Ampeg SVT-3Pro

I purchased this amp new, in December '07. The amp was made in 2007. This amp is definitley suited more to the needs of the modern rock/metal/funk player but might not suit those who require a more jazz/vintage tone. It is a hybrid amp (tube pre-amp with MOSFET power amp)and a has a 9-band graphic EQ, bass, mid and treble controls, as well as five presets. It also has DI out, effects loop and both Speakon and jack outputs. All of these features give the amp good verstaility and it is suited to small/medium sized venues. Power output is 450W @ 4ohms and 350w @ 8ohms. I generally play alt.rock/metal and it suits these styles well, and the tube pre-amp gives it a great advantage over similar sized solid state amps.

I currently play this amp through an SVT410-HLF cab. This works well as the power-handling of the cab matches the amp perfectly. I use a Fender Pbass Deluxe and '88 Stingray. Both sound excellent through the amp, although the Fender seems to have the edge in terms of getting the best out of the amp. I also use a Sansamp Bass Driver as a distortion unit and again the amp handles this well. The amp gives a lovley low-end growl with as much high as anyone would ever need, however anyone looking for softer tones might be disappointed with this unit. One other problem i have noticed is that, it seems to "clip" badly at med/high volumes when used with a passive bass! I noticed this recently during a tour with another band whose bassist used a passive SG bass. The amp sounded well, but seemed to clip whenever the player continually played over the pickup. This was not a one-off either, as it had happened to another band who also used this amp.

So far i have no complaints about this amp's reliability, I have used it at a number of gigs without a backup and it has been solid every time. It is built solidly although I would recommend the addition of a good solid rack case for added security.

I have had no direct dealings with Ampeg and i have used many of their products over the years. I tend to find that if you look after their amps, they look after you. However, I would advise anyone in europe/uk looking to buy one of these amps to be prepared for a wait. They are apparently in big demand and I was lucky to get this amp as it was a ex-shop display, otherwise I may have been waiting 3 months+ for a new one.

This amp is definitley worth the money I paid for it and if it was lost or stolen I would get another one. I got this amp as an alternative to a Tech 21 Landmark 600, which have been recently discontinued (WHY?!!) and am more than happy with it. My previous amp was an Ampeg B5R and i have also tried Peavey, Ashdown, Trace Elliot and SWR. This tops the lot!

275W @ 8ohms 450 @ 4ohms
tuner out, effects loop, ect. www.ampeg.com for all of it.

5 tubes in the pre, nice =]

i use a fender mustang 1960 RI
packs plenty of punch while still thumps the lows.

i pretty much only play rock on this head, but my friend has used it for jazz and it sounds great.

i use it currently with a peavey 410tx which is 8 ohms and the combonation sounds great... i do have to compete with 2 120W all tube peavey halfstacks, and a real loud drummer and the 275W doesnt quite cut the mustard when it comes to volume.

i did try the head out hooked up to an ampeg 810e which is 4ohms and it rocks. enough to convince me to buy an 8x10 of my own. im confident 450W with this amp will be enough.

dropped out of a truck (without a case)
still works just fine.


i bought a case shortly after though.

never had to deal with ampeg, but palen music center, where i purchased the amp was very helpful.

ive been playing for 3 or 4 years now, and currently im playing at least a show every weekend, with 2 practices a week and this amp has really done me well.

if it were lost or stolen i'd probably upgrade to the SVT-CL or a Mesa, something with a bit more output, but maybe not.

it sounds awesome, and does what its supposed to, it has the svt growl in a lightweight package.

Really versatile.I play alternative rock.One channel,effects loop and other features you can see in Ampeg's site.I use this head for practice,live and rehearsal.Plenty of power

I use a passive Mexico Fender jazz bass with Fender vintage '62 pickups.This is the real round,thick and rich bass sound i was searching for.I have tried Mesa/Boogie,Gallien Krueger,Eden,Marshall but this head wins all hands down.No distortion at high volumes

Haven't got it for along time but i know that Ampeg amps are the most relliable

Haven't dealt with them and i hope i will do

I have been playing for 10 years.I use an SWR Son Of Bertha 1x15.I would buy it again if it was stolen or lost

What to say that hasn't been said yet, check out ampeg's website.
I was looking for a head that could give me the warmth of the tubes, and some serious EQ options. That was the choice
I play different styles, by now rumba, rock, metal and so...

