Anyone see the new ampeg series?

[Andrew Lamprecht]

The GVT? Anybody tried one yet?

This is the one I'm looking at....

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-AMG-GVT15H-LIST

[Hoss]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

Hadn't seen them yet...

I like this one...Ampeg GVT15-112

[tc]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

Sweet! If they're anything like the Jets they were selling a couple of years back they'll be killer!

[Hoss]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

been reading very mixed reviews...

[ItsaBass]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

First off, I am a huge Ampeg proponent. I think their amps are easily the best. I have five guitar amps and four of them are Ampegs. I don't dislike other companies; I just think Ampegs are the ****.

I tried the 50 watter at True Tone Music here in L.A. It sounded great.

However, Ampegs are now built overseas, and they don't even come close to living up to their past greatness in terms of build quality. The new post-SLM ones have a terrible track record as far as durability, according to amp repairmen and music shop employees I've talked to. Basically, the new company flushed Ampeg's reputation for building brick ****houses down the toilet overnight.

These new ones are also expensive for what they are.

So my take on the new ones is that they really do sound good, but they are badly overpriced for the amount of build quality you get. I don't trust the quality of Ampegs since SLM sold the company. You can get old V-series amps for less on the used market. While they may not have as many features, they are hands down "better" amps, and better "value" (bang for the buck) amps. I'd get a used V-2 or VT40 before that new 50W one any day.

P.S. If you want a great 15W Ampeg, pick up a Diamond Blue Jet II: J-12T or J-12R. The T model has tremolo and one tone knob. The R has no tremolo and a three-band e.q. I've had my T model since new in the '90's, and it is my main gigging amp. They were called class A by Ampeg, but I've heard several amp techs say that they are not class A at all.

[Quencho092]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

I'd be more likely to pull the trigger on a nice clean 100w tube bass head, with my orange juicer in front it's classic Steely Dan guitar tones all day.

[guitfiddle]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

You'd spend your $600 bucks better on a good condition, used '60s Ampeg. The Jets, Geminis, Mercurys, and Reverberockets all go for between 500 and a grand or so.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

They look cool, the clips I've seen sound alright but for the prices of new amps you could get old school handwired built in the USA Ampegs...

[ItsaBass]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

They look cool, the clips I've seen sound alright but for the prices of new amps you could get old school handwired built in the USA Ampegs...

As usual in the post V-series world, Ampeg's own used market competes heavily with it's new amps.

[guitfiddle]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

As usual in the post V-series world, Ampeg's own used market competes heavily with it's new amps.

...and wins, if the tone is all that matters.

[Dangerine49]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

I had an old '65 Ampeg Gemini that I foolishly got rid of in the early 70's.

Recently, I was amp shopping for a 1 X 12" amp and stumbled across a slightly used 50W Ampeg Reverberocket Reissue. Excellent cleans, nice reverb and great overdrive. A little larger and heavier than I was looking for, but it just sounded so good. Took it home for $375 and threw some wheels on it.

[ItsaBass]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

I had an old '65 Ampeg Gemini that I foolishly got rid of in the early 70's.

Recently, I was amp shopping for a 1 X 12" amp and stumbled across a slightly used 50W Ampeg Reverberocket Reissue. Excellent cleans, nice reverb and great overdrive. A little larger and heavier than I was looking for, but it just sounded so good. Took it home for $375 and threw some wheels on it.

Nice amp. I have the head/cab version. When I use it, I miss the tremolo of my Jet II, though. And it has a little too much headroom for my gigs. Doesn't really break up until about 7 or 8, at which point it is just too loud for most PAs.

I've also got the Super Rocket, which is just stupidly overpowered. It solves the tremolo problem, but by the time you get a dirty tone on that amp, people are leaving the room because their ears are bleeding. I use it when clean is the word.

[Dangerine49]

Re: Anyone see the new ampeg series?

I haven't gigged with it yet, so I'm not sure about the headroom issue. It also takes pedals well for lower volume overdrive.

Yes, I like tremolo too, but I have a Voodoo Labs tremolo pedal that I bought for an acoustic amp that didn't come with it either. It does the job.