Gallien Krueger digital amps

[valloti]

Hi there, i'm playing again upright and i'm starting to gig a bit now with both EB and DB and i need a cheap new amp which can suit both. With the EB i play mostly latin jazz and cuban music and with the DB only jazz.
I saw these two Gallien Krueger new amps:
MB112-II and MB115. They have both digital power amps and they're very cheap. Has anyone tried one of these?
I could use some advice because the dealers in Berlin don't have them, only online, and i thought on these because GK normally are great jazz amps.
Thanks a lot!

[pjleo]

Hello. I have the MB115. I find it is to big for upright.
I use and like it for electric . I have heard / checked out the MB112 at a gig the keyboard player was using . It sounded fine and seemed to have plenty of bottom and volume. I have no experience with it on upright. hope that helps.

[Kael]

I disagree. I find the mb115 to work out about perfect for DB. The 112 seemed as if it could have run out of headroom occasionally.

Caveat: I've played it in the store but never gigged the 112. The 115 I own and use.

PS: Avoid the 210 like a 500lb hooker with the plague. WAY too boomy. Completely useless.

[pjleo]

Well...I guess I was mainly referring to the size...it seemed strange walking into a trio gig with that size amp. maybe it is a matter of aging...on my part!

[fdeck]

I've got the MB200 head, and am quite happy with it. Just for sake of reference, it's helpful to know how to dial this amp so it has a flat voicing:

Contour = Off
Treble = 10:00
Hi Mid = 2:00
Lo Mid = 1:00
Bass = 10:00

[valloti]

Thanks a lot guys, that's very helpfull!
Merry Christmas!

[gottliver]

i had an mb112 -II. it was very good..I only needed it for 1 gig..afterwards I returned it. I recommend it.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by pjleo

Well...I guess I was mainly referring to the size...it seemed strange walking into a trio gig with that size amp. maybe it is a matter of aging...on my part!

Pjleo
There was a time, when the B-15N was the amp of choice for Double Bassist. Those amps weighed in at 80 lbs. By that measure, a MB115 is lightweight. Also, interestingly enough it was the trio amp of it's time. So it's not the size of the speaker, so much as it is the execution of the cabinet. Good things come in a variety of package sizes.

Ric

[pjleo]

Ric,
Hi. Just to be clear , my negative experience with the MB115 with upright has been the size issue ,not the sound or weight. After opening the box , I realized it was a bit larger then what I preferred. For most upright gigs I do, a small stand alone 12" cab or GK150 is fine. Years ago I used a larger cabinet along the line of what you mentioned.......
I would venture to say if the variety of quality amps today were available in that bygone era ....many would have chosen a smaller amp over a large one...just my opinion. That being said, if size is not an issue and/or you might use it additionally for electric bass / louder gigs , which I do...I would recommend it.

[valloti]

Guys, Thanks a lot, now i know i will buy the 115, i need indeed something i can use for both DB and EB, in small jazz gigs but also big latin loud gigs, so i guess it will be ok for my needs. It is actually a bit to big but it is really light weigh so i'm not worried about it. What i'm curious about is the digital power amp, how might that sound???

[gottliver]

Very good. And the eq is very effective.

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by valloti

Guys, Thanks a lot, now i know i will buy the 115, i need indeed something i can use for both DB and EB, in small jazz gigs but also big latin loud gigs, so i guess it will be ok for my needs. It is actually a bit to big but it is really light weigh so i'm not worried about it. What i'm curious about is the digital power amp, how might that sound???

the power amp is basically sonically neutral. It has a compressor-limiter preset to the Max output of the amp, that seems to be unobtrusive and beneficial.