AMPEG
Ampeg is a 75-year-old bass amplification brand owned by Yamaha Guitar Group, manufacturing bass amp heads, cabinets, combos, pedals, and the SVT Suite software plugin for professional and hobbyist bass players worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersCalabasas, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AMPEG does
Ampeg is a manufacturer of bass amplification equipment, organized into distinct product series spanning bass amplifier heads (Venture, Heritage, Classic, Micro, Portaflex, Pro), bass speaker cabinets, Rocket Bass combo amplifiers, effects pedals and DI boxes (SGT-DI, SCR-DI, Classic Bass Preamp, Scrambler Overdrive, Liquifier Chorus, Opto Comp), the SVT Suite DAW plugin, and accessories. The company was founded in 1946 and is best known for its SVT (Super Vacuum Tube) bass amplifier introduced in 1969, which remains the most widely used bass amplifier on professional stages worldwide. Ampeg's core technology combines analog tube and solid-state amplifier circuits with proprietary features including Super Grit Technology (SGT) overdrive circuits, Class D power amplification, and impulse response (IR) loading capabilities for digital cabinet simulation.
The company operates as a wholly-owned brand subsidiary of Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc., a private company headquartered in Calabasas, California, which acquired Ampeg in 2018. Ampeg sells its products through a global network of authorized music equipment dealers and major retailers (including Sweetwater), supplemented by direct e-commerce through shop-us.ampeg.com for accessories and software. Product pricing ranges from $199.99 for entry-level Rocket Bass combos to $3,499.99 for the Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT, serving a horizontal customer base from beginner hobbyists to professional touring bassists and recording engineers. Revenue mechanics are anchored in unit hardware sales across multiple price tiers, with a smaller but growing software (plugin) revenue stream.
The brand's go-to-market emphasizes artist endorsements (over 100 professional artists including Roger Waters, Sheryl Crow, Robert Trujillo, Peter Hook, Stanley Clarke, and Cliff Williams), event presence at NAMM, and digital/social channels including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Customer segments span professional bass musicians (primary), hobbyist and semi-professional bassists, and recording engineers/producers seeking authentic Ampeg tones in software form (SVT Suite plugin).
AMPEG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AMPEG
- Legal name
- Ampeg (Brand owned by Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc.)
- Website
- https://ampeg.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ampeg is a 75-year-old bass amplification brand owned by Yamaha Guitar Group, manufacturing bass amp heads, cabinets, combos, pedals, and the SVT Suite software plugin for professional and hobbyist bass players worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AMPEG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bass Amplification Equipment
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310)
- SIC
- Musical Instruments (3931), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Sound & Stage Equipment (PA Systems, Amplification, Monitoring) (MPAIAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Plugins & Virtual Instruments (VST/AU/AAX) (MPAIAIAB), Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA)
Keywords
Where AMPEG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Calabasas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AMPEG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Bass Amplifier Hardware: Sale of bass amplifier heads including Heritage, Classic, Micro, Portaflex, Pro, and Venture series.
- Bass Cabinet Hardware: Sale of bass speaker enclosures across multiple series including Venture, Heritage, Classic, and Portaflex.
- Effects Pedals and DI Boxes: Sale of bass preamp, overdrive, chorus, compressor pedals, and DI boxes including SGT-DI and SCR-DI.
- Combo Amplifiers: Sale of Rocket Bass combo amplifiers ranging from 30 to 500 watts.
- Software - SVT Suite: Bass amp plugin software with 15-day free trial available for purchase as subscription or perpetual license.
- Accessories: Sale of amplifier covers, bags, grilles, foot controllers, and power supplies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Venture Series Bass Heads - V12, V7, V3 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Heritage Series - Premium American-built amplifiers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classic Series - Traditional SVT-based amplifiers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Micro Series - Compact amplifier stacks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Portaflex Series - All-tube portable amplifiers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pro Series - Professional tube-hybrid heads |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rocket Bass Combo Amps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pedals and DI Boxes |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | SVT Suite Software Plugin |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
AMPEG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AMPEG designs, manufactures, and sells bass amplification equipment under the legendary SVT brand legacy. The product portfolio includes amplifier heads (Venture, Heritage, Classic, Micro, Portaflex, Pro series), bass speaker cabinets, combo amplifiers (Rocket Bass series), bass effects pedals and DI boxes (SGT-DI, SCR-DI, Scrambler, Liquifier, Opto Comp, Classic Preamp), and the SVT Suite software plugin. Products are sold globally through authorized dealers and direct online channels to bass players across professional, semi-professional, and hobbyist segments.
