Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I mostly have played my Ricks thru an Ampeg B2R with two cabinets, one 15 and another with 4x8 speakers and a tweeter. I thought it gave my Ricky pretty good tone at higher volumes, really a nice amp. I've also played them thru a Bassman 135 with 4x10 cab (the 135 is sometimes called the "least collectable of all Fender tube amps"),
and although it had an irritating habit of "quacking" at odd moments, it usually sounded good with my Ricks. I also have a rather rare combo amp made by Fender, a 1980 Studio Bass amp, which has an Electro-Voice 15' speaker, and is "rated" at 200 watts, all tube. It is definitely NOT a modern amp, but I really like the sound of my v63 thru it, with rotosounds. I have constantly had people tell me it can't be that loud, that there's no way it will really produce 200 watts RMS, but it kicks, never had a problem keeping up with others in the band. I have tried my 63s thru an Eden Traveler head and cab and it sounded wonderful thru that as well. If I ever get back into a band again, I will either buy an SVT or a V-4BH and use that with a 4x10 cab.

Me, i'm normally into an Eden WT800 into a 1x12" for practise, and an 8x10 for live. Sometimes a vintage Ampeg V4, and sometimes a vintage Jansen 6/35 (local NZ copy of a Fender Bassman).

Not really hi-tech, but then again i'm feeding through 8 effects before it hits the amp, so there's a floorboard of tech there!

I've used SVT's for 28 years, as long as you keep them biased (very user friendly) and have the power tubes checked periodically you will have no problems with them. I think they are an extremely reliable head, I can count on one hand the number of failures I have experienced with these heads in 29 years, and it was always because I had neglected the tubes when I was younger, or had been lied to: Oh yeah these tubes are only 2 months old, etc. I went to tech school years ago and do my own work. I have heard that the newer Classics aren't as relaible as the old war horses; the 70's heads, that's what I use. Built like a tank, if a power tube shorts out there is a 5 watt 5 ohm resistor in line with the high voltage plate supply that blows out instead of taking out your power tranny and you can keep right on playing. Although it is a very prudent thing to get a new tube and a new resistor as soon as possible.
And it is also not a neccesity to use matched pairs of tubes for these, as long as they are in the ball park with the others they will sound good, in other words I have replaced only one power tube at a time before instead of buying 6. Back in the 70's nobody ever replaced all 6 when one went you put another one in and checked the plate resistor, simple. You couldn't even buy matched sextets then, only matched pairs, which don't work correctly in an SVT anyway, because of the circuit design.
Matched pairs sound good but Groove tubes also put a LOT af money into brainwashing everyone into thinking that matched pairs were a neccesity instead of a luxury. Neccesary for hifi amps but not for guitar amps.

My SVT classic would blow tubes all the time, it had to go away, then the MESA 400 replaced it. I later ditched the MESA for a Trace rig that was part of an endorsement gig our band was working through. So I ended up with a AH 500x and a V8 tube head, 1 4x12, 2 4x10 cabs, wired together it peels paint.

I have an SVT Classic and have never had any problems with it. It's a great amp but just not the sound I was after. I've put together a Trace rig with an AH350SMX and Trace 2X10 and 1X15 cabinets. It's a very loud rig so your's must peel paint Dedgoat, mine nearly does and is plenty loud for my needs.

By the way, if anyone is interested in buying my SVT CL and matching 8X10 cabinet drop me a line. I will make you a great deal. I'm the original owner.

I'd love to have it, and it would give me the excuse to go back to Seattle, (I should have never moved)and I don't think the stuff would ship.

Even though I'm sure you must have, ever spent any time with a 70's head and cab Robj? Big difference, those will not only peel the paint off they'll knock over the wall if you want.

Actually I have owned a couple of older ('70 - '74)? SVTs and 8x10 cabinets over the years. Great amps of course but just not my cup of tea tonally speaking, power certainly isn't an issue with SVTs. The CL doesn't sound much different than the older rigs really. It kicks butt for sure mine was certified by the factory @ 330 watts RMS.

Dedgoat, yeah shipping would be a pain but I really do want to sell it and would rather not deal with e-bay.

What are ya looking at for the head?

Or is this a package deal?

If there's a way to ship the cab I'd be interested, email me offline at
dedgoatATcox.net

My Rickenbacker basses sound amazing through my SWR rig !

the big swr's kick butt the little ones sound to solid state ...

I had a SM900 and really didn't like the tone that much, different strokes I guess.

I had a SM900 and really didn't like the tone that much, different strokes I guess.