Is Ampeg done for?

[3bc]

OK, if that's what you want, any of the other PF cabs and the 410hlf will work.

So what's the problem? Disappointed that Ampeg still exists or something?

Not at all. My first proper rig was an ampeg and I felt like I had arrived when I got it. I've had a couple of ampeg cabs, an old B4R, SVT3 Pro, and for a brief period, what I considered the holy grail of bass amps, the SVT 2 Pro with the tube power stage. I'm not a young punk anymore, and don't have the ability or desire to travel with that kind of kit anymore. I'd love a modern Ampeg rig that can compete with a Genzler, Bergantino, Aguilar, etc. rig with two lightweight, full range 1x12 cabs and a small head that fits in a little shoulder bag for a one trip load in/out. I was sad when I started seeing Markbass take over the floor space at Guitar Center, pushing Ampeg out. But I grew to understand why, and Ampeg never really responded in any way to keep pace with what was going on.

 

[JimmyM]

Not at all. My first proper rig was an ampeg and I felt like I had arrived when I got it. I've had a couple of ampeg cabs, an old B4R, SVT3 Pro, and for a brief period, what I considered the holy grail of bass amps, the SVT 2 Pro with the tube power stage. I'm not a young punk anymore, and don't have the ability or desire to travel with that kind of kit anymore. I'd love a modern Ampeg rig that can compete with a Genzler, Bergantino, Aguilar, etc. rig with two lightweight, full range 1x12 cabs and a small head that fits in a little shoulder bag for a one trip load in/out. I was sad when I started seeing Markbass take over the floor space at Guitar Center, pushing Ampeg out. But I grew to understand why, and Ampeg never really responded in any way to keep pace with what was going on.

Markbass took over the floor at GC because GC is their exclusive dealer in the US.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Super light weight Class D amps are awesome.
When they fail you through them in the garbage since fixing costs more than replacing.

 

[3bc]

I guess if you can find me something that sounds better than their lead sled and 810 that becomes industry standard we'll talk.

Not disputing the legacy products sound great. I personally preferred the megoliath i owned over the ampeg fridge i owned, but that's just personal preference.

 

[pfschim]

I've never been a huge Ampeg fan (but not a critic either), I just happened to drift more towards the Fender type tone. I'm also an unabashed fan of the Mesa bass amps from many years back. But I have to say, there's no way Ampeg is "over". Yamaha bought them last year and those folks are not stupid when it comes to investments. Besides the legacy and heritage stuff, and the PF350/500/800 amps, Ampeg also has a real corner on small all tube amps like the PF20t and PF50t.

I would never count Ampeg out.

 

[3bc]

Super light weight Class D amps are awesome.
When they fail you through them in the garbage since fixing is more costly than replacing.

Awesomeness

A kind of standard, everyman's Ampeg amp is the 3pro. It still retails for $1250. But online i'm seeing them used for $350, 400, 450, etc. If you're SVT3 pro failed you are not boxing that up and sending it in for repair. You're paying someone $25 to recycle it and going down to the local GC to buy up the used one they've been sitting on for 4 years. And if an amp reselling for less than 1/3 of it's price brand new is not indicative of the fact that time has moved on without Ampeg i'm not sure what is...

 

[msb]

Super light weight Class D amps are awesome.
When they fail you through them in the garbage since fixing costs more than replacing.

I had my GenzBenz Streamliner 900 serviced last year , it came back with some factory upgrades , and is like a new amp . It's a great amp , and is well worth investing in .
The service fee was $85 , including parts .
They believe in the legacy of their designs .
Some Class D amps are quite repairable . But make sure your repair person is authorized .

 

[agedhorse]

Well it's fair to say I haven't played one. But for you know what's and giggles, I just plugged my bass into my studio setup and put an 18dB filter at 68hz to simulate the effect of that cab. Obviously the E string doesn't just disappear. But you know what sounded a LOT better than playing with an 18dB filter at 68hz? Playing the same lines after turning the EQ filter off.

That's not simulating the cabinet, it's missing many of the essential elements that exist in a real speaker model.

Super light weight Class D amps are awesome.
When they fail you through them in the garbage since fixing costs more than replacing.

This is not true in many cases, and I have shown by example here many times. There are SOME cases, just like there are some cases with traditional lead sled amps.

