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This is EXACTLY why I chose to go with a seperate Power/Pre in a rack. I love my Demeter HBP-1, but I plan on buying an Ampeg SVT-PRO for those time when I want a less hi-fi, classic Ampeg tube tone!
I can have the best of anything with just a quick change!!
I have never been a fan of the Power/Pre and I love the 400+ more than anything I've played. The last few weeks I have been playing the Monique all tube pre with my XTI2000. Combined with my B3k, Analogman Chorus, and Carbon Copy, I feel I will never need to buy another setup again. Might be a little more cash, but worth a try if you can get around to it. I run sound for some bands on the side and had the Power amp sitting around.
I've been trying to figure out what strings I will end up using on my Euro when it comes in. I had been using R. Cocco, Fodera and DR Sunbeam nickels 40-100 on all my previous Basses but I'm sure I will want to try something different on the Spector. I will definitely try some Dunlops on it though.
I honestly hated everything about them, they didn't feel good in any way and they weren't giving me the sound I wanted. my guess was the steel/round core combo just isn't for me.
I'l have to give the Lo-Riders a shot as well as the circle K's. I've been hearing a lot of good things about the K's, I just haven't picked any up myself. I'll have to hop on the website and do a little more research. I really don't know how much of a change it is to go to balanced strings.
EDIT: Just read the info on their page, I'm almost sold on them. Anyone care to close the deal with how much they love them and why?
Second Edit: Anyone live close to the San Jose GC? They have a used Spector that I'm eyeing.
I'l have to give the Lo-Riders a shot as well as the circle K's. I've been hearing a lot of good things about the K's, I just haven't picked any up myself. I'll have to hop on the website and do a little more research. I really don't know how much of a change it is to go to balanced strings.
EDIT: Just read the info on their page, I'm almost sold on them. Anyone care to close the deal with how much they love them and why?
Second Edit: Anyone live close to the San Jose GC? They have a used Spector that I'm eyeing.
I just converted one of my basses to CK and the balanced thing makes a huge difference. It just feels so much easier to play across all the strings.
I think the Webster had Dunlop steels on it when I got it from JPS and those were pretty good, but the CK's are better.
One of the other benefits of the CK's is all the heavy strings have tapered ends so you don't have to worry about getting the thick end of a string through the bridge slot. I know I had to crimp my Fat Beam 130 a bit to get it in the bridge on my Euro 5LX.
any issues with intonation because of the taper? I've had that problem with DR Long Necks in the past.
I tried to go the lead sled type route, but when I felt like I wanted to explore different tones, I had to sell one amp to fund another. It was very hard to a/b them that way and my space is very limited right now so it's not feasible to have 3 or 4 heads sitting around...or in Lee's case like 12
I use a Carvin DCM1540L power amp that gets me 425w @ 8 ohms/750w @ 4 ohms per channel and 1500w bridged @ 8 ohms. It sounds great and is light weight (13lbs). I have an HBP-1 pre with it right now and it comes VERY close to the Aguilar DB751 sound. The Ampeg SVT-PRO will get me that sweet Ampeg sound for just a few half the price of a used SVT-4. This just seems to work best for me at the moment adn I'm actually really content with it! ...but like most things, I'm sure I'll change my mind sooner or later!
I REALLY want to try a Monique pre! I have heard great things!!!
One of the plus's of the CK's is that you can email the owner (Skip) tell him the tuning and tension strings that you normally play and he will give you the right string sizes to get your intonation with no issues. You get the feeling that the strings are made to fit you and your bass instead of having to make generic sizes work.
I think the Long Necks are a special case and I've seen a lot of complaints about those. It did not take me very long to intonate the Webster with the CK's on it. I've also used tapered ProSteels and the exposed core Spector strings and did not have a problem. Don't let the Long Necks sour you on taper.
I have a v4b, early 70's model. From what I understand, v4b's are for bass and 4v's are for guitar. The v4's have the extra knobs but they are very similar.
The tone is the best I've heard from any bass amp ever. Buttery vintage ampeg sound, yet clean and powerful. Its from the best era of ampeg. The v4b is rated at 100 watts. For some reason, the v4b is better at 4 ohms than 8. At 8 ohms its not loud enough in a loud band situation, at 4 ohms its great. They are a good match with a 810 cab. I use a 410 and a 115 cab. Ive compared it directly with my 300w svt II (non-pro) and an EDEN WT600.
To my ear, the SVT is about 15% louder than the v4b. The EDEN sounds about the same volume.
The v4b use 7027 tubes. You can by them new all day long but its getting hard to find NOS 7027s. I think you can mod them to use 6550 tubes which are more common and squeezes out more power.
The v4b is nicknamed the "baby SVT" A lighter version of the SVT. The v4b weighs only 80 lbs, compared to the SVT at 85lbs.
Cool, thanks for the info, I plan on using it with two of Ampeg's new 2x10 "mini fridge" cabinets, so the two 8ohm cabinets together should make 4 ohms, hopefully plenty loud
I'm pretty sure I can find two of these somewhere, separate from the cruddy amp they show with this one.
http://www.ampeg.com/products/classic/microvr/
bunkaroo said:
That's really good to know, I like the idea of the taper but I was pretty down on it after the Long Necks. I'll definitely have to order a set.
- Sep 20, 2008
- 3,369
- 38
- Disclosures
- Jim Dunlop USA, King Kong Cases, Golden Eagle Energy Drink
bunkaroo said:
Call MF and talk to them. You should at least get 10% off if not the full fifteen. Sometimes it just takes a simple call.....trust me
I am in the exact same boat as you.
Never had a power amp for bass until I bought the Monique pre. Sounds so good, I sold everything else (GK, Mesa, etc) except for my D180 (precursor to the 400+). The Mesa D180 may also go as it is just a backup now.
Bunkaroo - One last question on the CKs, what length should I be getting for my Euro 5? Medium?
- Sep 20, 2008
- 3,369
- 38
- Disclosures
- Jim Dunlop USA, King Kong Cases, Golden Eagle Energy Drink
I have an interesting surprise that showed up at my door today! Thanks to a fellow club member, and a great friendship I will have some interesting information to report after I finish my evaluation and gather my thoughts! Yes....Spector content on the way.......
Jaymi
Pink Bass Man
- Feb 11, 2008
- 6,813
- 490
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ampeg , Jaydee, Kalium
This is nifty - I was rummaging through files, and I found the receipt from my first Spector purchase. Turns out it was in 1998 form Thoroughbred Music in Orlando, FL (no longer there). NS4CRFM, blackburst, no s/n. Those years are fuzzy in the ole brain. Anyway, I picked up this Spector brochure while in the store:
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