

Insight into Ampeg V4 - Guitar and Bass applications

Discussion in 'Amps [BG]' started by rapturebass, Jan 27, 2014.

  1. rapturebass


    Dec 6, 2008
    Could i get some insight about Ampeg V4s? I might pick one up cause I need a new bass head and guitar head and supposedly the V4 is a guitar head that handles bass super well. I&#8217;d use it (ideally) through an 810 for bass and a 412 for guitar and I&#8217;m just wondering if anyone could offer any insight on the functionality, tone, etc. of the amp? It&#8217;s super hyped which is why I&#8217;d assume it&#8217;s worth a shot but then again Sunns are also very hyped and I was pretty unimpressed with the Beta Bass/415 i was using for a bit; it was certainly loud but very inarticulate and not terribly flexible etc. okay thanks!

    basically in terms of how i like my bass sounding i like stereotypical scooped-mid tube-tone warmness (basic SVT, somewhat-smiley-face EQ type sounds (yeah I'm prudent about the mids i cut don't worry))

    and guitar as long as it&#8217;s articulate and has that &#8220;spank&#8221; (kinda like a Fender combo? You know like does it actually have character or is it a very boring sounding clean sound) in clean gain stages then that&#8217;ll be cool cause I&#8217;m not terribly picky about distortion//I usually just use fuzzes anyway (though if you could shed some light on what the breakup is like that'd be useful too!)

    Thanks for yr time!
  2. B-string

    B-string Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 21, 2008
    Lake Havasu City, Az USA
    The V4 is basically the V4-B with reverb added (or a VT-22). Used a V4-B for quite a while. With one band we a had a rather odd guitarist he stated once that a tube amp could never be as bright sounding as SS (yes a guitarist that preferred SS). I called the rhythm player over and plugged him into my V4-B hooked up to a 215 loaded with Altec bass speakers. Hit the "bright" switch and adjusted the eq a little. Pinned that dudes ears to his rear end and the rhythm player bought a used VT-22.
    Works very well for either instrument.
  3. chillerthanmost


    Dec 13, 2010
    Salinas, CA
    I find V4's to be dark, dirty, and at times easy to get muddy. Not all of those might be bad things. It has a nice EQ and mine sounded ten times better when I spent a good buck on nicer power and preamp tubes. It ate a set of JJ's and Ruby's in just over a year with heavy usage. Once I dropped Sylvania's in the power section and GE/RCA in the preamp, it was the absolute best it ever sounded. I know not many do the whole nos tube thing, but it made a big difference in my v4 compared to my other amps.

    Not the best in amounts of headroom, but the break up and growl it gets is nice. Earlier V4's sound nicer to me. I had an early 70's and a later 70's with distortion knob and the later one just kept having issues and kept sounding weird in comparison. It eventually fried a transformer, while my earlier one never gave me issues.

    Good amp. Just depends how much you get one for. I've seen prices on them be straight RIDICULOUS these last two years.


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