Sounds so good! I had an Ampeg SVT Classic, 300 watts from 6 power tubes. There came a time that I could not even hold a bass guitar or any guitar due to an accident. Very serios injuries. I sold 75% of my studio because I could not use the gear. Fast forward from 2007 to 2019 and I am back! I can play again. I do special exercises twice a day, 365 day's a year and it is helping me so much. Anyway this PF-50T sounds good. -Peter
This head is amazing and contrary to the rest of the comments I really love it being reviewed with a Stingray as I'm a Stingray player and disco music lover.
Agreed. The bass he is using sound bad. Super hot pickup plus active circuit into a "vintage "style amplifier and some boutique rich mans microphone. A passive bass like a p bass and a couple sm57s would be more likable to me
@@chrisbassman3936 1979 Stingray is the only actual vintage thing is this whole review. Lotta players made them sound pretty good, just not here… but yes, bring the P
Excellent explanation! I dreamt of a SVT since I was 18. But for recording without a loud ventilator this little beast is better. It sounds the same to my ears....
I think you missed a BIG feature of this bass: you can get the power tubes working really hard for compression and warmth, and use the transformer direct out to record that sound. It'd have made sense to also show a minute or two worth of P and J bass.
Thx for your insightful and well played review of the Ampeg PF-50T ..cheers and merry christmas and a happy new year ..! .. Joyeux noël et bonne année ..!
Not really sure how you can review an amp with this lineage and history and not use a P-bass with flat wound strings. I mean that IS the setup. At the very least use a passive bass so we can actually hear what the amp is doing without the bass electronics coloring the tone. I would also agree that with an amp like this it would probably be ideal to just hear the microphone signal straight from the speaker. But that's just me. Having used Ampegs before, specifically the PF series, I can tell you I am not a fan of the Lo and Hi switches. For this amp in particular I would say leave them off. I did like the overdrive tones though. Fortunately I will be performing through one of these at the Ampeg booth at NAMM next weekend. Maybe I'll chime in again after I've gotten my hands on one.
And everyone is watching (listening) to this on UA-cam which over-Compresses the audio and colors the sound anyway along with most everyone's speakers on their PCs/Laptops or crappy headphones. Most all reviews on the sound of something on the internet must be taken with a grain of salt. You want to hear something, go out to a store and play on it.
Oh there is. Bass purists with stereotypical pbass with flatwounds. Never noticed till my friend told me that there allways will be somebody who will brag about it xD
I have one and I love it. IMHO it is the best bass amp on the market. If you turn up the gain, does the pre/post-EQ DI really stay clean? I never tried this.
I agree with previous comments that there's too much talk, not enough actual demo. Why not use a couple of different basses? This video didn't sell me on it. I was greatly disappointed.
Why did they not do what was necessary to have an effects loop. That would have made it the ultimate portable bass amp head. Ampeg are you listening? :)
There is a green and a red light. When the amp is powered on, one or the other shall be illuminated depending on the condition of the tubes. Obviously the green bulb is a little lose so when he tapped the chassis it made contact and then illuminated. It should have been illuminated constantly from when he powered up the amp. So nothing wrong with the amp other than a bulb not screwed all the way into it's socket.
Good observation. Yup loooks like new Ampeg shit. I had a SVT7 pro. Shit sizzled like an omelet was cooking unless you smacked it, and then came back. Replaced it and the power just mysteriously died. Amp repair guy said there was crap components in it. Never got it back. 700 bucks down the toilet
@@angelalancaster7176 That is far more than natural tube compression. Could be what Jim says below. I've played SVT's, V-4B's and B-15-N's since 1972. I know that this amp can be set to sound much better than this.
Such a great review. However I don't get why you would only use a vintage music man bass? I love interviews this I depth but using an active bass doesnt serve amp demos well. P or J should be standard just because it's such a great point of reference. The music man did sounded fantastic though
+tim starkey Maybe they're only capturing the transformer DI signal which has no EQ? He did unplug the instrument cable during the back panel exploration part and we never saw it plugged back in. Granted, that isn't conclusive evidence, just guessing.
This guy always does crappy "reviews" of bass products. No way he is a Bassist, he is a guitarist faking it. You can hear it in how he addresses the instrument. He plays like a guitarist, doubtful that he will lay back in the pocket.
