Ampeg V4 guitarhead

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Yep the big ugly thing from the 70's.
Anyone using one of these things??
Or know anyone who has one??
Would love to hear some soundsamples!

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Listen to the Rolling Stones "Get Your Ya Ya's Out." IIRC that's all Ampeg. I think there's a lot on "Exile on Main Street," too, and maybe "Sticky Fingers." At any rate, people always say that Mick Taylor's Stones sound was predominantly big Ampeg amps, so that should put you in the ballpark. Not a bad ballpark at that!

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

When we played the Powermad Festival in Baltimore last year, they had an Ampeg V4 head as part of the backline, and it sounded GREAT! I was really blown away by the tone ...

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Thanks guys... :smack: :duh: I forgot about the Stones......hmmm where is my old records???
Got them somewhere...did Steve Morse not also use one??

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Records? What are those?

One thing to think about if you are considering buying one is that they have have oddball tubes in them. You could change to something else if you can't find them but chances are with the internet you can find just about anything anyway.

I just threw in a CD of a show from the 72 tour...they were really something back then.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Yeah the oddball tubes are really a pain, but I know someone who can get them replaced or fit something similar.....records...hehe something that blows cd's out of the water :laugh2: :alcoholic

 

[some_dude]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

They need 7027a power tubes.

Both JJ and Svetlana are making them now.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

I used to own one. It isn't quite a heavy as an SVT head but you won't want to carry it around trust me on that. The tubes in mine would go pretty quickly and at the time one of them was very hard to replace, can't remember tube type it was an oddball though for most shops and before the Internet it was murder finding it. I didn't have much luck with it tonewise, I found it very thin and bright, so between the weight and the tone I sold it. I was pretty psyched when I got it being it was the Stones amp of choice for a pretty historic chunk but it just didn't work out, guess I had a dud.

 

[Fresno Bob]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

I didn't have much luck with it tonewise, I found it very thin and bright...

wow, never thought I'd hear a comment like that!

My buddy/bassist uses one. Pre-Magnavox era. I've never been able to get a thin/bright tone out of it...that's why I was amazed at Wattage's comment.

I guess it really depends on the genre of music it's used for. I think they're great for low end guitar rumbling.

Check out Kyuss or Queens of the Stone Age. Josh Homme uses Ampeg V4s.

 

[flank]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

the one i played was nasty in a good way.....but oh so massive......i was in guitar center and in the back corner was a V4 FULL STACK!!!!!.....i plugged in and the dude started talkin to me, i said i bet this thing doesnt budge at all does it, stays clean all the way up huh?...and he said it got pretty crunchy,so i asked if i could turn it up..... well he actually let me turn it up to 5 and my goodness it was LOUD LOUD LOUD.....like it easily took on my hiwatt and could probably take it out lol (although my hiwatt suprisingly isnt that loud, it just sounds like it is! which i guess it kinda lucky huh?)

it was very differnt sounding, but i liked it.....im thinkin of grabbin the combo version VT22 cause theres one in a shop here for $250....

and idk wattage, these were made as bass amps, i dont see how yours was trebly and thin???.....eh....

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Hehe loud sucker eh!!
Well this guy I know sounds like he can convert it into using EL-34's or KT-88's.

 

[flank]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

rid you might find this a good read:

http://www.triodeel.com/7027.htm

 

[The Owl]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Man, to think there was a time I lusted after one of these V-4 or VT-22 amps, my taste changed quite a bit since those heady days of the 1970's, especially on the weight end, MAN those things were BRUTAL in the weight department! :saeek:

 

[Wattage]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

wow, never thought I'd hear a comment like that!

My buddy/bassist uses one. Pre-Magnavox era. I've never been able to get a thin/bright tone out of it...that's why I was amazed at Wattage's comment.

I guess it really depends on the genre of music it's used for. I think they're great for low end guitar rumbling.

Check out Kyuss or Queens of the Stone Age. Josh Homme uses Ampeg V4s.

Sorry I should have been more demonstrative saying I had a dud. I don't think mine was particularly healthy, I am sure it needed quality tubes that I couldn't get at the time (1989-90) and probably could have used some caps or whatnot. I am sure well tuned V4's would sound good. I did get so tired of the weight that I just decided to be done with it as opposed to finding a tech that could really handle it though.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Thanks Flank, but the link does sadly not work.
Can you try and see if it works for you?

 

[flank]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

yes it still works for me.....maybe you could try http://www.triodeel.com/tubedata.htm

a lil ways down on the page it says somethin like "Help! my amp has 7027s!"

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Thanks man, that one worked

 

[joelap]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

How much are V4's going for nowadays? Is it another sleeper deal or will these run you pretty expensive?

 

[flank]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

they are pretty cool amps in my opinion.....not a conventional sound, but unique i should say....... certainly they are not high end amps...... but they are cool workhorse amps for loud 60s and 70s rock and british bands

generally you can get them for$300-400..... but i recently saw an ad here for one for $125.......i look back and i should have bought it....eh....

you must realize that these are LOUD LOUD LOUD.......like sick loud, and not the greatest of amps if your just starting out gigging in small places.especially cause they weigh a ton also..... i definately prefer the earlier ones without master volumes........ and they have some cool switches that adjust certain midrange frequencies and thats cool......also dont expect a whole lot of gain if you get a non master volume, i played one that didnt break up at all, but most usually get some cool grit ala Rolling Stones

im going to be buying the combo version VT22 and put some casters on it so i can push it around (it weighs something like 90-100lbs !!!).......

for the money i think their good solid tube amps with a cool sound, and their pretty well built and usually youll find that they are in bad condition (rust, scrapped, torn) but they generally all keep working despite being road tested.....

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Ampeg V4 guitarhead

Like the Hiwatts they should work pretty well with pedals.
But one of our techs has made a clone some years ago, after summerbreak we will give it a testride :burnout: