Ampeg SVT-3 Pro: My experience and what you need to know
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Hello!
This is my first video where I actually speak and I'm speaking about the amp I've used for almost 4 years now. The SVT-3 PRO. There is almost nothing online in regards to useful information about this head. So I'm going to tell you everything you need to know before buying one of these. They're misunderstood and a lot better than you'd think.
I ramble quite a bit, sorry about that but it's my first time!
There are two used SVT Pros for sale locally and this video was really helpful.
For anyone saying bass players shouldn't use a pick, have them listen to Roger Waters, Justin Chancellor, Chris Squire, and Dave Ellefson. Use whatever feels right and gets the tone you want. Just play bass!
Don't forget about Matt Freeman
As well as Mike Starr, Mike Inez, Jason Newsted
Id rather have a Bass player that uses a pick, as long as they do it correctly! I play Bass too and use a pick when I do!
Also Mike Dirnt - amazing pick-bass player
The best tones I've ever heard are from bass players that use picks.
Thanks Christian for explaining the gain and master volume. I had a heck of time dialing in a sound I liked on the SVT 3 Pro backline in a studio I just starting rehearsing in.
Great video. Totally agree about the gain. Been using an SVT-3 Pro for years now. Has always sounded great and I have no plans to sell it. P.s. Pick player as well. I love the sound of the attack you get with a pick.
For what it's worth, I gigged and recorded 15 years with an SVT Classic, Aguilar DB750 and AD200 (heavy amps) aswell as some decent solid stated heads like Thunderfunk and Markbass. I just sold the AD200 two weeks ago because I no longer cared for the weight and b/c of Covid, I'm not playing out. Because of this video, I bought a new old stock SVT3Pro and holy shit, this thing rocks! I do put a Sadoswky preamp pedal and Keeley "Bassist" compressor in front of it and use P and Jazz bases and a Bergantino HG410. Killer tone! I put the tube gain knob at 8 o'clock, the gain at 2 o'clock and master at noon. I don't use the graphic eq. Anyway, the tone is very good. No more humping around 50lb. + amps. Thanks for the informative video!
Hey I’m new to bass dose this mean it’s suitable for room volume practice? 😮
@@00Dusty Hi, yes. This amp sounds fine at "bedroom levels" (sub 100 decibels). Just adjust the gain knob and use your master volume on the amp and on your bass. I practice in my home studio mostly at over 100 decibels...loud but not crazy loud. This is a really good amp and I am so pleased that it has turned out to be a big time winner for me. Like I said in my original post, I've been fortunate to play some of the best bass amps and frankly, this little SVT3 is just as baddass. Just take the time to dial in your sound. In my humble opinion, if you want to take the tone to the next level, get an outboard preamp pedal like the Two Notes "Le Bass" or a Sadowsky preamp pedal. You will instantly hear a remarkable improvement in your tone. Cheers!
@@00Dusty You can use this in the bedroom, or the small bar, or the stadium. PA systems are so good that you no longer need more than 300 solid state watts anymore for bass. IF you went the tube route the V4B would be to much at 150 tube watts. Tube watts are different than solid state watts.
I found the best way to get the 3 Pro to light up is to dime the volume and use the gain for the volume control. Also be sure to use it on 4 ohms cab- I have a fridge. Works like a champ. The amp is a workhorse, solid as fuck.
I have and do the same. 😎🤘🤘
Agree 100% with your comments. I have a SVT 3 Pro and my settings are pretty close to yours. I let the limit light on mine blink frequently and it sounds fine. I don’t even use the equaliser and I use mine with a 2 x 10 Markbass cab most times.
You're a legend for this! I keep telling people that the reason this amp is a studio staple is they know these friggin secrets
If people would have read the manual they would know all this stuff!!!!! I got an SVT3Pro as my first bass amp and loved it. I hear everyone complain that the SVT3 isn't enough power, but now days PA is so good, you don't need much bass amp anymore.
I got ahold of an older SVT3 non Pro and it does sound different, but the complaint about not enough highs baffles me because I have found that the hi boost button is to much high end. I love these Amos and if I am ever playing in a band again, its the only bass amp I will use, unless I can do just the DI box.
Thanks. Found this really interesting and helpful. I have a 3 Pro and will take on board your advice about the gain. Mediocre you are not!! Cheers from Wales, UK 👍👍
Thank you! I want more SVT 3-Pro's out there getting played. They rule, you just have to play by their rules haha. They're also great for tube rolling. If you find you're getting too much distortion/drive when using my recommended settings, replace the stock JJ 12ax7's with something more flat. Super cheap and you can do it yourself in literally 30seconds.
