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Double Bass Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0-8T combo

M

macmrkt

Inactive
Dec 4, 2002
1,089
9
68
www.macmrkt.com
#1
Yo Adrian (I just HAVE to say that),
I never did try the MiniMark - I'm waiting to get a review sample at this point from our Bass Gear Magazine test inventory - but I did try the Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0/8T. Granted, I'm not a reviewer, but I tried it with DB - it did very well in a brief test, meaning that I couldn't hear a change in DB tone with the amp on or off. It does require full input gain with a Full Circle directly in. I then demoed it against the Flightcase, which is significantly larger, twice the weight and half the features...but only with BG. The Flightcase was truer in tone on BG as you got to the lower strings, but a little less punchy sounding. The Genz was close though overall. The Genz, thus, is clearly the first 'real' bass amp that's in the near 10lb range - you CAN do a drummer gig with it (OK, the drummer has to have control!!) It easily surpasses the Briefcase and Markbass MicroMark - both of which are truly low volume only setups, with the Briefcase coming in at nearly 30lbs! Don't forget, the Genz Benz is modular (I used the head alone on a LOUD blues gig with a big cabinet and it did great) - none of these others are...OK, the MiniMark can take an extension cabinet and in my experience with their AC101, that makes it a wonderful bigger gig rig.

I am very curious about the Minimark, even at 21lbs, as it is narrow and easy to carry. I didn't rush out to try it after my not-so-great experience with the MicroMark. And thinking about it, the Genz Benz 3.0/8T is ONLY 3lbs more an ONLY 2-3" bigger overall than the MicroMark...but there's a world of difference.

I will try the 3.0/10T next. That might close the gap in tone to the Flightcase, and be a 'winner' overall (weight, size, features and price.) The good news is that we 'micro-philic' bassists now have 2 Genz Benz, 2 PJB, and a slew of Markbass combos to fill our needs. It only gets better...
 
#3
Hey Adrian,
Well....the head is wonderful. You buy the set, and the cabinet can be used separately. Can't buy it separately...but you might not want to. If you price out the 3.0 head with the 10T cabinet bought separately, you pay a big premium to split them. Buying them together is the way to go - even if you sell off one part after. It seems as if the cabinet bracket just screws on and maybe some tape....I'll know soon as I want to take mine off to see.
 
#4
I just had an e-mail extension with Jeff Genzler and he said they will be releasing a matching extension cabinet later in the summer.

OK, I am sufficiently curious to order one of the combos. As you know, I've never thought much of the Wizzy 10 sound but I am totally addicted to the portability. Pity the head is 4 ohm minimum otherwise I could use it with the Wizzy 10 as an extension when playing with a big band.
 
#5
You may want to check Jeff again...I think you'd be at 2.6 ohms with an 8 and a 4. He did a mod to another head of his to allow that. Don't know if he can do it with the digital amp. But it may work without a mod...Also...I'd hate to think you could order one without return privilege...there's gotta be a dealer that you could do that with? I think you'll find that the Wizzy 10 mid hump is not there on the 8T.
 
#6
Just to get picky on the aesthetic side of things - I was looking at photos on the slab side of the forum of a unit in operation. Those "retina-searing LEDs" remind me of the one on the Schertler Pub 2/280 except these seem far more obnoxious. Personally when I want amplification I want it to be as transparent as possible both sonically and physically on-stage. Big logos, silver coloured front plates, glaring LEDs, big orange circles, yeech...
 
#9
Adrian,
I ran the 3.0/8T with a 10T extension last night on a loud BG gig last night. Not that you need the power, but it delivered all night. I had the chance to leave the stage and hear the rig as Arnold Schnitzer was here on vacation and he sat in most of the gig! This rig clearly sets the new bar for size/weight and gig capability. You can get most tones you are looking for with the very nice filters and EQ. I can't think of any rig that is as easy to tote. I'll be posting more notes on the BG side. Aside from the impressive volume, the head is a WINNER in every way. The 8T cabinet is the smallest, lightest USEABLE cabinet I know of that can even handle a 5 string bass guitar to small gig volumes or louder gigs with the 10T extension.
 
#10
@Marty

Since you seem to have tried both 8T and 10T cabinets, would you be able to give a bit more detailed comparison?

I've tried the 10T combo I liked the cabinet, but not the amp.

I'm trying to decide between the 8T, 10T, Epi UL110, and Wizzy 10. Any advice would be appreciated.
I have read countless threads but haven't seen comparisons of the GB cabs.

I double on DB and viola (of the violin family) and am looking for a clean yet not so sterile sounding cabinet.

Thank you

EDIT: and the overpriced AER Amp One but I guess that is a combo...
 
#13
Freddels said:
I'd like to try one of these small combos with the Mouse 30 I recently acquired.
Click to expand...

