GK 400RBIV vs MB500

edaz91 · #1 01-30-2013, 04:38 PM

Hello every body. I am planning to buy a quality and price wise head, for a Hartke VX 410 (8ohms: 300watts (RMS), 400watts (peak) cabinet. I am thinking of buying GK amp, 400RBIV or MB500. What are the differences between them? Someone on this forum has mentioned that MB sounds "sterile" , not sure what that means. All I want is Flea's sound.

AdamR · #2 01-30-2013, 04:50 PM

if you want fleas tone get the 400rb. Ive never used the MB series but I believe they are a warmer more modern tone were as the RBs get more grit.

mcm · #3 01-30-2013, 04:57 PM

400 is raunchy good

edaz91 · #4 01-30-2013, 04:59 PM

For me from the outside RB looks more "serious" than MB. The MB looks cheap made. Im very sad, that I will have to blind buy one of these without really trying them, because we don't get GK in our music stores :/

edaz91 · #5 01-30-2013, 05:00 PM

So far RB:2 MB:0

Kael · #6 01-30-2013, 05:01 PM

Honestly, suck up the cost, get and 800rb and be done with it. Still many people using that head out there on the road. Many.

bassgod0dmw · #7 01-30-2013, 05:12 PM

I've got an 800RB and an MB500. I think they are a lot more similar than different.

edaz91 · #8 01-30-2013, 05:21 PM

My guitarist has HT Club 40 Watt valve combo, so I'm not sure if I need that much of wats, 300-500 should be enough. Am I right?

bassgod0dmw · #9 01-30-2013, 05:25 PM

That depends more on the cab than the wattage really.

All of these amps fall within that range. An 800RB is only 300w.

The MB800 is 800w

BassSurfer · #10 01-30-2013, 05:28 PM

Used 800RB on the classifieds. Done. It will sound great with that Hartke cabinet too. UNLESS you need more power a used 700RBII will do perfectly.

Hopkins · #11 01-30-2013, 05:35 PM

As far as power goes, I believe the MB500 is closer in comparison to a 700rbII.

I cant speak for the MB but the 700rbII is an amazing amp. Mine has been a work horse for many years. I still keep it my head case as a back up, I only replaced it because I went full tube.

AdamR · #12 01-30-2013, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kael

Honestly, suck up the cost, get and 800rb and be done with it. Still many people using that head out there on the road. Many.

I agree, Ive seen used 800RB as low as $250. I paid $350 for mine and love it.

worxforme · #13 01-30-2013, 06:40 PM

Consider the 700rb2. You can use it with your cab and if you find yourself needing more volume pick up another cab just like the cab you have and you're ready for anything but an outdoor festival with OUT pa support. (IME those ate mutually exclusive, but...)

You can get all the Flea you could ever want from the 7rb2.

ljazz · #14 01-31-2013, 02:40 AM

And you can get a heck of a lot more tone than just "Flea tone" out of it.

If you're doing clubs for the most part, then I would get the 400rbIV. I have the 700rbII, and for the most part, it rocks..... but there are those situations where even that is a bit too much. The key to the GK growl is cranking the rb series power section to where it's riding the rails. For small stages, the 700rbII, even with just a 112, can be too loud. I have a '90 400rb that I use for those situations. The new 400rbIV's are a touch higher in wattage, and would split the difference between the heads I'm using nicely.

AREA · #15 01-31-2013, 03:01 AM

I would go for the RB400 every Day. In my Feel and Expiriences with those Micro Heads with their tiny little Power Amps,they're all lacking when it comes to "Headroom"

WingKL · #16 01-31-2013, 05:11 AM

Go with the 400RB if you want to know what the classic GK growl is all about, as ljazz mentioned. The MB500, while a nice and loud amp, will never growl like an RB head..

TC.65 · #17 01-31-2013, 07:21 AM

I'd definitely go with the RB head and if you can afford it go with the 700RB-II. I'ts destined to be a classic JMHO.

Loel · #18 01-31-2013, 08:20 AM

No brainer RBiv !!!

ljazz · #19 02-01-2013, 02:43 AM

I started playing with a new group a few weeks ago...... just to be safe, I took my 700rbII and 2 112 Neo's (both series 1) to the first rehearsal. Too much. It friggin' buried everyone, so I had to back it off a bit (I ended up unplugging the bottom cab). Last week, I took my '90 400rb with the 2 cabs. Oh man that rig sings. Not much left head room wise (then again, if you're running your rb head properly, you've got that pretty much maxed all the time anyway), but it sounded excellent........ if I needed anymore, I would expect to run with pa support anyway.

You'll be in good shape with the additional power of the 400rbIV. Especially if you add another cab to push the full 280 watts.

AdamR · #20 02-01-2013, 05:17 AM

I dont feel my band gets pretty loud. Using my 800rb and a Neo 212 cab my volume is usually 9'clock with a passive p-bass. The guitarist is using a JCM900 Half stack and the drummer is a pretty hard hitter. My other band is a 6 piece with 3 guitarists, 3 JCM900 and a 50 2X12 combo. The bass player uses either a TC 250 watt head or a PF300 with a 2X10 combo,