Just picked one up for $400 and it’s in great shape! Nice video, I couldn’t find much about this online either, so this was great.
I’m gonna grab this as a recording amp ( along with a rackmount preamp ), this was super helpful, cheers!
Thank you sir for the invaluable information regarding the SVT-3 Pro. Superb.
And I play mostly with pick because it just sounds better to my ear. There are certain songs like Children of the Grave that sound "more right" if played with fingers and gritty SVT tube sound, and I naturally play stand-up bass (rockabilly) with fingers.
Man THANK YOU very much, i cant thank you enough for these awesome tips. I was about to change my cab, didnt no what to do anymore. But now thanks to you i finaly have that great Ampeg SVT tone.
Thank you very much Sir.
Greetings from the Netherlands.
You're welcome!
I got the ampeg SVT 3 Pro with thé 610 hlf cabinet in 2005. I always loved this rig and Every band told me to turn it down😂. Gain at 14u, volume at noon and tube gain at 10u👍🤘👍.
Buying the SVP Pro is another option but not the most popular. Why? This is the preamp section alone. It reequireds a power amp. I'm a bit of a dinosoar and still tote a rack unit with the SVP Pro and an OLDS SCHOOL QSC power amp that probably weighs 40 lbs alone. The boat anchor types that lasted forever, before the advent of Class D amps. We used to tote rack units with several of these amps to power tri amped split cabinet systems in clubs in the 80s. Some people say Class D amps are inferior in the power department. I've never done a side by side comparison. I just know this QSC 825 has more power than I can use when feeding 2 2x10 Avatar neo cabs. In the end each part weighs far less than the 95 lb Eden Combo or 410 cab that I kerep in my rehearsal room. It's just easier to deal with weight wise and packing into a vehicle. One of these days I might spring for a new lightweight class D amp Like the Quilter 800 or possibly a Taurus but the Bergantino Forte HP1200 really floats my boat. I've been at this (scary to think since I'm outliving former bandmates) over 40 years now. Amp weight was no problem when I was in my 20s, I'd almost show off with the ease that I woiuld load up heavy gear but its just not that necessary these days. My first amp was a Yamaha 12" 50 watt guitar combo then a Bassman 50 with a 2 15 cab. Awful. It would compress and get muddy and distort badly at volume 6. Things are SO MUCH EASIER for new bassists and there are lots of decent budget basses out there, not to mention all the free content to teach you. We had no free tabs or song instruction online, shit, there was no real internet for the public back then.. When I bought my first good bass, a Peavey T40 it was $299 new in 1979-80 though I made $2 an hour. In todays money counting in inflation that is $1150. You get great deals these days in comparison. Buy your gear now because inflation will hit hard and things will become uinaffordable later. If weight is no issue and you can find an old Peavy BW combo amp cheap, buy it. They last forever and were maded in the USA. There is nothing wrong with older well made gear. SWR and Trace Elliot used to be the shit and can be had for pennies on the dollarWe are headed for bad times under the ineptitude and deliberate bad leadership of Biden and the Democrat government. Story time from the old bastard is over with. I'll go back to tossing hard bread at pidgeons in the park and having conversations with non existant people now. BTW Good video. In the end what matrters the most is your musicianshiup, not your gear. Dont get hung up in the minutia, just play and enjoy it while you can because one day time can catch up with you as it did to Phil Collins, a fantastic drummer, or Neal Pert.
Really Cool video explaining how to use the SVT 3 Pro . Absolutely spot you have to drive them to really pull the tone from it. It sounds way better than the SVT 4 Pro.
Great insight!
I too am a mediocre pick player 😂 glad I found this video before I clicked buy now on an svt 3.
Cheers from Australia
+1 for having more bass pick players on youtube
Dude I'm so glad I found this video, loved your explanation of this video... I was stuck between the Svt or the hartke lh1000... I just got my darkglass pedals too haha, the harmonic booster & Alpha Omnicron. Loving the Sterling
Just got one of these used for $250. Great video and info.
