Gallien Kreuger Official Club Part 7

[BklynKen]

bassgod0dmw: I'd love to hear what you did with the MB500 to get towards the tones of the RB, as well as why you went from the MB800 to the MB500. I just ordered an MB500. I have no need for more. In fact, GK told me to get the 500 due to my needs/environment. My only live GK experience is with an old 400RB.

[bassgod0dmw]

I started off with all of the controls basically the same. Then I just tweaked the knobs until I was close enough with the tone that I would normally get. It's not exact, but close. A little more bottom and a little less grit. The MB's are still very much a GK sound in general.

I went to the MB800 because I was able to get one for a very good price and really couldn't say no. When I got it home it was very noisy (a high pitched whine once the amp warmed up). I figured I'd give a shot at a gig to see how it worked for me anyways. I was still able to hear the noise at gig levels, and it was way more power than I needed for my current band. Based on the noise alone I returned it and took the MB500 that I had before. I don't think that all MB800's are like this, as plenty of people have said theirs are dead quiet. I just don't tolerate noise in an amp, unless it's from a cranked all tube amp or something that inherently can be noisier than other amps.

[Versatek6]

After following this thread for a long time, I can now say, "I'm in!"

I was saving my pennies for an MB500, but when a used MB200 appeared for a really good price, I had to jump. Now I need a cabinet so I can actually use it. Which leads to:

Originally Posted by Pedulla-Player

Just for the heck of it I browsed through Guitar Centers website for used bass gear hoping to find a good used GK Neo 112 cab for a decent price. I went through 83 pages - 25 items per page and not one single GK Neo 112 cab!! There were several GK Neo cabs , but they were all 212 , 412 , 410 , and 115's! Hmmm - must mean something - people who have them must keep them...

I have found the same thing to be true. Laying hands on a used Neo 112-ii is not easy.

[cableguy]

Originally Posted by tombowlus

Yes, I am normally a fan of optimizing my input gain for the strongest signal, without clipping, and then adjust the master volume as needed. But, with the RB series heads, those amps just perform so well when being run wide open, this "opposite" technique works very, very well.

That being said, with the MB series heads, I run my gain stages more conventionally.

I was going to give this a shot but with mine (2001RBP) I realized I need the gain really high on channel two to get the right distortion. To do this I can't run my master wide open. Also since it's a pre I don't have a GK power amp to "open" up, just a PA amp which I use to control the real master volume....

I might have to just go back to a 700RB-II or 1001RB-II and use a distortion box.....

[Andyman001]

Originally Posted by ljazz

In...... I'll have to hunt for my number...... it's way back in the very first thread......

Anyway:
-GK 700rbII
-GK 400rb
-2 GK Neo 112 (series 1)
-GK Neo 212 (series 1)

I checked the archives and found #363 – ljazz

Put it in your sig, where you cant lose it

[ljazz]

Originally Posted by Andyman001

I checked the archives and found #363 – ljazz

Put it in your sig, where you cant lose it

You rock Andyman!!!

[kleinenenten]

Is this just a bi-amp thing or does it work with any cab? Also, nirmally don't you crank the preamp (volume) til it's about to break up and then set volume (master/woofer) as necessary? I've never had to use that much volume where it mattered. If I did, my combo distorted no matter what. But on my 700RBII I should do the opposite. I'm still relatively new to the GK sound, but I'm giving that a go next practice. Is this the "running on the rails" GK is known for and I keep hearing about?

Originally Posted by IPYF

I have something to say and it's important!

I've played my GK for over 2 years now. 1001rbII all the way to the bank. BUT!
It seems that I've been doing it all wrong though. Because the 1001 is such a powerful head I've always set myself up with the input gain at 10 o'clock and the master volume had literally never been past noon. I thought I was getting a pretty ok tone from that setup and was pretty satisfied with my sound.

So I read on another thread in TB the other day that most GK amps are designed to be run with the master volume on full. I nearly burst out in belly laughs at what I perceived to be complete and unadulterated codswallop. This idiot poster suggested that you should set the master to 100% and dial in input gain until you got the right volume. Now since I've been playing bass for over a decade I had a quiet chuckle and clucked over the stupidity of this backward individual who clearly didn't know the first thing about anything and went on with my business.

