Ampeg SVT-3Pro

Picked up this amp 3 months ago and have been loving every minute of it. Versatility, I can't say. I use this to play rock, thats what it was built for and it does its job very well. Started playing through a single Avatar 4x10 Neo 8 ohm cab, but it wasnt as loud as I thought it would be. I added a second matching cab dropping the load to 4 ohms and this thing turned into a fire breathing monster!

Sounder thin using any kind of passive pickups, I switched to a warwick rock bass with active eq and made all the diference. From day 1 I recieved nothing but raves about my tone. To find this killer tone did require some tweaking, and I added a bbe sonic maximizer(a must). Still dialing up my growl, but its coming. With my 8 10s hooked to this badboy, it can shake the floors 4 houses down.

I gig without a backup, but if I had another 900 bucks layin around I would snag another one. Zero problems so far.

Never dealt with them

Switched from ryhthm to bass 6 months ago and found my calling. This is THE rock amp, if someone stole it.. I would have to find another.

Mine is a mid to late 90's version previous to the design that is out now. The only feature difference is the newer ones have Neutrik connectors.

It appears to be well built and fairly versatile but I get what I want out of it without much tweaking at all (i.e. that classic growl and punch that only Ampeg seems to be able to deliver). As for features I think that's been covered well enough.

I use this amp at rehearsals and shows with my band. We play small to medium size clubs. I haven't had any trouble with volume. This thing is pretty loud.

I use a stock 1997 Fender Precision and run this through two Ampeg 1x15 Classic Series cabinets. I have a Classic Series 4x10 as well and haven't tried it in place of one of the 1x15's yet but I suspect that might make things a little too tinny sounding for my tastes.

I bought this head used and immediately had an amp tech go through it, clean it up, replace a couple minor things, and throw in a complete set of new JJ tubes. I used JJ tubes for my guitar amps too. I just like them. Plus I get them from Eurotubes because Bob is a great guy to deal with.

This amp definitely suits my style which is heavy independent rock (I guess, there are so many categories now I can't keep up). Basically I was going for a Jesus Lizard or Shellac type of bass sound with a bit more of a classic growl. When I stand in front of my stack I can feel it move my clothes and shake my guts a little.

I don't have any trouble with noise. I now have it racked with a power conditioner but even before that it was pretty quiet.

The sound quality of this thing is very impressive. I know someone that has an Ampeg SVT II (a late 80's non Pro) and I always drooled over that tone. This can get a lot of that same tone. It could never compete in volume of course but those all tube SVT's have way more headroom than I would use right now. Plus they weigh twice as much. The sound is very full, round, meaty, punchy, etc. It's just awesome in my opinion. So far Ampeg seems to be the only way to go for what I do.

I haven't had it long enough to know for sure but so far no trouble and I've heard these things go for a long time. It's an American made Ampeg so it should last a lifetime barring abuse or the unexpected.

I haven't dealt with Ampeg but I heard they've closed all their services centers and are going to start making things in China which to me is a big ugly black mark against them. Will the amps be cheaper because they're saving money on labor? I doubt it. They'll still say Ampeg on them...

I've been playing for about 20 years but have only been playing bass about 2 years. If I somehow lost this thing I wouldn't hesitate to seek another one out. It has a great sound and it's rackable/portable which is what I need.

I've tried other amps including GK which was ok, just not what I was looking for. I also tried the Peavey Pro Bass 500 which is very similar to the SVT III Pro but just couldn't get what I wanted out of that either. I still own a Peavey Mark IV head which is awesome. If you're on a budget or looking for something to use for practices or something where you don't want to use your main rig I highly recommend that. It's by far the best sounding solid state I've heard so far.

My SVT III Pro is one of the older ones so it doesn't have Neutrik connectors which would be nice. Otherwise I'm happy as can be.

Standard SVT-3 Pro features; check out their website...

Currenly have:
Warwick Corvette (5 str) - stock MEC pickups
Ampeg SVT 210 cab
GK 115 cab

Just discovering how versatile this amp is. I tend to like a middy smooth growl sound (the classic Ampeg sound I suppose), so I experiment mainly with shades within that spectrum. I don't think it can sound as clean as a GK 800, but I bet it could get pretty close.

I've only had this for 3 months, so it's really too soon to tell.

