Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've always had solid state bass amps and it's time I get a real amp. I was considering getting an AMPEG V-4B...and what's the difference between a V-4B and a V-4BH? I think they have 100 watts. Is that enough power to push a newer Ampeg 8x10 cab? Also would this combination sound good at lower levels? What about the Ampeg tube pre-amp models...are they any count? I don't want to be sorry later that I didn't get the right thing. What's good and what's not good? I don't have a lot of money either so I'll have to get something used of course. I play Rock 'n' Roll, blues and some jazz. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

hmm...we're currently using an ampeg svtcl in the studio - if you want that tube sound, in my opinion this is the way to go...search craigslist and you might find something in the $800 range.

100 watts and an 8x10 doesn't seem like a smart pairing.

there is also an all tube head made by 'pignose' the company that used to make those little practice amps, i had one for about a 1/2 year. it sounded quite nice (too noisy for the studio though).


another great line are the ashdown abm's (tube preamp, though a tube per, can't change the fact that the rest of the amp is ss). they have become a lot of player's first choice. check their 'artist' roster on the website. this is what i am playing through now and am very happy with it.

Hey Ben,

I've just recently joined the All-Tube world, with an Ampeg B-15R 2-15 stack. It's a 100watt head. I play Blues/Country/Classic Rock/Rock Ballads in our band Greenville.

I get to use just over two clicks, and not much more. And That's plenty loud for us.

My two bits would be if it sounds good to you get it. Line Out to the mains. The rest is stage volume. I'd think 8-10's would sound great.

Ya, maybe the Ampeg BSE-410H might be a better match. It's rated 200w rms.

still think a v-4 will do a lotta shows ..its is 100 ampeg watts in other words real...lol...im using a v-9 with only 4 6l6gcs in it rather than the 6 6550's its supposed to have..a lil over 100 watts..its ok for blues and smaller club gigs

Traynor YBA-200 with the matching cab 2x10 plus 1x15. Great amp and cab and great price.


Garret, Love your rig! I use to have 67 B15N.

Ginger did a tech do that? I hope so as extensive alterations would need to be done to it for any longevity for your tubes and other stuff in the amp. Why don't you just put 6550's back in it?
A V4-B isn't really enough for an SVT cab, I had one, a 70's which is louder than a new one and occasionally used it with an SVT cab, it was OK for small gigs but didn't have any headroom when you needed it. Get a vintage SVT set up, you'll never regret it if you play rock, they'll knock over a wall and sound great doing it. You could expect to pay approx. 1500-2000 for a good 70's SVT head and cab. I've used them since 1975 and have never found anything that even approached them in warmth, volume or presence. they are very reliable also if kept up, even if not actually.

Bob, what's wrong with the newer SVT CLs?

The V-4 is a great head . and if your using a 70's SVT 8-10 they would make a real good match . Since 70's SVT cabs only handle 250 watts at the top end you should have a great tone and setup as long as your not trying to play large auditoriums with it as you will run out of headroom. With my 72 SVT i get the best of both worlds . great at low volume and i dont even need to tell you what it sounds like in large venues. Would hand of God be to strong ???

The new SVT CL's are based on the classic circuit, but are actually quite a bit different. The old amps had 2 channels with mid boost/cut, treble boost/cut, and bass boost/cut on channel 1. The new amps only have one channel which is similar to channel 1 in the old amps, but is just enough different that it doesn't sound the same. The new ones also use 12AX7's instead of 12DW7's and they sound different due to that. The build quality isn't nearly as good as the old ones either, but it still is pretty good for a modern PCB type amp. The old SVT's from when they came out until about 1985 were all tanks. From '81 to '85 they were made in Japan using Japanese parts and transformers, and they don't have as much of a following as the older SVT's, but they are the same circuit mostly and are quite good. I have an early '81 amp that was made in Japan but used American transformers and Japanese parts and it sounds just fine to me. It was only around $1000 too, although now it is worth more.

nope didnt do a thing to her...ive blown two 6l6gcs since doing it..and thats over 8 years..the tubes were used when i put them in..using 6L6gcs is the key as they can stand the higher plate voltage when others including 5881's cant..i'd love to put 6550s in her..but im on disability with no cash..

A 5881 IS a 6L6. Same tube.

I'd retire that amp until you can afford 6550's. I'd hate to see you blow an output transformer due to the impedance mismatch...

I bought an SVT head in Lima, Perú a few years ago cheap and it had 6 6L6's in it, GE's. On one side (three tubes) the bias was all the way up, the other side all the way down. I thought it was modded when I bought it as the stock plate voltage is 150 volts too high for any 6L6 but it worked although it sounded very Fender-like believe it or not. I bought some 6550's and did some extensive work to it as it needed it. First thing I would do is check the plate resistors or whatever you call them, they open with too much current with old tubes and take the tube out of the circuit, kind of a safety type thing, saves the output transformers from shorting and blowing, the are if my memory works 5 ohm 10 or 5 watt resistors or something like that. I wouldn't push my luck Ginger. The fact that SVT's will work with 6L6's is both a testament to Ampeg and especially to the tube manufacturer. I bet they are old American tubes, mine were all old GE's taken from Fender amps, you could see the marks on the base of the tubes.
You can get a decent set of Russian tubes for about 150.00 if you look at the various tube places online. I'll tell you what I may even have some halfway decent 6500's taken out of one of my heads that I'll donate to you if you want for the price of shipping which wouldn't be too much, I too would hate to see a rare head like a V-9 blow up. All you'd have to do it bias them correctly which is easy if you know how to use a multimeter.

Bob,
Is there a place online (or if you can explain it would be nice) on how to correctly bias the tubes?

honey that would be a godsend..im sure i can come up with shipping...youre an angel dear