Ampeg 5-way mid "style" knob

[J. Robert Rennix]

I've been using an Ampeg B5R head and BSE410 cab with my new band. They don't have the manual for the B5R head, and I would like to know what does the 5-way mid "style" knob do? I've searched this forum and the message board on the Ampeg site, but I can't find any info. I apologize if this question has been posted before.

 

Does Ampeg tell you what specific frequencies each of the style settings boost or cut? Is the 5-way knob the same on every Ampeg head, or does it vary from model to model? If no one knows what the settings actually do, then from experience are any of the 5 settings more helpful in brightening up the tone of a dark sounding bass?

[...]

If it's anything like the 5-way knob on the SVT-Classic head, it's a mid-range frequency point adjust. I don't know the actual points that they target, but I belive I found that position '2' was the best for my tastes.

[g.]

Ah, glasshoppa, here in the marvelous age of the internet we find that some manufacturers, at least, have a mild idea of what this means: Here is the manual for the B5R . It's a pdf, which means that your printer should be able to make something approaching the readability of the original manual.

 

CLEAN CHANNEL

POSITION 1: Fully “scooped” mids (mid cut)

POSITION 2: Traditional passive tone setting

POSITION 3: Basically flat

POSITION 4: Boosted high end

POSITION 5: Basically flat with low end roll-off – for loud playing without “muddiness”

 

OVERDRIVE CHANNEL

POSITION 1: Mid cut – for clean to semi-overdriven sound

POSITION 2: Slight mid cut

POSITION 3: Basically flat

POSITION 4: High end roll-off

POSITION 5: Large mid peak tailored for heavily overdriven sound combined with the clean channel

[earljam]

Play your rig at each setting with the mid-range cut way back and you will get a quick feel for the difference in settings. I learned on this forum that cutting frequencies works better than boosting (saves the all-important head room). In your case, to brighten the sound you may want to cut some low/low mid. It seems counter intuitive but it works, especially if you play loud. It does take some mind over matter since my body instinctively refuses to cut bass; probably as ingrained as the mammalian diving reflex.