I love it. The sound really envolves you. I was not looking for a hi-fi sound-actually prefer the fatness and the growl, and this amp definetely kicks ass.
NO, it's not as loud as you could expect for 450w rms output.
But I fight weekly against Engl Invader+Mesa 4*12",a Marshall Valvestate+Marshall 4*10" and a psychotic drummer and never ran the master pot more than 8.5/10. No problem at all.
Matched with ampeg's 410he+15e it gives a full bodied sound.

If I ever have a grandson, I hope he has the chance to play granpa's ampeg. Only owned for 6 months but I don't think I'll need another amp.

Not needed by now

Been playin' bass for seven years, and been playin several amps, mostly a Peavey TKO115s, which was a good amp: versatile, reliable and resistant. Still own it. But when it was time to decide for a nice stack, went straight to Ampeg. This hybrid is the solution for any bassplayer who wants fullbodied, vintage bass sound. Not crystaline, but clear and very well defined low-end through a 15"+4*10". Now using an Ibanez EDB luthite, can't imagine the monster it will become with the Mayones I'm waiting for...
Expensive, yes, but after ten minutes playing you understand the price. Recommended.

Everything a bassit could want or need.

I found it hard to get a warm tone out of this amp even playing a p bass with vintage pickups through a Eden 15' cab I had no luck. For harder edged stuff this will do but you'd think with all the eq options you could get any tone.

Didn't own it long enough

I have dealt with SLM and they are excellent!

Been playing for 10yrs. Have been through a lot of gear some of which I should of kept. This amp is not one of them. Replaced this with a Genz Benz GBE 400 (a keeper) more versatile with uncolored sound that got my groove back!

All the features any bass player would need, and the best is the great tone and sweet ampeg sound! mine is the older SVT III-Pro.

Just pure Ampeg tone all the way! The preamp tubes 3x(12AX7) and the two driver tubes (12AX7, 12AU7) add to the color and tone!

Got it used and in good condition, no issues in the short time i've owned her? built like a tank but setting secured in SKB rack case.

Only time will tell?

Great people and frindly! called to ask few questions about the SVT III Pro and got my answers!

I have tried other brands of bass amps and found the Ampeg tone to be the best! You can buy a hand built bass amp and spend $2000 to $4000. But you???re just buying custom boutique Ampeg design with another manufacture name on it???the SVT classic is fantastic amp, but had to settle for the svt 3pro due to my cash flow, and I???m not disappointed, I can get the classic SVT tone and sound out of the 3pro no problem, just tweak the knobs it???s in there! Running through Ampeg BXT-410HL4 I tried the 4-pro but it just could get the classic sound like the 3-pro but still it's as loud as all hell and still sounds good.

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!!

Mine is a 2004, which I bought barely used from Ebay in 2005. You can find the features and specs on the ampeg site. I find the tube gain control, the XLR line out, and the graphic eq to be EXTREMELY useful. They all work great and make this amp very versatile in tone and also to adjust sound for the room you're in. As far as power goes, I've never had a problem with volume. Even in a loud high-gain guitar rock situation.

I play a stock American Fender P-Bass, no pedals or preamps, just straight in. That's all you need if you ask me. I use this to push a SVT-410HE and a SVT-15E. This thing sounds great without a lot of tweaking. I play in a cover band with everything from classic rock(Journey/Cream) to country/blues(Brad Paisley/SRV) to modern rock(Fuel/Alice In Chains). I need a setup that can give me lots of volume and versatility sound good in any style of music, and this amp is perfect. I love that I can crank up the tube drive for dirtier, more modern sounds (sorta like Beastie Boys Sabotoage). Or I can dial it down to mellow, fat John Paul Jones type classic rock sounds.