Sorry. This demo is a fail if you like the amp and you're interested in actually selling it us. But don't feel bad... Ampegs actual demos of this head are also pretty gutless. Which causes me to wonder.... Does the amp truly suck and are my expectations too high? In this age of online demos and sales, the industry needs to step up and represent.
in todays world, we have amazing bass amps, preamps, etc. but must say: THIS AMP IS OVERPRICE. at that price you can buy a bass, and an really good amp.
I only watch you Steve!! Bohlinger can take a Hike!! I like Guitar reviews I'm sick of his Blues playing and not giving up straight up Demo of rock and metal!! Anyway I'm a bass player!! Bass rig-downs would good if you can do them!!
Made in China so I shall pass. Too bad as I like the concept. I had an SVT Classic 300 watt tube amp but neck, shoulder and back injuries forced me to stop playing bass for 10 years. now I'm back. I was hoping to downsize.
Sounds so good! I had an Ampeg SVT Classic, 300 watts from 6 power tubes. There came a time that I could not even hold a bass guitar or any guitar due to an accident. Very serios injuries. I sold 75% of my studio because I could not use the gear.
Fast forward from 2007 to 2019 and I am back! I can play again. I do special exercises twice a day, 365 day's a year and it is helping me so much.
Anyway this PF-50T sounds good.
-Peter
This head is amazing and contrary to the rest of the comments I really love it being reviewed with a Stingray as I'm a Stingray player and disco music lover.
Cool amp. Would have loved to hear it with a Fender Precision bass!
Absolutely!!!!!!!! , pbass all the way!
jup
Agreed. The bass he is using sound bad. Super hot pickup plus active circuit into a "vintage "style amplifier and some boutique rich mans microphone. A passive bass like a p bass and a couple sm57s would be more likable to me
@@chrisbassman3936 1979 Stingray is the only actual vintage thing is this whole review. Lotta players made them sound pretty good, just not here… but yes, bring the P
Agreed. PBass
Excellent explanation! I dreamt of a SVT since I was 18. But for recording without a loud ventilator this little beast is better. It sounds the same to my ears....
this amp is a beast!!! I just recorded my bass on our new album with it + 15" Cab, and it delivers!!!!
I think you missed a BIG feature of this bass: you can get the power tubes working really hard for compression and warmth, and use the transformer direct out to record that sound. It'd have made sense to also show a minute or two worth of P and J bass.
Thx for your insightful and well played review of the Ampeg PF-50T ..cheers and merry christmas and a happy new year ..! .. Joyeux noël et bonne année ..!
Every time you lay off of the ultra low, it rules even harder. Killer amp.
Not really sure how you can review an amp with this lineage and history and not use a P-bass with flat wound strings. I mean that IS the setup. At the very least use a passive bass so we can actually hear what the amp is doing without the bass electronics coloring the tone. I would also agree that with an amp like this it would probably be ideal to just hear the microphone signal straight from the speaker. But that's just me.
Having used Ampegs before, specifically the PF series, I can tell you I am not a fan of the Lo and Hi switches. For this amp in particular I would say leave them off. I did like the overdrive tones though. Fortunately I will be performing through one of these at the Ampeg booth at NAMM next weekend. Maybe I'll chime in again after I've gotten my hands on one.
+Harry Wirth Exactly!!
Why? Are kids playing upright bass?
And everyone is watching (listening) to this on UA-cam which over-Compresses the audio and colors the sound anyway along with most everyone's speakers on their PCs/Laptops or crappy headphones. Most all reviews on the sound of something on the internet must be taken with a grain of salt. You want to hear something, go out to a store and play on it.
jon morey mine does
Oh there is. Bass purists with stereotypical pbass with flatwounds. Never noticed till my friend told me that there allways will be somebody who will brag about it xD
i swear Steve plays so many active basses just to troll us
I have one and I love it. IMHO it is the best bass amp on the market. If you turn up the gain, does the pre/post-EQ DI really stay clean? I never tried this.
I agree with previous comments that there's too much talk, not enough actual demo. Why not use a couple of different basses? This video didn't sell me on it. I was greatly disappointed.
Why did they not do what was necessary to have an effects loop. That would have made it the ultimate portable bass amp head. Ampeg are you listening? :)
Lol @4:43 he taps the chassis and the bias light turns on. What.
