Ampeg rig to a GK rig: What can I expect?

[Doug Parent]

I don't know why people bash Eminence? They are a good solid, American made speaker that is widely used in a variety of bass cabinets. Chances are 85% of the TBers have Emminence speakers in their cabinets and don't know it....

I find it rather funny as well......like bashing Ford because they made the Pinto.

 

[ljazz]

The GK boost control sounds really really good. Without the hassle of matching gain levels to get the tube threshold just right. If I really want to warm it up for a tubier tone (and don't want to carry the lead sled), I'll use the tubesim mode on the EBS Multicomp running into the GK.

Isn't that tube sim the "bomb"?

I just picked this up and run it into my GK700..... Combined with the boost control at about 2 or 3 o'clock, there is nothing sterile about it!

Ljazz

 

[pedro]

Of course, this all depends what you are looking for.

6 pages of thread summed up in one concise sentence.

 

[fenderhutz]

Look at all of the Ampeg gear (and I have forgotten some) in my profile. I can tell you other than wanting to try other amps in the last couple of months I am sticking with GK stuff now. I used to love Ampeg, what I had (all of it), was Uber Reliable except for the SVT 3 Pro (s) I had.

I can get any sound out of the hybrid Ampegs out of the GK heads. I had a 700 RB II and got rid of it for a 1001 RB II for my Avatar 410. I felt the 700 RB II sounded warmer to me but they both sounded good.

I got the 700 RB II 12 combo and the 12 NEO extension cab and This is as loud and has more clarity than the PRO 410 HLF I used to have.

 

[JanusZarate]

Sure, I've preferred the characteristics of one over another, and made my choice as to what to own, but have never found myself unable to dial up a professional sound.

The OP it seems, asked what the differences between GK and Ampeg might be.

The best advice by far was to ignore all opinons and make a choice as to which one sounded best for him, by playing through them.
Seemed simple enough.

But then, there are those who...............

Point understood. But a thread like this also provides an opportunity for suggestions on how to make the most of trying out a new amp.

Comments on tone aside... it still helps to give the OP an idea of what to expect or what the best way would be to approach the controls. GK's voicing is naturally brighter by default when all the controls are flat, for example.

When I walked into Guitar Center for the first time, I went straight for the SVT-CL to give it a try. I really liked the sound (not the price tag ), but if someone had told me how good an overdriven poweramp tube could sound at the time, I'd have probably walked out with a bigger smile on my face.

But see, I didn't know that at the time - I doubt most beginning bassists would know that cranking the Master volume and using the Gain knob for volume control instead can be a good thing on a tube amp, and get you a different sound. Now, whenever I get a chance to use one, I have a better understanding of how to make the most of an Ampeg all-tube head for different tones.

The same sort of thing applies even to many pro bassists. If you've spent a lot of time with hybrid and all-tube amps, you'll probably look at SS amps like GK for the first time and think "no, I don't want to push that preamp or poweramp too hard", because the stereotypes of SS amps that sound bad when pushed or overdriven have never gone away. Of course, by "you", I mean the hypothetical "you" - a made-up (but common) person who is more familiar with the stereotypes than the realities of solid-state amps.

In the end, it does narrow down to his own trial run of a GK amp. But if he were me, I'd definitely appreciate a few pointers.

And if someone goes into a thread expecting purely unbiased information, then the expectation may be too high. I think that if a Thunderfunk or Ashdown fan walked into this thread, you'd be more likely to get a nonbiased answer. But I don't see either of those brands in the thread title. Who do you think it's more likely to attract, then? The GK and Ampeg fans, of course.

Take these comments - as well as all the others - with a grain of salt. That's my rule of thumb for navigating opinion threads.

 

[Warpeg]

Well, folks, the prospective trade deal fell through. It looks like I'll be sticking to my SVT-4 Pro/810E rig for a while, or until I can find someone to do a GK trade deal with me.

