• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Best Gallien Krueger Head?

#42
If you like the BL600, it’s just the 400RB, but with a distortion channel and made in China (and discontinued, so no longer made anywhere). The owner himself has attested to this. So I’d say 400RB. Unless, of course, you want more power. Then the 700 or 1001RB is what you’re after.

I’ve had the BL600, and traded up (price wise) to a 400RB. It’s my lower volume/backup to my 700RB. Both sound fantastic. The RBs all sound pretty much identical, but with different power. Some have a bi-amp feature with the current Neo cabs, but not a traditional bi-amp. Beyond that, features are almost identical.

Good luck!
 
#43
Kro said:
I believe all new assembly is back in the US, and has been for some time if that sort of thing matters to you. There was a time period where they did have a factory in China, but that closed shop years ago. Not sure of the exact year, but IIRC, it was right around when they changed the name of the MB2-500 to MB-500 just to give an idea.

Seal from their homepage:
View attachment 3151760
Click to expand...

Yup, All made in the US again with Asian electronics now lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Laurie Bass
#45
Kro said:
Awesome. One more question, how clean do you like your signal, and do you run any other preamps/always on sources of warmth/harmonic distortion before the amp?

Given that you're a tube amp guy, I have an idea of where this is going to go, but it makes sense to ask. :)

The reason is that the 700RB-ii and 1001RB-ii are pretty much the same amp, just the 1001RB-ii has a beefier power supply (seriously, that 1001RB-ii power transformer is enormous, and the amp weighs more for it). They even share the exact same preamp. Either should be able to get more than loud enough with either of those two rigs, so then it's just a matter of deciding how clean you want to be on transients and when the amp is really being pushed. :bassist:
Click to expand...
Great question - I don’t play through any effects or pre-amps (and don’t intend to!). I like tube amps on the verge of break-up but not outright distortion. I have read that GK heads react when pushed, but not sure what that really sounds like.
 
#46
Alexander said:
Great question - I don’t play through any effects or pre-amps (and don’t intend to!). I like tube amps on the verge of break-up but not outright distortion. I have read that GK heads react when pushed, but not sure what that really sounds like.
Click to expand...

Heres a pushed 800RB through a ampeg 810 using a p bass.

 
  • Like
Reactions: johnnyplaysbass, Operation Ivy, AndyLES and 2 others
#49
Alexander said:
Great question - I don’t play through any effects or pre-amps (and don’t intend to!). I like tube amps on the verge of break-up but not outright distortion. I have read that GK heads react when pushed, but not sure what that really sounds like.
Click to expand...

I'd say go 700RB-ii, and you'll have a few options for grind available. Unless you're with an even lower powered GK amp, you likely won't get that full on GK rails gank unless you really try to - IME that power amp breakup is more subtle in most typical use/volume applications.

What you will definitely have is more room to fiddle with the boost/GIVE circuit that adds in strategic harmonics to warm things up, and can add hints of compression at higher levels. Given that "volume" and boost work together to drive that circuit, you should have enough room with the lower powered 700RB-ii to explore the tonal range that specific combinations there give you while still being able to run your master hot and get a little bite there as well.

The 700RB-ii really is the Goldilocks model of the modern RB line barring specific use case scenarios.
 
  • Like
Reactions: superheavyfunk, Joebone and AdamR
#50
Kro said:
I believe all new assembly is back in the US, and has been for some time if that sort of thing matters to you. There was a time period where they did have a factory in China, but that closed shop years ago. Not sure of the exact year, but IIRC, it was right around when they changed the name of the MB2-500 to MB-500 just to give an idea.

Seal from their homepage:
View attachment 3151760
Click to expand...
Thank you Kro, appreciate your info and stand corrected, rock on!
 
#52
azfatboy said:
What's the difference between the 1001rb and the mk II version???? This is an amp still on my wish list to try, and I want to make sure I get the right flavor....
Click to expand...

Slight tweak to preamp voicing - mk.ii is a little beefier, but they're both good. Nothing a small knob tweak couldn't do.

Mk.ii has an even bigger power transformer and can get even louder cleaner than its mk.i counterpart.

Lastly, there were a few component upgrades that should in theory lead to even higher levels of reliability in the mk.ii.

Not huge deals IMO, though I personally thought highly enough of the upgrades to plop mk.ii boards in my primary amp, a 1001RB-i that still uses the older transformer that's more in line with a 700RB-ii power wise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: azfatboy
#55
I love my 400RB. Great tone and I have one that I bought in the 80's and have gigged the poor thing all over California and it just keeps on being wonderful. Love it so much I bought another one so I could leave one at rehearsal and have another rig to gig with. (or a backup rig, just in case of emergency)
Works great in 99 % of the situations. The only time it is not enough is when you play with a full on loud rock band with a hard hitting drummer and a marshal stack and they don't mic the bass and run it thru the PA. Then it just does not have enough power in my opinion.
However, most clubs always run the bass thru the PA, and then its fine. Stage volume is fine.
I usually run a 4 by 10 cab but I have ran it thru a 4 by 10 and a 1 18 cab and it sounded great and had much more presence. Two 8 ohm cabs allow full power as the one cab does not.
Im now starting to run it thru two 4 X 10 cabs for loud situations.
 
#57
I've had the 700RBII, the MB500, and the MB800. 700RBII was a solid amp, but unless it is paired with a GK cab the BiAmp capability is wasted IMO. I wanted to lighten the load so to speak, so I tried the 500; best bang for the lightweight buck in regards to GK line. A bit more versatile when compared to the MB800. With a few select switches, it can cover most desires. The MB800 on the other hand is more straight forward; no bells or whistles, what you see is what you get. While neither the 500 nor the 800 are "fused" with BiAmp capabilities, IMO they are much better for it; less things to worry about, plus IMO the "Fusion" is more gimmick when it comes to the MB series. Additionally, the MB series has only 8 or 4 Ohm capabilities; 1 4 Ohm, or 2 8 Ohm cabs and it's done. With that said, once I heard the Mesa D800+, well, GKs had to go as far as lightweight Class D amps go. D800+ also has, in addition to it's tone shaping, full range cab capabilities; 8, 4, or 2 Ohm loads. Aguilar DB751 is my amp of choice for most of my larger gigging needs; plug and play. The Mesa is for everything else. Just my opinions. Good Luck!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back