[detour]

Et tu, Fredte? I've been enjoying the heck out of my Mouse lately after recently joining [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] group. I played the first few gigs on DB, then the leader told me it was cool to bring the Mouse to rehearsals because the basement room they rehearse in is a short-ceilinged scroll hazard. Everybody dug it so much that they want me to go ahead and use it on shows from now on. It produces more warm fat tone through a single 10 (or two) than I ever would have thought possible. Enjoy! I bet it'll sound killer through the Genz.

[/detour]
 
#15
Chris Fitzgerald said:
[detour]

Et tu, Fredte? I've been enjoying the heck out of my Mouse lately after recently joining [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] group. I played the first few gigs on DB, then the leader told me it was cool to bring the Mouse to rehearsals because the basement room they rehearse in is a short-ceilinged scroll hazard. Everybody dug it so much that they want me to go ahead and use it on shows from now on. It produces more warm fat tone through a single 10 (or two) than I ever would have thought possible. Enjoy! I bet it'll sound killer through the Genz.

[/detour]
Click to expand...

It sounds killer through most everything but you should hear it with a GK 1001 into the Genz 212neo. Full bodied!!

My wife came down stairs and commented how it sounded like my URB (and she never comments on much . . . except "Is that a new bass?")
 
#16
I just tried the 3.0/1x8 combo with electric. The head sounded just like the Neopak head to me, which is to say it had a "grindy" upper mid with a kind of loose, tubey low end (such that there was one).

It took a lot of bass boost from every source (EQ, contour switch, onboard bass EQ) to get a reasonable "bass" sound out of it, even unaccompanied. (But again...1x8 cab...) So I'm really surprised you guys could get a serviceable gig/DB sound out of it at all. It definitely doesn't have any DB friendly features.

Overall I thought it seemed kind of gimmicky and, at $700, pretty expensive for what it is (i.e., a glorified EBG practice amp.)

W
 
#17
I gigged with the 3.0/8T + 10T in a fairly loud 5 piece rock/blues band. Wasn't a rumbling lowend sound, but it cut through and was very pleasing. I only used the bass boost switch which was more than enough. Nice under 30lb rig that gave me the option of a 13lb practice, small gig or DB rig when you just use the single 8T cabinet. Haven't run the 3.0/8T on a gig, but even though the gain would be high without an external piezo pre, I figure it could cut small jazz gigs. If I could only get a small jazz gig, I'd try it out! I've been using the 3.0 head with a variety of PJB Neo cabs with great success on gigs - and running it flat.

I never had the Neopak head, but did have the GBE750. I like the Shuttle heads better overall, including sound...but that's not from direct A-B comparing.

Sure, I'm factoring in the just-over-12lb weight when discussing the 3.0/8T...where the trade-offs lie rests with the user...as of now, I'm satisfied.
 
#18
What about Shuttle Cabs compared to Wizzy or the Epi UL110?

@Adrian : I tried the Shuttle 3.0 amp + 10t cab for about 30 mins. DB with Underwood then the Realist. On viola it was LR Baggs bridge pickup, then it through the Fishman Aura Imaging Blender. I think I briefly tried it with a mic as well. (Gooseneck mic that comes with a Fishman Concertmaster)

I read in another thread where the Genz tech guys explained how the amp is set very flat, and that it might take some time to get a pleasing sound via eq. I don't know if this is the case but i did tweak the eq and got a decent sound. However, when I plugged the GK Backline 600 into the 10T cab, the sound was suddenly a lot fuller and lively. It almost felt like Shuttle was sterile and lifeless, whereas when I plugged in GK suddenly the sound of body was present. (for both DB and viola) So i spent the other 30 mins with the GK. I know from reading FDeck's analysis that Backline is not a very flat amp, and that might be why it sounded better, but it did sound better.

I am interested in comparison between the Shuttle, AI heads, and the iAmp micro as well. I've briefly tried all three, but not at the same time, and not with the same cabinets.
 
#19
digirira said:
What about Shuttle Cabs compared to Wizzy or the Epi UL110?

....

I am interested in comparison between the Shuttle, AI heads, and the iAmp micro as well. I've briefly tried all three, but not at the same time, and not with the same cabinets.
Click to expand...

I guess this is where I'm coming from...all things considered, the tiny Genz rig is not that much smaller/lighter than a UL110 and Focus (or Clarus SL) and *that* is a rig which will cover 90% of jazz gigs without even pushing it hard (The same could probably be said for the Wizzy 10 iteration, but I haven't heard it.). Both of those pieces also have a professional to "military grade" feel to them which the Genz just does not.

With all due respect to Mac, I think most here are really loathe to huck an extension cab. I will be curious to see if anyone gets the 1x8 itself work.
 
#20
The 3.0 10T combo might be better suited to gigs than the 8 inch. The 10" is still only an 18 lb combo.

With my NeoPak I sometimes find that after tweaking the eq for a while that I have to just stop and set everything flat and start over b/c I might boost/reduce something and then do something completely opposite with another knob to compensate for what I did with the first one.

I do love the tone of my GK amp. :) even with my UL110 (which doesn't always get the low tones that I like).

I've got an Acme B2 coming this week and I'll give that a try. The B1 might actually be better suited for small gigs.
 

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