GK 700rb Vs Backline 600

[Sgt Baker]

What would you guys say is the better investment as far as heads go, the 700rb was my original idea, but the backline is a mad good price. Ive not played through either, just curious as to what your opinions are. Thanks in advance!

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by Sgt Baker

What would you guys say is the better investment as far as heads go, the 700rb was my original idea, but the backline is a mad good price. Ive not played through either, just curious as to what your opinions are. Thanks in advance!

In a nutshell... the GK 700RB is pro grade equipment... all Backline series equipment is consumer grade.

I gig a lot, and I need equipment that will tolerate all the jostle and use that pro grade equipment is designed to handle. So for my needs the 700RB is the only choice for me.

However, if this is to be stay-at-home equipment, not be jostled or used hours a day, day after day... the Backline series might be all you need.

[Rebmo]

700rbII .

[B-string]

700RB II hands down!

[Sgt Baker]

I understand that as far as reliability and overall craftsmanship, 700rb is what's up, but how do they compare tone wise? I play everything from stoner doom to cowfunk (mostly the ladder) thanks guys

[B-string]

The 700RB II is greatly more flexible tone wise. You can get damn near anything from the 700RB II, BL600 not as flexible.

[klejst]

I say go with the GK, it will be a better investment later down the road in your musical career.

[ljazz]

It really depends on what kind of gigs you're doing. I'm about the biggest fan of the 700rbII there is, but the bl600 is a great head. Don't let the backline tag fool you...... the difference between the "pro" stuff and the bl series is typically huge..... but not when you're talking about the bl600 head. I don't find it "consumer" grade at all (unlike the rest of the bl line). It's basically the same as the discontinued 400rbIV, except for where it was made, and it doesn't have the 4/5string filter or presence control.... but it does have the overdrive channel.

If you're doing smaller rooms, then you'll definitely attain the GK growl at much lower volumes with the 600 than you will with the 700rbII. I think (with the exception of the string filter and presence) the 600 is equally versatile tone-wise. Maybe even moreso with the od channel.

And to be completely frank, I think the bl600 sounds better (a LOT better) than the mb500. It's a killer little head. I played one last summer through a beat to hell old ampeg 810 at an outdoor event....... I thought it sounded wicked! It's a great little head, at a great low price. I know of several folks who gig their bl600's regularly without issue.

[lowendgenerator]

Originally Posted by klejst

I say go with the GK, it will be a better investment later down the road in your musical career.

*facepalm*

[JimmyM]

I'd say the 700RB too, but the Backline 600 is not a bad sounding amp at all and sounds like GK to me. I don't like the cheap GK cabs at all, but I thought the Backline head was pretty decent.

[craig.p]

I bought my BL600 on sale as a cheap way to find out what this GK business was all about. I wasn't expecting much, but it turns out this amp is getting a lot of use, and if it were the only amp I owned, I'd feel no need to upgrade. I have no need for the extra power a 700 provides, nor do I have a need for the 700's bi-amp feature. Also way back in crusty old brain cell #293345 I seem to recall Bob Gallien popping in here several months ago and saying the BL600 is their most trouble-free amp -- or something to that effect. From what I've read at different web sites, the amp might've had some early-life growing pains, but it appears those have been addressed.

Now that I've written that, I think I'll go hook it up and play a little country on this nice sunny morning.

[georgestrings]

I've owned one or more 700rb-IIs for years, and played them alot - and IMO, the 700rb-II is one of the best bass amps ever made...

I recently picked up a used BL600 in godd condition off of CL for $75 because it was cheap, and I figured I'd just leave it at our rehearsal space... Initial impressions after playing it a few times are that it's not as powerful as the 700, but plenty for most reasonable gigging situations... It also isn't quite as clear voiced in the upper end as the 700 is, but still sounds like a G-K, and can be EQ'd for alot of useful tones...

In short, I'd probably buy a used 700rb-II before I'd buy a new BL600, but can probably get the job done with either...


- georgestrings

[Sgt Baker]

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

*facepalm*

haha ya beat me to it.

[Sgt Baker]

Thank you guys a lot. Honestly, at this point I'm not gonna be playing much with over a hundred people, and the wattage of the bl600 is all I need. I might just go with that.

[fdeck]

I'm perfectly happy with my Backline 600 head. I've opened the cover and taken a good close look inside. I've abused it on my test bench, including running it at rated power (albeit into 8 Ohms) continuously for hours.

It's constructed in pretty much the same way as GK's other 2RU amps. GK has stated that it has the same power amp design as the current 400RB, and the preamp looks similar to those seen in pics of the 1001RB. My guess is that GK was looking for a way to get into the entry level market without doing a lot of design work, by recycling design elements from their existing product line.

In my review of the BL600, I referred to it as "pro gear hidden in entry-level packaging."

I rarely play more than one gig in any week, and I always transport my own gear. That's what I call "light duty" use. I'd expect the BL600 to last me a lifetime. Today, it sits in storage because I prefer to use modern lightweight gear.

[TussinBot.]

bl600 is a good buy (if purchased used), it was my first amp head, got it for 100 bucks when I was moving from a combo to a bigger rig and purchased it just because it was cheap but found it to be very nice sounding. but if I were to start again I wouldve gone straight for the 700rbII since they can be purchased for around 350 used. Ive seen plenty of small bands bassists use the bl600 on bar gigs and small outdoor gigs and generally have a pretty decent tone. Either way is a win, just depends on how much money you have to spend.

the bl600 will take a lot of abuse and always worked great for me

[Grooveman1961]

Consumer grade vs pro grade. That cracks me up.

The BL600 shares the same power amp as the 700rb. Same components.

preamp tone controls are essentially the same, preamp featrues are different between the two.

The BL600 is a hell of a value. 700rb sound, lower price.

The essential diff is that the bl600 does not use the bi amp horn management the the 700 offers. I think that feature is seldom exploited to its fullest anyway.

If that biamp deal is not something you'd miss, then the bl600 is a deal.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Grooveman1961

Consumer grade vs pro grade. That cracks me up.

The BL600 shares the same power amp as the 700rb. Same components.

preamp tone controls are essentially the same, preamp featrues are different between the two.

The BL600 is a hell of a value. 700rb sound, lower price.

The essential diff is that the bl600 does not use the bi amp horn management the the 700 offers. I think that feature is seldom exploited to its fullest anyway.

If that biamp deal is not something you'd miss, then the bl600 is a deal.

The BL600 shares the 400RB and (300 watt) 800RB power amp. The 700RBII shares the 1001RB power amp. Schematics available if interested.

[WingKL]

My take on it is, like that Goldilocks fairy tale, the tone of the BL600 is too hot, the 1001RB too cold and the 700RB is just right.

[Grooveman1961]

Originally Posted by B-string

The BL600 shares the 400RB and (300 watt) 800RB power amp. The 700RBII shares the 1001RB power amp. Schematics available if interested.

Yeah, shoot me the schemos for the bl600. I was going off of information from Bob Gallien.