Ampeg SVT 200T Head

Late 1980s Solid State bass amplifier. Bought it used for $225, which, to me, was a bargain. Most players would only swear by tube SVT amps, but will also have to play several hundred dollars for one, plus replace tubes, and carry an amp that weighs a lot more than mine. Bottom line: Ampeg Sound at a Peavey Price! Direct line out is very hot (1 should do it... my soundman freaked out when I had it above that!) 200 watts at 4 OHMS 350 at 8OHMS.

Extremely versatile amplifier, with enough controls to dial in whatever sound you want. Glassy highs, warm lows. It's loud enough if you pair it up with 2 cabinets (I have an SWR Goliath JR, and have to crank the amp all the way, but add a 15" and I have plenty of headroom). I play rock and blues. Our guitarist plays at a high volume, and this thing keeps up better than any other amp I have used so far. It sounds like a classic rock bass from the early 70s. Just what I was looking for.

So far I have had no problems. Most people have had issues with their tube SVTs, but the solid state amp is built like a tank, and the only thing I have notice is one of the rubber feet broke off underneath.

I paid for extended benefits from Daddys Junky Music, which was a waste of money for this product.

I have been playing bass off and on for 30 years, but the last several have been the most enjoyable. I have a Yamaha BB350 bass (cheap, but sounds good, looks great, and has wonderful balance) and just ordered a Bag End S15D to go with the Goliath JR 2x10. Previously had a miscellaneous 1x15 cab with an EV force speaker.

These amps are fairly rare, and cost a fraction of the tube SVTs, yet have the same famous Ampeg sound. If you absolutely have to get a tube model, you will be carrying around a much heavier amp that will require far more maintenance down the road. I'm very happy with mine.

This amp was made in the mid to late 80's and is very decent in quality. For rock, funk, and fusion styles this amp is great. It's capable of producing warm low end and punchy tone as well as following through on lingering highs full of resonance. I payed $350 dollars for mine used. It was a steal. The amp has an easy to use EQ and ballanced line outs. Pulls for mids and lows, which really alter the tone so be carefull. I play in a cover band playing mostly rock and its great for the job. It can cut through for the most part but running it through the PA is suggested.

I run a 75 reissue jazz (MIJ) and a P bass (USA) both with vintage pickups. The amp hits well with both but the jazz has more of an opening tone with my amp. I play through a 410 ampeg cab (same year as amp). The amp is quiet when not being played and with no tubes to change, you save money while having few limits in tonality. The amp is fairly versitle but there isnt much difference in the older ampeg amps in consideration of tone. They are distinctly set in that area, which could be good and may be bad.

The amp has been extremely reliable, but in the last year or so i have experienced trouble with overheating. If the amp is too hot it cuts off to save itself from frying. This hasn't been a problem until I started playing gigs at higher volumes and more polarity issues arrive on stage. You can oly hammer an amp for so long before something happens to it. My advice is to learn what your amp can do before you do it/ play it.

I've never really dealt much with customer support at ampeg other than one time, all I did was ask for the owners manuel for the 200t and they emailed it to me within 2 days. So iguess they are fairly decent.

I give the amp props for being as old as it is and still producing earth shaking and promising tone. They obviously don't make the like they used to. I wish it were lighter or maybe ballanced in weight at least.

These amps were produced in 1987 And in that one year they really nailed it down.
I have played many styles of music from rock and blues to country and there isn't a tone you cant find with this amplifier.
Biampable, 200 watts at * ohms and 320 at 4 ohms. Effects Loop, No Headphone Jack but why would you want one of those?
Playing live this thing really shines, no noisy fans but huge heat sinks to dissapate the temperatures. A bit heavy compared to the Mosfet these days but it really looks authentic.
There are two versions that I am aware of. I have both, one with a blue stripe along the bottom of the control panel and one with white graphics and the white welting surrounding the black grille cloth. These differences are purely cosmetic.

I have narrowed my basses down to three, one Ibanez Blazer for the P-Bass sounds (see my review on this one)
A Jerry Jones Longhorn 4 for studio work and recently I purchased a PBC (Dave Bunker) handmade Hollow Body Archtop for Stage. All three guitars are accurately reproduced on this amp.
You can get as clean or dirty (and everything in between) as you like.
Distortion is warm, you want more buy a pedal.

I have two because of Murphys Law. I seem to have stayed one step ahead though because neither has failed me.
Done nothing but care for these as I would any piece of gear which paid my rent. I am at the age though where I won't rest my beer on it anymore. Survived hundreds of gigs without fail

Ampeg is marvelous, answering any and all questions in a timely fashion.

