Any Glockenklang players? Is this company still around?

[somebrains]

Back in the 90's I used to read the reviews on this mysterious brand from Germany & be amazed at the retail prices. Yet, I've never seen anybody (local or pro) use one - either in real life or on TV.

Does anybody have any experience with their amps and/or cabs? What can you tell me about them? Thanks

I tried one way back around 1990/1991.
Ended up that I don't enjoy the true sound of my bass.

I like some tubey gritty snarl.

 

[fast slapper]

Not to be contrary but two points. Channel strips can sound clean but the eq points are for recording not points we need and use for EB.
Two, unlike say a Millenia, Glockenklangs have richness with extreme clarity as opposed to a clinical representation.

The BAC did sound pretty good when I heard it. Just slightly more detailed than the Soul. Maybe I'm not as picky with my preamps. I don't mess around with eq much once I have my active speaker settings dialed in. On the other hand, a nice parametric eq as found on the A Designs Ventura SE look pretty capable. The older model sounds pretty good online. Would love to try one.

 

[J.Wolf]

I havent heard any channel strips that sound like the BAC. it has a particular warmth in the low end, linear midrange and high end clarity that is very specific to its voicing. It doesnt work in every band setting or context but is pretty singular in tone.

 

[Thir13teen]

I tried one way back around 1990/1991.
Ended up that I don't enjoy the true sound of my bass.

I like some tubey gritty snarl.

That's why I like the Zon Sonus BG model. Only one knob (volume). But it has a switch on the bass. You flip the switch and now there is just a tad of dirt behind the sound. I don't need a bass with 12 knobs & switches on it.

 

[somebrains]

That's why I like the Zon Sonus BG model. Only one knob (volume). But it has a switch on the bass. You flip the switch and now there is just a tad of dirt behind the sound. I don't need a bass with 12 knobs & switches on it.

Yeah, the one Fodera 20 years ago I should have bought for $1300 put me off with it's variety.
I start off with variety, find out what works, then that's how I'm riding it until it dies.

Ever play a Zon thru a Bass 400 or SVT?
Well my buddy brought his 1st year Sonus over last week and played thru my SVP-CL and Peavey IPR.
He got all the snarl of the usual tube preamp with the quickness and pop of a class D amp.

Unfortunately I was trying to sell him a Warwick he totally forgot about............

 

[chris_b]

Bobby Vega used Glockenklang gear and I believe they provide Dingwall with some pre amps.

 

[Thir13teen]

Ever play a Zon thru a Bass 400 or SVT?

Yes. I had an SVT II Pro that I bought from Bass NW. I used to run my Zon through that then into an 8x10 or a SWR 2x12 w/ SWR 8x8.

 

[J.Wolf]

for the man who has almost everything. THIS is fairly stupidly awesome.

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[somebrains]

Yes. I had an SVT II Pro that I bought from Bass NW. I used to run my Zon through that then into an 8x10 or a SWR 2x12 w/ SWR 8x8.

That must have been glorious.

Don't get me wrong, Glockenklang has that hifi thing I'd want if I was a serious Jazz guy.
Shined shoes, pressed clothes, people that dress for a gig like they're going to the opera.

I'm more of a cigarette and beer kinda player hoping there's tri tip left when the BBQ goes cold.

 

[Thir13teen]

for the man who has almost everything. THIS is fairly stupidly awesome.

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I like how it looks twice the size of the old SVT II heads & the tiny knobs and then just the XLR out on the front panel. Looks ominous.

 

[Thir13teen]

That must have been glorious.

Don't get me wrong, Glockenklang has that hifi thing I'd want if I was a serious Jazz guy.
Shined shoes, pressed clothes, people that dress for a gig like they're going to the opera.

I'm more of a cigarette and beer kinda player hoping there's tri tip left when the BBQ goes cold.

Agreed. You can see the Zon Sonus IV here going into one Eden WT-300 into an SWR 8x8 and then another WT-300 going into an SWR 2x12 cab. Miss that rig :/

 

[J.Wolf]

I like how it looks twice the size of the old SVT II heads & the tiny knobs and then just the XLR out on the front panel. Looks ominous.

