Ampeg tone on a budget

[cameltoe]

Hi Guys,

I've been using an Orange Terror for the past few years now, and have been very happy with it, however I have recently dug out an old Ampeg combo from my shed, circa 1990's (can't recall the model number, but it's a 100w 1 x 15 from the 90's, with push/pull EQ) to use at our rehearsal space, and am l[i]oving[/i] the tone. It just sounds so fat yet defined at the same time. I'm guessing that although this combo was probably a budget line, it reproduces that 'Ampeg' tone that people seem to love so much.

Since I upgraded my cab from an LB212 to a Barefaced Compact I've not been loving the Orange quite as much. The Barefaced is far more articulate than the LB212, which seems to clean up the Orange's sound a bit, but I kinda liked the dark boomyness of it with the LB.

So I'm thinking of going Ampeg, but I will need to do this on a budget, ideally with the funds that the Bass Terror will release when I sell it, and it would have to be a portable head (not going back to back breakers now!). I have been looking at the PF 500 head, and have read some good reviews, but wanted some opinions on this and on any other options, and how they compare to the Bass Terror.

Thanks

[waynepunkdude]

B2RE love them.

[Lozz196]

The PF500 is a great sounding amp, really nice Ampeg tones. I used mine through a Compact/Midget set-up and it was great, but still quite a "clinical" sound due to the precise articulate tones of the BF cabs. None of the breakup associated with the traditional Ampeg tone.

But, if up to this point you`ve liked the OTB, maybe adding in the Sansamp VT Pedal would be an answer. Use the OTB essentially as a power amp, get the Ampeg tone/breakup from the VT.

[JTUK]

This is a muddle... none of the stuff seems to do what you want it to do... so you are fixing a fix.
Sell it all and start again.

Ampeg Portaflex.. PR amp and Portaflex cab..!!

[cameltoe]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369655064' post='2091228']
This is a muddle... none of the stuff seems to do what you want it to do... so you are fixing a fix.
Sell it all and start again.

[/quote]

Eh? I don't know how you came to that conclusion. I love my current set up and it does exactly what I want it to do- sure the Compact has taken a bit of getting used to with the OTB, (If you think the EQ on an OTB doesn't do anything, try it with a Barefaced!), but it has opened up a definition I never had before.

This is more about Ampeg GAS after hearing the Ampeg tone again, so am (possibly) looking for a head that can give me that in a small package, for a modest price.

Having said that, maybe the cab is as crucial to achieving this as the head.

[Lozz196]

You`re really going to need a head or pedal that gives that classic "break-up" on the sound. Ampeg cabs/speakers also do this/add to this very well - just about one of the nicest speaker cabs I`ve had was the SVT210AV - but the Barefaced won`t do that, so it will be totally the head or pedal that you`ll be reliant upon. A very good head for doing the Ampeg sound is the TC Electronic Classic 450 - it has the Tubetone facility which really furs up the sound nicely.

[JTUK]

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1369656891' post='2091245']
Eh? I don't know how you came to that conclusion. I love my current set up and it does exactly what I want it to do- sure the Compact has taken a bit of getting used to with the OTB, (If you think the EQ on an OTB doesn't do anything, try it with a Barefaced!), but it has opened up a definition I never had before.

This is more about Ampeg GAS after hearing the Ampeg tone again, so am (possibly) looking for a head that can give me that in a small package, for a modest price.

Having said that, maybe the cab is as crucial to achieving this as the head.
[/quote]

You want an Ampeg sound and your kit doesn't do it... but then you also say your kit says it does exactly what you want it to do...??
make up your mind..

[lowerbassment]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1369651932' post='2091181']
But, if up to this point you`ve liked the OTB, maybe adding in the Sansamp VT Pedal would be an answer. Use the OTB essentially as a power amp, get the Ampeg tone/breakup from the VT.
[/quote]

This. I think the VT DI version should be out soon.

[joeystrange]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1369649141' post='2091135']
B2RE love them.
[/quote]

Or, if you like the classic Ampeg look, the SVT 450H is the same amp in an SVT style box.
You can probably pick up either for about a hundred quid less than you can sell the Terror for.
I had the 450 for years before I got an SVT CL. Great amp.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369665717' post='2091354']


You want an Ampeg sound and your kit doesn't do it... but then you also say your kit says it does exactly what you want it to do...??
make up your mind..
[/quote]

Dude stop putting words in my mouth!

I'm happy with my gear, it does do exactly what I want, but I've been bitten by the GAS monster after hearing the Ampeg tone! Have you never experienced GAS? Never played a Precision your whole life and suddenly fancied a Stingray after hearing one live?

I'm not so committed to the idea that I'm going to sell everything and start again, but I may try and test out a head, say the PF500, like I mentioned, and see if I like it, based on people's opinions on here of course.