I can absolutely rely on this amp every week to perform for me! No backups here! I gig heavily (at least 3 nights a week - 4 hr gigs) on this thing, and I can totally vouch for the reliability. Just get a good rack case for it. I recommend the SKB rolling x-case.

Ampeg is great on service generally, though on this particular amp I've had no trouble. Authorized service centers are everywhere, it's an Ampeg, for GOD's sake!

I've been playing for 10 years or so. This is about my 4th or 5th amp setup. I was trying every brand of amp to find the right sounds, and I found that I kept on coming back to the Ampeg. I just didn't want to dish out the cash for a pro setup. IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE B-2 OR B-3, just save up your money for the SVT-IIIPRO. You won't regret it!! That tube preamp and the gain settings are well worth it. One more thing...don't buy anything but Ampeg cabninets for this. Theyr'e specifically tuned to Ampeg heads and I think you'll be disappointed in anything else.

2005 model SVT-III Pro bought at Leitz Music in Tallahassee, FL, the features are well documented so I won't bore people.

I'm giving it an 8 here because while the features are all good for what they are, combined they overcomplicate the amp IMO. For example, the mid contour dial could just as easily been a hi-mid and lo-mid control, instead you have to select what part of your mids to control, and then you can only dial that one section...which is negated by using the 9-band EQ. Personally when I'm on stage I prefer to use the dials over the parametric EQ for speed reasons...it's a lot easier to turn a knob than fiddle with a slider bar that's hard to see/read on stage.

I play a MusicMan Stingray (Ernie Ball model, 2005 made) into an Electro-Harmonix Black Finger Compressor then into the amp. I use an Ampeg SVT410 HLF cabinet with my setup. I like the sound, it's got a taste of the classic ampeg tone with a modern tinge to it...but it's not everything I had hoped it would be. I was hoping to recreate the "Classic" sound on a budget but fell short, and I'm just not ready/sold enough on Ampeg to drop the change on a CL. The amp gets an 8 here as well, but mostly because of personal taste, I prefer GK amps, I'm going to trade in my SVT for a GK.

I haven't had any problems with it. I've had the amp for roughly 7 months and it's been gigged quite frequently. I'm giving it a 9 because it has tubes, and tubes eventually wear out.

I've never dealt with ampeg.

Ampeg does a great job with their amps, but I'm just not an Ampeg guy I guess. If you're looking for classic ampeg sound with quite a bit of versatility and a modern edge, then this is a great amp, but it's not my cup of tea. I think I was mostly in awe of the ampeg name when I bought it, a mistake that I'm not making again as I've demoed the GK line a lot over an extended period of time to make sure I am 100% satisfied before I purchase one.

Addition: this is a fantastic amp that serves me very well for years, the only remark I have is that it is not linear, as tube amps opposite to s/s, I find it better the more I push it, but if you want a tube drive at low volumes, this is difficult to achieve, so you may have to add an EBS multidrive, for example, to your signal path. I find this is really a pro level head (maybe not plug'n play, but very versatile in the end). And it keeps its value...

a bit heavy, but very solid

wish ampeg makes a lightweight rackable 100/150 Watt all tube amp one day, but the svt3 is the best compromise so far in my opinion

Has all the features I wanted and needed: Tube Pre-Amp, 9-band EQ, and lots of great sound.

This amp puts out a huge amount of sound for the rating. There is plenty of definition, in all ranges, and compared to the other amps I have tried this one rocks! Read the amp user-guide; their suggested set-up is a good starting point. Once you set it up, tweak it from there.

I have driven this thing everywhere and play liong, 4-hour sets. This amp has never given me a problem! Not one! If you want an amp that can take a beating, then buy this one!

Never talked with them.

I run this amp with an AMPEG SVT 410HLN and need nothing else. I have no backup; I don't need it! This si the most reliable and the best sounding amp I have even played! Perfect for the club setting.

