Alternatives to Gallien Krueger?

[Bass Boy J]

Dude...ok I’m a diehard GNR fan. Like as extreme as it gets. My all time favorite band.in my earlier years of playing I’d go through phases where I wanted to sound just like my influences.At the end of the day it’s just a phase.a couple months down the line you’ll be in another phase.i suggest you focus on your playing and the tone will come.different music and different bands require all kinds of tones.Youre talking Duff,lemmy and cliff hybrid tone and you’re saying GK is out of your price range. What is your price range? Because it’s not gunna be cheap for what you’re trying to accomplish as far as your gear goes. Start off with an amp that has a good EQ and OD channel. Fender Rumble combo amps or affordable. Maybe get a darkglass pedal.Thats a start. Probably within the 550-650$$ range. That’s just some basic stuff. Take your current setup and learn about gain structure.learn about adding and scooping mids. You’d be surprised. I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars trying all different brands, amps,preAmps,poweramps,Rackmount stuff,cabs etc. less is more. I have my bass and amp and nothing else. I don’t use any effects, no preAmps nothing. I’ve owned SVT,V4B, various pro series, BA, all the modern portaflex pf 350 and pf 500.the Ampeg pf series is junk btw.youll have issues. Ive owned orange,trace elliot,GK,Fender,Hartke and so much more.less is more,less is more,less is more.my current Rig and best rig is a fender Rumble 800 head into a Fender Bassman neo 610. I use dimarzio DP122 pickups and round wounds. I get all the tone options I’ve ever dreamed of.i used that 30 day satisfaction return policy for so long at GC. Do you’re own thing

I like to combine the sounds of my influences, like Led Zeppelin, the Clash, Sly and the Family Stone, GnR, Metallica, Motörhead, into my own sound, and then I’ll tweak the sound to make sure that it is just right for me.

 

[Chris76]

5 minutes. Typo

Are you playing through a PA in school? If so, a DI preamp might be a very viable option. Do you have a practice amp at home?

 

[Bass Boy J]

Are you playing through a PA in school? If so, a DI preamp might be a very viable option. Do you have a practice amp at home?

No and Yes.

 

[Bass Boy J]

No and Yes.

Well typo, I am 14 and I am going into high school next year, but I don’t know.

 

[TonyP-]

You can say the same about every amp though.ive never heard anything that sounds like orange amps.fender certainly doesn’t sound like an ampeg or GK or anything else. It’s all preference and what you’re expected tone is.To me NOTHING sounds like anything else.

I’m Not arguing that at all.

I will say some sound more generic to me for lack of a better term than others.

 

[John Webb]

I have an old 800 RB I got for $400 ten years ago....never had a problem with it. I will eventually replace it with a lightweight GK.

 

[swarfrat]

Easily get an ampeg pf350 or pf500 used and still have $$ left over in the budget

PF-350/500 are great amps,and I love mine - for me it's what this kid is looking for in GK. . But they (Ampeg and GK) are two different archetypes. As others have said - it sounds like GK is the sound he wants, and it's not terribly expensive - not like the kid who wants a Dumble. The only real difficulty is trying to hold on to both the weight and cost variables at the same time.

 

[leto]

Sure. Plus I am not trying to sound exactly like duff. His tone is just a key component in my sound.

That being the case you need a chorus pedal as well.

 

[Kmonk]

Hello. I am on a quest for a new rig, and looked at GK, but it is out of my price range. I was wondering if Ampeg or Peavy were good alternatives to this brand.

In most cases, Ampeg will be more expensive than GK. I had a Peavey amp many years ago and didn't like it. Very bland sounding. I've also used GK, Hartke, Ashdown and Ampeg. I didn't like Ashdown for the same reason I didn't like Peavey. I could never get a good sound, no punch or clarity. Hartke has some great sounding heads and cabs that are reasonably priced. In my opinion, Ampeg is the best sounding which is why more bass players use Ampeg than any other brands. If I wasn't using Ampeg, I would be using GK. If you really want GK, look for used gear.

 

[musicman7722]

ANYTHING - I have never liked them and sold or returned the few I have bought.

 

[BassBrass]

My walk is about 2-t minutes, but I also carry a trombone, and my bass, and my amp.

The trombone itself teaches character and conditioning. Do your long tones brah. Do you have any idea how valuable that double makes you? Good trombones can work anywhere. And the info you get from arrangements of trombone parts informs your bass playing know-how. Most bass lines are baritone range which the trombone covers. You may already know that...

 

[Bass Boy J]

The trombone itself teaches character and conditioning. Do your long tones brah. Do you have any idea how valuable that double makes you? Good trombones can work anywhere. And the info you get from arrangements of trombone parts informs your bass playing know how. Most bass lines are baritone range which the trombone covers. You may already know that...

I also play the guitar and piano

 

[Peteyboy]

$350 for MB500 on Reverb! That's the best deal since Bob Gallien teamed up with Freddy Krueger.

 

[Chris76]

To me, this kid is stuck so to speak. He is already carrying a bunch of stuff to and from school. So to try to find anything that is going to weigh the minimum is going to hinder your preferences. Sure you can buy a feather weight head, but how are you going to move your cab(s) back and forth? Are you going to leave them there? If that's the case, might as well leave the head too. That also changes the game. You are seeking portability while trying not to sacrifice quality. IMO, if you are leaving everything at school then portability shouldn't be a factor. If you are not leaving them at school then the cab(s) become an issue.

 

[arbiterusa]

Read all the posts so changing mine. I have two MB500s. Got both under $400, so you should be able to as well. 3.75 pounds. Super versatile. And at this point they've lasted through weekly gigging and practices for almost five years and I suspect they'll last at least a decade more. Powerful and loud. The guys recommending the 700RB have the right idea tonewise, but that amp is too heavy considering what you're carrying.

You will not like the tone of the Ampeg. The Peavey is OK, but given the narrow variance in cost, I'd get the GK. Better resale and easier access to repair if it's ever needed.

 

[BassBrass]

I also play the guitar and piano

we have too many of them, a real glut. The opposite for trombone. (except for the sackbut choir)

 

[acid bass]

The takeaway from this thread is that there's a significant number of bassists that still aren't aware class D amps exist or how affordable they are.

 

[lowendrv]

And yes I looked at used GK stuff, but a lot of the stuff that is in my price range is pretty old. I just want to have a head that will last me until I am 18 or 20, because I am 15.

GK stuff will last 20 years at least . I've have GK stuff that hasn't failed in 30 years .Used GK is good GK . You can find stuff for cheap .

 

[briandavismurph]

Used GK?

You can definitely get a used MB 500, maybe an MB800 for $500.

True, and both great choices, and an added bonus, made in USA

 

[magic8161]

Genzler. one of the best around.