So, here's why I wrote this. I want to raise awareness to a problem that seems to be affecting a lot of SVT III Pros out there. These amps tend to become afflicted by an annoying buzz/distortion in the highs, regardless of volume. If this happens, the solution is most likely a MOSFET bias adjustment - in my case the bias was set too low. There's a small blue/white adjustable pot close to the MOSFET heatsinks. Talk to your tech about it... (do-it-yourselfers be warned: you can easily fry your amp if you adjust it too high, plus lethal voltages, etc). If you want schematics for this, feel free to email me - macisyourdaddy@hotmail.com

'Just passing on the great help that the online bass community offered me when I went searching for answers.

I give this a 5 rating only because I think it's a shame when I read about many owners who are looking for answers to this very problem - and many Ampeg dealers/techs/support folks apperently don't know about this. That's just my observation though.

Never dealt with the company. I'm using my independent amp tech with the occasional advice/consultation of online forums like this one.

I've been playing bass for 3 years - other instruments for 25.
Bought this used a few months ago; I believe it was built in 98. I play in rock band - we mostly jam and drink beer, but occasionally play bars.

This head is an industry standard, which is why I picked one up. It's really a rock head. It has one tone, heavy. It has a tube front-end and a tube drive control which is supposed to control "warmth". It has a built-in DI, graphic EQ, tone controls, a tuning mute, and a few other goodies. Heavy, good construction. Looks awesome as well!

I've used it most successfully on punk rock. I tried it on alt rock and jazzy stuff, and it just wasn't appropriate. The sound always has an edge to it, no subtlety. Hey, it's a rock head. But I didn't find the sound very flexible.

It can fill a room, lots of reserve. I measured the output and it fell a bit short of the rating, but you'd never know that from the sound. It's loud!

It's tube, so you probably shouldn't drop this baby. Plus it would put a hole in the floor! But it is built like a tank otherwise. Of course I'd gig without a backup - who takes backup amps to a gig???

never dealt with them and bought it used...

Been playing 20 years or so, everything from heavy metal to punk to jazz to alt rock. This amp is great for harder forms of rock and is sort of a classic (as are all Ampegs in the rock realm). But it sort of is a one trick pony. It's a bit awkward to carry if you don't have it in a rack, so I'd recommend that.

I play Rock/indie/Jazz bass. This has all of the tones I need. Very full, deep bass- I only use a single 4X10 8 ohm cabinet, so I'm only using a little over half the power. As soon as I get a bigger car, I may add a 2X12 for some gigs. I tend to turn this amp most of the way up for some of my gigs, eventually I may need a little more overhead, but so far I've been completely satisfied at all of my gigs, indoor and outdoor.

killer tones- but I play very low bass, not much treble at all.

I ran it for 4 hours straight at an outdoor gig in Austin texas, turned most of the way up. So far it has worked like a champ. I have only owned it for 1 month though.

At the price I payed, a fantastic value- I would definitely buy this again.

see www.ampeg.com it's a 5 tube pre-amp, MOSFET power amp model, with 450W into 8ohms..

Sounds better than anything else in the price range, period. It's got most of the SVT 2 sound at 1/2 the price.. and 1/2 the size. I play a lot of jazz, and rock and like a clean distortion free sound.. I get that from this head mated to two cabs.. both 2x10's and both Ampeg SVT 210HE.

Flawless so far.. but then it's new.

Dealt with them via email 3 times, always polite, and quick to reply.. I even had one of them reply to me at 11pm! They're on the job! I'd like an 800-number though, but that's no the end of the world.

I've been playing 25 years... played American Specter's, Alembics and other fancy basses, but as of late have found myself gravitating to American Fenders's.. Jazz mainly.. got 3 of them.. I've also played thru Hartke, Genz Benz, and Trace Elliot and like the Ampegs the best.. they really are the Rolls Royce of Bass amps..

