An unscientific survey for GK MB210 owners

strost · #1 12-07-2010, 01:33 PM

I recently picked up a GK MB210 and am mostly happy with it (although I'll always wonder if I should have gone for the 212) and am now shopping for a new bass.

I'd like my bass and amp to "get along" so I don't end up in a vicious GAS spiral (new amp made me want new bass makes me want new new amp makes me want....) and was curious to see if certain basses sounded better with the MB210.

So if you own a GK MB210 and are willing to indulge me, please answer the following 3 questions:

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine)
2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)
3. What kind of stuff do you play?

Any details you'd like to add would be great too.

Right now I am mostly looking at EBMMs (Sterling and Stingray and maybe Big Al but I've never played one) and Fenders - Jazz or Deluxe P (just a P does not do everything I want it to - but I love the sound). Basically I have a $1000 budget and am happy to get something used.

I'll publish the results of my study here in a few days.

Thanks!

christw · #2 12-07-2010, 01:38 PM

Don't forget what styles people play and what their preferred tones are.

Let me weigh in that you don't need a new bass to go with a new amp, but I'm pretty sure your mind is made up.

strost · #3 12-07-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christw

Don't forget what styles people play and what their preferred tones are.

Let me weigh in that you don't need a new bass to go with a new amp, but I'm pretty sure your mind is made up.

I know I don't NEED a new bass. But right now I play my Jazz fretless all the time and need something I can play all the time and that I can get slappy with.

thudfromafar · #4 12-07-2010, 01:47 PM

Don't have an MB210, but in my experience, GK goes well with Musicmans.

christw · #5 12-07-2010, 01:49 PM

Gotcha. I can weigh in and say that my 1001RB sounds huge with Jazz basses which are pretty much my favorite slappers. (Okay, my J's are Carvin Bolt basses which are just about the same thing.)

GRAHAM SG1 · #6 12-07-2010, 03:27 PM

Since you ask, here goes

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine)

Overall yes, its is a very good amp for the money IMHO, it is plenty loud enough for my band at the moment, I am looking to change because I want the full 500 Watts power and the sound of a 410 with an MB500, dont we all want to upgrade at some point ?
Otherwise, its a great amp .

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)

I mostly play a Gibson SG which sounds huge through the MB210, it sometimes becomes too boomy though, I put this down to the pickups as I also play a MIM Fender Precision which does not sound too boomy through it .
I also play an Ibanez EW20WNE electro accoustic bass through it which actually sounds incredible through the MB210, probably the best sounding bass I have got with its on-board EQ . !
3. What kind of stuff do you play?

My band plays classic rock and blues music .

Hope that is ok for you

invalidprotocol · #7 12-07-2010, 04:31 PM

These aren't very scientific responses...

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine)

Yes, it is awesome. Have had mine for over a year now. It isn't perfect. You do sacrifice some tone for weight, more noticeable in the cabinet construction and certain resonances however I think it is a reasonable compromise. A few eq tweaks usually resolves the issue.

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)

Fender American Std Jazz - sounds incredible, perfectly matched to the cabinet. lots of mid grind and punch. several people have said they are jealous of my tone. starting settings with this bass: everything at noon except bass at 10 oclock.

Schecter Diamond P - sounds excellent if eq'd correctly otherwise can sound bad because the pickups are hot. i plug into the passive plug and its very complimentary if you roll off the gain a bit. (yes I could use active plug and up the gain but this is the way I do it) favoring neck pickup by about 20% most of the time for the thick warm growl. starting settings with this bass: everything at noon except gain at 9 oclock, bass at 10 oclock

3. What kind of stuff do you play?
At home mostly some form of rock, jazz or r&b. On stage praise and worship.

I adjust my starting settings for the volume level I'm playing at and the room or band conditions. Any other changes are slight adjustments, usually low mids and bass but sometimes upper mids. Highs I control with the tone knob on my bass. I haven't played a MM through this yet but I think it would sound great.

SpectorDetector · #8 12-07-2010, 05:01 PM

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine) Yes

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)
Sadowsky Metro P/J sounds great
Spector NS2JA-R good as well
untill recently Fender 50's Precision sounded great

3. What kind of stuff do you play? Steely Dan, The Police, Various 80's stuff, Beatles.

Any details you'd like to add would be great too.
Very good amp for the cash, primarily a home player, VT Bass is always on. Using a sound isolation platform. Combining with Tech 21 VT Bass makes a great old school sound with modern weight/ease of transport for a G.

strost · #9 12-08-2010, 07:50 AM

Good stuff so far. Thanks! Wish I could swing for a Sadowsky P/J. And good to know that the Standard Jazz does well.

Any more?

philter25 · #10 12-08-2010, 09:12 AM

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine)

Yes. Its a great combo for its pricepoint. Compared to others in its price category, its #1.

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.) Ibanez SR700. Although I run through the sansamp first before going to the amp, which makes a huge difference in my sound.

3. What kind of stuff do you play?
Covers. 80s, 90s, 2000s, rock and hip hop. Which is why I use the sansamp. I need to go from a funky hip hop beat to GnR then to a clean tube sound.

strost · #11 12-10-2010, 10:35 AM

Thanks all. I think a VT is on my horizon too...

I still need more data points so I'm bumping this up!

boynamedsuse · #12 12-10-2010, 01:49 PM

Unscientific? I'm in.

1. Are you happy with your GK MB210? (yes or no is fine)
Yes. My gear budget is low, so I am extremely happy to get this type of tone on my budget.

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)
Peavey Axcelerator. Good luck trying to find one of those.

3. What kind of stuff do you play?
Rock, Blues.

Any details you'd like to add would be great too.
I try to keep the noise floor low by moving both the gain and main knobs in unison--both at 10:30, both at 12:00, etc. I use it with a Boss GEB-7 and a Bass Big Muff. I cut some bass with the amps' EQ (about 10:30) and cut a little more with the GEB-7 (when enabled).

Nedmundo · #13 12-10-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invalidprotocol

2. What bass or basses do you play through it (if more than one, which basses sound good or bad.)

Fender American Std Jazz - sounds incredible, perfectly matched to the cabinet. lots of mid grind and punch. several people have said they are jealous of my tone. starting settings with this bass: everything at noon except bass at 10 oclock.

To make things even less scientific, I'll chime in even though I don't have an MB210. I have G-K 700RB-II, MB-500, and two Neo 112 (Series I) cabs, and Jazz basses sound phenomenal through these amps and cabs. G-K is certainly aware of the popularity of J-basses, and their gear seems to be voiced accordingly. In fact, this is one reason I went with a Jazz V for my first five string, and why my most recent bout with GAS led me toward a G&L JB.

I have played Jazz basses through MB210 combos at GC, and have been very impressed with the excellent tone. J-basses sound nice and thick through the MB210, and the MB115 as well.

I play original classic/hard rock.