Product overview
Ampeg is a manufacturer of bass amplifiers and audio equipment organized into distinct product series: Bass Heads (Venture, Heritage, Classic, Micro, Portaflex, and Pro series) providing power amplification; Bass Cabs and Combos including the Rocket Bass combo line; Pedals/Effects including DI boxes (SGT-DI, SCR-DI), preamp and effects pedals (Classic Bass Preamp, Scrambler Overdrive, Liquifier Chorus, Opto Comp Compressor); and Software (SVT Suite plugin, Ampeg IR Loader). The company operates under Yamaha Guitar Group and is known for the legendary SVT amplifier introduced in 1969.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Venture Series Bass Heads Lightweight, portable bass amplifier heads (V12 1200W, V7 700W, V3 300W) with analog preamps, Class D power amps, 3-band EQ with sweepable mids, Super Grit Technology overdrive, XLR DI out, effects loop, and compression for bass players needing portable high-power amplification.
- Venture Series Bass Cabs Lightweight bass cabinets (VB-112, VB-115, VB-210, VB-212, VB-410, VB-88) loaded with custom-voiced Lavoce neodymium woofers and high-frequency drivers, featuring variable HF attenuators and Neutrik speakON inputs for portable bass amplification setups.
- Heritage Series American-built premium bass amplifiers (Heritage SVT-CL, Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT) and cabinets (HSVT-810E, HSVT-810AV, HSVT-410HLF) honoring 60+ years of Ampeg legacy with vintage aesthetics and exhaustive quality control for professional and collector bass players.
- Classic Series Bass Heads All-tube bass amplifier heads (SVT-CL 300W, V-4B) sharing legendary Ampeg SVT DNA with pitch-perfect replicas of the earliest designs and contemporary black-with-white piping aesthetics for traditionalists seeking authentic tube tone.
- Classic Series Bass Cabs Pro-level cabinets (SVT-810E, SVT-610HLF, SVT-410HLF, SVT-810AV, SVT-212AV, SVT-210AV) with tour-grade construction and custom Eminence drivers, sharing the legendary SVT DNA for professional touring and stage applications.
- Micro Series Mini amplifiers (Micro-VR 200W stack, Micro-CL 100W stack) delivering SVT-style tone in portable packages ideal for recording, small gigs, and apartment living, featuring solid-state preamps for space-constrained bass players.
- Portaflex Series All-tube amplifier heads (PF-50T 50W, PF-20T 20W) and cabinets (PF-410HLF, PF-210HE, PF-115HE) direct descendants of the legendary B-15 flip-top amp, combining retro looks with contemporary durability for bass players seeking vintage Ampeg tone in portable formats.
- Pro Series Top-tier rackmount bass heads (SVT-7PRO 1000W, SVT-4PRO, SVT-3PRO) with hybrid tube preamps, extensive tone shaping, dynamics processing, and comprehensive connectivity for working professional bass players requiring high power and tonal flexibility.
- Rocket Bass Combos Combo amplifiers (RB-108 30W, RB-110 50W, RB-112 100W, RB-115 200W, RB-210 500W) with vintage 60s styling, Legacy preamp, Super Grit Technology overdrive, and modern lightweight construction for hobbyist and semi-professional bass players.
- SGT-DI All-in-one bass preamp and DI pedal featuring enhanced Super Grit Technology overdrive with SVT and B15 voices, 3-band EQ with sweepable mids, variable compressor, IR Loader/Cab Simulator with 6 factory cabs, and balanced XLR/quarter-inch outputs for live and studio bass players.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300-watt tube power output from original SVT design (1969)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use AMPEG
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AMPEG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
AMPEG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. (YGG)coreYamaha Guitar Group acquired the Ampeg brand in 2018, bringing it under the same corporate umbrella as Yamaha basses/guitars/amplifiers and Line 6 digital innovators. YGG operates from Calabasas, California and has developed new products under their ownership including the Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT and redesigned Rocket Bass series.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AMPEG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Darkglass Electronics: Modern bass amp and pedal maker popular with contemporary metal, prog, and fusion bassists. Direct competitor in the bass preamp/overdrive pedal category where Ampeg's Scrambler, SGT-DI, and SCR-DI compete for mindshare.
