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Genz Benz GBE1200: Initial impressions.

Shawnost

Shawnost

It's all about the Hamiltons baby!
Sep 25, 2004
297
25
Dallas, TX
#1
Well, after looking around and trying different amps for a month or so I finally ordered the Genz Benz GBE1200 last week. It arrived yesterday and in a word....DAMN!:eek: :eek: This amp kicks @ss!

First of all the construction of the amp is absolutely superb, it just feels solid and the control knobs have a very nice detented feel to them. At first all the tone shaping ability of this amp appears daunting but I was able to dial in nice fat/growly tones in a few minutes on both the FET and Tube channels. Overall, it's very flexible with the solid state and tube channels (and the ability to mix them), lots of eq available and the global tone shaping section adds yet another layer of goodness.

The guys at Genz Benz did a great job on this amp, and besides any amp that uses this many blue LEDs has got to be good :smug:. Seriously though, after working 7 years in the Optoelectronic industry (on commercialization of blue LEDs) it is nice to see them showing up in more and more consumer products....Not to worry though, I didn't buy it for the looks but for the power and tone!

Also, since I know that gear does not exist without pics, I'll get some up as soon as possible. :bassist: :bassist:

Shawn
 
#3
hey, congrats and thanks for your support.

Don't let the controls intimidate. A simple format to get started.

Use the FET for slap and the tube for finger.
Settings are o'clock-
FET-
Low: 2
low mid: 2
mid: 10-12
high mid: 10-12
high: 2
Tube-
low: 2
low mid: 2
mid: 12
high mid: 12
high: 12

Depending on your bass the FET setting should be great for slap and the Tube setting should be good for Rocco, Jaco finger grooves. With these settings you shouldn't need to mess with the signal shaping.

Inputs: set your levels so the input level lights come on with your hardest hits.
 
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#4
continued:

now, if you want to go to the next level. Keep the same channel settings but blend the two channels. Now you'll get the faster response of the fet channel with a bit of tube "organicness".

What I often do when blending is now engage the signal shaping section. For slap I use a little low end boost and high boost. And depending how mid prominent my channel mix tone is, I might use the mid scoop......only a tad though. I'm not a big fan of pulling out lots of mids.

I hope this helps.
Kindest Regards,
Roger Hart
 
#5
PS- since you work with opto's, you know the challenges presented by blue LED's. Some in the amp world haven't figured it out yet.
 
#6
Absolutely amazing; you guys have no idea how bad I want that amp. Of course, as (bad) luck would have it, I found a Mesa Basis M-2000 on eBay, another amp that I was seriously considering. Now I'm torn again between the two amps.

I'd love to hear more about the GBE1200 as you gig with it and discover the rest of its potential. It's a sick head. Enjoy!

Peace
 
#7
MentalBass said:
I'd love to hear more about the GBE1200 as you gig with it and discover the rest of its potential. It's a sick head. Enjoy!

Peace
Click to expand...

I have a gig next weekend and I can't wait to see how this amp performs in that setting...should be awesome!

hasbeen,
Thanks for the suggested settings, I'm actually not too far off from these (I like to set the amp close to flat and let the demeter pre in my Roscoe do alot of the tone shaping). The sound with the channels mixed and the tone shaping is just incredible, the low frequency boost is just so powerfull. It's sound you can feel!!

Shawn
 
#9
Nice post, thanks! I ordered the 750, it fit my needs better. I'll post up when it shows. Looking forwsard to it lots!

hasbeen said:
hey, congrats and thanks for your support.

Don't let the controls intimidate. A simple format to get started.

Use the FET for slap and the tube for finger.
Settings are o'clock-
FET-
Low: 2
low mid: 2
mid: 10-12
high mid: 10-12
high: 2
Tube-
low: 2
low mid: 2
mid: 12
high mid: 12
high: 12

Depending on your bass the FET setting should be great for slap and the Tube setting should be good for Rocco, Jaco finger grooves. With these settings you shouldn't need to mess with the signal shaping.

Inputs: set your levels so the input level lights come on with your hardest hits.
Click to expand...
 
#10
Just so this amp can exist:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I am still just amazed with this amp, I have found a very good overall tone with both the FET and Tube channels and have spent the past few nights playing around with the global tone shaping controls....very powerful, particularly the low frequency boost.

Shawn
 
#12
SMASH said:
Mind elaboratin' ?
Click to expand...

blue led's are a different animal then other colored ones. Note that when you turn off a green one, it stays green.....red stays red. Yet, when you turn off a blue one it goes clear/white.

Blue LED's are very sensitive to voltage. Too much or too little can burn them out. Static charges can also blow them. This is why you don't see too many of them used.
 
#20
Is the 1200 basically the same thing as the 750 and 600, just with a bunch more power and separate EQ controls for both the FET and Tube preamps?

I was just offered a really good deal on one of these. It would cost about $175 more than the 600 I was about to pick up. I know I shouldn't, but you know how GAS works...

If I sold my rack tuner it could work out. Hmmm.....

I also think this might be too heavy for me - I was going to get an airhead cab, but with this big boy in that airhead the whole thing would weigh like 90+ pounds. :hmm:

The battle between practicality and GAS rages within me.
 

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