Ampeg SS-70

This is a well endowed amp, loaded with 2 channels. One clean, the other for high gain/distortion. 2 inputs, a/c outlet, 12" Ampeg speaker, effects loop, line out for extention speaker, spring reverb with controls for each channel, headphone output, foot switchable, 70 loud watts output.
Great for seemingly any style of music. This is a solid state amp but I have to say that it really has very good tube emulation. I was very lucky in finding this in a local music shop and was able to walk out after paying just $25. How about a big "High Five"? This amp was one produced back in the 80's. They didn't have a very long production run but are great amps.

This can be a pretty brutal amp since it seems to have alot of power. I really like the tone I can get using my Samick SMJ13CE solid body acoustic. It has a body like a Les Paul with same look and feel but has great acoustic sound. Humbuckers and Single Coils sound great thru this amp. There might be a slight hiss but at very low volume. The ss70 seems cleaner than what I can squeeze out of my Fender Stage 112. Distortion is pretty high gain and comes thru with lots of chunk. I'll hold onto this amp because it has the best clean channel I've ever heard. Like the overdrive too.

This particular amp has been used a good bit and I thought I might have it gone thru just to make sure it's functioning at its peek. It's got a querk or two but seems to be a very stout piece of gear.

No idea......can't say.....no experience in this category.

I've been playing gtr for over 20 years...since the 60's. I would have to find another one of these if this one died on me. They are still out there, just harder to find. Love the Tone just wish it were a little lighter. I have several amps, Rocktron 2x12, Peavey 110, Peavey TG Raxx tube preamp, Peavey Mark 3 mixer, Alamo Capri, Fender Stage 112se, Behringer ACX 1000, Epi Valve Special, Epi Valve Jr., Silvertone 1481, and of course the Ampeg SS-70. I was totally surprised with this amp since I didn't really test it out in the store. Think the store owner thought this thing was really screwed. His loss, My Gain. If you find a clean-one, better grab it. Think I'll look for a good deal on another.

My Ampeg SS-70 is a 1988 model that I bought from Hadley Hockensmith,lead guitarist for Neil Diamond the last 25 years.Hadley had some nice casters installed,and other than myself swapping out the original Ampeg speaker for a Celestion G12T-100,it's pretty much stock.

I really like the seperate EQ sections and how each channel has it's own gain,volume and reverb controls.The effects loop works well with my time based effects pedals [reverbs and delays].My SS-70 can get quite loud and offers good sound projection.The reverb can be switched off and on via a footswitch.One cool thing is how this solid-state combo has a fairly large transformer and heatsink on the amp's chasis...just like on a tube amp.

The second [clean] channel is cool because one can get really clean,sparkling tones to gritty blues rock textures with the gain control.Fat jazz tones to superb blues shades are easy to get with just a little tweaking of the flexible EQ and the gain settings.The nice sounding reverb adds nice depth and ambience to the show.

The first [high gain] channel can get downright sinister and wicked,giving the SS-70 kind of a "wolf in sheep's clothing" appeal.The higher gain settings can indeed get quite brutal and over the top.The ultra-mid control is extremely flexible,allowing everything from scooped mid death metal to midrange heavy classic rock tones and textures.The Celestion G12T-100 gives the distortion tones even more focus and teeth.Backing down on the gain and tweaking the EQ can yeild some nice blues and "old school" rock tones,as well.

Hadley had it for several years,using it on a couple Neil Diamond albums and on a tour or two,and it had given him no problems.I expect more of the same.It feels real sturdy and it has some serious heft for a solid-state 1-12" combo...plus no tubes to worry about.

SLM/Ampeg/Crate have always been helpful when contacting about manuals and schematics...or for just general questions about gear.

This SS-70 was a real find,as I have always liked my son's Ampeg VH-140C combo...just not it's weight and size.The SS line was what would evolve into the VH line...basically the same sound and circuitry.The somewhat oversized SS-70 really fits my need for a flexible and great sounding solid-state 1-12" combo.Btw,I find that I like the overall tone of the clean and high gain channels with my guitars with vintage output pickups,like my Duncan Antiquity loaded Washburn CT3 and Fender custom Strat with Custom Shop Vintage '54 pickups...just sounds and feels more open and organic to my ears.

I was given the oppurtunity to purchase this amp at a greatly reduced price in 1986 through an endorsement deal with Ampeg. I was teaching guitar and performing in schools as a Bright New Worlds featured artist. The manager of the Music store where I taught arranged the endorsement deal for me. The amp listed for $700 and I paid $225. I love this amp. It is a 70 watt RMS solid state 1 x 12 two channel combo. The lead channel has the absolute best distortion sound I have ever heard. When I gigged, other guitarists would constantly ask what kind of pedal I was using. The clean channel has a pull/ bright switch on the gain knob and is just that - Very Clean. The amp also has reverb, an effects loop and line out/HP jack. It also has a foot switch for channel and reverb.

