Ampeg B-2 115 Combo

I bought it few months ago, for 550 Eur. used.
Maybe it was made in 2004, I don't know if It's a big deal... but Ampeg now has a suicidal tendency: new production will be all made in Vietnam, so probably that USA stuff will increase his value.

This combo has not many features but some better than newer ones: 9! eq selectors (great in live situations to correct room/stage response) with on/off switch.
200 real Watt and a cabinet out, not bad.

I use it in the basement group practiceing, at home and for little gigs, just great. but sometimes I use the volume at max (but no external cab).

The bad: it's VERY heavy, a pain to bring up and down, even if I have a good trolley.
No xlr cannon input that I usually like.

It has not a horn but with my active jazz deluxe is really sweet.
Is the tone I will always have. In many situation I leave the eq off.
I think Fender + Ampeg is the history of bass (they know well each other)...

I play '70 rock, funk, reggae and jazz, definitely great. In funky/slap style you probably need strong equalization.

no noise at all the fan is silent also if you practice.
I haven't yet understood if the xlr out is nice or noisy (in that situations probably was the cab or the stage??)

USA ampeg... and it seems to be a tank

I write to have the wheels in USA
reply to me the European customer care that they are looking for those,
so... good.

I have been playing for 10 years and I had a lot of stuff, tube and solid state, probably now I understand that I really like ampeg tone...

for this price is a good professional amp, a real tank.
I was looking for a tube SVT but
then I said: why to spend 3000-4000 euros for a heavy like hell head + cab. When you play all together with the band close your eyes, you really hear the difference? I've recorded in studio for a CD with a similar ampeg 210 combo so....
if 200/300 watt are enought for you and you like ampeg tone: GO FOR IT :-)

Pretty much all the stuff I need. I wish I had the cash for a tube amp, but solid state seems to do the job.

I got no real complaints in this department. It's a little quiet for big rooms if you don't have an extension, but once I built a 2x10 cab to sit on it, the thing kicks out plenty for almost anywhere.

No electrical problems, but one of the graphic eq sliders fell off so I won't give it a 10.

5 year warrenty, but I got it used right around when it was over. The person I got it from never had to use it.

Compared to my old Peavey TNT that crapped out on me, this thing is great. I got a good deal on it and probably would have spent a ton more if I didn't find it on eBay. Probably my favorite thing on it is the handles because my Peavey was about the same size but had a dinky little handle on the top and was a pain to carry.

I bought this amp in 1999 for 1100 Euros (oups!) but i don't care now.It
has delivered me 5 years of pure sound through my fender vintage presicion '57.I play a lot of styles,from heavy metal to acid jazz and alternative and this thing is so versatile that if it blew up,it would be one of the few times i get desperate!
It's got plenty of "round" bottom end but the mids are there,too,which is very crucial for my sound and the particular bass i use.
One important feature is that the amp keeps the instrument's character,not like trace elliots which sound the same whatever bass you put in there.I use plenty of eq to colour my sound.That doesn't mean the amp doesn't sound good when flat,it's just that it adds to its versatility.
The only thing that seems bad it's the limiter.When it's open,it destroys the amp's sound whether it's light is on or off.So i keep the
switch off all the time.
Very handy comes its internal D.I which delivers balanced direct out for connecting to a console.
It has 200 watts which goes up to 350 with the addition of a second cab

When i updated my bass with a dimarzio split-p, i was amazed with what i heard.It put out exactly what i expected from the new pick up without compromise.

As i stated,the amp rocks solid for 5 years now,after all the humidity of basements,transportation and 2500hours of playing!.So you have no doubts about its reliability.

Everything said!Period!

2001 Model, I play rock and its great. Single channel with eq which can be bypassed. Nice to have a tuner out and a change guitar switch no big deal. The amp is great for shows and jammin. Last week I went to jam at buddies and just took the combo, and that weekend we played a medium sized bar and I brought along a 210 extension cab. It has all the basic features needed.

I play an epi t-bird which absolutly growls at low ends and this amp sings right along with it. Its a great rock and blues amp and thats all I can say because thats all I play so who am I to talk about other styles. Fan starts out noisy then is unnoticable once your ear drums start ringing. The amp can make great low end sounds along with my t-bird without any distortion, so my next purchase is to get another more versatile bass for some variety. I am sure the amp will respond with warmth just as any Ampeg would. I really like the sound alot more with the 210 extension cab. This thing is plenty loud! I will give it a nine because I was happier once the 210 cam along.