I love the aesthetics of the BAC head and line. And the build quality feels really robust and elegant. I'm not big on the giant logo on the cabs (the ones with the smaller corner logo look superb), but the Bass Art cabs sound fantastic. There's a clip of Garaj Mahal playing at a festival, and Kai Eckhardt was standing in front of a big Bass Art rig, sounding killer, wish I could find the video.

 

[jsbarber]

for the man who has almost everything. THIS is fairly stupidly awesome.

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That is an awesome rig at a great price. The only thing that would eclipse this would be a BAC preamp into a Glockenklang Bugatti*, 2X400 watt power amp, into four BAC cabinets!

I like how it looks twice the size of the old SVT II heads & the tiny knobs and then just the XLR out on the front panel. Looks ominous.

The xlr on the front panel is for the line driver. It’s a 4-pin connector for which 2 wires carry the signal and 2 deliver +/-15V to a unit that is to be attached to your belt while you play, and a short ~24” cable from belt to instrument. It adds incremental clarity/transparency to an already super clear rig. There is also a traditional 1/4” connector for a standard instrument cable.

* The power rating of the Bugatti is measured at 0.1% THD. I’ve seen heads discussed here on TB where the power rating was measured at 10% or 20% THD, which correspond to 100 & 200 times the THD of the Bugatti. I.e. this amp would crush your typical class D 700 or 900 watt amp.

 

[J.Wolf]

That is an awesome rig at a great price. The only thing that would eclipse this would be a BAC preamp into a Glockenklang Bugatti*, 2X400 watt power amp, into four BAC cabinets!

Yeah that would be something fierce. Still to this day, best sounding rig I've ever heard was at NAMM 2004, a BAC preamp > Demeter VTHF 300M > Whappo jr. lord that sounded perfect.

 

[michaelmwong]

* The power rating of the Bugatti is measured at 0.1% THD. I’ve seen heads discussed here on TB where the power rating was measured at 10% or 20% THD, which correspond to 100 & 200 times the THD of the Bugatti. I.e. this amp would crush your typical class D 700 or 900 watt amp.

Yes, don't be fooled by the power rating of the BAC head. It has the power amp (mono) from the Bugatti which is rated at 400W driving 4ohms at 0.1%THD. I'm running this into a single BAC cab (1x15) so it's rated at 210W into 8ohms. It is not lacking power or bottom end compared to my previous setup, Berg IP12 + 12EX (1000W into 2x12).

 

[tom-g]

Any company that tries selling me a power cable for better sound has lost me as a customer:

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[BurnOut]

Just posted this on a different thread. It just popped up on FB bass gear for sale page.

 

[chadds]

The BAC pre is capable of grit when pre gain is cranked.
When I first got it I hated it. I was trying every Pre in existence at the time. I sent it back. Then a month or so later bought it again, same one. It takes sitting there and seeing what those controls do. They actually allow you to tailor your sound like you want. It’s a finesse thing. When you’re done the sound you want is right there. In a moment you can compare to flat. Low mids hi mids all the controls are there. Designed for bassists. The eq loop can have just the highs pass so your lows are unadulterated. It’s not like some heads that have a dashboard of eq but none usable. Controls also act independently of each other.

 

[jsbarber]

The BAC pre is capable of grit when pre gain is cranked.

+1
And as you increase the gain the Peak led begins to light up, not to inform you of a clipping issue, but to let you know that you’re beginning to add the grit. The BAC Head is a very well thought out amp specific to the needs of bassists. Tons of features. Absolutely top notch build quality.

 

[Thir13teen]

Yeah that would be something fierce. Still to this day, best sounding rig I've ever heard was at NAMM 2004, a BAC preamp > Demeter VTHF 300M > Whappo jr. lord that sounded perfect.

I saw that one of those VTHF300M's sold for $1500 (used) a while back....I'd like to hear one of those with a Sansamp Geddy Lee pre.