I played Classic Rock, Motown, Blues, Grunge, and Metal in my Power Trio back in the day, and my SS 70 always delivered. I eventually removed the amp from the original cabinet and made a head enclosure for it. I run it along with a '62 Fender Tremolux head through a Fender Bandmaster 4 x 12 cab. I run the Ampeg through the top speakers and the Fender through the bottom. My main axe is a '86 Ibanez Pro Line V with dual blade humbuckers - very hot. I also have a '75 Gibson Marauder with a neck humbucker and a bridge single coil - very Tele sounding. A full range of distortion sounds can be obtained from the lead channel, but I like it best with full gain, full bass, mids @ 12 o'clock, full treble and the reverb maxxed. The Master volume is usually set at between 11 o'clock and 2 o'clock for gigs, depending on how loud the drums are. It gets a little hissy when idling so I sometimes roll back the gain a notch or two. The clean channel is very crystal sounding. I like it best with the bright switch on, the gain @ 11 o'clock, bass @ 2 o'clock, mids @ 1 o'clock, treble @ 3 o'clock and reverb maxxed. Master Volume is set @ around 11 o'clock. If you crank up the gain much past 2 o'clock, it will start to break up and start to sound like an old KUSTOM amp.

This amp broke down one time when my vintage AC powered Morley power wah shorted out and sent 120 volts to the input. I'm an Electronics Tech by trade and was able to repair it. But it was badly damaged. The pre-drivers and output transisters needed to be replaced as well as the channel switching transistors. This was not a fault of the amp and it is still going strong almost 15 years after that "tragic night" I was without a back-up that night and the band had to break for an hour while I scrounged up an amp to borrow from a friend at another club nearby. I would never be without a back-up again.

St. Louis Music is a good company. I have only dealt with them on the PR side. The amp was well out of warranty when it broke. I bought a little Crate 15 watt amp made by them a few years ago. I'm happy with that one too.

I've been playing guitar since 1970. I have a '74 Epiphone 130 acouistic w/ a D'armond p/u, a '75 Gibson Marauder, an '80 Hyak (a very rare hand made electric guitar simalar to an Alembic) an '86 Ibanez PR 1660 V (like a Randy Rhoades V) and an '01 Ibanez 7 string. In addition to the Ampeg, I have a '62 Fender Tremolux and a Crate GFX 15. Effects include a vintage MXR overdrive, a vintage Morley power Wah, a Boss analog delay, Boss octave, Boss stereo chorus, a Stevens stereo chorus and an Alesis digital reverb unit. I also have two Samson wireless units for guitar and vocals. The vocal unit uses a Crown headset mic. If my Ampeg were ever lost or stolen, I would find another. I Love This Amp!!

I BELIEVE THIS AMP WAS MADE IN 1988. IT HAS SEPERATE VOLUMES AND EQ'S FOR EACH CHANNEL, WHICH IS A REALLY NICE FEATURE. HAS A REVERB CONTROL FOR EACH CHANNEL, ALSO NICE. HAS EFFECTS LOOP, HEADPHONE JACK, EXTENSION SPEAKER JACK. HAS AN ULTRA MID CONTROL WHICH YOU CAN ADD ALOT OF MIDS, OR SCOOP THEM FOR THE POPULAR METAL SOUNDS. THIS AMP HAS 70 WATTS INTO A AMPEG SPEAKER, WHICH I REPLACED WITH A CELESTION SPEAKER TAKEN FROM ANOTHER AMP, WHICH IMPROVED THE SOUND AND POWER SOMEWHAT.

SINCE THIS IS SOLID STATE, IT DOES NOT GET A REALLY GREAT TUBE SOUND, BUT IN THINK IT'S A GREAT AMP FOR ROCK OR METAL, SINCE THE SOLID STATE DISTORTION SOUNDS GOOD IN THIS AREA, HAS ALOT OF GAIN. I THINK WHERE THIS AMP REALLY SHINES THOUGH, IS IN THE CLEAN SOUNDS. WITH THE SEPERATE GAIN AND MASTER ON EACH CHANNEL, AND EQ'S FOR EACH CHANNEL, YOU CAN DIAL IN A GREAT CLEAN SOUND.

I HAVE USED THIS AMP FOR 10 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM YET. I STILL GIG WITH THIS AMP, SO IT'S REALLY BEEN ROAD TESTED. ALTHOUGH I USED TO LIKE THE DIRTY CHANNEL, I HAVE LATELY GONE TO OTHER MEANS OF GETTING DISTORTION, LATELY USING A DOD OVERDRIVE PLUS PEDAL, AND SINCE 2 WEEKS AGO I'M USING AN ADA MP-1 AS A PREAMP INTO THE AMPEG WHICH SEEMS TO SOUND PRETTY GOOD BUT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL.

I NEVER DEALT WITH AMPEG, BUT I HEAR THAT THEY ARE OWNED BY ST. LOUIS MUSIC, WHO ALSO OWNS CRATE.

OVERALL, I WOULD RATE THIS AMP HIGH, FOR THE PRICE I PAID, I THINK I GOT MY MONEY'S WORTH WITH NO REPAIR PROBLEMS AND THAT FACT THAT THIS AMP SOUNDS PRETTY DARN GOOD.