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Vintage Ampeg V4(B) Vs. Ampeg ReIssue V4B

#45
beans-on-toast said:
I find that the new V4B is more easy to diagnose and repair. It is better thought out. The quality of the board and components are better, the layout is better with more space, it has a pot adjustable bias, no rats nest of wires, it uses readily available tubes.
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You're making me want to trade in my V4 for a new one!
 
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#46
Wild Rice Chris said:
You're making me want to trade in my V4 for a new one!
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I have a vintage V4B that sounds fantastic. It took a lot of work to get it there though, now it’s better than new. I’m fortunate in that I can fix my amps so all that work didn’t cost me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Sound wise, the reissue v4B was designed against a good sounding vintage ‘74 model.

When people ask, which of the two they should get, I always recommend a new one. There’s a big advantage to a new amp with a warranty that will provide many years of trouble free service.
 
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#55
I hear you on the old ones. I got a 1972 about two years ago. It was acting up so i shelved it for a while with a disturbing distorted hum after warming up. Just got it back from the tech and feeling it out. BTW JJ makes current 7027A's. I enquired about switching to 6550's and he suggested not since that can introduce other issues. He explained the whys but I didn't understand it. Since he could get the 7027s we did that.

So new power supply filter caps, film coupling caps, an electrolytic cap set, re tubed with matched 7027s and replaced power and plate resistors. Fortunately my tech loves working on these and is more that fair with labor.

Should I have got a new one? Maybe, but i love that it says The Ampeg Co Linden, NJ on the back. There is something to that for me.
 
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#56
beans-on-toast said:
It's a tough call. The two amps are very similar but not the same design.

Vintage amps come with issues that translate into additional costs. How much you pay for the amp and what it cost you to pay someone to bring it up to spec factors into your decision. The transformers in the vintage amp are a little beefier, you can run 6550's if you want in the amp. The standard NOS 7027A tubes are getting scarcer and more expensive. There is a new production 7027 tube available. The 6K11 tube is not in production and price is rising.

The new V4B is highly praised for having a great sound. It runs at a lower high internal (B+) voltage on 6L6GC tubes which are readily available. It doesn't have the issues that come with a vintage amp. Don't get me wrong, I have a 74 V4B and love it. I'm just saying that most people are better off with a new amp.
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+1. I love my old V4B. It was my second amp and I have had it since 1988. It is a labor of love though. I like fix-it projects. If you don't I would highly recommend a newer amp. Mine was built in 1972 and things that old are, well, old....
 
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#57
I had an original, mint V4B for some years and did compare it to an SVT-CL and Mesa Walkabout (had all 3 for a few years). Agree about possible repair issues (although I never did anything to mine for over 30 years), but I never had an amp that sounded as good as a V4B with 7027 output tubes. I sold it only because 100 watts did not offer enough clean headroom for what I was doing at the time, and a guy from Canada offered $700 and back then shipping was $75.
 
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#58
Jim C said:
I had an original, mint V4B for some years and did compare it to an SVT-CL and Mesa Walkabout (had all 3 for a few years). Agree about possible repair issues (although I never did anything to mine for over 30 years), but I never had an amp that sounded as good as a V4B with 7027 output tubes. I sold it only because 100 watts did not offer enough clean headroom for what I was doing at the time, and a guy from Canada offered $700 and back then shipping was $75.
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What were your thoughts on comparing the v4b with the walkabout? I’m pairing a walkabout head with a 212av and am thinking about getting a v4b (reissue prob). I which I could compare the two side by side but I can’t make it happen now.
 
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#59
Gnarledlowend said:
What were your thoughts on comparing the v4b with the walkabout? I’m pairing a walkabout head with a 212av and am thinking about getting a v4b (reissue prob). I which I could compare the two side by side but I can’t make it happen now.
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From memory I'd say the Ampeg was a little more aggressive even when set clean. To me it also has this baked in warm but clean tone (input below noon). Have always love the Ampeg EQ with variable mids too.
It may be able to sound about as loud though 200 watts less power, but it would be at a much higher distortion level than the WA.

The WA is a tone carving knife. It has a ton of capabilities and getting lost in the knobs was sometimes frustrating. I remember it having a neutral but full tone when set flat. The best part was you could add or cut a fair amount of EQ without the filters sounding harsh. i.e. EQ sounds very musical.

FWIW I had a 2x12 GB Neo cab at the time and neither amp had enough clean headroom for studio clean tone with solid bottom and a 5-piece rock band.
 
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#60
Jim C said:
From memory I'd say the Ampeg was a little more aggressive even when set clean. To me it also has this baked in warm but clean tone (input below noon). Have always love the Ampeg EQ with variable mids too.
It may be able to sound about as loud though 200 watts less power, but it would be at a much higher distortion level than the WA.

The WA is a tone carving knife. It has a ton of capabilities and getting lost in the knobs was sometimes frustrating. I remember it having a neutral but full tone when set flat. The best part was you could add or cut a fair amount of EQ without the filters sounding harsh. i.e. EQ sounds very musical.

FWIW I had a 2x12 GB Neo cab at the time and neither amp had enough clean headroom for studio clean tone with solid bottom and a 5-piece rock band.
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I appreciate you sharing your experience with both amps. I worry that the V4B might break-up much sooner than the Walkabout and not give me the clean headroom I need at times.

I’ve owned a V4B reissue in the past but I didn’t have the WA back then - I remember the V4B being amazing, however, I think I can get more clean headroom out of the WA.

I guess I’ll need to figure out a way to compare the two side by side and see which one I like better.
 
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