Props to GK Service

BCAlbin · #1 03-22-2009, 12:14 PM

I've got an old (1993) GK MB150E 112 combo. I bought it used in about '96/'97 for $400, a pretty good deal I thought. It performed flawlessly for years but in the last six months or so developed an intermittent problem; Although the power stayed on, the signal to the speaker would just suddenly disappear then, just as randomly, return. By intermittent, I mean the problem would only occur during a gig...but never when the amp was sitting on the tech's bench. (of course!) After spending $80 only to have my local amp guy tell me he checked the amp over "thoroughly" and "everything is working fine," I decided to box it up and send it back to GK. "If anybody can find what's wrong with it, it ought to be the guys who made it," I figured.

Well, I was right. Talked to the GK tech a couple days ago and the verdict was a bad power supply board. I had two options; A.) he would try to fix the old power supply for $100 with no warranty promise or B.) for $200, they would upgrade the amp to current specs meaning: new power supply board, repair/replace anything "suspect" in the pre-amp section, clean everything internally and even put everything in a new cabinet...all with a one year warranty (including shipping both ways if I have a problem!). The tech told me, for all intents and purposes, I'll be getting, "a new amp." Well, that was pretty much a no-brainer. So, minus the speaker, (which I just had re-coned earlier this year anyway), I'm getting a brand new MB150E 112 combo for $200 with warranty. Given my initial $400 outlay, I'm still coming out for less than the price of a new amp. Oh, and by the way, I'll have the amp back sometime next week...roughly 3 weeks since I shipped it to California. Most of our local Nashville techs are so "in the weeds" that it's generally 4-6 weeks before they can even get it on the bench, (to, then, only tell me, "Everything's fine...that'll be 80 bucks please.")

I wish all the companies and manufacturers that we deal with on a daily basis had the same service ethic that GK demonstrates. My only hope now is that the amp will now perform for the next 16 years with as few problems as it has given me in the time I've owned it. Kudos to Gallien-Krueger...

-BCAlbin

renejaime · #2 03-26-2009, 01:29 PM

yep, I love GK, my 1st amp in high school was a GK 400RB based the purchase off my DB teacher who used a MB150S.

I've had my GK going on 18 yrs only issue so far was dirty pots and board nothing a quick trip to a tech for a thorough cleaning couldn't fix.

tornadobass · #3 03-26-2009, 04:36 PM

I bought a used MB150E cheap last spring that had the same problem and I got the same solution. It has worked fine since getting back from the factory and it has actually replaced my Clarus/Wizzy12 for many gigs and rehearsals.

I did have to take a magic marker to the grill to cover the scratches, since the new cabinet did not include a new grill