Ampeg

[ricaddic]

Low and behold, it seems Ampeg got the hint and wised up, it appears that Ampeg is going to unveil at the NAMM show thier new Heritage series bass amps that are being made right here in the good old USA, They are produceing the SVT classic head and SVT vintage reissue head as well as the SVT speaker enclosures, I say AMEN, being a huge Ampeg fan, this was musicto my ears, is anyone else excited about this news ?

[blueflamerick]

I say "meh", but here's the info: http://www.ampeg.com/products/heritage/index.html

[incubus2432]

I couldn't care less. Not a huge fan of Ampeg in the first place. They take production out of the country to save a few bucks and then when it doesn't work out so well for them they come back with a "heritage" series. No thanks!

[cassius987]

Not to join the "meh" train but "meh". I had some USA Ampeg stuff and I never really dug it that much anyways. Different strokes...

[jps]

I understand the new Heritage line will be quite pricy.

[ajish4]

I understand the new Heritage line will be quite pricy.

I THOUGHT the line Ampeg gave everyone was that they could bring prices DOWN when the stuff was made in CHINA.

I didn't notice a price decrease, but then again...I wouldn't buy the import anyway. I'd rather buy a used in USA than a new Made in China anyway.

Sorry, I like my pennies at home when possible.

[VRICKY63]

I love my Ampeg ! But..............it's old...............1973 B25B. I say welcome back ampeg.

[rickenbrother]

I understand the new Heritage line will be quite pricey.

I just assumed it would be pricey since the gear that they shifted to production overseas didn't come down in price though they make it for a fraction of what it used to cost.

[jps]

I understand the new Heritage line will be quite pricey.

I just assumed it would be pricey since the gear that they shifted to production overseas didn't come down in price though they make it for a fraction of what it used to cost.

Yeah, that alienated a whole bunch of former Ampeg lovers and endorsers! So Loud technologies say "You want production back in the USA? Fine, but it will cost you!!!"

[rickenbrother]

They can keep it. If I ever find the need for a new bass rig, I'll look to the new technology of bass amps, like Markbass, etc...

[whojamfan]

No love for the Ampeg move on RRF
I'd like to have one if they didn't cost an arm and a leg, weigh a ton, and spontaneously combust

[ricaddic]

I love my Ampeg ! But..............it's old...............1973 B25B. I say welcome back ampeg.

Thats so cool, my first ampeg rig back in the 70's was a B25B, I loved that amp , then got my first SVT with two cabs, the silver and blue, now known as the vintage reissue always loved the tube sound of the Ampegs, as far as pricey, im sure they will be, but then again what isint these days, look at the prices of Rics, the prices for the 4001C64's are insane but yet people are still willing to pay the prices for them so it all evens out.

[johnallg]

My first thought when viewing the Ampeg link was "This is gonna cost." As to prices after the move to Viet Nam, they initially went up.

My advice if you want Ampeg Tube but don't want to pay for the OLD ones - watch eBay and get an older American-made SVT-2.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

my first amp was a woolworths "brentwood BR-5" 5 watt combo amp with a 5x3 oval speaker in 1975. my second amp in 1978 was an ampeg svt ! i have not looked back since. mind you this amp is very heavy, but to me was worth a broken back !

i can speak for anything up to 1979 in manufacture ...properly set up...there is no equal. i've used it in basements, house parties, clubs, arenas and stadiums. i do not like graphic equalizers...if you can't get your sound on a few pots, you've got gear problems. ampeg should never have put a graphic on the svt II...too finicky. "kiss" keep it simple stupid ! too many things in the loop is a nightmare to diagnose in front of your fans when it goes down. bass, cord, amp, speakers...you can't go wrong with this ! spare bass, spare cord and amp and direct box is nice too. new strings help in dialing in a good sound as well.

if you are just a basement dweller, then use all the toys you want. in front of a lot of folks, your face will get red when something goes down and you don't have a savvy roady. if everything goes then have the soundman put the bass in your monitor from the directbox...at least you'll hear yourself.

back to the svt, they are not harsh when you punch your bass hard as with a solidstate. i found a '71 head for $250.00 in los angeles. no tolex, painted flat black, preamp was not screwed in, six different power tubes, looked like ****. took it back to the studio (kiss was recording there as well) gene saw me and asked "what are you doing with that?" to which i replied..." i'm fixing it !"
he said, "why ?" and walked away shaking his head. all it needed was a few screws and fresh tubes and became a killer ! more growl and bottom than my '78, but both heads have served me well thru 2010. the old heads are very simple and fairly easy to repair...the svt II on up are more complicated and harder to find parts locally. hell, i broke a volume pot shaft and made one out of parts of others !

here's a story for you...in 1980 while living in moncton, new brunswick, i travelled to buffalo, new york, to audition for a band. yes...audition. i travelled by train, moncton/montreal/toronto/fort erie/buffalo...one suitcase, '73 rick 4001 deluxe mapleglo and a '76 custom p-bass in one hand and my '78 svt in the other hand by the carry strap ! three weeks later, i was dis-enchanted by the band and left by bus from buffalo/boston/calais maine and back to moncton with same load and 1000 miles each way ! i could have used any amp or rented one...no way ! that's what an svt means to BAD RONBO !

[johnallg]

I agree the graphic eq is not needed and I keep it bypassed. With the switching, it is not in the circuit.

And your description of your first amp jogged my memory - my first amp was an old B&W television with a phono input on the back.