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Amp help, GBE something or other?

E

eee

Jan 17, 2009
716
866
#1
Hey guys and gals.

I've just swapped emails with a guy offering what he calls a GBE series 1 bass combo. I've done some poking around online and found that this could be a lot of different things...unless I'm wrong? Does anybody know what it could possibly be?

If GBE series 1 does refer to a specific model, could someone show me a picture of one, and maybe tell me about it?

If it's not a specific model, but a line of amps...I'm hoping its the 210. Any ups or downs with this amp?

Thanks
 
#4
There were several S-1 combos offered, all S-1 combos were biamped. Once you know the specific model, PM me and I'll send you the owner's manual. See if he can send you a photo of what he is talking about, that would really help clarify. All S-1's are over 10 years old.
 
#5
To the OP - You have just seen an example of customer service at it's finest. Here you are, buying a discontinued, ten year old, second hand amp, and someone from Genz Benz is getting directly involved to help you.

That just doesn't happen these days. Well, unless you are talking about GB.

FWIW - I used a GBE 100-210T at a casual party jam (the guitar player is a GB dealer) 5 or so years ago and it filled the bill just fine.

I currently own/use a Genz Benz Neopak 3.5 and love it.

Their reputation, quality products, and seeing on this forum so many examples of how they handle customers, existing or potential were all factors in my decision to purchase.
 
#8
62Jazzbass said:
To the OP - You have just seen an example of customer service at it's finest. Here you are, buying a discontinued, ten year old, second hand amp, and someone from Genz Benz is getting directly involved to help you.

That just doesn't happen these days. Well, unless you are talking about GB.
Click to expand...

That was one of the first amps I designed for Jeff, it's still fully supported parts-wise and we still service it if necessary. Be sure you find out which model, there are a few parts that are out of production like entire PCB assemblies but otherwise we have just about everything else. It was released in Jan 1998.
 
#9
I just got back from trying it out. Unfortunately, I didn't get it...I would have loved to, it sounded great and was way more than loud enough for what I was looking for. The dealbreaker was that every single knob was VERY crackly when turning them. In particular, one of the volume knobs had some kind of thang where if it wasn't prodded to just the right angle, all you got was static.

The sound was good though. I forget the model, but it had a 12 inch (more or less) speaker with 3 tweeters.

I'm still going to buy some kind of GB amplification, but that wasn't the one for me.
 
#10
3 tweeters??? Not one of our cabinets.

If it was cheap enough, might still be worth it plus a servicing. It's possible that it was stored in a damp or dusty environment. Replacing the pots is not that expensive.
 
#12
that's what I was thinking, he saw the round ports n thought they was tweets, unless someone did a crazy mod to that combo. :eek:

Well, at least OP knows he'll be well covered by purchasing Genzy-Gear new and heck even used. Great company.

I'm in shark mode right now, circling this new Uber 212 at a local music shop. Just may go in for the kill (purchase :smug:) soon. :ninja:
 
#15
eee said:
Sorry about the delay in reply.

After looking on the website, I didn't see an amp that looked like it. I guess maybe it was an aftermarket hack job...?
Click to expand...

There are some aftermarket "Franken-amps" out there by guys who tried to reinvent the wheel. If that was the case, it's possible that they modded the amp right into failure too. General rule is to avoid "modded" amps, the modders usually do not know the product as well as we do.
 
#16
Hi, raising this thread back up as I have a gbe series 1 s-210t combo I'm trying to get inside of to clean the pots with some deoxit contact cleaner.

I also found out fender has bought out genz benz. I took the four screws off the back panel, and the head section kind of moves but not really. there's also four around the heatsink but I believe those are holding the heatsink to it.

someone from Fender suggested I remove the handles on the side, which I did but it looks like the bottom cabinet is sealed from the head minus the hole where the wires are going through.

so next is either the top four corner pieces, or maybe I do need to remove heatsink screws.

agedhorse, any ideas?

thx.
 
#18
I am on the road now, but pm me and I will look at one I have at my shop and see. It's been too long to rely on memory alone. I thought there were 2 or 4 screws through the top.

Don't remove the screws at the corners of the heatsink.

Very small amount of Caig deoxit d5 or r5 only.
 
#19
not sure if it's because I'm on my mobile but I don't see where I can PM you.

the head part does move a little with the 4 screws on the back unscrewed. I can see the speaker wires connected by looking inside where I removed the handles. seems it could be very difficult to get your arms in there to disconnect them and more difficult to reconnect them.

I'm hoping there is not screws on the inside of the cab, which is securing the head.

could it be possible the screws securing the corner pieces on top, are also somehow securing the head.... maybe try taking off the four corner pieces and then seeing if I can get the head to move.

thx.
 

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