Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

First of all , hello everybody!I`m glad that I`ve found this forum because in Poland [eastern Europe] where I live , I don`t know anybody who`s using rickenbacker bass [my is 4001].At last I`ve found you guys!

I've bought my Ric few months ago and now I want to buy an amp which will fit to on old instrument , to get this real ric sound [I know that the best thing which I can do is to buy a full tube ampeg from 70s but it's much too expensive...] - now I`m using Hartke 3500 but I don`t like this kind of sound.I'm thinking about Ampeg SVT pro III or Ampeg V-4B Classic Series , but I have no chance to check them out by my self and I have never play on ampeg befour.So , please write me , what are your recomendation.Thanks!

ps. hope that you will understand everything...sorry for my grammar!

Most of us like any Ampeg. There a few of us using the B2 and I've seen a couple of comments about the B5. These are affordable and lightweight!

Get a vintage V-4B... ONe of the best tones I have ever got out of my ric came from one of those... you can get them for a good price, often on ebay (for less than a new V4Bh that I also tried and was sadly unimpressed by...).

Also look into a Traynor YBA200 all tube head. I ended up getting one and although it is not identical to ampeg in sound... it is very close (a little more clean sounding). I love mine to death; it sounds amazing at live volume levels, is only 41lbs... has a 2 year "even if you break it warranty" and at 200W it has more juice than a V4B without the weight of a SVT. Oh, and I got mine for about 800$ CAN brand new. It blew a 200W Orange tube amp out of the water at the last show I played (about 4x the price).

SVT W/ 8-10 CAB

Welcome Eric!

I've been extremely happy with my B2RE head!

I have to agree with John D above. I've got a '74 SVT, a '74 V-4B, and a '96 SVT III Pro. They're all great. The III Pro has proven to be the ultimate gigging amp for me over the past 9 years. Light weight, great tone. Those Traynors are a very cool alternative too.

I had a B2, and it sounded good, but sold it because my Carvin RL1000 sounded better.

I'm waiting to check out one of the new Ampeg B200R combo's though.

Here's some good deals.

http://www.bassnw.com/specials.htm

Alot of pros use the SVT III so it seems to be a really solid amp. Most ampegs sound about the same, they usually all have the same ampgeg tube pre-amp and that is a big part of what gives them "that" sound. If you can try to get one of the ampeg tubers used but honestly I would use the solid state ampegs too. If any music stores around you have any of the SWR working man amps try one of those. They sound pretty good for the price.

Out of the two you've picked I'd get the V4B-H, but I'd really get a vintage SVT. Any Ampeg will sound good though, just some sound better than others.

SVT!

what? can't hear you...

or

B-15

Thanks guys!As I can see I can't make a "wrong decision" because both of them -SVT pro3 and VB4 - are good , so now I think that the thing which help me to choose will be the price I've got two more questions : do you thing that 100W is enough power? -now I have only 1 x '18 , and I'm afraid that when I will buy that new amp I will have to wait for a long time to change it and buy for example original ampeg cabinet 8 x'10.And maybe some of you knows: is there any difference between V-B4 Classic Series and V-B4H [if V-b4H is so bad , as John D wrote , it's important]

The pro III is the way to go. If you want to be as loud as the stage drum mix, a 100W is not enough.

I _had_ a SVT 3 Pro head and hated it. I couldn't get a sound I really liked from it. I ended up getting a used B5R, which is all solid state and I like it a lot better.

I also get a lot of compliments about my tone.

Eric,

The V4Bh I played was junk. Not all may be junk. I had just recorded through a 70's V4B (with rocker switches) and was blown away by the tone... opened my eyes to what really good bass tone could be like. I went into a local music store WANTING to walk out with their V4Bh... modern version can't be too different eh? And I love the look of the classic heads.

Wrong... played it through an ampeg 4x10 classic cab and it was farting all over the place. Maybe it was the cab, maybe it was the room, maybe it was the head (bad tubes can be an issue... especially in store floor models). Either way... I was pretty bummed out.

When I tried the traynor with it's matching cab for the first time (with my 72 ric) I had someone interrupt me (an older guy) to say that he was a bass player and that he thought my ric sounded great through that amp... I agreed and bought it. Kindal like the V4B but lighter, louder, and cleaner to a higher volume.

At 200W you need to push the head for optimal tone... the harder you push the better it sounds in my opinion. So it sounds GODLY at gigs but kinda scooped at home (some people claim the traynor lacks mids... I think those people are mostly bedroom warriors as I have never lacked mids at a gig... only when I play it very low volumes at home).

I have had no power issues with the traynor... if anything I have to be careful not to be too loud at shows. It also has an XLR out to plug into the mains (pre or post EQ if you want).

100 tube watts should be fine depending on the band you play with and what type of PA support you will have (you will need a splitting DI box if you get a 70's V4B as they have no XLR out). I play in a pretty loud rock band so I like the the extra headroom my 200W traynor gives me. 100W would not need to be pushed as hard of course for optimal tone though... and I have used the V4B at a venue of ~500 and it was fine for stage volume.

I say go all tube for sure (it is not just hype)... and look for a used 70's V4B with the rocker switches (The 3K mid boost switch is your best friend) or if you want reliability and need a little more power give the traynor a chance.

I love my traynor... makes you forget about brand name snob appeal pretty fast. I am also thinking about getting a local 70's V4B for the fun of it. Both are great amps.