So the other night I had a gig in this horrible room. I just couldn't get a good tone in soundcheck or enough volume and I had resigned myself to the fact that I was going to get drowned out. So I thought it would be funny to turn up to maximum for the first time ever and make everything that little bit worse.

Holy actual crap did I eat the biggest slice of humble pie in the history of all. All of a sudden the amp just turned into a fire breathing monster with tone for days. I'd always assumed that I had a great GK tone but this was something completely different. I've had the master volume at maximum every gig since and it's just 110% superior to my previous sound.

So as the first post in the GK club I'd like to apologise for playing GK for 2 years without figuring out how to actually use the amp, and for being an arrogant ass...

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by kleinenenten

Is this the "running on the rails" GK is known for and I keep hearing about?

Yep, exactly.

It comes form pushing the power amp hard.

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

Yep, exactly.

It comes form pushing the power amp hard.

That's why I prefer the 700 and 800s, not that MB500Fusion is my main GK amp.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

That's why I prefer the 700 and 800s, not that MB500Fusion is my main GK amp.

Good point, I should have said it comes from pushing the power amp hard in the RB series.

The MB's don't have the same type of power amp to push in the same way. The boost circuit on the MB's is supposed to somewhat mimic the sound of it, but it's not nearly the same.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

it's not nearly the same.

Anyone want to take a stab at describing the difference?

[bassgod0dmw]

I find the boost channel on the MB heads to be a little more useable than some people have mentioned. I've been running it with a J bass while I run my P bass on the normal side.

The best way I could describe it would be similar to pushing a tube amp into clipping vs. trying to get grit out of a SS amp. That's not to say the SS amps can't do that well (GK RB series for example), but they're less common than a tube amp. SS amps are usually very clean.

When you're pushing the amp to hit the rails, you're getting a more pleasing clipping tone with nice harmonics and stuff.

When you're using a circuit to simulate hitting the rails, you miss out on some of the little nuances and magic that come from doing it for real.

Does that make any sense? I'm terrible at describing tone...

[kai_ski]

Originally Posted by GRoberts

have to say, while I don't love the silver grills to match GK cabs with other amps, they look amazing in the ALL GK rig with your amp! Sweet.

IDK, I think it looks fine with my GenzBenz amps:

[GRoberts]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

IDK, I think it looks fine with my GenzBenz amps:

Heck yes it does! and that Lull? OMG, Waaaay cool Bass!

[Z-Bass]

I'm in with my MB500 and new to me 400RB that I picked up a few months ago. It's a 92 in great condition. I'm finding a nice balance using the GK amps with Aguilar GS cabinets.

[quote=bassgod0dmw;13545052]I find the boost channel on the MB heads to be a little more useable than some people have mentioned. QUOTE]

I like the boost channel on the MB500 and find it very useful. I usually have it disengaged for more of a fat tone during mellow tunes. I activate the boost control for more rockin' tunes or during the guitar solos. I can't quite explain the overall effect but the boost seems to add more harmonic presence (?), for lack of a better term.

With the 400RB, I just leave the boost around 2 o'clock all the time (can't really seem to deactivate it). Sounds great.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by Z-Bass

the boost seems to add more harmonic presence (?), for lack of a better term.

That's exactly what I hear. More harmonic overtones.

[kleinenenten]

Well, I'll definitely be trying to run my 700RBII "on the rails" next practice then. I love how it sounds now, but if it sounds even better this way, I can't wait. Can't even imagine how it could improve! Guess I'll find out Monday...

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

That's exactly what I hear. More harmonic overtones.

Also, me thinks the MB500Fusion sounds better after a 30 minute warmup. Maybe the pre-amp tubes don't need much warmup but I've noticed at my sets that the characteristics change after 30 minutes of playing, to the better, fuller tone.

[tlr1293]

OK #814 still in...

Quick snap of the 700RB-II and 2 - 112-II NEO's
(not end-on-end, but it's just at home right now)

[CorryJobin]

Happy Friday!

#837, I completely overhauled my rig in 2012 with the advice and classifieds posted by many of you here. Cheers!

Currently:
Fusion550
MBFusion
(2) 212-Neo Cabs
(1) 112-Neo Cab

Previously:
1000RB
SWR Goliath III (4x10)
SWR Son of Bertha (1x15)