Ampeg SVT as a guitar amp?

[effectfreak]

Hello
I heard that Stones used Ampeg SVT bass amps on stage during 1970's and I was wondering that has anyone really tried playing guitar through SVT head? How does it sounds like? They are making Ampeg SVT-VR head which is suppose to be exact copy of an old Ampeg SVT head. Has anyone tried one?

Oh, and is there Attenuator that can handle 300 watts?

Thanks

[bluescube]

Should sound awesome cranked. Make sure you are in a large arena or outside when you turn that sucker up!

[Belmont]

Gordy Johnson from Big Sugar/Grady uses one for guitar and he's a tone hound.I don't think I would though.It's my main bass amp and for that it rules.

[gillibi]

Originally Posted by Belmont

Gordy Johnson from Big Sugar/Grady uses one for guitar and he's a tone hound.I don't think I would though.It's my main bass amp and for that it rules.

Yeah, but don't forget the Garnet Herzog that is pushing the SVT.....Gordy get's an amazing tone!

[Whoopysnorp]

Now why, WHY, would you seek out a 300-watt amp and then immediately decide to attenuate it? Jeez, just use a V4 or something.

[SatelliteAmps]

Originally Posted by effectfreak

Oh, and is there Attenuator that can handle 300 watts?

Bwah hahahahahaha.

Yes you can play guitar through an SVT. It sounds loud. Very very loud. Note exactly where I would go to try and get any Stones sounds though.

[drbob1]

Just off the cuff, it would take 6 dB of attenuation to take an SVT down to the range of a V4. You'd need at least a double stack of 412s to survive the punishment. Still, it's kind of a pitiful amp if you REALLY want clean overhead. Keep watching Ebay for the 10,000w all tube, main battle paging system from a battle-ship that comes up every once in a while. Sure, it weighs 400#, is the size of a mid-sized refrigerator and requires a power supply that'd probably shut down the block, but they'd hear you in the next county (thru your custom 40X15 amplifier cabinet).

[doctord02]

The guitar version of the SVT was the Ampeg V-9. Only a few were produced, and they occasionally turn up. Same power amp as the SVT, but has a more guitar friendly eq in the preamp.

Even discussing an attenuator in the same breath as a SVT seems kinda silly to me.

In one of the Cheech and Chong movies, Tommy Chong plays a black telecaster thru a SVT; the joke is that it blows so much air Cheech cant open the door to the room/house to get inside (or something like that... it was a few brain cells ago...).

[Shiny McShine]

Damn, I had one and never even thought to try this. Clips please.

[echodeluxe]

make sure its a vintage one! the newer ones are built like poopoo.

[effectfreak]

Originally Posted by SatelliteAmps

Yes you can play guitar through an SVT. It sounds loud. Very very loud. Note exactly where I would go to try and get any Stones sounds though.

Originally Posted by Whoopysnorp

Now why, WHY, would you seek out a 300-watt amp and then immediately decide to attenuate it? Jeez, just use a V4 or something.

Originally Posted by bluescube

Should sound awesome cranked. Make sure you are in a large arena or outside when you turn that sucker up!

I don't know why, but all of this just gets me more excited. Thanks for all your answers

[phillygtr]

Would it be possible to run THD Yellow Jackets (w/EL84) in a SVT? That should take the amp down to 60 watts or so. Might be a cool sound.

[stratzrus]

Originally Posted by bluescube

Should sound awesome cranked.

That's what I'd think.

Forget attenuating and just turn it up until it sounds good. I think any venue from a theater size on up could deal with the volume.

Would it sound better than a really good guitar head?...I doubt it, but what the hey!

:RoCkIn

[jay42]

Elliot Randall's lead guitar on Reelin' In The Years is an SVT. I haven't seen Gimme Shelter since the 70's, but I have the recollection that the guitar tones in the movie were not as good as those on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out. Having studied the Stones too much as a kid, Mick Taylor had a BF Twin Reverb along with an SVT, so it's hard to know which was recorded.

[analogmike]

I think the Stones used the Ampeg guitar amps on guitar. I would stick with a VT22 or V4 as the EQ is much better for guitar and they are not WAY TOO loud (only "too loud").