A longtime AMPEG fan from the 70's.

I have considered others and played others including some high dollar boutique amps. If I had an endorsement I might consider Ashdown but right now I'm staying put.

late 80s Ampeg SVT200T head with serial FX loop, 6 band EQ, Bi-Amp function and DI out.

There is about everything you'd wish from a professional bass amplifier, the layout is very easy to understand and the power handling (200W @ 8 Ohm, 350W @ 4 Ohm) is just right for any stage.

I also like the fact that there is no graphic EQ but rather buttons. It looks smarter and is easyer to operate.

I'd give it a 10 here, but you have to admit that all connections are jack only (no speakon) and the Trace Elliot way of having a "master EQ" outside the fine-tune knobs has it's benefits, too.

I play bass in a three piece blues and classic rock outfit. We do about 20 to 30 gigs per year and this amp has THE tone. I mean: it's an AMPEG - what else could do better? What other amp is doing that 70s sound?

I play a Duesenberg Star Bass, a Sandberg Custom Shop California PM (P plus MM P/Us) and the odd Bass Collection 421. The amp performs VERY well with all of them and I like the gain about half way up to add some fine hair to the note, just before breaking up! That's ROCK, folks.

The amp travels always in a flightcase and I own two Ashdown cabs (4*10 and 1*15) that I use with the amp.

I have to admit, that got totally uninterested in amplifiers scince I play this box. It's like my ships have come home. This is THE sound.

Not the slightest problem, I bought the amp used, compared it to the amp I was using at the time (Trace Elliot GP7 300), sold the other and play it on every rehearsal and gig scince that day.

I contacted Ampeg over the net because I wanted to have an owner's manual and couldn't find it in their database. They copied one, put it in an envelope and sent it from the US to Europe. No charge!

For a discontinued amp, that some far away girl bought used ....

That's quite some service!!!

I play the bass for some years and this is my fourth amp. I started on a smallish Trace Elliot 100W combo, moved to a 100W H/H head, got me the 300W TE head and have finally arrived at the top. You can hear our music at

www.the-electric-church.fr

we have several live recordings on the website. If it would ever break down, get stolen or lost, I shurely would stick to Ampeg. They just build amazing bass amps, and maybe one day I'll get that all original all tube SVT (and some idiot to lug it around ;o)

Concerning the likes and dislikes

+ tone
+ ease of operation
+ looks
+ price (the flightcase was included!!!)

- weight
- only 1/4" connectors, no speakon (but that's end-80s standard)
- DI out not frequency corrected

AMPEG (The God of the Amp World)! I just located my SVT200T made in 1989. Bought it immediately (2004). Solid State head with too many features to list.(See prior post)! This S/S head is very versatile and has the ability to sound as thick/low, mid/mean or as high/glass shattering as desired. It simply has tons of each, LOWs, MIDS and HIGHS! This head is incredible for an SS head. It has the same shape and dimensions as the SVT Classic head that changed the world, only weighing about 35 lbs. less. I play Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath as well as any old school metal. This head was made for players like me. I would not eliminate any features, but I would replace the order of control knobs, such as gain and stage volumes next to each other. So far this head has plenty of power for me, a hobby player who plays an occasional gig. Premier features for me were the heat sinks with no fan, as well as the knobs instead of EQ sliders to break off.

Question an AMPEG? Are you high? This thing sounds HUGE and AMERICAN! Is that proof enough for you? Should be, they invented the bass amp! Anyway, this head, as stated before, is AWESOME for what I do. Remember though, sound and tone qualities are severely subjective. A snobby pro player with $ may hate my sound and set up while all the local players are raving about my sound. It's all a matter of taste and for me this AMPEG is "my sound." Powerful, beautiful equipment that tells the audience you know your bass! It helps to set your AMPEG masterpiece on another masterpiece such as mine, SVT410HLF!

A non-issue!

N/A

I have played bass since 83' and have owned many guitars and amps. I began with Peavey as most midwesterners, but graduated to what I believed to be the best, Marshall. I had a 200w 4x15 stack. Believe it or not it was damn loud enough but sounded like shit. Once I was honest with myself and could endure the thought of $1800.00 wasted, I sold it. I stayed away from playing and had kids. I then received the bass fever again and began my research. Everywhere I looked, Ampeg, Ampeg, Ampeg. I realized there must be something to this Ampeg thing. I now own one and realize what everyone else already had. These are not only American tradition, they are the AMERICAN BASS AMP.......Lesson learned! Life is confusing enough without bass amp problems, so play it safe and stick to the Worlds Original-AMPEG....

