from the 90's.

worth picking up?

$500 or so.

I've recently seen original V4-b and V4's for about $600 with fresh tubes. Does the reissue have any features that the old ones don't ?

I think I've seen original V4s for like 400-500, no?

Someone compared the schematics of the two?

Buy a vintage V4-b for about the same.

Are you talking about the V4BH?

I played through an 80's one when I bought my Mesa 1x15. In that brief experience, I wasn't too blown away by it in comparison to my 70's V4b.

They could probably sound decent, though I'd change it to except 6550's instead of 6L6's.

tallchris wrote:Are you talking about the V4BH?

yes.

was it much worse than a 70's one?

i hate most of the reissue stuff, period. the original ampeg V4B has 7027 output tubes stock. not 6l6's. how is that a reissue? ampeg/slm (st. louis music think crate) was bought out by mackie, or more accurately LOUD technologies. i hate mackie for many reasons, on personal and professional levels. they are not getting any better or plan to, for authorized service technicians or long term users of there endless attempts of "pro" audio products in every field they market to.

side note. at one point in time, 7027 output tubes were not made. i have an ampeg v-2(the very similiar 60 watt version of the v-4) original. at the time i bought it, 7027's were not made, i had modded it for EL34's, that lasted for about an hour, the amp broke up very soon and not in a good tight or focused or punchy or warm or tube way or clean way. i modded it for 6l6's, it was better but not relly anything to write home about, i then modded it for 6550's and felt like i started to like the amp. about the time the amp needed new output tubes, 7027's were being made. so i went back to stock. that amp sounds great and has ever since. that was the original design principal! and my long winded point is, a reissue should be a reissue to the orginal design, at least the circuit, cosmetic changes are understandable. the ampeg stuff is not the best, i'd take an original over a "reissue", hands down. everyone has a opinion, that is mine.

another side note. i just had a conversation with the technician for carr amps. he does most of my work and practice's here. his take, to confirm my rant. output tubes make a very bg difference in all tube amps.

get a good working original over a reissue. hope that helps.

hiredgeeek wrote:hope that helps.

indeed it does. thanks everyone.