New (to me) Ampeg V-2 on the way...

[cocheese]

After having such a blast with my 60's Traynor YBA-1 Bassmaster, I thought I'd try an Ampeg. I've heard some great things about the V-2's and after LeonC's comments, seeing and hearing Peter Stroud's, and the Tonequest article, I thought I'd give one a shot. It really is quite cool that you can score vintage amps from the 60's and early 70's for less than Marshall prices. What other cool vintage yet affordable companies are there?

 

[Leonc]

Tyler, have you received it yet or have you just bought it and you're waiting for delivery?

I tried mine through several cabs and you know what sounded best to me? The 4x10 cab of my VT-40 (essentially the same amp in combo format). Guess the guys at Ampeg knew something about what would make that amp really shine. As a result, I'll probably just wind up selling my V2 because the VT40 is a little simpler in a way and there's not a lot of point in me having two of the same thing.

But I made this clip of my VT-40 today. It's just recorded with a video camera, so excuse the marginal quality. Just messing around...but talk about clean to scream. Really, truly responsive to touch. The rig du jour:

Les Paul Std -> Line 6 DL4 -> EB Vol pedal -> amp

Had to Cry jam

I don't know that there are a lot better values out there than some of the old Ampegs... I'm sur ethere are some obscure ones...but not a lot and probably not that easy to find. But I'll look forward to others' replies.

 

[Nigel]

Oh my.

Killer clip, Leon. Great playing. I've been thinking about emailing you and asking you to do a clip of you playing through the VT-40 but you beat me to it. Cool song choice, too.

 

[jeffhef]

Never tried the V-2 but I had a VT-22 back around 1979 that was awesome. It was a 2x12 combo with a weird power tube (can't remember what it was). It was incredibly loud and stayed clean almost all the way to full volume. Of course...I was stupid and let it go for practically nothing.

man I wish I had all the gear I've sold.

jeffhef

 

[cocheese]

Leon,

I just sent off the check for the V-2 yesterday. It is advertised as very near mint with the cover and all. I'm going to be playing it through my trusty Germino 2x12 with Gback reissues.

Nice sounding clip! I dig the vintage tone of it.

Hopefully I'll be making some clips here pretty soon. I'm still trying to get my computer recording setup figured out.

 

[doctord02]

Nice clip Leon, really nice. Those mid sized Ampegs really have a great "grunt" on the low strings, dont they...

 

[Leonc]

Originally posted by jeffhef
Never tried the V-2 but I had a VT-22 back around 1979 that was awesome. It was a 2x12 combo with a weird power tube (can't remember what it was). It was incredibly loud and stayed clean almost all the way to full volume. Of course...I was stupid and let it go for practically nothing.

man I wish I had all the gear I've sold.

jeffhef

That's a 7027A you're referring to. They were introduced in the Ampeg line in the V4 and VT22. These were 120W amps. The VT was a combo version (2x12). These were smashes for Ampeg and were used by the Stones quite a bit during the Sticky Fingers - Exile On Main Street recording period.

The V2 and VT40 were pretty much the same pre-amp with only two power tubes. A very loud 60W. My V2 fried a Vintage 30 in about 25 second .

 

[Leonc]

Originally posted by doctord02
Nice clip Leon, really nice. Those mid sized Ampegs really have a great "grunt" on the low strings, dont they...

Agreed! The low-end on these things is just killer. Shakes yer nads!

The tubes, BTW, are 7027As. They were speced pretty much like 6L6GCs and I think were originally intended for military applications (like lots of tubes, right?). These amps put a whole lot of volts on them and regular 6L6s wouldn't take it. JJ and Sovtek (I think) are making them again...pretty much beefed up 6L6s, as I understand it.

 

[jeffhef]

Originally posted by Leonc
That's a 7027A you're referring to. They were introduced in the Ampeg line in the V4 and VT22. These were 120W amps. The VT was a combo version (2x12). These were smashes for Ampeg and were used by the Stones quite a bit during the Sticky Fingers - Exile On Main Street recording period.