Hell yeah! If you wanted to roll all the 12ax7's to something different you're still ahead of the game money wise.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 I have an old B2R and a Portaflex pf-500 I was using head wise and I was content but when I saw one of these for $250 online I jumped on it. I played around alittle on it at home. I haven't use it live yet but I was curious if the approach had to be different with the gain structure being this involves tubes and your description really made sense. Thanks a lot bro.
I'm very afraid to buy Amps used how do you do it man.
This is incredibly helpful. I'm looking at used SVT-3s now. One popped up on Craiglist for a reasonable price ($350, with a flight case, rack tuner, and conditioner). However, it has the blue and red font lettering... this might be a stupid question, but are there significant differences between this older version compared to what's in the video? I'm still trolling the Guitar Center used market, but if I go that route, I will be spending between $400-$500. Looking for advice.
Thanks in advance! I'm digging the info in your videos, and your cover playlists are great. Do another Trio record!
People actually say the older ones are better. I don't have experience with them myself but that's the word on the street.
Thanks for the video. You say the master volume needs to be around noon: Do you always have your bass volume at 100%, or can you back it off at the bass and keep your tone?
Great video! I used to have a 3 pro and loved it
The svt pro 6 is basicly two svt 3s its pretty good to id say the svt 2 and 3 and 4 are the most popular the 3 and 4 are the top sellers i own the svt pro 6 its actually very good its basicly a svt 3 ×2. The bassist for metallica uses a svt 3 its got amazing tone. For me i use the classic svt all tube and just put it on like volume 2 in bars its got the ultimate tone very harmonic and and you can hear all the nuances the 3 is the closest to the classic its definitely a badass head
@François DRAMAS @Eric Eastman The SVT-6 Pro's power section is loosely based on a beefed-up 3 pro. The similarities end there. Also, Robert is listed an Ampeg artist. ampeg.com/artists/377/Robert%20Trujillo
Hey man, this was super helpful, thank you!
p6 the tube gain (plate volts in diagram) was appearing blown but in pulling board to verify where to put a 1m bypass resistor, i found pot was ok! It's a bad dirty ground or something. Still trying to figure what's up! Appears i/c pin 4 indeed was the culprit...104v to 298v now instead of 120vdc shown for tp7. still 200w instead of 275 out.
ps ampeg told me to f off when i said we need a service bulletin rather than giving me any support
Ampeg tells you to set the gain knob until the red peak light comes on then slightly back off. They also say It's normal for the Red light to flicker a little. If users don't know this, then that's their stupid fault! lol PS...I might go back to an SVT III Pro from a n SVT 4 pro just because the SVT III Pro is lighter and more compact!
i picked up a SVT-350 for $80 and love it
Different beast but still solid.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 yeah To me, it’s still a pretty good solid state and for $80 I can gig it, I also soldered in the a graphic EQ. literally everything from like 15 years ago from Talk bass Had the EQ sheared off lol I also picked up a 115 cab for 120 so I have a gig rig for $200
@@WeaponsRemorse can't beat that! Congrats!
One thing your missing is there are multiple county of origin on ampeg it looks like u might have Vietnam made ampeg which is where they where made after they stopped making them in us now they are made in china which Yamaha recently bought them out u can tell by the ampeg logo usually your gain and tube gain should work with conjunction of each other I haven't used ampeg since the 1990s so not sure of the changes from us to Vietnam made but was definitely a good video I've been playing for thirty years I even learned a few things
My best day with PRO-3 was the day I sold it. Have 1974 AMPEG SVT to replace it and could not be happier. Pro-3 lacks the legend sound that came from New Jersey.
Fuckin A! Thanks dude! I've been meaning to pick one of these up for years.
This is awesome
Hope it works
Thank you
Great vid. Wich one you think is nearest in sound to Svt CL ? the 3Pro or the 4Pro ?
At the end of the day, only the svt 2 and 2 pro sound exactly like an svt classic because they are an SVT classic in a rack mount box. I feel like if I was ever going to get an svt 4 pro, I would just get a few hundred more and buy a classic that ultimately i would never use because fuck moving a 100lb head around everytime you need to play a show and It'll never be recorded because there is an official svt plugin now. Same with the 4 pro. It's heavy af, has way more solid state power than you'll ever need. It and the 3 sound the same to me if you dial it in this way and the 3 is lighter. The only SVTs I'll ever use myself are the 3pro and probably the 7pro. They're light, they're relatively cheap, and they have the SVT sound.
