GK 700RB Matching A Cabinet

[guitarfan3]

I have a GK 700RB. I run it through a 4x10 Genz Benz cabinet. When I play the GK at the store through a GK 4x10 cabinet, it sounds fantastic. When I play my rig live or at band practice it never sounds that good. Is it my imagination or do I need the matching GK cabinet?

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by guitarfan3

I have a GK 700RB. I run it through a 4x10 Genz Benz cabinet. When I play the GK at the store through a GK 4x10 cabinet, it sounds fantastic. When I play my rig live or at band practice it never sounds that good. Is it my imagination or do I need the matching GK cabinet?

I'm a big GK fan, but Genz Benz makes good equipment so I'm guessing it's something else. Are both cabs similar... as in, are they both Neo cabs? That sort of thing...

When you say it never sounds "that good"... that's a rather broad comment. Could you narrow that down a bit?

I'm guessing you're using your 700RBII at practice & gigs, but using the store's 700RBII when you're in the store. Is that correct? Unless you're really at home with this amp, are you actually using the same settings?

There's a bit... no, huge actually... difference between playing a rig in the store, and playing it on a gig. Huge. Sounds levels are different, room is different, you don't have the full band playing as well, etc, etc. Have you considered that?

Not trying to be a jerk about this, but you've thrown out a simplistic blanket statement. If you want serious answers and advice you need to tell us more.

[craig.p]

Step 1 to proper sound is to do a frequency-slotting exercise: You and the rest of the band need to sit down and decide which instruments are going to occupy which frequency ranges, and when during each song, and then adjust all the amps' tone settings accordingly. This method is the exact opposite of the ubiquitous and idiotic concept of "cutting through the mix," which is just a brute-force method to compensate for a lack of forethought around where each instrument is going to sit, frequency-wise. If your band has not done this exercise, then now's the time. The most common mistake I see being made is that guitars and keyboards infringe downward into BG territory, while bass instruments infringe upward into guitar and keyboard and even vocal territory. There are plenty of other traps waiting, too, but that's the one I see most often. There's no reason whatsoever the amp and cab you have can't sound spectacular in a band setting -- if you approach things in a logical, orderly fashion.

[oldcatfish]

Quote "Step 1 to proper sound is to do a frequency-slotting exercise: You and the rest of the band need to sit down and decide which instruments are going to occupy which frequency ranges, and when during each song, and then adjust all the amps' tone settings accordingly. This method is the exact opposite of the ubiquitous and idiotic concept of "cutting through the mix," which is just a brute-force method to compensate for a lack of forethought around where each instrument is going to sit, frequency-wise. If your band has not done this exercise, then now's the time. The most common mistake I see being made is that guitars and keyboards infringe downward into BG territory, while bass instruments infringe upward into guitar and keyboard and even vocal territory. There are plenty of other traps waiting, too, but that's the one I see most often. There's no reason whatsoever the amp and cab you have can't sound spectacular in a band setting -- if you approach things in a logical, orderly fashion."

--This is probably the most valuable and informative answer that I've ever seen on TB, or any other forum. Doing what craig.p is suggesting will not only make your rig sound better, but also the rest of your band.

[Chef]

Craig makes a good point.
Having said that, I think GK gear pairs exceptionally well with each other, and perhaps most especially in this case where you get the advantage of the whole GK bi-amp head and cab.

[lowendfriend]

Originally Posted by Chef

Craig makes a good point.
Having said that, I think GK gear pairs exceptionally well with each other, and perhaps most especially in this case where you get the advantage of the whole GK bi-amp head and cab.

NeoX gear is great, too, so it seems like you are reacting to the bi-amp with the GK cabs.

Don't move on a GK cab without try the Neo 212-II with that 700RB-II. It is a great pairing.

I think another great pairing with the 700RBII is the Mesa PowerHouse 212....like launching torpedoes!