(regarding) that CLASSIC AMPEG SOUND (from a class-D amp??)

If you are looking for the Ampeg sound you're not going to get it from a TC or GK are you?

 

Without being a wise guy intentionally.

You say you want the " Ampeg" sound
But then list 3 or 4 other brands.

Im not really sure what the " Ampeg" sound is. But a SVT has a pretty straight basic 2 band tone bass and treble tone stack. Then a switable mid control which offers boost/ cut.

Probably zillion basic tone controls that does that.
It's obviously a tube pre then tube output.

I've used a Ampeg 810 for years
And it's the same old Eminence legend speakers.

I'd say your closest bet to the " Ampeg" sound would be a Ampeg amp and a sealed Ampeg Eminence loaded cab.

20 different players will get 20 different sounds from a SVT. It's not like it's one sound and that is the sound.

Between ultra deep switches and mid freq and bright switches. Almost any amp can sound like a SVT as far as basic tone curves.

Then again it be more " Ampeg" with a sealed cab and Ampeg head. Not some other brand or gimmicky Ampeg emulation.

Eventually a amp is a amp. And a P bass is a P bass. The player makes the tone.

If you want " tube" sounding signal.
Then you use a tube. I guess...right

I'd say anything with rat fur or a metal grill and not having the Ampeg name on it would be no where close to sounding Ampeg.

Then again I could use a boss EQ multiband pedal into the board and tell people it was a SVT. Hey if the bass chops sound good then. They all would assume that is the " Ampeg" sound.

In a recording no difference. Live in a room with a band. My sealed peg cabinets have a notible different feel to them with the way it reacts to dynamics.
Likewise the sealed bloom of the cab I can use to erupt bloomy sealed tone. Or relax a tame it down.

20 different playees, 20 different amps , 20 different P basses. It's the players hands. And whatever name is sitting on the amp behind them

 

If you are looking for grindy overdrive SVT type tone, you should get an SVT! Or use an HX Stomp SVT model and bypass your amp's pre-section possibly?

 

For me the PF500 w/ a variety of cabs (Eden EX112+210XLT or PF210+PF115-HE) did the trick pretty darn well FWIW. Better straight in w/ the gain turned up than the GK MB200 or TC BG250-208 w/ an SFT, SCR-DI, or VT Bass/VT Bass Deluxe inline.

I've heard of people having issues w/ them but my PF500 I grabbed used has been solid for me for moderate use over the past ~6 years or so (granted it doesn't get fired up much since I got a PF50T)

I should qualify that by saying the closest I've come to having an actual SVT of my own is a VT22 head & combo. The PF500 is way easier to lug...

 

Orange Terror Bass gets close, but you’re not gonna find one for $300.
A used head and a VT pedal is the best you could do at that price range.

 

Well, I'll give you some... advice

First is the Ampeg preamp pedals. Should work fine with a clean amp like the TC, or if you bypass the head's preamp.

Next, Tech21 Sansamp VT. I believe it was designed to give that SVT type sound. It's also a DI pedal, very handy.

Another option is a multi-effect unit. The Zoom B1 Four has an Ampeg SVT sim (and other amp sims), along lots of other effects (preamps, chorus, octave, distortions, reverb, delay, cab sims etc), a looper, and a tuner. It's cheap, easy to program, and far more versatile than the preamp pedals. My guess is it will have the least accurate SVT reproduction, but probably good enough for a cafe or bar where no one really cares.

The above might fit your budget with the TC BAM200.

Last but not least, find a used Ampeg head.

 

Ampeg BA-210v2 2x10" 450-watts. You can find one of these used for 350-400 and sell the Hartke to keep it under budget. I used one in an hourly rehearsal studio and I wanted to take it home with me:

 

Plus . . . . . something always overlooked: That 'classic PBass / SVT sound' . . . . . is an SVT on top of one of Ampeg's 810 cabinets, non-ported cabinet divided into 4 2-10 chambers. Hard to do with a smaller amp and smaller cabinet.

Good Luck.

 

A used Ampeg PF350 or PF500 would be my choice . The Sans Amp VT pedals and the 500 watt amp do it pretty well too but not like the Ampegs .

 

IMHO most of what many people assume to be the Ampeg sound is actually the 810 cab. Ampeg makes a 210AV that is intended to mimic the 810 in small package. I actually sort of hate 810s, but I have to admit a P bass sound mighty fine through and SVT and 810.


If you really want to only focus on heads, I would suggest one of Ampeg PF series amps. If you don't actually want an Ampeg, some people say you can dial an Aguilar TH350 in to be warm and grindy. Not sure how Ampegy it would be though.

 

So you want a $300 to sound like a $3000 rig?

OK, well considering that's impossible, I've found the PF series is not bad at all for that kind of thing.

 

Get a good year pf. Some are less than desirable?

 

When you want an Ampeg sound the Ampeg brand really ought to be on your list.

 

First year of PF500's (2011) were shaky. But the others have been pretty solid.

 

The Genz Benz Streamliners get close, but it might be hard to find one in your price range,

 

Keep in mind the 210XL only handles 200 wrms.

(I have one in my bedroom, driven by a nice 1-10 combo that provides 250w into the three tens).

 

Just buy a reliable amp and put a Sansamp BDDI or VT bass pedal in front of it.

 

I had a Hartke 210XL for a good while. Sold it mainly due to the size and heft of it, not the sound. It was able to speak a lot of languages!

The closest I got to Ampeg-y sounds with the gear I had came from a Tech 21 VT Deluxe pedal thru a GK MB200 (later I sprung for a Fusion 500, pricier but also a ton of fun) into the 210XL. The GK amps weren't going to have the same voicing if I tried to get the sound via their EQ controls, but the pedal did a killer job of bringing the rock to the hard place.

Later I got an actual Ampeg 2x10 cabinet, and while it won't crush a room alone, with a microphone thru a capable house system, it is a dorm fridge full of awesome. With the VTD pedal? I was in deep, dark SVT-ish places at times.


All to say, I think $300 won't quite get you there. Also, the actual class D head you choose is probably the least important factor in getting the sound, sorry to say! Though if you really don't want a pedal involved, a PortaFlex head will get you at least to the parking lot of the ballpark you want to play in.

 

I think this little guy is your answer. Love mine!