[buff]

The sansamp bass driver DI is also worth looking at, ive used mine with peavey head's, svt3 pro, pf500 and svt classic and also ashdown spyder/touring 550 head. The pedal comes pretty close to giving that ampeg sound, but when used with an ampeg head as well its just gives more boost/balls.

[cameltoe]

Thanks for the help guys. Sounds like a sansamp pedal of some description could be worth looking at. With the barefaced, the OTB has lost some of it's 'fatness', so based on what you guys have said, I have dug out my old Hartke Bass Attack preamp/DI pedal to use with it. I've also replaced the Phillips ecc81's I'd put in with the original cheap 83's. This seems to have helped a lot, but I'm going to dry and demo some of the gear suggested with my cab when I get the chance, as there is still something about that Ampeg tone that is sooo right...

[chris_b]

I'd be looking at a good used SVT-3PRO or an SVT-7PRO.

[casapete]

And if you're really stuck for dosh, you could do a lot worse than the Behringer BD121 for a Sansamp kind of
Ampegness.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369655064' post='2091228']
This is a muddle... none of the stuff seems to do what you want it to do... so you are fixing a fix.
Sell it all and start again.

Ampeg Portaflex.. PR amp and Portaflex cab..!!
[/quote]

+1 for the porta flex.

Lightwight but still with that Ampeg tone.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1369876687' post='2093920']
I'd be looking at a good used SVT-3PRO or an SVT-7PRO.
[/quote]

Yeah can be brought pretty cheap secondhand, and are both quality heads.

Trouble is sellers seem to over price them a fair bit, and any that come up on the bay that are bid only get caught in the bidders frenzy, since they rarely come up for auction.

[brensabre79]

Cheapest option is a Behringer BD DI then a Sansamp

OR

You could get a Zoom B3 which has an SVT emulator as well as some nifty compressor that'll get you that squashy tone you're after.

[fretmeister]

Tech 21 VT pedal.

It will go dirtier than a real ampeg and has a more powerful EQ than a real ampeg amp.

That should be enough to get over the non-ampeg-ness of your cab.

[Gully35]

[sup]I prefer the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes to the Sansamp VT. Slightly more expensive but more natural sounding.[/sup]

[sup]The SVT 7 Pro and SVT 410he sound fantastic together. The price however seems to have jumped up dramatically to buy new on places like GAK etc for some unknown reason. Maybe try ebay or gumtree for secondhand. Also make sure the SVT 7 Pro is rev C at least, there were a few reported problems with the early models.[/sup]

[jimcroisdale]

Another vote for a Sansamp VT pedal into the FX loop return of your OBT. Sorted.

[bassmachine2112]

VT pedal,straight into PA and forget about amps and cabinets-cheaper still

[JTUK]

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1370172700' post='2097148']
VT pedal,straight into PA and forget about amps and cabinets-cheaper still
[/quote]

But at some point you are going to need the sound to come back at you... and that leaves you at the mercy of the FOH engr...who cannot hear your stage sound.,...or if you are lucky, you'll have a mon engr on stage ..but you still need to hear the sound back and be able to communicate if anything needs fixing.
This is less of a problem if you get an hour plus for soundchecks.... but even then, the drums and other instruments will not be able to bleed away the time...

[Gust0o]

[quote name='jimcroisdale' timestamp='1369998524' post='2095330']
Another vote for a Sansamp VT pedal into the FX loop return of your OBT. Sorted.
[/quote]

That's how I achieved the Ampeg-a-like tone I wanted.

[dannybuoy]

I'm a big fan of the Ampeg SVT210AV cabs with my Terror. The matching Micro VR head with two of those cabs will deliver the Ampeg tone on a budget as long as you don't need mega volume. Don't go for the cheaper Micro CL stack by the way, it's way underpowered.

By the way, is this the Ampeg combo you have, the B100-R? I used to have one, soudned great.

[funkle]

I have Acme cabs (famously low tuned and relatively flat) and a Streamliner head. What comes out is exactly what goes in, one way or another (as long as you EQ the Streamliner correctly and know that 12 o'clock on all the knobs is definitely NOT flat).

I bought a Sansamp BDDI secondhand here and have been really enjoying its Ampeg-ness.

I've tried it both as a preamp straight into the Streamliner power section (via the effects return, bypassing the Streamliner pre) and as a pedal stomp before the instrument input. Works well either way and gives me exactly what I wanted.

I am looking forward to trying out an Aguilar Tone Hammer too.

Ability to use different pres + lots of power on tap + flat cab to reproduce faithfully what goes in works for me...

Buy a Sansamp BDDI or the new VT DI pedal and I think you'll be sorted.

Edited July 14, 2013 by funkle