as a guy who had to use one for years on a blues gig any amp will sound better and be lighter
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Is Ampeg done for?
- Thread starter 3bc
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Hoping for a dSVT with Line 6 modeling baked in, simple, controls are just like what you see on an SVT. Maybe a few mic selections available on the DI, but nothing too fancy. No USB, no external editors, no bluetooth. Lightweight, or at least significantly lighter than the SVT.
Correct, mine is just but one opinion. I'm not an engineer. But sifting through all of the fanboy vitriol, there's been a lot of people who have chimed in to say "Yeah, I see that side of the equation, the quality has been suspect, they haven't upgraded things in decades, when I recommend amps or look at amps Ampeg isn't even on my list" AgedHorse has apparently far more sense than I do, and his own set of opinions. And I'm not trying to speak for him. But there's a reason why AgedHorse isn't designing led sleds. There's a reason (plenty I'm sure) why Mesa stopped selling massive 400+ tube heads and 8x10 cabinets...
I'd love to give Markbass a try, but that damn rat fur covering is a no go for me. Every amp I've had with rat fur was a bigger dirt magnet than my two sons, and that's saying a lot.
A lot of people assume I hate ampeg or want to see them fail. It's really the opposite. I'd like to see them innovate and thrive. I have an irrational dislike of Markbass because I viewed them as kicking off Ampeg's downfall, pushing down their marketshare, etc. Which is silly because I did eventually jump on the class D, neo bandwagon.
I still have not given markbass a chance because of my irrationality, and the yellow cones are too attention grabbing visually for my tastes. And I'm also not a fan of rat fur, I had an SWR cab start growing mold on the rat fur one time, not pretty. BUT, having said that, I have owned two ampeg cabs, and seen probably a million others, where the tolex was torn to shreds. Their cab coverings were always hot garbage. It's like they used a dab of elmers glue to attach it. Not sure if it's gotten better in the last 10+ years or so.
I think ur right and its kinda hard to explain but a P bass thru an SVT run flat for me is the most glorious bass tone ever, kinda gnarly without the grind..
Yeah...they didnt sell enough to warrant making them. Companies dont keep products around that are not selling. I have an SVT and two 210av cabs and I really love the tones. I look at Ampeg as more of a traditional, vintage (or whatever you want to call it) brand. They arent trying to keep up with all the latest tech because most people arent looking to them for that. Sort of like Rickenbacker. Their clients arent looking for 35 scale fanned fret humbucking active Rics.
IMO Ampeg is still very much an industry standard in many ways. The flagship SVT- CL, SVT4, SVT 2 and the 810 certainly are some of the best amps made and are still heavily relied upon. I don't see that changing when it comes to touring musicians!
Having said that, I don't think the Portaflex series competes very well with a whole slew of other manufacturers whom have gone lighter, smaller and more feature laden. So in some sense, I agree that it's pretty rare to see Ampeg's in the wild aside from large touring acts and venue back line.
I personally haven't used Ampegs in decades now (although I still own several) because I have found a tone of other options that do the job more efficiently and at a much lighter and inexpensive level.
Having said that, I don't think the Portaflex series competes very well with a whole slew of other manufacturers whom have gone lighter, smaller and more feature laden. So in some sense, I agree that it's pretty rare to see Ampeg's in the wild aside from large touring acts and venue back line.
I personally haven't used Ampegs in decades now (although I still own several) because I have found a tone of other options that do the job more efficiently and at a much lighter and inexpensive level.
My answer to the question would be no... however, I really really really hope Yamaha starts doing something quickly in terms of new product (and not just t-shirts, hats and mugs) because they took over a while ago and from what I'm sensing is that Ampeg players are beyond antsy/borderline frustrated with no new product besides the 50th Anniversary SVT. Maybe I'm wrong but, the Ampeg ideascale forum has been absolutely flooded with ideas players have been wanting for years now but the question is, is Yamaha and Ampeg even listening? Hmm...
it sounds amazing. But put my MTD though that and i want to jam sharp objects into my ears
Yeah I was looking into buying the SVT 410 HLF, saw a bunch of bad reviews from several years ago. I checked to see if they were still made in China and it turns out Yamaha bought them out just a couple years ago. More recent reviews had more positive things to say about the cab. Hopefully I get a decent tax return cuz if I do I'll buy it ASAP
I think Ampeg does what Ampeg does because they keep selling equipment and people like it. They don't need to be like GK and Bergantino and Darkglass... they have their own thing and people like it. Why do they need to ruin a good thing?
I am kinda with you. Ampeg is acting like they can run with the retro thing forever. I guess it is working somewhat well based on the number of people around here still rubbing themselves about SVTs.
Their heads are rubbish. There isn't a single one In would want to own. Even their "new" small sized heads are awkwardly designed and ugly.
The only cab of theirs I'd play through is a 810, but only as a part of a backline. You'd have to pay me to take one off your hands because they are so ridiculously cumbersome.
I'd guess it's because Mesa customers prefer what Mesa is offering.
Ampeg, far from being "done for"continues to successfully sell a mix of old and new technology. So I'd think Ampeg's customers prefer what Ampeg is offering.
Point being, if you're not in the market for a given brand of amp, why would you care about what the company is doing - or what others may think about it anyway?
I've got an acquaintance who is perpetually criticizing BMWs. He doesn't drive one. He isn't interested in owning or driving one. He's bern behind the wheel of one maybe twice in his entire lifetime. But he'll get on his soapbox about how they're "overrated" and "overpriced" at the drop of a hat. And it's not even a case of green eyes. He could go out and cut a personal check for six of them tomorrow without so much as a whimper from his bank account. But he routinely throws out questions like yours. I don't get it.
In the absence of any breaking news about Ampeg's business I guess I don't get your question either. Fender(sorry to drag them up but I think it's germane) have manufactured and successfully marketed what's effectively been the same two guitars and basses for the better part of a century with no end in sight. Are they "done for" despite that? I doubt it. The Tele/Strat/PB/JB quartet is still going strong and finding a place in the hearts of a new generation of players. Tube amps and analog gear still proliferate despite the supposed superiority of solid-state and digital. So much so that accurate vintage reissues are becoming more and more commonplace.
As long as there's a market for the so-called lead sled, somebody will continue to build them. And the fact Ampeg is still making them (and Fender has joined the heavy tube fray with its Bassman and Superbassman offerings) tells me it's something more being done than done for.