Played plenty gigs without a backup. I play in a bar band if you can afford a backup I am sure you are not looking to buy the b2 combo. My only peev is the damn eq knobs break real easy when being hauled around. But the rest is great.

Heard they are good.

Damn good amp. I have been playing guitar for 8 years and bass for 3. I also use a qsc power amp and bass pod pro in my rig. Great Ampeg sound without too much cost and heavy lugging. What I love is combined with a 210 this thing is all you will need unless you consider yourself a touring pro. I always get a good chuckle when guys gotta have an svt, swr, eden blah blah....I agree wow that stuff is awesome but I work 9 to 5 and gig on weekends and we have no roadies and don't make enough money to replace the tubes in a darn svt and there is no damn way I am hauling one fo those around. What I hate is trying to avoid damaging the face everytime I have to move it. When I bought this amp I compared it to similar products by Yorkville(no character) eden traveller(to much $$$) then this came along and I pounced as soon as I heard it rumble. I am an Ampeg dude after all. At the time money was an issue so the thought that I could add an extension cab for an additional 150 watts was the sale.
If it were stolen I would get something else cause this amp is discontinued. But overall I am very happy.

I bought this bass amp in 1996. It has all of the features I considered necessary for the blues music i was playing in; limiter and eq that could each be bipassed, plus tone controls. I have used the direct XLR out at times, also (very helpful).

I use a Peavey Patriot bass (plank of wood with one pickup.) It sounds great. Friends have used their (much nicer) bass guitars through it also and it only sounds better. I chose this amp because it give the punchy low end with high end deinition that I like. I consider it useful for most kinds of music (in my case, blues, rock, alternative, fusion) BUT it does have that Ampeg "sound" to it (great in my opinion) that might not lend itself to certain players ears. At higher volume settings, I must note, this amp can get a little noisey. Still, when I was comaprison shopping for amps, this one was much quieter than others in its price range. When pushed (and that does take a lot) the limiter kicks in and does give it a swelling/breathing sort of sound that, while mildly annoying, does save the amp and speaker.

I wouldn't have any qualms with not taking a backup to a gig. The amp has been reliable for the most part. After years of transporting the thing around, it did finally start sporadically cutting out, finally giving out entirely. The tech had to resolder several connections to the circuit board. In general I would consider this a pretty reliable workhorse, though

I have never dealt with the company.

I have been playing guitar for 35 years with a minor percentage of that time on bass please don't hold that against me). I consider this amp to be a good value and would consider purchasing another if stolen or lost/damaged. In comparison to other amps I tried at purchase time (Hartke, Fender) this had the best combination of tone, power, clean operation. If I was playing bass on a more regular basis, I would probably acquire the matching 2-10" cab for it. The power is adequate for clubs. If used in larger venues, I would use the direct out, get an extension cab (it goes from 200 watts to 350) or get a bigger rig. Options with this amp are, in general, quite good.

I purchased this combo several months ago to replace a well-worn Trace Elliot combo that I'd been using for maore than 10 years. I compared the Ampeg to the SWR WM15 and Fender Bassman 200 combos. As far as features, I'd have to say that there isn't a lot of difference between these amps. In its favor, the B2 offers a cooling fan and extenison speaker capability, which ups its 200 watts to the internal speaker to 350 watts w/ an extension.

My main bass is a Fender American standard P with flatwounds. I also sometimes play a Fender Mexican Jazz with roundwounds and upgraded pickups. I play primarily blues and blues-based classic rock with some Motown and occasional jazz thrown into the mix. The Ampeg has the perfect tone for these styles. The EQ is useful in tailoring the tone to the room I'm playing and I use a 2x10 extension cab in larger venues for extra volume. I play mainly in a three piece group. The guitarist uses a Fender Vibro King and this Ampeg has no problems making its presence known (and felt).

In 8 months of weekly gigging, it's been flawless. If there were any annoying problems, I think they would have surface by now.

