Ampeg V4.com

in the ampeg behind the sound book there is a section on dating ampeg's and it says that the blue control panel graphics were used from 1968-1972.

I'v never seen a bluelined V4, only SVT's. Im not sure but I always thought all the V series amps used black lined controls.

hangman wrote:

Yes they made blueline V4s.   I have worked on many. 
I think the blueline era goes back to mid to late 69.

Thanks so much for this valuable information hangman... It really helps me. Now I know to wait it out until I find a Blueline V4, and not give in and buy a "Blackline". I know there really is no difference, I just have a "Blueline" fetish when it comes to these old Ampeg Amps, and in my "Blueline" collection I really wanted to add a V4, but due to not seeing one for years, I was beginning to wonder if they were ever made. Now thanks to you, I know they actually exist ! lol - So I will wait grasshopper, Ahhhh, I will wait.

Hangman, if perchance you come across another one, and it happens to be for sell (or willing to be for sell), could you please contact me ? I would appreciate that.

ROBO wrote:

in the ampeg behind the sound book there is a section on dating ampeg's and it says that the blue control panel graphics were used from 1968-1972.

Great info ROBO, thanks for chiming in and letting me know this.  Thats a way bigger year bracket than I thought. I wonder if that is a "blanket statement" on the year, and really on some models it was a smaller year bracket, and between them all it was between 1968-1972, cause I swear I seen a 1971 V4 that was a Blackline.... BUT the owner could have been wrong about the year maybe ??

Either way, thanks guys !!!

hangman wrote:

The problem is Dating the V4, the serial numbers give you no clue as to when the amp was built.

Ahhh haaaa, that clears the air for me on what happened. I bet the "Blackline" V4 I seen that the owner was claiming to be a 1971 was not a 1971, and he was just wrong about the year is all. Then that just confused me.

hangman wrote:

the blueline era as robo mentioned is 68-72,  but the v4 was only in production for about half of that time.

This makes sense why they are rarely seen. The already small year bracket shrinks even more when dealing with V4's. You have to catch a 1970-early 1972 V4. Thats less than 2 years really. Cool, I get it now.

hangman wrote:

other thing you could do... just get a blackline v4 and replace the faceplate with a reproduction blueline faceplate from fliptops. The early blackline amps are exactly the same,  just different color faceplate.

Now that I have thought of, but 2 things really turn me off about that. Besides being a player, I am also a collector, and doing that just is not authentic, then I have no "showcase" in a sense. Also, I completely looked into them faceplates and (backplates too) at Fliptops, and they are not exactly the same. The main cheesy issue I have with the Blueline reproduction faceplates that are way obvious (in person) and stick out like a sore thumb to any halfway collector, is, the blue lined graphics on a original plate are engraved a touch, then that engraving is painted blue. On the Fliptop reproductions, it is not engraved at all, just smooth flat metal and blue lines painted over it.

But thanks for the idea, I just went over that a year or so ago, and when I actually seen one I was very unimpressed. I then called down there at Fliptops to ask about it, and verify that is how they are made, and see if there happened to be another version or something and I would gladly pay more, and he said those are the way they make them for expense reasons, and they can not and will not ever make one to exact original specifications for me. - Oh well.

I have a blueline VT-22 chassis mounted in a V-4 style cabinet.  Does my amp count?  It came with plastic knobs with chrome centers like the old B-25 knobs.

Hey off topic here, but, what the heck are these black boxed areas next to all our posts ? Is that a place for something that I could add there in my profile ? And its just "blacked out" now cause I didn't ? Or is that just the design of the forum ?

Cause it is kind of annoying, and very ugly looking... if nothing is able to go there, then just plain white like the rest of the page would be nice.

Or maybe, it is only on peoples posts that haven't donated yet ? I guess I couldn't complain then !! LOL - But man, I looked around and it does seem to be on everybody's posts, including the moderators.

WEIRD....

Tom is on it.