Have this amp for 5 months now and my rig is this head with an Ampeg BXT 410 HL 4 Cabinet. I play Death Metal and this amp is so great, I will never use another brand. I've been searching for a great amp and tested many "loud sounding" amps but the point is, how louders amps can go, the more articulation is getting lost. I've tested SWR, H&K, Peavey, Hartke, Behringer,Yorkville... and these amps are really loud. I admit, they were louder then the Ampeg but their sound are nothing compared with this baby! This Ampeg sounds like a hartbeat pumping like a train through the music and I feel the bass penetrating my body... amazing! The other brands were not bad but for example: Fret one on my B string sounded the same as fret 9 on the B string. So, that's wasn't anything for what I was searching for. This ampeg... Kills all competition.

The sound is brilliant. It has also a lot to do with my cab that I'm using. The BXT 410 cab has a more crystal sounding modern sound that the classic SVT cabs. I also play some bass solo's in a few of our songs and the BXT cab can take it all and I can hear every single note that I'm playing. With the SVT cab, it sounded more like mud and all the notes sounded the same. The Ampeg produces 300 watts output (450 watt's is the Preamp section wattage but the eventually output is 300 watt's) and that's more then enough to cope with my drummer. A gig's, I hook my rig to the P.A. system and it's really amazing to hear such a clear and fantastic sounding bassguitar!

Never had any problems so far. As far as transport, my rig is really roadworthy. This head can take a beating (is builed like a tank) but I always take good care of it. The only problem is that my cab weighs about 122 pounds, so it asks for a two men job to lift it. Further more, no problems.

Nice people to mail with, respond very quick and a very friendly service desk. Compared with H&K, Hartke and Yorkville (They've never heard of customer support) they rule!

This amp is simply brilliant. I don't understand the bad reputation this amp has (check Bgra.net, talkbass.com, ZZounds, music123,...). Many people complain that this amp isn't loud enough... I've never heard such a brutal amp. It's a piece of art and I hope that Ampeg will keep on producing these wonderfull amps in the future to come.

This like many others is a follow up review. I don't think the features need to be gone over because it has been listed. All I know is there is a lot more then I need on this amp. So I don't have a problem with the features. If any thing too much. I don't ever use the 9 band eq anymore.

Over the years I have grown to enjoy a set up that is nice and simple, well kind of. I have also been trying to shrink it a bit. I fell in love with p-basses like everyone else a few years ago and I don't see any turning back from that. When I was playing punk it didn't seem loud enough but now that I am playing more rock I feel like I can't turn it up to my ideal volume because it is too loud. I think it sounds best with the master turned up three quarters of the way. I don't have problems with distortion that is why you have a peak light and a gain. I do run a compressor and a BBE sonic maximizer with this amp, I find that a sonic maximizer is a must for any amp.

I have played this amp with all sorts of combinations. Ampeg svt 410hlf, Svt 810e, swr goliath II, Aguilar 210, and currently I am running an Ashdown ABM 210 and ABM 115. These cabs are small and light. I liked the 810 but they lose their appeal when you have to deal with them yourself. I'll get one if I ever have a roady untill then I am keeping it small. The other advantage with the 210 and 115 is that combined they have a 600 watt rating and the ampeg puts out 450 and so it is the closet I have ever ran to matching the ratings and it sounds real good.

This is really where this amp shines. I have been very hesitant to get rid of it because it has never given me a single problem in six years. I haven't even had to replace the preamp tubes. I just open it up every so often and clean the dust out. It's like a tank.

Don't know, there amps are so good that and reliable that I haven't had any questions.

I got an amazing deal on this amp. It was a demo model that was used for one weekend at a jazz festival. I paid 599 I think which is a great price for it new. I have bought a few different amps over the years to replace this amp with but they just don't stand up to it. This amp isn't for everyone. But you get a lot for a little in my opinion. The only other ampeg that I would buy above this is an SVT CL. I hate the hi fi sound and this amp isn't hi fi although you could probably get a hi fi sounds from it. This amp is so versitile that it will get you where you need to go for the most part. I don't really plan on upgrading unless I get lucky and play in a band that gets lots of money.

