Amp for a 4003

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 12:09 pm

I use the ampeg b2r and build my own speaker cabs ... I have a bunch of 2x10, 1x15, and 1x18 cabs that I mix and match for various playing situations ...

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 12:36 pm

Bob- you must be a little closer to a lumberjack build than I am at 5'8" and 145 lbs. I have a hard time tossing around my 410HLF(110 lbs). It doesn't help that I wrecked my knees skiing about 9 years ago. I guess that makes me a woos!

I just bought a new SVT CL. It's pretty solid and has great tone. It comes with a 5 year warranty, is made in the USA and has some nice modern conveniences that the old ones didn't have.

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 1:22 pm

Bob, you're correct both the B-25, and the B-25B have the same front end as the B-15, and almost all B-25's are pre magnavox.

Mine is 1969, and although it's "only" 60w, I've never had a problem with generating enough SPL. On the occasions more in needed, I'm in the same camp as Jeff, but don't need to fib to the soundman, the B-25 has no DI out so I mike up my 4x12.

A nice early 70's b-15 would be a wonderful home - recording amp.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 1:35 pm

Jeez, amps are the stuff of holy wars. I have a little Laney 75 watt 15" combo I bought a few years ago. It is great little amp but I may need more power at some point

grayk · Post by **grayk** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 2:02 am

As well as my Ashdown gear for gigs I also use an absolutely superb 70's 60 watt H&H Bass Baby combo for rehearsals. That amp is astonishly powerful for what it is. Before I Part Ex'd the SWR (I hated it so much I couldnt use it on gigs)I used to use this H&H coupled with a Trace 2x10 at small gigs. Great little rig.
Wes - You need a small practice amp with a headphone socket for home use. It seems a bit overkill to use a big gigging amp for home practice. I have a little Trace Boxer 15 watt for that which is perfect.

bear · Post by **bear** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:21 am

I recently settled down on the amp du'jour craze when I bought my Ampeg PB800. Comes with a padded shoulder bag and a speakon to 1/4" cable.
300 watts RMS into 8 ohms, 550 watts RMS into 4 ohms and a whopping 800 watts RMS into a 2 ohm load. I have a rather eclectic stable of cabinets to choose from but have preferred the Bag End cabs of late. Here is the 4 ohm load set up I have been running this year:

S-12B on top and an S-15B on the bottom sitting on a Auralex Gramma underneath the stack that really cleans up the usual stage resonances rather nicely.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:07 am

No Jeff, I've just learned how to struggle with them, haha! No once you get used to them nothing else really cuts it anymore, at least for me, There are people here who have used them and don't like them.
Jim, Magnavox are usually known as the golden years of Ampegs at least for SVT's, yours may be worth more though made in Linden NJ I assume at the Ampeg Factory? The early SVT heads made there are sought after too though more for collectabilty reasons especially the 6146B heads, I've seen those go for close to 2 grand in excellent condition.
They only made the B-25 one year, 1969, all the rest are B-25B's. The B-15S's have 7027A power tubes (55 WMRS) and the B-15N's have 6L6 power tubes (25-30WRMS) I have an Ampeg Bassamp made in 1959 (pre B-15), 35 watts with one 15, it has a separate pre and power amp like a little SVT, it sounds great, I use it for practicing in my room. But I'm probably not telling you anything you don't already know, right Jim?

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:41 am

Hi Bob, yes mine was made at Linden, and the reason I know it was made in 1969, is because it's a B-25,, and not a B-25B.

When I was researching the background of my B-25 it appeared that the sale to Magnavox would be like Ric selling out to yamaha today.

Almost any Ampeg can use 7027's or 6L6's, they're the same tube, just a extra pin in the 7027 that's unused is all, and a different label. Jump two pins and any 7027-6l6 driven head will then be able to run on EL34's. 7027's are getting more and more expensive, but 6L6's tend to remain stable price wise.

Always nice to learn more stuff Bob, I wasn't aware that there were both 7027's and 6L6's used in the B-15's

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:30 pm

The 7027A B-15's have 25 more watts and are called B-15S's and are not common. The B-15N's, the ones usually seen have 6L6's in them and are rated at 25-30 watts depending on the year they were made. A real 7027A is capable of much higher plate voltage than a 6L6, any amp that was made to take those probably should use them. They are like a heavy duty 6L6. Believe or not but I bought an SVT head in Lima Peru which had GE 6L6's in it and had not been modified. SVT's have about 150 volts too much voltage for them, it's amazing what 6L6's can be put through. I took them out of course and put 6550's in it.
A lot of the power tubes have the same pin outs but they are not really interchangable as everyone says, there would be no 7027A's if they were not needed. There is a new company making them now and they're not too expensive. JJ Tesla maybe?
I don't know how the Ampeg employees saw the sale to Magnavox but 9 out of 10 70's SVT's are Magnavox heads, I have two right now and did have a Linden SVT and a V-4B at one time and I found no difference in quality or sound, actually Terry Buddingh who is an amp expert and bassplayer recommends the Magnavox SVT's over the Linden SVT's because they are more ballsy and sorry for hijacking this thread BTW.

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 8:47 am

Keith - based on what you say and what I have heard/played/read elsewhere, I would love to score a good used Ashdown ABM. BTW I have a home practice amp, a Polytone Minibrute 100w Jazz combo w/a single 12". Has headphones and works great, I was just looking for versatility.

Rob - If you love the Ampeg so much and the ABM500 just goes unused, is it available for sale? E-bay has been dry for a while, and they aren't readily available around here (Minneapolis) that I can find.

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:35 am

email sent, Wes!

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 4:05 am

Back at ya, Rob

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:58 am

Has anyone used the Carvin bass amps with the tube preamp? They look good on paper, how do they sound?

johnashfield · Post by **johnashfield** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:45 pm

I've just started playing bass again live after doing guitar for a few years. Last saturday I was able to borrow a Mesa/Boogie 400 with a 4x10 mesa/boogie cab. I kinda dug it. I haven't played with it enough to see if I can get the sound I want out of it.

What do you guys think of that rig here?

grayk · Post by **grayk** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:45 am

I think Mesa Boogie is good gear. McCartney has used Mesa bass gear for a long time. I wonder what Ronn Roberts thinks of it? He might be a good person to give an opinion. Whatever it seems to be high end gear that is solidly built and reliable.