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Why AMPEG?... Are they that Good?

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#61
I personally love Ampeg amp's... I run my warwick thumb through a small ba115-t combo and have ran it through a svt 3,4 & 5 through quite a fwe different models of cabs and ALWAYS loved the tone I got with them. I always get a VERY hi-fi tone that sounds awesome for slapbass and fingerstyle. Ampeg all the way for me :)

Surprisingly I found that my ba115-t sounded better than a mesa walkabout as hard as that is to believe... although that is to my ears.
 
#62
Just play a new SVT-VR or a vintage '70's version through an 810 or 2-15's or a B-15 Portaflex new or old and you'll know why. If you still don't know after that then keep looking for a sound you like.

George

Satisfied Ampeg user since '68!
 
#63
Daytona955i said:
All I know is that I plug my bass into "Ampeg" and I get the tone I hear in my head. It's thick, it rumbles, it's got that rattle to it and at the same time I'm getting punched in the chest.

It mixes well with the guitars, bridges with the drums, and makes a spot for the bass to sit sonically that allows me to be felt and heard.

I haven't found anything else that really makes me happy.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have articulated it better. Spent years looking for something that did just that and when I turned on my 71 SVT head for the first time it did just that and has never stopped.
 
#64
I was running an SVT-3 Pro and thought at the time is was just "OK". So I dumped it and got a GK 1001RBII which I like a lot more. Looking back on it, I don't think it was the SVT3 that I didn't like but the freakin 610SVTHLF that I was running it through. When I plugged the GK up to it....the tone was better but still boomy and muddy. I have since sold the 610 and picked up a Aguilar GS410 and GS112 with the GK pushing it. Wow, so so so much better. So in closing, I wish I would have tried a different cab with the SVT3 Pro before assuming it was the head I didn't like. Live and learn.
 
#65
I've had my SVT-CL and 410HLF for a while now, and I can say it's what I like and what sounds best in my band. I purposely stayed away from the SS stuff, and after playing a Yorkville hybrid model for about 2 months, I decided that was not the way to go either. At least for me. As far as the 410HLF being muddy....hmmmm that may be someone's experience, however whenever I've needed to push my HLF pretty hard, it has yet to muddify. Bottom line, choose what you like and what stirs your soul to create/imitate bass lines that make you smile!:p
 
#67
+1 on warwick w/ ampeg. - i love the sound i get through my 4-pro and 810 with my thumb. - although i must admit what "makes" my sound is my dbx compressor. the 4-pros built in compressor is less than impressive. - but as mentioned i can get a mean fingerstyle tone and an even more amazing slap tone.
 
#69
chadds said:
"Known bands" ? You must be listening to a certain genre of music where the Ampeg SVT is popular and appropriate. But "Known Bands" leaves out all the others you aren't listening too.
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+1. I like some of Ampeg's stuff, but the premise of the original post doesn't ring true, IMHO--much like the "Why does everyone use Fender basses?" thread. Both threads tend to bring out those brands' hardcore supporters and detractors, without--again, IMHO--accomplishing much.
 
#72
When using a sealed cab, you have to be careful with your eq-ing cause it can sound muddy or undefined and honky particularly when paired with a SS head. The CL and the ported 410hlf has it all.

When I bought my CL I a/b'd the Mesa, the Fender all tube 300 watt bassman w/810, and the VR with the 810 at the store.The guy was trying to tell me the Messa was a good substitute. I'm glad I DID NOT listen to him. I've spent way to much money on gear over the years and my search was finally over. But again, I know what sound I wanted in my head, the classic warm vintage tube tone with great warm highs that don't sound brittle or SS modern sounding. And, I wanted a plug and play rig. It was Ampeg for me.


Are they 'that good'? For me they are... . Plus I can blow away the loud guitar player in my classic rock cover band. God bless you Lucas.
 
#73
I bought recently a SVT-VR with the 8x10 silver fridge... I won't ever look back. This is the tone I love for the music I love, eventhough Aguilar and Eden are, for shure, two more sounds I love. I just think that if you like it buy it, if not... well... don't. Period.
 
