retiring my AMPEG......

[BassyBass81]

Im thinking about getting rid of my big, heavy ol' ampeg. she's an svt pro-3 head and 8x10 bottom. the power is fine, the tone is not that great for me, not bad enough to complain but if I'm starting over i would like to hit it on the head! .I'm thinking of going with a fearful cab and power amp and using my multi fx for a pre. So the question is does anybody have any actual experience with a similar swap? I like the idea of a small and light 15/6/1 but not sure if its enough for me? i play a six string and sometimes drop the b down a whole step so we are going loooooooow with the rig I have i can keep up with my band just fine if we resonable with volumes, but they do have mesa triple rec 1/2 stacks (really loud if you want them to be) and would like have some reserves for what ever gigs may come up.

 

[Lonnybass]

A Fearful 15/6 will sound WAY deeper and fuller than your 810, and will be far more responsive to effects. The midrange driver really opens things up too in terms of being able to hear yourself. I'm not sure how loud you play, but I've seen the 15/6s most often compared to 6x10s (and 12/6s compared to 4x10s) so you will likely be giving up some overall volume relative to your 8x10.

I will tell you that a pair of 15/6s will let you roll into Wembley Stadium and not have to worry about volume being a problem.

 

[BassyBass81]

Thanks for the input. I have really been impressed with everything i have heard about the 15/6!! I do know ampeg claims 130 spl max, but my svt only goes 450 watts @ 4 ohms, so im short of that. My settings on my amp are pre-9 o'clock eq is pretty flat and master at 1 o'clock. I would like to be a little louder, but don't want to spark a volume war with the guitards. Hopfully the much better dispersion of the 15/6 is what im looking for, more quality than quanity ya know

 

[JimmyM]

9:00 on the pre? Sheesh! No wonder you're not happy with it! Turn that gain up considerably more, and ignore the light and use your ears to set it. Turn gain up till you hear audible distortion, even if it's all the way up, then slowly back down on it till it gets clean again. And completely ignore the light.

As for the 810, do you have a newer one from LOUD or an older one from SLM? That could be part of it, too. SLM 810e's from 2000-2006 sound dark and muddy compared to newer and older ones.

 

[hover]

9:00 on the pre? Sheesh! No wonder you're not happy with it!

Not saying that is definitely the case here, but it IS amazing how many players buy these rigs, and don't invest in understanding the gain structure of their amps. Your current rig should punch holes in them stacks.

 

[orangejulius3]

I actually like the SVT 3 pro.
Try gain around 1 o'clock.
Tube around 1 o'clock.
Master around 11 o'clock.
I really love this setting.

 

[Haji]

Alternately, turn your master all the way up and use the gain for your volume knob if you're looking for a cleaner/less dirty sound. If Ampeg isn't the sound you want, that just is what it is, but there are things you should try first.

 

[BassyBass81]

My bad I'm and idiot.......9'er on the pre, i have tried the driving it hard with the tube gain turned down ie: 3'oclook or lower. but i prefer it on full tilt ei: 5'oclock. i play mostly hard rock but i LOVE r&b bass tones :/. as far as the cab got it in a trade for a 4x10 around 2002 ish. not sure of the year, but it has parrel 1/4 & speakons in the jack so its not old but it doesn't have the split jack for stereo so its not new either? sounds like a 2000 ish model but thats just my guess. My quest tone is something that is gritty with little "boom" but i still want to feel it and still have lots of cut. yea, the best of everything i know. the closest well known artist for tone and style in a rock genre that i like would be p-nut (311). probrably doesn't help i have a chepo bass, but after 10 years of working on it she plays soooooo sweet for me

 

[JimmyM]

Alternately, turn your master all the way up and use the gain for your volume knob if you're looking for a cleaner/less dirty sound.

That works great for their tube amps, but not so much their SS amps as far as I'm concerned. Makes it sound wimpy.

 

[NOVAX]

Listen to Jimmy. BTW I have a dark muddy SLM 810 and I love it. My SVT 2 NP can now get treble happy and since it's tweeterless, no brittle highs. And I play a 72 Jazz ash/maple

 

[JimmyM]

Listen to Jimmy. BTW I have a dark muddy SLM 810 and I love it. My SVT 2 NP can now get treble happy and since it's tweeterless, no brittle highs. And I play a 72 Jazz ash/maple

Funny how that taste thing works, eh? One man's dark is another man's perfect.

 

[sharkbait130]

I have 3 dark muddy 2005 SLM 8 10 and I love all of them. Just a matter of getting the EQ right on them. Phhhhffft... don't listen to Jimmy Actually , you should listen to the guy. He probably has more experience with them and knows more about these cabs than just about anyone else in here. I think it was one of his posts where I learned how to EQ mine to make them sound so good. Wish I had the bucks to try one of his beloved Heritages. Thanks Jimmy.

 

[NOVAX]

If we gave Jimmy an SLM 810 he would find a fender bass and an amp head to make it sound righteous. It's like ingredients in a pasta sauce=little this, little that, some dark, some light. Some muddy some bright. Just a pinch of salt. I should write Christmas cards

 

[TUEP]

My quest tone is something that is gritty with little "boom" but i still want to feel it and still have lots of cut.

Go all tube SVT Classic or find an older SVT-II. Then run that into you're 8x10.

 

[JimmyM]

If we gave Jimmy an SLM 810 he would find a fender bass and an amp head to make it sound righteous. It's like ingredients in a pasta sauce=little this, little that, some dark, some light. Some muddy some bright. Just a pinch of salt. I should write Christmas cards

Well I hate to brag, but that's true. Had to use many an amp that was not to my liking, but I had to make it work because that's what they had for me and nothing else was going to appear out of thin air. I can EQ those dark cabs to sound brighter. Still don't think they sound as good, though I've played much worse rigs, trust me