GK mb200 ultra light head?

[Vic]

Just a heads up for folks who like the tone of the MB200 but want more power, GK will be updating the MB200 with a new feature allowing it to chain into the new MB powered cabs. It may be possible to get a retrofit too.

[LeonD]

I was looking for a head to use as a backup and in my practice room. I saw that the MB200 had an aux in so I decided to give it a try. In addition to it's small size, from what I've read here, it might also have one of the tones I'm looking for. I'm a fan of the Mesa Carbine but wanted it in a smaller package. Maybe this'll be it.

This is my first try with a GK product. It should be dropped off today by Big Brown.

[Vic]

Originally Posted by LeonD

I was looking for a head to use as a backup and in my practice room. I saw that the MB200 had an aux in so I decided to give it a try. In addition to it's small size, from what I've read here, it might also have one of the tones I'm looking for. I'm a fan of the Mesa Carbine but wanted it in a smaller package. Maybe this'll be it.

This is my first try with a GK product. It should be dropped off today by Big Brown.

Let me know what you think.

IMHO, the MB500 is probably a bit closer to the Carbine sound, but also IMHO, both sound great, and in particular, the MB200 just seems to have a little extra magic in its tone. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's one of the best sounding amps I've ever heard from a "all bases covered tonally" perspective. Just seems like everything is covered especially well without twisting knobs hardly at all.

This is why I'm looking forward to how their slaving technology works with the newer versions of these heads. It could be really great for a larger rig, too.

[Adam Bomb]

Won't we bring down the internet or trigger The Rapture or something if we go too much past the 1,000-post mark? Who got us into this mess?

--Bomb

* putting on his Emergency Rapture Parachute Pants *

EDIT: Oh - a dude with 12 posts who's been gone for a year. Well done, 12-post dude!

[drpepper]

Well, I'll go ahead and temp putting this over the edge. I received my MB200 last night.

Love to size, weight, look, feel, etc...the sounds are good. Contour on gives a nice, fat, punchy bedroom tone.

It, unfortunately, looks like I got a hissy unit. I'm going to try an exchange. Getting another random unit, I suppose I could be looking at another hisser.

[LeonD]

The manual states the speaker output jack can accommodate either a Speakon or 1/4 inch cable. Is this true?

It seems like a tight fit for a quarter inch. And I don't want to force it.

[Turock]

Originally Posted by LeonD

The manual states the speaker output jack can accommodate either a Speakon or 1/4 inch cable. Is this true?

It seems like a tight fit for a quarter inch. And I don't want to force it.

The earlier ones could use either; the current ones take speakon only.

[miiitch]

It, unfortunately, looks like I got a hissy unit. I'm going to try an exchange. Getting another random unit, I suppose I could be looking at another hisser.

as i stated in the GK thread before, i thought mine was defective as well ... until i tried it out in our local music store

we´re gonna have our electric systems checked both at home and at rehearsal room, maybe these were the reason

[drpepper]

Originally Posted by miiitch

as i stated in the GK thread before, i thought mine was defective as well ... until i tried it out in our local music store

we´re gonna have our electric systems checked both at home and at rehearsal room, maybe these were the reason

Might be true in some cases, but I really can't accept the logic for my case.

Even if I could find someplace that the MB200 will operate without hissing, if it hisses in other places where I want to use it, where 4 other amps don't have any issue, isn't the problem really with the amp?

[Gabriel51]

Originally Posted by drpepper

Might be true in some cases, but I really can't accept the logic for my case.

Even if I could find someplace that the MB200 will operate without hissing, if it hisses in other places where I want to use it, where 4 other amps don't have any issue, isn't the problem really with the amp?

Exactly!

[4Mal]

Did my first gig on an MB200 last night. My acoustic pop trio Free Willie & Nelson aka Full Nelson and Willie depending on the night . Used a Mojo Sonic 1x10 and took a line to the smallish PA. 120 seat sports bar restuarant - it's a reasonably large space, but we are a very vocal oriented trio. 3 voices, acoustic guitar and bass with a little percussion from our lead singer... The amp Worked great. I love it! Tonally it does have something going on that my MB2-500 doesn't have with the contour off and everything set at noon. It's certainly a GK! It has the GK character baked in and it's a keeper.

[Gabriel51]

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Did my first gig on an MB200 last night. My acoustic pop trio Free Willie & Nelson aka Full Nelson and Willie depending on the night . Used a Mojo Sonic 1x10 and took a line to the smallish PA. 120 seat sports bar restuarant - it's a reasonably large space, but we are a very vocal oriented trio. 3 voices, acoustic guitar and bass with a little percussion from our lead singer... The amp Worked great. I love it! Tonally it does have something going on that my MB2-500 doesn't have with the contour off and everything set at noon. It's certainly a GK! It has the GK character baked in and it's a keeper.

How would you describe that "GK character"?
I'm considering one of these.
Thanks

[Adam Bomb]

FWIW, I remembered the reason I sometimes prefer 1/4 inch: I still have cabs with only 1/4-inch inputs. Sure, I have the adapter.

--Bomb

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by Gabriel51

How would you describe that "GK character"?
I'm considering one of these.
Thanks

1. Solid. With the tone controls at noon, contour and presence
(if equipped) all the way down, the GK aound is a pleasant, mild scoop.

2. EQ voicing. Given decent cabs that are reasonable neutral...
- low mid's is the mud/beef control. Turn it below noon to clean up a mudy room, above to add a little beef.
- hi mids, to me this is where the grind lives. You want / don't want 'aggro'. This is the control.

The eq voicing that GK uses just works for me. I have a buddy that has the GK combo - the metal one that has been around aince the 80's - I forget the model # but not one of the new MB combons... He also has a TC that he was struggling with tonally. Took out the GK manual and set the tone centers to those used by the Gk... He's happy with the TC now...

3. Punchy, clean low end. Gk power delivers in spades.

4. Boost (if equipped, the MB 200 is not) push it up around 11 to 12 to loosen things up a bit. Not as far as noticible distortion but just a hint of warmth. The MB200 seems to be pre set to about that spot to me. I didn't miss it Friday evening.

To me those are the things I find in just about every GK I use. I find them to be really un-fussy about cabinets and super easy to dial in. I can find my sound in a GK with no fuss... Very user friendly in other words.

Originally Posted by Adam Bomb

FWIW, I remembered the reason I sometimes prefer 1/4 inch: I still have cabs with only 1/4-inch inputs. Sure, I have the adapter.

--Bomb

I keep a couple of 1/4 to Speakon cables around just for that reason. I have. Shorty do amp to cab and a 12' for monitors. I do some 'cooperative' casuals where I bring a board or mains or monitors and other folks carry other stuff good cables to have in the bag for times like that... I do like the combo jack on the MB2-500 though ...

[Chef]

time for a new thread!

closed

go here:
GK MB 200: Part Two