this was a 2005 model purchased new. i could get many many sounds out of it and i prefer mellowed dub pulsing bass... i got it here... i play indie punk post-punk ...... had at times a beautiful radiating drive to it that was soooooo sweet... perfect tone.. as far as features.. not too many. not too little.. only thing i would change is the inability to see the settings of the dials in a darkened club

played it with a deluxe american fender fretless jazz and a music man fretless stingray..... absolutely quite and fit just what i wanted ... in fact best tone of any ampeg ive played short of a full tube ampeg... the variety available is a little limited to the ampeg sound and i could never achieve the tuve overdrive some report... now ONE PROBLEM>>> and ITS A BIGGIE!!!... i noticed that when the amp would clip it would make a electrical pop/spurt/crackle thru my 610HLF... and so i would adjust down my gain and i found it continued to do it SUB-CLIP!!!!! thats right at levels below clipping!!.. now playing live it wasnt toooo noticeable but was absolutely impossible for recording.....i found this to be a problem associated with joining the svt-3pro with any ampeg HLF bigger than a 410... this will be discussed more in the 'customer support' section..... tone on this was awesome .. gets a 6 for the compatability issue

absolutely a tank!!!

now.. when i discovered the sound it was making i returned to where i purchased it... sat down with my dealer... and we heard it clear as day popping crackling at sub clipping levels... my EQ settings were with a slight bass boost and slight mid scoop.. nothing odd that would push the preamp or anything....with my dealer we called ampeg.. they were very helpful... they suggested that we may have a bad component somewhere and that we should try to isolate it... so we did.. the sound seemed to come from the horn... so we disconnected it... the sound still occurred .. it was just a frequency that was most pronounce in the horn... so... we systematically replaced every part of the cabinet... YES EVERY PART....we tested my head with an ampeg 410hlf.. it didnt make the sound... so.. we isolated it to be with the cabinet... we replaced the horn.. the attenuator.. all six speakers.. EVERYTHING.. put it back together... and VIOLA >>> POP!! CRACKLE!! SPURT!!...so.. at that point.. we had been in contact every step of the way with ampeg... and they were VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL... the rep said there is NO WAY THIS COULD BE A COMPATABILITY ISSUE. due to the fact that ampeg has sold 1000s of svt3pros and 610 or 810 combos... well.. they sent a new cabinet.. thinking "OK, MAYBE WE MADE ONE LEMON' a new cabinet arrived... i hooked up my head.. and POP?CRACKLE/SPURT!!!!... it did it with the new one!!!..we found that this head does this consistently with any ampeg HLF bigger than a 410 due, we believe, to being only 450 watts for a cabinet rated 1000 watts or more... and is under powering the drivers...a 410 is rated at 500 watts so they are a very good match...... i ended up having to trade my head back in for full value and upgrading to the svt6pro... which is an equal match for the 610 cabinet...this whole process with ampeg took close to 2 months to be resolved.. (it was over christmas so i understand some of the delay)... and luckily my dealer supplied me with loaner equipment during this......so.. overall.. ampeg was a bit slow... but very certain along the way....they were helpful and accomodating... it took a long time cos ampeg wanted us to try every possibility before they shipped a whole new cabinet due to shipping costs... and all along we thought the problem was with the cabinet... not suspecting incompatability.. so.. ampeg made me happy.. it just took a while

a perfect amp for those not wanting the hassles of pure tube.. but make sure it is wattage matched to your cab!!!!!!!! gets a nine only because of the hassle it gave me with my cab.

2006 model purchased at GC. Flawlessly matches the genres we play live. Modern country, southern rock and 80's hair band stuff. Wish they would include the foot switch though. I use all the features to be versatile and it punches through the mix of the Roland keys, hammer drummer and the screaming leads we do each night. I love the belnd the tubes add and it only took me about 2 hours to find my way around the head to find my preferences of settings.

I mainly use a EB MM SR-5 which sounds awesome through this amp. I run a PR SVT 410 HLF cab and it's all I need. The line out to house sound is icing on the cake. As I stated earlier, I play a mixed genre format and this is the one to do it with. Absolutely no noise from the amp. I've used them all in the last 35 years and this is my last amp. I don't know what drugs the others posted on here were doing when they sited short comings of this product, but if they'd spent a little time with it, they may have found a real gem. I don't use a whole lot of distortion as I articulate my music and don't care for any muddy sound.

Too soon to say anything about problems.

Never used them yet. But they are just down the road from me here in St. LOuis. Kinda Handy huh?

Been playing around 35 years. I own a GK 40rbIV 210, SR-5, Ashly CL50 compressor/limiter, AKG SR40 wireless, Ampeg SVT 8060 cab, various other cabs and amps not worth mentioning. (Time for a garage sale) I don't think it's likely that I'll lose this head. If it were stolen, I'd replace it if I didn't catch the thief. (Copy down those serial #'s) I love the versitlity this amp offers over the others and the unmistakable SVT sound.

