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VINTAGE AMPEG BLUE LINE SVT

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DougGuttenberg

Sep 7, 2011
2
0
#1
I have what I believe to be a 72-75 Ampeg Blue Line SVT in my possession. I am a happy camper...I just had it tested out and with most of the original tubes in place it is still working like a charm.

Unfortunately I've got no space to store it, no cab to play it out of and I need to find a good home for it. I want to shop it around the studios in town (NYC) so it finds a good home but I also don't want to get ripped off, and I'm really not sure what the market is set for this kind of amp...

Can someone help me establish a general value to the amp I'm holding?
 
#5
DougGuttenberg said:
Thanks - wasn't sure if it was ok to receive values or not.

I'm going to need some help to date this baby
Click to expand...

The best way to date the apparently is to check the codes on the pots.

if it is a blueline, its probably pre 71, if it has the silver chassis and the different (6146??) tubes, it could be pre 69.

I think if you are a supporting member you are allowed to ask for prices, but if not its how they make sure you are not circumventing the rule that you must be a supporting member to sell on the site.

A good way to get an idea, would be to search the for sale forum and see what they have sold for recently. There was a blueline up for sale just recently if I am not mistaken.
 
#6
do a search of SVT sales on ebay and you should get a good idea of what the market is for them. I have a 1974 SVT I bought new, the selling prices are very appealing but I can't seem to bring myself to sell it... you are probably aware they are highly sought after.
 
#7
The quickest way (ie least invasive) to get a rough date is to take off the front grill, and remove the panel covering the PI/driver tubes. You should see a bunch of square resistors in there with a code starting with 214. The two pairs of numbers are 214 will be the year and week that part was made. Mine are dated 2147440 (see the picture below, just behind the 12BH7 on the left) coding for the 40th week of 74 thus my amp is likely a late 74. You should be able to get a decently close date that way. You could also look for dates on the transformers and cap cans if they're original, but that may require removing the back panel, which IMO is just a giant pain in the butt.

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As said above, blue lines stopped around 71, going to black square lines (timing coincided with the sale to magnavox) until 75 when they went to the rounded black lines. If you have a silver chasis it is an early 69-70ish model, black chasis it's a 70-72ish model.
 

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