Nice Information !!!
good amps sound good on (almost) all settings, that's reason enough to get a real SVT. Unless a) you are weak, b) you are old/have back problems.
this is a great video
Considering picking one of these up locally, does it put out enough volume in a full band setting with 2 guitars?
That's how I used it and usually sat at like noon -1 o'clock on the master volume.
Super useful! I Just bought a used SVT 3 pro and SVT 410hfl cabinet but I think something is wrong with the head. My rootmaster 500 totally RIPS on the new 410 but the ampeg 3 pro is about half the volume with everything fully cranked. I’ve found that the tube gain knob doesn’t change volume at all, so I would assume some tubes need to be replaced? Any insights for this problem?
Could be. Tube gain is just voltage to your tubes which determines how fast they respond. Your primary gain control and mast volume is what you want to be messing with for volume. Set your gain at like 2 o'clock and your master the same. Should be loud as shit. I had to turn down master below noon in a band setting with that setup. You can also enable your graphic eq and crank the level there. Also, make sure the -15db is not engaged.
I suppose I never used mine naked. I always had at sansamp vt bass going into the front end and that has a nice volume boost.
У меня тоже самое. Заменил все лампы и регулятор tube gein не меняет звук. Не могу понять! Может это нормально?
Theres a bias pot inside. Get a tech to adjust it, its touchy a.f. and its too easy to fry the amp if you diy... its a cheap job to get done and will likely fix your issue
Have you had any success getting a decent tone from the SVT-3 Pro on a bass with active pickups?
I have two active basses. The 18v active jazz and the sterling ray34pb but both are only active preamp. No experience with actual active pickups.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 use the negative dB pad. Or run it w/o and roll the gain less than what you're familiar with on a passive pickup instrument.
Its a great amp. Loved the sound, but 300 watts is stretching it. Not nearly as loud as it should be. Definitely use a 4 ohm cab if only using one. I also had the B2RE and the 3 Pro was a huge upgrade.
Oh, 100% use a 4ohm cab. I used mine with an SVT 410hlf for years and was asked to turn down most of the time. Volume pretty much at Noon or rolled back to 11 o'clock. Now I have an SVT 610hlf, rules are pretty much the same I just always wanted a big ass rig behind me lol
@@ChristianRasmussen666 a 3 pro and a 6 x 10 is a great rig. When I used to play underground shows where the PA was just for vocals, the 3 pro with a PR410 4 ohm cab and even an 8x10 couldn't keep up with the guitarists. Used a 900w SWR until started playing legit stages where the amp basically serves as a monitor while the DI goes through the PA. That's when the sound guy is always telling you to turn down. I got a SansAmp Bass Driver and stopped bringing a rig, just had the tech put me in the wedges in front of me. Not moving a refrigerator sized rig just for me to be the only one who hears it. Now I use both a SansAmp ParaDriver and a EHX Battalion and send FOH a clean low end feed and a distorted high end and the response from listeners and sound techs has been great.
Yeah, I've never had an issue with volume. Two guitarists, 412 cabs, 50 and 100 watt tube heads. Raw shows with no PA and real stages with DI out from my head where cans are just monitors. Granted, I run a board. Darkglass symmetry comp into VT bass into darkglass microtubes X into a decimator, so I'm being compressed, overdriven and boosted into the front of this head. Different strokes to move the world, tho.
You need to crank the dB on the EQ section to maximum on this amp, as half of the power output comes directly from the EQ
I bought mine used a year ago and always felt it was extremely quiet and fuzzy sounding. It was like the clean signal was mixed with fuzz. I finally took it to a tech, and it turned out the mosfet adjustment was messed up. The amp is SIGNIFICANTLY louder now and sounds much better.
Question! Im listening to your recommendations for gain and volume.
I have just got this amp 3 weeks ago used. Are these suggested for rehearsal or show volume? I use this amp with a svt 410 hlf cab. This is my practice rig.
And im trying to get a nice fat warm tone. At a somewhat softer sound pressure level. I rent the basement apartment. And people live above me.
At those setting I could probably with time have the doors fall off the hinges.
Any advice?
Thank you.
You cant get a good tone out of this amp at low volumes. Anything below like 10 O'clock sounds like butt to me. For at home I literally do the DI out of the back of the head directly into a focusrite and play through the computer.
Straight up dont even connect it to my cab unless it's a band setting.
Maybe what im looking for is unrealistic.
I got a fender 100 rumble. But it just don't make bass like the ampeg.
