Ampeg V7

[Bungo Mike]

This thing is really catching my eye....... BUT

 

I've owned 3-4 Ampegs over the last 25 years and every one has failed in some way which is really putting me off buying

another

 

What are your thoughts on this amp????

 

Thanks

Mike

[Supernaut]

Amps & Cabs section? 

[Russ]

Ampeg - love the tone. Love the heritage. Hate the unreliability. 

 

Had a couple of SVT-3s back in the day, and they sounded amazing and were basically bulletproof. Got an SVT-7 about 11 years ago which also sounded amazing, but died in the middle of the first song at a gig. Got it fixed, but I was spooked at that point and sold it on. I dabbled with Ampeg again a couple of years back - got hold of a Portaflex 800, and, again, sounded great, but kept cutting out at a gig. It didn't completely die like the SVT-7, but that was enough for me to send it back. 

 

Like many, I've been tempted by the Venture series, and hoping that, under the new Yamaha regime, they'd have solved the reliability issues. Did a gig just before Xmas with a band whose bassist had just bought the V3 earlier that week, and it crapped out during the third song. He ended up finishing the set with my Ashdown RM-800. 

 

I really wish they'd sort their issues out. Ampeg are legendary, and these issues have eroded their reputation to the point where anyone who has researched them are staying away. 

[Terry M.]

3 hours ago, Russ said:

Ampeg - love the tone. Love the heritage. Got an SVT-7 about 11 years ago which also sounded amazing, but died in the middle of the first song at a gig. Got it fixed, but I was spooked at that point and sold it on. 

 

I really wish they'd sort their issues out. Ampeg are legendary, and these issues have eroded their reputation to the point where anyone who has researched them are staying away. 

This was pretty much my experience with an SVT7-PRO from about 2012 and I've not touched the brand ever since.

[patrikmarky]

Just sold mine ..absolutely nothing wrong with mine ..loud ..goods looks with no issues and only sold as a GK 550 fusion came up on here ..would imagine like most things in life you get a “bad one “ it happened to me with a Ampeg PF 500 and a Markbass ..🤟

[Terry M.]

Very true. However I researched SVT-7 Pro issues back when I had mine and the results were staggering. I know this is a different model to the OP's question but I can't get it out my head how common a complaint it was.

[Lozz196]

I love the Ampeg sound and a few years back had a PF500, was great, 3hr rehearsals, 2hr gigs, day long recording sessions not a problem. As is typical I moved it on, missed the sound so bought another. Which didn’t last 20 minutes in a rehearsal before smoke started coming out of it. Has rather put me off Ampeg.

[jassthebass]

I have one which was bought fairly recently.

I rather like it but the volume has to be set quite high compared to other amps I have, the setting being around the 1 to 2 o'clock position. The other amps being an Orange 4 stroke & an Ashdown ABM 500 (both 500W Class A/B).

That said I have never run out of steam, so to speak (with the Ampeg).

 

I have mine running into a Barefaced Big Twin 2 or a Big Baby 3.

 

The B15 drive sound is really good - I've not really played with the SVT drive a lot so far.

 

I play in a rock band & a county (kinda vibe) band & they seem to like it too.