Ampeg V-2
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Well, I wouldn't describe it as really nice, since it's not brand new looking. But, it's very far from being considered well used. I can tell that the previous owner(s) took it out on gigs, but watched out of drunks spilling beer on it while stumbling past it. So, I probably won't want to put a high reserve. I would want someone to buy it without thinking I'm ripping them off. I will have a reserve, but it's not going to be anywhere near unreasonable.
I was listening to "Get Your Ya Ya's Out" today, Stones 1969 live Madison Square Garden LP (haha!) and thought of this thread. They all used Ampeg SVT's including the guitars. Great sounding guitar amps, but get out of the way. I'm sure the V-2 would sound similar as most Ampegs sound the same when overdriven. I always thought they sounded great for guitar.
They were kind of obsolete even when Ampeg used them, Ampeg was famous for using obsolete tubes, but I know if you modify an Ampeg with different tubes they sound different and usually not as good, there probably was a method to their madness. I'm not positive but I think 7027A's were made specifically for Ampeg. In fact those and 12DW7's have been made again probably only because of Ampeg. 12DW7's are one of the secrets of why the 70's SVT's sound so much better than the classics.
I don't know about Jeff Beck.
I don't know about Jeff Beck.
They were kind of obsolete even when Ampeg used them, Ampeg was famous for using obsolete tubes, but I know if you modify an Ampeg with different tubes they sound different and usually not as good, there probably was a method to their madness. I'm not positive but I think 7027A's were made specifically for Ampeg. In fact those and 12DW7's have been made again probably only because of Ampeg. 12DW7's are one of the secrets of why the 70's SVT's sound so much better than the classics.
I don't know about Jeff Beck.
I don't know about Jeff Beck.
The 7027A is an upgrade 6L6GC. IIRC, Traynor used them in some amps. Use sovtek 5881's or convert to 6550s - that requires a bias circuit mod. While related through personnel to the SVT, they're simpler amps. fwiw, the SVTs on Get Your Ya-Ya's Out are the 6146 tubes, not 6550s. That tube has a plate connection coming out of the top of the tube, so it can run an ungodly B+.
The 12dw7 is a 12ax7 and a 12au7 in the same package. I think they're available from New Sensor and may be marked Sovtek.
The 12dw7 is a 12ax7 and a 12au7 in the same package. I think they're available from New Sensor and may be marked Sovtek.
All SVT's run an ungodly B+, around 650-700 volts, that's why they are so exhilarating to work on, 6146's were transmitter tubes and were in the 69 and early 1970 SVT's. You can replace them with 6550s in a simple mod but the originals with 6146's are now worth $$$$$.
7027A's are readily available brand new now, there is no reason to convert your amp, it'll sound different.
12DW7's are made by several manufacturers, I buy JJ Tesla, I think Electroharmonics also makes them.
7027A's are readily available brand new now, there is no reason to convert your amp, it'll sound different.
12DW7's are made by several manufacturers, I buy JJ Tesla, I think Electroharmonics also makes them.
While selling a 2x10 cabinet, I almost had this guy sold on the Ampeg V-2. The reason for not buying was that he didn't like the weight of it.
This might be a dumb question, but why is it that tube amps are known for their weight? This doesn't quite make much sense. Tubes, tube sockets, and the other parts don't weigh much by themselves.
This might be a dumb question, but why is it that tube amps are known for their weight? This doesn't quite make much sense. Tubes, tube sockets, and the other parts don't weigh much by themselves.
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big_g
A little info for you here on the 7027, still widely available at eurotubes.com. BTW, you can take a quality 6l6GC and put it in it's place without any damage. Just make sure you use matched pairs. It's a little known fact that because Ampeg knew that 7027's were not an easy find in some markets they made sure that they didn't use the extra pin for anything on the V4's and V2's.
There may be some fliptops out there that do, so I'd check the schematic out first, but with the V series, just use high quality matched quad and pairs of 6L6GC's.
There may be some fliptops out there that do, so I'd check the schematic out first, but with the V series, just use high quality matched quad and pairs of 6L6GC's.
Tubes & tube sockets may not weigh much by themselves, but the weight of enough tubes to generate, say 300W, is far more than the weight of the solid-state transistors that can output 300W. Also, because tubes run insanely-high voltages that solid-state designs don't require, they need larger power transformers than solid-state designs, which (I would suspect) is where the majority of the additional weight comes from. And some people would say that the heavy transformers is part of the reason why they sound so good.
My basses are Rickenbackers. My synthesizers and recording gear are analog.
Yup it's the tranformers, in an SVT the three are probably 70-80% of the weight. There are two BIG transformers, one at each end of the amp, filiment transformer are insignificant compared to the power and output transformers. I think most amps have an extra winding for the filiments in the power trannies don't they?
You can use good 6L6's for 7027A's but why would you want to when you can now get the original tubes at the same or maybe even a lower price?
You can run a good power tube above it rated heat dissipation but you can also maybe shorten it's life. I bought an SVT which had 6L6's in it instead of 6550's, these tubes were running @ 150 Volts above their rated capacity and they were not glowing cherry red (amazing to me) but I don't think they would have lasted a real long time (most of them were old GE's which were very good power tubes, RCA's were another good tube)
You can run a good power tube above it rated heat dissipation but you can also maybe shorten it's life. I bought an SVT which had 6L6's in it instead of 6550's, these tubes were running @ 150 Volts above their rated capacity and they were not glowing cherry red (amazing to me) but I don't think they would have lasted a real long time (most of them were old GE's which were very good power tubes, RCA's were another good tube)