Have this amp for three years now. Still very happy with it. To find all features: please go to http://www.ampeg.com

I play death metal and use a SVT 610 HLF cab with this head. No problems whatsoever. My drummer is very fast and hits like a maniac and my guitarplayer uses a brutal Marshall JCM 2000 with a Vintage 1960 cabinet. I can keep up with my bandmates with no problems. My sound is shapeble from ultra low to sharp and crystal clear. Concerning about the volume. This head creates 300 watt's instead of the stated 450 watt's. The pre-amp delivers 450 watt but the outcome is 300 watt. This is the reason why many people find this amp to be so silent. But I'm extremely happy with it. At rehearsels, zero problems and at gigs, we hook our gear up at the P.A. (that's why it's there) and I can blast with no problems.

Five tubes, one blew on me a couple of months ago. Had to wait 4 days and a new tube was present at the musicstore where I go. Further more, no problems.

Haven't got in tough with them. I always go to my dealer.

This head is really great. When I read the other reviews (especially the negative ones) I wunderd what could be wrong with this great head. The sometimes farting sounds, which the SVT III Pro creates at very high volumes, I never dealth with it. I never turn my amp pass 5 or 6 because then my rig is getting to loud at the rehearsel space. I bury the drums and the guitars. If you want a great tube amp, go ampeg and get the SVT III Pro. If you use the 610 HLF, you have a very extreme setup at which only the loudest guitaramps can compete with. Think twice before buying it because the complaint can be from your bandmates that your amp is just to loud! You're warned! The price is extremely economic. Bought my complete rig for 2500 euro. 1350 for the head, 1150 for my cab!!!!!!

Bought it a few days ago. Is the tube verion of the solid state B2R but has more features and more power (louder!). For all the information, go to www.ampeg.com and check the products section. I'm very happy with this amp. Sold my hughes and Kettner Bassforce XXL combo to buy the ampeg SVT III PRo head with an Ampeg BXT 410HL4 cabinet (see other review). Wow! What a difference. The HK sounded like a toy compared with this monster of a rig.

The sound is simply brilliant. I've heard many people complain about the SVT III Pro that it isn't loud enough. I don't agree at all with them. With my rig, I can stand loud and proud against two marshall JCM 2000 halfstacks and a trigger loving drummer. The head can produce 450 watts, the cab is 600 watts. If that isn't loud enough... whatever! The sound is really thick, fat and you can shape it into a sharp sounding mayhem. Thanks to all the features of the amp, you can shape your sound into almost anything you want. Thanks to the BXT cab (which is one of best cabs around) the sound is crystal clear and it has a wunderfull articulation. The SVT cab's have tons of low end but the sounds were often very muddy. The BXT cab's are in my opionion way better then the SVT cabs (and are also a little bit more expensive). This is how a bassguitar should sound like. My Yamaha basses (BB5IIL and TRB1005L) love the ampeg rig. It's just a fantastic head.

The tube's (3 if I'm correct) sound like they mean buisiness. Haven't got any problems so far but I've got a really great dealer who is really devoted and he can get replacement tube's from Ampeg without any problems and for a really good price (not like mesa. They use russian tubes, which are worth 25 euro's and the put their logo on it and sell it for 110 euro's. Way to go mesa).

Well, haven't dealth with them yet.

Extremely great head. A think I will never have to buy a new amp for the next 20 or 30 years. This amp is without any doubt the best of the best. Loud, fat, punshy, clear, brutal, growling,... you name it. It can do it all for you!!! The price is a little bit high but the amp makes it really worth it. If it would be stolen... I would get the person who stole it and let him pay the total amount to me so that I can buy the same amp again.

Just an addition to previous: Use the low mid! (mid control 1st position) boost it 3 o'clock with the tubegain on O, bass 3, treble 10 o'clock (w/horn) all the rest off (except the eq for boosted parts, or the low/hi boosts when you slap) and then you will hear that tubes you are looking for (if you push the gain and master a little of course, because tube amps are not linear): I've got this head for 2years and a half (no probs), and found it too clean (trying to get a vintage sound with a "smiley curve" eq makes no sense) until I had the key: now I know I have a true Ampeg, with added versatility. It is a great improvement in heard power too (I used to find it weak for the 450w, I don't anymore). You have to know such an amp well before judging it (ahem)