Don't wish to bother you repeating the features.. Their webiste is very up to date..

I am currently using a MusicMan Stingray 5 with an SVT 810 cab and it has the greatest tone of all the combinations i have fussed around with before... I have played on most amps manufactured and found that i still return to the ampeg everytime. As for people not saying it is loud enough, I jsut completed a tour in which I had an SVT 810 on both sides of the stage with the SVT3pro on top and could EASILY be heard anywhere on the 65' stage we were on... Clean, crisp, deep, and Warm tone anywhere i walked...

It survived a tour so far... I actually had my rack fall inside the trailer and the amp to my amazement worked flawlessly.

I had a technical question for the Company and it was answered promptly and in great detail. Awesome service. Plus the 5 year warranty is great for a mind relaxer....

I highly reccommend trying the amp and not just going off reviews.. I have tried this head with MANY cabinets and for a happy tonal match, I found the Ampeg 810 was a great compliment to it, however any cabinet i used could easily be dialed in. You won't be disappointed.

Bought in August of 2005. My band plays metalcore, at home I play most styles of rock music, some jazz and maybe a little blue grass if i'm really feeling it. This amp covers these styles very well, although I do usually run a SansAmp Bass Driver infront of the amp to shape the tone a bit more to my liking. I pretty much love everything about this amp, I utilize almost every feature; both the EQs, mute switch, DI Out, bright, hi/lo switches, tuner out.
I use this amp everywhere. Basement, jam space, studio, on the road, this head has been across western Canada so far and has shown absolutely no signs of wear or fatigue. Extremely solid, extremely reliable. I do keep it mounted in a rack case but it still gets the beats out on the road. Tube preamp w/ SS power section, 450 watts into 4 ohms, I run this head into an Ampeg 8x10. Whoever says this amp "isn't that loud" obviously has no clue how to set an EQ properly. I mean sure this amp won't rip your guts out but it is deffinetly NOT a low-powered amp. Unless you are playing stadiums, you should never have the master volume past 5. Trust me, I compete with a Marshall DSL100 and a Mesa Single Rectifier, and the bass is ALWAYS prominent.
Mine also has blue and white LEDS installed instead of the stock red and green ones.

I use this amp with a Yamaha BB614 active bass and a Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass. The sound bypassed my SansAmp is smooth and rumbling, classic Ameg tone. Seriously. Set properly, it will sound exactly like an SVT Classic. There is a decent amount of headroom, providing you have the gain controls set properly. Clean, this amp never distorts for me. When my Bass Driver is switched on, this amp turns into a fire breathing monster. I like not so much 'distortion' in my tone, but enough grit to make it really growl. Super quiet operation, not a sound. This amp is very versatile, but, no matter how you set it you will still be able to identify that signature Ampeg mid-rangey rumble. The presets in the manual will give you a good starting point, and just giver from there. My only gripe, which is very minor, is when I use my active bass, I don't press the dB switch because in my opinion it kind of casterates the amp... gets rid of its balls. I think the switch is useless, to an extent. When switching between active and passive basses I just adjust the Master to balance the volume.

I don't have a backup, I don't need one, and I don't plan on getting one. This amp is super road-worthy, solid, built like a brick $%^&house. It looks like a VCR with armored plating. Providing you have it cased, you could throw it down a set of stairs, and I can almost guarantee you the case would break before the amp itself.
I'm not totally sure if I just got a good one, but this amp has never let me down. I doubt it though, because I have talked to other bassists who have also had very good things to say about these amps.

I've never had to deal with Ampeg.
And I probably never will.

If this amp were stolen, I'd first say a prayer to the individual who stole it, because he would sure as hell want God on his side if I ever found him. I pretty much love everything about this amp, and I can't see myself amp shopping for quite a long time. I chose Ampeg because I have had great experiences with thier products, other musician's positive comments, and their reputation... Tried out some other brands, but nothing quite nailed what I was looking for... Except this one!
If you are in the market... I highly recommend you try this one out. Why do you think it has been Ampeg's best selling amp for years?
When you first plug in, however, make sure you are using an adequate 4 ohm cabinet, and crank up the Gain and Tube Gain, then work with the Master volume... trust me.. It can be decieving at first!!