 

[Crunchy Growl]

What I find interesting is all these manufacturers claim their sound is similar to Ampeg with some kind of twist. Give the new owners time They are sure to bring something exciting to market.

 

[Daniel Piper]

I have never owned an ampeg amp. But boy oh boy I will own me a heritage rig someday and I will be a happy man.

still relevant, still top of the pile for many many players.

 

[JimmyM]

A kind of standard, everyman's Ampeg amp is the 3pro. It still retails for $1250. But online i'm seeing them used for $350, 400, 450, etc. If you're SVT3 pro failed you are not boxing that up and sending it in for repair. You're paying someone $25 to recycle it and going down to the local GC to buy up the used one they've been sitting on for 4 years. And if an amp reselling for less than 1/3 of it's price brand new is not indicative of the fact that time has moved on without Ampeg i'm not sure what is...

1. The 3 Pro is still in production after 27 years, so SOMEONE is buying them, and not many amps can claim over 25 years of continuous production.

2. I sure see a hell of a lot of Ampeg being used on pro stages worldwide, so I'd say the idea that they're irrelevant nowadays is absurd.

 

[msb]

agedhorse did the service work on my GB Liner !
And many , many others .

 

[3bc]

What I find interesting is all these manufacturers claim their sound is similar to Ampeg with some kind of twist. Give the new owners time They are sure to bring something exciting to market.

I didn't intend to start a war. I grew up as an ampeg player and was proud to be one. I don't think I'm being contrarian or provacative to say that Ampeg has been lagging behind in bass amp technology and new offerings and designs. To your point, Tone Hammers and SL112 cabinets sell like hot cakes, and at premium prices, because they have a "classic" "warm" sound but they weigh next to nothing.

I know my needs and desires to not mirror everyone else's, but I would love to see Ampeg do a modern design, class d head and NEO cab. Maybe Yamaha will breathe new life into the brand. Or maybe it will work out like when they bought Sequential Circuits and did nothing but wind it down...

 

[misterCRUSH]

For me, Ampeg represents quality. I have a PF 500 and ported 115 cab. Both are completely solid and sound like the tone I've heard in my head all these years. I am grateful to Ampeg. Nothing beats them in my book. I'm a happy camper.

 

[pie_man_25]

I mean, my pf500 doesn't qualify for ultralight at 12 pounds or so, but jeeze, 12 pounds is great when your last head was thirty and had half the wattage.

I dunno, I like my Ampeg gear, it's not like they constantly need to be making waves to be making lots of great gear that sells well. Granted, it's been a minute since they've released anything new, I could see them benefitting from that, but what could they do better?

 

[3bc]

That's not simulating the cabinet, it's missing many of the essential elements that exist in a real speaker model.


This is not true in many cases, and I have shown by example here many times. There are SOME cases, just like there are some cases with traditional lead sled amps.

You are a perfect person to ask. I think it's obvious to even my uneducated brain that frequency response is not the same thing as tone, timbre, etc, so it's not a fair "simulation". Is it somehow possible that a cab that has a flat response down to 68hz can sound as "full" as a cab with a flat response down to around 40hz or so?

 

[SLPimp]

I must have already added the OP to my ignore list because all I can see are a bunch of fabulous responses to what was clearly either trolling or (insert pejorative adjective here).

 

[Geri O]

Apologies, I see there is one 350 watt head under 10 pounds, and a 2nd 1x12 that weighs 30 pounds, but only handles 200 watts, and has a frequency response that gives up below 68hz, which is equivalent to a C note on the A string. So the fundamental tone of E-B are basically not even present. Seems like a kind of a useless product...

You just don't know how actual frequencies and bass tones work, do you…..

 

[3bc]

You just don't know how actual frequencies and bass tones work, do you…..

Teach me, what's the fundamental frequency of an open E string? I'm open to learning more.

 

[two fingers]

*sigh*

Frequency response is but one part of a very complicated equation. DAW simulators don't live up to real-world physics of a cab and a room. There's a lot going on.

For instance, an open E fundamental is around 41 hz. The frequency response of the venerable Ampeg 810 only goes down to 58 hz. It doesn't reproduce the fundamental of the low E either. And nobody has ever accused the 810 of sounding "thin".