Just played an SVT VR head.....

[JGR]

I tried one too, the other day and had to stop myslef from buying it - couldnt justify spending that much money (about 3000 US, here in Japan). It was however, a great sounding amp, and as others said, I just plugged a Pbass in, everything was pretty much flat and it sounded NICE. Low volumes was nice and higher volumes it broke up sooo sweetly. Had that nice even, rounded, tube-compressed kinda sound. Lack of knobs was great. I didn't try in thru any other cabs, just an ampeg 810. If I was seriously gonna buy it Id try it through some other cabs and with other basses, but it really was a sweet amp - just very expensive and very heavy.

wow, 3K is a lot of coin! oh well, at least you got some cool ESP's over there. i was in Tokyo last month but didn't get a chance to check out any of the music stores. i may be in tokyo or nagoya at the end of january again.. how's the weather?

JR

 

[shuriken]

Hey JGR - Yeah, ESP guitars are nice - actually the bass I tried the SVT-VR with was a Navigator, which, I believe is made by ESP. Really top line Fender Pbass. Anyway, the weather is getting cold now - in January you are likely to get snow. Tokyo and Nagoya winters are pretty similar. Feel free to PM me if you are coming to Nagoya and wanna go to some shops. Tokyo has more stuff though.

 

[johnk_10]

I purchased a brand new in the sealed box SVT VR last december. I got as great deal on it for $1500 from a local dealer. After owning nine original vintage ones over my 40+ years of bass playing, this is only the second one that I have purchased brand new. The previous one that I bought new was back in 1979 when they retailed at $1800 for the head and $1K for the 8-10 cab.

I have since sold all of them with the exception of an old '70 that i still have. They were: a '69 (blue line), a '70, two '71 blue lines, a '72, a '79 (the new one with the white rocker switch), an '80, and two '81's and they were all great amps, and while all of them sounded a little different than each other, they all had that huge, classic, and IMO, awesome SVT sound. I think that SVT's are the top of the food chain as far as bass amps go.

The new VR basically sounds the same as any year that I've had and is a great amp. It may be a little bit more stiff but i haven't put that many hours on it yet and all of my old ones had GE6550A's in them. The biggest difference is that the new VR is quite abit noisier than the originals at idle (hiss, hum etc), the fans on all of them were quite noisey with some noisier than others. I'm going to swap out the stock preamp tubes (electro harmonix) in the new one and put in some NOS RCA and Mullards to see if it gets any quiter, but otherwise, I love the new one just as it is.

I run it thru an new SVT410HLF which i think sounds as good or possibly better than the old 8-10 cabs (of which i've had many), and I regrilled it with the ampeg reissue vintage blue cloth to match the head.

2 cents.............

johnk

 

[jpyer]

John, could you tell me where you got your Ampeg VR cloth to re-grill your 410svthlf? I have the same cab and just ordered a SVT VR. Would like to do the same thing so they match. Thanks in advance.
JP

 

[denton57]

I purchased a brand new in the sealed box SVT VR last december. I got as great deal on it for $1500 from a local dealer. After owning nine original vintage ones over my 40+ years of bass playing, this is only the second one that I have purchased brand new. The previous one that I bought new was back in 1979 when they retailed at $1800 for the head and $1K for the 8-10 cab.

I have since sold all of them with the exception of an old '70 that i still have. They were: a '69 (blue line), a '70, two '71 blue lines, a '72, a '79 (the new one with the white rocker switch), an '80, and two '81's and they were all great amps, and while all of them sounded a little different than each other, they all had that huge, classic, and IMO, awesome SVT sound. I think that SVT's are the top of the food chain as far as bass amps go.

The new VR basically sounds the same as any year that I've had and is a great amp. It may be a little bit more stiff but i haven't put that many hours on it yet and all of my old ones had GE6550A's in them. The biggest difference is that the new VR is quite abit noisier than the originals at idle (hiss, hum etc), the fans on all of them were quite noisey with some noisier than others. I'm going to swap out the stock preamp tubes (electro harmonix) in the new one and put in some NOS RCA and Mullards to see if it gets any quiter, but otherwise, I love the new one just as it is.

I run it thru an new SVT410HLF which i think sounds as good or possibly better than the old 8-10 cabs (of which i've had many), and I regrilled it with the ampeg reissue vintage blue cloth to match the head.

2 cents.............

johnk

Thanks John. It is great when someone chimes in who has real experience with both the vintage and new models. I had thought that the hlf would be too muddy with the SVT from what I have read. Nice to hear a different experience! I think I need a 4x10 for the times I dont neen an 8x10. I am leaning towards the fliptops one, but nice to know about other Ampeg options. Of course I would have to replace the grill cloth to 70's specs like you did!

 

[sparrow]

The biggest difference is that the new VR is quite abit noisier than the originals at idle (hiss, hum etc), the fans on all of them were quite noisey with some noisier than others.

My brand new VR has no hiss/hum and i can barely hear my fan

guess i'm lucky?

 

[rodl2005]

Damn JohnK 10 That rig looks GREAT in the silver!!!!! Glad it sounds GREAT too!!!

