How to Best Adjust the Ampeg SVP-PRO for Bass Guitar Tones

Ampeg's SVP bass amp allows users to dial in a variety of settings.

Some brand names are long synonymous with rock n' roll. One such name is amplifier manufacturing giant Ampeg, the choice of many of history's most revered bass players. The company's SVP line offers plenty in the way of settings: Drive boosts the signal's properties, the Ultra Hi and Lo options add additional boost to the highs or lows, Treble and Mid-Range create more nuance to the notes, Bass drops in more low-end and Frequency is Ampeg's preset control that add or boost according to the previously mentioned controls.

Things You'll Need

• Scratch paper (optional)
• Pencil (optional)

Instructions

1. Turn the Gain knob on the far left of the control face until the red Peak LED indicator lights up. Press the BRT (bright) button inward on the Ultra Lo/Bright option. Turn the Drive, Treble and Mid-Range knobs to the right to about the 5 or 6 setting and turn Bass to 9. Turn Frequency to 4, and leave both Ultra Hi/EQ buttons Out. This is the preferred setting for rock, as they create an aggressive, even tone thanks largely to the Drive knob, which adds more gain to the oncoming signal.

2. Turn the Gain again to see the LED light. Press the top Ultra Lo button in, turn the Drive all the way to the left (zero), Bass to 8, Mid-Range to 4, Treble to 6 and Frequency to 3. Press the Ultra Hi button inward. This is the setting best suited for finger-funk and slap due to the presence of highs with a strong touch of treble, which gives notes better "snap" and allows the bass to be heard better in the mix.

3. Turn the Gain to see the LED light, press the Ultra Lo inward, Drive to zero, Bass to 5, Mid-Range to 3, Treble to 5 and Frequency to 3. Leave the Ultra Hi buttons out. This sets the head to Jazz mode, creating nice, smooth even tones that are neither too dark nor too bright thanks to the settings which are fairly even across the tonal spectrum.

4. Turn the Gain to see the red LED light again, then press the Ultra Lo button inward. Set Drive to zero, Bass to 5, Mid-Range to 3, Treble to 5 and Frequency to 2. Leave the buttons on the Ultra Hi out. This setting better serves bassists who play country music, who prefer an evenness in their tones similiar to that of jazz bassists. Country bass is more about being felt than heard, and the absence of Drive and inclusion of the Ultra Lo serves this purpose.

Tips & Warnings

• Write down your settings on a piece of scratch paper for ease of reference.

• Make small, incremental adjustments to your preferred setting while on the gig to fine-tune the amp to fit the acoustics of the room.

References

• Ampeg; SVP Owner's Guide (PDF)