- Markbass: Italian bass amp manufacturer known for lightweight, high-power bass amplification favored by touring professionals. Direct competitor with comparable product positioning across bass heads, combos, and cabinets, especially in the portable Class D category Ampeg's Venture Series targets.
- Aguilar Amplification: Boutique bass amplification and pedals brand with strong artist adoption in jazz, fusion, and progressive circles. Direct competitor at the premium end of bass amplification, competing for endorsements and pro-tier pricing on heads, cabinets, and bass preamp pedals.
- TC Electronic: Pro audio and bass amp/pedal brand offering bass combos, amp heads, and bass effects pedals. Direct competitor at the prosumer and entry-pro tiers of bass amplification, including in the pedals/DI category where Ampeg competes.
- Gallien-Krueger: Long-standing American bass amplification specialist with a focused product line of bass amp heads, cabinets, and combos. Direct competitor in professional bass amplification, particularly in the touring and studio market where Ampeg competes most fiercely.
- Eden Amplification: Bass amp specialist with a long heritage of professional touring amplification products. Direct competitor in bass amp heads and cabinets, with comparable product philosophy focused on the working bassist segment.
Broad incumbents
- Mesa/Boogie: Premium American amplifier manufacturer best known for guitar amps but with a bass amplifier lineup. Broad incumbent competitor overlapping in the pro-tube-amp segment and competing for premium pricing on high-end bass amplification.
- Fender: Iconic instrument brand with both bass guitars (Fender Precision/Jazz Bass) and bass amplifiers (Bassman, Rumble series). Broad incumbent with category-leading brand reach that competes with Ampeg for bass player mindshare, retail shelf space, and entry-level sales.
- Line 6: Sibling brand under Yamaha Guitar Group that pioneered digital amp modeling including bass amp emulations. Functions as both a strategic partner (shared R&D, Yamaha parent) and the principal disruptor to Ampeg's traditional hardware moat via software-based tone replication.
Emerging players
- Neural DSP: Modern digital amp simulation company whose bass amp plugins (including artist-endorsed emulations) directly substitute for Ampeg hardware in home recording and silent-stage workflows. Emerging disruptor whose rise represents the principal threat to Ampeg's traditional amplification value proposition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AMPEG social profiles
Digital presenceAMPEG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AMPEG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AMPEG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AMPEG M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AMPEG
What does AMPEG do?
AMPEG designs, manufactures, and sells bass amplification equipment under the legendary SVT brand legacy. The product portfolio includes amplifier heads (Venture, Heritage, Classic, Micro, Portaflex, Pro series), bass speaker cabinets, combo amplifiers (Rocket Bass series), bass effects pedals and DI boxes (SGT-DI, SCR-DI, Scrambler, Liquifier, Opto Comp, Classic Preamp), and the SVT Suite software plugin. Products are sold globally through authorized dealers and direct online channels to bass players across professional, semi-professional, and hobbyist segments.
Is AMPEG a public or private company?
AMPEG is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was AMPEG founded?
AMPEG was founded in 1946. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is AMPEG based?
AMPEG is headquartered in Calabasas, United States, in the North America region.
How does AMPEG make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Bass Amplifier Hardware is the primary driver. The others are bass Cabinet Hardware, effects Pedals and DI Boxes, combo Amplifiers, software - SVT Suite and accessories.
Who are AMPEG's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Darkglass Electronics, Markbass, Aguilar Amplification, TC Electronic, Gallien-Krueger and Eden Amplification. Broad incumbents are Mesa/Boogie, Fender and Line 6. Neural DSP is listed as an emerging player.
Does AMPEG have an API?
No public API is recorded for AMPEG.
What industry is AMPEG in?
AMPEG's product category is Bass Amplification Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAJAD, Live Sound & Stage Equipment (PA Systems, Amplification, Monitoring), with a secondary code of MPAIAIAB, Audio Plugins & Virtual Instruments (VST/AU/AAX). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 3931.