 

[realdeal]

I purchased a brand new in the sealed box SVT VR last december. I got as great deal on it for $1500 from a local dealer. After owning nine original vintage ones over my 40+ years of bass playing, this is only the second one that I have purchased brand new. The previous one that I bought new was back in 1979 when they retailed at $1800 for the head and $1K for the 8-10 cab.

I have since sold all of them with the exception of an old '70 that i still have. They were: a '69 (blue line), a '70, two '71 blue lines, a '72, a '79 (the new one with the white rocker switch), an '80, and two '81's and they were all great amps, and while all of them sounded a little different than each other, they all had that huge, classic, and IMO, awesome SVT sound. I think that SVT's are the top of the food chain as far as bass amps go.

The new VR basically sounds the same as any year that I've had and is a great amp. It may be a little bit more stiff but i haven't put that many hours on it yet and all of my old ones had GE6550A's in them. The biggest difference is that the new VR is quite abit noisier than the originals at idle (hiss, hum etc), the fans on all of them were quite noisey with some noisier than others. I'm going to swap out the stock preamp tubes (electro harmonix) in the new one and put in some NOS RCA and Mullards to see if it gets any quiter, but otherwise, I love the new one just as it is.

I run it thru an new SVT410HLF which i think sounds as good or possibly better than the old 8-10 cabs (of which i've had many), and I regrilled it with the ampeg reissue vintage blue cloth to match the head.

2 cents.............

johnk

Sparrow: My brand new VR has no hiss/hum and i can barely hear my fan

Well, well.
Thanks to both for your posts reaffirming that Ampeg hasn't gone to He**.

I own SLM 'Pegs; and have played (not owned) through the 'new" manufacture product from LOUD.
I liked it, it performed well, and the tones were not dis-similar to my ears. BTW, I play out every week-end and have done so for over a year...
Not that there haven't been issues, I'm sure there have, as with all brands- But too often, when we buy gear, use it, and it performs like it should...there's nothing to say.
ANd there's a group that relishes bagging things-amps, basses,, life itself! 'cause they're not happy! Boo-hoo.

Anyway- Good to hear that Ampeg still rates. I knew they would.

 

[main_sale]

Yeah, I'm a fan of Ampeg USA crafted products too. I've got a B-100R that is "Bomb Proof", a B-15R/15E that has been 100% reliable for over five years now, a '67 B-15-N still with it's original tubes and caps, a SVT-3Pro that has also been 100% reliable for over five years and a SVT-VR from the second run of USA production that is also performing flawlessly. Having, said that, I have no plans to purchase any of their "off shore" production as I don't feel they currently represent good value for money to the enduser, but that's just my opinion.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

John, could you tell me where you got your Ampeg VR cloth to re-grill your 410svthlf? I have the same cab and just ordered a SVT VR. Would like to do the same thing so they match. Thanks in advance.
JP

Check out fliptops:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Kelly Lee]

Keep things on topic please and NOT personal. I don't want to do more clean up on this thread and, if I have to, those responsible should expect to receive infractions.

 

[alfredpunkjazz]

I have a US made VR and it has had some problems, it sounds awesome, really, but I never I would be having this stuff happening this soon on a brand new $1,700 amp...

 

[BassyBill]

Keep things on topic please and NOT personal. I don't want to do more clean up on this thread and, if I have to, those responsible should expect to receive infractions.

Well said. And ditto.

 

[64jb]

i'm trading in my svt-cl and get the VR. it is on order right now. so i don't know what will say where it was manufactured in the back but that's fine with me. weather if it from vietnam or korea. as long it is damn sound good and no problem. im really curious how this one is gonna sound. i wish someone here who owns a vr can post a video here or in youtube.

 

[beebassdude]

i got a VR two weeks ago. its the loudest best sounding amp ive ever owned.

you will not be disappointed.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

...and WOW, I am pretty impressed, so much so that I just put it on layaway!!

I didn't see any price info - and from where you are buying! At a list of $2000, that thing better be *great*, given the other options out there...

 

[JimmyM]

VR's can usually be had for $1500-1600 these days. A little more reasonable, I think. And they certainly fit my definition of great. I haven't been very keen on the idiots at LOUD, but I must say that when they make an Ampeg that works, it's as good as any as far as I'm concerned.

 

[beebassdude]

i got mine new at GC for 1500 bucks on clearance. i guess theyre just trying to move them. the speakon connector is a little funny, not sure if thats from someone screwing with it at the store, or if it came that way, but the regular speaker jacks are fine and are what i use.

the amp destroys, i cant imagine a bass tube head sounding any better than this.

 

[Tim1]

As I have posted elsewhere, after various reservations I purchased a new VR about a month ago. Best move I ever made. No hum, hiss or fan noise, solid and the greatest tone I have ever had. To my ears and those of my band mates it even sounds better than the SVT2nonpro I gigged for many years.

 

[JimmyM]

i got mine new at GC for 1500 bucks on clearance. i guess theyre just trying to move them. the speakon connector is a little funny, not sure if thats from someone screwing with it at the store, or if it came that way, but the regular speaker jacks are fine and are what i use.

the amp destroys, i cant imagine a bass tube head sounding any better than this.

Speakons are an easy fix usually.