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Lighter all-tube SVT alternatives?
- Thread starter jebo
- Start date
Being that the SVT is about as heavy as they come...
Unless you want the answer "pretty much any other tube amp" you will need to be more specific.
How much lighter do you prefer? How many watts do you really need? What cabs(impedance) do you plan to use? Any signature tone you are going after? Do you prefer it clean or dirty? New or used?
To most directly answer your question, Peavey has a 300 watter called the VB-3 that is under $2k new and under 40 pounds.
Unless you want the answer "pretty much any other tube amp" you will need to be more specific.
How much lighter do you prefer? How many watts do you really need? What cabs(impedance) do you plan to use? Any signature tone you are going after? Do you prefer it clean or dirty? New or used?
To most directly answer your question, Peavey has a 300 watter called the VB-3 that is under $2k new and under 40 pounds.
I have back problems already, so the lighter the better. Prob a 200 watt would suffice as SVT's seem to be reeeeaaaalllly powerful. I'll use 2 8ohm cabs... prob both 1x12's. as for sound, I love the svt's sound, but a good clean tone is more important to me if that makes sense.
That new Peavey VB-3 looks great for a lighter alternative. I tried the Mesa Prodigy and after getting the issues I had with the amp resolved I decided that it just didn't sound or feel big enough if you know what I mean. My vintage svt is my go to amp and although my back isn't in great shape my bandmates all agree that this amp smokes my Prodigy or my V4BH in terms of feel and tone when playing.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
Not a tube solution, but have you considered a micro head, ampeg or otherwise, with a VTbass pedal in front of it?
Ampeg micro vr with two svt210av, has a lot of svt-vibe, also without a VTbass pedal in front of it.
V4B. Only 100w but it's a loud 100w. And the new one only weighs 41 lbs.
Tubes need lots of current. No getting around that.
The way you generate lots of current is big old transformers.
Big old transformers *heavy*.
Hence, tube amps are heavy.
The way you generate lots of current is big old transformers.
Big old transformers *heavy*.
Hence, tube amps are heavy.
Or an Aggie TH500, with the gain up (for grit) and the drive up (for the hi and low rolloffs)? Eublet had a post on the TH500 thread about how he gets an SVT-like tone from his.
Mesa Prodigy is 29 lbs. Strategy @465W is only 49lbs about the same but more powerful. My 400+ weighs over 90lbs thanks to the original case.
My Bass 400 weighs 60 lbs with the factory wooden/tolex head case. And have a Strategy on the way!
