Dell18 Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Well, since I just mentioned it a reply to DB (probably came off snobby too) I was wondering if anybody on here had any expierience with 70's Ampeg V4 guitar amps. An occasional bandmate and good friend scored a V4 cab we we're told was a '72 in 91-92. He paid $200 for it. Stripped the tolex, stained the wood and painted the grill black. Upon further research it's definetly from '70-'72, so I just go with '72. I bought it for $200 around '98. I have since upgraded the speaker wires and a/b'ed it using my head with a Crate loaded with Celestion G12's and a Marshall 1960b and everybody in the studio agreed it wasn't close. Now, my head likes a cab that can handle lows but still.... Now this thing is a beast. I was gonna buy a 2nd from Oregon? and put it on a bathroom scale to calculate shipping. Wait for it.....105lbs. It sucks roadie ing this but it's my rig for now. Now, I know Townsend used V4's for a bit, the Stone's recorded Get Yer Ya Ya's on them and I've caught Josh Homme with a V4 cab in his backline but I've never heard live or played through a full V4. Have any of you guys and what did ya think? I swear by my cab but it's like the S&M of being a roadie.
fxdx99 Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Wait for it.....105lbs. It sucks roadie ing this but it's my rig for now. The above is what I remember. I used one for a few years in the 70s, same year as yours. Head and 4x12 cab. Head weighed about as much as the cab did. Glorius full clean sound, not at all Marshally or crunchy. But in the end was thrilled when went to a 1x12 combo at a fraction of the weight.
DetroitBlues Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Sounds like a great rig. I'd put it on casters if I could. I'm looking to convert the Traynor into a head cab. I'd like to hear it as a 2x12 config. It was drowned out by a harp player using a mix 1x10, 1x12 cab on a stand. Next time I get to use his Fender Vibrolux. I'll turn that up to eleven!
bolero Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 one of the most glorious gtr sounds I've ever gotten, was playing a les paul into a cranked V4B & Marshal 4x12.....it was jaw dropping, crunchy, and the guys house almost shook down they also make superb bass amps...the 100w V4 is plenty loud with an efficent bass cab, I saw a band using one with a small 2x10 bag end ported cab & it was killer also they are very well built..I think one of the few amp builders that used PCB in their circuits but it was HEAVY DUTY & well designed, easy to work on Dell do you have the head and the cab? or just the cab? AFAIK they used Eminence speakers, stock. pop the back off & tell us what's in there?
Gitfiddler Posted January 25, 2014 Posted January 25, 2014 Ampeg made some great amps back in the 70's, but most were so darned heavy! I had a VT22 combo that was a beast to lift, get into n out of the trunk, or carry up stairs. But the tones that came out of her!! Got any pics of your mighty V4?
Dell18 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Posted January 29, 2014 It's at the studio/our practice spot which I won't be visiting for a week or so. I'll get some pics up. I just have the cab. As far as speakers go, I do believe they did use Eminence at some point but the originals were CTS. I BELIEVE from research. That may not be accurate. Ok, and I may be wrong here but V4's had metal Ampeg logo's from 70-72 (mine is metal) and plastic after that. I also read online (yes, I know that's not the best source...unless it's HOC!!!) that the first versions were CTS then Eminence. Mine have 4 old speakers with huge, heavy square magnets. No labels or logos, just a #. Which, research leads me to believe CTS. When it was purchased in the early 90's we were told it was a '72. What we did know at the time was that 1. It sounded killer (as far as two 17yo high ons thought) and 2. $200!!!! For a 4x12! My friends and I purchased a lot of junk gear we're ashamed of nowadays but there are a few pieces we know rock. I now own one in my V4 cab. It's 2 years older than me and kills. I was just wondering if anybody else has had the chance to check one or the V4 head. I've been a V4 cab loyalist for 15 years but have yet to hear the head OR a VT22 which is the 2x12 combo version. All the reviews rock but I don't think you can judge by Internet reviews or compressed YouTube clips.
Dell18 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Posted January 29, 2014 Casters....Yeah, DB, it's been a thought. They originally came with a dolly type deal to carry them around. I've seen a few on eBay over the years. You know it's a beast when one of the accessories to your amp is a mf'ing dolly! Still, I swear by it. I wanna go 2x12 combo but she's so hard to quit. She's that girl will do anything and is so good at it but is absolutely psycho. Ampeg V4.
peterbright Posted January 29, 2014 Posted January 29, 2014 Just sold my "LAST" 4x12" cab...what a monster. Sounded great.
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