#76
I recently played at an hourly rehearsal space that had an SVT-5 running through two Avatar cabinets... Couldn't get a usable sound out of it, through either my MIM Jazz or my stingray.

I don't know anything about that particular amp, but I can safely say that it sounded terrible, at least in this combination, though I suppose it could have been the cab. On the plus side, the octave effect was kind of interesting...

With that said I do love my friend's vintage SVT (late 70's era I believe). But I'll stick with my GK 2001RB for now.
 
#77
Personally, I use an Ampeg B2RE because it gets me "close enough" to the sound of my old Sunns in a compact package that's much easier to deal with at shows. I demo'd the whole S/S & hybrid Ampeg line, and found the B2RE to be plenty fine for it's intened purpose. Sure, the all Tube Sunn's sound better but with a good overdrive pedal, the 'peg gets close enough, and has the added benifit of being compact and has the all important XLR out on the back that the vintage Sunns don't. Being able to get it at dealer cost didn't hurt any either.
 
#78
I'll just quote myself:

anderbass said:
Last night, I finally got to experience my (new to me) SVT-II with the full band.

I've had quite a few fairly nice amps now, but none have ever really given me
this magical feel and sound that just totally enveloped my (fairly large) home
studio last night. (I cant wait to gig this thing!!!)

My 400+ and V4 are both very cool amps, but I think I finally understand why
so many people rant about the SVT experience.

The sound was just a absolute perfect blend of a clean, and a slightly compressed
saturated tone. The cushy feel (oh my god the feel) through out the room was
simply amazing.

My bands haven't been playing much lately, (and quite honestly) I haven't been
practicing much, so I fully expected my playing to be way below my normal level.
I also fully expected the overall sound of the band to be off, because of my crappy
practice habits.
But this sound and feel was so dam good, that I (and the rest of this band) felt
I've probably never played better in my life! It was like I couldn't do anything wrong.
I was playing with such new found confidence that I was pulling off new fills, runs
and playing in totally different and much better ways.

I've gotten over enthusiastic about new gear and the occasional nights when
the band really clicked before, but never like this. (Its just gotta be this new amp)

I think It even made my drummer play better...:eek:
Click to expand...
 
#79
Ampeg is a standard for a very good reason. Next time you go to play a gig and they have a backline with an SVT, go plug into it. Turn it up to "2". Now turn it up to "3".

There's a reason all the reggae cats love Ampeg. 'Nuff said.

P.S. Not everything Ampeg comapres to the SVT by the way. But for a small combo the 100-watt "Rocket" thing is very nice. Great sound, and substantially loud.
 
#80
I would conisder ampeg a staple of the industry. Just like fender basses marshal stacks and the SM58 mic. I think their history and being early innovators of their particular musical niche has alot to do with it. You can probably get better and worse amps as well. At the end of the day you should choose what you think is right based on your opinion formed by listening to the gear rather than they hype the history or anything else.

As for the manufacturing move Im going to repeat what I said in another thread I can't seem to find.

It doesn't matter where something is manufactured. It's not the physical location of a factory that determines the quality, durability, etc. of a product but the company itslef.

The whole Made in America thing is just marketing thing that people buy into. There was a time when made in china or where ever was something to be laughed at (60's and 70's) but that day is long gone. Asian quality processes have surpassed that of America and Europe for the past 20 years or so.

Companies move their lower grade production lines to cheaper economies but keep the top lines in America, because alot of people will automatically assume America good Asia Bad. But at the end of the day the exact same product could be made for less money somewhere else in a cheaper economy. Not that ampeg or anyone else cares they just pass the higher cost on to you the consumer. Alot of consumers are also more than happy to pay that extra cost too.

Companies also might want to keep manufacturing of a single line in america in order to keep their base in america. Im sure none of the top CEO's want to move to korea to go to work. If all production is in Korea or where ever what's the point of having HQ in a different continent speaking a different language in a different time zone.

Also people say they buy american to keep jobs in America, but I would doubt that they have all American everything in their house. Where's their toaster, computer, lamp, PC speakers, light bulbs and everything else made? Moving production to cheaper economy is just a fact of life.

Anyways I wish I could of found my old posts cause it was much shorter and less rantish than this one.
 
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