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Best Gallien Krueger Head?

#81
I’ve had the 400RB, Fusion 550 and now I’m converted to all tube amps. If I went back, I would get a 400 or 700RB over the fusion. It was much easier to get some grind out of the 400 than the Fusion. Both have plenty of power but the Fusion seemed more mid scooped and the 400 had nicer midrange.
 
#82
Ive played lots of larger venues with SWR, Trace Elliot, and GK. The only amp Ive ever found better than my GK 700II was my Trace 2400. That would push 2 8x10 with ease. In fact it could easily toast all 16 10"s at once. There is simply no need for that kind of power, even in large outdoor venues.

That being said, if you want a super flexible, super reliable, very loud amp that can make killer sounds. The GK 700 can't be beat. The 1001 is great too, but the 700 does seem to have a bit more "character/grind" (tone magic).

Leave the fancy pants amps in the studio.
 
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#84
Alexander said:
I’ve been playing through a Backline 600 at a rehearsal studio and love the tone I’ve been getting. Although I’m more or less a tube amp guy, I’d like to get a lighter weight alternative and backup amp. Curious what the best sounding GK head might be. I had a Fusion 550 at one point and frankly didn’t like it. I’m thinking about maybe a 700RB-II or maybe a 1001RB-II (and don’t know the tonal differences between the two). Thoughts?
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I have used a 700 RB for years with either a 4x10" and or a 8x10". It kicks ass. Different tones, features etc. You will not be disappointed.
 
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#86
400RB is the classic gig-ready players amp from the 80s. It was great, great, great.

IMO, the current RB series heads all sound great, but they're really too big and heavy to make sense anymore. Cue people who don't mind the schlep - no problem but this is my opinion.

I really like the MB Fusion tone. I have a 500 watt one; I use my Mesa D-800 more (louder), but my dirty secret is that I like the way the MB Fusion sounds a little better.

I vote for the MB-Fusion 800.
 
#87
Never owned any of these, but have used 400rb, 800rb and 1101rbII in backlines. Great amps - probably may favorite line of amps that I've never owned. I hear them with other players all the time, and they sound great. Saw Jimmy Earl about a year ago in small club, with an 800RB and a 4-10 (Ampeg?) - he sounded great! At a recent street festival, a fretless 4-string player had the 700 on top of a no-name 1-15, and it sounded perfect. Can't go wrong with any of these, unless trying to get a lot of volume out of the 400rb and an 8-ohm cabinet. If you want clean, buy the 1001 for greater volume before you "hit the rails." If you want to get grind at lower volume, the 700RB will do. One thing - I believe the 400/800 has a built in hi-pass characteristic that helps to situate it in the mix, much like P-bass rides above the kick drum. IIRC, the 700/1000 have a toggle intended to extend the low end for 5-string use. May be factor if you are a 5-string player, but never played a 5 through any of these myself - although I'm now almost exclusively on five.

On the Class D amps, had brief exposure to the 800MB. Nice sounding for a rock player, I'd think, but don't know if it has the same immediacy and push as the classic Class A/B units.

Bottom line - hard to go wrong with the RB series!
 
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#88
Joebone said:
On the Class D amps, had brief exposure to the 800MB. Nice sounding for a rock player, I'd think, but don't know if it has the same immediacy and push as the classic Class A/B units.

Bottom line - hard to go wrong with the RB series!
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I think the RB series is a tad more harmonically full/interesting and the MB series a little on the more tight/quick side and slightly less harmonically rich (not sterile by any means though) - this may actually be a deliberate voicing difference.

Although I own the MB heads and really like them, I think the RB has a little more of the real deal GK signature tone. It's not night and day, but there is a difference that is more obvious to me when played alone than when I hear them in a mix. At any rate, the MB heads won't embarrass themselves next to most any competition.
 
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#90
Owning a 1001 rb II & svt cl all i can is th a that it compares to a beautiful redhead and a beautiful blonde;different but both beautiful
 

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#93
voodoobassist said:
I like my MB800 fusion a lot,....but I've been looking at a 400rb for about a week now,...sure don't NEED it,...but,...sure do WANT it! I can never turn my mbf800 up past 9:00,....and then I'm still too damn loud.
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The 800 feels most useful to me when I'm feeding a couple of multi-speaker cabs or driving a lower sensitivity 8 Ohm cab (like my AK Changeling 112T) and want to get some volume while still retaining a lot of clean headroom.
 
#96
Alexander said:
Thanks everyone for the input. Seems like it comes down to the 800rb or 700rb-II - can someone describe the differences in tone between the two? I worry the 800rb might not have enough power?
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Either will have enough power. I owned both and through my Neo 412 or Among 810 with the input set at noon I would hardly have the master volume on. They are both plenty loud for any go with a good cabinet. If your going to use a big cab I would even consider a 400RB.

As for the tonal difference, The best thing will be the 700RB has more low-end than the 800RB.
 
#98
Alexander said:
Cool - thanks. I’m thinking about maybe getting a couple of the NEO 115 cabs to go with it. I imagine that would sound pretty good. Thoughts?
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Ive never tried the 15s but from what others say they are the most mid forward of the Neo series, the 410s are the most mid scooped and the 12s are the most even. I loved my Neo 412 and gettin rid of it was about the dumbest thing Ive ever done lol
 
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#99
Alexander said:
I’ve been playing through a Backline 600 at a rehearsal studio and love the tone I’ve been getting. Although I’m more or less a tube amp guy, I’d like to get a lighter weight alternative and backup amp. Curious what the best sounding GK head might be. I had a Fusion 550 at one point and frankly didn’t like it. I’m thinking about maybe a 700RB-II or maybe a 1001RB-II (and don’t know the tonal differences between the two). Thoughts?
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With your comment " I’d like to get a lighter weight alternative", and assuming you are referring to something 'similar' to the BL600 you are 'loving', about the only way to get 'lighter' is with the GK 'MB' line … at about 16 lbs, the BL 600 is going to be lighter than either the 700 RB (ii), and 1001 you are inquiring about... the older 400RB's and the 400RB ii are going to be very similar, both in the 12-15lb range … The GK MB series will be down in the 2-5.5 lbs range, and offer several power/feature ranges ….

I have owned several of every RB400 era/generation ever made, a few various era's of 800RB's, a 700RB and a 700RBii, a few MB200's, and an MB500 … I guess you could say I find myself keep coming back to GK heads …. I agree that the GK heads are extremely durable, but with that said, of the dozens of GK heads I have owned over the years, I have had to have serviced older 400, 800, and 700RB's … so if you find yourself going that route, make sure you test thoroughly, if that option is available ….

Personal preferences are: ... for light, portable and tone, the 2lb 200 watt (@4 ohms) MB200 … I currently have one from China, and one from US era, notice no difference, and actually preferred the tone over the MB500's (but less features onboard if that is important) … IF I find I need more than my MB200's, I have an 18lb 480 watt (@4 ohms) 700RBii … best of both worlds after owning probably no less than 20-25 GK amps over last 40+ years …

Edit to add: … when it comes to cabs, I really like GK heads through sealed cabs … usually Ampeg, either 810, 410HE, or lately a couple 210AV's to keep things ultra portable ...
 
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