Jonesy64 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I'm just back from my gig and still buzzing from it. The band was well received and just as importantly I had managed to dial in a tone I was really happy with!! :-) Bassy, bright, gritty, driving..it was all there! American std Jazz, Orange Terror Bass, Schroeder 410BMF and a VT Bass out front....playing 77-80 punk and new wave...bloody brill. It has really got me wanting the real thing...an Ampeg that is. I'm not keen on the the TB by itself anyway and have experimented with a few different OD's but yet again tonight I went back to the VT and this time I had it nailed. Major difference to previous outings was setting the TB flat (bass and treble off, mids full). I realise I could save myself more than a few hundred quid by being happy with tonight's rig but I really don't want a pedal doing all the work. I'm looking at the SVT-7 Pro cos it has the tube pre-amp and it's relatively compact and lightweight design...but is a 1000 watt head ever going to be able to get the on the edge of tube break up dirt at pub/club volume levels? I am thinking it will have way too much headroom before the pre-amp tube even gets warmed up. I guess there is the PF500 and 800 to consider but at the moment it's the SVT that has my attention! I'd really appreciate hearing my fellow BCers thoughts and opinions on all of this and help me decide the way forward. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Yes, it should be able to do what you want. Clipping the preamp stage is what you want to do - crank the 'gain' knob and adjust the master volume to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Some users have reported problems that seem to relate to the Class D power section. I suggest a bit of Googling, but it seems to suffer similar issues to the PF500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I would love a 7 pro but have been scared off by all the reports of cutting out, seems its a bit of a lottery, some heads are good some aren't. I have even heard that some of the later revisions have issues. As for tone- closest thing to an all tube SVT is what the gear heads are reporting.... Which is exactly what I want, SVT tone and volume without 80lbs lift There are a couple of threads on Talkbass for info, and Dino at Ampeg is really helpful if you email him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 There`s a lot to be said for a real Ampeg, and a lot to be said for GAS (sure we all agree with that) but your current set-up gives the sound you want, and if you have gigs with provided rigs, as your sound is essentially coming from your VT, you`ll always be able to get "you" no matter what the rig is. I too thought about the 7-PRO, but read a few horror stories on Talkbass. Seems the problems, as the others have said, are like that of the PF500. Having had one of those with no issues, and one which didn`t last a rehearsal, I now won`t touch any amps that have a "reputation". Shame really, these lighter weight Ampegs sound great, my functioning PF500 was a brilliant amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Ampeg have a few models in the SVT pro series, and only the 7 has that troublesome Class D power stage. I suggest you look out for used examples in Basschat Marketplace. Also someone on here is selling an SVP preamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy64 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Thanks guys, yeah I see what you mean about the issues with the 7 and the PF500. Doesn't help that no-one appears to be 100% sure what causes them to shut down. Still appears to be happening with newer builds too. I'll widen my search to the rest of the SVT Pro range. Is there a particular SVT Pro that really cuts the mustard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 [quote name='Jonesy64' timestamp='1396783812' post='2417224'] Thanks guys, yeah I see what you mean about the issues with the 7 and the PF500. Doesn't help that no-one appears to be 100% sure what causes them to shut down. Still appears to be happening with newer builds too. I'll widen my search to the rest of the SVT Pro range. Is there a particular SVT Pro that really cuts the mustard? [/quote] The 3 pro has great tone but not big on output, not sure about the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I had a 7Pro for a while and was thoroughly underwhelmed by it (even through the Genz 8x10 cab I was running at the time). They don't overdrive, so don't expect grit from it. It's a clean pre-amp. For the money there are far better choices out there, IMO. but going back to the OP ... It seems that wanting a new rig is a rather bizarre response to playing a gig where your tone is amazing. Personally, I'd be desperate to not change a thing. There are no pro touring bassists out there who's front of house sound is "just" their amp. It all gets extra compression, EQ etc etc. I wouldn't worry about what components you are using. Once you've got the "tone in your head" don't change a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy64 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1396787167' post='2417264'] but going back to the OP ... It seems that wanting a new rig is a rather bizarre response to playing a gig where your tone is amazing. [/quote] I don't think I described it as amazing but I was really happy with it :-) I don't want a new rig....I would like an Ampeg head to replace an underwhelming TB being pushed by a VT pedal to sound like an Ampeg....bizarre indeed :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Looking at your signature - why not use the VT1? That's a pretty awesome tube overdrive right there… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy64 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Used it at last weeks gig Paul, cracking pedal but...again, only my ears and my opinion, the combination of it and the TB didn't do it for me. Went back to the VT bass for last nights gig and that's what I want out of a head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 I've had an Svt2 which was amazing, an Svt4 which was great, an Svt6 which was ok but noisy and have used an Svt7.......which was gash. All IMO of course. Sansamp is the key to great ampeg sounds these days unless you want to splash huge cash and have a strong back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 I wouldn't go with the SVT7pro if you want a lot of break up or distortion, as mentioned earlier it has a pretty clean preamp. That said, I love mine, I almost sold it until I heard it again with my Laney NX810. On the strength of that I sold all my Aguilar gear, kept the SVT7 and bought a pair of Berg AE112's for the small to medium size gigs I do. When I do get the chance to roll the 810 out the combination is a wonderful thing. ps, up to now (fingers firmly crossed) I must have been one of the lucky ones. No issues with mine, It goes to every gig / rehearsal and I use it everyday at home for noodling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 This isn't the amp you're looking for... Seriously. You have got the sound you want right? - many aren't nearly so far along this quest. Best of all, it fits in a bag, doesn't require a 2 man road crew and large vehicle to move around! SO even if you are using another amp, you get the sound! If it's good enough for Geddy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 I had a SVT7-Pro, for a while, too, and I thought it kinda fell in between two stools: on the one hand, it does a good impression of a 'real' SVT (but it's only an impression, and there are smaller, more practical amps (and pedals like the Sansamp) which can do it just as well IMHO) and it's much, much lighter, but on the other it's still a rackmount heftyish amp (I took the top off mine, and there's loooooaaaads of empty space inside), although it'll go enormously loud, if that's what you're after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy64 Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1396875956' post='2418208'] I had a SVT7-Pro, for a while, too, and I thought it kinda fell in between two stools: on the one hand, it does a good impression of a 'real' SVT (but it's only an impression, and there are smaller, more practical amps (and pedals like the Sansamp) which can do it just as well IMHO).....[/quote] Fair point that Muzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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