The V2 and VT40 were pretty much the same pre-amp with only two power tubes. A very loud 60W. My V2 fried a Vintage 30 in about 25 second .

That was it. Man that amp was loud. I think I read somewhere they were engineered to NOT overdrive. Of course now I'd love to have it. Maybe one day.

jeffhef

 

[Leonc]

Originally posted by jeffhef
That was it. Man that amp was loud. I think I read somewhere they were engineered to NOT overdrive. Of course now I'd love to have it. Maybe one day.

jeffhef

Yeah hahah! The guys who ran Ampeg (Everitt Hull and Jess Oliver) into the late mid 60s were jazzers and actually didn't really see rock n roll as their market, from what I can gather. They used to put warnings on some of the earlier amps to not turn them up to the point of distortion, heheh. Little did they know what Keith and Mick Taylor (Woody, Ronnie Montrose et al) would be doing with them!

 

[Leonc]

Actually though, when the V series amps were introduced, there were other guys in charge. Oliver had resigned and Hull had sold out to Unimusic. But still, not sure that they truly got the whole rock n roll thing until they released the SVT in '69.

 

[tiltrite]

I have a matching 1973 V2 head and 4x12 cab with cts speakers. All original magnavox tubes. This thing has a huge sound, great cleans, and it sure does dirty up at higher settings. Yes, it does get LOUD. I love the EQ rocker switch and the reverb gets sci-fi at higher settings. Takes pedals very well, and seems to really like my TIM pedal, especially.

 

[rwe333]

Originally posted by Leonc
Actually though, when the V series amps were introduced, there were other guys in charge. Oliver had resigned and Hull had sold out to Unimusic. But still, not sure that they truly got the whole rock n roll thing until they released the SVT in '69.

...though some '60s Ampeg designs - Reverbrocket, Gemini,... - are killer amps for a range of styles, from jazz to rock.

 

[ricoh]

I have a VT-22 2-12 Combo............ It reminds me of the the house that fell on that witch in The Wizard of Oz..................

There it is and there it stays!!!!!!

Rico

 

[jeffhef]

Originally posted by ricoh
I have a VT-22 2-12 Combo............ It reminds me of the the house that fell on that witch in The Wizard of Oz..................

There it is and there it stays!!!!!!

Rico

No doubt! Come to think of it...that's why I sold mine. The thing was just too heavy. And...it had no casters. Go figure. But it sounded great.

Love the description.

jeffhef

 

[drbob1]

Mine was modded for 6550s (V4) years ago and still sounds great. Not necessary now, but at that time there was no source for 7027As...

 

[cocheese]

The one I'm getting has been recently retubed with the JJ's. The Traynor Bassmaster that I have uses 7027's as well. It's a 1966 and those were apparently the original spec tubes for the amp. I think it has the original set still in there. They are still going strong, but how would I really know without anything to compare it to? Anyway, I seems to be gravitating towards these 7027's I guess?! I'm a weirdo.

 

[MVrider]

No need to hunt for 7027's. Any good 6L6 will work. Blackplates are superb in the V-series Ampegs and 7581's work extremely well, too. 6550's not only give a higher power rating but change the voice of the amp as well, due to the different characteristics of that tube. Not quite so scooped in the mids as the 6L6 types.

 

[Blauserk]

Cocheese:

Let me know how you like your V-2. I have one on the way this week as well. Where did you find yours? I got mine on evilBay from a guy in Texas who is a V-2 nut--he has three of 'em.

 

[cocheese]

MVRider,

I wasn't aware that 6L6's would work in place of a 7027. I read somewhere that the pic configuration is slightly different on the two tubes.

Blauserk,

I'll be sure and let you know about it after I get it. I'm thinking that it will be sometime towards the end of next week or so. I got mine off of Harmony-Central. I paid $550 for it but apparently it is really minty and was just checked over by a competent tech which is probably worth the premium.

Again, I'm really digging the 1966 Bassmaster that I got. There really are bargain amps out there in the vintage category. Not many, but some!