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my friend is going to let me borrow his Ampeg V4...


JMR

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indefinitely because he's not currently in a band and isn't really using it much. He says that it's only missing a preamp tube. I'm not sure if the power section has been modded to take different tubes, which I've heard a lot of people do to V4s

 

What should I know about the V4? I know I like them because every band that comes through indy that uses one sounds so so so good.

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I own a '72 nmv that I have setup to take 6550s.

 

1) its not as clean as people will tell you they are. These are people that do not use the amp past 12 on the volume knob.

2) its my favorite amp evar.

3) They get real hot if R53 hasn't been modded (this is only in early versions, and is a really simple mod)

4) Tungsol 12ax7 in V1 or gtfo.

5) They'll rip through just about any modern 6L6/7027, save winged Cs in my experience. Also to be noted, V4s do not use the extra pin that a 7027 gives, so essentially they just become more expensive 6L6s, are are no different.

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he told me it breaks up pretty soon. I actually have a tung-sol 12AX7 chilling in my peavey, I'll swap it out.


Could it be clean at gig volumes, just wondering?

 

Ah good, he does use it :).

 

They'll stay clean for awhile, but when they do break up, its kind of a hybrid between a a blackface fender break up and a jcm 800 to me. Its really interesting. Also, a pharaoh into a v4 is one of the most crushing sounds ever.

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I own a '72 nmv that I have setup to take 6550s.


1) its not as clean as people will tell you they are.
These are people that do not use the amp past
12 on the volume knob.

2) its my favorite amp evar.

3) They get real hot if R53 hasn't been modded (this is only in early versions, and is a really simple mod)

4) Tungsol 12ax7 in V1 or gtfo.

5) They'll rip through just about any modern 6L6/7027, save winged Cs in my experience. Also to be noted, V4s do not use the extra pin that a 7027 gives, so essentially they just become more expensive 6L6s, are are no different.

 

I'm not in a band but I'm scared to death to do this.

 

I had it full-blast once and I got a long enough cord and stood outside the room w/ the door closed and played. I bet it would have killed anything small in the room. :eek:

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I own a '72 nmv that I have setup to take 6550s.


1) its not as clean as people will tell you they are. These are people that do not use the amp past 12 on the volume knob.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the clean rep comes from the next generation V4. The older ones like you had broke up nicely. The later ones didn't. They behaved more like a twin in that regard.

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I'm pretty sure the clean rep comes from the next generation V4. The older ones like you had broke up nicely. The later ones didn't. They behaved more like a twin in that regard.

 

You, sir, are correct. I'm talking about the people that only turn the volume a hair past 9 o'clock, and then say MY GOD THE HEADROOM! :lol:

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I'm pretty sure the clean rep comes from the next generation V4. The older ones like you had broke up nicely. The later ones didn't. They behaved more like a twin in that regard.

 

 

Which specific version has more headroom? I am looking for a V-4 and was hoping for something fairly clean.

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Which specific version has more headroom? I am looking for a V-4 and was hoping for something fairly clean.

 

 

Hey Radish! Here's a link I found that might shed some light for you. Go with a late 70's version for the extended headroom.

 

http://www.ampegv4.com/

 

The older 5 and 6 knobs ones are the ones that tend to break up quicker. Still awesome but just have a bit less headroom.

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got it last night. Definitely heavy!! Man, you can get all sorts of sounds out of this! Some really classic sounding cleans, to a sort of early hardcore punk grit and, with a big muff in front, it's ridiculous. I don't know how I'll be able to give this back! EQ si very interesting.

 

The face plate was wiped clean at some point and control labels were sharpied on with cool pictures. I like.

 

Sounds great. The power tubes need replacing for sure, though. Two are blue-lighting a little bit and are microphonic. The other two are a bit dim, but I think they'll be okay. Dropped in a Tung-Sol 12AX7 from my peavey. The reverb is a bit flakey, probably tube related, too, but I don't use much reverb in my music, so that's okay. I'll check the other tubes, but they all seem okay.

 

I've heard that 6L6-GCs are a drop in replacement, I'll check those out.

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blue lighting isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you tap them with a piece of wood like a pencil and they squeal or pop yeah, trouble. Either microphonic or bad tube sockets.

 

As far as the 6L6 replacement tubes, If by drop in you mean drop in and get serviced and biased then I think you're right. But, you can't just go and throw 6L6 tubes in without service.

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blue lighting isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you tap them with a piece of wood like a pencil and they squeal or pop yeah, trouble. Either microphonic or bad tube sockets.


As far as the 6L6 replacement tubes, If by drop in you mean drop in and get serviced and biased then I think you're right. But, you can't just go and throw 6L6 tubes in without service.

 

 

According to most ampeg websites, it says I can just drop in any decent 6L6...?

 

They're definitely microphonic, I tested it. Not horribly so, but definitely a pop.

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I own a '72 nmv that I have setup to take 6550s.


1) its not as clean as people will tell you they are. These are people that do not use the amp past 12 on the volume knob.

2) its my favorite amp evar.

3) They get real hot if R53 hasn't been modded (this is only in early versions, and is a really simple mod)

4)
Tungsol 12ax7 in V1 or gtfo.

5) They'll rip through just about any modern 6L6/7027, save winged Cs in my experience. Also to be noted, V4s do not use the extra pin that a 7027 gives, so essentially they just become more expensive 6L6s, are are no different.

 

 

Do tell...

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[quote=BAXANDALL;45084948

 

As far as the 6L6 replacement tubes, If by drop in you mean drop in and get serviced and biased then I think you're right. But, you can't just go and throw 6L6 tubes in without service.

 

"NOS (US made vintage new old stock) 7027A tubes have a little higher wattage rating (35 watts) than NOS 6L6GC tubes. In the Ampeg V4 with a fixed bias (and standard bias resistor in the circuit), it won't make any difference. You could theoretically bias the 7027A hotter than a 6L6GC by changing the bias resistor, and get more watts out of the amp. But, if your amp has new production 6L6GC tubes from let's say JJ Tesla, you will get no benefit from using 7027A JJ tubes, since internally those two tubes are identical. In other words the JJ 6L6 and JJ 7027A have the same power rating. There used to be a difference when the tubes were made in the US by GE, Sylvania, Phillips, RCA in the 1960s-1980s."

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