I have gotten some very useful information from (the first 4 pages of) this thread. I appreciate the input that you Ampeg- and GK-experienced players have submitted. It has given me a great foundation to base my preliminary opinion of the GK tone on.

To all of you who are doing the bickering about opinions and your pride, please knock it off. I didn't start this thread to draw opinions about which amp is better. I only wanted to know your educated opinions about what to expect when I go from Ampeg to GK. If you are interested in having a forum-based argument about which amp is better, then please start your own thread and go at it--just please, not in this thread. Thank you.

-Dave

 

[SERPENT865]

Ear pleasing tone and lots of chest pounding pleasure. IMO i would get the 2001RB for more flexability and even more juice. OOOOH YAAAH. Congrats also for seeing the light. G-K forever!!!!!!!

 

[realdeal]

Well, folks, the prospective trade deal fell through. It looks like I'll be sticking to my SVT-4 Pro/810E rig for a while, or until I can find someone to do a GK trade deal with me.

I have gotten some very useful information from (the first 4 pages of) this thread. I appreciate the input that you Ampeg- and GK-experienced players have submitted. It has given me a great foundation to base my preliminary opinion of the GK tone on.

To all of you who are doing the bickering about opinions and your pride, please knock it off. I didn't start this thread to draw opinions about which amp is better. I only wanted to know your educated opinions about what to expect when I go from Ampeg to GK. If you are interested in having a forum-based argument about which amp is better, then please start your own thread and go at it--just please, not in this thread. Thank you.

-Dave

Warpeg....
When you post a thread like this, posing a question like you did...Do you realize that you're opening the floodgates to argument and inanity? Read the post above, then re-cap.
Let me point something out-
A few years back, Bob Gallien called me regarding taking over for Trip Walmsley as a Company rep, doing dealer services and conducting G-K clinics and so forth.
We never proceeded with that, but you MIGHT infer from this that I've been a GK owner/player and fan...
As well as an Ampeg owner,user and fan, as well as a Mesa, Genz-Benz, etc etc. as well as many other brands through the years.

I "chimed in" when some "profound" and "grammatically and syntax-challenged", obnoxious-to-me comments about Ampeg tone were spewed. I would absolutely have done the same about anyone dissing G-K playability while sounding like 8th graders, which they may well be.
I'm posting this so you might consider getting off your high-horse with the admonishments, when, instead of trying out gear, and making a PERSONAL decision based on the tone YOU like- You opened up the floor for nonsense.
No personal disrespect intended, but to expect an answer or to consider opinions, from a forum... Huh?
Not viable. Play them yourself and learn.

 

[Puni]

SteveC, have you had the chance to try the GK? If you finally do, please let me/us know your opinion and the differences you feel, I´m interested in reading how all this ends

 

[realdeal]

Well, they say a picture says 1,000 words---
So, I'll sit that one out!

ROTFLMAO!

Good one!

 

[Whybotherdying]

First time posting here and I saw the subject at hand and had to respond.

Personally, I love both GK (my 400rb treated me amazing until it melted) and Ampeg, but they are suited to different styles. Also, within ampeg, you have to also compare the solid state amps as well as the tube amps. I don't have much experience with the ampeg tube amps, so I will stay out of that discussion.

A/Bing the 400 RB (not the RB2) and the SVT3-Pro into the same cabs, I got two very distinct sounds. Personally, I find that you can definately get a very agressive and bright tone out of the SVT-3, but you have to EQ it properly while the 400 RB naturally had it without changing much in settings (everything at 12 o'clock). Were I to compare the two amps with everything flat, the 400 rb won every time. If you don't want to do much in EQing, the GK gear is better. However, when you use all of the controls that the SVT-3 has to offer, it beats most amps IMHO just for its versatility. Also, I should note that the SVT-3 really started to sing when I enabled the EQ and cranked the overall level on there (WOW, what a difference). The GK gear, as its been pointed out on hear numerous times, really relies on properly using the boost knob in conjunction with the master and gain knobs.

