and he has the parts to convert back.
Apparently this one has "scratchy pots" as well, something I'd be fine to fix myself but a bargaining point, sure... Dude's asking CA$750... seems to me to be around $100-$150 too much, thoughts?
Sounds like the conversion was done well, and he has the parts to convert back.
Apparently this one has "scratchy pots" as well, something I'd be fine to fix myself but a bargaining point, sure... Dude's asking CA$750... seems to me to be around $100-$150 too much, thoughts?
Just because he's askin', doesn't mean he's gettin' is the way I always look at pricing. If it's priced as $750CA, offer what you feel is closer to the correct price, explain why (maybe take into account the potential cost of replacing pots or spraying in some contact cleaner) and go from there. I paid $450 for mine, I think, but prices seem to have gone up lately.
The modern Ampegs of the St. Louis Music era were all made after 1985. The amps made since 1988 have a 10-digit serial number which is encoded for model, country, date, and year. The serial number can be broken down as follows:
Digits 1, 2, 3 = Model
Digit 4 = Country Code where:
U = U.K.
D = domestic U.S.
W = worldwide
Y = Europe
Digit 5 = Year where:
A = 1988
B = 1989
C = 1990, etc.
Digit 6 = Month where:
1 through 9 = January through September
0 = October
A = November
B = December
Digits 7, 8, 9, 10 = serial number
Kewl thread. I have an MTI SVT also, and I found a lightly stamped 'Japan' on the backside of the the rear plate. It was quite light and I barely saw it. Other than that, I didn't find any other marking indicating where it was made.
It also had 12AX7 tubes, so must have been a later Japanese production. It's just FYI and won't help feckn, but maybe others in the future.
It also had 12AX7 tubes, so must have been a later Japanese production. It's just FYI and won't help feckn, but maybe others in the future.
And here's a pic of the rear.
My SVT has the angled control , notched case and a Made in Japan sticker INSIDE the rear grill .It also has 12DW7 and 12AX7 in the preamp acording to the sticker inside the amp.I hope this helps
