Bass Gear Review

Reviewer	Ruben Reynoso
Experience	11
Review date	December 30 2001
Manufacturer	Ampeg
Model	SVT III
Price	$325 US
Item owned for	6 months to 1 year

Dimensions	19"w x 3.5"h x 17"d
Weight	35 lbs
Power	200W @8ohm, 350W @4ohm
EQ	6-band plus Bass, Mid and Treble
Other	rack mountable, with short rubber feet if not racked

I bought this amp on ebay about 6 months ago and have been in love with it ever since. I had read plenty on Ampeg and had heard from quite a few people how awesome sounding their equipment was, so when I found this one online I decided to buy it. The amp positively blows anything else I've played out of the water (Fender BXR Dual 400, Fender Bassman, Randall B-120, Crate, etc.). I love the frequency selector that adjusts the range that the midrange control affects. You can truly get any sound you want out of this amp. I play in a rock band and we run the gamut from punk to pop to reggae to jazz, and this amp performs well in all aspects. This amp even made my crappy Peavey B-Ninety bass sound good (I now play an Ibanez ATK-300 with active pickups...much nicer). The front panel includes both normal and bright inputs, volume control w/limit defeat, bal. output switch, ultra low boost, bass mid and treble controls, ultra high boost, and a 1/4" footswitch jack for the graphic EQ. The 6-band EQ also has a level slider that functions as an additional volume control when the EQ is enabled. At the rear of the unit there are both banana-plug and 1/4" speaker outputs (two of each), a polarity switch, a direct XLR out w/level control (your sound guy will love that), plus an input jack and effects send and return jacks. I just cannot say enough about the tonal qualities of this amp. There is no sound I have not been able to replicate, from the booming lows of reggae to the high end punch of Ramones-style punk tunes. Did I mention that this amp is LOUD! I run the amp through a Peavey 15" bass cab and an SWR 210 cab, and I've never had to turn the volume up past the 1/3 point. If I were to lose this amp, I would search the earth for a replacement, or buckle down and spend the serious coconuts for an SVT-350. Still, for $350, this amp was one helluva deal. If you can find one used in this price range, snap it up...you won't be sorry.

Construction	98%
(2-rack space and relatively light)
Clarity	98%
(3-12AX7's in the pre-amp are sweet!)
Versatility	100%
(Any sound you want is at your fingertips)
Volume	100%
(Will wake the dead and bore holes in concrete)
Value	100%
(Only way it could've been better is if it were free)
Overall	98%
(Best amp bar none in this price range)