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Skunkworks HD or SVT II?

astav

astav

Feb 24, 2009
18
0
SF Bay Area
#1
Howdy friends. I'm in the process of upgrading my bass rig. Love my V4 but am looking for more headroom. I'm fortunate enough to be looking at a average condition Skunkworks and a very clean SVT II in a road case both for about the same price. Pretty fair deals really. I've played plenty of SVTs but never one of the Skunks or IIs. Thoughts?
 
#4
Glad to hear you're enjoying the V4. As far as SVTs, the Skunkworks will be closest to vintage in terms of design and tube-path and being a two channel instead of single channel. The SVT-II will have different tone shaping options, given the graphic eq and different switching, etc, but certainly sounds good in it's own right, and as far as I've read sounds a lot closer to vintage SVTs than the II pro/SVT-CL with the separate master/gain. Comes down to what you're looking for I suppose. The SVT-II being rackmount could come in handy if you plan on using any rackmount add-ons (tuner, sonic maximizer, wireless, etc). The SVT-II also has the XLR line out for recording/FOH uses.
 
#5
I've never played a Skunkworks, but I've been gigging/comparing my SVT-II (non-pro) and my 72 SVT blueline for several years now. I pretty much never feel the desire to use channel 2 (on my blueline) or the graphic on my SVT-II, but barring those 2 options I've been amazed at how close the tone, volume and feel is on both of mine.

Lately I've been gigging my SVT-II and pretty much just using my blueline for rehearsals, but this is mainly just because I have less worries about my II being damaged in its rack case while transporting, or possibly being stolen when I have to leave it back stage or out in the car before and after gigs. If you can find any possible way to afford both, I'd vote for that.
 
#6
anderbass, the 2 channel is very handy for those who like a clean/effected rig without having to buy two amps. also, when i first got my svt working again, i would use both channels set flat and blend the two in order to get some mids and high end happening a little stronger, but then i got the bright idea just to turn the tone knobs on the 1st channel ;)

but either way is all win. an svt is an svt is an svt. even the cl, which don't get nearly as much love on here as the non-master svt's, is an svt.
 
#7
I hear ya Jimmy, I did spend some time blending/playing through channel 2 on my blueline but nowadays pretty much just always plug into ch. 1 and call it a day.

Have you ever had a CL and your old blueline in a side by side comparison with a band?

I owned a (recently serviced) late 90's CL for awhile and did several side by side/band-mix comparisons up against my old SVT-II. I thought my CL actually sounded a bit better while soloed, but in a band mix I just kept getting the urge to constantly tweek the CL's tone knobs while I never seem to get that urge with either of my other SVT's.
 
#8
only once and i had to use different cabs, and i only got to check it on upright. but i was able to dial in approximately the same sound. not quite the same...the cl felt just a tad constricted compared to mine, but it wasn't far off the mark at all. i have to use cl's all the time when i fly, and unless they give me one of those crap osb cabs, it always works out great for me.
 

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