Reverend179 yah, just barely touch the amp and then you have to re bias the tubes. Awesome! 🤔🙄
There is a green and a red light. When the amp is powered on, one or the other shall be illuminated depending on the condition of the tubes. Obviously the green bulb is a little lose so when he tapped the chassis it made contact and then illuminated. It should have been illuminated constantly from when he powered up the amp. So nothing wrong with the amp other than a bulb not screwed all the way into it's socket.
Good observation. Yup loooks like new Ampeg shit. I had a SVT7 pro. Shit sizzled like an omelet was cooking unless you smacked it, and then came back. Replaced it and the power just mysteriously died. Amp repair guy said there was crap components in it. Never got it back. 700 bucks down the toilet
where is all the compression coming from?
bumpdunlop the tubes.
And youtube. And your computer/speakers/headphone preamp, whatever.
@@angelalancaster7176 That is far more than natural tube compression. Could be what Jim says below. I've played SVT's, V-4B's and B-15-N's since 1972. I know that this amp can be set to sound much better than this.
I love ampeg bass amps.
I swear by my pro 3 head and 4x10 cab
Can that 12au be safely swapped for a higher gain 12a_ tube?
It's already got a huge amount of gain. Even with passive bass, you can get super-distorted.
Thats one of the worst bass tones on youtube. An active stingray through this amp??? Gees sounded like a mosquito.
What do you mean? It sounded great!
Sounded good to me
The amp doesn't sound that bad in real life applications. Too bad the sound here is nothing like what you hear when you use a passive instrument.
can we hear some sound. pls....
Cool amp indeed - instead we get talk, talk, talk, talk, etc.
E. F. yeah true but finally i know that i can use a small amp to play in my garage, that was an eye opener to me
I want a bass to be bassy not bright...thundering!
you gotta think about how it needs to cut through the mix, though
+David Ellefson Yeah every note on the G string here sounded so harsh and bright, like it was a guitar.
Such a great review. However I don't get why you would only use a vintage music man bass? I love interviews this I depth but using an active bass doesnt serve amp demos well. P or J should be standard just because it's such a great point of reference. The music man did sounded fantastic though
Hey what about the Aguilar cab with the PF 50t. Or the 15 amperage Pfizer 115
... Vintage Metalguys with a Stingray ;-)
I always hear people say that these sound just like a b15, but they don't. They sound like a basic DI rather than the gritty/bassy b15.
why does this demo sound so bad? i know itsva great amp but i expected to hear more. sounded like a headphone amp or something
+tim starkey Maybe they're only capturing the transformer DI signal which has no EQ? He did unplug the instrument cable during the back panel exploration part and we never saw it plugged back in. Granted, that isn't conclusive evidence, just guessing.
+Evan Bradley thats as good an explanation as i woukd need. i just thought it would sound exceptional and was kind of shocked
This guy always does crappy "reviews" of bass products. No way he is a Bassist, he is a guitarist faking it. You can hear it in how he addresses the instrument. He plays like a guitarist, doubtful that he will lay back in the pocket.
Needs a P bass!
Music man sounds like an egg slicer!
And this is why I can't trust bass demos anymore.. Too many people think like this.
Sorry. This demo is a fail if you like the amp and you're interested in actually selling it us. But don't feel bad... Ampegs actual demos of this head are also pretty gutless. Which causes me to wonder.... Does the amp truly suck and are my expectations too high? In this age of online demos and sales, the industry needs to step up and represent.
That mic cost more that the bass and the amp
in todays world, we have amazing bass amps, preamps, etc. but must say: THIS AMP IS OVERPRICE. at that price you can buy a bass, and an really good amp.
bflo1000 yes! technology always moves forward... better and light
What tube amp would you recommend that is better then this? And as cheap as this ?
Great tshirt!
I only watch you Steve!! Bohlinger can take a Hike!! I like Guitar reviews I'm sick of his Blues playing and not giving up straight up Demo of rock and metal!! Anyway I'm a bass player!! Bass rig-downs would good if you can do them!!
sounds flubby and muddy. i'm dissapointed : (
It looks like a stove 🤣🤣
Suena horrible..
Sounds like a wet fart.
Made in China so I shall pass. Too bad as I like the concept. I had an SVT Classic 300 watt tube amp but neck, shoulder and back injuries forced me to stop playing bass for 10 years. now I'm back. I was hoping to downsize.
Sounds horrible
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a bass sound that bad
I know, sounds like it's broken.