NEW RIG DAY Ampeg SVT-3 pro with Barefaced Compact PICS

[Prime_BASS]

So after a while of having my Marshall MB4210, I was pretty happy with the hybrid valve type ampifier, I liked how it was IMO a transparant aplification of my bass.
But although its a cobo its very heavy, and as I dont drive and my band relies on parants to transport our gear around for gigs and practice I quickly got bored of going back and forth to pick everything up.

So began the search to find a light, copmpact, loud, value for money rig.
I wanted a head and cab thing as the option to upgrade parts is nice and its easyier to stuff seperate squares into a small van than one large one. Anyway, I had my mind set on a at least 300w and a decent 2x10. I quickly found that good light 2x10's arnt that common opr cheap. Also i kind of narrowed my head search for harkte Lh500, Orange terror Bass or a GB shuttle 6.0. Although I searched ebay and here and talkbass, I couldn't get a used orange or LH500, and the GB was out of prive range. Then I got stuck, I convinced myself that the Orange wasnt versatile enough and the LH500 was my only option.

Then sudden case of GAS and impulseness struck me while going over ebay.

I saw someone selling an ampeg SVT-3-PRO with a footswitch and inside a LD systems gig carry hard case thing at £450. I messaged him and got him down to 420, which I thought was a brilliant catch. Obviously I did some research on it and 3 pre amp tubes is better than 2 or 1, no? plus I grew up with the sound of mark hoppus and his SVT-4 pro, and if it the 3 is good enough for Robert Trujillo its got to be good enough for me and my amateur needs.

Next was a cab. I dont know why I was being narrow minded about a 2x10. I was looking at all kinds of neo loaded cabs, some still weighing around 20 Kgs, anyway, I thought I'll email alex at barefaced and ask his advice. Amazing he replied in less than an hour. He asked a bunch of questions like my current gear and my bands sound, and my EQ settings, he assured me that the Compact would suit me just fine although the SVT-3 might under power it a bit.

It came the other day and I got it all together and practiced the crap out of it. Im still astonished at the compacts lightness. I dont need my graphic eq pedal no more as i use the Ampegs on board 9 band graphic EQ.

The sound is pretty amazing, I still get the transparant amplification of my bass, with added features, like the low button adds a great sub harmonic to everything. It's true that the SVT-3 pro under powers the compact it but after around 3/4's of master volume it starts to drive the speaker and stuff starts to fall over, stuff in my bathroom fell over, and you can really feel it push the air. The notes are clear and seperate.

I gigged it that night and it was great I could not only hear myself on stage but feel it too. It has great punch in a crowded mix, specially with a double bass happy drummer and two loud guitards .

I still find it funny when people think the cab is going to wiegh a tonne. I can walk out the house with the amp head bass and cab in one go, so theres no return trips to the car for me, and my band is back at complaining about the drum kit. I think the only thing i'll need at a later date is another compact to start running the ampeg at 450w at 4 ohm.

cheers for reading and here comes a few pics I took the other day.
[attachment=47018:IMG_0614.jpg] [attachment=47019:IMG_0615.jpg] [attachment=47025:IMG_0626.jpg] [attachment=47026:IMG_0627.jpg] [attachment=47027:IMG_0628.jpg]
PICS from the gig:
[attachment=47028:23590_13...429667_n.jpg] [attachment=47029:23590_13...445975_n.jpg]

[Musicman20]

Is that the Maze in Nottingham?!

[Prime_BASS]

Yup thats the second time we have played there hopefully will again soon.

[thebassman]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='802655' date='Apr 11 2010, 02:50 PM']Yup thats the second time we have played there hopefully will again soon.[/quote]

this amp brings back some good memories, I had the ampeg flight case.
The sound was great, but got a bit lost in the mix. I would reccomend a 4 ohm cab for the full 450 watts. I only had a 4x10 8 ohm.

[Noisyjon]

Well done, nice setup.
From personal experience I can't recommend getting a 2nd Compact cab enough.
I run my 2 with either a Markbass SA450 or a Mesa Bass 400+ and they are just great with either.

Cheers,
Jon.