 

[Terry-MaQ]

Great thread, some really interesting points of view on here.
I have a 1001rb-ii - sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it.
I wanted an ampeg originally but the GK seems to be a bit more bang for ones buck.

I tryed one of those 3rack unit spaced ampeg heads with the overdrive channel, octave divider and compressor at a gig a few months ago. No graphic eq just the cool rotary controls and really liked it, naturally voiced very well but felt some of the gizmos on there were a bit ridiculous. The ampeg sounded great right away and i didn't need to do much tweaking, I find my GK is weird and does take me a while to find a sound I'm comfy with.

Having said that, when you get the GK rocking it's a really kickass sound, but i find it to have an odd low-mid bump in it's natural voice that sometimes i like and sometimes annoys me.

And ampegs are hardly "mushy".

Has anyone tryed the new GK neo 2x10? I'd love 2 of those stacked up vertically...

 

[biff malibu]

you guys act like a bunch of women at a city council meeting.

"do a search before you talk about bass gear on a bass guitar site! i dont want to be fussed to talk on here!"

"dont ask questions about gear! we have experience with it but you need to spend 86876 hours playing it yourself instead!"

"i know he asked for opinions but quit giving them! you look stupid when you give your opinions!"

"my best friend james jamerson, or jim, as i used to call him, once told me...dont listen to other people, but sign up for websites where you interact with people more knowledgable than yourself and ask their opinions"

grown men acting like crabby old broads over the simplest stuff, on the internet.

let it all reign down upon me.

 

[brachal]

Isn't that tube sim the "bomb"?

I just picked this up and run it into my GK700..... Combined with the boost control at about 2 or 3 o'clock, there is nothing sterile about it!

Ljazz

Very, very true. Tubesim on the Multi-Comp into GK1001-rb2 with the boost at 3 is crazy delicious!

 

[JimmyM]

plus the fact that i could never dial the ampeg-ish tone out, to get just a fat clean tone, without the color,,

Are you sure it's the GK's tone that not colored and the Ampeg's is? Uncolored doesn't always mean "plain sounding."

 

[SERPENT865]

You can expect your "awesomeness" to increase greatly. I've had both amps, personally I think the 1001RBII has incredible, modern tone. I found the SVT4-pro to be very versatile, but overall somewhat nondescript. IMO, ampeg tube heads are great, their solid state/hybrid amps are ok. GK- 800RB, 1001RB, and 2001RB are all outstanding.

+1000 G-K Rules

 

[Oreomeister365]

Can't really comment on the ampegs personally, but all the bands at my uni play through ampegs and it turns into giant mush in most of the places they play. It completely ruins the mix. I play a gk and it doesn't, we actually get turned up because their isn't a perceived loudness in volume because of the gigantic wall of boom that's being added by the other bands. However, most bass players in my uni also seem to have no clue how their gear works because they all have great gear but sound terrible. So I wouldn't blame the mush entirely on ampeg, but it's not helping. I also have a blender that sort of lets me add some of that tube amp warmth/grind to the signal if I want. So...

 

[Low_End_IIA_Vic]

I have a lead on a trade deal. I would be trading my (all-USA) Ampeg SVT-4 Pro and SVT-810E rig for another TBer's GK 1001RBII and 810SBX. I know, I'd be taking a bit of a loss, but I'd like to try something different. I still have my SVT-2 Pro, SVT-610HLF, and SVT-200T--I'm fine on 'peg gear.

However, I have very little knowledge of the "GK tone." As a near-lifelong Ampeg user, what differences and similarities in tone and function can I expect when I plug into this rig?

don't do it. Ampeg is not to be traded for anything. once you're in, you're in. there's no turning back. everything else is going to sound bad to you.

 

[JanusZarate]

don't do it. Ampeg is not to be traded for anything. once you're in, you're in. there's no turning back. everything else is going to sound bad to you.

BTW, did you read the thread and:

A) Realize it's old?
B) Realize he's already come to a decision on the gear - i.e., the trade didn't happen?