Ampeg Vintage SVT Micro is pretty incredible

NegativeEase

NegativeEase

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Got hooked up with an Ampeg Micro SVT VR 200W head for the studio

I must say, it sounds damn incredible and just like the real thing (Which I also have)

Driving my 2x10/115 cab currently. DI sounds clean and great.

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Yes, those are great. Don't know what kind of tech they run of ir they're anything like the Ampeg BA series, but those are serious bang for the buck amps too. Pretty loud too, especially once you run them into a bigger cab. I'm sure the 2x10+1x15 config sounds fantastic too, and it can definitely hang in with a blasting 100W guitar tube amp.

Drop in a killer OD pedal in front, and you've got yourself a rig that can go from vintage to modern bass tones too!
 
I almost bought one the only thing that stopped me is my bass cab is 8 ohms, and I am pretty sure that is a 4-ohm head. With the drop in output, I was not sure I would be able to get over the drums so I got the Ampeg PF-350 PortaFlex which I am very happy with.
 
Rex_Rocker said:
No. It doesn't have it.

It's not an SVT killer. It's just really good considering it costs so little. It's almost Marshall Mini Stack price. And it's REALLY loud and can easily hang in a full band.
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I know it isn't meant to be a substitute for the old behemoth, but I understood it was designed to deliver classic SVT sound.
Never used the ultra low & ultra high switches much when I had SVTs, but switchable mids was a nice feature IMO.
I don't doubt that the mini sounds great though, and as you say the bang-for-the-buck factor is pretty remarkable.
 
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eclecticsynergy said:
I know it isn't meant to be a substitute for the old behemoth, but I understood it was designed to deliver classic SVT sound.
Never used the ultra low & ultra high switches much when I had SVTs, but switchable mids was a nice feature IMO.
I don't doubt that the mini sounds great though, and as you say the bang-for-the-buck factor is pretty remarkable.
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Im recording with it, obviously less versatile than a full flavor SVT -but it absolutely delivers that classic SVT sound and the mid control dial gets you where you need -one advantage of the Micro is it's super clean -cleaner than an SVT ever was and the DI on it is the same (You can always dirty it up but that clean is incredible)
 
Ampeg has been very good at keeping the Ampeg DNA/secret sauce across all its offerings. Marshall is also very good at doing this. If you play a little SS Marshall practice amp it definitely sounds like a Marshall.
 
Oh damn, put a humbucking electric guitar clean through the Ampeg MIcro SVT into a combo 10s and 15 -and lord it sounds glorious -so big and deep
 
Securb said:
Ampeg has been very good at keeping the Ampeg DNA/secret sauce across all its offerings. Marshall is also very good at doing this. If you play a little SS Marshall practice amp it definitely sounds like a Marshall.
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I think the biggest downfall to those little Marshall amps is the crummy little cheap 8-10" speaker and the MDF cab.
 
I’ve played through an SVT (pro II IIRC?) with the “fridge,” tested out the new at the time MM Bongo and my own favourite bass, my G&L L-2500. I am curious as what defines the SVT tone as the bass itself, particularly the pickup and pickup position, not to mention my fresh DRs/Rotosounds!)

The SVT is definitely doing something nice, even on clean or just on the edge of breakup. Yet when I go back home and run into my Hartke 3500 (the early mosfet kind) into a 4x10 of Eminence Deltas, with the tube preamp up, sometimes with a modified ODB-3 in front to give it a push, I don’t feel I’m losing or missing out on a lot. It isn’t objectively worse than the SVT, just different.

It’s still a loud, punchy and articulate rig and the EQ options including the built in graphic lets me approximate just about any amp you can think of and the ODB-3 (I modded it so the overdrive is much thicker and warmer) having a blend knob is a very powerful feature for retaining clarity and definition. A great bass will always sound great, even direct into the board.

So my question is how would you define the SVT tone, beyond what the bass being played through it already sounds like?
 
Beer$ said:
So my question is how would you define the SVT tone, beyond what the bass being played through it already sounds like?
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I would say very warm with a lot of growl and punch. Very clear in your face and present. Sometimes I am listening to a recording and I know it is a SVT. Ampeg has a very organic tone.
 
Securb said:
I would say very warm with a lot of growl and punch. Very clear in your face and present. Sometimes I am listening to a recording and I know it is a SVT. Ampeg has a very organic tone.
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Speaking of warm and punchy, I have an incredibly rare bass head. It was made in the 70s by a company called Abbey (AB 200) which went out of business a long time ago. Dad always seemed to have a knack for finding amazing gear for a steal or incredibly obscure gear that turned out to be a hidden gem. It’s 200 watts, solid state, switchable graphic EQ and no matter what, it is INCREDIBLY warm sounding, it’s just beautiful.

Has very present but round mids without being honky or clanky, the regular 3 band with the graphic lets you find your spot in the mix on the fly. Other than what I can hear, I can’t find any detailed specs on this thing or what type of solid state it is.

This is what I’ve found about the company so far. They seem to have been based in New Zealand, then started operating out of Australia.

https://ozvalveamps.org/abbey.html
 

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