[Prime_BASS]

Awesome looks like I have to shift some old gear to get another though.
I'll try getting some YouTube vids of this with both my basses, as I just upgraded my power jazz and it's a thousand times better.

[robocorpse]

Lucky bugger, Ive been after a used SVT3 for a couple of months now and nothing has shown up.

[Prime_BASS]

Well I might be convienced To let it go for anice price

I'll have to see what can replace with though. I'm either thinking an orange terror bass, although like I said in the OP its not versatile enough, so I'm thinking another one from pro series with more wattage. But I'm loving the 3 pre amp tubes and the 2 driver tubes.

Looks like I'm shopping now.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='robocorpse' post='806111' date='Apr 14 2010, 03:02 PM']Lucky bugger, Ive been after a used SVT3 for a couple of months now and nothing has shown up.[/quote]


you really should but this one

[robocorpse]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='807284' date='Apr 15 2010, 04:10 PM']you really should but this one [/quote]

Why this one in particular?
PM already sent though.

[Delberthot]

Its all to do with an item in my sig


<----------- and this

Edited April 15, 2010 by Delberthot

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='807784' date='Apr 15 2010, 10:46 PM']Its all to do with an item in my sig


<----------- and this[/quote]

don't un-suade him(is that a word) it's how I'm funding your orange

btw it is 100%.

Edited April 15, 2010 by Prime_BASS

[robocorpse]

Hehe, know the feeling, the good old chain of sale events.

[munkonthehill]

get an ampeg B5R, i happen to know someone willing to swap one for a svt3 pro

[Jarhead]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='802655' date='Apr 11 2010, 02:50 PM']Yup that's the second time we have played there hopefully will again soon.[/quote]

I might be playing there soon, I think. Or was it The Central again...

Zach

[machinehead]

The Barefaced Compact is just an amazing cab. A pair of Compacts would be too big for me to store and transport but I would love to buy another if I didn't have those problems.

Maybe a Midget though?

Frank.

[Prime_BASS]

Munkonthehill- deal is done I'll edit this thread when my new head arrives.

Jarhead- what's your band called? We were billed to play the central on the 29th, although our queer singer decided he would rather see some band, although he expects to phone in sick at work when we have a sudden gig, douche. He's a good kid really.

Machinehead- I love the sound of the compact, alex actually said to me that I should add a midget, but I do t need that extra mid range that I can't get with an EQ tweak using the compact. So I just want a compact sound but MOAR!!!

I think if my new head arrives I'll update this thread with pictures of that aswell, hopefully with a better camera than my iPhone.

If anyone is looking at this and wondering about barefaced compact, do it! Although I don't want alex to be too busy when it comes to me having the money for another compact.

On the head though. The SVT-3 pro is a great head I'm surprised that there isn't a few more out there on the Market, if I had the spare ash I maybe would have thought about an SVT-6 pro, just for the apgrade in power. But I'm sure I'll be more than happy with what I'm getting instead. Plus wieght lose aswell is a factor.

[Jarhead]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='810887' date='Apr 18 2010, 11:03 PM']Munkonthehill- deal is done I'll edit this thread when my new head arrives.

[b]Jarhead- what's your band called? We were billed to play the central on the 29th, although our queer singer decided he would rather see some band, although he expects to phone in sick at work when we have a sudden gig, douche. He's a good kid really.[/b]

Machinehead- I love the sound of the compact, alex actually said to me that I should add a midget, but I do t need that extra mid range that I can't get with an EQ tweak using the compact. So I just want a compact sound but MOAR!!!

I think if my new head arrives I'll update this thread with pictures of that aswell, hopefully with a better camera than my iPhone.

If anyone is looking at this and wondering about barefaced compact, do it! Although I don't want alex to be too busy when it comes to me having the money for another compact.

On the head though. The SVT-3 pro is a great head I'm surprised that there isn't a few more out there on the Market, if I had the spare ash I maybe would have thought about an SVT-6 pro, just for the apgrade in power. But I'm sure I'll be more than happy with what I'm getting instead. Plus wieght lose aswell is a factor.[/quote]

My band is BuryTheLadybird. We played their on the 10th of March I think it was, a battle of the bands.

Zach