SVT-AV

[Rocky55]

I had my first rehearsal in about 4 years yesterday. I've been playing with the same bands for the last few years so we rarely, if at all rehearse. This coming weekend, the drummer will be fronting and playing guitar while the manager of my local Long & McQuade store will be drumming. He has never played with us before (and hasn't played much in the last few years), so we rehearsed at the music store and it was a blast.

I wanted to try out a few different basses and amps, but only managed to try one amp due to time restrictions (on my part). The guitar player got to try out about 8 guitars and an orange head through a Marshall cab. I wanted to try out the only Orange bass amp they had, but it sold a few weeks ago, as did the Mesa 400+. So I moved the SVT-AV and matching cab and played through it. I haven't played through many different cabs compared to some here and this was my first time with an SVT. I can say that I was impressed!!! I played with the settings a little, before leaving it close to the suggested "rock setting". I could hear everything I played and it sounded huge, fat, with a little tube distortion. Now I know what everyone has been talking about for the last 30+ years.

I currently have an iAmp800 with an NL210 and 2 CXL112s, used to play through Hartke, Trace Elliott, GK, Peavey, Fender, Alembic/QSC, Eden and all I can say for the SVT was... it's got balls! And I also liked the the slight distortion for what we were playing (I'm usually a clean setting guy, no effect).

Anyway, I always thought I would like to own one of these on day, as it is a classic. I've been keeping my eyes open for a few years now. I always hoped that an old widow, somewhere would someday be selling her late husband gear for cheap, and that I would be getting a mint rig for a really decent price. Now I'm tempted to actively go searching for one. Then again, most of the time I use in-ear-monitors and don't even bring cabs.

OK, carry on. I just had to post something because I keep getting this message at the top of the forum page about me not posting for several weeks and this was the only way to get rid of it.

Lager,
Rocky

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I'd keep a look out for an older SVT-II they pop up on ebay fairly often and are pretty cheap, and IMO have more balls and a fuller sound than the CL (I say CL because thats the only one ive used, and im positive that the AV is only asthetically different from the CL)

Either that or the new SVT-VR (pricey!) or a vintage SVT would give you a fuller ballsier sound, but, whichever way you choose, i'd suggest Ebay and garage sales! (someone on here got a CL for $300 not too long back at a garage sale!)

 

[Rocky55]

I'd keep a look out for an older SVT-II they pop up on ebay fairly often and are pretty cheap, and IMO have more balls and a fuller sound than the CL (I say CL because thats the only one ive used, and im positive that the AV is only asthetically different from the CL)

Either that or the new SVT-VR (pricey!) or a vintage SVT would give you a fuller ballsier sound, but, whichever way you choose, i'd suggest Ebay and garage sales! (someone on here got a CL for $300 not too long back at a garage sale!)

Thanks for the info. A couple more questions for you.
- What about cabs? Is there as much difference in cabs from different decades as there is with the heads?
- What would be a good price for an older SVT-II?

Thanks,
Rocky

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The older cabs (i dont know dates), but the straight back ones, are apparently alot nicer sounding, and are also more efficient (so will be louder)

Erm, SVT-II's over here usually go for £700-£800, i got mine for £500 tho, so you'd probably be looking at about $700-$800 US

Hope that helps

 

[chadds]

Rocky55, to me you just changed genres with your amp shopping. The SVT does a certain kind of (insert labels here)music and the EA is for other kinds of music. One of my rigs is an iAmp800 and two cxl112s. It excels in highly articulate hear every nuance music. If I'm playing a raucous date with a loud drummer and two screaming outstanding guitarists who played with Danny Gatton Nils Lofgren and Mary Ann Redmond then I'm taking more of a SVT kind of rig with big output transformers and big boom.
A side question. Do you use all three EA cabs at the same time with the 800?

 

[Rocky55]

Rocky55, to me you just changed genres with your amp shopping. The SVT does a certain kind of (insert labels here)music and the EA is for other kinds of music. One of my rigs is an iAmp800 and two cxl112s. It excels in highly articulate hear every nuance music. If I'm playing a raucous date with a loud drummer and two screaming outstanding guitarists who played with Danny Gatton Nils Lofgren and Mary Ann Redmond then I'm taking more of a SVT kind of rig with big output transformers and big boom.
A side question. Do you use all three EA cabs at the same time with the 800?

LOL!!!! Isn't it what this is all about? change? I agree. My EA rig is really clear and makes me smile everytime I plug in. I've been playing a lot of country (mostly newer stuff) over the last 10 years. However, the 2003-spring 2005 was mostly rock. For the last year, I've been mixing it up quite a bit. My band got too busy, so I quit and have been freelancing, which means I get to choose the gigs and manage to play a couple weekends a month. The bands vary quite a bit. I'm playing in the city's most popular blues bar next weekend doing folk/blues/classic rock/touch of country. This coming weekend will be all rock (classic and new), nothing too heavy, but odds are we'll do some Sabbath and Metallica - most of the material is stuff like CCR, John Cougar, Tragically Hip, Jet, INXS, etc. Last weekend I played traditional country and way too many square dances.

I love the EA rig for just about anything. I have never used effects and just love a clean sound. I find that with different pick up combinations, where I pluck the strings and how hard I dig in, I can get many different sounds. I have always planned to own a few classic rigs and the SVT is one of them. One day... no rush. However, after my first experience with the SVT rig this past weekend, I finally understood what many have been raving about for years. This was the new Anniversary setup, which I understand is not even close to the vintage ones. Now I know I will own one some day... maybe sooner than I expected.

As for my EA rig, I only used the 3 cabs on one occasion. It was a smaller corporate gig, maybe 150 people. We didn't use subs, but had TurboSound tops. The bass was BIG... but the iAmp800 cut out on low loud notes 5 or 6 times. I had my own separate circuit so I couldn't understand why there wouldn't have been enough power. I later found out that the power in that specific hotel is notoriously bad. I haven't tried the 3 cabs since then. One or 2 is usually plenty as we always have subs (usually 2 double 18).

There are too many toys I want. I will probably sell one CXL112 to finance something else. The $ was to go into the Sadowsky fund, but now it might go toward and SVT-II.

Lager,
R