Thanks for the comment.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 what about this amp with a dark glass Adam?
I've always got great sound out of an SVT 3 Pro.
have u tried bassman 500 or 800 heads? i can´t decide between this (svt3pro) or the bassman
I haven't, they seem similar. Honestly, I think it comes down to if you want an amp box (bassman are enclosed amp heads) or a rack setup. Set 3 is rack able. Also the fenders have better on-board drive. The svt is better for using pedals is the impression I get.
Of course, I think you'll be happy with either. The bassman 500 and 800 seem fucking awesome.
I'm looking around for anyone who has experience using this head with guitar. I'm a guitar player doing home recordings, mostly with guitar, sometimes with bass, and saw this pop up at a decent price in my City. Can anyone speak to how it plays with guitar? I really like the EQ options and think it could be versatile, but not sure. I'm not finding any samples on YT of it being used in a guitar context.
Yeah, never did that. I would assume the frequency range doesn't compliment guitar but you could put it flat, run a treble focused drive and treat it like you would a fender bassman. I'm sure it would be fine?
Would the SVT-3 Pro pair well with a 410 HLF Cab?
That's the combo I've always used. Like peanut butter and jelly, those two.
Good video and thanks … pick bass, way to go 👍🎶
Man, you sure know your shit. This is the type of guide that I wish for when I’m searching for something, not just unboxing and review without knowing shit, even with thousands views. I’m planning to get it for the studio, speaker cabinet size, etc? Please advise man... 👍🏻
Yeah, I wish people who actively used gear reviewed it. Not people who just use it to review it, you know? I can only speak to what I've used in regards to cabs. I've always had an SVT 410hlf pretty much the entirety of my musical life. I recently got a 610hlf but it's basically the same shit. I record via the DI out on the head without even using a cab. If you check out my cover videos you can hear the kind of tones I get doing that. Of course I use a full pedalboard. Details of that are in the video descriptions for my covers.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 is it suitable for studio size live session? Any advise on cabs speaker size and nos?
Yeah, lol. Just get an svt 410hlf. You really want a 4ohm cab and thats a really good one in my experience. As well, you can get them super cheap lol.
@@ChristianRasmussen666 thanks man. I’ll be using your recommendation...
I never played woth a pick.
I tried and i'm very bad, wish i could
thoughts on bands dropping the backline altogether?
I get why people do it and in some instances it is necessary but I think it's super lame. It killed rig rundowns altogether. It's always "so this is my Kemper/helix. Idk what effects there are. My engineer just preloaded what we used on the record". Cool *eye roll*
@@ChristianRasmussen666 back w/ more random questions.....do you EQ on your sansamp and leave the eq flat on your svt pro3?
@@scootsmcgooter I eq'd everything. Each piece of grear seemed to target different frequency ranges. So the mid control on the VT shaped differently that the mid control on the SVT especially considering the SVT has a mid contour control. These days I tend to leave amps flat and just roll with it but back when I made this video, that was not the case. I imagine you could leave the eq knobs flat and just adjust the graphic and get the same result as long as that gain knob is set appropriately and depending on what tone shaping effects you're running.
Problem #1 - Folks need to stop pairing this amp with the SVT 410HLF. That cab is way too muddy for that head and the wattage won't push the low-end with authority.
Solid State Myth - People say the Ampeg amps don't sound good. So many closed-minded, single genre players will spout this garbage and then will pick up a GK without batting an eye. If you know what your doing, solid-state anything can be gritty, fast, and mid-forward. (BR1, B2Re, all of them)
SVT 3-Pro Myth - The amp is a beginner amp. Actually, this amp is considered an industry standard for recording.
Far too many players think that Ampeg = SVT, 300-watt tube. The company has lots of amps that are voiced differently for all kinds of music. Hell, even their guitar amps kick butt and are often overlooked. I own just a ton of Ampeg amps and love'em all.
Luckily for me I play a Yamaha TRB 6. That thing could never use a 10" anything. Bass is just too much Bass for anything before a 15. I always use 15's minimum & prefer an 18 if available. As a bassist I never liked playing through 10" anything. 18" and a tweeter is my love. A What would you recommend for an ampeg SVT 3PRO. Thanks in advance
@@SrChalice I used "12 speakers with most of my amps. I have a couple of single and quad cabs that have worked out tremendously. I tend to play mostly rock and prefer a mid forward cab. I think any cab rated close to 3 pro at peak wattage will work out.