Ampeg Archives - Page 3

Along with the reissue of the V-4B, Ampeg has announced two new SVT bass cabinets: the SVT-112AV and the SVT-212AV. Both models are stocked with 12? Eminence LF drivers, making it the first time the company has released cabinets housing 12-inch drivers in over a decade. The cabs also include a 1? compression driver with a 3-way level control. The...

Ampeg has reintroduce the V-4B, a 100-watt all-tube bass amp. Based on the company’s classic amp from the ’70s, the new head is described as offering the tone of an SVT while weighing half as much. The new V-4B’s preamp includes a pair of 12AX7 tubes while the driver has a 12AX7 and one 12AU7, and its power amp contains...

Two years ago, Ampeg paid homage to one of their most popular vintage models with a limited run of the Heritage B-15, which they did again in 2012. This year the company has introduced the Heritage B-15N, a new model that delivers the sound of the B-15 in a new black finish. The new amp, which is designed and assembled...

Ampeg has expanded their Portaflex Series with the PF-800. At 800-watts the bass head is the strongest in the line while only weighing 11.8 pounds. Similar to the rest of the line, its compact design allows it to be stowed inside the Portaflex PF flip-top cabinets. Features on the new amp include classic hi/lo boosts, a 3-band EQ with a...

Ampeg has unveiled a new pair of bass cabinets in their Portaflex series called the PF-115LF and the PF-410LF. While the series previously had a 1×15? cabinet, the 4×10? is a first for the series. Both of the new cabinets are built with a 15mm poplar ply enclosure, covered in black diamond tolex with a vintage B-15 grill cloth. The...

Ampeg has unveiled the Micro-CL Stack, a “micro-sized SVT” rated at 100-watts. The solid state head and 2×10 cabinet resemble the company’s iconic SVT-CL at a fraction of the size. Available only as a set, the “mini fridge” have many of the same features as their larger counterparts, including a dedicated FX Loop, a stereo input, a headphone output, a...

Last year, Ampeg paid their respects to their legendary B-15 flip-top combo with a special run of 50 hand-built and hand-wired units. This year, they’ve announced a second run of 100 units. The new Heritage B-15 features the circuit paths of both the 1964 and 1966 models, including the classic Baxandall EQ controls. That, matched with premium 6SL7 octal preamp...

Esteban St. James of Von Saint Design sent us his third installment of a 4-part series on vintage Ampeg SVT gear. Here, Esteban walks through the things to look for when purchasing the classic equipment, including the tubes, transformers, and tech work performed on it. For info on understanding the vintage SVT sound and dating your gear, check out the...

Bass amp innovator and former Ampeg Vice President Jess Oliver has passed away at the age of 85. Among his many contributions to the bass world was the Ampeg B-15, a portable flip-top design that revolutionized bass amplification. Born Oliver Jespersen in 1926, Oliver was drafted into World War II in 1944 and played bass in the Army band after...

Esteban St. James of Von Saint Design is a bass lover like the rest of us, but even deeper his passion lies in vintage Ampeg SVT gear. He sent us Parts 1 and 2 of a 4-part YouTube series he made about the classic equipment. Part 1 deals with what “the sound” is and how to get it, while Part...

Ampeg is expanding their Bassamp combo series with the introduction of two smaller practice amps, the BA-108 and the BA-110. Designed as miniature versions of their siblings, the new combos have similar features, including a tilt-back design and a ported baffle for low frequency extension. Both models have a 3-band EQ, MP3/CD input with a level control, an effects loop,...

Ampeg has unveiled a new line of amps and cabinets inspired by their B-15 called the Portaflex series. The line includes two heads and two cabs that can be matched together to make flip-top combos. The PF-350 is the more compact of the two heads, weighing in at 8 lbs. It features a solid-state preamp combined with a Class D...