GK Experience last night

DWBass · #1 05-17-2010, 06:17 AM

I was invited to a cd release party last night. I've played some gigs previously with the singer. Anyway, his band played and he had sort of an open mic afterwards. A lot of bassists in the house. He asked me to play before I left. The bass player had a Peavey Grind and he was using a GK Backline 600 through a GK Backline 4x10 cab (no tweet)! I noticed a few times when he was playing that the amp kept cutting out on him (not good)! Anyway, I plug in and start playing and midway through a song, the amp goes into protect mode and shuts down briefly (light would go off, then red, then back to green) and come back on. It happened about 3 more times! I checked his settings thinking maybe he had all the knobs maxed or something and suprisingly he didn't except for the 'boost' knob which was cranked to about 12 oclock. This knob seems to boost all the eq points. I brought it down to about 9 oclock which brought down the levels significantly and it seemed to solve the amp cutting off issue as it didn't do it anymore. Furthermore, the cab, while pretty loud and deep, it sorely lacked that much desired HF. I thought it was odd though because usually GK amps are known for giving that HF without the need for cabs with tweeters! And I had an older GK BK4x10 that sounded great for not having a tweeter. This setup sounded horrible! The few cats who did come up to play, their basses sounded horrible through this rig as well! Not a great rig for 'slappers' for sure! Anyone with this setup, have you experienced any of the above?? If you use that 'boost' knob, what are your settings?

Wes Whitmore · #2 05-17-2010, 07:41 AM

Most of us set the boost between 9 and 12 o'clock. Cutting the boost also cuts overall volume unless you boost the master up to compensate. That rig needs looked at. Did anyone ask the owner if it usually has problems like that?
Wes

Floridabwoy · #3 05-17-2010, 07:45 AM

yeah.... sounds like the BK600 was messed up.

aproud1 · #4 05-17-2010, 07:48 AM

The Backline 600 has gone through a few revisions. I've owned two and both have had issues. My current one is hotwired thanks to a schematic from GK. Too bad because when functional it's a decent little head for the price.

Never really played through the BL 4X10 though.

DWBass · #5 05-17-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Whitmore

Did anyone ask the owner if it usually has problems like that?
Wes

He did mention he had just gotten it out the shop. He said it was doing it previously! He did have his gain pretty low (only at 9 oclock) and the master was at noon! He had the boost at noon as well. When I lowered it, yes the volume went down but it was good because he was extremely loud in relation to the rest of the band! So loud you could barely hear the vocalists!

Wes Whitmore · #6 05-17-2010, 08:01 AM

That amp doesn't really have an imput gain (just the pad button)...but regardless, that's where I put my volume knob on the left of the amp as well. My master (on the right side) is at noon, as well as my drive. Totally normal settings for GK amps. It still sounds broken...
Wes

DWBass · #7 05-17-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Whitmore

That amp doesn't really have an input gain (just the pad button)...but regardless, that's where I put my volume knob on the left of the amp as well. My master (on the right side) is at noon, as well as my drive. Totally normal settings for GK amps. It still sounds broken...
Wes

I'm not familiar with that amp but I saw a Gain knob on the left. I assumed it was an input gain knob. In any case, when I brought the Boost knob down a bit, it didn't cut off anymore. I agree though, something is wrong and he did say it's been in the shop. He said he bought it new January.

DWBass · #8 05-18-2010, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aproud1

The Backline 600 has gone through a few revisions. I've owned two and both have had issues. My current one is hotwired thanks to a schematic from GK. Too bad because when functional it's a decent little head for the price.

Never really played through the BL 4X10 though.

Please explain 'Hotwired'?!?!

aproud1 · #9 05-19-2010, 06:11 PM

The amp would switch between the distortion and clean channel randomly. Tried hard wiring the switches with no effect. So with the help of the schematic figured out which IC did the switching, popped it out and hardwired it clean.

I know it's not technically hot-wiring but it did work and haven't had a problem with the amp since.

John Herzog · #10 05-19-2010, 06:51 PM

I've had a backline 600 for several years now usually coupled with an old Trace Elliot 1048H 4x10 cab. The backline probably has at least 150 gigs (3 hour plus gigs) on it plus god knows how many practices. I've never had a problem with mine and it's even been dropped twice by a singer. I usually run a LMB3 limiter before the amp to keep the pre-amp clip light from comming on. My usualy settings are input pad off, clean channel gain 11 oclock, countur flat to around 9 oclock, highs flat, high mids 12 to 3 oclock, low mids 12 to 3 oclock, bass flat, boost at 3 OCLOCK for some GK growl, and master 9 to noon. A few times I had to back the boost off when the sound guy complained about the signal being too hot. I never use the distortion channel because I don't like the way the amp boosts the bottom end when your turn it on. I don't know if the guy who's amp you borrowed had his backline racked, but I've heard that if you block the fan hole at the top of the unit, you will have trouble.

HailCorduroy · #11 05-19-2010, 07:19 PM

Sounds like the amp is having some issues. I run mine pretty close to what GiantSlacker described, except I keep the contour all the way off. I love my boost cranked up for that growl. I keep my bass volume between 4 and 8.

**B-string** · #12 05-19-2010, 07:20 PM

If I was to guess, I would bet the cab has the trouble! Sounds bad, amp head going into protect, sounds like the cab is the culprit.

pyrohr · #13 05-19-2010, 08:25 PM

That GK backline head is not a bad head at all. I use one with a hartke 4x10 bottom w/horn and it's more than I need there! To the left it has a knobs with a A/B for two separate channel gains iirc and a master volume knob to the right. I leave the input gain at 12 o'clock and adjust the master from there. I without hearing the head would say it has issues from whats described here. The first thing I would have done is turned the bass knob off and worked with the lo and high-mids to see if I could clean up the cabs sound. The treble knob on GK RB amps go a very long way but on the backline 600 head not so much, you should still get something for the thump and pop stuff though.

DWBass · #14 05-20-2010, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyrohr

That GK backline head is not a bad head at all. I use one with a hartke 4x10 bottom w/horn and it's more than I need there! To the left it has a knobs with a A/B for two separate channel gains iirc and a master volume knob to the right. I leave the input gain at 12 o'clock and adjust the master from there. I without hearing the head would say it has issues from whats described here. The first thing I would have done is turned the bass knob off and worked with the lo and high-mids to see if I could clean up the cabs sound. The treble knob on GK RB amps go a very long way but on the backline 600 head not so much, you should still get something for the thump and pop stuff though.

To answer a few questions...........the amp was not racked. Gain wasn't very high (about 9 oclock), bass was at 3 oclock, both mids were about 2 oclock and the treble was maxed! Boost was at noon and master was at noon. I even boosted the treble on the bass (not my bass/Peavey Grind) and literally nothing!! Slap and Pop? This setup gave me nothing! Probably the cab though! When I backed off the boost, the amp stopped cutting off. Honestly, the bass player's playing style really brutalizes his amp and I think he literally 'clips' his amp into submission. It was probably still 'hot' when I started playing and when I backed off the boost knob, I guess it allowed the amp to cool off a bit. My playing style is the exact opposite of his, I play with a very light attack. I'll see if I can post a clip (not a very good one) of the guy playing this evening. I have it on my Facebook page but only Pyrohr can view it. I just think he would benefit with an older Peavey amp. LOL! Something he can brutalize on a daily basis and not worry about it.