Haven't needed any and I hope that I never will

I've been playing for 18 years and gigging regualrly for the past 12. Like I'd previously mentioned, I compared this to the SWR WM15 and Fender Bassman 200. All were similar in price and features, but the Ampeg's volume and tone is superior. It does have the drawback of extra weight, though. Both of the others are noticeably lighter. But for me, it's all about the sound. The Ampeg's sound is the perfect match for my style. Smooth, warm, and powerful. Which is what a bass should sound like.

1992 B2 1-15 combo Single channel Bass Ultra mid and Hi tone controls work well, Limiter on or of,Graphic EQ. Very clean deep tone. Versitile. Being capable of powering another cab very handy.Have instaled EV 15L Play Blues, country and rock. Used on gigs every weekend for 9 years. never failed!Wish it had adjustable comp. and tube input.Best describe amp as workhorse.

Fender Precision G&L Fender Jazz.
No distortion. Always keep the limiter in. If you run it too hot dynamics and tone suffer!

Perfect

I have been playing for 30 years. I also own an Ampeg 8x10 cab, an EV 2x10 cab and 2 JBL 2x15 cabs.If I were to replace it I would get a seperate head with a tube preamp.That way I could leave my cabs at rehearsal spots and just carry the head around.It's very handy as a combo especialy that you can ad an extra cab.

200 Watts w/ the 15" only (8 ohms). 350 Watts w/ added 2x10's (4 ohms total). The graphic equalizer is a nice. I played the B50R (tried to buy something cheaper) but didn't like the sound it put out. The equalizer allowed me to adjust the tones so it sounded the way I wanted it! There are no headphone jacks, so don't expect this to be a practice amp.

Amazing Sound! I play in a church that holds about 500 people. It's an old style church with about 30 to 40 foot high ceilings. Believe it or not I play with the amp alone and don't use the system. We face the amp towards a wall corner and the sound BOOMS troughout the church. The amp sounds great. There's absolutely no distortion. The low tones are smooth and powerful. I am planning on purchasing the Ampeg SVT-210HE (two 10" speakers) so that the highs are as great as the lows.

No problems after only 2 months.

No idea. 5 year warranty is great insurance.

I love this amp. I compared it to the SWR's and Hartke and this one kicked their asses...purer sound and a lot louder.

Brand new 2001 model, with the "new" chrome plated Ampeg logo on the bottom front of the grille. This is a large 1x15 bass amp, with a front ported cabinet. The amplifier itself is the B-2R model (available as a separate head) installed in this combo. It has a single input, 3 band rotary EQ with Gain and Volume controls. It also features a 9 band slider EQ, which is useful for tone shaping. the amp is fan cooled, and it runs quietly. This amp has side-pull handles and casters, which are necessary, since this beast weighs 87 lbs. It has 200 watts of power to the internal speaker, but this output increases to 350 watts when an extension cab is connected.

The pain involved in moving this concrete block of an amp is worth it when you plug in and play. The tone is buttery smooth, deep, and warm. For most gigs, I just use it as is, and the internal speaker takes care of business quite nicely. No volume problems, even though the guitarist uses a Fender Twin. For large audiences and outdoor performances, I add an Ampeg Classic 2x10 cab, and the resulting volume is thunderous, if needed. The tone is classic Ampeg. I'm amazed at how tube-like this sounds. It won't distort until it reaches deafening volume levels. I play Fender basses - mainly a P with flatwounds, but also a Jazz with roundwounds. Mainly blues and some jazz/blues fusion.

Since I got this amp a month ago, I've used it heavily at weekly gigs and an outdoors blues fest. Still, I feel it's too early to determine reliability. But it's an Ampeg, so it should be very solid.

5 year warranty. I don't ever want to find out how well St Louis Music stands behind their products.

I love the sound and the features. And after all, it's all about the sound, anyway. I also use another Ampeg, the B-100R, for small gigs. It's a great little amp, and I've used it for a couple of years with no problems, so I expect it's big brother to be just as reliable. What I hate is the weight. I live in a second floor apartment, so dragging this beast up and down the stairs is a real pain. But to be honest, I forget all about the strain of carrying it when I'm playing. When I was shopping, I compared this to the Fender Bassman 400 and Bassman 200, Peavey Combo 115, SWR Workingman's 15, and an Eden Nemesis NC115P. And to be fair, these are all good amps. But none had the tone to compare to this. When it comes to bass combos, the B-2 is the King of Beasts. If it was 15-20 lbs lighter, I'd give it a 10.