What we have here is a bass amp. Just a top.
Ampeg SVT ("super vacuum tube") 200 (watts) t (top)

2 inputs: a normal one and one that subtracts 15 dB of the input signal
Effects loop
EQ:
62 Hz. Pull for ultra low
125 Hz.
300 Hz. Pull for 400 Hz.
600 Hz. Pull for 850 Hz.
1700 Hz.
4000 Hz. Pull for ultra high
Gain/Stage volume (master)
Line out. (watch out, HOT output!) + knob to set it.
Biampable (never tried it)

Weight: this sucker weights 25 Kg = 55 Lbs. It?s a heavy mofo. And the only handle it has is on the top while one side is heavier that the other. :-( The heavy transformer is on the right side of the amp, so it always leans to the right when you carry it. The newer model of the 200t, the 350H, has 2 handles on the side,... much better.

Gives 200 watt @ 8 Ohm and 350 watts @ 4 Ohm.
Ok, this is a nasty discussion point. The guy I bought this baby from used Ampeg cabs. Nice cabs. He had an 2x10 and a 15?. He always drove the amp to the maximum. Still with smart EQ settings he had problems cutting through. We are talking about a Death-metal band with 2 loud guitarplayers (2 x 4 x 12") and double bass drums. Now I'm in a band similar to his and my oponents are even stronger. 2 x 6 x 12" both powered with 2 x 50 watt tube amps and a loud drummer.
I have still a lot of contact with him (he misses his amp) and he can't believe the amp is loud enough in my band. It's doing great. Easy, and I don't have to crank it up. This emphazises the fact that the power isn't that important. The cabs, there is it about!
I have 2 cabs.
Ashdown 2 x 10" CELESTION SPEAKERS
Montarbo 2 x 15" EMINENCE SPEAKERS
There you have it. I have more speaker surface than him and speakers of good brands. Known as very efficient speakers.
FOR ANY BASS PLAYER, IN (almost) EVERY SITUATION, 350 WATTS SHOULD BE ENOUGH!

What? Is that a question? Let me spell it for you. Aj M Pee E Gee. Yeah, that makes AMPEG! Warm and fuzzy -> ((((((((AMPEG))))))))
The EQ is very flexible. It has all very interesting frequencies.
The 125 is the Fuzz freq. Really nice. *ROAR*
300/400 is very interesting for frettless players (the "mwha") and for cutting through the mix.
The 850 near is the sound of fretts. Lower for softer sound, open up for the Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) ?ricketicktick?
The ultra low and high might be nice to use when you play slap and pop. I used the ultra low sometimes when I play live without PA. Really adds some balls to your sound.
I play in 2 bands with 2 diffrent basses. I play in a Death/Thrash-Metal band with an Ibanez BTB405 (passive humbuckers). I use a little compression and boost the 125 Hz and 850 HZ frequenties to get an awesome sound. Thick as an elephant skin yet harsh and clear.
I never used this amp with my other band. An easy rock band with acoustic guitars. I play an Ibanez Soundgear 300DX (Active P/J). Because we haven't gigged yet I only used my combo in this band. It will suit the music. The warmth will do nicely!
Overall: I love the sound, you might hate it. Depends a lot on taste.

It was made July 1992. The thing is half my age (!!!) and it looks still very good. Looks like a brand new amp. The tolex is still black, has all knobs and feels very steady. This amp is made for use on the road.

Its a solid state amp, much more reliable than any tube amp.

A plus over the 350H: The 200t doesn't have the fan. It get his cooling from the ribs of the back. Vulnarable pieces like fans always break down.

Never turned me down nor the former owner...

Bought it used.

The SVT serie is for me the best series of bass amps ever! I'm not the only one who thinks that. Sometimes I think that half the world plays a vintage Fender P over a SVT amp.
If it got stolen I'd kill the thief! When I lost it I'll buy another SVT. The 200t is hard to get.
I wish it was a lot lighter...
When I was looking for an amp I had to choose between the SVT200t and a new Hartke 3500 cause they were in the same price-range. I never regretted the fact that I choose the Ampeg. What an amp..
I'd choose it over a SVT350H. The 200t has a better EQ and better cooling.
IF YOU ARE READING THIS REVIEW BECAUSE SOMEBODY OFFERS YOU A SVT200T:
Don't hesitate. This is a good amp from an amazing series of amps. It has the sound of tubes and it'd flexible and dependable because it is a solid state. The amp is pretty hard to get, especially here in Europe. Buy effecient cabs to go with it (Eden, Ashdown) and you'll have an amp(eg) for life.