dmccombe7 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'm running a GB 600streamliner into 2off Berg AE112 cabs and pretty happy with the overall sound. What i do find is that it seems to lack a little growl. I've heard that the Ampeg SVT 3PRO has that growl. Has anyone tried running the Ampeg through Berg cabs. Does the growl come from the amp, cab or combination of both. Its a classic rock band and although i want to emulate the original tones with the band i like the clean hi-fi tone at any other times. Any offers of advice greatly appreciated. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ampeg cabs definitely seem to have the growl. I used a few different amps with my SVT410 & 210, and all had that growly texture to the sound. Could also be that I`m a hard-hitter on a Precision, with old roundwounds though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1330430863' post='1557261'] Ampeg cabs definitely seem to have the growl. I used a few different amps with my SVT410 & 210, and all had that growly texture to the sound. Could also be that I`m a hard-hitter on a Precision, with old roundwounds though. [/quote] Out of curiosity are you using a pick rather than fingers. I've found that makes a fair bit of diff with my own rig. I tend to have longer fingernails to get that pick sound but haven't managed to get back to using an actual pick with that natural rythmic technique that is sometimes very under-rated amongst bassists - working on it though. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) The SVT pro 3 is a very versatile amp. It'll do clean and flat. But it'll also do [i]very[/i] distorted. No overdrive, through mild overdrive to heavy, heavy overdrive. You don't quite get the full growl of the power amp section of an all valve SVT, but it's not bad at all. Ampeg's shizzle is all in the mids, which is where the growl is at. The other thing I like about the SVT 3 and the SVP (SVP is the pre-amp) and the SVT-IIP is how well and how much they respond to changes in valves, there's a lot that can be tailored. I've not tried one through Bergs. Aren't Bergs full range and hifi? If so, it wouldn't sound a million miles away from my rig. I can get plenty of growl from it, using fingers and flats, even using a P with the treble rolled completely off. It sounds plenty "Ampeg/SVT" when I want it too, without an Ampeg cab. The only criticism I've got of them is that they're not quite beefy enough in the power section for me. So would depend on how loud you go and how efficient the Bergs are. Edited February 28, 2012 by bigjohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Perhaps adjust your technique slightly and dig in a little more? Ive always been a pretty agressive fingerstyle player, but recently took some lessons to soften it up a little and now I can see how much of a difference it makes tone-wise. I play soft for more dubby, smooth songs and I dig in for more heavy songs but leave the amp on the same settings. Works for me! Also maybe try playing a little closer to the bridge and bumping the bridge pup volume? For what its worth, my PF500/210HE rig has plenty of growl and I only leave the gain on 4 and leave the controls pretty much flat. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1330431419' post='1557275'] Out of curiosity are you using a pick rather than fingers. I've found that makes a fair bit of diff with my own rig. I tend to have longer fingernails to get that pick sound but haven't managed to get back to using an actual pick with that natural rythmic technique that is sometimes very under-rated amongst bassists - working on it though. Dave [/quote] Pick all the way Dave - would love to play with fingers, but never quite mastered the intensity, in comparison to what I get using a pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) I use fingers and up until this band had developed a relaxed 5 finger style of playing at home. Historically a very aggressive finger style player and I'm trying to get back to that to a certain degree hence growing the nails a little bit. This in fact improves my speed and uses less vigour than with just finger tips. I'm using a jazz bass mostly at moment and tend to play between the pick-ups so pretty much towards the bridge pup. I have considered using a Precision for a little more depth using my fingernails seems to lighten the tone and it loses a bit of depth. Still working on this area of adjusting my amp settings to compensate. I like the idea of the Tech21 VT but again I'm using another effect to get a sound that i have in my head - i guess that is a cliche from Ampeg adverts. Bergs are full range cabs and very hi-fi which might be part of the problem. Try dropping the tweeters out ? Its an area i need to work on before jumping into serious GAS and buying a new rig (that would be highly unlikely to be fair) However if i thought the Ampeg SVT 3 would resolve my dilemma i might look for a 2nd hand one. I'm not looking to get rid of my GB as its a great all rounder amp and might just be that I'm not driving it hard enough on the gain. The SVT was the other amp i was looking at when i bought the GB mainly because of its size and weight. Dave Edited February 28, 2012 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 You can get a ton of "grind" out of a GB 600 SLR. You've got to balance the Hi Gain, Gain and Volume controls. Here's Ed Friedland to tell you how: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-27szg61bw[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Sounds quite similar to me no matter what Mr Ed does with the EQ. Nice amp though, but I get the Hi Fi thing. Very Seinfeld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I would just use your Streamliner with another pedal...BDDI or VT Bass. If you want an Ampeg amp, stick with the 7 Pro....thats if you get one that works out the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1330460672' post='1557957'] I would just use your Streamliner with another pedal...BDDI or VT Bass. If you want an Ampeg amp, stick with the 7 Pro....thats if you get one that works out the box. [/quote] Is there a reliability issue with Ampeg ? I haven't heard of anything. Would most likely go for the SVT 3 PRO if at all. Haven't heard of the BDDI either. Have just found out that the BDDI is another version of Sansamp. Will check out later tonight when i get home. My boss doesn't appreciate me listening to bass samples for some odd reason ??? Dave Edited February 29, 2012 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Ampeg and Berg seem the opposite end of the sound spectrum to me,...just as I wouldn't pair Ampeg up with SWR or Eden cabs of old either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) I don't trust any new Ampeg amps after the amount of recent issues of limiter problems and the fact they shut down a lot! The Pro 3 wil not reach the power of the Streamliner 600, plus it's heavier, larger, and despite the fact you can crank the gain it's a poor 450 watts. Edited February 29, 2012 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I thought the 7PRO problems had been fixed. In my 10 years of experience, the 3PRO did not have any volume problems. Mine stacked up against 500 watt amps at 8 ohm and 4 ohm with no trouble. I didn't feel the urge to put the 3PRO through my Bergantino cabs either, but it sounded good with all the other cabs I owned. At 3 mins Ed demonstrates the difference between [i]clean[/i] and Rock and Roll [i]grind[/i]. And again at 7-8 mins, the two don't sound similar to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Listened to Ed before buying the GB and i could hear the diff. The Ampeg via Bergs being opposites is why i asked if anyone had tried because i have the same sort of doubts as to whether it would work. Perhaps an ampeg pre amp might be an option but again its same as using a VT or BDDI pedal which i think would suit me better. I'll try different settings on my GB Gain / vols next rehearsal. I'm not really looking for distortion. Its hard to describe the sound I'm thinking off as its more a mid-growl than an actual overdriven amp sound. I do find the GB doesn't have a lot of variation on the tone side compared to other amps I've used. Its more subtle than most and maybe that's where the VT or BDDI would come in nicely. I think the BDDI has presets so that would be a big help too when changing overall sounds for different songs. Looks like the Ampeg and Berg thing isn't the best way forward for me. The fact i like my GB / Berg sound for everything else means i really don't want to part with it. That and the fact it was an expensive rig in first place. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Doesn't the GK MB series get an overdriven growl? Drop Happy Jack a PM, I think he has the MB500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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